I want...something.
Ever have that feeling that you want something but you have no clue exactly what that something is? Well, that is my dilemma today. I don't really know what I want but I have this feeling that once I find it I'll be pleased beyond belief.
The last time I had this feeling I spent an entire day browsing various shoe stores in Stockholm until I found the perfect pair of cute sandals for the summer. I ended up finding them at Jerns on Sveavägen, and this guilty pleasure only cost me 299 kronor--not a bad price for a pair of leather sandals I wore nearly every day of my vacation in Italy last summer and they looked good with everything from shorts to dresses to skirts to jeans. And despite my wearing them so often, they still look great.
I don't think that what I want at the moment is something I can buy. It could be something I can do. I've been thinking a lot lately about taking art classes again, so it could be that the inner artist in me wants an outlet. It could also be the writer in me that is simply reminding me to get to work today instead of blogging.
I still want...something.
On another note, this is a remarkably slow work week for me. I don't have any classes until Thursday and I have plenty of time for writing (always a nice change). I have figured out how I want my novel to end (just need to write those last few chapters) but I haven't figured out what happens after chapter twelve. So today, my little writing exercise for the day will be plotting out the last five chapters (or more, if need be).
It's still March Madness time, and we chicas in SWG are still writing writing writing away, trying to keep ourselves motivated so we can all go to Italy in September and charm a few agents.
Something...something...something.
Maybe all I want is a walk (again) along Norr Mälarstrand. Right...I'm off.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Has spring sprung?
As I write this, I am sitting by my balcony door, listening to birds sing and enjoying the bit of warmth on my arm from the slant of sunshine streaming in. In the courtyard below, tulips are pushing through the soil. My clematis is already showing signs of awakening. It's March 14th and already Stockholm feels like it's in the throes of spring.
But should I trust it? Swedish weather is not something that ought to be trusted--at least when it comes to spring and the first days of summer. Just when you think you can bid adieu to your winter coat and scarf and pull out your lightweight jacket, a cold spell appears out of nowhere and throws you for a loop. I should know--it's happened to me plenty of times. And in Stockholm, you could go weeks without snow in March and April, have loads of warm sunny days and then suddenly--on Walpurgis (known to Swedes as "Valborg") it snows!
Tord has already taken off his winter coat and begun wearing a lighter coat. He's brave. I just don't trust this weather. The only step I've taken towards admitting it may be spring is that my curling boots have been replaced with a cute pair of shoes I bought while I was in the US. But if I see so much as a snow flurry, the curling boots are coming out of the closet again.
Today I took a walk along Odengatan and saw three teenagers stride past clad in super tiny miniskirts--sans tights or leggings--and sandals. I think it's a little early for sandals. But this is one sure sign of spring in Stockholm--when teenage girls stop wearing jeans and switch to minis and no tights. Even women my age begin doing the same thing. The temperature may drop to zero at some point during the evening, but they will refuse to put on so much as a scarf because--hey, it's spring! Then they get sick and blame their sniffles on their colleagues and cast murderous glares at those of us whose sneezes are due to allergies and not colds or anything remotely contagious.
But I can't wait for warmer weather. I want to sit on my balcony in the evenings and enjoy a glass of wine, a plate of cheese and strawberries...read a book or listen to music and just relish in the art of simply "being".
It may be a while until that sort of weather makes its appearance in Stockholm, but it's coming. And I won't waste a minute of it.
As I write this, I am sitting by my balcony door, listening to birds sing and enjoying the bit of warmth on my arm from the slant of sunshine streaming in. In the courtyard below, tulips are pushing through the soil. My clematis is already showing signs of awakening. It's March 14th and already Stockholm feels like it's in the throes of spring.
But should I trust it? Swedish weather is not something that ought to be trusted--at least when it comes to spring and the first days of summer. Just when you think you can bid adieu to your winter coat and scarf and pull out your lightweight jacket, a cold spell appears out of nowhere and throws you for a loop. I should know--it's happened to me plenty of times. And in Stockholm, you could go weeks without snow in March and April, have loads of warm sunny days and then suddenly--on Walpurgis (known to Swedes as "Valborg") it snows!
Tord has already taken off his winter coat and begun wearing a lighter coat. He's brave. I just don't trust this weather. The only step I've taken towards admitting it may be spring is that my curling boots have been replaced with a cute pair of shoes I bought while I was in the US. But if I see so much as a snow flurry, the curling boots are coming out of the closet again.
Today I took a walk along Odengatan and saw three teenagers stride past clad in super tiny miniskirts--sans tights or leggings--and sandals. I think it's a little early for sandals. But this is one sure sign of spring in Stockholm--when teenage girls stop wearing jeans and switch to minis and no tights. Even women my age begin doing the same thing. The temperature may drop to zero at some point during the evening, but they will refuse to put on so much as a scarf because--hey, it's spring! Then they get sick and blame their sniffles on their colleagues and cast murderous glares at those of us whose sneezes are due to allergies and not colds or anything remotely contagious.
But I can't wait for warmer weather. I want to sit on my balcony in the evenings and enjoy a glass of wine, a plate of cheese and strawberries...read a book or listen to music and just relish in the art of simply "being".
It may be a while until that sort of weather makes its appearance in Stockholm, but it's coming. And I won't waste a minute of it.
Thursday, March 01, 2007
I miss summer...
It's been a long time since my last post, and there is a reason for my absence: I was in the US visiting family and my Internet connection was veeeeerrrrryyyy slow.
There were two reasons for going to the States: I missed my mom and my brother-in-law was getting married. The only problem was that I couldn't be away as long as I would have liked. Ideally, I'd rather have at least a month when I make the "trek" across the pond. This gives me time to meet my friends and family in Philly, see my relatives in Smithfield and do things that I want to do--like shopping, going to museums, seeing a few movies months before they're released in Sweden. But this time I only had two weeks and I divided them by spending the first week in Philadelphia and the second week in West Palm Beach, where my brother-in-law and his new wife live.
It was colder in Philadelphia than it was in Stockholm--something no Swede ever believes when I tell them. In fact, the entire time I was in Philadelphia the temperatures were below freezing--there were a few days when the wind chill factor made it feel like it was below zero Fahrenheit. I didn't mind the weather--the sun was shining, and there was plenty of hot chocolate to be had.
Since I knew all of this in advance, I had to pack loads of winter clothing--or at least a week's worth. But since I was going to West Palm Beach I also needed spring or summer clothing, plus my outfit for the wedding.
My suitcase was not full--in fact, it was only half-full, but I had to pay Continental Airlines $25 because it was three pounds too heavy. I only packed one bag. If I'd packed two suitcases, I could have checked in 50 pounds per bag. I'd figured it would be easier to travel with just one suitcase and my bag for my laptop. Ah well. I bought a duffel bag and stuffed half of my suitcase's contents into it so I wouldn't need to pay that fee again.
Anyway, when I arrived in West Palm Beach, it was cloudy and 65 Fahrenheit. Ditto the next day. But then the temperature rose and the sun returned and suddenly it was summer, or at least it felt like it. And the longer I was in the sun, the happier I felt. The blue funk I've been feeling since September lifted and I felt like a human being again and not an icicle. It was enough (I think) of a taste of summer to get me through the remaining months of Swedish winter.
As I write this, I can see my snow-covered balcony and the trees in the courtyard of my apartment building are heavy with wet clumps of snow. The sky is a dull gray and they say the temperature is around 34F. None of this is very tempting, but I should go out for a walk. I need the fresh air. I have been translating documents all morning and I'm restless.
I also have to remember to work on my new writing project (well, not so new, I am still working on my unfinished Nanowrimo novel). It's March Madness with SWG and it will be interesting to see how much I manage to write this month.
But before I sit down to do any writing, I need to get out of this apartment for a while.
I will try to imagine myself in West Palm Beach again as I try not to slip on ice and dodge icicles falling from drains and rooftops.
I miss summer... I'll just have to hold on a few months until it's here again.
It's been a long time since my last post, and there is a reason for my absence: I was in the US visiting family and my Internet connection was veeeeerrrrryyyy slow.
There were two reasons for going to the States: I missed my mom and my brother-in-law was getting married. The only problem was that I couldn't be away as long as I would have liked. Ideally, I'd rather have at least a month when I make the "trek" across the pond. This gives me time to meet my friends and family in Philly, see my relatives in Smithfield and do things that I want to do--like shopping, going to museums, seeing a few movies months before they're released in Sweden. But this time I only had two weeks and I divided them by spending the first week in Philadelphia and the second week in West Palm Beach, where my brother-in-law and his new wife live.
It was colder in Philadelphia than it was in Stockholm--something no Swede ever believes when I tell them. In fact, the entire time I was in Philadelphia the temperatures were below freezing--there were a few days when the wind chill factor made it feel like it was below zero Fahrenheit. I didn't mind the weather--the sun was shining, and there was plenty of hot chocolate to be had.
Since I knew all of this in advance, I had to pack loads of winter clothing--or at least a week's worth. But since I was going to West Palm Beach I also needed spring or summer clothing, plus my outfit for the wedding.
My suitcase was not full--in fact, it was only half-full, but I had to pay Continental Airlines $25 because it was three pounds too heavy. I only packed one bag. If I'd packed two suitcases, I could have checked in 50 pounds per bag. I'd figured it would be easier to travel with just one suitcase and my bag for my laptop. Ah well. I bought a duffel bag and stuffed half of my suitcase's contents into it so I wouldn't need to pay that fee again.
Anyway, when I arrived in West Palm Beach, it was cloudy and 65 Fahrenheit. Ditto the next day. But then the temperature rose and the sun returned and suddenly it was summer, or at least it felt like it. And the longer I was in the sun, the happier I felt. The blue funk I've been feeling since September lifted and I felt like a human being again and not an icicle. It was enough (I think) of a taste of summer to get me through the remaining months of Swedish winter.
As I write this, I can see my snow-covered balcony and the trees in the courtyard of my apartment building are heavy with wet clumps of snow. The sky is a dull gray and they say the temperature is around 34F. None of this is very tempting, but I should go out for a walk. I need the fresh air. I have been translating documents all morning and I'm restless.
I also have to remember to work on my new writing project (well, not so new, I am still working on my unfinished Nanowrimo novel). It's March Madness with SWG and it will be interesting to see how much I manage to write this month.
But before I sit down to do any writing, I need to get out of this apartment for a while.
I will try to imagine myself in West Palm Beach again as I try not to slip on ice and dodge icicles falling from drains and rooftops.
I miss summer... I'll just have to hold on a few months until it's here again.
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