goodbye summer, hello autumn 2020

Or bye August, hello September.

I can't say August filled me with joy and gratitude of the happy things I wished and hoped and worked for. I may have planted some seeds, who knows. But all and all, another disappointing month from my viewpoint alas.

I can only hope I planted some important seeds that will grow into a fantastic bloom asap.

The lovely thing was that I did get a phone call regarding the job I had most wished for, for a so-call-pre-interview-meeting. Scheduled for Thursday. It felt like the digital meeting went reasonably well (as it is darn difficult to tell from poor connections with basically zero visibility of facial expressions and body languages). As it is now 1,5 weeks since, I admittedly don't have any hopes of another interview. Which is unfortunate, since I was a great match and it was a very interesting position with great potentials for positive impacts and growth.

When it was a job I was very keen on (as this one) I used to follow up myself after the meeting/interview, but I don't do that anymore. It's simply a waste of my time, and I haven't been able to convince them of my awesomeness via my application, our conversation, the meeting and every other little detail you can find out via googling, there's nothing more I can do. They've decided to go another way. And my time is too precious to spend thinking and hassling with things and situations I can't change.

If you can't change it, let it go.

Somewhere out there there MUST be a company and organisation that click with me. However truly dispiriting things feel currently. And as far as I'm concerned have felt for much too long now. This is just ridiculous. What do you want from me Universe??

So far I haven't really been able to keep to my fake it 'til you make it plan...



But as for the things I do have enjoyed and felt energized by in my small world in the latter half of August, these are as follows.

The drive in/walk in cinema evenings were really nice. But for another heatwave that week, it would have been better if the movies had begun an hour later since the sun on the screen wasn't the best combo. But of course that's nothing you can really plan for.

Also, it's common sense really, that you don't bring toddlers to a movie and let then run around screaming while you as parents couldn't care less and you yourselves continue with a loud conversations while you all disturb the rest of the audience. There are idiots everywhere.

And even more so post- and during corona I'd say. Why isn't corona-madness a concept wildly discussed yet? Every day there's more and more proofs that it is a real thing.

The movies, Jumanji: The Next Level and Peanut Butter Falcon were both unpretentiously entertaining, however not something I'd been happy to pay for. If I'm honest. The older you get, the more movies you have in your luggage, the more discerning you get.



And somehow, the best thing about those outdoor movie evenings, were the walks home on warm summer evenings with crickets singing everywhere.

As far as the Know Thyself-philosophy course, that honestly annoyed me more than it delighted me. Well I finished that course, got my certificate. And decided, after all, to continue with the second one I'd already paid for. I felt it was interesting enough, concentrating on the Unconscious. I'm now in week 4 and I hope to get another certificate by the end of the week.

Slightly better, and yes interesting in some ways of course, than the initial course, but not really something I'd recommend. It's such a deep and wide subject, it deserves more time and work, and a professor that doesn't mumble rush through the classes. Also some proof-reading wouldn't go amiss.

Tomorrow my Sustainability Science class will begin - which will last until the end of December, at 25% part time. It'll be interesting to see how that'll be! Only digital this year.



This, my friends, is a magnificent piece. A vegan bake book, almost 450 pages of recipes and information on how to make, bake, create the perfect vegan cakes, cookies and pastries without harming animals or our planet.

The writer/baker, Karolina Tegelaar, has written several cook/bake books before this one (I haven't got any of them), but the most amazing thing with this one is that she's written it during 10 (!) years of trial and error baking herself through the pastries so we don't have to. With the motto "You should never settle for less that a perfect vegan cake".

As there's a lot of aquafaba involved in the recipes, I guess you must be terribly keen on making hummus (or any other chickpea dish) regularly if you plan to bake often and lost from Vegansk bakning. Myself I'm planning to start with something small.

And as I haven't had a food processor since 2017, I haven't baked any buns and breads since, and I can only bake cakes and cookies as things are now.

The pictures are lovely too. And the cover design obviously appeal to me, big time.



And on the subject of vegan pastries. This chocolate cake at the newly opened enjoyable cafe is vegan. And surprisingly lovely at that.

However, we were shocked to learn at our visit last week, that the almond hook they said were vegan is not. They contain egg white and has never been vegan. As I know that two staff people (of which one is one of the owners) have said it was vegan, and I've obviously asked very clearly, I'm really very annoyed by this. Had either of us been allergic to eggs it could have had devastating consequences.

Needless to say it's very unprofessional to run a food business where the staff doesn't know the ingredients of what they're selling.

And yes I have offered my services when it comes to the poor vegan selection and now obviously their ignorance. They have not bothered to get in contact.

So beware if you visit Petjo's cafe, if you're vegan, or allergic to any ingredients, you can't be really sure about what the staff claims. Disappointing but true.

They're also opening a bakery shortly, and you know how I miss my favourite city bakeries and their sourdough breads. However my giddy anticipation has faded somewhat after this incident.

The book in the picture, is a very interesting one on the right-wing racist part Sweden democrats (Sverigedemokraterna) and  social media campaigns with links to the Trump-strategy, Sverigevänner (Friends of Sweden, like those cohorts like to call themselves) by Swedish journalist Jonathan Lundberg. It's not exactly a book that fills you with inspiration and joy over the human kind and its intelligence. But alas, not every important read is.

These are indeed dark times, on so many levels and more than ever, we should keep ourselves informed. As well as be the change working against these dark forces in whatever little way we are able to.



On the brighter side of books, I highly recommend this one on Shinrin-yoku aka forest bathing, by Dr Qing Li. Did you know that 2/3 of Japan is covered by forest at the same time that the country is one of the most densely populated in the world?

It's an easy read, full of interesting facts on nature, health, well-being and research. Plus tips on how to incorporate forest-bathing as a routine in your daily life. Even if I think it's very difficult for most of us to do that 3 hours per day... But 30 minutes - 1 hour is better than nothing.



I'm trying my best to get back on track with my 55 books goal for 2020, but I'm still 7 books behind and I have 25 left to finish in order to reach the goal. I'm very good at starting new books, not equally good at finishing them all. As I like to stretch my brain with an eclectic mix, some of them get to be a bit heavy and uninteresting after a while, and the reading gets slowed down.

And to be honest, there are very few books that draw you in from page one and you just can't stop reading. They might still be good, just not enthrallingly good.

I've just started reading this one, and it's truly unique. Monster i terapi (Monster in therapy), by Jenny Jägerfeld and Mats Strandberg, is about four famous monsters in literature being subjected to modern therapy in current society. A fascinating read indeed. before corona hit I was about to attend a writer's talk with Mats Strandberg, and had looked forward to getting some of his books signed (he's an excellent horror writer), but alas it was cancelled. Hopefully there will be a day when real life gatherings of many is possible again...



One of my favourite shops in Stockholm, Krabat 53, was one of the victims of corona, and they had to close down last month. It was such a lovely, quirky, colourful gift shop and most of all it was the place where I got my regular Sonny Angel-fix. Aka the building blocks for my small Japanese nude boy angel dolls-collection.

As I'm not keen at all on paying for them in blind boxes - at the risk of getting a gazillion duplicates - I'll not continue to be the reasonably avid collector I've been for some years now. It'll be a rare treat to get one now and then, as my favourite provider is no more.

But there you are, and obviously there're better things to put your money on.



After the second heatwave of this weird summer 2020, we've experienced much welcomed rains. And rather distinctly cooler weather, too cool for late August, but as nothing is what normal used to be before climate change, one can only accept and deal with it. Even if I'd loved to wear happy summer dresses for some more weeks still.



Slowfashion, OOTD of the week and shoe per diem:

Dress and calf tote, Marimekko
Vegan sneakers, Adidas
Re-Kånken, Fjällräven

(what do you call a selfie in a library elevator?)

Farewell, August, I had so much more hope for you, I won't lie, you've left me sad and disappointed despite some glimmers of beauty and sprinkles of joy.

Welcome, September, will you be my sweetheart, pretty please? I desperately need sparks of progress and positive momentum galore.

dear august 2020

You didn't think I'd let you rest a bit just yet, did you? Even if July has left the summer, and my self-imposed challenge of a daily post is finished (and I did it with gusto!), I thought August should get a proper welcome at least.

And then I'll return to a post once or twice per week. It has been great for structure and my mood, to do this. But the more I write, the less I read. So it's time to get on track with my reading challenge now instead.

Today is not only August 1st, it's caturday and it's pride season - and here is a combination of both. Purrfection. Organic Earl Gay tea from Johan & Nyström and kitty cuddles. I mostly drink rooibos tea these last few years, because black tea is the equivalent to coffee and alcohol; sleep difficulties. (Old age has crept up on little ol' me...)

As well as the very last day of my phasing out of the unpleasant experience that I blamed nuud for but which might have been a heat related thing instead. It haven't felt icky, itchy or uncomfortable for the last week at least, and I've begun using a new tube of nuud (only needs to be applied every 3-5 day, no matter how sweaty you're prone to get or how frequently you shower. So yes, it really is a brilliant little product, I hope it wasn't the cause of this, that it was just caught in the middle of heatwave circumstances). So every finger, toe and paw crossed things will be back to normal, in that respect.



Today was also the eighth caturday in a row with a Harry Potter movie. Haven't watched them chronologically ever since we watched them all in the cinema all those years ago. just the one film here, the half other one there and that obviously doesn't give the right feels or perception. One per week has been perfect. The finale was accompanied by some favourite Swedish vegan jelly candy - Bubs and organic Änglamark. (Though pst, Coop, can you please stop outdatedly refer to vegan as a trend, it's an ethical, sustainable lifestyle, and most of all The Future. Nothing as flimsy and fleeting as a trend.)

I hope annoying Palava palaver will be sorted this week. Finally.

I also hope there will be good walks, a special vegan fika in a very special dress and at least three good books finished. And most of all, promising opportunities and great news on the dream job front. The Swedish summer holiday season isn't over yet, so I'm willing to graciously let the latter continue to rest until mid August.

But just a little nudging reminder, August, I have faith, trust and hope in you to collide with the plans of the Universe. Making happy things happen.

thank you, joaquin phoenix, for being a beautiful human being

I rarely watch the Oscars. I'm just not very interested in occasions that can be considered a club of intermutual admiration. And to quote someone wise "... difficult to watch is the palpable self-importance and smugness. Most of them seem barely capable of stringing together a sentence of any substance."

That said, I'm not sure what made me stay up until 5.10 am to watch it live this year. Only saw the last couple of hours, after finishing watching a movie and discovering it was already pretty late so why not round the weekend off watching the Oscars...

When the Best Male Actor was finally announced I was so very happy to see it went to Joaquin Phoenix. Not only a great actor but a humble and dedicated animal rights activist. Not sure what I expected from his acceptance speech, but nothing quite as amazing, eloquent, powerful, compassionate and beautiful as this. I bawled my eyes out. Then I cried myself to sleep because what else could one do.

The message has by now probably been heard by everyone not living under a rock, but it's so undeniably important if we want to create a better world for everyone. Violence breeds violence, and peace begins on our plates. If we even want a future, then it is vegan. So can we now begin to save this burning, suffering world in desperate need of kindness and compassion, please?

"Run to the rescue with love, and peace will follow."

His full speech in writing here.

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 universe has your back and other november snippets

November has been an incredibly dreary month, with only a few hours of sunlight. A long, dark, listless month leaving me exhausted and lacking in energy, no matter healthy eating, supplements and movement. I can't understand how anyone can be anything else than exhausted and uninspired during these circumstances. Our month of November ended with a lot of snow yesterday and a generous amount of sun today. Alas those hours of much needed natural vitamin D can't make up for a complete lack there of for one month. No matter how lovely it was.

This lack of energy obviously also means I've had and have very little inclination and inspiration to blog. It hasn't been an uneventful month, but at the same time, I can't say I've gotten any closer to my main goal of the year yet, as far as I know.

I have however read, and am reading, two books of Gabby Bernstein, not the latest one on being a super attractor, but "The Universe has Your Back" - which I found rather interesting, despite its icky praying all the time-ness - and now doing the "May Cause Miracles" 6 weeks kickstart to happiness. I can understand and embrace the importance of a shift in thinking, from fear based to love based, to move forward and attract your goals. But I can't relate to every chapter and I still find all that praying unpleasant and uncomfortable. That said, the book has really made me think a lot and its teachings can of course be adapted to both challenge and suit its reader's circumstances and needs. Week 3, here I come.



A short summary of my month of November (sans photos) -

• A lovely vegan afternoon tea at Sigtuna Stadshotell
• The second of Bric-a-Brac's annual second hand-clothes-selling for a good cause.
• A great breakfast seminar on the environmental and health benefits of remote work.
• A lovely facial at Dermalogica. And apparently my skin isn't nearly in as bad condition as I think. Let's see what the dermatologist says in a couple of weeks...
• Getting tickets for the Pet Shop Boys tour, in June next year, huzzah.
• A little afternoon tea at my local library (I got vegan treats) and sharing of our favourite British books.
• A proper vegan feast at one of my favourite bakeries, Bageri Passion, last Saturday. It was an absolutely fantastic initiative. It's such a rare thing that us vegans get such a display of high quality bread and pastries to chose from, I enjoyed everything I bought but my number one favourite was the Budapest roll which was totally magical. (photo from the event above)
• Another inspiring breakfast seminar on keeping and mending the things we already have, and not contribute to the vicious consumerism cycle (of which the awful Black Friday gimmick makes me sick, it's absolutely disgusting that it's not banned yet.) as it's one of the major reasons our planet is doomed. Talks and panels with people from NGOs, academia, authorities, companies and also politicians.
• Watching "Last Christmas" at the cinema, which turned out to be a nice bagatelle imho. But then nothing will ever be able to compete with "Love Actually"'s perfectness.
• Getting addicted to the Elf yourself-app. It's hilarious, and I can't stop watching or creating new ones.
• A writer's talk at the library with prominent feminist Ebba Witt-Brattström. She was brilliant.

Thank you November, you've been dark, glum, depressing, but also full of important lessons and inspiring moments and people.

Welcome December, can you please be lighter, brighter and kinder. than your predecessor? And remember that all I want for Christmas - except for politicians that finally rise to the occasion, take our devastating climate crisis seriously and a peaceful all vegan world of course - is finding my dream job and my kind of people. I'll be doing everything I can on my side, while I trust you to work the magic in your special way, m'kay? Many grateful, loving thank yous in advance.

the fortnight diary of a tea-a-holic, part II

Better late than never, here's second post of (technically obviously not) the forthnight diary-thing. But who cares. Late November- December snippets it is.

First of all, a plethora of fabulous (and not so fabulous) teas from a certifiable tea addict deserve a proper post, not just a few snaps and a brief mention, right? So despite the slightly misleading title and good intentions, I'll not write about tea now.



:: Been to the movies twice, one time definitely more enjoyable than the other. Which wasn't the movie's fault but the five teenage girls who kept disturbing the movie - Fantastic beasts, the crimes of Grindelwald - by talking, fiddling with their phones, running in and out from the cinema room during the film, and then leaving a mess on the floor with popcorn and trash. Why on earth pay 145SEK to "watch" a movie when you do anyhing but watch? Plus disturbing everyone else who actually do want to watch. Parents, teach your kids manners, please!

The tricky thing is, if it's not a full theatre with lots of people sitting nearby to react, you have to either tell the disturbers to keep shut, which they most likely won't. Then you have to go out and tell the staff to intervene. Whatever way you react/act or don't, you will have missed a lot of a movie you've paid a hefty ticket price for. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

The other movie was "Mamma Mia, here we go again" which was very enjoyable . Not as great as its prequel, but still. It's fantastic that ABBA's music is still so catchy, clever and moving, it gets me every time. That blend of I want to dance - I want to sing - and then I cry a bit because I'm so impressed by what Björn Ulveaus and Benny Andersson have created, still create. And proud they're Swedes that have touched the whole world with their memorable music.



:: Sweden is full of ugly people these days, if you know the saying "Fur is worn by beautiful animals and ugly people". Because every winter is getting worse, when it comes to these nasty hats with fur pompoms and coats with fur-trims walking the streets. Mainly worn by women. Plus they dress their babies and toddlers in fur trimmed clothes too. So many animals who suffers and die for this vanity. It's shameful, infuriating and heartbreaking. In 2018, when we really should be more enlightened as a specie in general. Instead the winter streets are overflowing with the ugliest of people.

Causes for Weltschmerz everywhere.



:: I've had my first appointment with the physiotherapist. It was good to get some feedback. Which was of the both positive and negative kind. In parts the hand/arm is well on recovery, in others it seems to be a long way to go yet. But I got some more rehab instructions, including squeezing rubber balls - which is why I have a heart in my hand often these days.

Have another appointment in a month and hopefully the mobility and strength will have improved some more by then.



:: The tangible Christmas gift to myself this year was this marvelous Little My sweater, which was worn by the proprietor in one of my favourite shops in town, and I treated myself to an early gift with my alter ego. Supercosy, organic cotton turtleneck in a versatile A-line shape. A happy sweater.

What's you Christmas gift to yourself this year?



:: Now left on my wishlist for Christmas and 2019 - if you don't count the environmental conscious, animal friendly, gender equal, kind, vegan world that we all need - is a job that speaks to my heart, with my kind of people and a decent, regular paycheck.

:: Which clearly would not come from the completely bizarre interview I was at last week. At a world leading niched Swedish company, I'd never heard of beforehand. I just stumbled over the ad on LinkedIn and thought it sounded fun, the role was as global social media manager, within a field that interests me.

The warning bells started to chime when I got a mass-email to an interview with lots of suggestions of times. Add they wanted copies of a) my university degrees and... *drumroll* my high school degrees... Which could have been relevant many decades ago, now it's just... crazy.

However this level of weirdness peaked my curiosity for an interview, so I went.

I really shouldn't have bothered. Because it was one of the most unprofessional interviews I've ever been to - similar of sorts to the 2016 debacle, a case of clearly living in parallell worlds. I wasn't offered a glass of water, tea or coffee, simply ushered into a room where the guy - in my mother's age, who said he had worked all his life in big business and now offered his services where needed. He had never worked with HR. - showed images and talked about how amazing the company was, world leading, outstanding luxuary products, how much revenue and growth they had, how they only hired THE best (even if it took years to find them) yada yada. Not a single word about work environment, well-being and staff turnover.

Then it was time for tests, as usual completely daft personality tests, which have no real scientifical proof of relevance and is simply a lazy way of recruiting. I refuse to let anyone judge and value my competence from such tests, so I don't know why I ended up doing them. And clearly he hadn't read neither CV, application nor those *very important* copies of degrees.

When it was finally time for me to ask all my questions about the company and what they could offer, well then he just thanked me for the meeting and said bye. Seriously. At least I quickly asked how they work with CSR and sustainability - "I don't know, that's not something we've talked about during my 10 years here." I. was. gobsmacked.

That a company in Sweden 2018, which prides itself in being world-leading at that, doesn't take CSR seriously, that's just ungraspable. And totally off-putting.

So the next day I emailed them telling we weren't a good match since they clearly don't see the importance of social and environmental responsability. And a couple of useful links to start working on that. Not that they will, since obviously it's a company solely interest in monetary growth. It has been a privately owned company since start (in 1968) but they plan for introduction on the stock exchange next year. I don't think their lack of CSR work will be a positive aspect for that. Hope not.

I'm pretty sure they wouldn't find me to be a THE best persons-person anyway, but it felt good, really good to say a firm no before that happened. Staying true to myself and my path in life.

The quest continues, for my tribe.



:: A few weeks ago a little surprise box arrived. And in the box was this wee one. A very special pretty little bobbaloo brooch that brightened the day. Welcomed to the Scandinavian Bobbaloo Settlement by Gingerbob, because it's that time of the year. Thank you again for the kindness, D, I'm so touched.



:: If you're looking for some special (vegan and palmoil-free) chocolate pralines for yourself or as a gift I can recommend these from vegandelights.se that I got at the Christmas fair. These are pumpkin spice, delicious, but they have other flavours too.



At the fair they also co-operated with the animal rights organisation Earth for Everyone, which mainly work with rescuing stray dogs in Iran and trying to improve the complete lack of animal welfare laws there. So by chosing this chocolate you also support a much needed animal welfare work.



Now, Happy Advent Third, I hope you've had, are having, will have lots of cosy moments, hygge, candles and tea, and if possible cat snuggles galore.

goodbye april 2018

If I was to summarize April in three words only, for me personally, it would be - emotional, sleep deprivation and sunshine.

I most certainly look forward to May being a month where the great things that sprouted in April will have a gloriously happy flourishing. Add more great things to happen. And obviously that The Mess that has brought so much anger, worry, disappointment, and yes sorrow, will be sorted in a positive way. That Karma will bring everyone involved just what they deserve. Simple as that. Not too much to ask for, right? Right.

So, to summarize this last week of April;



An unexpectedly lovely movie, much better than the book I read in 2009 - surprised it took them so long to turn it into a movie -, even if one of the loveliest characters is a pig farmer and there is a roasted pig situation. But it was a beautiful movie, every film frame a picture postcard perfection, a Downton Abbey reunion(4 actors) and cute, stylish costumes. Highly recommend.



An unexpected job interview. The startup looking for that "rockstar copywriter" that contacted me two weeks ago. It was a nice enough interview. I prefer to be neutral if I am a great fit for them or they a great fit for me. Sometimes it's obviously a 'yes please' or a 'no thanks' feeling after an interview. In this case it can go either way. Let's see. I trust the process.



A sweet box of new tea. I'm not a fan of green tea - it's so delicate and tricky to brew correctly to be drinkable - but I couldn't resist the name "Fredagsmys" (a very Swedish concept, translated "Friday coziness"), it smelled delicious and it's quite lovely, fruity to drink, when you get it right.



Two great seminars - one on "Mind the gender gap" on how to work with gender equality in the workplace. Very enlightening, both theoretically and practically. It was a breakfast seminar and the little fly in the ointment would be the fact they didn't offer a vegan option, despite I had asked for one.



The other one an interesting talk from one of the founders of the Swedish banking app Tink - I remain healthy sceptical about most things involving having your financial details ready and available to be hacked, but that's just me... It was a good talk and the vegan lunch was great.



It is the cherry blossom trees in bloom time of the year. Which always makes me happy. I do plan a revisit early next week when they've blossomed into that truly magic pink, soft light.





For the first time I had a really good laugh about the weirdness of the keywords for which one can be found on LinkedIn. I've always found it curiously entertaining that everyone but I seem to be found by strange and irrelevant keywords. Now I know better.
A) My name may be Pia but I have absolutely no knowledge of PIA (and I can’t blog about it). B) I do appreciate that LinkedIn sees me as some omnicompetent source of How-to. I'm unlimited indeed.

Even if I alas never heard back about that amazing communicator position in a well-known international environmental organisation, I guess they went with someone else, however inconceivable as that might be. But Ms Sustainability 2018 comes in many shapes and forms. It's important to move on from disappointments, which always is easier when you make a point of cultivating resilience.

And on Friday I applied for another job I would absolutely love to get. As Brand Manager for a fabulous, delicious Swedish vegan food brand. So, I would appreciated more fingers, toes and paws crossed now. From the internetz and Universe.



Oh, darling May, can you be utterly kind and awesome, please?
Less worry, more sleep, more laughters, beautiful news
and sweet surprises of the very best kind.
I would be ever so grateful, dear May, I really would.

finding your feet over easter

It has been a rather fine Easter weekend, after all. Two years later.



:: Hadn't been to the movies since "La la land", "Finding your feet" was a sweet, funny and melancholic British comedy, perfect for Easter. It's never too late to find your true tune.



:: Hadn't been to McDonald's for years (for obvious reasons, I'm not loving it) but I've been wanting to try the McVegan burger since it launched in December. The burger is made in cooperation with the Swedish vegan company Anamma. It's nice, worth a try, but not something that turned me into a repeat customer. And certainly not a satisfying, well composed meal that leaves you happy for a long time.



:: Put the finishing touches to a couple of caps I've knitted a few years back. The purple Lovikka cap was for my mother. Better late than never she got it now. One of my personal goals for 2016 was finishing old knitting projects. Well, that didn't really happen. Made the same goal 2017, but after these mittens nothing else were finished. My heart and mind just hasn't been into it. But these simple finishing touches and finally completed projects, it was very satisfying. Every tiny step.



:: Walking, thinking, sunshine, cooking, eating, reading, sleeping have also been lovely parts of my Easter weekend. If you haven't watched 'The Miniaturist' or the movie 'Still life' yet they are still available on SVT Play (in Sweden) and shouldn't be missed. Haven't read the book 'The Minaturist' but the TV-series is captivating and beautiful like an old Dutch painting. 'Still life' isn't exactly cheerful (understatement) but it's so well-made and endearing and in the end I just bawled my eyes out in a very liberating way.



:: Cooked pulled jackfruit for the first time. Have eaten it at various restaurants, sometimes delicious, sometimes they clearly had no idea how to prepare it right. Been meaning to do this for years, and finally I did. Surprised at how easy it was, took a couple of hours of slow cooking but the result was very satisfying. The glazing was too spicy for my liking, so next time I'll make it milder. Very nice to serve with turmeric rice and fresh veggies of choice.

Again, nature is amazing and offers so many intriguing, tasty plantbased options. There is absolutely no need whatsoever to inflict so much pain and suffering to other earthlings and the planet to get food. We should know better in 2018.





:: Since I have lost my reading mojo, again, I have a lot of unfinished books lying around. I got 'The Vegetarian' by Han Kang just before Easter and promised myself I would finish it plus another book over the weekend. I did finish this one, am only half way through the other one. But have high hopes of finishing it this week. Not sure what I think of 'The Vegetarian', part one and two was strong and intriguing, part three was much weaker and the ending was abrupt and awful. A very unusual book that made you think though, and it's only around 200 pages so it's a quick read.



:: I made a lovely vegan Snickers-dessert - Snickers is a Swedish candy bar with chocolate, toffee, peanuts and biscuits - which Pelle loved too. And no, just like with dogs chocolate isn't good for cats, but it was a quick and brief tasting. I'll share the recipe in a separate post.



:: Got news that I'm apparently on the Top 20 List of Swedish Lifestyle Blogs to Follow. Can't say I have much, if anything apart from being Swedish, in common with the others on the list. But being an odd bird is of course something I enjoy, as usual. Thank you for the award, it's lovely to know someone still reads and appreciate my random shares and snippets of life as is.



:: The large fly in the Easter ointment was that I managed to strain my right gluteal muscle in a major way yesterday, when I alas didn't do something exciting but simply had one of those very unfortunate, very un-glamorous accidents at home. Silly me. It has been like a serious delayed onset muscle soreness, a non visible bruise and doable indoors. However, going out with the garbage today, about 200x2 metres... jeez. Hobble shuffle along with a painful grimacing face. Had plans, but think I and my heine needs a slow week.

Goodbye Easter, hello April, 
please be kind and brilliant.
Yours truly and grateful.