The weekend has landed
Friday.
The remarkable spring weather continues here in Uppsala. Everyone seems, and probably is, happier and more light-hearted. I wore shorts outside yesterday for the first time this year. And it wasn't that bad. As I was cycling home I found myself challengning the people I passed with a defiant look. Many heads were shook.
-
My talk yesterday went quite well. Their was some sort of reporter there, and he kept trying to make smart-ass questions (to most of the speakers). He asked me why his golf course couldn't use solar power to pump up some sort of irrigation waters, because of the large surface areas it would need. How the H*ll am I supposed to know? What kind of pump did he use? What sort of power did he need? No specifications, he just wanted solar to look bad. Of course, any sort of smart answer didn't come to me at the time, and I just stood there, stumped, and said I couldn't really make any comments on that particular case. Fortunately, there was a woman involved in solar present and she pointed out that using solar for water pumps was actually a very common application in developing countries. Thanks for having my back.
In general, the whole seminar was interesting, I got to learn some stuff about other renewable energy suorces and the possibilities that lie ahead. And there was no outward conflict between the different technologies, something that comes up surprisingly often at other times. There seemed to be room for all renewable alternatives.
---
Then yesterday evening we were invited with our foto club to a chocolate tasting event at the local photoshop. Very nice..
Opps, gotta work.
Bye
The remarkable spring weather continues here in Uppsala. Everyone seems, and probably is, happier and more light-hearted. I wore shorts outside yesterday for the first time this year. And it wasn't that bad. As I was cycling home I found myself challengning the people I passed with a defiant look. Many heads were shook.
-
My talk yesterday went quite well. Their was some sort of reporter there, and he kept trying to make smart-ass questions (to most of the speakers). He asked me why his golf course couldn't use solar power to pump up some sort of irrigation waters, because of the large surface areas it would need. How the H*ll am I supposed to know? What kind of pump did he use? What sort of power did he need? No specifications, he just wanted solar to look bad. Of course, any sort of smart answer didn't come to me at the time, and I just stood there, stumped, and said I couldn't really make any comments on that particular case. Fortunately, there was a woman involved in solar present and she pointed out that using solar for water pumps was actually a very common application in developing countries. Thanks for having my back.
In general, the whole seminar was interesting, I got to learn some stuff about other renewable energy suorces and the possibilities that lie ahead. And there was no outward conflict between the different technologies, something that comes up surprisingly often at other times. There seemed to be room for all renewable alternatives.
---
Then yesterday evening we were invited with our foto club to a chocolate tasting event at the local photoshop. Very nice..
Opps, gotta work.
Bye
Lost in translation
Sorry this only works in swedish:
Lyssnar precis på Ekot i P1 och i en intervju ställer reportern frågan:
-Vad tror du att det här betyder för svinen på Alliansen?
Tyvärr så hörde jag fel, och han sa egentligen
-Vad tror du att det här betyder för synen på Alliansen?
Lyssnar precis på Ekot i P1 och i en intervju ställer reportern frågan:
-Vad tror du att det här betyder för svinen på Alliansen?
Tyvärr så hörde jag fel, och han sa egentligen
-Vad tror du att det här betyder för synen på Alliansen?
Low blood, sugar
I am feeling faint. My heartbeats seem to big for my body. Light and large, like batting wings of a big butterfly. If I stand still I can feel how each beat is swaying my body back and forth. Like a flag pole without a flag. As I gaze out to the parking lot, the sky above is steel gray. Somewhere there must be a sun shining. I can see a tiny star, reflected cautiously in the red varnish of a delivery van.
Debauchery
Your blouse your skirt
I'll undo them so gentle
With beautiful care
I'm a lonely man
With five bottles of wine
I'd like you to share
Praise
If you haven't, listen to Jeff Buckleys version of Leonard Cohens Halelujah. Most people who covered the song did so on Jeff Buckleys altered version and not the Cohen original. And fair enough, the lyrics are more complex and the performance is amazing. My second favourite is the version by Elisa, and the original comes in a bronze medal.
Just a tip.
Just a tip.
Up
Some news:
-In about a week I'll hold a talk in Sthlm for something called Energipuls, arranged by Energiledargruppen. I'll talk about solar cells, how the world market and the technology has evolved in the roughly 50 years since the first cell was made at Bell labs in the 50s, why it isn't cheap, and why it will only get cheaper.
-Then, at the end of march I'll go to Ghent in Belgium for a workshop on thin film solar cell modelling (with computers that is). It looks like a pretty city and I think it will be a good, worthwhile thing to do. + it's been too long since I was travelling and I sure am looking forward to the brief pause and opening of the eyes that it usually means.
---
The Knife:
-In about a week I'll hold a talk in Sthlm for something called Energipuls, arranged by Energiledargruppen. I'll talk about solar cells, how the world market and the technology has evolved in the roughly 50 years since the first cell was made at Bell labs in the 50s, why it isn't cheap, and why it will only get cheaper.
-Then, at the end of march I'll go to Ghent in Belgium for a workshop on thin film solar cell modelling (with computers that is). It looks like a pretty city and I think it will be a good, worthwhile thing to do. + it's been too long since I was travelling and I sure am looking forward to the brief pause and opening of the eyes that it usually means.
---
The Knife:
"For a reasonable salary
I will wash the world"
The mud
been having a few really bad days. tired and flushed. maybe a little feverish. i can't put my finger on it, which is how it usually is, I guess. i fear that maybe it's part stress related. could it be? sure it could. but this is not close to one of my more stressful periods, so im half thinking and half hoping its just a bug. some virus bringing me down, messing with my mind.
today, the Girl stopped by. i leaned in close to feel her breath on my face as she spoke. she made me feel a lot better while she was here.
now I've watched casino royale, and was it good? well, it was bond thats for sure. they seem to have settled on a recipe that works. the initial chase scene was well choreographed, stunning stunt work. the babes were babes, but less exposure than lately? and naturally couldn't be trusted. it's no fun being bond, whether he likes it or not, it's short term relationships for life.
i hope to get out of this muddy sink hole i am in right now. i always think back to the analysis we made while reading the remake och robinson crusoe by whatshisname, some french guy, in french class. robinson had a period when all he did was sit in a hole of mud, trying to not think, just drifting away slowly from life. finally he took a hold of himself and got out though. maybe I will too.
my back hurts lika a b'tch also, cuz I havent been making it to the gym for a few weeks. it just piles up and makes me want to explode it.
that same old burroghs line is ringing in my head, and im not sure he didn't borrow it from hemingway:
today, the Girl stopped by. i leaned in close to feel her breath on my face as she spoke. she made me feel a lot better while she was here.
now I've watched casino royale, and was it good? well, it was bond thats for sure. they seem to have settled on a recipe that works. the initial chase scene was well choreographed, stunning stunt work. the babes were babes, but less exposure than lately? and naturally couldn't be trusted. it's no fun being bond, whether he likes it or not, it's short term relationships for life.
i hope to get out of this muddy sink hole i am in right now. i always think back to the analysis we made while reading the remake och robinson crusoe by whatshisname, some french guy, in french class. robinson had a period when all he did was sit in a hole of mud, trying to not think, just drifting away slowly from life. finally he took a hold of himself and got out though. maybe I will too.
my back hurts lika a b'tch also, cuz I havent been making it to the gym for a few weeks. it just piles up and makes me want to explode it.
that same old burroghs line is ringing in my head, and im not sure he didn't borrow it from hemingway:
"it came in a puffon that note, let's all have a care-free weekend.
the wind that makes the candle flicker
a sudden evil-smelling emptyness"
Silence is easy
I felt the urge to tip you off on some other nice guitarpeople I've had earsex with recently:
Turin Brakes, their album Ethersong (from back in the day) is weeely nice, as is the Starsailor album Silence is easy. I think they're both british groups, and kind of similar (I suspect some form of link between them..). Like Coldplay but not.. you know, worn out and really really boring. Really good songwriting anyway.
Check out:
www.turinbrakes.com
www.starsailor.net
I've been trying to get into Death Cab for Cutie last week, but.. frankly I find them really really boring. I don't get what all the fuzz was about. Whenever it was that everybody were fussing over them.
Along with aformentioned Jeff Harms a friend of mine burned me some M Ward. Since the songs didn't have any info, it took a while to extract enough evidence from them to be able to decide which songs were made by which artist. But now, as I am getting there, I have to say that M Ward also seems to quite the capable captain. Check out his Myspace here, or his website here.
Now I feel like I am inefficient enough to maybe go home... or something. Later this evening I am shooting some people at Norrlands. Yeah, with a camera that is.
Peace
Turin Brakes, their album Ethersong (from back in the day) is weeely nice, as is the Starsailor album Silence is easy. I think they're both british groups, and kind of similar (I suspect some form of link between them..). Like Coldplay but not.. you know, worn out and really really boring. Really good songwriting anyway.
Check out:
www.turinbrakes.com
www.starsailor.net
I've been trying to get into Death Cab for Cutie last week, but.. frankly I find them really really boring. I don't get what all the fuzz was about. Whenever it was that everybody were fussing over them.
Along with aformentioned Jeff Harms a friend of mine burned me some M Ward. Since the songs didn't have any info, it took a while to extract enough evidence from them to be able to decide which songs were made by which artist. But now, as I am getting there, I have to say that M Ward also seems to quite the capable captain. Check out his Myspace here, or his website here.
Now I feel like I am inefficient enough to maybe go home... or something. Later this evening I am shooting some people at Norrlands. Yeah, with a camera that is.
Peace
What I meant to write yesterday
Your wealth made from rags, from nothing into something grand-That Jeff guy
You promise them they'll live in castles wooing men from far off lands
They raise you up like a God unto your tiny little stand
Until their faith once like a rock is ground up turning into sand
They scour the earth for the things they saw in your tiny little hands
You see they're old enough to dream but just to young to understand
Gabriella, was this all part of your plan?
All the strength was going out of him in waves of seering pain
The past couple of weeks my stress levels have been gradually rising. Almost unnoticed, and certainly not counteracted, they have now reached annoying intensity. It's that really sh*tty kind of stress where I feel bad because I'm not doing enough to push work forward. I have some good ideas, sure, some leads and some interesting investigations ahead of me. Yet the days ease by me like a fat dirty river, leaving me feeling behind, lost and sick. And I see my collegues, as well as friends and people unknown to me in respects other than visual, gladly jump in and swim with the current.
I need someone to cut me a path.
And of course at this time when I'd rather take some extra time and energy and invest it in my work situation, my extra-curricular obligations conicide by being beautifully intensified. Tomorrow we have an (emergency?) meeting with the photo club, hopefully electing a new president since our current one has defected. Friend opening a club on friday, and I should be there (hey, I even want to) followed by a saturday that is completely booked by my duties as photographer for Norrlands Nation. Since it's an all-night event I probably will be hungover and certainly tired on sunday, i.e. not really in a working mode or mood. Which means I'll end up pushing things onward to next week hoping they'll resolve, time will be plentyful, my actions will yield immediate results and kings will come and bow before me.
Or so we hope.
Nuff said.
M'out
I need someone to cut me a path.
And of course at this time when I'd rather take some extra time and energy and invest it in my work situation, my extra-curricular obligations conicide by being beautifully intensified. Tomorrow we have an (emergency?) meeting with the photo club, hopefully electing a new president since our current one has defected. Friend opening a club on friday, and I should be there (hey, I even want to) followed by a saturday that is completely booked by my duties as photographer for Norrlands Nation. Since it's an all-night event I probably will be hungover and certainly tired on sunday, i.e. not really in a working mode or mood. Which means I'll end up pushing things onward to next week hoping they'll resolve, time will be plentyful, my actions will yield immediate results and kings will come and bow before me.
Or so we hope.
Nuff said.
M'out
As days and nights pass like subway stations
A quote from William Burroughs, the great wordsmith of narcotic america
It slays me every time
Don't ANSWER the questions. Finish the sentence, as if you wrote them yourself.
1. I've come to realize that my last kiss... tasted of sweet mint gum.
2. I am listening to... Regina Spektor, ode to divorce.
3. I talk... sparsely, when people are listening, or stupidly when I am nervous.
4. I love... the Girl, music, intense experiences of beauty and truth, and yes, my family
5. My best friend(s)... are slipping further and further away though I still cherish them.
6. My first real kiss... was fumbly and awkward and with someone i still love.
8. I hate it when people ask... "What do you do?" followed by "what does that mean?".
9. Love is... untangible, dangerous, explosive, lethal, red.
10. Marriage is... a promise one should intend to keep.
11. Somewhere, someone is thinking... about me.
12. I'll always... have my ups and downs, and my sweet tooth.
13. I have a secret crush... that would cease to be secret if I published it online.
14. The last time I cried was because... something was going wrong for the Hobbits.
15. My cell phone is... my watch, and my most frequently used means of communication.
16. When I wake up in the morning... I want to stay in bed, and much to often I do.
17. Before I go to bed... I try to remember to do some twisting exercises for my back, which often is accompanied by an episode of Simpsons/Futurama/Arrested Development or other series.
18. Right now I am thinking about... my constant inefficiency and ineptitude, lazyness and lack of ambitions.
19. Babies are... fragile little pink poopmachines that are sent to take over the world.
20. I get on myspace... hoping to someday understand what the point is with myspace (I still don't, it sucks mildly)
21. Today I... should work a little more before I escape and crawl into my girlfriends sheltering arms.
22. Tonight I will... make out, hopefully. Or finish Harry Potter.
23. Tomorrow I will be... one day closer to a new apartment.
24. I really want to be... rich. Filthy rich. I'd still study, mind you.
25. I really want... an avengful vegetarian God to start intervening and set up a reign of peace, love and socialism.
1. I've come to realize that my last kiss... tasted of sweet mint gum.
2. I am listening to... Regina Spektor, ode to divorce.
3. I talk... sparsely, when people are listening, or stupidly when I am nervous.
4. I love... the Girl, music, intense experiences of beauty and truth, and yes, my family
5. My best friend(s)... are slipping further and further away though I still cherish them.
6. My first real kiss... was fumbly and awkward and with someone i still love.
8. I hate it when people ask... "What do you do?" followed by "what does that mean?".
9. Love is... untangible, dangerous, explosive, lethal, red.
10. Marriage is... a promise one should intend to keep.
11. Somewhere, someone is thinking... about me.
12. I'll always... have my ups and downs, and my sweet tooth.
13. I have a secret crush... that would cease to be secret if I published it online.
14. The last time I cried was because... something was going wrong for the Hobbits.
15. My cell phone is... my watch, and my most frequently used means of communication.
16. When I wake up in the morning... I want to stay in bed, and much to often I do.
17. Before I go to bed... I try to remember to do some twisting exercises for my back, which often is accompanied by an episode of Simpsons/Futurama/Arrested Development or other series.
18. Right now I am thinking about... my constant inefficiency and ineptitude, lazyness and lack of ambitions.
19. Babies are... fragile little pink poopmachines that are sent to take over the world.
20. I get on myspace... hoping to someday understand what the point is with myspace (I still don't, it sucks mildly)
21. Today I... should work a little more before I escape and crawl into my girlfriends sheltering arms.
22. Tonight I will... make out, hopefully. Or finish Harry Potter.
23. Tomorrow I will be... one day closer to a new apartment.
24. I really want to be... rich. Filthy rich. I'd still study, mind you.
25. I really want... an avengful vegetarian God to start intervening and set up a reign of peace, love and socialism.
Sad is beauty is sad
Decemberists again
Forget you once had sweethearts
They've forgotten you
Think you not on parents
They've forgotten too
Go to sleep now, little ugly
Go to sleep now, you little fool
Forty winking in the belfry
You'll not feel the drowning
Lines from the past
Listening to a grey album from way down in the collection
baker baker
baking a cake
make me a day
make me whole again
and i wonder
if he's ok
if you see him
say hi
---
greeting the monster in our easter dresses
father says bow your head like the good book says
well i think the good book is missing some pages
---
getting off getting off
while they're all downstairs
singing prayers
sing away
he's in my pumpkin p.j.'s
lay your book
on my chest
feel the word
feel it
And for every and all fans of Tori Amos, I warmly and strongly recommend www.hereinmyhead.com
baker baker
baking a cake
make me a day
make me whole again
and i wonder
if he's ok
if you see him
say hi
---
greeting the monster in our easter dresses
father says bow your head like the good book says
well i think the good book is missing some pages
---
getting off getting off
while they're all downstairs
singing prayers
sing away
he's in my pumpkin p.j.'s
lay your book
on my chest
feel the word
feel it
And for every and all fans of Tori Amos, I warmly and strongly recommend www.hereinmyhead.com
Apparently I am a Fat Cat
From last nights Swedish Grammies:
Other nice winners were Anna Ternheim (although I haven't heard her last album) and Veronica Maggio (best newcomer).
Årets Artist [Artist of the Year]
The Knife
Årets Album [Album of the Year]
The Knife: "Silent shout", Rabid
Årets Popgrupp [Pop Group of the Year]
The Knife: "Silent shout", Rabid
Årets Producent [Producer otY]
Karin Drejer Andersson/Olof Drejer: "Silent shout", Rabid
Årets Kompositör [Composer otY]
Karin Drejer Andersson/Olof Drejer: "Silent shout", Rabid
Årets Musik-dvd [Music DVD otY]
The Knife: "Silent shout - an audio visual experience", Rabid
Other nice winners were Anna Ternheim (although I haven't heard her last album) and Veronica Maggio (best newcomer).
With all the grain of babylon
Well, so whats new.
Well, the The Decemberists new album "The Crane Wife" is awesome. More all over the place than the last one, but still wow. Colins voice is like a knife to your throat. Or a hand on your thigh. Listen here.
And the war came with all the poise of a cannonball
The Knife album "Silent Shout", which I only recently procured, is also omnificent. Or some word that really exists. It's dark, electric, scary, and beautiful.
Sharpen my body like a pen
Food
Take:
- 100g almonds, chopp'em
- handful of raisins
- two cloves of garlic, chopped finely
- some onios, shalott, chopped finely
- 200g Quorn
- Some fresh spinach,
- Two chopped peppers
- 200-400g of semoule grains (called couscous in sweden, cooking instrucions on package)
NEW SHOOT OUT SURPRISES FEW
The day is getting better with each step
I know now that the darkness outside is filled with tiny insects
But stepping out scares them and they gather together in a ball in the sky
Some call it the moon
Where can we go
Where can we hide
In fact, where are we actually
Is this my country or yours
Or theirs
but the touch of whisky still reaches me
behind all this protection
below all this rubble
I know now that the darkness outside is filled with tiny insects
But stepping out scares them and they gather together in a ball in the sky
Some call it the moon
And while the seagulls are cryingThe fighter jets scream as they pass
We fall but our souls are flying
Where can we go
Where can we hide
In fact, where are we actually
Is this my country or yours
Or theirs
The gun felt clumsy in his handsMy lips are numb for the most part
Alien
Malignant
/
The gun felt heavy in his hands
he knows he couldn't lift it
all the strength was going out of him in waves of searing pain
but the touch of whisky still reaches me
behind all this protection
below all this rubble
And the whisky was flowing..and on a.nother note new photos have been added to :a£@$∞∞÷o foto:
Like never before
As folks just shake their heads
And pour
I don't know who
"I´ll never be what you want me to be
but it´s alright
I´m gonna make you love me
I´m gonna dry all your tears
and we´re gonna stay together for a million years"
"Draw back the curtains and smile.. everythings..
...wow".
I'm out
on the other side. Outside there is a glistening coat of blue and gold on the world. Little white particles are whirling around, twinkling in the sunlight.
Work is fine.
I'm still a bit worried about the photo shoot on tuesday, but it'll be.. ok. It'll just have to be. If not, I think I will quit. Move on to my own stuff that doesn't need approval of anyone else.
Well, no time for shit chat, betta go down the lab and shoot some lasers.
Hasta pronto chiquitas
I'm out
on the other side. Outside there is a glistening coat of blue and gold on the world. Little white particles are whirling around, twinkling in the sunlight.
Work is fine.
I'm still a bit worried about the photo shoot on tuesday, but it'll be.. ok. It'll just have to be. If not, I think I will quit. Move on to my own stuff that doesn't need approval of anyone else.
Well, no time for shit chat, betta go down the lab and shoot some lasers.
Hasta pronto chiquitas
Sunday, moody sunday
Today I'm taking a day off. Well, I know it's sunday, but it's a different kind of day off. A strong feeling of being lost inside me has been turning the whole weekend sour, and now I'm just gonna let it come and do whatever. Stay in my room, watch cartoons and see if the darkness can really take me."sitting in my glasshouse
while your ghost is sleeping down the hall
watching the little birds fly
kamikaze missions into the walls
think i'm gonna stay in today
sit on my couch and watch them fall"
No, I dont know, it's far from that dramatic. I just dont feel like meeting or talking to anyone today. Don't need to have to put up a smile or a joke. At least thats how Im feeling right now. Like the glass house ani's talking about. Like there's half an inch, cool transparent barrier between me and whatever else there is.
Little did he know..
The four worst words in the English language: We need to talk.
-
I am having one of those painful saturdays, when I'm just shuffling around. Not able to commit to anything in particular, I feel a slight stress for the time that is passing by without me taking any care of it. Should I cook something, eat something, do something? I don't know. I try to read but there is no serenety. I got a little distressed this morning when I started thinking about how I am involved in several things that I really feel end up more as a burden than as a joy or something fun.
My mind works like this in a not so funny way. I can easily get stuck in negative loops. None of the thoughts I am having now are different from this morning, I rather haven't been able to move on. And on top of it, I feel like something got unhinged with my Girl this morning because of my mood. I hope not.
Well, I'll try to perk up. Tonight we'll be having pie and salad for dinner. Probably feta-cheese and peppers for one pie, and another with a sort of tex-mex style. Maybe we'll bake bread. Watch a movie. Go to sleep.
-
Last night we went to see Stranger than fiction. It was a sweet little movie, made so much better by the actors (Ferrell, Gyllenhaal, Hoffman and Thompson). Warmly recommended.
-
I am having one of those painful saturdays, when I'm just shuffling around. Not able to commit to anything in particular, I feel a slight stress for the time that is passing by without me taking any care of it. Should I cook something, eat something, do something? I don't know. I try to read but there is no serenety. I got a little distressed this morning when I started thinking about how I am involved in several things that I really feel end up more as a burden than as a joy or something fun.
My mind works like this in a not so funny way. I can easily get stuck in negative loops. None of the thoughts I am having now are different from this morning, I rather haven't been able to move on. And on top of it, I feel like something got unhinged with my Girl this morning because of my mood. I hope not.
Well, I'll try to perk up. Tonight we'll be having pie and salad for dinner. Probably feta-cheese and peppers for one pie, and another with a sort of tex-mex style. Maybe we'll bake bread. Watch a movie. Go to sleep.
-
Last night we went to see Stranger than fiction. It was a sweet little movie, made so much better by the actors (Ferrell, Gyllenhaal, Hoffman and Thompson). Warmly recommended.
Learning
Work is becoming more stimulating lately. I sort of made that little extra effort that was needed to push things forward and now some balls are rolling, so to speak. Examples: today I spent a while learning the basics and I now have access to a Scanning Electron Microscope, which will allow me to look at really tiny things and make big conclusions (hopefully). Its really cool, anyway, when your looking at things that are smaller than a tenth of the thickness of a human hair.
And then tomorrow I will be re-aquainted, quite happily, with some organic chemistry. It's time to learn about sol-gel extraction by simple solvent reactions. Basically I will be looking at my material to see how much of it has reacted and connected to form a polymer network, and how much hasnt.
Now it's up up and away from work (as I am not working so hard it seems) and onto some workout (ooh! Core!) and then an evening of Man Things (drinking beer and being generally pessimistic, pissed off and retarded) with K.
Much luv n things
"J'ai un passé
Mais je m'en sers pas"
And then tomorrow I will be re-aquainted, quite happily, with some organic chemistry. It's time to learn about sol-gel extraction by simple solvent reactions. Basically I will be looking at my material to see how much of it has reacted and connected to form a polymer network, and how much hasnt.
Now it's up up and away from work (as I am not working so hard it seems) and onto some workout (ooh! Core!) and then an evening of Man Things (drinking beer and being generally pessimistic, pissed off and retarded) with K.
Much luv n things
"J'ai un passé
Mais je m'en sers pas"
I have lost my voice
the one I use to write anyway. So instead, here's what Uppsala looked like tonight, to me:
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