My husband has to go to on a trip and he's going to have a short stop in Germany so he asked me if there's anything I need him to bring back from there. I had to think for a while and then it hit me.... bring back some beer please. I don't necessary need German beer, but maybe he can find me some Danish Carlsberg, Dutch Heineken or even better some Swedish Pripps Blå.
After we talked about the beer and what else there are to bring back my thoughts started to wander off, and I remembered the beer commercials in Sweden....
I wasn't even drinking beer at the time but the Pripps Blå commercial could easily have turned me into an alcoholic and I remembered craving that beer and wishing I'd like the taste of it just because the wonderful commercials.
I have no idea if their commercials are as good today as they were back in the 90's but the breweries over here need to go on a field trip to the PR departments over at Pripps. I have still not found a American brewed beer that I absolutely can get a crave for as I can for a Corona or a Heineken but maybe I haven't really looked that hard either.
At the Super Bowl every year I've come as far as I now come and watch the half time show and the commercials and of course I always want to see the new Budweiser thing, and they are funny sometimes, I give them that, but nothing makes my throat dry and my body ache for a beer as a lot of European beer commercials do.
Now when the summer approaches I sometimes get that homesick feeling deep down in my stomach, but then I remember that whenever I get the chance to go to there I realize that the Sweden I miss doesn't exist anywhere but in my memories.
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Faded Red Wings
Our home is in a painful state of shock, denial and sorrow.
Red Wings lost their chance of taking home the Stanley Cup against Anaheim Ducks last night, and they get to play Ottawa in the finals.
I have a somewhat weird way of choosing what team to root for other than the Red Wings. If there's a Canadian team playing I root for them, if there's any of the original 6 teams playing I root for them or if none of that apply, I go for the most Northern team.
Why?
Because, and here comes my weird, secret, socialist, twisted maybe even racial, reason, I don't think Dallas or Nashville or Carolina ought to play hockey. Dallas should stick to their bull riding, Nashville go on with your country theme, and Carolina, go chase after Dale Junior's autograph.
The only reason there's a big team playing in those southern cities is money, not the huge local interest of the sport.
My Husband and I had the chance to see our beloved Red Wings play in Dallas once and I had to run around the stadium to find a microwave to heat up some formula to our newborn son. On my tour around the stadium I found these balconies filled with visiting corporate people that most certainly hadn't a clue about the game but were given tickets from their hosts as a bribe, or a business deal or what ever. The tickets per season for those seats were $250,000.00 so I'm pretty sure no regular person off the street could fill those seats.
Just a foot note when it came to our Dallas game.... I got to say hi to the 5 time Norris Trophy winner, and fellow Swede, Nicklas Lidstöm.
I know for a fact that a lot of the Canadian teams struggle with their finances and the owners have sold their teams or moved them down to where the money is, money is more important than support, and I understand that when you're the owner you want to make as big profit as possible. But I think it's sad that the Canadians that are fed hockey as a supplement to their food from birth to death loose their teams to Southern Hill Billies because there's more money there.
So my choice for the finals are a no brainer, I'll sit in the couch screaming, rooting for Ottawa, and that Daniel Alfredsson is their captain is just a bonus.
Red Wings lost their chance of taking home the Stanley Cup against Anaheim Ducks last night, and they get to play Ottawa in the finals.
I have a somewhat weird way of choosing what team to root for other than the Red Wings. If there's a Canadian team playing I root for them, if there's any of the original 6 teams playing I root for them or if none of that apply, I go for the most Northern team.
Why?
Because, and here comes my weird, secret, socialist, twisted maybe even racial, reason, I don't think Dallas or Nashville or Carolina ought to play hockey. Dallas should stick to their bull riding, Nashville go on with your country theme, and Carolina, go chase after Dale Junior's autograph.
The only reason there's a big team playing in those southern cities is money, not the huge local interest of the sport.
My Husband and I had the chance to see our beloved Red Wings play in Dallas once and I had to run around the stadium to find a microwave to heat up some formula to our newborn son. On my tour around the stadium I found these balconies filled with visiting corporate people that most certainly hadn't a clue about the game but were given tickets from their hosts as a bribe, or a business deal or what ever. The tickets per season for those seats were $250,000.00 so I'm pretty sure no regular person off the street could fill those seats.
Just a foot note when it came to our Dallas game.... I got to say hi to the 5 time Norris Trophy winner, and fellow Swede, Nicklas Lidstöm.
I know for a fact that a lot of the Canadian teams struggle with their finances and the owners have sold their teams or moved them down to where the money is, money is more important than support, and I understand that when you're the owner you want to make as big profit as possible. But I think it's sad that the Canadians that are fed hockey as a supplement to their food from birth to death loose their teams to Southern Hill Billies because there's more money there.
So my choice for the finals are a no brainer, I'll sit in the couch screaming, rooting for Ottawa, and that Daniel Alfredsson is their captain is just a bonus.
Monday, May 21, 2007
Faith Matters
This weekend we've heard of the rockets launched from the Gaza strip on Israel, and the retaliation from the Israeli Military.
Just an hour ago the AP sent out this new report with the headline: New Israeli air strikes kill 5 militants. You have to go down to the 4th paragraph to see that the attack that killed those 5 militants followed an air strike that killed 8, among those killed 6 civilians.
Since May 16th the Israeli bombings have killed 40 Palestinians, and on the Israeli side? The rockets fired have wounded several Israelis and disrupted life in Israeli towns near Gaza.
Despite the big difference in casualties and harm done, the news media is reporting from the Israeli point of view, CNN's reporter stood outside an Israeli home, with some parts of it's roof missing, telling the viewers that the family living in that home was luckily not hurt, while there was no pictures or reports from inside Gaza at all, even though 6 civilians was killed just hours earlier from a military air strike.
This is of course not a new phenomenon, ever since I came to the US, I've been struck by the extremely angled reporting from the Middle East, and how the media, left and right both, seem to always take the Israeli side.
Why is this?
I know that there are extremely influential Jewish voices in this country.
I know that there are more Jews living in this country than living in Israel.
I know that the horrible atrocities in Europe that killed more than 6 million Jews can never be forgotten.
But,
I also know that the bible says that one should bless Israel, and if one does, and if Israel come together, that's when Jesus will come back. Christians all over the world follow closely, and their whole future rely on, how Israel is doing.
This is, what I think, the key for our totally blind acceptance for everything Israel does, our commitment to defend Israel no matter what, so in the long run we can save ourselves and get to heaven.
Nothing is going to stand in the way of our salvation, and in this case certainly not the Palestinian people.
Who are the strongest Israel supporters in our country? I dare to say it's the same people with the Pro-Life bumper stickers on their cars. But again, it's all depending on who's life is at risk if you're pro-life or not.
My conclusion is that religion of any sort is violent and cause a lot of harm, sometimes hands on and sometimes just by principles and personal gain.
Most important of all, all Governments that are founded on faiths of any kind is doomed to cause bloodshed for the ones not sharing that same faith.
Just an hour ago the AP sent out this new report with the headline: New Israeli air strikes kill 5 militants. You have to go down to the 4th paragraph to see that the attack that killed those 5 militants followed an air strike that killed 8, among those killed 6 civilians.
Since May 16th the Israeli bombings have killed 40 Palestinians, and on the Israeli side? The rockets fired have wounded several Israelis and disrupted life in Israeli towns near Gaza.
Despite the big difference in casualties and harm done, the news media is reporting from the Israeli point of view, CNN's reporter stood outside an Israeli home, with some parts of it's roof missing, telling the viewers that the family living in that home was luckily not hurt, while there was no pictures or reports from inside Gaza at all, even though 6 civilians was killed just hours earlier from a military air strike.
This is of course not a new phenomenon, ever since I came to the US, I've been struck by the extremely angled reporting from the Middle East, and how the media, left and right both, seem to always take the Israeli side.
Why is this?
I know that there are extremely influential Jewish voices in this country.
I know that there are more Jews living in this country than living in Israel.
I know that the horrible atrocities in Europe that killed more than 6 million Jews can never be forgotten.
But,
I also know that the bible says that one should bless Israel, and if one does, and if Israel come together, that's when Jesus will come back. Christians all over the world follow closely, and their whole future rely on, how Israel is doing.
This is, what I think, the key for our totally blind acceptance for everything Israel does, our commitment to defend Israel no matter what, so in the long run we can save ourselves and get to heaven.
Nothing is going to stand in the way of our salvation, and in this case certainly not the Palestinian people.
Who are the strongest Israel supporters in our country? I dare to say it's the same people with the Pro-Life bumper stickers on their cars. But again, it's all depending on who's life is at risk if you're pro-life or not.
My conclusion is that religion of any sort is violent and cause a lot of harm, sometimes hands on and sometimes just by principles and personal gain.
Most important of all, all Governments that are founded on faiths of any kind is doomed to cause bloodshed for the ones not sharing that same faith.
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Lovely Saturday Morning
Beautiful morning, but cold.
Feeding the chickens, and the fish, and the dog, and the family.
Drinking coffee on the front porch.
Discussing life in general with significant other.
Soaking in the bath tub for an hour.
Eating a spectacular lunch, consisting game hen, and three bean salad.
The downside?
Have to go to work.
The beans....
Feeding the chickens, and the fish, and the dog, and the family.
Drinking coffee on the front porch.
Discussing life in general with significant other.
Soaking in the bath tub for an hour.
Eating a spectacular lunch, consisting game hen, and three bean salad.
The downside?
Have to go to work.
The beans....
Friday, May 18, 2007
Impatient Americans
The media reports that Americans grow more and more impatient with the war in Iraq and want to see an end to it sooner rather than later. well... daah
What I don't understand is what exactly they are impatient about, is it the long coverage and the massive focus on Iraq on the news every day both on TV and in the papers, or that it takes to much time from our elected officials in Washington DC?
Because to be honest, this is not a war that in any way affects the normal American family if you're not military or employed by any of the contractors working over there.
Today the death toll of American military personnel rose to over 3,400. More than 25,000 have been injured.
That is of course not more than a spit in the ocean compared to the deaths among the Iraqis.
But what I'm saying is that if you don't have family members fighting in the war or working over there you're not affected at all by this war so what are the big majority being so impatient about?
I think it's time to make this war a war for every American not just the servicemen and women and their families, war.
Let's bring back the war taxes, they've been used in previous wars with great success.
Let's put a 10% earned income tax on every American that are not in uniform, for as long as this war lasts.
This tax would pay for the war, pay down our deficit, and it would give every American a sense of participation in the war and yes, maybe it would also put a pressure on this administration to get us out of this mess.
What I don't understand is what exactly they are impatient about, is it the long coverage and the massive focus on Iraq on the news every day both on TV and in the papers, or that it takes to much time from our elected officials in Washington DC?
Because to be honest, this is not a war that in any way affects the normal American family if you're not military or employed by any of the contractors working over there.
Today the death toll of American military personnel rose to over 3,400. More than 25,000 have been injured.
That is of course not more than a spit in the ocean compared to the deaths among the Iraqis.
But what I'm saying is that if you don't have family members fighting in the war or working over there you're not affected at all by this war so what are the big majority being so impatient about?
I think it's time to make this war a war for every American not just the servicemen and women and their families, war.
Let's bring back the war taxes, they've been used in previous wars with great success.
Let's put a 10% earned income tax on every American that are not in uniform, for as long as this war lasts.
This tax would pay for the war, pay down our deficit, and it would give every American a sense of participation in the war and yes, maybe it would also put a pressure on this administration to get us out of this mess.
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Immigration Reform
I just heard on the news that the Senate have reached an agreement that will give illegal immigrants a visa and a chance for green card and eventually a citizenship.
That just makes me soooooo mad, why?
Because I'm a immigrant myself, that's why.
My husband and I went through two and half years of torture dealing with what then was called the INS. We are good people and wanted to do what was right and that prolonged our separation for an extra year and a half. Thousands of dollars in fees and translations of documents, and paper works up to our eye balls. We went through all that, and I am a legal resident of the US and I'm darn proud of it too. In a year I'll be eligible to apply for citizenship and you bet I'll send my papers in ASAP.
I think all illegal immigrants need to be kicked out and start back on square ONE, and go through the same procedure I did.
NOT be rewarded for their illegal act and sent in front of people like me that did the right thing and followed the law.
If illegal immigrants get visas and green cards, I request to get all the money I spent back, and I also want to be compensated for all the pain and suffering my husband and I went through.
I think about $700,000.00 is an appropriate figure.
Please E-mail me for my bank account information, Cash would work to.
That just makes me soooooo mad, why?
Because I'm a immigrant myself, that's why.
My husband and I went through two and half years of torture dealing with what then was called the INS. We are good people and wanted to do what was right and that prolonged our separation for an extra year and a half. Thousands of dollars in fees and translations of documents, and paper works up to our eye balls. We went through all that, and I am a legal resident of the US and I'm darn proud of it too. In a year I'll be eligible to apply for citizenship and you bet I'll send my papers in ASAP.
I think all illegal immigrants need to be kicked out and start back on square ONE, and go through the same procedure I did.
NOT be rewarded for their illegal act and sent in front of people like me that did the right thing and followed the law.
If illegal immigrants get visas and green cards, I request to get all the money I spent back, and I also want to be compensated for all the pain and suffering my husband and I went through.
I think about $700,000.00 is an appropriate figure.
Please E-mail me for my bank account information, Cash would work to.
End of the Year Explosion
Summer parties, band concerts, award ceremonies and hula-hula dress-ups are booked in three months in advance and still they all interfere with each other these last weeks of the school year.
I'm starting believe that the Chinese law that set the limit to one child per family, isn't that bad, considering how thin you can stretch a mom running back and forth between all the children's activities.
I'm home on half time intermission,
and I was thinking about how everything reaching such climax at this time of the year. The season finale on all TV shows, the time when everything practiced and rehearsed for finally happens, and then all of a sudden it's over and a vacuum of nothing at all fills our souls.
That nothing that fills everything and everyone is what Europeans call vacation.
Since I'm a better starter than finisher I think that's why I'm more of a fall person than a spring person. In the fall you get a chance to start all over, sign up for that class, organize everything and open up a new blank calender and write pretty little notes on the first couple of pages, soon enough it's going to be a mess again and impossible to read scribbles on the faster and faster turning calender pages.
Anyway, I think it sucks that Melinda got voted off
I'm starting believe that the Chinese law that set the limit to one child per family, isn't that bad, considering how thin you can stretch a mom running back and forth between all the children's activities.
I'm home on half time intermission,
and I was thinking about how everything reaching such climax at this time of the year. The season finale on all TV shows, the time when everything practiced and rehearsed for finally happens, and then all of a sudden it's over and a vacuum of nothing at all fills our souls.
That nothing that fills everything and everyone is what Europeans call vacation.
Since I'm a better starter than finisher I think that's why I'm more of a fall person than a spring person. In the fall you get a chance to start all over, sign up for that class, organize everything and open up a new blank calender and write pretty little notes on the first couple of pages, soon enough it's going to be a mess again and impossible to read scribbles on the faster and faster turning calender pages.
Anyway, I think it sucks that Melinda got voted off
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
GOP, Mormons and other critters
OK, I made a decision long ago never to watch Fox News so I didn't see the debate last night but I've seen some of the comments this morning on the other news channels, and I have to admit that even though I hardly agree on anything John McCain says, I love the man, and if I had to pick a Republican President I'd pick him. But hopefully we don't pick an other GOP candidate.... ever again.
Switching subjects, I've finally watched the Frontline special about the Mormons on PBS.
I had 6 hours all to myself yesterday and I spend 4 of those hours in the couch with Joseph Smith and his followers. It's a fascinating saga, and even more so since I got to talk to two wonderfully sweet Mormon sisters last week. I'm always open for religious and philosophical talk so I gladly invited them in for a 'Fika' when they came knocking on my door.
It's hard to have a 'Fika' with a Mormon since they don't drink coffee or tea, but on the other hand they eat more sweets and candy than all other faiths combined, so I made some Kool-Aid and whipped up some chocolate chip cookies, and TA-DA we had a wonderful time. They even ordered a Book of Mormon in Swedish for me!
When it comes the Mormon GOP candidate, I'm sure that the Bible Thumping, Hard Core, Ultra Evangelical Christian Right, will make his journey relatively short, with and without Mr Falwell's lead.
My kids brought yet another turtle in the house today. I fed it lettuce, cucumber and a piece of apple but it was kind of picky with it's food choices, and refused to eat anything until Erik found a big fat earth worm...
Switching subjects, I've finally watched the Frontline special about the Mormons on PBS.
I had 6 hours all to myself yesterday and I spend 4 of those hours in the couch with Joseph Smith and his followers. It's a fascinating saga, and even more so since I got to talk to two wonderfully sweet Mormon sisters last week. I'm always open for religious and philosophical talk so I gladly invited them in for a 'Fika' when they came knocking on my door.
It's hard to have a 'Fika' with a Mormon since they don't drink coffee or tea, but on the other hand they eat more sweets and candy than all other faiths combined, so I made some Kool-Aid and whipped up some chocolate chip cookies, and TA-DA we had a wonderful time. They even ordered a Book of Mormon in Swedish for me!
When it comes the Mormon GOP candidate, I'm sure that the Bible Thumping, Hard Core, Ultra Evangelical Christian Right, will make his journey relatively short, with and without Mr Falwell's lead.
My kids brought yet another turtle in the house today. I fed it lettuce, cucumber and a piece of apple but it was kind of picky with it's food choices, and refused to eat anything until Erik found a big fat earth worm...
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