Sculpture and the 5th Circle of Hell

« Looking up through the pipes and a few other photos of the Sibelius Monument. »

I needed to get out of the house last week so I walked up to see the Sibelius Monument up close since I had only previously seen it while passing by it in a car. I must admit that the texture really makes the sculpture interesting as from a distance it only reminds me of the pixelated cities of the Atari "Missle Command" game from so long ago. The disembodied head of Sibelius is really creepy in a way that clowns are creepy. I must have watched too many cartoons as a kid that featured evil villains depicted as floating disembodied heads or something. It's a popular tourist attraction that was curiously devoid of busloads of tourists but as I was leaving a throng of Japanese tourists arrived.

And interviewing in Finland is like Dante's fifth circle of hell. A few years back, Jarkko and I were 'interviewed' by the CEO of a company we were both going to go to work for. Jarkko, being Finnish, said nothing the entire time and I tried to keep the conversation limping along while the CEO, Mr. Smooth VC Guy, turned himself inside out trying to get some kind, any kind, of feedback out of the silent man in the corner. I was amused and we eventually decided not to move to Canukistan [For those who know the story and CEO in question, he has a blog these days]. I always knew the power of silence but this was a very memorable illustration of it. Now, the tables are turned and I feel like a total freak in interviews where none of the usual verbal or non-verbal cues are there and so I find myself talking at length just waiting for that cue that moves things along or gives you the idea that you're bombing or doing alright. It's like swimming under the ice with a blindfold on looking for the hole....only less pleasant.