From the Editor’s Chair

A friend suggested that I try and write something a little more optimistic on this page. I’ll try, but these are desperate times. But, summer is just around the corner. This month, we celebrate the first day of summer, according to the old Icelandic calendar. Of course, summer is still months away, but early celebrations are very much apart of the Icelandic routine. In May, we will start to publish the Grapevine twice a month. For me that officially marks the arrival of summer.

Optimism sure is limiting.

I am actually looking forward to summer. We will enjoy both the Olympics and the UEFA Championship. Two big sporting events that make it almost impossible to schedule the summer vacation. It’s a luxury problem really.

Summer also makes it possible to start using the bicycle more. This winter has been terrible to cyclist, cold and unusually snowy. The rising gasoline price gives us an added economic incentive to use the bike instead of the car. That’s something I guess. In my optimistic rage, I choose to view rising gasoline prices as an incentive to use the bike, rather than a blow to my personal economy. I am learning fast.

This issue we bring you the conclusive truth about Aldrei fór ég suður music festival in Ísafjörður: it rocked! We talk with Eldar Ástþórsson, the most influential player in the Icelandic music industry. I seriously doubt that guy ever has to pay for a drink at the bar anymore. Filmmakers Tjörvi Guðmundsson and Olaf de Fleur make films. We talked to them. Author Einar Kárason writes books. We wrote about him. And others.

In closing, I’d like to remind everyone of the Support Hannes collection.