Mad Monarchy

On Tuesday the newspapers and TV here were filled with the BIG news that the crown princess of Sweden Viktoria was engaged to Daniel Westling, her personal trainer of seven years. The news was apparently so big that it demanded a ten-page-spread in the major newspaper DN http://www.dn.se/ as well as several reports on TV. I seriously cannot believe it. Of course I am happy for them, in the name of love, but who needs a monarchy? I want to vote for the people who lead my country and not let them inherit their titles. And a royal wedding costs millions and people were even crying in the streets of Stockholm because they were so happy Viktoria was finally going to marry- why? I know my grandmother would be very upset if she read this as she loved royalty but I am going to join the organisation against monarchy here where my colleague is the president as I firmly believe that we need to abolish the monarchy!

What is Art?

In Sweden there is a discussion going on at the moment about art as provocation and some people seem to think that Konstfack - University College of Arts, Crafts and Design in Stockholm should not receive any subsidies from the government anymore as the art the students are creating is a waste of the tax payers money. Two incidents recently have triggered this reaction: 1) one student pretended she was mentally unstable and tried to jump off a major bridge in Stockholm and was rescued by hospital staff. She was hospitalised for a few days when it turned out she did it as a provocation to invoke a discussion about how the mentally ill are treated in Sweden. 2) another student spraypainted a metro train and filled it with graffiti and filmed the whole thing. The metro company were furious that one of their trains had been destroyed and have now sued the student. What is art I wonder. I do believe in freedom of expression but is this not maybe taking it too far. I do not think though that they should revoke the subsidies given to Konstfack (http://www.konstfack.se/) as these are only two out of thousands of students who are expressing themselves in this way...

I cannot be Swedish

Is it supposed to be this way? Cold at home (19C), cold at work (we have filed a complaint) and cold outside. February must be the most horrid month of all with those icy winds and snow one day and rain the next. I don't even want to get into the discussion about clothes; I am wearing four sweaters, two pairs of trousers, gloves, a hat and a long coat and I am still cold. I look and feel like a Michelin man. If I cannot move to a warm(er) country soon I will not make it as it feels as if I lose four months (November to February if not longer) of my life every year because it is so damn cold and dark that I just spend every evening indoors with a cup of tea in front of the TV. Sure, that can be cosy too, but four months is too long a period to have a non-life. I cannot be Swedish -I must have been an African in a previous life as I seriously cannot stand the cold.

A wake-up call

On Tuesday I woke up with pain in the left half of my face and a big red dry spot on the cheek under my eye. It was quite scary so I went straight to the doctor's in the morning and was told I had an infection in my face caused by stress! She asked me if I have been feeling stressed lately and at first I said no but if I think about it I very often feel worn-out and tired, and as if I never take the time to rest. My week is always filled with lots of work and also the weekends are filled with social activities so it is very rarely that I just relax and sit on the sofa and do nothing. I really need to do nothing more often, as this visit to the doctor's was a real wake-up call. I don't want to end up burnt-out and depressed at 38 so now it is time to listen to my body and take it easy more often. Also, my son's father has agreed to being with our son more at the weekend so that I can have some time to myself then, which seems to be a good deal. So, from now I will walk slower to the metro, take my time in the mornings, be lazy at the weekend and say no to invitations as my priorities at this point are: me, my health and I!

A change of taste

On Friday I had a drink with my fling and we spoke about taste in men / women. He said he always has the taste of the woman he was last with, meaning if he was with a short, blonde girl a year ago, that's his taste now. As he said this he looked very intensively at me and said "but of course one can change one's taste". I am not going to overanalyse anything here but it all sort of dawned on me: I am not his taste! And I know I am not as I know what his ex looks like as I have met her several times: she is very tall, very busty with black hair - and she talks with a baby voice. I am sorry but if that's his taste I think I will not try to seduce him anymore. She and I have very little in in common, both in the way we are and in the way we look. But it is interesting nevertheless - of course taste can change. I used to always go for the latino look (see Andy Garcia) but I think I have gone off that now - so we shall see what happens next.

Swedish "gympa"

In Sweden we have something called Friskis and Svettis - it is a very unpretentious and cheap sports movement. You pay some money and jump around in a bright gym hall together with other sweaty people. Sounds great doesn't it? It is. I just went there yesterday to get my weekly hour of exercise and it actually felt very good afterwards. After weeks and weeks of work behind the computer, lazy evenings in front of the TV/ with a book, it is certainly time for something else!

What's new

Ok, what's new?
1) My son has a new hairdo, he is so cute and looks much older (see picture)
2) Internet dating is going OK- I am writing to a 44-year-old man who seems very nice and intelligent, and funny.
3) I am still seeing my fling a lot, almost every week. Soon I will say something about my feelings for him, SOON, I promise!
4) I am starting my training routine this week; yoga, pilates and aerobics. Not bad! Suddently I have regained some of my energy so that is great.
5) Work is going well. No changes there.
6) Watched the film The Holiday again last, with Jude Law and Kate Winslet. It gives me hope!
7) I am reading The Art of Being Kind by Dr Stefan Einhorn who is a doctor at the cancer clinic here where I work. It is a very interesting read. Kindness can never be overrated.

Have a good week!