fredag, mars 31, 2006

Our Collective

How fast we managed to evolve into a unit. I've always considered that to be an unhealthy development in any relationship. I still do. But in the neck of time one of us got a job, even if it wasn't me. Yet. Hopefully the unit will partly dissolve now.

We have too many inside jokes, too many things that only we appreciate as a unit. In the private of the apartment that can be quite cosy and nice and in so many ways I am amazed that we still get along like this. I had expected fights, maybe even wanted them to prove that we have a normal relationship. But aside from the occasional nagging about the little things real fights have been completely absent. It'll come though. Fights are healthy. They keep things interesting and help you see things in perspective.

Outside the apartment the unit doesn't work as well. At least not in social situations. Which is why I think this job will do the unit good.

tisdag, mars 28, 2006

Oh Well....

At college we had a lot of professors and teachers who held lectures on feministic problems in the Patriarchal Society in which we apparently live. The fact that women are treated differently to a disadvantage could be applied to almost all the fields that we studied, not the least from a career prespective.

A lot of people, mostly women, became extremely upset about what they learned from these lectures, a reaction which is common when you first encounter what you perceive as unfair, and so encouraged by the people in power most of these students came to pursuit these feministic problems in many assigments during our education. A noble and much needed pursuit indeed.

In my oppinion there was a little too much focus on these feministic perspectives. They are extremely important and should be given a lot of space but they are not the only problem to adress. And what I felt eventually became destructive in this one sided approach to every field was that the focus always stopped on the problems and gave very little room for the solutions.


It's almost been a year since I finished my studies and I am still looking for a job, a career. The market is though for young academics without work experience in Sweden, that is a known fact, but as the one year anniversary of unemployment is closing in those feministic disadvantages has come in to questioning. Is it harder for me because I am a woman or is that just the "propaganda" speaking?

What if that is true?


"Let's see... we have an acceptable candidate here. Education, check. Minor work experience in the field, check. Good English skills, check. This looks ok." Continues to read in silence. "Oh damn! That's not good, this one has a uterus. It has to go in the no box."


Even though some work places probably panic over the idea of employing a woman with the risk of pregnancy and all what that would mean as an economical and practical setback I don't want to believe that this is common. I always dismissed the thought that my gender would stand in my way and hoped that hard work and talent would prevail. But suddenly I begin to doubt that theory. And it has much to do with those endless lectures about how society discriminates against all women. I am begining to wonder how close to the truth that really is and how my role as a human being holds up against my role as a woman.

For the sake of argument, seing I still refuse to accept it as an absolute truth, I am annoyed and upset over the fact that I was given the tool to acknowledge such information but not to fight it, or be able to do anything about it. So with the risk of ending with the cheesiest line in historyI would like to say this: I've heard the truth. Now what I want are the answers.

torsdag, mars 23, 2006

Nad the Pursuit of Happiness?

When I was 16 I could recite Martin Luther King's speech I Have a Dream by heart. I had problems in the start with the Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand signed the Emancipation Proclamation. I had no idea what the Emancipation Proclamation meant and I couldn't for the life of me pronounce it either. Which is why I constantly changed that part when by rare occasions someone asked me to recite it for them. In retrospect, I do wonder what kind of document I had poor Lincoln sign in my recitation.

There was also a typo in the copy of the speech that I had in my possesion which is why in the part: This note (reference to the Emancipation Proclamation) was a promise that all men would be guaranteed the inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, I kept saying nad the pursuit of happiness, thinking that the nad was probably a meaningful and fancy word that I just didn't understand.


Today, I can't recite the speech from start to finish. Probably bits and pieces but not the whole thing. I do however know that it is meant to say and the pursuit of happiness and I know what the Emancipation Proclamation means and how to pronounce it. And you've got to be impressed by that ;)

onsdag, mars 22, 2006

A Fish with Struma



In a previous post I brought to attention the unexpected gay community that had formed in the animal kingdom, more specifically in the penguin community. I thought that was an extremely fascinating piece of information. Little did I know that the unexpected animal facts would soon become a theme.

It happened as I was waiting for my mother in the reception where she works. I noticed that the numerous goldfishes in the reception tank seemed unaturally obese. Naturally I had to investigate.

On a closer look I had yet another shocking discovery. All the goldfishes seemed to be suffering from a serious case of struma! I kid you not, it looked just as if their eyes were about to pop out of their... do you say scull?

I managed to take this photograph with my cell phone and I would like to present it as exhibit one. And quite possible the only exhibit that I will be presenting all together. But it is really true what they say. You learn something new every day.

Broken Flowers

We rented Broken Flowers the other day. You know, the movie with Bill Murray that the critics seems to love.

Now I have different options in how to proceed with my feedback on this movie. I can play along and say that I loved it and that it was amazing so that I fit the profile of the intellectuals. Or.. I can be honest and tell you that I liked it but that I didn't find it particulary amazing. In fact, I am not sure I got the point of the movie at all.

Don't get me wrong, I have lots of theories on what the movie wanted to convey and I prefer a movie that is not obvious over one that is any day of the week. And even if the movie was beautiful in the way that it was shot and carefully planned in esthetics I still didn't feel that it was enough for it to be amazing.

I require something more mind blowing for that.

So I got to thinking. Why has there been such a chain reaction when it comes to praising this movie? I'm still not saying that it was a bad movie, it just left me hanging too much for me to classify it as pensive. Is it simply that people are afraid that they would be considered idiots if they don't praise it. I mean if one critic loves it and another doesn't understand it, would he or she really admitt that? Wouldn't it be easier to just pretend that they understood what was so amazing and join the line of those who understand better than the rest.

Usually the critics are right about movies. At least to my liking. But in this and a few other cases I just have to wonder if they aren't acting out of cowardice.

There is of course another explination. A very plausible one. And that is that I am an idiot who just doesn't get it. Well, if that is the case, at least I am an honest idiot.

torsdag, mars 16, 2006

At Least there is Still Air to Breath... Right?

Same old same. No good news but instead a confirmtion of what we already knew all too well.

But I did have a new revelation as the scary thoughts subsided the other day. Even if this situation is beginning to be ridiculously trite in the way it consumes my every thought I realized that it is by my own fault completely. And so again, same old same. I focus on the bad parts and completely miss out on the positive ones.

So what that we are broke and unemployed! I get to live with my best friend, my soulmate. Love of my life. And I know for a fact that even if a good job is hard to come by, I have something which is even harder to get. Something which began over three years ago, on a balcony somewhere. Now there is a Romeo and Juliet complex to live up to...

I should therefore stop all my whining (or at least tone them down a bit) over not getting a job and living in poverty and focus on the fact that I get to spend my days the best possible way.

I can do it!

*nervous laughter*

onsdag, mars 15, 2006

Back in the Real World

I had an awful realization just now. For the first time in over a month I was alone in the apartment, since my boyfriend was on a interview, and I sat down in the living room in complete silence. There are minor details still to take care of here, papers to be sorted, the last two boxes ready to be carried up to the attic, organizing all the small stuff that has no definate location, but the apartment is more or less ready. But in my silent solitude I could feel the reality creeping up on me again.

When you're constantly moving around boxes and have one single tangible goal; to be able to live in your apartment, as it was inteded, there really isn't much thought over for anything else. We've had no weekends to talk of, no time in between to ponder about the life outside our apartment plans or really do anything at all. So when all that is over the space becomes huge.

Huge and scary.

But who knows, maybe there will be good news when my boyfriend comes home. From what we've heard, chances are good that they are. And by now, our luck really should turn around. It has to.

Queer as Penguins

I found this wonderful article in one of the online tabloids. Now, the tabloid has been known to stretch the truth from time to time but I would like to believe that this story is true. (Article in Swedish)

måndag, mars 13, 2006

Time, Love and Tenderness

We've been living in chaos for so long now that I can't remember how it was to have an organized home or how it felt to step into my living room without having to jump over boxes of junk. Hopefully this place will recemblance a home in a week. Which we have been saying for weeks now of course.

There is always something missing, always something more to be done. No instructions for the bookshelf, one important missing screw for the dresser, the list goes on. And we have been cursed with some additional bad luck lately.

Parking ticket even though we payed for our parking space. The electrician didn't come, he had forgotten. Then he finally arrived a week later to install our new oven and the fridge decided to break down which meant we had to wait another week before we could make dinner in our new kithcen. And when we lifted our spirit enough to install the computers so that we could start working on the documentary again the screen on the head computer was broken and we now have to wait for two weeks before we can start working with that again.

Sometimes you just have to laugh about it to prevent yourslef from going crazy. But then again, maybe that is the definition of crazy. Just like a mad man laughing at the rain....

My boyfriend has this old bookshelf that he refuses to give up on. There is no room for it. It doesn't fit in with the colors of the room. And it is ugly. I am waiting for him to realize it and until he does it will probably be standing in the middle of the living room, collecting dust, drivint me nuts. Like the Michael Bolton CD that we found. No one wants to confess to this error in judgement, this youthful indiscretion. But some day, sometime, someone will put it in the CD player and then the world will see which one of us who can't resist singing the lyrics.

söndag, februari 12, 2006

Sneezing in the Dust

We've emptied one of the large closets (storage might be a better word) in my boyfriend's apartment today and the place now looks like a dumpster. I tried jumping over a pile of old bags on my way to the kitchen and landed on the edge of the snowboard, an action which caused the chop sticks on the plate I was holding to fly across the room. There is an outdoor grill standing in the middle of the living room, a golfbag from another century, a broken telescope and quite a lot of stuff that will remain unidentified...

The good news is that I will not have to be ashamed of anything he might stumble across in my closets.


I can't wait until we can move in so I won't have to live in a suitcase anymore.

fredag, februari 03, 2006

Stupid Girl

Every now and then there is a musical artist or group who feels the need to write, or at least perform, a song about the fixation of beauty in our society. The latest addition is of course Sugarbabes. After a recent video of shaking that boodie in tight outfits and miniskirts they suddenly sing about how awful it is that we are simply judged on how we look.

First of all, I would like to say... duh!

Secondly I wonder if anyone get anything except annoyed when listening to the God forsaken crap (cause it's not even a good song, I shoudl give TLC credit for at least that).


If you want a sincere critical song about the beauty industry I would recomend that you listen to Pink's "Stupid Girl" instead.

tisdag, januari 24, 2006

Nostalgia


To be 16 again and not care about getting so drunk that I can't stand up straight....

Yes please. If it's all the same to you I would like to go back to the time when my biggest concern was if I would be able to sneak in to the club or not.

söndag, januari 22, 2006

Tokyo



In a couple of months it's already a year ago since I went to Tokyo. Tempus fugit.

I'm having strange urges of going back there which is really strange since I was only there for one month. I can't explain it but the urge manifests itself in the stranges ways. Sometimes I almost have trouble breathing when I think about it.

Time is not a problem. Money however is.

My boyfriend wants for us to go to New Zeeland to see his friend who lives there.

Maybe in a year from now if we both get jobs sometime soon. Until then I will just have to remind myself of the cherry blossom period in april and all the other amazing things that will still be there in a year or two.

lördag, januari 21, 2006

Apartment Plans (as they are for now)

We've now decided to move out of my boyfriend's apartment and in to mine. His is bigger but it is a one room apartment. Mine is smaller but it is a two roomer which I think is better since you have one room to go and sulk in if things get bad :).

Our original plan was to move to something bigger, preferably a three room apartment with great location. We soon figured that our economical situation would not benifit from such a move and that we could save a lot of money by moving in to my apartment since the rent is really low. So that is what we're doing.

The problem however is that it's an old building and it seems as if the kitchen was build for hobbits. The idea is therefore to do a complete makeover of the kitchen to prevent us both from evolving in to hunchbacks.

Basically that is the plan for now. Will try and keep ya'll posted.

torsdag, december 29, 2005

Almost a White Christmas

Two days past Christmas it started to snow and it has ever since. It's just beautiful gazing out the window because suddenly the world seems so calm and clean. I'm getting a sensation that everything just stops in motion or at least happens slower.

We spent better part of Christmas at Bodoni where the Christmas dinner for the homeless was held this year. That is also what our documentary is about. Or rather the work behind the event and the people who make it happen. The real enthusiasts. Not at all like the fake ones that I've grown accustom to during my studies. I can't tell you what a relief it was to be able to restore my faith in human kind, especially now around Christmas.

Last night we went to see a the first Narnia movie. Here in Sweden the old series used to air in the days between Christmas and New Years Eve when I was a child so I have to say it was quite a nostalgic experience. I quite liked it, even if the religous intertextualities were too obvious to ignore. I refuse to let that ruin one of my best childhood memories.

Tomorrow we're going to start sorting through around 20 hours of raw material for our documentary. And figure out how to work with Avid. Exciting times ahead.

måndag, december 19, 2005

How Perceptive of Me

I was thinking the other day that this might be the time of my life that I will look back upon as the best time ever.

I don't have a job yet. At least not a real one so I am constantly poor and in desperate need of something so fundamental as a new pair of pants that I really can't afford right now.

We're currently in posession of two small apartments, neither one in which we can live together for any longer period of time and we can't get rid of any one of them until we get a larger one for the right price. We have to sell mine since I own it and then we have to invest that money within one or two year to avoid the taxes and we have to hold on to his to be able to get a larger one. It is all about giving and taking in this apartment war and his apartment is the only leverage we've got right now.

Still I do believe that I am happier than I have been in a long time. Because even though we're living in a redicolously small apartment togheter and spend our days filming our little project free of charge, even though we have practically no other steady income, I feel content.

I notice the small things. Like waking up in the middle of the night and feeling him snuggling closer to me in his sleep. Or finding out how inventive we can be with our limited christmas decorations. I have time to realize how much I love him.

Everything else will hopefully work out too. We'll get jobs and we'll find a better apartment in time. But I do believe that I will look back at this time and remember that I was happy.

lördag, december 03, 2005

Good Times

A friend of mine recently became the proud co-owner of a resturant in a very nice area here in Malmö. I used to study with her way back when I first started at the University. We studied English in Communication together, a course that ironically enough lacked a lot of communication. Anyway, I used to hang out with her and a Norwegian girl a lot back then.

This Thursday we had a little reunion at the new resturant and for a change I had an allthrough positive experience. Aside from the intoxicating feeling you get after a couple of beers it was really nice to get together all three of us again. And it was even nicer to see that my old friend had actually done something with her life and managed to start this amazing new resturant. I think, and I hope, that it will work out. Not only because I wish the best for my friends but out of selfish reasons as well. I need to see some positive results in my surroundings. It feels necessary for me to see that somethings work out the way we plan.


On Monday my boyfriend is going on a meeting to investigate a possible documentary that we plan to work with the following weeks (possibly months). It will be completely non-profit if it falls through but we've come to the point where we feel that we really have to start doing something to keep ourselves from going crazy. I hope it will work out and I can't wait to start being creative again.

lördag, november 26, 2005

Darkest secret

My boyfriend is a chef which means that I almost never have to make dinner for the two of us. Since I am a total disaster in the kitchen (with a few minor exceptions) that is very much a blessing.

Today however I had to make something all by my little self since he's been working all day. I don't really mind the cooking nor the eating of my tastless, or sometimes down right disgusting food, but I would never serve it to someone else. Let alone the man I love.

So I tried to eat it all up even though it tasted like crap just so there would be no left overs. It turned out to be an impossible task. More than half of my excuse for food was still left when I couldn't make myself to take another bite.

I shoved the substance down into the tupperware thingy. It's in there now, waiting to reveal my darkest secret that I have been able to keep from him for quite some time. It was bound to happen sooner or later. I couldn't very well keep doing those three courses that I master for all eternity.

Time to face the music!


I also managed to tear down the drapes in the shower earlier today. But other than that I haven't tampered with or destroyed anything else around here. So when I think about it, it's been a pretty OK day.

Bored

Very popular within the Spanish speaking community this blogging is.

I think I'm too tired becase I went through a lot of random blogs and didn't find a singel one interesting. But I'm probably too tired. My own blog isn't that interesting either after all. But I have no desire to have strangers reading it either. Perhaps they didn't feel that need either.

Except from the Spanish blogs, which I didn't understand much of, most blogs were too long. Others were too political (and worse, supporting Bush). One or two were written by idiots with no brains who managed to write a lot of uninteresting crap about absolutely nothing. Like Seinfeld minus the wit and the brilliance. One blog didn't have any text, just picture after picture of naked buttoms. Female buttoms. I guess you have to be a special kind of guy to appreciate that.

Anyways, I'm bored.