Happy New Year!

I wish all the nice people in my life a prosperous, happy new year. If you haven't been nice this year, well, shape up! :)

Tonight's Menu:
*Stuffed courgette rolls
*Fillet of Beef
*Selection of Swedish, Spanish and English cheeses

In Sweden, we have a tradition of well-respected actors to read out the poem "Ring, klocka ring!" by Lord Alfred Tennyson. Read the story in Swedish and listen to the beautiful renditions here.

Ring, klocka, ring i bistra nyårsnatten
mot rymdens norrskenssky och markens snö;
det gamla året lägger sig att dö...
Ring själaringning över land och vatten!

Ring in det nya och ring ut det gamla
i årets första, skälvande minut.
Ring lögnens makt från världens gränser ut,
och ring in sanningens till oss som famla.

Ring våra tankar ut ur sorgens häkten,
och ring hugsvalelse till sargad barm.
Ring hatet ut emellan rik och arm
och ring försoning in till jordens släkten.

Ring ut vad dödsdömt räknar sina dagar
och forngestaltningar av split och kiv.
Ring in ett ädlare, ett högre liv
med bättre syften, mera rena lagar.

Ring ut bekymren, sorgerna och nöden,
och ring den frusna tiden åter varm.
Ring ut till tystnad diktens gatularm,
men ring till sångarhjärtan skaparglöden.

Ring ut den stolthet, som blott räknar anor,
förtalets lömskhet, avundens försåt.
Ring in det rätta på triumfens stråt,
och ring till seger mänsklighetens fanor.

Ring, klocka, ring... och seklets krankhet vike;
det dagas, släktet fram i styrka går!
Ring ut, ring ut de tusen krigens år,
ring in den tusenåra fredens rike!

Ring in den tid, då andarna befrias
ur själviskhetens sammansnörda band.
Ring mörkrets skuggor bort ur alla land;
ring honom in, den bidande Messias.

A glimpse of sunlight & Happy Birthday to Wendy!

Woke up very late today. We decided to take a walk to Bo01. I haven't been there that many times since the break. Kind of emotional at times, but still ok and it's getting better all the time. We had coffee and sandwich in Espresso House by the water. We took a lot of photos by Turning Torso. On the way home we had hot chocolate in a cafe nearby called Gusto. The guy behind the counter was quite cute, we thought. Since it's Wendy's birthday today, and mine was just a few days ago, we decided to celebrate tonight. However, Wendy caught a nasty cold, and I didn't feel too hot myself, so we stayed in, watched a few episodes of Kitchen Nightmares, and had kebab instead. Could be worse. :)

Wendy Woo hooo!!

My friend Wendy arrived yesterday. So far, we've spent alot of time talking, sleeping late, and doing a small tour of Malmö and places she used to go to when she lived here some 8 years ago. We went to the supermarket today and did some shopping for New Years'. Tonight, after some nice food, Wendy learned alot of bass, and we put it all together in songs like "That's Alright Mama", Beatles "Misery" and "Distant Sun" by Crowded House. Enjoy the video coming up!

I'm in love

...with my new bike called Pilen. Very robust and smooth to ride, and I can actually sit up on this one. Phew. Wendy comes tomorrow, woo hooo....

Reunion in Oskarshamn ´07

Yesterday I brought my friend Martin to Oskarshamn, where we met up with Tina, Mia, KG, Johan, Helena and Katarina. We were in a pub called Kråkan. Everyone knew each other, or of each other from before. We had a few beers, loads of laughs and some food too. Great tradition, which we can maintain hopefully, for years to come. Since it's my birthday today, I got a present, a really funny magazine about Björn Skifs. Very cool!

Oh what the hell, you talked me into it baby!

Karaoke? Anyone?

words & music by billy hayes - jay johnson)
I'll have a blue christmas without you
Ill be so blue just thinking about you
Decorations of red on a green christmas tree
Wont be the same dear, if youre not here with me

And when those blue snowflakes start falling
Thats when those blue memories start calling
Youll be doin all right, with your christmas of white
But Ill have a blue, blue blue blue christmas

Merry Christmas!

Oh lord! Enough said. Phew, gettin hot in here... ;)

Fenomenet HasseåTage

Tjofadderittan!

Få har betytt så mycket för svensk komedihistoria som Herr Danielsson och Herr Alfredson. De har funnits på tapeten sedan jag, en sann 70-talist, föddes. Under sin storhetstid, betraktade de kritiskt samhällets klimat med visst mått av raj-raj och hela tiden med glimten i ögat. När man idag lyssnar på de gamla revyerna så som "80-öresrevyn på Skeppet" och "Under Dubbelgöken" inser man hur otäckt långt före sin tid de var i sina betraktningar. Allt som sades där, håller fortfarande måttet och känns fortfarande skrämmande aktuellt. Njut av hur sannolikheten vänds och vrids på så till den milda grad att den nästan blir sann. När den blivit det, gå då över till TV-trailer för nystartandet av TV2 1969. Hur man ställer sig till att betala TV-licensen, samt övergång från analogt till digitalt nät känns på något sätt kusligt bekant när man ser detta 40 år gamla klipp. Världen kanske inte snurrar så fort, trots allt?

Time Out

I have driven up to my parents' house in the archipelago. Complete solitude and silence by the ocean is what cures the soul more than anything else. Sitting in front of one of the fireplaces is just lovely.
I have been through so much since Midsummer's - first bad, stressful and depressing things, which later turned into more and more positive things happening in my life. Gradually, I have found myself exchanging the life I used to lead for a much richer one. I have started meeting more people than before. New different, vibrant and interesting people with a lot of passion for what they like and do. It's infectous and I find myself being more like I used to be - happy, positive and passionate.

However, this time-out from everyone and everything is very well needed. I need time to reflect and to breathe. I need to be by myself for a little while.

Thanks to everyone who has made these past six months really fun and enjoyable. Merry Christmas to you - and I will catch up with you guys in the New Year.

Love, L

Open mike at Bodoni

Just came home from singer/songwriters' night at Bodoni. Went so so I thought. People there were like you expect them to be in a hotel bar - very chatty and not really listening. I really liked the girl who played before me. She was very very good indeed. Felt a bit humiliating going up after that... Teresia came along and I have challenged her to go up and do a song before summer. We'll see. She plays guitar very well. We also went to knitting course (that sounds extremely naff) tonight, and I'm taking on the huge project of knitting a "pippi" sweater, just because it's so adorable, and 70s retro-cool!

Speaking of buskers...

Here is a clip of me and the kids performing in the streets the other day. They were extremely brave and charismatic. I was very proud that day, and just happy to show the younger ones how great it can be to do this sort of thing. Probably a once in a lifetime event for many of them. If I look a bit like a midget, it's a) because I am short and b) because I didn't have a strap, so I had to prop the guitar on my leg and go for it anyway. Unfortunately, Bruce didn't show up that day...

Enjoy & Merry Christmas!

Busking & Ode to Bruce!

I have been busking for quite a long time in the streets of Malmö, and occasionally in Copenhagen with my friend Jessica. We started out more than 10 years ago, and in recent years we haven't really done any of it because of, well, I don't know really. I remember singing the "lie la lie" bit of The Boxer for roughly 20 mins non-stop and people gave us a lot of money even though we didt sing any verses.

I have started busking with my students too. We went down there with some hot drinks and good spirits (nooo not those spirits...) the other day, as mentioned before. Whilst in uni, I wrote an essay on busking in London. I and Jonas, my classmate, went there and interviewed loads of people on the streets.

Being very fascinated by the busker-phenomenon, I could barely believe it tonight, when I saw a clip of Bruce Springsteen busking with a fan on the streets of Copenhagen in the 80s. What a generous man! So down-to-Earth even though this was at his absolute peak, career-wise. His Oklahoma home may have blown away, and I found myself being likewise.

sheer bliss

Jamming with Jessica and Eddie tonight was fantastic. We did all the Elvis songs including American Trilogy in 3 part harmony. Wow, those moments makes you wish you did this sort of thing for a living... A friend of theirs, a homeless man, was there. He had built his own guitar in 1978. I brought the dobro over, and he showed me how to play in open G tuning. Will practise a little, then put up the result here.
I also loved singing the Elvis version of Bridge over troubled water in 3 part harmony... oh my my....sheer bliss! It's good to be alive.

Bluegrass and stuff

Tonight after finishing the blasted Xmas shopping, I will go to Jessica and Eddie's. Will bring the banjo and dobro over, and we'll be playing some songs from the Seeger Sessions such as "Pay me my money down", "Oklahoma Home" and "Jesse James". I am not a flawless player by any means, but I know quite alot of chords and some picking patterns and rolls. Will be excellent to try it out with others. Some other bloke was coming too apparently, someone who can play slide guitar quite well. Looking forward to this alot!

Yesterday I danced around in the kitchen for about an hour, and I found myself longing for the dance floor like crazy. The adrenaline rush is amazing. Great stuff, and highly addictive.

Last week at work

Only a few days left till the end of term. I can't say it will be great to go on a break this year. Of course, it's nice to rest, but I can't say I really need to rest. Quite the contrary, I feel restless. I want to do things, experience new things, learn something new, meet new people. Eager to move forward. We've had quite a tough term at work, but I always choose to look at things in a positive way. Many things have been excellent here also. I am wondering whether it would be nice to change jobs next year. At the same time, I am quite happy here. Time will tell, I suppose.

I won't buy many Christmas presents this year. I think it's silly to exchange money. I would like, however, to start a tradition whereby you give one present to people, and spend more time thinking about what to get, or make. I'd rather have one present that someone thought would be perfect for me and that they spent some time thinking about and vice versa. Will try to head out there in the Djungle today though to get it over with. Will be weird not buying anything for someone special this year.

Will go to my parents' for Christmas and stay until my birthday. I miss the sea. I miss hearing the roaring sound of waves against the rocks. I miss listening to the sound of silence and the wind blowing. I love the fresh air. I love the lack of traffic. I love the forest. Paradise, here I come...

My friend Wendy will probably come and see me on Dec 27. It's been quite a long time since I've seen her. Other than that I have signed up for Lindyhop beginner's course in february, and course 2 feb-march. Dimman will come along to the first one, and the second one I will attend myself. Can't wait!

Busking with the kids

Was up early this morning and couldn't really sleep last night. Too much singing over the last few days have resulted in too high adrenaline levels. Now it's 8-something and I'm knackered. We had 2luciatåg today in school and then the older kids, me and 2 other teachers went downtown to go busking. Last year we made 375 kr in 2 hours, and this year we managed to get no less than 1000! Great fun! Will be tricky to beat next year.

School is over soon, and I can feel myself being more tired as a result. I must go to bed. BBL...

Lucia etc.

Rarely have I spent so many hours a day practising music in some form. I spend about 5 hours a day at work with different small groups practising for Lucia on Thursday. I come home, then feel like it all ended on a high note at work, so of course I move on to my own favourite music. I play along with dvds, play the banjo for a bit and sing more than I care to admit to others.

I also picked up Spanish again and it's a great privilege having a private tutor from Chile, teaching you all the tricks, as well as giving me thorough info on mid-priced Chile produced wines... Not too shabby, eh folks?

Have a good one, and catch you later!

Maria visiting

My friend Maria and I have known each other a lifetime. She came down from Stockholm to visit, albeit very briefly. We had dinner at JPs, and talked alot. Afterwards, we went to tangopalatset for some lindyhop. The course was great, like last time, and I remembered more than I thought I did. It's frustrating because you want to know everything straight away. I wish I could get someone to come there with me on a regular basis. Nobody I brought has been really hooked. Oh well, I will just go by myself or something. The tango-man was there, and forced me to dance for awhile before I managed to sneak away. We couldn't stay till the end because Maria was totally knackered, but it was ok anyway. Wish I had done some more dancing though :(

What's the best hang-over cure?

Oh lordy (pick a bail o cotton)... I drank too much yesterday. Not very clever, but damn, it was fun. Per came over and we sang, played and for a few hours. Good fun, but mixing wine, glögg, vodka, whiskey, cheese and lussebullar wasn't so nice. At least not afterwards.
What is the best hang-over cure? I tried Treo and loads of water. I have heard all kinds of weird ones, like Wostershire sauce (sp??), and egg yolks.... It doesn't sound very apetizing though. I think I'll skip it (don't skip it, N!) and head for some McDonalds later.
My friend Maria who now lives in Stockholm, is coming down to visit today. She was the first one to see my apartment with me before I put a bid in. Tonight we will go to Tangopalatset for some lindyhop, nice bums and, oh no, god forbid, more wine...

Elvis Comeback Special

Tonight I have spent a few hours watching a DVD I bought of Elvis Comeback special from 1968. Amazingly, it looks as if it were recorded not so long ago. You can see it on peoples' hairstyles etc, but he looks very vibrant and young, and I can't believe this concert was filmed 40 years ago!!! I was not even born yet! Cool package, 7 hours worth of bloopers, variations, extras... you get it all basically. Pretty fun!

I knitted at the same time, a lovely scarf, which will be so cool! Picture proof coming up...

Should be tidying but oh lord, how boring is that?

Elvis left the building, unfortunately.

What a sad ending of a wonderful person's life. He was polite, well-mannered, friendly, extremely generous, and very talented. I think it was pretty sad that he died only aged 42. He would have been 72 years old this year.

It's late and I'm knackered.

Went to make up store with Annika today. It was great - just to have someone take care of you for an hour, after a stressful day at work. Put up the fabric on the wall today finally. Isn't it fabulous??

Resonator made in Heaven

Watch this guy play his heart out - quite fab isn't it? Imagine in the old days, in the American South. Not many cars went by, gravel roads so dry the dust would fly everywhere as they passed. You can maybe hear the sound of the slide, if you listen carefully?

Read about the dobro and resonator here. If you like this kind of country blues or Delta blues as it is also known, have a listen to Eric Clapton's Unplugged, and some Robert Johnson. It is also widely used in bluegrass music.

The end of the road, and the beginning of something extraordinary

I admit that I have spent a fair bit of money recently. But the word "admit" seems too harsh, since I am an adult and it is my money, and nobody elses. I have wanted, deliberately, to rebuild my life. To do that, I have decided I need a few things (I would actually like to refer to them as necessities). I have bought a new bed. I thought it was worth every penny. I have spent some money on buying some new clothes and shoes, so now I actually feel quite decent when I leave the house. I don't wear tracksuit bottoms and sneakers everyday. It actually does make me much happier and I feel more attractive. I have bought a sound system, which I have wanted my whole life. Music is my life, and all normal beings have a stereo of some sort. Now, so do I. I have also bought a banjo and a dobro that I have fallen in love with and which occupy alot of my time. Life is all about learning, right now. I will also buy a decent ladies bike. Oh and a computer...

For Christmas I don't want anything really. I have everything I need now. Maybe some razorblades for the hob. :) Anything involving an experience I think, makes the ideal gift for most people who work hard, come home to a place full of stuff they can't wait to get rid of, or don't know what to do with.

After that I plan to put aside the money that is left for taxes and possible renovation of bathroom. I won't have this money to spend in a month or two, and I must be alot more careful. But I have bought exactly what I needed to start over, and I don't feel bad. Quite the contrary.

All I want for Christmas is Gordon!

"It's very pungant and obtrusive so treat it with the upmost respect."

Isn't this the most wonderful, passionate way of describing a truffle oil? So, kids, if you're aspiring to become a head chef and they want you to deceipher different flavours in your interview... Get to work. And work hard. :)

Hmm... how would I describe the flavour of stale cheese?

Dinner with Friends

On Thursday, I invited Sara and Dimman for dinner. I used the huge plates and was actually amazed to realise that they fit on the tiny kitchen table. Excellent! We had pork chops with yummy gravy and rice. The best part was, as always, the laughter. We always laugh non-stop. As you can see, Hugo (my cat) was relaxed and easy to please.

Lunch at School

Without further due, here is another attempt at posting a video of my wonderful, cute students performing a few weeks back... Enjoy! Gotta love 'em!

Recording live radio

Yesterday I went to see my teacher Hasse Larsson from the producer course I attended a few years ago. I called him up awhile back to see if I could just come along and watch or maybe learn a thing or two sometime. Last night we were in the OB bus owned by Swedish Radio - recording a live show where Hasse Kvinnaböske performed. It was a great night with lots of great banter in the truck, and it was great to see how many people were involved sound-wise. Sound was going from the live desk to the desk in studio 7, then from there to the bus, then a stereomix from the bus went on the air. (I think). Quite impressive. Having spent 2 weeks at MTV Europe, London 10 years ago, I thought it was interesting to compare these two forms of broadcasting and the way things are done. I always seem active and eager to take the first step inside this world, but then I don't have what it takes to continue. Quite sad really, but it enriches my life anyway. It seems a very competitive business, and I never felt I had what it takes to be number one.