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.