The box

I've compared American/Swedish/European culture 100s of times and my conclusion is different each time. Sometimes I feel like it's really one, sometimes I burst out in frustrating of not understanding/understanding too well and sometimes I just find things rather quaint over here.

But one thing I just can't get a grip of is the box. You know, the box you carry food (definition of food is very vague) home from the restaurant tables. I know this is chocking for all you North American natives but this really isn't common in Europe. You either eat everything on the plate or you leave whatever you can't eat.

Sometimes I find the box to be a very good!: Imagine if you feel really hungry, eat an appetizer and then when your sandwich is served your really don't feel like force eating it for the sake of... eating it. Box it!

But I also found the box to be very misused (abused?): You have 4 fries on your plate, which you do not intend to eat. Your neighbour leans over and ask you if "you're having them". They end up in a small box with some complimentary bread.

What do you think about the box... is it on the hit or dis list? ;-)

the treadmill (of my life!)

Something I used to do quite a bit, but have kind of slacked off doing, is running. I kind of failed the first holiday obstacle. The first one... The only bright thing is that it's still time for redemption, I can turn this around. But only if I decide to really want to do it!

And to do so, I have to go back in my earlier life encounters with exercise and see what was wrong.

I played all kind of sport's when I was younger: Soccer, basketball, floorball, tennis etc. Soccer was always the ongoing favorite, but I played and liked both tennis and basketball for more than two years. But something always made me loose the interest. After a while it just wasn't that fun anymore, and I preferred not doing it.

The basketball consisted of rather aggressive, angry, girls who I had nothing in common with nor wanted to have so. The tennis group had this obnoxious boy who always said how bad all the girls were (probably a correct statement but nonetheless created a bad feeling for a 12 year old). And the soccer. I kicked ass at soccer, I was really good. But somehow I started to associate this picture of some kind of "shemale" with soccer, and had to quit.

I still love to play soccer, the rush of the game always gets me as well as the deep rooted desire of winning. But it's not very often you find 12+ ppl to play soccer with and the "shemale" picture is still quite vivid. So the last five years of my life have consisted of very sporadic exercise. Got in to running about 4 times, always with a "fall out" ending, same with the gym and aerobics. Always lasted for about three months and then, naaaa.

But now I've decided, to bit the cookie (or no cookies) and keep going to the gym, keep running and feel perfect with myself (Health, Strong and Awesome!).

Can you do it? I really hope I'm inspiring someone ells to take care of their exercise and health!

Just found a new Lily Allen song

What do you think? ;-)

or

What did people do before the Internet?

First of all: If you're bored today, imagine 20 years ago when you couldn't watch movies online/read blogs or even the news. Second of all: your 100+ googles a day would be eliminated and your knowledge waaay limited. Third of all: Every time you wanted to talk to someone in another country or just a good 10 miles away you had to either call someones house: "Hello... is Richard there? Oh really, I telephoned during the 80 % of the day when he's not home or available... I am just going to try later" or send a letter. Yes... a letter (one of those old fashion constructions consisting of an envelope, a stamp and a sheet of paper).

???

The Tyra show

There are certain things I just don't do. I don't expect people to give me things, I don't drink regular soda (why would people ever do that?) and I do not watch talkshows. These things have been a part of who I am for a long time, and I've always liked -not doing- these things. But, thanks to Miss Tyra Banks, the 3rd no no has started to change.

Not very often, certainly not every week, but every now and then it happens. Usually I'm sitting in the sofa, totally not expecting the emerging threat of a daytime talkshow, with the computer casually listening to the TV. Then all of a sudden I realize that it's turned from "casually listening" to full attention span watching. And it's all Miss Banks fault; The woman combine hot stars with heartbreaking "cry me a river" inputs: what to do!

& one of those caught me today. And wow... it was heartbreaking! The whole episode was dedicated to subjects as "I belonged to a cult and married my first cousin when I was 14" and "I'm a child prostitute but my dream is to go to Albany state and become a psychologist". And if there's anyone who respond to "cry me a river" with a river, it's me.

So I've now spend 1 hour crying like a baby and should get back to the psychology. I'm thinking about enforcing TV restriction on myself. Starting in 23 hours.

Oh Wednesday

The purpose of this post was to bash some socialist Obama "we love you" article I read. But then I started to listen to "Come away with me" by Norah Jones. It's impossible to be productive, in a bash biased media way, while you listen to this little piece of great music.

If you ever heard the song before, you know what I'm talking about. If you haven't, click on the link above right now (you're missing out!).

"And I want to walk with you

On a cloudy day

In fields where the yellow grass grows knee-high

So won't you try to come"

Ra RA RAaw

It's been a cute Saturday this far; Zach's in town to check up on the car he's interested in and we're soon to head out for lunch (late lunch;-).

And we're going to RA. It's the best sushi restaurant in Atlanta, without a doubt. There might be other places with slightly better menu, venture and what ells; but the total result at RA must be unbeatable.

Have you guys been there?

For 1 hour

I've been on hold for an hour, and counting. It's remarkable how slow every single government related bureau is. It doesn't matter if you're in the US or Sweden... it's ridiculous. But the absolutely best thing is how they just say "please hold". Not so much as an estimate of how many minutes/hours you're going to waste.

Gaah...

I'm sorry... Or am I?

I feel terrible about my last week blog effort. It's really been a sad excuse for an effort. But the truth is, I haven't done much. Have been working with school work and an article. Even though I got some what of a disoriented self image of my own importance, not even I believe you'll enjoy reading about my days consisting of nothing.

It's almost like I've been sparing you from falling asleep of boredom in front of your computer. So perhaps I shouldn't feel terrible about the last week's "effort" but you guys should feel thankful for the lack of production? :-)

Back to the interesting life of John Malkovich.

Stockholm

I miss you!