Bowl-cuts and Communist toilet propaganda – A positive correlation?

In recent times I have noticed an alarming number of people (predominantly female,I should add) opting for that most horrific of coiffures, the bowl-cut. And, I fear, not ironically. Back in the day, the ‘bowler’ was produced by penny-pinching mothers and fathers with a flagrant disregard for the mental well-being of their child. Now, it seems, the hair-style is somewhat in vogue. I wondered at first whether it could be connected to the economic crisis but concluded after a good 20 seconds thought that this phenomenon has only manifested itself now with the global economy finally starting to recover. That means that these people are paying (probably a fair sum) to have a hairdresser do what I’d gladly do just for a laugh. No doubt, some fashionista will lambast my lack of acceptance for what is most likely considered haute couture. Alas, I care not!

Simultaneously, I have witnessed a significant offensive from Communist mischief-makers in the form of an array of adhesive calls-to-arms in the fight against the bourgeoisie. Encouragements to rise up against the ruling classes are plastered around the toilets at the university. The clever buggers are no doubt hoping that their strategically placed propaganda will lead to a well-famed ‘toilet epiphany’ for the hapless students who just wanted to do their business before a lecture…

So I ask, is it a coincidence that these phenomena have arisen simultaneously? Based on absolutely no evidence gathered I’m willing to say, “no”. Hows that for investigation work?

Dirty Commie!

Wrong! Oh, so wrong!

There is a distinct possibility that everyone else in the world has seen this video already being that it has made the Guinness Book of Records for number of hits (or something of that ilk). However, that will not stop me from expressing my horror that another creepy babies-doing-things-they-shouldn’t-be advert har received such acclaim. If you haven’t seen it… watch and be freaked out!

I found the video here along with an interview with a woman who describes why said video has been so successful. She uses the word reassuring. Reassuring? I didn’t feel the least reassured by seeing babies dancing on rollerblades to ‘Rappers Delight’ (not even the sugahill gang version!). Just to be sure my command of the English language wasn’t letting me down I looked up ‘reassuring’ and discovered to my relief (or perhaps not) that it does indeed still mean ‘to free from anxiety, fear or terror or to restore confidence’. Needless to say, babies on rollerskates do none of the aforementioned for me. Quite simply, what the bajeebos was she on about? Or does this video have a calming, soothing affect on all but me?

A new theme…

Inspired by one of my favourite sections of the BBC website, ‘the week in pictures’, I’ve decided to stave off midweek ennui and a lack of blog-worthy material by introducing a, erm, week in pictures. Now, some of the more observant or pedantic among you might deem this ‘exactly the same thing’. You may have a point. However, I promise both the quality and scope of my ‘week in pictures’ will be on a level far below anything the BBC has to offer even if they let their standards slip sometimes (my favourite recent example being the description of Africa as a country).

First installment will arrive today, tomorrow or next week depending on how quickly I can go through and select appropriate pictures.

Ciao for now!

Anatomy with Hjalmar & Teacher-student interaction?

Over the Christmas period H has become somewhat enamoured with a book from 1994 called ‘Så funkar du!‘ (‘That’s how you work!’ is a decent enough translation). The main reason for this is a picture of a newborn baby that Hjalmar can point at and show off his knowledge of human anatomy. “Mage”, “handen”, “foten” and “näsan” is the list at the moment. “Snoppen” is a recent addition but only his own.

Later in the book I happened upon the following picture:

Please not me!

 

If you can’t make the picture out, it’s a teacher stood behind the desk with a class of children whose heads have been turned into tape-recorders who sit at individual desks, facing front and recording the ‘knowledge’ that the teacher shares. The picture made me feel slightly ill-at-ease thinking about my choice of profession. Will that be me in a few years time? I hope not. After a few moments unease I’ve managed to convince myself that this is not at all my style and that I will not fall in to that trap.

Korv, Korv, Korv!

Being from the UK means a nagging distrust of all Swedish sausages. Isterband is a top-notch variety of sausage. Other than that the standard leaves a lot to be desired.  Yesterday was a joyous day on the gastronomic front. I, for the first time in my 27½ years, made my own sausages (under guidance from the in-laws who are dab-hands in the art of sausage-making). ‘Twas truly messy work but highly satisfactory. Resultant sausages:

SAUCISSES!!!!

The skinny sad-looking fella kind of on his own was sausage  number one. The poor dab lacks the meaty substance of his compadres but is no doubt equally delicious.  Some of the sausages will be donated to the ‘Sausages for Cat-minding Foundation’ currently headed by Denis O’Riordan esq.

I’m sure other stuff of note happened but it pales in insignificance compared to the afore-mentioned banger making.

I want a new camera!

The truth is I have a new camera and it’s fine. Point. Shoot. Done. However, as ours is in my coat pocket in Malmö,  I took the liberty of borrowing Elins sisters camera for a wee while today. I shouldn’t have. It has just made me jealous. I want a newer, better camera would have been a more apt title for this post. Ho hum. Here are a few of the resultant pics which would no doubt be better if I had a clue how to use the camera properly…

Otherwise today has been spent not doing things I should be doing i.e. studying and christmas shopping. Tomorrow my studying will start in earnest. Honestly. I’ve picked the book and written it in my calendar. So it’s bound to happen. With it being in my calendar and all. Yeah.

Call me Kazanski!

Linköping. 9.24am. -8  degrees with an icy wind to boot. Soon to hit the streets in search of a few presents that remain unpurchased. Brrrrrrr….

Iceman

 In all fairness the picture does befit the post in the slightest but I couldn’t resist a top-gun reference.

10 out of 12. Icke godkänd!

I failed. The 12 pubs. Not miserably. But it was a failure nonetheless. Poor Danio hit a wall after a pub number 10 and was sent home by Emma. The boys soldiered on and even managed to squeeze in a bit of KB before calling it a night. Top work fellas!

Highlights of the evening include:

– Flaming Sambucas
-Mad Matt getting sat on by an ugly old woman
– Singing Christmas carols in Carib Creol whilst waiting for mojitos
– James falling over
– Singing ‘Danger! High Voltage’ in Spice (possibly)

No major hangover today thankfully. Although my form on Pro Evo has been lacklustre. Now I have to do some completely pointless work. Bajeebos!

Austria

A few shots from our recent trip to Austria…

H and Makka Pakka on Vienna-Innsbruck train

Weekend past/Weekend coming

It seems a little late (and early) to be writing about the weekend on a Wednesday but in all honesty I’ve done very little with my time since last weekend that has not been school-related and, thus, automatically stashed away in the boring box. And the likelihood of my doing anything remotely interesting until Friday is minute.

The highlight of the weekend was no doubt Sundays trip to the Christmas market at Katrinetorps Gård on the outskirts of Malmö. Old barns full with bric-a-brac, food stands, delicious sandiches in the café whilst christmas songs were played by a band. The weekend was otherwise spent watching ‘O Brother, where art thou?’ for the umpteenth time (still great), watching a lot of West Wing Series 5 (equally great), putting off studying, baking pepperkakor with Hjalmar and Elin and dossing around the flat. I might have gone to Entré. I can’t remember.

Best non-gastranomic purchase was no doubt Tomte which he has affectionately named “Tipp-tapp” after the Swedish Christmas song, Tomtarnas Julnatt (here performed by some funky small black Santa-types).

Tipp-tapp

Tonight sees the arrival of my dear Jim Dunn from Blighty. His fourth trip to Sweden this year, no less. My attempts to persuade him to move here have thus far fallen on deaf ears but I shall not yield. One of the highlights of the Port Malmö Football Club calendar takes place on Saturday. The 12 Pubs of Christmas. Chaos and Mayhem  the like of which not have been seen since Riggs and Murtaugh tore it up in Lethal Weapon 2. Before Saturdays drinking henanigans (and Sundays inevitable come-uppance)  will come Fridays more demure dinner consisting of a huge amount of Elk and I’m not sure what else. Elk is enough.

So, the first “official” wordpress post draws to a not so exciting close. Who knows what lies in wait in the coming hours,days and weeks. Not I, dear readers. Most certainly not I.