The Search for 'A': An Adventure in Stockholm

A's, found in Stockholm

2005-04-07T07:18:00.000-07:00

Interestingly, it's been a while since any of us posted on this blog. Apologies seem in order, but I doubt we've much of a following anymore :) I've been posting like crazy on my blog and C has posted several times herself; well, on her blog of course.

We all acheived A's on our finals btw. It was foreshadowing, on some level, that we titled this page "Searching for A," since we all ended up with A's on the exam :) We did quite well, in fact. We are now diligently working on our theses so we can graduate on time. Or at least make a good show at graduating on time.

Hope all is well!

~B

C Gets Flowers and Will Not Shut Up About It.

2004-10-25T13:42:00.000-07:00

Poor D and B, as they sat with me over lunch today on Nybrogatan: "Hey, y'all, I'm getting flowers today from the manfriend." And then later...on their cell phones - "Hey, I got my flowers and they are gorgeous." Interspersed with..."Hey, manfriend will be here in twelve days!" And, because I got a haircut today, many exclamations of "I'm worried I have a mullet! What product can I use? Do the bang-y parts look okay? Does it make me look like I have chipmunk cheeks?"

This one goes out to D and B - D for throwing a great dinner party potluck deal and not judging me too much when I bought yet another thing out shopping, B for making me salads and sitting around drinking coffee and willingly skulking about Etos looking for product, and D and B for the chats about hair, neuroses, manfriend, and topics savory and suitable for young ears, and those not so suitable. Y'all rock.

Did I mention I had flowers delivered today? So pretty. Be grateful I haven't *posted* a *picture* of the flowers, because I totally thought about doing that.

Flowers flowers flowers. And stuff.
-C

Dinner Party-age

2004-10-23T09:55:00.000-07:00

So, there are minor nuances to pot-lucks I never realized. For one, when you invite only portions of your class you feel guilty for it. There really is no reason. Granted, you are going to like certain persons more than others, but we aren't doing it to be selective or anything. There are just people in the class we pointed out and wanted to spend time with.

Group Isolation. There is definitely a trend of group isolation emerging within the class. It's quite unsettling, and unneccessary. How much does it suck when your classmates LABEL you an elite group, then use that as an exclusionary method to keep certain people from 'playing with others.' yeah, not cool. We won't name names, but there is definitely fracturing within the class.

Class walk. I think I will ask the class to go on a photo walk of down town stockholm. It should be good times. And, damn it, not many people will show up anyways. Is sad.

~so Desu Ne

B on Hell Week

2004-10-20T14:12:00.000-07:00

The normal connotations for hell week do NOT apply here. At least for most collegiates hell week insinuates some promise and a life long commitment in the form of a fraternal order. This week, clearly, does not. I will make this brief, through fragment thoughts and statements. My best:

Group Work

Odors

Closed rooms with no ventilation

Mooting

Memos

Memos for problems your professor did NOT READ

Class Counsel

Class Counsel Members not doing shit

Class Counsel Members pissed that you did shit when they purposely avoided it

Being Single

Having no free time

Spending 14 hours on school work this weekend

9 am classes

Batteries dying in your gameboy in the middle of a battle

"She threw her voice with two puppets?"

Vis Competition

Mooting after having a problem for a week

Stressed so badly ass-print now permanent on toilet seat

Mi may not be coming back to Stockholm for longer than a Month

Loans come due soon

More group work

Class readings

"THAT BITCH MUST DIE"

Forgetting your lunch and nothing to Eat

"The Chewbaka Defense"

Not hearing from M

Daylight shrinking, um, daily

"You go to hell, you go to hell and you die!"

Affirmation: To the world you may be one, by to one you may be the world.

~so desu ne

C Continues To Post In A Pathetically Infrequent Manner

2004-10-19T11:02:00.000-07:00

Short but sweet. I continue to post infrequently. What was that about joining a gym? And buying Kan Jang so I wouldn't come down with yet another cold? And making through what I suppose is a week of PMS?

Just wanted to post something that wasn't B's, as I hope he appreciates it, but mainly to wish him much luck on LLM-y extracurricular stuff that's taking up all his free time, and to tell him I miss him!

-C

B on Weds - the Early Day

2004-10-13T07:59:00.000-07:00

The lecturer today, I swear, was brilliant. However, the hour when he lectured digested any fruits his lecture offered. I mean seriously, can you expect normal, graduate students to wake up and actually LEARN that early in the morning? D said she got something out of it because we looked at British law.

After a well planned-out lesson (which I totally disagreed with because he discussed, at length, the quasi-contract formed when selecting and empowering an arbitrator and I just disagree) I scrambled to find a room. The thing that bit me in the ass was missreading my email from the professor. Apparently, "The room is booked" meant that the room was booked FOR us. So, I was in a rotten mood. But, one of my sensible classmates went and spoke with our professor, who apologized for the mistake. It ended up working out fine.

What did NOT work out fine was me having to lead the discussion. Granted, someone had to take the lead, I guess, but it was difficult. I positioned myself in the center of the room, more or less, so I was 'asking' for it. I basically ran a mediation with 21 people for 1.5 hours. Don't try it. I've been completely drained since. D, C and I had lunch after though, so it was nice and relaxing. Then there was gymmage. All in all not a bad day.

~so desu ne

B - TOO PHUCKING EARLY

2004-10-12T14:44:00.000-07:00

8 am classes, for persons who have to commute to school, is bogus. Whoever thought of this should be taken out and shot, spit on, and buried alive. Tomorrow will definitely be fun.

I'm psyched.

Class at 8 am. "Did she really throw her voice with two puppets." " The Bitch MUST DIE." "You go to hell, you go to hell and you die."

~So desu ne

B, the lazy ass

2004-10-10T23:52:00.000-07:00

In C's defense, the parental units visited this last week. It was quite lonely being the only poster on here. I'm sure the diverse audience that reads these pages appreciate some variance in the writing.

That aside, I totally bailed on C Sunday. I was crotchety as an old bear on Sunday, and all she wanted was a walk. To add insult to injury, she took herself walking and called me. Did I pick up, no, oh no ... no, no, no, no. I was napping. I actually dreamt that C and I walked, and that she accidentally knocked over a korv stand in kungstragarden, scattered a few ducks in my pictures by tossing stones, and then proceeded to tell me she was leaving for three weeks due to MT problems -- which in my dream was the only purpose for the walk. This, of course, was absolutely not true. BUT, I did wake up so irritated that I yelled at my mom. Who proceeded to call me cranky and suggest I go back to my room for some quiet time. My response, of course, was a quick, "I'm NOT cranky damn it."

I definitely owe C a good walk. WE will work on it. With all these stupid motions due, I'm not sure when we will have time to do it properly.

~SO desu NE

C Responds to B's Insistence That She Post.

2004-10-10T12:24:00.000-07:00

I guess adding a site meter to the page doesn't count as a creative contribution? Well, it doesn't. Fine, B, fine. I'm a little grumpy today. The weather? It is cold. It's not super cold - it's been in the 30's and 40's, but it feels cold. And dark outside. And it's the dread kicking in, of what will it be like next month? And in January? Also, I've been in a bit of an anxious place trying to arrange a visit from the guy I'm dating back home. It is hard, this dating across an ocean thing. But anyway, back to what I've been up to, as this is some sub-par writing of late... My parents were in town for four days earlier this week, and I'm joining them at my grandmother's house next weekend (it's really far north. Like, in Norrland - it was snowing this morning. shudder.) That was nice - I get really cranky after a short period of time with them, because that's how we are - we love each other, we argue a lot over little things, they snore (they do! so loudly.), I snore (I know - the guy I'm dating long distance told me, but I think he couched it in much lovelier terms) but I do adore them. And so they were here and so I was sleepier and went to bed earlier and got up earlier and a bit of quibbling with my mom and then they left - poof! Early Saturday morning, and B and I had a long and somewhat lazy Saturday of lunch and shopping and then coffee with D and N, and then we went back to watch soccer, and then American documentariness at the movie theater near my house, and I came home to an empty apartment (well, it was full of pretty and tasteful Ikea things, like those newly-hemmed curtains), and it made me miss guy back home.

I'm sure the week will be busy and such, as D and I have to write this statement of defense in this mock arbitration thing we're all doing in class, and wasn't I supposed to join a gym ages ago? And yes, I'm sure there are other things to do in there.

But it's getting darker out, and the candles are lit, and the heaters are on, and I am definitely going to curl up on the couch and miss guy back home and probably fall asleep early.

Hope to write more scintillating copy later...
-C

B trek into the Quotage from Class

2004-10-06T11:20:00.000-07:00

We had back to back lectures today. The first one was so horrible that we thought we'd die. And, to top it off, the professor for the next class had to come into the room and tell the lecturer to leave. After being at school for 7 hours, I got a little bored. The last lecturer was pretty decent, but omg I could not concentrate. Below are the fruits of my distractions.

C: The other former soviet states are well represented, Where is the person from Kraplakistan?

C: Wow, he looks depraved...

B: You both need glasses

D: I don't have a clue what's going on, B+C respond:*blank stares*

D: I saw you! I saw you flick your hair! *giggling girlishly*

B: We could wrap you in saran and tie you to the bed before he comes home ...

C: I'm going to hell, D: I'm already there, C: In hell, there is a starbucks...

C: You have to tell me if I smell .. because I just couldnt' handle it

D: I need to carry mayonaise with me

C: This smorgas is naked ... ironically, D got MORE brie than me!

B: I need a waz
C: I'm sorry I'm late ... (enter excuse here)
D: Har du lattmjolk?

D: What the FUCK is she going on about!

C+D: I thought about throwing a Dart at her head

B: I must be really bored, I'm playing with my veins.

C: Is he really going to talk for 2 hours?

B: I'm still thinking about stabbing my hand with my pen to stay awake

C: Jan

3rd Lecturer today: That was arbitration with sheep, wheat and sugar beets ... the truck would come ... the receiver would say no way those sheeps are sick ... we'd have an arbitration."

B: So you can't just show up for one day, sit in front of the room, and expect it to all be okay.

C: You can rub my fuzzy if you want.

B: That's fine so long as you don't put your hand in the small of my back

B: Is it an EVIL arbitral tribunal

B: I just want some fricken Arbitrators with Lasers on their heads.

B: Was that English

~ so desu ne

B's Running Tally on Kompany

2004-10-05T13:40:00.000-07:00

A not so subtle experience in our coursework involves the different 'melodies' and nuances of our peer-constituents' english. We expected this. What remains a shock is the shifting accent of one of our professors. I have, as possibly mentioned in previous posts, a running tally in the back of my Bloc book. Keep in mind, I have only kept this tally over three lectures. The words below are phonetic and not true spellings :) Where the wording makes sense I am trying to indicate the repitious nature of questions and comments in class.

"mit-su-boo-tshee" 12 times, one lecture. Granted the assigned readings contained a case known as Mitsubishi.

"to-pique" Ala swinglish for topic. 3 times

"Kohm-pan-nee" Swinglish for comapny. 15 times

"What?" 12 times, no joke.

"Can you repeat the question?" 13 times, including variants such as a request for clarity or a declaration that we did not understand the question.

Interestingly enough, the swinglish changes in context. When in regular class they persist as stated above. When we visit native speakers in the lawyering community, the aforementioned swinglish dissipates, reverting to a midwest-american accent. I'll try and keep this updated.

~Desu ne, So?

B has fun with the reading ...

2004-10-04T13:09:00.000-07:00

Each lecture involves reading before class. This is NOT a new thing. The interesting thing, though, is how absolutely wretched the reading can be -- if it doesn't put you to sleep first. I'm trying to go to bed early tonight, so I saved up my reading :) Anyways, I wanted to go through a couple of pages and quote some things. Granted these are taken out of context, but I'm hoping it will give you an idea of what we go through.

"The problem, then, is not only chronological." yes, that is the whole sentence, no changes.

"Although the las has desisted from basing arbitrability on the concept of public policy, due to its loose definition, public policy can nonetheless acquire significance in this context." This totally reminds me of the professor in Monty Python, Holy Grail, talking about the "French Taunting totally disheartening King Author" ...

"Certain viewpoints argue to some extent in favour of the crucial point in time being when a party requests arbitral proceedings." Could this be any more vague?

"These interests, most likely have to make themselves felt on a fairly conspicuous plane in order for the dispute to be deemed non-arbitrable." Again, a full sentence. Refrase ala B: "Non-arbitrability occurs when these interests are conspicuous."

"The provision ought therefore to indicate that a party is entitled to instigate arbitral proceedings within a certain period of time after sending a written request for negotiations for a settlement."

"The District Court, like the arbitral tribunal, found that no public interest could be pleaded which debarred the sipute from settlement out of court."

I'm already getting bored with this :( I'm trying to go through the materials backwards. It makes it much easier. I'm skimming along and I stop on words like "oral" and "behind." Of course it is in the context of oral testimony or oral evidence but my mind shouts, "dude, he said oral." :) Maybe this was a boring post? D should add some commentary of her favorite class quotes!!!! *hint hint D*

eN uSeD oS~

B Get's Frustrated

2004-10-04T10:04:00.000-07:00

And just to head off the issue with the title, it is not THAT ('sexual' for those of you who dont' read nuance) kind of frustration. We all have these days. Things go well, generally, but there is this lingering irritation like that spot between your shoulderblades that itches and you can't reach. For some reason I've had series of days like this. It's like being in a perverse pervions of GroundHog Day (Andy McDowel and Bill Murray).

Being at home. In part, I'll admit, the whole phenomenon stems from the fact that I am 26 and live at home. I'm not here much, but it's enough to create issues. When I am home, I spend the majority of the time in my room -- a synergy of studying and messing around. I close my door for a little, if you can imagine any, privacy. I try to keep decent hours and such. I think that my 'itching' really comes from a lack of privacy and the constant noise here. Let me explain.

Lack of Privacy. My door has no lock. Moreover, when you close it, if there are windows open in the house, it makes banging noises as it gently moves in its oversized doorframe. I fixed this with a sock in the door. What I don't seem to be able to thwart is the entry to tell me different things or ask me quesitons. The gentle wraps and knocks are merely a nicety at this point. I could scream bloody murder and tell them I was totally naked and watching porn and I think they'd still come in. Not that I have time to say that anyways. It's like, knock-while-opening. So there is anti privacy. Even if I WANTED to be naked and enjoy some porn in the bogus privacy of my room, I couldn't.

Questions, questions and more god damned questions. It is apparent, at this point, that I close my door when I read for school, blog or check email. I have no clue how this works, but it's a fucking rule or something, if the boy's door is closed we have to knock every 16 minutes and see if he needs something, or ask him ridiculous questions etc. Example, tonight, mom knows what she wants for dinner, but they will pop in here and ask me anyways, "what do you want for dinner, " when they know good and well that I'm eating what they are eating ... They stop in to ask if I'm reading. Well, duh, you opened the door. You remember we eat dinner tonight at 8 right, they'll ask. It's just never ending. I am to the point now where I give them blank stares. I have to think what this is going to come to when it actually gets DARK here.

Noises. So beside the constant questions, and the lack of privacy, there is so much noise here it drives me absolutely nuts. Well, for one, my stupid door, which still rattles just to taunt me. My mom is a constant stream of conversation, even when you don't answer. It's never ending. I swear, I've left before and come back and she was still talking. And the, "oh ... um ... hmmm ... now what ..." when thoughts leave her grasp, and ellude her like pink elephants and lemonade. I looked at her the other night and said, "Spit it out. It may be clearer if you just try to come back to it later." Was harsh, but damn does it wear on your sanity. Other times I will sit and study, and sudden random noises occur. This stimulates the never ending conversation because somethings moved or needs cleaning now or something. I'm already at the gym for 1.5 a day, more or less, I'd really hate to have to go more just to get quiet time ...

A special quote comes to mind: "Your mother was a hampster and your father smelt of elderberries. Now go away or I shall taunt you a second time!"

~ S o D e S u N e

C Redesigns This Little Page. And Is A Huge Freak.

2004-10-04T09:34:00.000-07:00

C is so glad B wrote about dating. Because he is funny, and because he's the only one of the trio who is dating. Well, D's fiance might not appreciate it if D goes on any dates, and I, well, we already know I sort of kind of am in this relationship thing that now makes waiting for the phone to ring, or receiving email, an olympic event. Olympian Waiting - I'm either a champion, or the anxiety that I feel that I have not yet ironed out travel plans with my significant other disqualifies me from competition.

I changed the page design. Thus, I am bossy. Yes, this is true.
-C

B's take on Dating ... so far

2004-10-03T23:17:00.000-07:00

C and D are enthrawled by my dating practices. Granted, I've been single for 2 years, but only because my last ltr was with an emotionally abusive fucked up fuckwit nobhead with no nob. In any case, I decided to post this here for fun. They may make me take it down laters :P

First Dates. I have the uncanny ability to go on first dates. There are traditional, easy to follow rules: (1) Be punctual, (2) if a blind/internet date meet in a public place, (3) don't put your hand in your salad at dinner, (4) Buying the first round does NOT mean you expect favors, (4)(a) Coffee is a great ice breaker, but carry gum with you, (5) get your friends to do the 30-minutes-in-I'm-dying-here-sms so you have the option of bailing, (6) repeat (5) for emphasis, (7) always wear decent under garments, (8) stockpile topics of conversation, (9) know in 10 minutes wether you'd want to see this person again. Clearly, there are variations on these, but for the most part they apply. I find (9) is pretty helpful. What sucks is that, so far, when I've wanted to see someone again they are only available when I'm busy ... so I add (10) Murphy's law will fuck with you royally throughout this process!

Subsequent Dates. If you DO cross the threashold of (9) and persevere over (10) you get a second date. Go you! I find that I get so few subsequent dates that I have no set of rules here. Generally, I'm just myself. I tend to be somewhat reserved on the first date, more for gauging the other person that really toning down my self. This can make for some interesting chemistry :) Usually I can get a sense of interest from the other person, but then again we are always reading levels of interest into dates and stuff :) I try to avoid really intimate dates (like dinners and stuff) until we get through 4 - 5 real dates.

ACTUAL Dating. This is the good stuff. When I get here I'll let you know ... "I will not regret what I have not tried, because survival of even trivial matters makes me stronger in spirit and mind and to be nonparticipatory allows me only the regret of not trying and not the loss of the actual experience ... when you look at me you think I have what I need, but therein lies your fault." ~ A hodge podge of small quotes I used in peer counseling training. I've always liked it.

My favorite daily affirmation:

To the World you may be One,
but to One you may be the World.

~So Desu Ne

A Word from A Sponsor: Nappar

2004-10-03T01:03:00.000-07:00

It seems appropriate to acknowledge some sponsors. Usually we'd note specific KOMPanies, but, quite frankly, the whole economy runs on paper and lumber, chemicals and godis (see previous article), among other things. Granted paper companies may be cool and all, but DAMN if the manufacturing doesn't smell like raw sewage. To be perfectly frank, I'm not one to sell out to the chemicals. Nappar are just a personal obsession for me. I probably buy enough to pay tuition here. And the State says it gives us free higher education ...

Nappar, unlike the reference to the British connotation to nappy, is a pacifier-shaped candy. It's gummy in nature. For the continued excitement while working through a package, the manufacturer's varigate the flavors into the candies. Green-Yellow, Yellow-Red, Red-Green. Moreover, the shape is o== so the 'o' bit may have Green Yellow or Red and the '==' the same. They are never solid colors.

When I first met C and D I explained to them that I just could not get enough of these nappar. D immediately thought I was nuts, and C just didn't want to believe. NOW, however, C is completely addicted. She hates me for it, and rightly so. While still impervious to the temptations of Lacrits (terrible, horrible, no good, very bad SALTED licorice) she cannot pass the nappar without taking a few. I have, in fact, instigated this drive by buying some and eating them quickly so she has to compete to get them :) Now she's addicted. There are definitely worse things to get addicted to ... right?!

~SO desu NE

C is Lazy, and Suggests You Check Out Stockholm Pictures Elsewhere

2004-10-01T11:55:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I am lazy. B has admonished me repeatedly this week to post, given his claim that he has posted excessively in relation to my wee number of missives. Ahem...who introduced you to blogging, my dear B? And the use of Picasa to post pictures on your site? Exactly, my friend.

So, in a cheap ploy to get you to check out my personal site, and for you to enjoy photos taken by B and me on recent sojourns in the city, may I present...An American in Ostermalm. Something is seriously wrong with me, as I am at home, reading our professor's book, on a Friday night. Granted, B is going to get here in about 10 minutes, and then I'm cracking open a hard-earned bottle of Chilean sauvignon blanc procured from the System Bolaget on Grev Turegatan, and we are watching some South Park. Because we are sick, sick individuals.

Memo to R, B's sister: I totally paused and didn't realize you'd been posting comments til yesterday. Feel free to comment - the more the merrier. You may also tell us you adore our writing and that we'll get sparkly legal jobs when we graduate, and send us things from the U.S. All of these things, I permit.

A Brief Fall and Getting Up Early

2004-09-29T23:19:00.000-07:00

Fall is here. The leaves are quickly changing and it's starting to get cool out. Even C busted out the shell last night. She went hoodie on our way home. Everyone wonders why winter is so harsh in stockholm, but it's pretty easy. It's like watching an impending doom decend upon you. The leaves change, it rains and they all fall off. Within a week you have your first snow. It doesnt' stick or anything, but it does snow. All the school kids remember this kind of snow. It totally fucks with you because it looks like it could be a serious snow. But when you wake up in the morning, it's all grey slush and nastiness.

The single most striking thing about the whole transition to winter ( I don't know that I'd call what we've been in summer, but then again, it's not proper fall either) is the loss of light. When we got here, oh 7 weeks ago, it started to get dark around 9 pm. A few weeks later, I noted from the dinner (in front of the aforementioned ridiculous TV setup) that it started to get dark so early. Well, that bit me in the ass. Already, 7th week in, it's getting dark around 5:30. I think it must have something to do with the buildings and being the city, but it gets dark MAD fast.

To really make a point, we go on daylight savings time soon. I think we roll over even earlier than the states. So, while we continue to lose light regularly by function of terrestrial rotations, stupid time also has to change. I mean really, we are already down to getting dark at 5:30. NOW you want to make 5:30 ---> 4:30. JESUS, will it never end? I think this is a point for some positive reinforcement: I get it all back in 6 months. 6 months, somehow, that's working for me now when I'm cold, dark and the snow isn't even sticking ...

~sO dEsU nE

B and Movie Quotage

2004-09-29T15:30:00.000-07:00

So it's not a secret or anything, but my family is absolutely OBSESSED with movies. My parents have an entire american setup here. I swear, it's the stadium seating, surround sound, see it and repeat it movie theatre. Well, without the stadium seating, and sony boxes provide our surround sound. But still, you get the point. The first reaction of Americans and Nonamericans alike is usually, "Holy Shit ..."

I guess I should note here that we have both a swedish setup, for recording and replaying buffy och vampyrena and the other cheesy WB shows. Beside that we have an oversized flat screen that puts some movie theatres in town to shame. I mean, absolute shame. Not to mention the mass of DVDs surrounding the TVs. I swear it's a total sea of multimedia. My dad has even found a way to hookup our digital cameras to display on the big TV. Wierd ...

So this semi-explains my uncanny ability to quote movies. The true explanation lies in the fact that we watch at least one movie an evening, usually during dinner. My parents do not go to see movies. They wait for releases on DVD's and just buy them all. No joke. They currently have a library of unnatural proportions: three columns on two A-4 sized pages. I've seen every movie on the list. At least I think so. In truth, the list is so long if I hadnt' seen most of them I really would not know where to start.

So, we've established that I have seen most of the movies, but how does that have anything to do with Quotes? My parents will watch movies in repetition. An act akin to religion. I mean, we all have our favorite movie/movies, but they take it to extremes. Once you've seen bridget jone's diary 30 times or alien 40 times you can repeat most of the lines ver batim. My favorites are the south parks, princess bride and last unicorn :) Of course, cartoons and kid movies, whoda guessed?! Anyone who doesn't know, "My name is Inigio Montoya. You killed my Father. Prepare to Die," should just worry about their healthy. The only other lines I can think of that are must-knows are like, "You sure got a purty mouth," "You lookin at me, you lookin at me. There's no one else here, so you must be lookin at me," "Who ya gonna call ... " My family does sit around trying to stump each other on movies though, so I'm always trying to pay attention to good lines in films. It happens I guess. I'm sure I can put this on a resume or something, right??!?!

~SO desu NE

B on the Phenomenon of Moisturizer in the Lockerroom

2004-09-28T23:37:00.000-07:00

Okay, this just needs to stop. Europeans are so apparently obsessed with skin health that the men have taken metrosexual to an all new height: Moisturizing at the Gym. I swear, you'd get your ass kicked if you put on a mask or shiny-skin-be-firm in the lockerrooms I've been in in the States. I doubt it's much different in England, but D may be better reference for that.

It is so uncanny to see straight, pretty normal looking men lifting and trying to be hardcore on their lunch breaks. Granted, everyone here is in almost perfect shape. It really is, without a joke, the land of 6 feet and 6 packs. So the gym itself is quite orderly. People help with spots and ask if you are done when they see you leaving the different weights or machines. No one lifts beside another person if they can help it.

The Lockerroom is a completely different story. Can you imagine the Dallas Cowboys or Stars, the Redsox or Bruins lining up after a shower to put on three or four different kinds of creame? I'm not talking all purpose, manly smelling axe or something. I'm talking, eye toner, eye cream and moisturizer. There are others, like shining stuff, to make you look more, well, shiny I guess. Then there are the hair products, but I'm afraid I have class soon so THOSE will have to wait. But it is amazing how much time the swedish men spend on looking, quite frankly, pretty. They have the genes for it, because if they didn't they'd be like me. MY face is uber oily. I doubt I will ever have to even out, or moisturizer. I mean since when is soap or facial cleanzing soap stuff not sufficient? Honestly!

~sO dEsU nE

Catastrophic Showers and Ungodly Godis

2004-09-28T11:39:00.000-07:00

So ya'll clearly get the point that there is a subtle nuance to living in sweden. Um, yeah, real subtle. I mean you would completely understand why these people are so thin if it weren't for the godis. Clearly, it's genetic. I mean, I've lived here for 2 years before and I look decidely american -- face it, americans are more 'robust'. Jesus H Christ, look at our obsession with diets and stuff. I too, alas, use the crazes. But I'm not convinced, for americans at least, it's not necessary. In addition to being so damn thin, I think that swedes have a knack for not dislacing water. Like C said, there are little or no shower curtains. None. They aren't even easy to find. Plus, if you have a bath, you don't get a shower ( in most cases. Exception was last time I was here we had whirl pool, sauna and two showers). No, I didn't live in a gym, but I'm telling you, the only way you get a shower cutrain is to rig something akin to a makeshift emergency room divider around your tub. Freestanding only. I mean, how else could it work. I guess you COULD drill massive holes in the tub to put in supports, but land lords frown upon those sorts of activities.

Now, a word on Godis. Godis is the general term given to candies or sweets here. Sweden is SO obsessed with godis that they are raised on lordag godis (saturday sweets). The kids get up and go to their local convenience store and pack a little paper bag with a broad assortment of sweets. (this in place of cartoons ... rotting teeth, or rotting mind ... rotting teeth ... rotting ... hmm). And let me tell you, there are no sweets like there are sweets here. You can't just sample one particular kind, you get a combination. The result, a concert of flavors instigating sugar highs and cranky children around 2 pm. The parents rarely raise their voices or correct the children, except on saturday. It's like the day to break bad. I think it probably started with the notion that families go to the city on Saturday. I mean seriously, Stockholm is rarely packed, but on Saturday it's like everyone and their brother goes to town. Thank god half the town is hungover from Friday night, otherwise it would be mayhem and general disarray. Anyways, I think the godis was to entice the kids to go to town. The Parents shop, while the kids jump up and down in their prams and race around stores. Weaving between people precariously, the bigger kids like to see how far they can get from mom and dad. Then the godis run out. The kids get cranky, and mom and dad know it's time to head home. The godis tradition transcends lordag, however, as the kids get older. Grownup swedes are constantly into the godis. OMG and they are OBSESSED with salted licorice, which I will NEVER understand. I will leave more commentary on the adult-godis phenomenon to D who has a tremendous background in the godis to adult department.

Note on convenience stores. Just as an aside, I think japan must have made some HUGE deal with stockholm back in the day. The Convenience store originated in Japan (origins of 7-11, as much as americans WANT to lay claim to it, are Japanese). In stockholm, you really can't get more than 10 - 15 m without hitting one. Unless you are in a REALLY residential area, but we live in a posh area (I guess). I swear every 10 - 15m. Of course, convenience stores are a significant source of godis ... are we seeing a trend to this ungodly maddness??!

~So Desu Ne

C on Paying to Urinate, Red Pepper, and The Shower With No Curtain.

2004-09-28T10:54:00.000-07:00

Firstly, I hope none were deterred by my posting last night. You know, that posting that brings to mind Matt Groening's wise adage: "Love is a snowmobile racing across the tundra and then suddenly it flips over, pinning you underneath. At night, the ice weasels come." But that's a subject for me to work out on my own (well, I'm resolved about it - it's the boy's turn to work it out).

What I will talk about are various issues on my mind regarding life in Sweden. First of all, never have I lived anywhere where one must pay to use the restroom in so many places. Including places where you're a paying customer (I'm looking at you, coffeehouse, NK Saluhall, McDonald's on Kunsgatan). I understand offering pay toilets on the street (I saw them all over Madrid), but if I'm a paying customer, you've raised my U.S.-born-and-many-places-edumacated hackles.

Also, there are many sorts of Swedish dishes that I love, to be fair. My mother raised me, after all, and she is from The North of Sweden and got me to love filmjolk and cornflakes (filmjolk is like buttermilk), and all Swedish pastry, the taste of cardamom, and dill, and lots of salmon and leverpastej (kind of like Swedish pate) and many other things. But the sandwiches - oh, God, the sandwiches. So many things can go wrong. What is with the omnipresent slice of red bell pepper? Please stop with that. And the salads are festooned with pasta, baby corn, and did I mention baby corn?

Finally, let us address the subject of the Swedish-style bathtub. I am supremely lucky to have a bathtub, as opposed to just a shower stall. I love my bathtub, I do. But it's the kind that is a round tub, with a shower head that is removable on its plastic length. There is no shower curtain. No. shower. curtain. No place to put shower curtain, either, based on the shape of the tub, and that it's against a wall in my bathroom. The curtain would have to loop around awkwardly, but there is no where to put the curtain! No curtain rod, nothing. So every time I shower, albeit super, super carefully, there is a Small Lake on my bathroom floor. That I sweep into the drain below the shower with something that looks like a windshield wiper for the bathroom.

I am overdue in looking up a case for class tomorrow, and briefing it. Yeah, my ass. But I did want to say, in reference to B's post, that D and I are here for hugs any time, and know it can be hard to be away from home.

Yours,
C

Conondrum of Consequences: Calling Friends

2004-09-27T23:55:00.000-07:00

As C indiciated, phone calls back to home and friends can be a double edged sword. As much as we want to talk with everyone, their lives continue and we are, plainly, not there to enjoy and share such changes.

I had never run into this, but I only have a cell phone for my best friend for the passed 2 years. The operator cuts me off after 6 rings saying that the stupid phone won't connect. I had a bad dream about it last night :( So I'm going to try her again tonight I think. I've called 16 times and only gotten through once in a month. It doesn't help that the damn operator only speaks swedish (recording). My friend sent me the best email though. I wanted to share an exerpt:

" I want you to know that I think of you often. I miss having a running buddy, grocery buddy and all around best friend! I hope that you are adjusting well ... I miss you bunches."

I Think I need a hug! But more importantly, we all need a little Stuart Smalley in the morning :)
I'm Good Enough
I'm Smart Enough
And
Gosh Darn It
People LIKE Me

~So Desu Ne

B on Latta commercial

2004-09-27T10:28:00.000-07:00

C initiated us very well. She is all dripping with humor usually. We are here for her, and hopefully she knows she can call B if she needs to talk. THOUGH, she may have to wake his lazy ass up since he goes to the gym at the ass crack of dawn. So, my purpose is NOT to get into the C situation since I have no reference of MT and C etc ... Instead I'm going to be a dork and introduce the craziness that is Commerical TV here in Sweden.

They have the most fucked-up commercials here. I swear some bigwig thought it would be great to higher the retiring population of gays who used to do stage performance -- please see the old people making out, Billy's Paj or Ariel detergent commercials for examples. To complement this system this selfsame hirer took on retiring teachers. Good example of this is the lovey dovey commercials you see all the time. I mean, we all know swedes are not generally open and 'I love you' types, so where the hell does this crap come from. This phenomenon provides the perfect means for gems to appear, however. The Pension commericals are such an example and the Latta commercial. omg ... the Latta commerical.

Latta, is this low fat, made with yogurt but tastes like butter spread stuff. Swedes like to put it on their hardbreads (wasa bread). Anyways, so they have this commerical that I am just enthrawed with. The scene is set with a guy in bathrobe having breakfast (hardbread and latta) reading the newspaper. His hair is decidely toussled. Anyways, a girl is getting read and says, "hej da." Kisses him, and starts to leave. She leaves the screen then runs back in and jumps him. Sucking on his lips pretty hardcore. Then she just stops and leaves. Leaving him, well, speachless. So cute. if you have not seen it, please seek it out :)

So desu ne.

Fucking long distance relationships, man.

2004-09-27T09:54:00.000-07:00

There, I did it - I used the first epithet, before B and D, even! I'm a bit notorious for using the f-bomb as if the F-Bomb market had just been deregulated and ooh, f-words for everyone! I should have a cheerier message today (like how much we love that Yoggi yogurt commercial that plays at the movies, with the Jamaican guy running out of bananas. Love that. note: italicized portions of this post have been edited after originally having written this a few days ago, as I calmed down and had much emailing and international phone calling with person with whom I am in some sort of long-distance relationship. But when B suggested that we write something together, to talk about our experiences here, that's what I'm doing. I'm writing about my experiences here thus far. All I'll say is that part of being here, 4000 miles away from the east coast of the U.S., where family and friends are, is that it puts pressure on relationships you established long before your departure for The Land of the Abundant Umlauts. And that pressure isn't fun - either for you, or the person back home. All you can do is talk about things a whole damn lot, spend an outrageous amount of money on phone calls, and try and make things work the way they make sense for both of you.
- C

A beginning: Before the Search

2004-09-27T08:45:00.000-07:00

In a land, far, far away. Where light dwindles earlier even now as the leaves turn and the cool winds race from harbor to city center. B, C and D gel. Reinforced by language and interests, a grouping forms, bound by LLM and common law. Their grouping is three, and three is their grouping. It is not two. Nor, shall it be five. But as three they search for a fourth, A. Proceeding this posting is the onset of the search for A, to round out the group known as B, C, and D.

Warmest Wishes from us three.

~Enjoy