Somewhere in Europe...

Early Friday morning a man was spotted at the train station in Lund. He was dressed in a black jacket and was carrying a duffel bag. He looked as if he were about to begin an adventure. The cold november air surrounded him as he shuffled up and down the platform trying to keep warm. When the Oresund train finally put in five minutes late as usual, this man borded it and wasn't seen in Lund again for the remainder of the weekend. I suppose he is off visiting someone he loves and having that adventure. Hope he's got a pipe to smoke and a nice book to read on the buss.

Women and Men

Imagine you are a woman(for some of you this won't be so hard). You are gang raped 14 times by a group of seven men. When your situation comes up in court, you are not viewed as a victim but instead as a perpetrator. Your sentence is six months imprisonment and 200 lashes. The men's sentences range from one year to five years. Seems far out and completely strange, at least from a scandinavian perspective doesn't it. Then the truth comes out. This just happened in Saudi Arabia. The glorious allies of a certain oil addicted nation in the northern hemisphere with a little white hut in a town designed by the French when they were friends. With friends like these who needs enemies?

Mr. Brown, Anti-American, and the little island that could...

Gordon Brown has now announced that he is not anti-american. This from an article at the BBC homepage. Good for him. Its nice to know that he is willing to be friends with a country that is much like his own in some ways. They are both interested in ruling the planet(in an economic sense not in a traditional colonial sense although Irag, Afghanistan, and Puerto Rico would likely have a problem with this theory). Both countries' governments don't seem to have that big of a problem with pollution or the rabid consumerism that plagues western culture(not that the mainland has done much better). They are also in bed together on the Iraq war(spooning is more correct) and it would look quite bad if these two life partners suddenly had a break up and one decided to favor the EU(which would give it a better economical chance considering it is the biggest market in the world and the US may very well be fading off into the sunset of history). Both countries have had hard times getting used to the fact that indeed the whole world is 1. not envious of their success 2. most of the world would prefer their own language as oppossed to the cultural hegemony that persists from these two and 3. would like an apology from them for their military and economical bullying for the last couple of centuries. If Mr. Brown likes to stay in bed with Bush and the Yanks that is fine, but the rest of us should be warned that they aren't exactly going to pass their next physical either.

Just an update thats all.

Call the fire trucks, call the media, tell everyone but don't tell your mother. The beast is awake and breathing. There are sightings all over the map. The North! The North! It came from the North! It twisted and our earth shook. Trees were uprooted and the lakes became rivers and reached their slender fingers to the boiling, salted drink that is the sea. Call the riot squads and tell Nato.

The hero is alive though he is bogged down in the beauracracy that is education. C'est la vie. Three courses in and counting....

Hmm.

Everything goes down better with a glass of postmodernism.
-Unknown

Oh the things you just might be doing...

I support dictators around the world as long as my Nikes are those extra couple of dollars cheaper. I whine about vegetable prices and then purchase Avocados from South Africa. I want to be rid of petroleum issues but continue to have to rely on it to get around. By keeping my reliance on petroleum, I keep the world economy going which allows for disparities in wealth that are as clear as night and day. Your neo-liberal leaders would tell you this is good. It gives them something to work for. What the hell do they know about working? The western way of life is a fantasy that capitalism has shaped by raping the rest of the world. Thats strong? Yes the truth generally is.

On a happier note more good swedish music...

Suburban Kids With Biblical Names

The Hero Shot

Le Weekend

Here is Saturday. Here is the Lund City "Night of Culture." The program is quite diverse and offers what appears to be something for everyone. After I finish studying some more for my final next week, I am going to go to the Poetry reading in the City Theatre at seven this evening. Hopefully it will be quite stimulating as I need some literary stimulation.

I've been reading Herman Hesse recently but it was rather dry so I had to take a break and read Murakami's "After Dark" and some of Nabokov's short stories. So then tomorrow is football practice for our program as we take on another grad program on wednesday. I'm playing defense and am planning on modeling myself on Puyol and Cannavaro. Back to the books.

Things to do oh the things to do...

So much going on but not really. What I mean is that I should be studying all the time that I am not in class but that would make me a dull boy now wouldn't it? School is fun I guess. Its one of those things where when you are in class you don't know what to do and when you are at home you don't know what to do. I need to go to Malmo on friday and ride my skateboard, it doesn't really solve anything but its nice all the same. New Jens Lekman is out but I haven't spent the money to purchase it yet. I am waiting for Lund library to get it and then I intend to burn it, not that I am advertising doing anything illegal mind you(cough).

For those of you that actually care about the weather, I generally don't but some do, its been really grey here. This is Swedish fall weather, quite rainy and meant for those kind of people who like to lay in bed with a glass of wine and a good book. Its also good for those of us who like to cook as it encourages us to stay home and do that. I need to go mushroom picking again but I'm not quite sure where to start. You see we have this great law in Sweden called everymans right which means, dear readers, that I can go to any forest and pick the mushrooms that I want. MMM delicious. I feel a Rissotto coming on.

The Concrete Jungle Indians

I've been reading Dagens Nyheter for the last two days both online and at Cafe Ariman where they have the daily edition and a story was in there that caught my attention.

Its a growing trend in Europe as well as the United States to live in an urban or suburban environment and drive around in an SUV(stadsjeep). Not only is this a waste of fuel but it is also leading to a need for bigger roads to accomodate such big vehicles. Does someone who lives in say Stockholm or Miami need to drive around in a Hummer? If anyone chose to answer yes to that question then there may be something quite wrong with them. So now the younger people in the cities have started to react to what is essentially a class status symbol. Enter the Concrete Jungle Indians.

This is an unorganized gang of young people ranging in age from thirty to twenty years of age and coming from various backgrounds(though many are university educated or currently students) who have had enough of this waste. They go around at night and let the air out of the tires on any SUV they can find in the city of Stockholm. Then once the task is complete they put a note on the window letting the driver know who is responsible for his flat tires and why he shouldn't be driving an SUV in the first place. Bravo! Down with the upper middle class and their consumerist excesses! Take the Subway instead and read a book, its a great way to skip this rush hour madness. Don't have a subway or good public transport? Start voting for someone who believes in it and doesn't have a career in oil in the family history.

Lund Life Kids!

Sitting in my super comfy room listening to Beck on the shared music network. I have to say that I must thank someone named Remi for that. Excellent taste. The weather has been nice and rainy. That is actually perfect as it keeps you focused on studying and cuts out ways to waste time. Well skateboarding isn't exactly a waste of time now is it but it isn't helping with the degree either. I do hear the board calling my name for this weekend as seeing how Malmo has one of the best skateparks in Northern Europe that calls for a visit. That isn't the point of this post.

A certain couple I know have been having problems getting into a certain organization that they have been wanting to get into for a while. This means that they are coming back to France for two months starting next week. You know who you are. I have an extra mattress and there is a room here in Lund waiting for the two of you when you come explore an amazing little city and then there is also Copenhagen here for the weekend. Welcome, Welcome.

Lund Day 1

I stood in line today. Ok well I also sat in line as some of the lines were like playing musical chairs, the winner being the one who gets to check in and then get their key for housing. So that makes me an official grad student at Lund University. I must say I am absolutely stoked out of my mind at this point and am hoping that things continue to be as amazing as today. I also must say I like my room. Imagine a country where a dorm room means your room(with private shower/toilet), and that is what I have. The only thing that I have to share is a kitchen but its still less people than at the Foundation in Tallahassee so its not even bad. Tomorrow is the first official day of class and I have to buy some books and start reading. Oh yeah and then I have this really beautiful visitor from Germany coming to see Lund for the first time this weekend so its going to be fun.

Adieu, Adieu

Today it ends. A year ago I arrived at Arlanda, I think it was early in the morning and I let my eyes search the buildings as we drove through Stockholm on the way to the place I've been living for the past year. I am jumping out of the plane again today. I think when I go downtown to buy a book to read for the road I am going to feel every minute of the last year all at once. Lightning is cliche but we'll use it. Will I be back? Something tells me its a distinct possibility. Nothing is guaranteed and if it was would it be fun? Stockholm I bid thee adieu, Lund I plant my flag on your soil and ask for nothing more than an adventure.

Stockholm countdown.

My year in Stockholm is winding its way down and soon I will raise my flag and sail from these shores. The south is calling my name. I hear it when I awake. I hear it in my dreams(maybe if I ever dreamt I would). I'm moving to Lund on Sunday. I'm starting a two year program in Sustainable Development and Environmental Science. My motto is what is life without a challenge. Here it comes with its steel toed boots to kick me in the teeth. How will I respond? Will I get back on my feet and take it as it comes. I remember that sweaty boxing gym I used to frequent in Tallahassee when I think of a fight. I remember the stale gloves and headgear we used to don to practice destruction. I remember the blows as they fell, one after the other. I stood there I took it. I remember every time I was hit I only wanted to hit back and win. I want to feel that way in Lund. That I'm going to get back up no matter how hard I get hit.

What do I know, its only grad school. Drama Queen.

A quote for today.

“To the last, I grapple with thee; From Hell's heart, I stab at thee; For hate's sake, I spit my last breath at thee”

-Captain Ahab

Swedish Music

I heard this song a few years ago on P3, which is swedish government radio, and I really liked the general tone as well as minimalism of the music. I would like to recommend Raymond och Maria. Their first album came out in 2004 and since then they've released one more album. It turns out that they played Kägelbanan about two months ago and I missed that but then hey there is always Lund and Malmö so here is hoping they drop by their this year.

P.S. My favorite song is "Ingen vill veta var du köpt din tröja"

Enjoy

Riga to Berlin

Back in Stockholm as of yesterday. Feels strange to come home. I came back to an empty house and realized that it won't be mine anymore in nineteen days. I'm moving to Lund to begin studying Sustainable Development and Environmental Science. But before the summer came to an end I had to set out on one little trip that took me from Stockholm to Riga and finally Berlin.

Latvia was slightly melancholic as it always is. I don't know if I've talked about it before but its nice to go visit but I know that there is nothing there for me. I don't think I'll go back for a year and next time I go I want to take someone with me. A certain somebody from Berlin named Clara Anders that I've very much fallen in love with over the past few months.

Berlin was amazing as always and this time I got hooked on riding a bicycle and now I will have to go beg my mom to let me take hers when I go to Lund. That will cut travel times by quite a bit and would be easier than aquiring a bike there(considering that they are known to be very expensive there.) Anyway sorry for not updating in a long time.

Ah, to travel again

Well all my faithful readers here is an update. Ruco and Kristi were here and we had a blast together, we took a lot of photos and I'll probably end up posting several of them. Then since they had the travel bug I caught it to.

That means that tomorrow I go to Latvia for a week and then Berlin for two more. According to my friend Raimonds there are going to be waves in Jurkalne, Latvia tomorrow and I am going to be riding them if everything goes as planned(when does that happen).

Then Berlin. What can I say my heart is there.

Sir Rushdie

Well this little bit of news is bound to become a firestorm of protest and violence in various places around the world. Salman Rushdie, 'Controversial' writer, has been knighted by the English monarchy. Considering that he is one of the most loathed people of all time in the Muslim world, this is a very interesting turn of events in the world at large.

The man is an incredible writer and his books are absolutely amazing. Why the hatred then? 'The Satanic Verses' which was published in 1988 was banned in many countries after it was accused of mocking Muhammed('The Prophet'). Rushdie was then forced to go into hiding after a bounty was placed on his head by various groups and he is wanted dead by the Iranian government.

Its wonderful to know how very tolerant of free speech these people are that call for his death. It was also nice to see England do its own thing despite it not being so popular with certain areas. Then finally what kind of religion/culture can call themselves righteous and then want to kill someone for writing a book that they didn't agree with? How many of the protestors/clerics have read the book?

Jens Lekman(or how swedish indie was saved)

I don't know how many of you have heard of him. His name is Jens Lekman. You can buy the albums on Itunes as far as I know. Do it if you like good music with clever lyrics. I know we're known for Abba and other such schlager acts but this is absolutely amazing and I am hooked so bad that I am sitting up at 1:30 in the morning listening to the songs that some people have posted on MySpace. Jens Lekman is Amazing.

Stockholm Derby

For those of you who read this blog you know that I've been to a few of the Hammarby(A Stockholm Football club) matches this last year. It turns out that this coming tuesday is the Stockholm Derby between Djurgården IF and Hammarby IF. For anyone who understands a European rivalry, they will understand that this kind of match can deteriorate into madness and bloodshed. Hopefully that won't happen where I'm sitting on the 19 of June at Råsunda. To make matters worse Djurgården is number one in All-Svenskan and that makes this even more of an important match. Hammarby(Vi är Söder!) is going to demolish Djurgården.

Berlin, Berlin, what can I say?

I think that when travelling you can only plan so much. No matter how much you plan however, the best parts are still the random things that happen when you least expect it. An example would be the Kennedy Museum in Berlin. Its located next to the Brandenburg gate(in Pariser Platz). It turns out that the day I was there it was also JFK's ninetieth birthday. That meant free entrance and free champaigne(never one to turn down a free drink).

I think its always hard for me to travel and be around other tourists. The smiling faces at Checkpoint Charlie were hard to swallow. That people have made a conscientous decision to make money off a tragedy is a bit rough(of course this is opinion and not straight fact). But to be honest of all the cities that I've been to I would have to say that the tone and attitude in Berlin was the most amazing so far. I just wish I could speak German. Where I stayed in Kreuzberg was also incredible. The cafe's and bars. Drinking beer in the parks. A lot of memories. I will be back.

Surprise Surprise

It looked good. My health that is. My arm was out of the cast and I'd started getting it back in shape. I had a ticket to Berlin and all was well in the world. Then on friday fever, burning fever. Saturday comes and while looking in the mirror I noticed several little red dots on my body. Hmm.

Turns out I have Chicken Pox for the second time in my life. What can I say when things are good here, they're good.

Not that much going on....Honestly

Well I guess that that is really wrong. Things are happening all over the place. Everything is in bloom and green, but you don't come here for the weather. As far as musical news goes the Beastie Boys are coming to Gröna Lund(a theme park in Stockholm on the waterfront). That may well be one of the highlights of the coming summer. Otherwise I'm trying to recuperate my arm and need to start looking for a job to make some money. I need to buy a computer and hopefully have a little money for travelling this summer(late july/early august).

In other news I'm going to Berlin for five days next friday. I've only been to Frankfurt in the past and my friend in Berlin has guaranteed me that in comparison Frankfurt wasn't jack. I think I'm inclined to believe that.

The Baltic Tango (For Estonia)

There is this news item that got everyone's attention these past few days; the removal of a Russian(Soviet) war memorial in the capital of Tallinn, Estonia. Its provoked outrage and hate and by this point maybe even tears. Having lived in the Baltics for seven years I would like to say a few things about this event.

Russia is arguing that this monument represents the Russian(Soviet) soldiers who died liberating Estonia from Nazism. I'm calling bullshit on that. Russia and Germany were bedfellows before they were enemies and they'd already worked out who was going to get Estonia; and the winner would have been Russia. Russia can tell the rest of the world that they liberated Estonia from Germany, but what they don't tell you is that they didn't leave until 1991. That makes it an occupation, which is the same thing as the Nazis were up to. Yes I just compared the Nazis to the Soviets(Russians) and I'll do it again if I have to.

The next question then is who was worse? I'll go ahead and say the Soviets. In the end due to their failed communism and autocratic state, more Estonians(and Baltic people) than under German rule in World War II. Then after that there is the question of Russian people in the Baltic and their treatment. First off in most countries and Europe as well as the United States, a person isn't permitted to attain citizenship without being able to speak the language. Most Russians in the Baltics have showed a complete lack of interest in integrating in their new countries and when they were part of the Soviet Union they showed no interest at all in their new homes. The Russians that live in the Baltics were mostly imported after World War II. This is a very old trick by a conquering nation, you add your people to the country's demographics and that way prevent it from becoming a terror hot spot. Of course you have to make room for these people so you send the locals to Siberia.

In the end what really is amazing is that there are still Soviet(Russian) monuments left in the country at all. Maybe even more amazing is the Baltic peoples ability to forgive and not throw the former conquerors out of the country. If a sovereign nation wants to pull down a monument to occupation and near genocide then they have that right and the west and the Russian government have no right to say anything about it.

Because no one says it better than someone else...

A few classic lines from a classic:

A true friend stabs you in the front.

Democracy means simply the bludgeoning of the people by the people for the people.

I sometimes think that God in creating man somewhat overestimated his ability.

--Oscar Wilde

The Wednesday Warning

So with any luck the cast will be off some time next week. Stockholm is starting to bloom and everyone is out and walking about in all the latest spring fashions. Its so beautiful and all I want to do is skate and not wear this cast around. Anyway so while this cast thing has been going on, I also ran out of contacts so I've been wearing glasses for the last two weeks which I haven't done since high school. I could also use a shave really bad. As for the hair its still growing. Here's hoping I can find a job so that I can scrape up some money for travelling.


On a more serious note....I think everyone has heard the news by now. There's been a tragic event in the city of Blacksburg. I would like to offer my condolences to all the affected family and friends.

For Mr. K. Vonnegut

Some of you will know that I was very sick a few years back. That during that time there were moments when all I had left was fifty dollars in my bank account and a long drive to Jacksonville. I spent two weeks in bed reading and during that time I found something that made a difference. Thank you Mr. Vonnegut for your insights, your absurd characters, and your beautifully minimalist prose. You're one of the things that got me through that time.

To anyone reading this, if you haven't read any of Kurt Vonnegut's books then please take the time and do so. It will be worth every sentence and minute spent.

Or as he himself would say about his own life: So it goes....

A certain written word

A certain South African blogger is known for putting poetry on his blog. Usually its pretty good. I thought I'd put some on here today because there really is nothing else going on.

David Kirby is a professor at Florida State University. This is a nice verse of his.

Dead Girl Takes Packet Boat to Provincetown

Awaiting a long drawn out Spring

So with this global warming thing on the tip of every one's tongue and the back tail of every conversation, I present the city of Stockholm. A million and slightly more inhabitants, busy busy bees, moving back and forth on a daily basis. This is where the weather enters the stage right. Its been uncommonly warm and nice for an early April. Its nice and its alarming all at the same time. The weather bears striking similarities to the early trace feelings of love. The buds on the trees aren't ready to burst forth in shades of green and the flowers are a ways off. But the smell is in the air, but alas I won't be here next year.

Next year I'll be in a small university town about a half hour by train from Copenhagen. Visitors welcome. See everyone in Lund.

so a lot has happened

It turns out that the guy who's job I was covering finally got out of jail and so therefore I am now once again unemployed. Spring is here in someways. The sun is shining and its inspiring. So inspiring that I decided to go skateboarding the day after I lost the job and then proceeded to break my arm. A lot of time in the hospital and then I finally went home(no operation). Of course before passing out in bed I decided to check email and then I found out that I have been accepted to the master's programme that I had applied for.

That means that sometime in August I will migrate to southern Sweden and the city of Lund will be my new home for the next two years. Now all I need to make all this so much better is to wait four weeks for the cast to come off. The hour hand always moves slower when you're looking.

Ladiesmen and gentlewomen...Uh or uh....

This is a public service anouncement. The author Aron Hendrix, who is a.k.aed as Sven Josefson on odd days of the week, has turned 23 years old. A milestone? Hardly considering its just a day at a time with no real planning involved. An event worth celebrating? I worked the whole day and then had a beer after my shift, rode the subway home reading King Leopold's Ghost in Swedish, and now after 4 cl of Jaegermeister I'm writing this.

Andrew Bird on Sunday. Excitement is the word that best describes the feeling I have that is associated with this event.

Bob Dylan decided to do something unusual and now he's going to play three shows in Sweden. One of them at a club a block away from where I work. Of course the tickets were sold out minutes after they were available to the public. Oh well. Life goes on someone once said. I'd burn him in effigy if I knew who he was.

East vs. West

I'm stepping out on a limb here. Movies aren't to be taken to seriously is what someone has said in regard to the movie 300, which I haven't seen yet so that is the limb part of this. So its okay then to be historically inaccurate then? Its okay to portray an empire of the past as a group of warmongers and barbarians, I can't wait to see the U.S. portrayed in 200 years as a bunch of greedy racists who think of only one person me, me, me. Did I mention that the U.S. should also be portrayed as warmongers then? They always pick on smaller and weaker nations.

This concept is fairly common in the U.S. history that I have come in contact with; if the Greeks had lost then democracy would not exist. Your eyes would not be scanning these lines now. Fatalists! Ha, its nice to know that your entire existence hung on these 300 men. Otherwise you wouldn't be running the show today right? Its sad the Persians didn't win. Maybe the world would be a better place.

What is going on....

Due to a twist of fate I now have a full time job. If you happen to stop by Il Tempo Ristorante off Götgatan and order an appetizer or desert then four nights out of six I probably made it. It appears that the guy I replaced isn't leaving the Swedish penal system anytime soon.

On another event notice, and I'm sure anyone reading this is tired of these, there is a nice exhibition of Alphonsé Mucha at DansMuseet until the end of March.

Tonight on the subway I had an interesting experience. A three hundred pound Turk wanted me to try and understand how his epilepsy medication prescription worked. Once I finally convinced him that I had no idea he then proceeded to talk about football for the remaining part of the journey. Apparently this guy bets, not a lot according to the tickets he showed me, on all the Uefa cup games. He told me I should try it sometime. I think I'll spend my money on books instead. Which reminds me, I've been reading a lot of the Beat generation poetry. Highly recommended.

Derby Warning

I hope most of you reading this are aware of the recent problems concerning football in Italy. Well for those of you aren't fully aware of which games are dangerous and which ones aren't should think about this; is it a derby game or not. A derby would be a game played between two teams of the same city that are extreme rivals. Thats where the Italian(Serie A) police officer died and thats where the coach of Sevilla(La Liga) was knocked unconscious by a fan throwing an object(labeled missile by most news sources). Stockholm is also a city known for its violent derbies. Last year the derby between Hammarby and Djurgården was halted after 51 minutes of play due to fans storming the pitch and hitting a linesman in the head with a coin. So be ware of the derby! Then again Djurgården is going down this time!

Berns

Mr. Strindberg wrote a novel that deals with Berns. It so happens he wrote the Red Room(Röda Rummet) in 1879. Note to readers at this point; most of these facts are borrowed from a certain internet source for biased knowledge, otherwise known as Wikipedia so before you run off at the mouth to friends be sure to double check.

Anyway, back to the main event, Berns is still there in Berzelli Park in Stockholm. Its still a fancy get dressed up suit and tie kind of place. They also have fantastic concerts there. I saw Sufjan Stevens play there a while back. On March 27 there is a free show at Berns.
Eleni Mandell is playing. Listen to her profile songs and if I'm not working that night I'll see you there.

Working Man

Sven got a job. Hurray to working nights! Hurray to getting paid better than back in Tallahassee. This might be a shortlived hurra however seeing as how I got the job when one of the other cooks ended up in jail for two weeks(don't ask don't tell). Then today, or last night really was pay day. Everyone who works in Sweden had their checks hit their accounts last night and that means party.

When I got off at midnight the whole Slussen area was already packed. People so drunk it makes college towns look conservative. Then there was the misogynistic lover, presumably high on something that isn't green and smokable, trying to get aggressive with his girl at the station. He had her in tears and wouldn't leave. Thank God there were real men standing there making sure he kept his paws off her. Someone even offered to make sure she was home safe. All I could do was tell him to stop. I felt so ineffectual.

Working for now....

So I'm working at this place off Götgatan. It's called Il Tempo. Italian Food that is extremely high quality. The place is nice and not too big. Of course its also only a three man kitchen so the size is just right. I started on the cold side doing the starters and the desserts. Everything is made from scratch and its very tasty. The desserts are the best of any place I have been in a long time.

I got the job by leaving a resume. Then when I didn't expect to hear from them they called due to one of their employees beeing in jail on a two week stint for unknown reasons. So that makes this a temporary job seeing as how if he gets out in two weeks then I'm unemployed again. Oh well at least I get the experience, the money, and the job reference.

Moderna Museet

Once upon a time there existed, although this was immediately debated due to certain philosophers disbelieving it, a man named Pontus Hulten. He went on to be one of the most distuingished museum directors of all time until his death last year. Some of the places he has catapulted to fame are the Moderna Museet in Stockholm and the Pompidou Center in Paris. If you don't know the Pompidou center then I suggest you get in touch with the theory of architecture.

Next week at the Moderna Museet in Stockholm an exhibition is opening featuring the works of Robert Rauschenberg. If you don't know who he is then you can stop reading this now. Otherwise check out the exhibition. It starts the 17th of February and goes until the 6th of May.

Saturday night(Sunday morning)

Boredom besets me like a pack of wild hounds on a bloody fox-(Goodie Mob)

I'm still sick and even better today my voice decided that it wanted to go, so now I almost can't talk at all. Of course there was nothing on TV and the book I'm reading had reached a really high and dry point. So otherwise I'm hoping that I can find a job next week as it is time to start earning some cash for the summer and potential grad school.

I also realized that I had missed another concert when I found out that Bright Eyes is also coming in March but of course the show has long been sold out. Of course I blame no one but myself for being bored, ok maybe I'm going to blame this cold as well.

Goings ons

Bush is talking about sending more troops. Another bad idea in a six year series of terrible ideas. I know lets invade a country without UN approval and carry out our version of justice. This will of course include discrimination against anyone of middle eastern descent. Who gets hurt? Maher Arar and the fam. More great ideas from a sinking ship's captain.

I've got a cold and have spent the last two days reading the Godfather in Latvian. The FIS world cup is taking place in Åre, finally as snow held the competition back three days. Imagine that suddenly we had the problem of having to much snow.

Otherwise the job search is so so. I guess I'm upset because I haven't found a place that I would really like to work at yet. The search continues....

Football is Murder

No this isn't a new Smith's album. The Italian Football League(Serie A) and all the amateur leagues have been cancelled indefinitely. Why? Due to a police officer being killed by fan violence. I have to say that I am going to have to give a lot of respect to the leaders who made this decision. Cancelling something that is more important than God for a lot of people is a tough decision. Its hard to do the right thing often but it appears that the Italian Football Federation is doing it. Much respect to them.

Well what do you know?

So I still don't have a myspace. I don't think I will ever have one. Tonight it did make me so very happy though. I was browsing the music section looking for something new and I came upon Andrew Bird, who I've been listening to a lot lately. Then while I was listening to the songs they had available to listen to I noticed he was on tour at the moment. Turns out he's touring Europe. Turns out he's coming to Stockholm in March. Turns out that it wasn't sold out yet and now I have a ticket.

I'm still going to sulk about missing Spektor but this more than makes up for it. STHLM what can I say? Its got a nice music scene.

The Job Market Day 1

I went all over town today in search of a way of making money. I need to make some nice cash by June so I can see a little bit more of the world that is out there. I handed out my CV a couple of times and even talked to a manager who said he had a place for me in the end of February. That would be nice but its a little long to wait. So that means that tommorrow will be day 2. Other than that I snapped my skateboard in two, but of course that happens every so many months. It was nice to have the hook up on a cheap deal this time and not pay the Swedish price for a new board(100 USD or slightly less).

I've been listening to Iron and Wine, Andrew Bird, and a little of this and a little of that. Check out Architecture of Helsinki which is also not bad. Otherwise life is going on like it always does. Sometimes ups outnumber the downs, but mostly it just stays average.

Regina Spektor or why to buy tickets early....

Regina Spektor is sold out for her appearance at Berns. I am more than upset. That was the only reason I was looking forward to March. Lesson learned: buy tickets in advance when I know the show will be good. I guess I could scalp, hmm. Some loser will sell the ticket.

The wedding was nice and somehow I ended up as unofficial DJ for the evening. Al Green and Marvin Gaye it is then. Hard to choose wedding music I must admit. Couldn't play a lot of nice stuff that just didn't fit the mood or the age. In the end though I finally got in some Beatles, The Smiths, Leonard Cohen, Dylan, even Jimi Hendrix(not Hey Joe). When we were cleaning up I managed to get everyone into the Daft Punk mood and we were dancing more than cleaning. A funk band played the wedding and they were, well they were really nice.

I'm back in Stockholm and looking for a job now so that I can travel in the summer. I think that I am also looking for something in France to work so that I can surf for a while and pick up the language. It would be nice!

A wedding in January...

Its not raining outside, not right now anyway. The lack of rain does not by any means imply that the weather conditions are anywhere near ideal for a white wedding. All that was decided by the bride and groom though of course.

Sven Josefson, his street name, has chosen to write this in the third person. It isn't an ego trip or some form of randomness, it just is. His father decided to be a derrier pirate and take the digital camera with him. This means that there will be no documentation of the event as a whole. He finished East of Eden and is now hard at work on a biography of the late, great Jimi Hendrix and after that he may even tackle Garcia-Marquez autobiography. Reading is growth. Unless its Romance novels of course.

Marie Antoinette is in the mix for tommorrow. Most have said its a debacle but Sven is going to be a gonzo journalist and envestigate this one for himself. P.S. Sushi is cheap in Riga, especially if its without fish(avocado). P.S.S so is booze and tea.

Weekend Update

Despite my love for the environment and preserving it, I have decided to board a Ryanair flight Riga, Latvia on the 15th of January. An old friend is getting married and I am going to mourn with him. No, actually I'm going to party at the wedding until the sun comes up. I'll be there for a week and stay with my old partner in crime Viesturs Celmins. After that week long stunt I'll have to come back to my current dwelling place in STHLM and get a job.

I haven't heard yet from the powers that be at Lund University but then again I probably won't hear from them until April. I don't really know yet what I'll do if I don't get in. I've been thinking about living in Spain and France just to learn the languages. If anyone out there knows of any job opportunities please feel welcome to send an email or leave a comment. Thats about all thats going on.

Book recommendation of the week: Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer

Le Monde

The winter is hibernating this year. Santa Claus couldn't believe his eyes as he watched the glaciers he has called home break up in front of his eyes. Bears were attacking Russians in the Siberian forest when they should have been sawing logs. Skiiers are realizing that they may be practicing a dying art. Is Holland worried their entire country may be lost to the sea again?

This is not the climax of our story. We have discovered on the other hand that there are no heroes. This may be upsetting at first but truthful none the less. The climax is still a few years off. It involves soaring water prices and petty conflicts that can be traced back to nationalism. Blame the West. Blame the White man. Everyone else still has a choice though. What is really true of our new century is that we are in the middle of a giant storm. This isn't a new development, the world has always been a storm.

What we are learning slowly and painfully is that there is no captain at the helm and all the officers are children wearing the costumes of adults and using their language.

Strindberg, Riga, and 2007

The fireworks are dying down and the holidays are officially over. Things fell through with the ski-resort plan. Instead I have a ticket to Riga, Latvia for the 15th of January to hang out with some friends and go to a wedding. I might go back down to Copenhagen next week as well. Its a possibility. Upon returning from Riga I will be re-entering the job market. That probably means I'll be cooking again. C'est la vie.

I am looking forward to the summer though and seeing some new places. Spain, Portugal, and Morrocco are all on the Menu as of this posting. Instead of drinking in a bar for New Years I just took shots with strangers on the Metro ride home, thanfully they were in possesion of a bottle of Tequila. Here's a quote from Strindberg, if you have no clue then wikipedia him.

“People are constantly clamoring for the joy of life. As for me, I find the joy of life in the hard and cruel battle of life - to learn something is a joy to me.” -August Strindberg