Ice, Ice Baby...

Growing up in the land of the lawsuit, I have learned to take certain aspects of life for granted. For starters, I've learned that there are no such things as accidents, and someone can always be blamed for any misfortunate event in life. I've also come to expect that when winter rolls around, I will have a safe path in which to traverse, despite the fact that the sky is intent on hurdling copious amounts of precipitation onto earth, that will invariably transition back and forth between freezing into crusty snow...and melting into puddles of icky brown slush.

It is for this reason, that I am having such great difficulty dealing with the fact that the city of Gothenburg is covered in one solid sheet of ice. Looking outside my apartment window... I see shiny slick evil ice covering every surface. Even the snow is covered in a thick layer of hip breaking frozen H20.

I've tried shuffling, the Penguin waddle, even my figure skating short program I have been practicing for the Olympics (Vancouver 2010 be there!) can't prevent me from slipping and sliding all over town. While I have yet to fall (fingers crossed, pleas to universe, worshipping at the alter of George Michael) the bruises I am obtaining sliding into bike racks, parked cars, and even one particularly sharp brick window ledge, make me look worse than the produce that shows up in my grocery store here (bruised and battered).

I've tried pretending I'm a viking, a polar bear, even a space alien that has landed on a new planet, but to no avail. I simply cannot convince myself I enjoy any other slip and slide besides the kind you set up in your back yard with a hose. So I've decided after careful consideration, to become a black bear and hibernate. For the next two weeks I will gorge on chocolate, cheese, and blue berries. I will then pop an ambien, crawl under my bed, and I'll see you all in April.

Either that or I am going to invest in a pair of shoes with spikes...

Times they are a changin'

I became convinced on Wednesday night (after consuming multiple pear ciders) that I could feel a change in the air, and things were going to stop being poopy (academic) and start looking up (After two weeks of imprisonment during exams, I had been feeling less than thrilled with life). My premonition was quickly confirmed Thursday morning (3:30 pm). While waiting in line at the grocery store. I noticed another student from Handels whom I had met several times, standing in front of me in line. Emboldened with my new enthusiasm for life, I eagerly said hello. After unbearable awkwardness brought on by the fact that said acquaintance had no idea who I was. I knew life was back to normal and you know what... it felt great!

That night I headed to Oseas' apartment. Drank some wine, ate some unbelievably delicious chips and determined I neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeded kebab for my ride home. Sitting at my table at 1 am, eating kebab, while not wearing pants, and watching a show about gastric bypass surgery brought such inexplicable joy I couldn't contain myself but to leave multiple facebook videos on friend's (charlotte and erica's) walls, spreading my happiness. Waking up at 5 am... dying because as I learned from my Uppsala days, my stomach cannot handle food beyond midnight I couldn't help but smile. Balance truly had returned to my life.

Friday was Sarah's last night before leaving for Denmark for the Semester. I handled her departure as I handle all great tragedies in my life. By drinking myself into oblivion. Since my memory of the night is less than crystal clear I have decided to commemorate it as I always commemorate things of great importance...in Poetry.

An Ode to Friday Night

Bottle of Riesling Wine

Sooo devine

Raspberry vodka shot

Jenny was my compatri-ot

Vanilla vodka coke

no this is not a joke

sips of oseas' red wine

starting not to feel so fine

multiple shots of tequila

makes me really quite a......

yea thats about the point things got hazy in real life too. Now it is Sunday night, I am sitting in my apartment grieving Sarah's departure. I'm finding inhalation of chocolate at lightning speed seems to be doing the trick at numbing my sadness, and the fact that I am once again not wearing pants (just kidding... maybe) Now I must plan my visit to Copenhagen!! (without erica bahahaha)

Bang-a-lang!

So I am finally back in Sweden following a three week voyage to the beautiful USA! It was a soul searching trip home. Between the countless beauty appointments (mani, pedi massage oh my!), days spent shopping and evenings spent wining & dining; I really think I grew and matured as a person.

I also think its safe to say my new haircut with bangs has completely revolutionized my life. I mean on the surface I may still appear go be the blonde American girl getting a masters degree in Sweden, but now I am a blonde American girl getting a masters degree in Sweden who has bangs! Its crazy how much my life has changed.

As if the tremendous impact of my new haircut wasn't enough, I have made another extremely significant life decision and have added graphic tees to my wardrobe. Considering how upon my arrival to the United States I owned one graphic tee... and returned to Sweden with 23 graphic tees... this is a pretty big freakin' deal. Beaded antlers, french bicycles, kitty cats... the options are endless and I can't wait to further explore this remarkable new world of fashion.

In all seriousness though, it was really great to be home for a little while and I really had a great time in the land of the fat and the home of R&B. Between shopping in Chicago with Emily (hallo graphic tees my new friend) to the night spent at blue martini in Naples with Robert (hallo 80 year old men who drive rolls royces, wear ed hardy, and surround themselves with 20 year old bimbos) I truly loved my time at home!

It's a new year, a time for change, and I really can't wait to wear my graphic tees, style my bangs and see what happens!