-Jan 2nd. A pleasant New Year`s day with some friends though I didn`t stay long. It can be awkward when relatives arrive since they talk about family, etc, of which I have little or no interest.

-Full moon shimmering on the inner harbor of Sundahofn as well as the ocean beyond: very attractive and mysterious. Because Iceland is an island, you`re never far from the sea. It is always there as a companion even if you might not pay attention to it directly. Over a period of time this proximity affects you in a positive way. In brief, it comes down to appreciating the ocean as a kind of living being.

-One nice thing you don`t hear from Icelanders this time of year, New Year resolutions. They are not part of the vocabulary perhaps, if I may throw in an observation, is because they live moment-to-moment in that childhood simplicity I had mentioned earlier. Making resolutions or plans isn`t part of that make-up.