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Saturday, September 22, 2018

the dangerous incident with the cat in the night time

different kind of apples, sept 2018

on tuesday night i slipped in a cat vomit - oh the joy - on the living room floor. unfortunately i fell badly and my left hand was caught under me. i really really desperately hoped it was only sprained. after 5 hours in a highly inefficient emergency room - which was far from full - the following day it turned out it was badly broken.

in such a complicated way they sent me on to a specialist hospital. which seemed slightly more efficient. still it was another couple of hours, with very kind nurses and doctors, with a very painful shot followed by an even more painful adjusting of broken wrist before getting a humongous plaster.

now i'd really like to write some less than positive words about the decline of the swedish health care system, which i blame a lot on the brain-dead decision to give profit-driven private businesses free rein to the health care sector in sweden. but i need to keep it arm restingly short.

i have follow up appointments at the hospital next week. and i seriously question how they've tried to convince me that surgery is a must. i'm firmly against it for many reasons. it's my body, i decide. i can listen to arguments, but at the end of the day, my body, let me heal in peace. period.

poor me 😢, sept 2018

after 9 hours without food (and that was a measly breakfast of two crisp breads an a glass of water) i finally sat down at a favourite cafe and devoured this before i headed home and had a surprisingly long and restful night's sleep (despite evening coffee).

as i've mentioned before, many years ago i slipped while bathing a cat and broke my right arm. which was complicated in another way since it's my writing arm. but then i had m to help, with daily things. now i have to figure things out myself, and ask my mum for some help with odd things.

how uncomplicated life seems with to working arms you usually take for granted. apart from the obvious awkwardness of taking showers, wash the hair and emptying litter boxes it's also a struggle to peel carrots, cut vegetables and put on a bra (ouch). and not least sleep in a position beneficial for the arm in a humungous plaster.

amidst getting used to this i had to pick up my new iphone, because my old subscription runs out soon. turned out it was a much more complicated process to switch phones and subscriptions than i had ever anticipated. but after screaming, crying and cursing (at home) and complaining and demanding (with the phone company support, that really needs to learn some basic stuff..., in the phone shop and in the end apple, which was the most pedagogical and helpful) i sorted it.

different kind of apples, sept 2018

really didn't need this hassle on top on everything else right now. but i'm darn proud i fixed it.

i'm also proud i managed to write this. with no upper cases. you're welcome.

sick leave is not on the agenda of course. just another setback to work myself through. onwards and upwards. i will miss my old iphone model, it played a very important role at a difficult time in my life. but it's time to say goodbye and let it fly off to new adventures. and hello to new ones of my own.

different kind of apples, sept 2018

Tuesday, September 11, 2018

reflections on the swedish election 2018

election sweden 2018, stockholm

The credible surveys on the different Swedish political parties environmental politics before the election showed there were only two parties that take global warming and climate change seriously. Of which one, the Left party, will never have any real influence since it's the ex-communist party ie is apparently still very revolutionary and extremist in Sweden in 2018. No matter how many votes they get apparently. Seriously, for x sake, grow up. We are all on this planet to learn and grow.

- As I recall, conservatives have a pretty heavy luggage of sins themselves; they were against voting for women, women's, workers, gay rights, they worked long and hard to keep slavery and apartheid. And have been and are just as heavily involved in dictatorship regimes all over the world as left wing politicians. To name a few things. Let s/he who is without sin first cast a stone. It's interesting that right wing politicians, at least in Sweden, never have to be accountable for their predecessors appalling behaviour, but forever left wings. Food for thought. -

The other one is the Green party. Ie the only party that has the environment as top issue on their agenda. They have formed the government alongside the Socialdemocrats for the last four years. turbulent years, with very uncomfortable scandals among good new environmental policies. Granted, not nearly as strong policies and straight climate talks that were needed, but still better than it could have been.

election sweden 2018, stockholm

In the scary times we're living in there shouldn't be a need for a Green party. Every party from left to right should have strong environmental policies and agendas. Because whatever other issues the respective party think are important, *newsflash* they're not if we don't have a livable, healthy planet to have any kind of visions for.

But not even after this awful summer before the election did the climate get a lot of attention in the election campaigns. Because clearly immigration, housing, taxes, education and health care etc etc ad infinitum are much more important than a livable planet. Face palm.

people’s climate march, stockholm, sweden, sept 8, 2018

And after the Sunday election with a truly bizarre result the 15 year old on climate strike leading up to the election - and will continue to be every Friday until the Paris agreements goals are reached - is still the smartest cookie in any jar compared to those so called grown-up politicians. Whom act like spoilt, petulant children in a sandbox.

It was impossible not to watch the election night on TV. Even if, with few exceptions, it was like watching a horrifically embarrassing mud wrestling match between toddlers dressed like grown ups. There really is no wonder at all that the disgust of politicians is so widely spread.

people’s climate march, stockholm, sweden, sept 8, 2018

The most embarrassing thing to watch was the four conservative/liberal party leaders repeating themselves in high pitch voices "The prime minister must resign, the prime minister must resign, the...!" - instead of, as proper dignified, mature grown-ups would say "The election result is very strange and inconclusive so far. We will bide the end result and solve this as grown-ups, act our roles and work out a solution that's best for the country and the world."

I've always been very sceptical about block politics, it leads to ridiculous lock in effects. Grown ups, no matter party affiliation, should be able to work together on dire and important issues (like our mere existence for example). Period.

And the best thing that was said - mind you, by three red politicians that managed to act like grown-ups, far from always the case with them either - was that this election should be the death of block politics, it's time to come together in coalition and rule in the center of politics. The times calls for it.

people’s climate march, stockholm, sweden, sept 8, 2018

I've never been faithful to any blue (conservative) or red (progressive) side or party. My heart is obviously very green, but certain years certain issues have been more important for me when I've casted my vote. I've never voted with my own wallet in mind, but always for what I think and hope would be a better society. I don't like the idea of being tied to one party or side - free spirit me talking here too - I prefer to entertain many thoughts at the same time, and grow with thoughts and time.

This year I was, finally, be able to vote 100% with my heart and head. But after this apocalyptic summer, I just couldn't. I had to vote for the climate, anything else would have felt irresponsible and immoral.

And (in hindsight naively) I thought the majority would.

Oh my, was I wrong. On the election day the earth passed the 1,5 degree global warming target. Apparently there's only 5% chance of reaching the Paris agreement goal. Still, most people just don't care. Which the Swedish election results is just another proof of.

people’s climate march, stockholm, sweden, sept 8, 2018

The day before the election we marched in the global People's Climate March in Stockholm. Sadly the arrangement was quite dispiriting. We don't need more dopiness in the environmental movement, that will just continue to alienate those that still needs convincing, we need straight talk and clear facts. And a lot of action. It would also have been nice to see a wide influx of attendance from all (reasonable) political parties.

But I guess they had their hands full with the last bit of campaign smearing before the elections.

stockholm, sweden, september 2018 -

We can't continue to burn fossil fuels, fly, drive, shop, eat meat and dairy - which by the way aren't human rights - like nothing has changed. We need drastical structural/political changes as well as change our personal habits. And we as private citizens can't continue to live like we've always done and wait for someone else to fix this because we are all eachother's someone else.

So, despite being deeply disappointed about the election results, I still continue, in my little green corner of the universe, to lessen my carbon footprint and hopefully inspire others to do the same.

And I am still looking for my kind of people.