welcome to a very special photo exhibition in stockholm 2016

A few years ago some friends and I talked about having a photo exhibition together in Stockholm. Our approaches to photography and styles are quite different, one is a professional photographer, one a technically skilled and gifted amateur photographer and then there's me who's... well, me.

For various reasons that exhibition never happened. But this year it will! With two of us involved at least. It's rather exciting. I have yet to completely decide which photographs I'll show, but I'm strongly leaning towards elements you can see in the picture above. 

We had our first proper meeting to talk about this today and it felt quite productive. I think we compliment eachother well with the practical arrangement aspects. And while he'll show beautiful black and white city captures I will do pretty much the opposite. 

The venue is decided and the date will be March 19 in Stockholm.

Watch this space for more information to come!

thank you for the music, gothenburg

a very pleasant business mixed with pleasure day in gothenburg was rounded off with a fantastic event where we got to hear abba's designer speak about his work with abba (it's 40! years since the one with 'waterloo' in brighton) and one of abba's original musician play some tunes. so many memories, laughter and tears. well i cried because if it's something i am truly proud of that sweden has produced it's abba. their music has brought so much joy to so many people and still do.

i will write a bit more about this fun event later. for now, glimpse only.

so thank you so much for the music, gothenburg ~

the stockholm quiz

A pretty nifty book (in Swedish only) which is in fact a quiz on Stockholm, by photographer Jeppe Wikström. "Stockholmstestet, 2500 frågor för dig som har koll på stan" - The Stockholm test, 2500 questions for you who knows the city. Or rather think you know the city, because there are plenty of tricky questions about things I have no idea about. After reading/quizzing one does know more though. Good for the all-round knowledge in other words, always a great bonus!

The book makes for a good quiz-night, or rather many evenings, with friends. It has a little built-in and very noisy counter that you can use if you play on your own, with a friend or in two teams. But it's perfectly fine to just read the questions and skip the noise of course.

A book much appreciated by cats too. Obviously.

tzay skewers with peanut sauce

There's a Swedish television food-show called "Halv åtta hos mig" ('Half past seven at my place' or 'Come dine with me', as the original UK programme is called) - where four strangers eat dinners with eachother during four days and each get to be host in their own home. After the meal they score eachother and by the end of the week the winner gets a decent sum of money (or to share if there are several winners with the same overall score).

Admittedly I don't watch it very often due to a) too much animal flesh is served and b) too many of the diners tend to be either whiney, rather bitchy (behind the host's back of course...) or too full of themselves and their skills in the kitchen.

There's a celebrity version too, "Klockan åtta hos stjärnorna" ('Eight o'clock at the stars' because apparently celebrities dine later...) where the winner chose a good cause for the money instead. I'm in general even less interested in seeing celebrities eating dinners together but I stumbled over one episode where the first host happened to be one of the spokespersons for Miljöpartiet (the Swedish Green party), Gustav Fridolin, and since I percieve him as a very sympathetic person I thought I should give the episode a chance.

I'm so glad I did, for many reasons. The other three celebrity diners where also super-nice (fashion designer Bea Szenfeld (the vegan of the four), economics professor and author Micael Dahlén and composer, musician, entertainer Tina Ahlin) and everyone made awesome vegan food too. There were four friendly, quirky, great dinners with lots of laughters. The diners were unpretentious, generous and very kind in with their scores. I think the episodes can still be viewed online here, it's part 5.
I have only tried out the dish Fridolin made so far, tzay with peanut sauce. And it's really really lovely! Very simple to make and very satisfying. I usually serve the dish with basmati rice, grated carrots and cherry tomatos. Tzay or tzay skewers is soy protein and you should find it in well assorted super markets or delis or of course vegan food shops.

This is how I make the awesome, simple and very moreish peanut sauce -

Peanut sauce
serve 4-6

2 dl peanuts
400 g coconut milk
1 solo garlic
1,5 tbsp lemon juice
1,5 tbs soy sauce
1,5 tsp chili flakes
salt and black pepper

Put everything, incl the peeled garlic, into a blender and whizz. Don't overdo it as it's nice with a crunchy peanut feel to the sauce. Pour the sauce into a pot and let it boil slowly for about 5 minutes. Ready to be served!

You can of course add more or less of the garlic, lemon juice, soy sauce and chili flakes (or use fresh) depending on your palate's desire.

tedx stockholm - embracing failure

Went to my third TedX Stockholm event last week. This time it was called "Embracing failure" and while, as usual, the quality of the speakers is very mixed it was a, also as usual, very enjoyable evening spent. Ideas worth spreading tend to do that.





The charming presenter Gustaf who always manages to say thought provoking things.





My favourite talk was the one by Mona Sahlin, former party leader of the social democrats and almost became the first female prime minister of Sweden (I know it's a disgrace that Sweden of all countries still 2013 has not had a female prime minister!). She held a very touching talk about life, feminism, politics, Nelson Mandela (who was the one who made her get in to politics in the first place) wasn't bothered about her less than perfect English and came off as very human and caring.

"Why is it so important to ask 'Where are you from?' instead of 'Who are you?'" - Mona Sahlin

The conclusion of sorts of the evening is that if we're always afraid of failing (and what is failure?) we'll never cath our dreams and goals. And that by failing (whatever that means) we learn, grow and become more complete as human beings.

"Almost all truly great people have gone through some sort of suffering" - Desmond Tutu

forbrydelsen

I adore Danish television-series, and obviously many movies too, I'm always amazed at how multilayered, emotional, intelligent, intriguing, stylish (well, not too surprised about that bit I guess) and overall fantastic they are. (And yes, I know, I've seen some really lousy Danish series/movies too, but I so prefer to dwell on the really good ones.)

We're now fully enjoying the third season of the stunning "Forbrydelsen" (The Crime/Brottet in Swedish) - nb, should not be mistaken for the crappy, poor Swedish and American imitations of the same - here, with its usual mesmerizing soundtrack that draws you right into the story.

If you haven't seen this series, do asap. Top quality, great actors, chilling stories, fabulous settings, clever TV. Season one - Season two

Other Danish television series not to be missed are;

Borgen - about the life of a female Danish prime minister

Livvagterne - (The Bodyguards), about the Danish national police branch involved in personal protection

Örnen - (The Eagle) about a Danish task force helping to solve internation crimes

Nikolaj & Julie - a romantic drama from 2002-03

Lykke - a comedy about the public relations at a pharmaceutical company, much more entertaining that it sounds

My perfect Sunday evenings right now are spent like above, 9 pm, in front of the TV, a cup of tea and a knitting watching "Forbrydelsen III".

What's your perfect TV evening these days?

carmina burana

opera is very much not my cup of cultural tea. but seeing glimpses of a very special set of 'carmina burana' featuring seven 80 years old ladies on stage telling their stories of great losses and great loves, i knew i had to see it. when it got rave revues too it was good to know we already had gotten tickets.

front row seats, practically ON stage it was a special experience (even if it wasn't the ultimate way to enjoy/see the performance). loved the music and the women's stories, very moving. wish their stories would have played an even greater part of the set. did not enjoy the theatrical opera singers (one with very badly groomed feet. yes we were that ridiculously close to stage), as i never do.

when we walked to the train after the show, in a stockholm the day after the snowstorm hit, a lonely saxophone was heard playing in the night. magical.

all and all a nice evening spent.
do you enjoy the opera?

bryan ferry at dalhalla

The Bryan Ferry concert in Dalhalla was magic. Many of his gorgeous melodies, only a few lowpoints. It rained on and off, but still that couldn't stop the music, nor the magic. My only true wish - apart from the chosen bobbaloos being disappointed they didn't get to meet Bryan backstage, despite tweeting about us coming there and all beforehand. They may be small in size, but their expectations certainly are not - for the evening would have been a stronger camera, a new lens, to be able to capture, remember, keep and share the magic in a more true to life way.

But still, I hope to keep the magic of that dark, late summer evening and dreamy music with me for this week to come. I think I'll need it. Lots.



More pictures from the concert will be uploaded to Flickr soon. Hopefully.

thursday vortex aftermath-ish

Thank you, t h a n k  y o u , thank you for all the encouraging, sweet comments to yesterday's vortex post, I do treasure them all! Very, very much. Today didn't bring any world turning news, just a few emails and talks on the issue, I'm not really sure where to go from here. Or what to make of the emails and talks. One day at a time. I wish I could plan ahead some more. Tomorrow it's work from home, I get some extra sleep and a lunch on the town, then it's weekend. Next week will hopefully be a constructive one.

Right now I'm looking forward to an early night, new polish on 20 nails and on Saturday, I get to listen to Bryan Ferry, front row seats at Dalhalla. That is pretty awesome. I hope it will not rain and that the evening will be light enough still to allow some photographing.

I wish my days could be spent more like me, the real me, not having to watch my words and behaviour in order to please the worst kind of bureaucrats and little popes, not having to dissimulate in so many situations. This is beyond ridiculous, this is offensive, time-, energy- and life-consuming. To spend your days in a creative environment, to joke, laugh and learn, give and take, feeling productive and appreciated (and appreciate others), getting a reasonable pay and not dreading the mornings in the worst of ways. That I wish.

As all this, seemingly rampant and not just the-average-kind-of-annoying-but-it-can-be-dealt-with stupidity, in my life crushes my soul (or at least does its best to), it really saddens me when I hear other tell similar stories of dreams, hopes, qualifications, competence, creativity being broken. It may be a comfort to not be alone in non-self-inflicted predicaments, but it is heartbreaking how the human world works and how little time, if any, too many people with too much power spend actually solving problems instead of relishing creating new ones.

My third little wish for today is that I lived in closer vicinity to a beach with an ocean. Walking such a beach, no matter time of the year, really has the most glorious cleansing and elevating impact on the soul and mind I believe. (As do walking the hills in Scotland, or Yorkshire moors, but doing that regularly seems slightly more out of reach. For me.)

Where is your favourite place/s for revitalizing
the soul and mind?
Where is your sanctuary?

lustans lakejer

Went to a concert the other week, with the Swedish 1980ies band Lustans Lakejer (The Lackeys of Desire, and apt name for that time-period, similar in music-style to Ultravox, Duran Duran and Roxy Music) which I really enjoyed back then - yes, most good music was made in the 8oies, end of discussion - which I'll try and summarize in a non lengthy post.

Not all music, not all bands age well. The jury of Pia is still out on this one. In parts I quite enjoy it still. In others it feels (quite the opposite to what I once thought as a synth-music loving teenager) immature, weak and outdated. The very appealing decadent style and music then is rather... silly now. Ah, the pros and cons of growing older, wiser...

But the big drawback was the concert venue, I'm way to ol... discerning to enjoy the standing all evening with people constantly shuffling around and pushing with beer and wine-glasses threatening to spill. Not my idea of fun, no matter how good the music is. I like a seat, I like to stand when I feel like it, dance when I want and no I'm not fond of getting spilled on.

So, in the end we had some nice drinks and sat talking in the bar instead. Which was really lovely. All and all that was actually the best thing about the evening, good company, not the music.

Plus, earlier that evening, a spur of the moment thing, I finally got around to ordering two pair of new glasses. Which I'm pretty excited about since one pair are very overzied-crazy-professor-like (the other pair more subdued). More of them later, needless to say.

--- More information on Lustans Lakejer here and on Facebook and of course some of their old and new songs are on YouTube. ---

september thursday

This evening we sat on first row seeing a wonderful, quirky one-man-show called Sit Down Tragedy. About the selfish mankind's arrogance, narrow-mindedness and overexploitation of nature and other animals. It brought laughter and tears. Highly recommended for those who happen to be in Stockholm understanding Swedish.

Afterwards when we walked to the train-station it was a rather beautiful autumn evening in the city, don't you think?

I hope to get some real writing mojo and energy back come weekend, until then, care to read about my week in shoes, hop over to shoe per diem for Sept 14 pre-voting, Sept 15 photographical red and Sept 16 yellow and red.

And there's still time to enter the blogoversary give-away, you know...

alice in wonderland

'Alice in Wonderland' ticked many of my boxes. Like in every Tim Burton movie I just adored the costumes, make-up and scenography.

Johnny Depp rocked in the role as the Mad Hatter - oh the make-up alone... - so did Helena Bonham-Carter as the Red Queen and Matt Lucas as Tweedledee and Tweedledum.

If it was possible to fall in love with a blue caterpillar oracle with a voice like Alan Rickman's I would - because as far as I'm concerned his voice must be the most beautiful male voice known to humankind, ah sigh... - and the girl who played Alice did it well.

And as always I can't stand the affected and poor performances of Anne Hathaway. The only detail of the White Queen I liked was the wearing of black nail polish in all her otherwise whiteness.

We watched the film in 3D, but far from sure that was a good choice. The movie was literally very dark and the glasses made it even darker. Personally I didn't find the 3D effects stunning enough to compensate that darkness.

I loved the wee and quirky sidekicks like pigs, hedgehogs, mouses, toads, dogs and such. And of course the ingratiating Cheshire cat. I adore that character.

I also appreciated the fact that the movie's Alice was a young woman, instead of a girl, with spunk and self-esteem.

On a scale of 1-5 I give 'Alice in Wonderland' a 4/5. It was rather frabjous.

on writer's stage - jeanette winterson

Someone once said that one should never expect a writer in person and in talk to be like what and how they write. That I can comprehend, I myself, if not a writer as such, am far from always the person in talk as I am in writing.

Because as much as I may like, love, a decent discussion, a good talk through, a neat chat, it isn't as deep an affection as my true passion for the written word. I am writing, talking comes second.

That said, to separate the sheep from the goats, finding truly great literature in all the, I dare say, rubbish that seem to get published these days may be a tricky task, but it can (have to!) certainly be done. But getting that world turned over in some way reading experience doesn't necessarily mean you'd have an intellectual ball meeting, talking to the writer behind the masterpiece. Explanation, see paragraph one above.

Actually very few of my favourite writers have really tickled my fancy when I've seen-heard interviews with them, their written word way surpass their talking. And even if those beautifully written words naturally have to hide somewhere inside that person, that writer, they only seem to want to come out and play on paper, not in air.

Which on the one hand is a good thing I suppose, because what a tiresome life having constant crushes on ALL your favourite writers. On the other hand it is something of a disappointment, as one (that'd be 'me' at least) likes to think that someone that writes so mindblowingly well have to be a superbly well-versed being in person. The kind of being I would give just about anything to be able to have a conversation about life, death and everything in between with. They are few, but they are out there.

This evening I had the pleasure of listening to a writer on stage, Jeanette Winterson, and she was just such a person. Such an amazing person in talk, so very much like her ingenious and marvelously written pieces. Entertaining, deep thinking, analyzing, thoughtful, humouros, intelligent, quirky, passionate, multi-layered, intellectual, sharing anecdotes and wisdom - just about everything she said was quote-worthy - that made us laugh, cry and think. A lot.

When the one and a half hours of listening to her brilliant way with words had come to an end, the presenter said 'I think just about everyone in the audience wants to marry you now, including me'. The roaring applause said it all.

I'm so glad I've far from read all her books yet. I still have so much to look forward to of her writing. Jeanette Winterson, heart you.

design: simon & tomas

It's safe to say that there are way too many cooking-TV chefs, design-building and dating shows on TV. To mention the word 'inflation' only begins to explain the inconceivable (at least to me) phenomena.

I'm so not interested in watching other people cook more or less good food, I'm so not interested in seeing homes and houses getting built or redone in more or less pleasing ways, and I'm so not interested in seeing people dating in the most awkward of ways.

I'm constantly amazed about the seemingly endless stream of various degrees of weird people who desperately want to have their 15 minutes of *fame* on television. We certainly live in stranger than strange times.

Having said that - oh it felt good to get that out of my thought system - there are scarce but still exceptions to the rule of no-TV-chefs - an odd episode of Nigella cooking might do - and design/building shows - I am a proud 'Grand Design' junkie.

As for dating shows, so no exceptions, they're just beyond sad and pathetic.

Another very entertaining exception-to-the-rule in design shows is 'Design: Simon & Tomas'. The interior design duo behind the show are two middle aged guys - Simon Davies and Tomas Cederlund, owners of an interior design business in Stockholm, London W8, and gourmet olive oil shop, A l'Olivier - with a fondness for bold colours - always an obvious extra plus in my book, especially when the favourite colours belong to the pink-red colour scale - who more or less constantly acts like two nagging old ladies but in the end often (but not always to my personal liking) manage to transform the ugliest of homes into something striking and magical.

Though I personally would very much prefer if they could recycle, refurbish and transform old stuff a whole lot more instead of this constant buying of new things and furnitures. That would be so much more inspirational, quirky, personal and up-to-date I think.

They are always accompanied by two adorable shaggy Jack Russels named Percy and Pooter, whose behaviour makes Malte look like the poster boy for the well behaved model dog. Since Simon is originally from England, but I presume a long time resident of Sweden, his talking is a silly but charming mix of English and Swedish. Non other than an Englishman could get away with such a manner me thinks. He has a fondness for cakes and bright coloured glasses. Which beyond any doubt must be considered good traits.

Their current show isn't called 'Design: Simon & Tomas' but 'Sveriges fulaste hem' (*'weden's ugliest home') but it's pretty much the same concept as usual; ugly home in dire need of refurbishing and sprucing.

Some bits of the residence of undersigned certainly need sprucing, and perhaps it would be nice to get some serious professional help with parts of that, but I am so beyond not interested in having any TV-crew poking around here. So my home will most probably never be visited by Simon, Tomas, Percy and Pooter. Alas.

But what I do have - or rather M has in the car, but I was the adamant instigator of procurement - is this both cute (pink!) and rather clever little paper tissue holder, design: Simon & Tomas.

in dalhalla - peter carlsson & blå grodorna

Dalhalla is a unique outdoor musical event stage situated and built in an ancient lime stone quarry in Dalecarlia. It's supposedly quite an experience to see a concert there, at the bottom of the quarry surrounded by the forest, the dark sky, the lights, the performances, the acoustic makes it magical. They claim, some say. Since 1993 there have been 20-30 performances from May-September.

Until a few months back I had only seen the stage and quarry from outside the surrounding fence. Then we had the opportunity to see a musical entertainment with Peter Carlsson & Blå Grodorna (Blue Frogs). A mix'n'match band (music from different genres, jazz, Swedish folk songs, rock, French chansons, blues, pop, ballades, quite a bit of tall tales, sing-talking and so forth....) that has been pretty much sold out since the band got together somewhere around 1993.

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This Dalhalla show was my first proper encounter with them and we had a lovely (even if not everything in the repertoire appealed to me) evening, even if I wasn't all that impressed by the venue and the acoustic, lots of mosquitoes, and alas not the least bit of magic. (For some reason I always find it difficult to "feel the magic" when one has to share a live show with thousands of others...) So, no, I would probably not jump at the opportunity to attend another event at Dalhalla - well, perhaps if Pet Shop Boys would perform I would find it quite irresistible - but I'm glad I've experienced the place from inside at least once.

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The first night of the Dalhalla season was a lovely light, warm, early summer evening, a couple of the best seats "in the house" (front row, as close to the stage one gets, still not as close as one would think since there's a moat separating the stage from the audience), an appetizing picnic, a brisk walk uphill after the show ended (when the night had far from fell as far as light was concerned) made for an overall rather awesome night with or without magic and spell bounding acoustic.

A film glimpse from the show itself,

a couple more pieces with the band can be found here and here,

more of my Dalhalla - concert photos on Flickr

homage to blue skies

As we've (very less than) enjoyed a couple or *rather* rainy and chilly weeks here and now supposedly we have (only) a couple of days to enjoy a dash of sun, a tad of blue skies before it all begins pouring down in rain again, I thought I'd give a wee homage to (Swedish) blue skies. As I believe they are awe inspiring, amazing ~

my very own honeysuckle shrub against an amazing sky

one pretty tower house under a smashing sky in falun, dalecarlia

who knew cement works could be this beautiful?

well at least under a bluer than blue sky in dalecarlia

not exactly blue skies, but very lovely blue just the same,

and more about this blue coloured stage performance in dalecarlia later

vidablick view tower in dalecarlia

the lake siljan view from vidablick above

the (infamous for its ugliness) norrtälje harbour silo.

everything goes pretty against blue skies

husby-sjuhundra quiet countryside church

mörby castle (ruin)

have yourselves a blue skied wednesday ~

The Park Theatre

Parkteatern (The Park theatre) is a reoccuring summer theatre event i Stockholm since 1942. Every summer, usually June-August, different theatrical events, for all ages, are set up and played on outdoor stages in about 15 different parks all over the city. Well visited and much appreciated, and as it is outdoors and summer many people chose to bring picnic along and watch the plays.

If you paint a bench or chair in a bright, fun colour and take it with you to the events you even get free entrance. Which of course is kind of neat.

The Stockholm Globe Arena

This is the Globe arena in Stockholm, an indoor arena that hosts different events such as ice hockey and other sporty things, concerts, the Eurovison Song Contest, TV shows, fairs, charity events, shows on ice and such. Both Nelson Mandela and Dalai Lama have also held speeches at the Globe.

This golf ball shaped globe is the largest hemispherical building in the world and it was completed in 1989. Not exactly an aesthetically looking building, it still kind of grows on you and after nearly 20 years since it's inauguration it is a well known sight of the Stockholm city skyline.

Tonight it hosts the finale of Swedish Idol. A TV-series I admit I was glued to the TV watching the two first seasons of, lots of talents and in the end both winners were my favourites from the start with brilliant voices. Sadly I don't think neither of them have shown their talents at their best afterwards.

The contestants in seasons 3 and 4 were uninteresting hence I was far from glued to the TV for the series. This year however, I did stumble into the auditions episodes and thought both the contestants as well as the jury showed so much more talent as well as congeniality than previous years. And then there was one voice I was in complete awe of from the start, sadly and inconceivably enough - though I'm no embarrassingly silly screaming fourteen year old who have no idea what pure talent and an amazing voice is, so what do I know... - voted out some weeks ago. I will still, of course, buy her first record, I hope it'll include Release Me...

But I do think both of tonight's finalists are very talented, each in their own way and whoever wins deserve it - Kevin Borg or Alice Svensson.

Winner season 1 - Daniel Lindström
Winner season 2 - Agnes Carlsson

Winter Tivoli with Adolphson & Falk

Adolphson & Falk is a Swedish duo, two guys who met in the late 60ies while doing their compulsory Swedish military service and there began their musical journey together. They were at their height as a synthpop band in the 80ies and that was of course when I discovered and fell for them. Even if not predominantly a favourite band I've always been very fond of many of their songs and lyrics.

Especially one song which has been a favourite of mine for over 20 years now, it so striked a cord deep inside when I was a teenager and the lyrics has never seized to so aptly describe the inner me. Time might fly, the clock is ticking but that song with its wistful and seemingly simple lyrics still means as much to me, if not more, now as it did then. Then, when my father and I enjoyed listening to Adolphson & Falk's music - enhanced by my dad's magical music machine - each wrapped in our own private little universe, now, when I listen alone.

So when the opportunity rised for getting tickets to one of their very rare concerts I jumped at it - although for some odd reason it wasn't all that easy to find friends who wanted to tag along, either they didn't know who they where *imagine* or they didn't like them *imagine even more* - and even if I perhaps didn't find the show to be top notch and all wonderful it definitely had its brilliant moments. Unpretentious, smallish and personal, not some big fuss in a gigantic arena, but just the way I prefer concerts and shows to be really.

The show also had two guest artists, one of which I knew very little, Ola Magnell, since the political progressive movement ("progg" as we Swedes say) in the 60-70ies was before my time, but let's just say that I was of a tender age compared to the rest of the audience and they happily sang along to his old hits.

The other one I did listen too quite a lot during the 80ies, when he was the front man in the band Freda´ (Friday), not so much since he went solo, but he has a very distinctive and heartfelt voice and has released some pretty powerful songs over the years, Uno Svenningsson. And yes, his performance was really lovely.

The *minor* issue I have with the concert though, is the fact that they didn't play either of my two favourite songs - on the other hand, that could mean I'm pretty unique in feeling so strongly about them and they really are best savoured on one's own.

Overall I thought it was a great evening out and once again I did get the distinct impression that being a musician seem to be such a rewarding, in many ways if not all, occupation. I can't think of any other trade where the professionals seem to have so much fun working at the same time as they bring so much joy to others. I do get a slightly envious, and although I'm well aware of the fact that the world is so much better off not having to deal with my attempts at singing it might have appreciated if I had been a bit more studious when it came to all those years of guitar lessons...

And having said that about musicians I think it was about time the, in Europe, much debated IPRED law went through, as every law it most probably has flaws and needs adjusting, but finally there's at least an acknowledgement on legal paper that the intellectual property right when it comes to file-sharing also needs some sort of, however feeble, protection.

Just because something isn't a graspable object, just because the Internet has brought easy access to so many, too many, things, it doesn't mean one should make use of it all. Common decency, uprightness and the respect for other's work and property never go out of style as far as I'm concerned. Graspable objects or not.

Adolphson & Falk - Blinkar Blå (Twinkle Blue)
Uno Svenningsson - Under ytan (Under the surface)
Freda´- Vindarna (The Winds)
Freda´ - I en annan del av världen (In another part of the world) - from the era of unbelievably tacky haircuts and great music
Ola Magnell - Nya perspektiv (New perspectives)

On Stage & TV - Fredrik Lindström

This is a way overdue recapturing of sorts on a stand up comedy stage show at Cirkus, we went to last spring - ... yeah, I know... - with multi talented spot on linguist, comedian, writer, director, TV presenter Fredrik Lindström. I really love his TV shows where he usually analyzes Swedes, the Swedish language and dialects. His awardwinning style and personal approach of analyzing us Swedes is absolutely hilarious and I left this show with an aching tummy and sore facial muscles from all the laughing.

Noone describes Sweden, the world's most modern country and the world's most insecure people, Swedes, quite like Lindström. He does it in such a clever way, with a both simplistic and endearing as well as critical approach, he never shys away from taking himself and his own behaviour in to account when he examplifies some "typical Swedish behaviour". And I think that's the key to success, never to make jokes solely on the expense of others, but to be aware of one's own silly quirks, to laugh with and not at.

The TV show "Världens modernaste land" (The World's Most Modern Country) from 2007 with him as a host was both enlightening, intelligent and entertaining beyond words. A seemingly simple show where he made fun of the Swedish mentality and himself, the way he tried to explain our quirks with the help of historians, ethnologists and other experts, his time travels Forrest Gump-style made for seven highly amusing episodes. I'm not sure if the show's still available online, but if it is and you missed it - and you understand the Swedish lingua of course - you really ought to watch it.

And if Mr Lindström happens to turn up with his stand up comedy show in your town, go see, because the show is a lovely mix of that TV show as well as some new material, in an unpretentious package. Though be prepared to laugh your heart out.

Even if insightfulness tells us that these "typical Swedish traits" can be found in most places, in most populations all over the world, here are a few examples of what strucks Lindström - and me, although I by no means feel they're all traits applicable to me and my personality - as very Swedish;

• Swedes suffer from social phobia and do most anything to avoid having contact with neighbours and strangers
• Swedes hate any kind of nationalism and celebrating our National Day June 6, waving flags and so forth can be a sign of racism and intolerance - honestly, it's true...
• To be un-Swedish is a positive thing, since we Swedes are so bleak, boring, timid and have no rhythm
• Swedes are pro-collectivism and against individualism
• Swedes walk around in their stockinged feet indoors - personally I think it's such a nasty and dirty habit to wear one's outdoor shoes indoors, but I prefer slippers or indoor shoes before stockinged or bare feet
• The correct Swedish way to show appreciation and happiness and being social is the moderate way, never overdo it, never show passion
• Swedes are afraid of conflicts, afraid of making a fuss, grumble over improprieties to ourselves but never dare to complain, demand and make a difference
• Swedes have a complicated relationship with alcohol - oh sadly yes, plebeian is a word that comes to mind here...
• Swedes are very fond of their fika / coffeebreaks
• Swedes are nerdy, selfcritics but at the same time rather pompous, complacent and self-righteous
• Swedes are crazy about safety rules and regulations, not to mention live by the due by date on food and milk cartons - oh yes...

Ah, to summerize a few "national traits" like this somehow makes the fun less apparent and the idea of emigration more appealing...