welcome april, bye march 2022

 

On April 1 2022 this was not what I expected. But there you are. In line with what 2022 has offered so far. 

(I remember we had snow in May when I was a kid, so I’m not saying capricious weather always is linked to the human induced climate change, but it would be nice not to see this backlash now after a couple of weeks with +10C and April arriving…)

So, March. It has been a really really weird month, yes some good things happened but also some really really bad ones, or just one, a very big one, in particular. It has taken me by surprise, shaken me to the core, the absurdity, the violation of the innermost me and my values, the total unprofessionalism, it is nothing short of a real life Twilight Zone situation. It’s nauesating, infuriating, sick and insane. Is it even legal? Yes, I could go on and on, but it is not over yet, so I will leave it at that for now. Needless to say it has overshadowed the whole month.

I have experienced my fair share of absurdities and awful human behaviours before (haven’t we all…?) but this really win first prize in my book. Something quite like this has never happened previously, and just because it is so completely bizarre, and scary, and incredibly stressful, it has been difficult to appreciate the small things and the much much needed pockets of joy in March. 

And of course everything may pale in comparison with the horrific Russian invasion of Ukraine. Two peas in a mad pod, the crazy orange guy in the west and the little pale one in the east. Seriously, what is wrong with men and their inferiority complex and illusions of grandeur? 

It’s 2022 and the world is burning, we literally have a climate emergency, the ice caps have melted, tipping point by tipping point will be reached much much sooner that expected - and then some weird little pathetic dictator think the best thing to do is to start a war commiting countless of atrocities and war crimes within weeks alone. 

Can’t say I’m terribly impressed by the actions from the rest of the world’s democratic politicians either (including Sweden’s). The continuation of fueling the dictator’s war with dirty oil and gas money. And the gobsmacking ignorance of people in general (especially people with cars) expecting nothing to change, that it is always someone else who should pick up the bill and the pieces. 

When we will all have to pay a price, quite possibly a much higher one the longer we wait for a green shift to automagically happen. The spoilt brat syndrome of our western world. It’s sickening and embarrassing.

So apart from the world crisis on the brink of World War III, the climate emergency as well as my own private little hell to deal with, what have been the little pockets of treasured joys this past month then?

Well, enjoying perky Snag tights with shoes for warmer weather, vegan cooking, and baking (there may be a recipe or two appearing soon). Met up with a woman I briefly worked with a few years back and got to see her lovely art in person. It was amazing and inspiring!

Unfortunately I picked the day when the commuter train system collapsed (again) and I ended up stuck waiting on a station for three hours for a train. This was my face when I finally got home after nearly five hours (had everything ran as usual that journey would gave taken 1 hour and 15 minutes door to door).

And yes, that is a middle finger to the usual lack of communication and problem solving skills from SL (the local Stockholm public transport) that day. This is certainly a case of things used to be so much better in the good old days.

Weather slowly turning into spring (until now).

Spending time with my own two little lovable fluffy weirdos, and a couple of fun job projects (but no, still no dream job caught, or my kind of people met).

Books read, but so far none wow of 2022. 

I haven’t found any new wow-series on Netflix (after Dark) but I have almost binge watched all six seasons of Queer Eye. Used to enjoy the original series a lot, and I didn’t like this new one at first but the gang grew on me and now I found them great and in fact much better than the originals. Skipped all the animal eating focused episodes, loved the climate activist and animal sanctuary-episodes the most (obviously). Found the episodes in Japan dispiriting, sad and zero relatable. Watched the German version too, but I find it so theatrical and odd, one would have thought it would be easier to relate to Germans in need of Fab 5’s intervention but apparently not.

Welcome April, I am in desperate need of kindness, reason, less stress and more help from the Universe, new healthy change and purpose, amazing heartfelt beginnings and a lot of relaxation and relief. I’m really really REALLY hoping you will help with that April, please? 

PS Thanks for all the lessons March, it has been rough and bumpy ride. Still not sure why you felt the need to do teach me all that, maybe one day I will… DS

walk into 2020 like it's a rainbow paradise on fire

First of all, I adore you, my January 2020 music crush - Harry Styles has never been on my radar, 'he's in one of those countless generic boybands, right...?', but I saw him on The Graham Norton Show (which I love) and was completely smittened by the song and his totally snazzy dressing. Look. At. That. Suit. Fabulous.

Secondly. The year, the roaring 20ies have sadly started with one soul-crushing event after the other. And so, to my fellow climate angstees, I recommend this piece on How To Stop Freaking Out and Tackle Climate Change with a pretty great and constructive 5 point plan to do it.

However I do not agree on ditching the shame as such. I still firmly we all need to strive to be better in our own lives, make better choices, as we too as individuals are responsible, not only a broken, sick system and despicable political structures. We can't blame Big Brother for everything. We too must change. As well as keep demanding structural changes of course.



And on that subject - my first post on LinkedIn for 2020 was about this pile of soft toys koalas at IKEA. A company that has and continues to cause a lot of environmental damage all over the world with its production, and a seemingly pretty disgusting marketing ploy. I'd say that no amount of solar panels, recycled furniture or vegan sausages can cover up that fact.



And don't get me started about the fact that our beautiful cherry blossom trees have already begun its blooming season... Three months early...



But the year has not only begun with the continued climate angst and Weltschmerz. The first thing I did to kick it off was to colour it in Pink Pop again. The vegan hair colour rinse from Maria Nila worked its magic again - there's not much left after 5-6 hair washes now, just as expected - and I've decided 2020 will and must be a year with many green insights and a lot of the magic that is pink.



Just before the Christmas holidays I got a free test subscription to a film and TV-series channel blissfully void of ads. The four weeks were subsequently prolonged to eight weeks, so I have enjoyed quite a few good (and bad) movies and streaming of great TV-series. Binge watching has been lovely. And have you ever felt that when you binge watch a great series it feels like losing friends and a context when its over?

Here are my favourites, series and movies, highly recommend them! -

• The First
• The Capture
• Mary kills people
• Five bedrooms
• A million little things
• War of the Worlds
• Wild Bill
• The Rook
• Gold Digger
• Howard's End - I've always loved the original movie from 1992 with Emma Thompson, Helena Bonham-Carter and Anthony Hopkins. But this new TV-series adaption is so very beautiful (the attention to details...) and moving. And those adorable terrier puppies in episode 3, look just like Little Loaf Malte when we brought home at 9 weeks old. 
• The Wife - Gleen Close, amazing,
• Isle of Dogs
• Paddington 2

And just like 2019, I let Isabel Dalhousie, philosopher and Edinburgh sleuth extraordinaire, set the tone for 2020, with this year's first read.

I finished 51 books in 2019, first time I wrote them down and added them to Goodreads. I might never get back to reading as much books as I once did (and audio books are not my cup of literary tea), but I'm happy with almost one book per week (with everything else you have to explore and fit in in your life). Some were spectacular, some lovely little bagatelles, and a few pretty bad. Easy reads but badly written.

I finished the 6 weeks course in "May cause miracles" by Gabby Bernstein, just before New Year's. And while some of the chapters were zero relatable, I just skimmed through them, others were so.very. relatable. It was a good read, I'm still not calm and focused enough for meditation, but it was still a really eye-opening experience in switching one's perspective in thinking and acting.

I think these two first bought books of 2020 also will be two of by greatest reads of the year, one is a Swedish book by climate psychologist focusing on our climate angst, and how to turn what seems like a hopeless grey blanket covering us (this winter it literally has been, the tiredness quite overwhelming) into positive action. Have read 30 pages so far, and it's a yes yes yes, me too-kind of book. I'm so happy to attending a breakfast seminar with them this week, one the Behaviour Impact Gap.

And I think Marie Forleo's "Everything is figureoutable" will be a very good read too. I've always clinged to that notion, especially these past four years of course, looking forward to reading new thoughts and actions on it.

I know I sort of promised to write a recap of last year, but really, let's start with a clean slate, shall we? Like wiping off a really scary, but also nourishing, cleansing and liberating, clay mask from your face. Let's start fresh! (The memories and lessons will always be there, tucked safely away, anyway.)

So, so far this year for me - quite a few interesting and surprising calls, talks, meetings. Some great, some not really what I'm looking for, but still interesting lessons.

I don't think I mention that the friend who volunteered at the great Vegoforum day last year, dragged me with her to the first planning meeting for Vegoforum 2020 in the beginning of December? Wasn't sure it was for me, but somehow I said yes to voluntering, and it has been really interesting and fun so far. This year it will be four theme-days followed by four democracy workshops, the first one in late March.

This Veganuary - I hope you've signed up for it?! - has also been the hat trick for my position on the Top 20 Swedish Lifestyle Blogs to Follow, third year in a row. I may not blog nearly as much as I used to, but still now and then I apparently offer something pretty readable.

Hopefully it won't be 20 days until next post, but for now, I hope your year has begun in a wonderful, hopeful and inspiring way. Continue to act, be and create the change you want to see in the world, in desperate need of that, and remember that...

the things i do while i'm looking for my new dream job

Stockholm Pride has been. And apart from the love is love, kindness and equality vibe that's in teh air during that week, I always enjoy taking rainbow coloured pictures near water. This year we were at magical Millesgården for a really sweet exhibition with illustrator Lena Andersson's adorable drawings and work. A perfect place for a little rainbow gang to pose.



The exhibition is on until September 22 and well worth a visit.



Car-pooled to the retrieval plant the other week. It was such a bliss to finally get rid of years of broken old stuff that's too heavy to take on the bus. I should make this a regular thing. Not that I got that much heavy stuff to get rid off currently. But a good cleanse of stuff in general is liberating.



The cats were less than happy though, since I threw away one of their favourite chairs (nasty old thing). These were the scenes after I had pulled it apart, making it ready for throwing away. As if there would never again be a better place to lie on.



The season for cherries seem to get shorter by the year, but I have enjoyed the reasonably priced ones I've seen. Ah, cherries, on my top three of best fruit and berries in the whole wide world, alongside raspberries and pineapple. Closely followed my mango.



I was so excited when I saw that Fjällräven had turned their beloved Kånken into a little messenger bag (the big one made in collaboration with Acne last year has alas leather details). For those days when your dress doesn't have pockets (which is such drawback, I know, but still it happens) and your good with a smaller bag or wear it with the Kånken to have your most essentials close at hand. (The pretty red bag from Matt & Nat is of another style, for other days and occasions...).



Granted I thought it would be the same size as the Kånken Mini, but as you can se the Kånken Sling is much smaller. I deliberated if it was a keeper or not, but I decided it was. Even if it isn't big enough to fit both umbrella, sunglasses, a big wallet (I need to downside to a mini one) and all the extras I usually carry in my backpack. And a keepcup is definitely out of the question. So either you have it for very special occasions, with the backpack or with a cotton tote bag.



One interesting sighting of this summer - which has been so so much better than last year, thank goodness for that, at least a little grace from global warming effects - is that there have been so much butterflies, as well as (too many) mosquitos and flies. And since the mosquitos lovez me... But at least, touch wood, the tics have been very few and far apart. And last week I got my final TBE-shot, so now I'm fully vaccinated, hooray.

It was a petty costly affair though, and given the devastating consequences of getting TBE, it's very strange indeed that the usual Swedish health care doesn't cover these costs too. There are so many more unnecessary things it covers, it's baffling.



Remember the sunglass clip-ons I got for one of my new glasses back in February? Well, for some reason, somewhere, I must have misplaced them recently and I can't find them (yet, as the search is still on). So I thought I might pop by the optician and ask if I could buy a new pair. A simple plastic design, as they were included in the very reasonable price for my glasses I couldn't imagine a replacement pair would be very expensive. Boy, was I wrong, the price would be 1/3 of what my glasses cost. Thanks but no thanks. Seriously.

So I'll keep on looking for my misplaced ones, and really, just a quick google search I find the equivalent much more reasonably priced. There are many things worth paying for, while others are just ridiculously overpriced.



I posted a list of 12 (old and new) books I recommend for summer (or year around really) reading on LinkedIn the other week. On which these two appears, the above book is by much loved Swedish artist, painter, feminist, body activist Stina Wollter (I attended a writer's talk with her in June and it was amazing). Only in Swedish, obviously, so far, but I highly recommend you read it.



And the first book in the trilogy by Sylvain Neuvel, "Sleeping Giants" had me mesmerized. Can't wait to read the other two.



Last week I was inspired by pic A to do an even shorter blunt cut. But the result turned out like pic B. And all of you Swedes who grew up with the TV-show Hedvig & Helge know what I mean, the rest of you have to google. The cut was also a bit shorter than I had planned, as I was trying to multitask by talking on the phone at the same time. Yes, true story.



However, after a wash and slight styling it didn't look too bad. And the funniest thing of it all is that after years of being super-reluctant to cut my hair short, and having been pretty sad when I let my hairdresser cut it shorter than usual, is that I basically don't miss it at all. And I can still make a tiny ponytail, if I should so wish.



And I got myself five little jars with the vegan Maria Nila colour refresh. As I am curious if any of them is as great, or as crappy, as the pink resp blue colours I've tried before, I only went for small jars instead of the bigger bottles of the previous two.

I tried the Lavender one the other day, but alas it added only a very faint hint of colour to my sun-bleached grombre hair. But it was a nice nourishing hair pak at least. Fingers crossed the next colour will be as great as the Pink Pop.



Realised it's really quite easy to use public transport to get from here to Sigtuna. It doesn't have to be more time-consuming than 1 hour and 20 minutes from door to door (and if you didn't have waiting time between train and buses it would be even shorter). So I had a little fne outing with little mum last week, with fika at Tant Brun and a stroll around town. I'm looking forward to the fact that it will now be a no biggie to get there for the annual Christmas fair.

More on Sigtuna and its history as the oldest town in Sweden, in this old blog post.



On my above visit to Millesgården I was smitten by this handmade glass ring with coloured water. It wasn't easy to chose colour but in the end I went for a pink + pink one. It's such a nice summer statement ring. From Pylones.



After weeks of deliberation I also decided to get myself this amazing pre-autumn classic shirt dress. It haz pockets. Obviously from Marimekko with its Unikko pattern. (I admit to a slight addiction.) And isn't the pale pink-beige colour combination adorable? It will look great both on cooler summer days with a tan, as well as colourful stockings and cardigans come autumn and winter. For many years.



I've also become a sponsor to this beautiful boy named Benjamin. A young bull at Swedish animal sanctuary Gotlands Djurfristad. May he live a long and happy life there with his friends. As opposed to all the billions of his species that are needlessly oppressed, abused and killed for food we don't need.



And that was a few things I've done lately while I'm still looking for my dream job - and now there's even a reversed job ad up as an article on LinkedIn on that. And if you care to like, share or do something other positive and amazing to spread the word on my quest, that would needlessly to say be much appreciated. Onwards and upwards.

Now I'm looking forward to the vegan cooking class this week, that will be so much fun I'm sure!

the only colourful person in stockholm and other july bits

The more I read, the less inclined I am to write apparently. And I seem to have gotten my reading mojo back in a major way. Hooray. 4 books down in July so far, soon 5 and reading 3 simultaneously.

It should be the other way around, one might think, the more your read, the more you'd feel the urge to write. If you're a writing human being that is. But as things are now, obviously I don't work that way.

So some short glimpses from my world since June 27 then -

:: A lovely lovely writer's talk with the wonderful Stina Wollter, painter, artist, writer, body activist, feminist, wempowering every day on Instagram.

"Never say you're sorry for crying, it is the caring, feeling human that will save the world"


:: Ztina continues to have bad days, good days and pretty great days. Given how few answers that have come from the countless veterinarian visits, tests and money spent I can not see that anything more enlightening can be done that would improve her life. As long as the good and pretty great days are more than the bad ones we will adjust to this life as is.

I wish there was a veterinarian nearby that was truly interested in solving the enigma, and less interested in charging hefty prices for treating symptoms without solving the problem.


:: Continuing on the path of looking for my kind of job, my kind of people. I had another interview scheduled for last week, but it was re-scheduled to August.

I got a message from a job I applied for saying "You have a really interesting CV, but we feel you're going to be more expensive than we are willing to pay. But do give us a call.". I'm too old, too experienced, too jaded to even bother with such calls, if it's not a Dream Job.

I'm also thinking a lot about the fact that all these experiences, these years as my own boss, leading myself, is it even possible for me to fit in in an organisation not in a leading role, just as a "mere" communicating employee? Am I not too independent, too eager to drive change? Too quirky?

Food for thought. Especially with all the utterly weird situations I've experienced since I started this journey of finding...


:: The annual summer substitute buses debacle is ongoing. For the at least sixth year in a row, but probably it's seven or eight. The first years we always went on holiday during those periods so I rarely had to deal with all the stress and nuisance. You loose a lot of hours commuting during these weeks. It usually takes me 50 minutes - 1 hour + from door to door to get into the city. Which is a time one is used to after all these years.

Now add about 1 hour and 15 minutes to that, single trip. And no reduced ticket prices. And noone has yet to see what kind of work is exactly done during all these weeks, everything is very elusive. I'm so grateful I don't have to commute every day.

I'm also grateful for us having a clean, safe, environmental-friendly public transport system in Sweden. That is used by everyone, no matter which social class you belong too. Sure, there is room for improvements, but it's also so very basic for a well-functioning democracy to have a well-functioning infrastructure with decent and safe public transports available for its citizens. And for the environment.

To be dependent on a car to, hopefully, get you safely from A to B, is just unhealthy, unsustainable and not least retrogressive.


:: I've had some really great lunches, with fabulous conversations. Of which a couple with the lovely Lizzy, who so kindly showed me around Heidelberg in 2016 (and can we not talk about the fact that I still have not blogged about that Schwarzwald-trip...). Currently doing a "heritage tour" in Sweden but being able to spend some treasured hours with me.

And have you noticed that with people you don't see that often, you often get more meaningful conversations, you learn more? And with learning comes gratitude for so much in your own life. We all have dark moments, despair and demons to struggle, some much more than others. Then it's good to get other perspectives, learn about other walks of life, situations, to get that deep gratitude of being where you are, have been, grown up in those circumstances you have and so forth. It's so easy, too easy, to take things for granted, to feel entitled, for many of us.

Thank you again, Lizzy. Hope it won't be three years until next time.

And thank you for coining my new fabulous name "The Only Colourful Person in Stockholm"! Yes, the Swedes are sadly well-known for being afraid of colours prefering to blend in with black clothes and other drab colours, but you already knew that, right?



:: Went on a lovely day trip to Örebro Open Art 2019. Love train trips (when everything is smooth and working on schedule naturally) and seeing the world swoosh by outside the window. The exhibition itself was rather disappointing, nothing wow as in the amazing big yellow rabbit of 2011, but just the same, a day well spent (and very tired feet) followed by a good, long night's sleep. A perfect day that gave me a much needed relief from my brain and thought processes.

Funnily enough, the first thing the tourist information woman said to me, when we asked for directions, was "Oh, I love your fabulous, colourful style!". Perhaps I could also be coined the most colourful visitor in Örebro summer of 2019?


:: We've had really hot days. but also cooler days and happy rainy days. I think the summer weather this year on these latitudes in Sweden has been pretty great and varied. And I much prefer cooler temperatures (around +20C), which allows you to breath and function as a normal human being. perhaps this year has been slightly cooler than usual, but this is also the face of global warming and after last year's hellish hot summer I'm every so grateful for this weather.



Current music crush - Joy with Bastille makes me happy.

And until next time, hopefully it won't last weeks, think about this -

hello summer dress 2019, blue hair, hot weather angst, wempowerment and other june snippets

Say hello to summer dress 2019 - I may not have enjoyed enjoyed the blouse back in March, but I couldn't forget the delightful happy Marimekko pattern. When it turned out there was indeed a knee length dress I've had it on my wish list and now it has moved in. It's lovely. The weather so far has been undecisive, either too hot or rainy and chilly so I haven't found the perfect day to wear it yet. But there's many more days of summer still. (And hopefully some decent years and summers left for us all...)



I've finished one book in the little signed heap I got at the Feelgood evening last month. Thus ticking of 1 book on my goal-list of making it 5 read this month. I hadn't read 5 of the six authors before, so as I'm a finicky reader I'm not sure what I'll think of them. Time will tail (pun!). First book was okey, chic-lit clichés for sure but also rather enjoyable and with  good points. Easy and quick read. Not sure I'll be able to keep that pace up though, I don't plan every book to be easy reads.



Two weeks use of the vegan, organic deodorant Nuud and I have to say it's been absolutely great. For me it works 3-4 days before I need a new application on clean, dry skin. And even if I need a new application it' never that obvious icky and more or less stinky feeling as with your average common deo. I always feel dry and comfortable. Free postage world wide, so it's definitely worth a try.



Ztina has decided my forever rule of "no cats in the bedroom" rule doesn't apply to her. The galloping when she's awake and not busy with some impawtant stuff, when she hears me opening the door, might be considered legendary. And as she has been through so much I don't have the heart to not let her spend some time in there. Obviously she's good at making the most of her special need status.



Used the blue non-permanent vegan hair colour from Maria Nila last weekend. Huge disappointment. Nothing whatsoever like the lovely pink one that worked surprisingly well on my brown grombre hair. I guess it just wasn't a colour for darker hair, or grey for that matter. Ah well, at least I got a good hair pak from it. And I'm definitely up for trying more colours, they alas don't have green in their colour range, but a few reds and violet that might work.



The hot weather last week (close to +30C) was obviously climate angst inducing. But at least it made me make by first batch of ice tea in my special Löv tea jug. I'm sure it would have worked well if I had actually had ice cubes ready in the freezer too. I only had frozen coconut water, and well, not really the same. I also think cold brewing ice tea is a much better solution.



Have a couple of job interviews booked for this week. Of which one especially is for a job that sounds seriously good. Also have a "you've reached stage 2 in the process"- task to finish. I'm a bit hesitant if it's a job I really really want though, if it's worth to put in the time to do it etc. But great thoughts and positive vibes, fingers. toes and paws crossed is always appreciated. While I keep on trusting that timing of the universe...







This morning I attended an wempowering breakfast at vegan cafe GigaFood (which is a WWF One Planet Plate-certified cafe ie every dish served is made within the boundaries of a healthy planet). Hosted by W.Empowerment and talk by UPotential, the gym for mental fitness. Great way to start the morning. But to be honest, everything they talked about, and the exercises we did, was a confirmation of where I already am.



After years of various reads, coaches, therapy, talks, workshops and personal development there isn't much I haven't heard a lot of times already. But yes, to get a confirmation of everything I've learnt, everything I've accomplished, how much I've grown, that's also a sweet thing. Just as this rawfood blueberry cheesecake was.



The pink Re-Kånken has enjoyed a few outings. As have the vegan sneakers. And a gazillion outings for the denim skirt of course. And a decent few for green blouse. Block colours are lovely.



The hot days have meant some hours in the shade on the new sunbed - the old one broke beyond repair in 2016, the ancient one broke beyond repair last summer - I had forgotten how blissful it is to have one that's firm and restful. The not so hot, but still sunny days have meant a few hours in the sun soaking up some natural vitamin Ds. One must always be prepared for a sneaky feline hostile  takeover though. They think it's perfect for muddy paws and scratching claws. As I disagree strongly, it always needs to be put away when I'm not using it. Hopefully that will make for a few more yrars of excellent summer use.



I've taken the second shot against the dreaded TBE disease. Unlike the first shot, this time my arm was pretty sore for a few days. Will have the third and final shot in August, and then I at least won't have to dread the nastiest thing that can happen from a close encounter with ticks.

Thank you so far, June, you've been good. Let's continue on the path of greatness, m-kay?
xox, all gratitude,
undersigned.

PS Will now add pictures to the old few recent blog posts without any. Photos make everything better. DS