California oranges
Lyxigt värre. Nu blir det lemonad för hela slanten!
California oranges:
This weekend we had Dustin's grandparents here visiting from California. They brought full bags of sun riped oranges and lemons, directly from their garden! We could not have been more happy and now some of them are laying here in front of our window, waiting to be taken care of.
The small luxaries in life, time to make lemonade!
Love is all that I can give to you
Jag är livrädd. Det känns långt bort, det känns svårt och det känns så olikt allt jag är van vid. Men det känns rätt. Och jag tror att, hur svårt det än är, att följa hjärtat är det enda rätta.
Nu ska jag spendera de sista timmarna med släkten och min finaste syster. Puss.
Love is all that I can give to you:
The countdown has counted down to hours, the bags are packed, I have quit my jobs, hugged all friends and had nervous break downs the last days. We are ready for depature, ready for the next chapter.
I am scared to death. It feels far away, hard and unlike anything I know of. But it feels right. And I think that, even how hard it is, to follow your heart is the only right thing.
Now I am going to spend the last hours with the family and my very best sister. Kiss
I've learned that sometimes you just have to say "Fuck it" and live
Ibland får jag känslan av att ni (vi) inte tror att jag gör det här för mig. Att det är ett passivt beslut gynnande någon annan. Om beslutet är rätt för mig vet jag egentligen inte. Men måste det vara likvärdigt med att inte vilja? För jag vill. Över allt annat. Jag vill för mig, för oss, för att. För att just nu är alternativen för oss få, men jag vill vara kvar i pluralet.
Ibland gör man uppoffringar som kanske inte är uppoffringar eftersom hjärtat sjunger. Och att ta beslutet som låter sången fortsätta är något jag gör för mig. Bara mig.
Att ge någon hjärtat på ett silverfat kanske inte passar in i er (vår) uppfattning om självständighet, men jag bryr mig faktiskt inte. Jag vet vad jag vill även i ett vi och just nu är det här det enda rätta. Det är väl inte svårare än så.
I've learned that sometimes you just have to say "Fuck it" and live:
Sometimes I get the feeling that you (we) do not think I am doing this for me. That this is a passive decision made for someone else. I am not sure that the decision is right for me right now. But is that the same thing as not wanting to do it? Because I want to. More than anything else. I want to this for me, for us, because. Because right now the alternatives for us are few, but I want to remain in the plural.
Sometimes you make sacrifices that are not sacrifices because your heart is singing. And to make the decision to keep the song going is something I am doing for me. Only me.
To give someone your heart on a silver plate might not fit in your (our) idea of independence, but I really do not care. I know what I want even in a we and right now this is the right thing to do. I guess it is not harder than that.
Jag ska riva mina murar tills vi ser varann
Det tar ett tag för mig
Jag kanske glömmer hur man gör
Sist var himlen vit som papper
Ovanför
Så jag lovar ingenting
Jag säger hellre förlåt
Vi ska va dom vi vill vara
Hellre nu än efteråt
Men jag har slutat säga nej
Nu ska jag göra vad jag kan
Jag ska riva mina murar
Tills vi ser varann
För jag vet vem jag är
När jag är med dig
I'll tear down my walls for you:
(Roughly translation of part of the beautiful beautiful song "Jag vet vem jag är när jag är hos dig" by Melissa Horn)
It might take some time for me
I might forget how to do
Last time the sky was white as a paper
Above
So I cannot promise a thing
I rather say I am sorry afterwards
We have to be who we are
Rather now than later
But I have stopped saying no
And I will do what I can
I will tear down my walls
Until we see each other
Because I know who I am
When I am with you.
En vecka sedan
Idag cyklade jag utan vantar och mössa.
Solsken, droppande stuprännor och fågelkvitter. Sommaren i all sin ära, men den här vårvintern skulle kunna vara min favoritperiod av året.
A week ago:
A week ago we had tons of snow and were able to build snowmans. Today I biked without mittens and beanie. Sunshine, dripping rain gutters and birds singing. Summer in all it's glory, but the transition from winter to spring could be my favorite period of the year.
Red, like roses
Den 27 februari, grattis Mormor.
Red, like roses:
The 27th of February and my toe nails are red. Today I was the one who got a gift, but my congratulations go to someone else. Someone who got company up (?) there today, strange how life goes. Birthday or deathday or just a celebration to life itself, maybe a bit of it all.
The 27th of February, congratulations Grandma.
If strangers meet
if strangers meet
life begins -
not poor not rich
(only aware)
kind neither
nor cruel
(only complete)
i not not you
not possible;
only truthful
-truthfully, once
if strangers (who
deep our most are
selves) touch:
forever(and so to dark)
- e.e cummings
And it’s time to pack your bags and call in sick and bring the toothbrush
Lite mindre än två veckor kvar nu och livet har gått in i ett sådant där mellanläge igen. Kanske ska jobba några sista gånger men annars så packar jag, rensar och bara andas. Träffar vänner och väntar. Men bland droppande stuprännor, snödroppar och slask gör det mig inget. Våren är på ingång och jag bara njuter.
And it’s time to pack your bags and call in sick and bring the toothbrush:
Tuesday as in... well Tuesday. I ate a delectable breakfast (fried egg with fried tomatoes, yogurt with kiwi, frozen raspberries and müsli and a warm cup of Studio 54) and now I am going out for a run. On today's agenda is coffee with Sophia and after that we will see what happens.
A little bit less than 2 weeks left now and life has entered one of those in-between-phases again. I might work a couple more times but otherwise I am just packing, going through old stuff and breathing. Hanging out with friends and waiting. But when there are snowdrops outside the window and the snow is melting away it does not bother me to have time off. Spring is just around the corner and I just love this time of year.
Det lilla
Har varit orolig och nästan rädd när dagarna tickat nedåt. Inte rädd för det nya, mest rädd för att jag vet hur mycket jag kommer att sakna er. Fina familjen, tekvällar och bara möjligheten att ses. Rädd för att förlora den lilla del av världen som fortfarande är min.
Men innerst inne vet jag ju att just nu är Sverige inte rätt, inte än. Jag behöver nytt och kanske framför allt just nu, jag behöver värme. Min tröst är att Skype finns, flygbiljetter finns, min syster kommer snart ut i världen och inget behöver någonsin vara för alltid. Och ibland visar det sig till och med att avstånd gör vänskapsband starkare.
Så, jag är redo för äventyret. Men i 14 dagar till ska jag njuta av det lilla. Så som dammsugare, plussgrader och myskvällar med mina fina.
The small things:
A lazy Sunday, punch rolls (vacuum cleaners!) and 14 days left.
I haven been worried and almost scared when the count down is getting shorter and shorter. Not scared for the new, scrared because I know how much I will miss you. The family, tea evenings and just the possibilty to hang out. Scared to lose the part of the world that still is mine.
But deep down I know that Sweden is not right for me right now, not yet. I need something new and maybe most importantly right now, I need warmth. Comforting thoughts are that we do have Skype, flight tickets do exist, my sister will be out in the world soon and that nothing is ever forever. And sometimes it even turns out that distance makes the heart grow fonder.
So, I am ready for the adventure. But for 14 days more I will enjoy the small things. Like vacuum cleaners, positive degrees and time with my favorites.
Och sen vi åker i backen, hej, vad det går!
Rosiga kinder och snöbollskrig, fin kväll.
Efteråt hoppade vi in i en varm bastu och sedan blev det snörullning i bikini. Mindre smart, för nu har jag den elakaste förkylningen. Men det var fint i stunden.
Det var min onsdagskväll det, over and out.
Sledding down the hill:
Sometimes you just have to put on a pair of snowboard pants och challenge the snow in the sledding hill. Rosy cheeks and snowball war, we had a great evening.
We sat in the sauna when we got back and after that it was time to roll in the snow in bikini. Less smart, because today I have the meanest cold. But it was nice in the moment.
And that was my Wednesday night, over and out.
Gör er själva en tjänst
Ps. Kom ihåg, att inte vara som du är inte att vara fel. Ds.
Make yourselves a favor:
It is Friday, so please make yourselves a huge favor, even if it is only for one night. Stop generalising and stop hiding behind prejudices and arrogance. Stop the judgement and stop taking for granted. Have the gut to think outside the box, step out of your comfort zone. Breath fresh air, smile and have the currage to do something new, to think something new. Something different. It is worth it, I promise. Have a nice Friday.
Ps. Remember, to not be like you is not to be wrong.
Förändring
"Give me a place to stand on, and I will move the Earth." - Archimedes
Change:
I sometimes forget how long time change takes, or how long we give it. You keep saying that no one can change, I say you are wrong. If we decide now then we already changed. Do not give it time, but do not give up. It is only the modesty that is missing. And you will get new (more) perspectives along the road.
"Give me a place to stand on, and I will move the Earth." - Archimedes
Tiotusen meter upp i stratosfären
Men jag mår bra.
Ten thousand meters up the stratosphere:
The middle of the night, a warm heater, snow storm and a thousand just as stormy thoughts. And Timbuktu, on repeat. Over and over again.
But I am doing okay.
This years resolutions: I will exercise more, call my grandma
But on the top of the list there's you
I'm going to be with you
Oproduktivt produktiv
Idag har varit en sådan där fantastiskt oproduktivt produktiv dag. När man gör mycket smått, men utan ansträngning. Pumpat cykeln, börjar tänka på packning, men också skickat arga mail till John Gray samt skrivit till Feminiskt Initiativ! och Sosialistiskt Venstreparti - allt för att förhindra att denna man släpps lös i Skandinavien. Vi får se om det hjälper, men att försöka är guld.
Nu ska jag städa upp i vårt lilla rum och sedan blir det "Gladiatorerna" med syster. Vi tar allt i lördagstempot idag, mycket lagom. Vi hörs i krokarna, puss.
Unproductivly productive:
The days go on and the departure day is coming closer. 23 days, yikes. I slowly erase job from my agenda and add meet ups with friends. It feels okay. Sometimes there is simply more important stuff than money.
Today has been one of those unproductivly productive days. When you do a lot of small things, but without any effort. Been putting air in my bike tyres, started to think about packing but I have also been sending angry emails to John Gray and written to "Feminiskt Initiativ!" and "Sosialistiskt Ventreparti" - everything to stop John Grays seminars in Scandinavia. We will see if it helps, but to try is golden.
Now I am going to clean up our little room and then it is "The Gladiators" with my sister. Today everything is done in the Saturday pace, very nice. I will see you around, kiss.
Arg som ett bi
Angry like a bee:
I spent Friday night in my couch and zapped by accident over to "Skavlan". John Gray was there and talked about his horrible view on gender equality and now I am angrier than ever. That moron has sold books, does speaches and is an inspiration to people - and that scares the crap out of me. It is time to talk back, educate and make these idiots realize that it is no difference between the genders. And I will do my very best when in the States. Watch out Americans, here comes a Swede with the right view on gender equality.
Bjuder på cigg igen, men nu som fienden?
Bjuder på cigg igen
men nu så fienden?
Säger att allt är bra
Hur fan kan du spela glad?
Double dealing:
Two faced, the wonderful Veronica Maggio puts it all into words here.
Ett vinter-Stockholm
Maggio spelades på isbanan, jag hade ett enastående litet kontor för några minuter och en ny stad var skönt för en dag. Snålblåsten och den gråa himlen får man väga upp med nyköpta böcker, kanelbullar och en varm hand i din.
A winter Stockholm:
We took the half past eleven train to a snowy Stockholm yesterday in an attempt to figure out the on coming life. We were denied entry when there, but we grasped the oppourtunity of a full day in the capital instead.
Maggio was played by the rink, I had a fabolous little office for a few minutes and a new city was nice for a day. The cold winds and the grey sky just have to be outweighed by new books, cinnamon buns and a warm hand in yours.
And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back (shake it of shake it of)
And I'm damned if I do and I'm damned if I don't
So here's to drinks in the dark at the end of my road
And I'm ready to suffer and I'm ready to hope
It's a shot in the dark and right at my throat
Because looking for heaven, found the devil in me
Looking for heaven, found the devil in me
Well what the hell I'm gonna let it happen to me