lists

1. How are you?
Thirty-three.

2. How old do you feel?
Like thirty-three, but sometimes I feel a few years younger, and then I realize how many years have actually passed in real life.

3. Where do you live?
I live in an apartment in Uppsala, Sweden, together with my wife. We bought it in March 2016.

4. What have you done today?
It’s Saturday evening and I haven’t actually done that much today. Woke up around 9, drank coffee, watched YouTube, finished the series “Dark”, fixed a little in the apartment, but mostly been relaxed.

5. Summer, fall, winter, or spring – what do you prefer, and why?
I think late spring with summer just ahead of us. But I do love each season’s uniqueness; like the all of the fall colors, winter coziness, endless summer nights, and spring when everything is so green.

6. Are you addicted to something?
Acknowledgement, love, the Internet, chocolate, and coffee.

7. Mention three things people might not know about you?
1. I’m a super organized person who wants it over-the-top clean around me. So, I actually have to have goals to not clean everyday, but perhaps once a week at the most.
2. I took riding lessons for almost 10 years as a kid and teenager.
3. I’ve spent more than a year in the hospital, in total, throughout my life so far. (due to treatment of Anorexia and surgeries for my birth defect).

8. Where in the world would you like to be right now?
At a beach in Bali with my wife.

9. How are you feeling right now?
Relaxed.

10. What’s your favorit candy?
Chocolate.

11. Your favorite store(s)?
Weekday, Zara, Granit, Crate & Barrel, Michael’s, and West Elm.

12. Are you a morning or evening person?
More of an evening person than a morning person, I think. However, I’m pretty even – not going to bed that late, but not getting up that early either.

13. Have you had any stitches?
Yes, my face, my right leg, and in my mouth.

14. Who did something extra special for you last?
My parents and my wife’s parents.

15. Are you shy?
Nope, I don’t see myself as shy. I can talk with pretty much whomever, in front of lots of people, or individuals. But I do get a little nervous every now and then. Especially when performing (singing and playing the piano) during an important situations (funeral, wedding etc.).

16. What’s your middle name(s)?
Maria and Viktoria, because my parents liked the names.

17. Would you like to get married?
I am married. December 26th 2009! Still going strong ♥

List from Flora!

What’s the best with Christmas?
It’s cozy in the midst of all the darkness. We light a lot of candles, listen to music, spend time together with family and friends, and eat yummy stuff (read Swedish candy and American Christmas food).

What’s the worst with Christmas?
When people are stressed out and want that “perfect” Christmas so the stress takes over, and it’s not enjoyable. Also to have family and friends in different parts of the world.

Christmas sausage or Christmas ham?
None. I don’t eat meat.

Ribs or Janssons (fish casserole)?
Again, I don’t eat meat so the traditional Swedish Christmas food is not for me. However, if we skip the fish in Janssons, I’ll take that.

Glögg (mulled wine) or  Christmas soda (julmust)?
This one is hard, I don’t drink much of either one of them..however, I do believe I choose… No I can’t decide.

Gingerbread cookies or lucia buns (saffron)?
Lucia buns, for sure!

Skumtomtar or knäck? (types of candy)
Hmm… Probably skumtomtar since I’ll know for sure they’re yummy. Knäck has to have the perfect temperature, taste, and balance in order for me to like them.

Give or receive Christmas gifts?
Both! I love the process of figuring out what to get a person, wrap it, and see the person open the gift. However, I also enjoy getting gifts as well.

Favorite Christmas movie?
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. It’s a must to watch it late on Christmas Eve.

Favorite Christmas TV calendar?
Sunes Jul

Favorite Christmas song?
All I Want for Christmas is You – Mariah Carey
Mary Did You Know – Pentatonix

Favorite Christmas scent?
Christmas tree!

When is it time to put up the Christmas decorations and ornaments?
We always do it directly after Thanksgiving. We don’t have alot of decorations, but we hang stars in all the windows, put up the Christmas tree, and change our blankets to more Christmas-like ones. Oh, and have a lot of candles everywhere.

When is it ok to put up the Christmas tree?
Whenever you want to!! Nowadays, my American wife and me mix both cultures and traditions, and also create our own so we put it up right after Thanksgiving (if it’s not a real one). If it’s real, we most likely do it during the first or second week in December. When I grew up, we put it up (always a real tree) around the 20th of December so just a few days before Christmas.

When do you open gifts on Christmas?
We open both on Christmas Eve (Swedish tradition) and on Christmas Day (American tradition). We get stockings in the morning.

What are you gonna do on Christmas?
Christmas Eve/Christmas Day: I’m gonna wake up at my parent’s house, eat breakfast with a fire in the fire place, Christmas music playing in the background, and hang out with my family. Later on we’re going to my sister’s house and spend the afternoon there with more family. On the 26th (which is also our wedding anniversary!!) we’re flying to the States and will spend ten days there ♥

New Years Eve?
We’re gonna hang out with friends in Asheville!!

Do you think it will be a white Christmas?
Yes.

List found on Sandra’s blog

When do you get up?
On weekdays, I usually set the alarm for 06.30 in the morning, however, I’ve gotten into snoozing a lot, so it ends up being more likely around right before 7. I start work at 8. I used to be able to snooze for at least 45 min (BUT, I set my alarm earlier as well then..). I love mornings on the weekends, and I really wanna enjoy them as much as possible, so I always ask Liz to make sure I’m awake at the latest 08.30.

What’s the first thing you do every morning?
Check my phone, then go to the bathroom, either take a shower and get ready or just get ready. Afterwards, I head to the kitchen, and grab a cup of coffee, and try to decide what to wear. Once that’s decided, I usually sip on my coffee until it’s time to walk to work, which is usually around 7.50.

How much time do you spend in the bathroom every morning?
If I take a shower, it takes around 45 min to an hour. If I’m not taking a shower, around 30min – with clothes issues, 45min though.

Is breakfast important?
Yes. Since I’m only working 2 hours in the morning, I usually eat it when I come back home from work, around 10. If for some reason, I have been extra fast, I might eat breakfast before work.

What do you eat for breakfast?
Two sandwiches with butter and cheese, coffee, and a glass of juice. Sometimes, one sandwich and yogurt with müsli.

Are you tired in the mornings?
YES.

What kind of alarm do you have?
I use my iPhone and wake to the beginning of the song Glory Box by Portishead.

What does a perfect morning look like to me?
At home: To wake up with Liz by my side. It’s summer and we’re both off from work with no specific plans, so we’ve got the whole day together and can just do whatever we feel like. Perhaps take the short train ride to Stockholm for shopping, dinner, and beer. But the feeling of knowing we’re together with no specific plans.

At the beach: To wake up, with Liz by my side (but she’s usually already up, though, which is fine!), the sun is shining and I know it’s a hot and humid day. I grab a cup of coffee and walk out on the deck with an ocean view. Family members are already sitting there, sometimes reading a book, sometimes chatting, and I’m joining the crowd. We eat breakfast, change to bikinis, and then walk the short way to the beach for a relaxing day, together.

What’s the best with mornings?
You have the whole day in front of you with endless possibilities.

How are you dressed in the morning? 
PJ’s and then my kimono or cozy clothes, which is soft pants and a big t-shirt or a tank.

List from Sandra.

September is here and I think it’s time for me to share my long list of TV-series here on the blog!

I call it part 1, because there will most likely, one day, be a part 2, 3 and so forth. I try to choose series by the words from friends and family, but also from the points at imdb. If it’s 8.5/10, it’s usually pretty good, I think..but there are some, I haven’t gotten into that has around 9…and a few around 7/10, that I’ve liked as well..so you never know exactly how it’s gonna be. I also always try to give a new series a few episodes in, before I decide whether to finish it or not. If I decide to not finish it, I might come back to it a few months later, and I get really in to it. So I just don’t judge it, by one seating. If you happen to sit with any good tips on any new ones, hit me up! So let’s start this. It’s in alphabetical order and all pics are from imdb.com. The short infos come from imdb as well.

ONGOING

Fear the Walking Dead 7.3/10 at imdb

What did the world look like as it was transforming into the horrifying apocalypse depicted in The Walking Dead (2010)? This spin-off set in Los Angeles, following new characters as they face the beginning of the end of the world, will answer that question (source imdb.com). Trailer here.

Orphan Black 8.4/10 at imdb

A streetwise hustler is pulled into a compelling conspiracy after witnessing the suicide of a girl who looks just like her (source imdb.com). Trailer here.

Outlander 8.5/10 at imdb

Follows the story of Claire Randall, a married combat nurse from 1945 who is mysteriously swept back in time to 1743, where she is immediately thrown into an unknown world where her life is threatened. When she is forced to marry Jamie Fraser, a chivalrous and romantic young Scottish warrior, a passionate relationship is ignited that tears Claire’s heart between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives (source imdb.com).

UP TO DATE WITH / WATCHED ALL SEASONS

Breaking Bad 9.5/10 at imdb

A high school chemistry teacher diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer turns to manufacturing and selling methamphetamine, with his former student, in order to secure his family’s financial future (source imdb.com).

The Brigde/Bron 8.6/10 at imdb

When a body is found on the bridge between Denmark and Sweden, right on the border, Danish inspector Martin Rohde and Swedish Saga Norén have to share jurisdiction and work together to find the killer (source imdb.com).

Girls 7.4/10 at imdb

A comedy about the experiences of a group of girls in their early 20s  (source imdb.com).

Homeland 8.4/10 at imdb

A bipolar CIA operative becomes convinced a prisoner of war has been turned by al-Qaeda and is planning to carry out a terrorist attack on American soil (source imdb.com).

House of Cards 9.0/10 at imdb

A Congressman works with his equally conniving wife to exact revenge on the people who betrayed him (source imdb.com).

Jessica Jones 8.3/10 at imdb

A former superhero decides to reboot her life by becoming a private investigator (source imdb.com).

Orange is the New Black 8.3/10 at imdb

The story of Piper Chapman, a woman in her thirties who is sentenced to fifteen months in prison after being convicted of a decade-old crime of transporting money to her drug-dealing girlfriend (source imdb.com).

Sons of Anarchy 8.6/10 at imdb

A man in his early 30s struggles to find a balance in his life between being a new dad and his involvement in a motorcycle club (source imdb.com).

The Affair 8.0/10 at imdb

A struggling novelist and a young waitress strike up an extramarital relationship that promises to forever change the course of their lives (source imdb.com).

The Fall 8.3/10 at imdb

Two hunters, one cold, deliberate and highly efficient and the other, a strong, athletic man with a wife, two children and a counselling job… one of them is a serial killer and one is a cop (source imdb.com).

The Fosters 8.0/10 at imdb

Teenager Callie Jacob is placed in a foster home with a lesbian couple and their blend of biological, adoptive and foster children (source imdb.com).

The Killing 8.2/10 at imdb

A police investigation, the saga of a grieving family, and a Seattle mayoral campaign all interlock after the body of 17-year-old Rosie Larsen is found in the trunk of a submerged car (source imdb.com).

The Returned 8.3/10 at imdb

The Returned opens in a small mountain community which is rocked to its core when several local people who are presumed dead suddenly re-appear at their homes. Despite having passed away some years earlier, these ghostly characters appear in human form, they have not aged, and they are completely unaware of their own fatality (source imdb.com).

The Walking Dead 8.6/10 at imdb

Sheriff Deputy Rick Grimes leads a group of survivors in a world overrun by the walking dead. Fighting the dead, fearing the living (source imdb.com).

True Blood 8.0/10 at imdb

Telepathic waitress Sookie Stackhouse encounters a strange new supernatural world when she meets the mysterious Bill, a southern Louisiana gentleman and vampire (source imdb.com).

STOPPED BEFORE THE ENDING SEASON

24 8.4/10 at imdb

Jack Bauer, Director of Field Ops for the Counter-Terrorist Unit of Los Angeles, races against the clock to subvert terrorist plots and save his nation from ultimate disaster (source imdb.com).

American Horror Story 8.3/10 at imdb

An anthology series that centers on different characters and locations, including a house with a murderous past, an insane asylum, a witch coven, a freak show, and an enigmatic hotel (source imdb.com).

Downton Abbey 8.7/10 at imdb

A chronicle of the lives of the British aristocratic Crawley family and their servants in the early 20th Century (source imdb.com).

Game of Thrones 9.5/10 at imdb

While a civil war brews between several noble families in Westeros, the children of the former rulers of the land attempt to rise up to power. Meanwhile a forgotten race, bent on destruction, plans to return after thousands of years in the North (source imdb.com).

Glee 6.7/10 at imdb

A group of ambitious misfits try to escape the harsh realities of high school by joining a glee club, where they find strength, acceptance and, ultimately, their voice, while working to pursue dreams of their own (source imdb.com).

Grey’s Anatomy 7.7/10 at imdb

A drama centered on the personal and professional lives of five surgical interns and their supervisors (source imdb.com).

Lost 8.4/10 at imdb

The survivors of a plane crash are forced to work together in order to survive on a seemingly deserted tropical island (source imdb.com).

Scandal 7.9/10 at imdb

A former White House Communications Director starts her own crisis management firm only to realize her clients are not the only ones with secrets (source imdb.com).

FUTURE PROJECTS

Friends 9.0/10 at imdb

Follows the lives of six 20-something friends living in Manhattan (source imdb.com).

Gilmore Girls 8.0/10 at imdb

A drama centering around the relationship between a thirtysomething single mother and her teen daughter living in Stars Hollow, Connecticut (source imdb.com).

New Girl 7.8/10 at imdb

After a bad break-up, Jess, an offbeat young woman, moves into an apartment loft with three single men. Although they find her behavior very unusual, the men support her – most of the time (source imdb.com).

Sex and the City 7.0/10 at imdb

Four female New Yorkers gossip about their sex-lives (or lack thereof) and find new ways to deal with being a woman in the 90s (source imdb.com).

OLD ONES

Ally McBeal 6.8/10 at imdb

Ally McBeal is a single young lawyer looking for love and fullfillment in life. She works for a Boston Law firm with her ex-lover and his wife, a money loving boss and an annoying receptionist. With all that is going on she must contend with her feelings and her over active imagination (source imdb.com).

Boston Public 7.3/10 at imdb

The lives of 10 faculty members at a high school in Boston, Mass. weave in and out of dealing with trouble-makers, having a personal life, and keeping sanity (source imdb.com).

Cityakuten/ER 7.7/10 at imdb

The lives, loves and losses of the doctors and nurses of Chicago’s County General Hospital (source imdb.com).

Criminal Minds 8.2/10 at imdb

The cases of the FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU), an elite group of profilers who analyze the nation’s most dangerous serial killers and individual heinous crimes in an effort to anticipate their next moves before they strike again (source imdb.com).

THE ONES THAT HAVE CAUGHT MY EYE

» Ally McBeal
» Homeland
» Breaking Bad
» Outlander
» Orange is the New Black
» Sons of Anarchy
» The Walking Dead

THINKING
Way too much. However, right now, mostly about who I am. What defines a person (me) and identity. Goals and what, in life, those are based on. I love discussing these things at the moment since it’s pretty much what’s swirling around in my head.

WATCHING
Various TV-series, documentaries, and the News.

READING
After you by Jojo Moyes. After that, these books I listed in an earlier blog post.

PLANNING
How we’re gonna decorate our apartment. 

WEARING
PJ shorts and a long sleeve t-shirt. Cozy stuff it is.

LISTENING
Too Much Is Never Enough by Florence + The Machine

EATING
Nothing at this moment.

WANTING
A creative flow, new and more plants at home, a few new light fixtures, more art and stuff on the walls.

LOOKING FORWARD TO
Weekend at home with Liz. To just be, rest, decorate our apartment, and plan a new project Liz and I are gonna do in the very near future. Cliffhanger 1.0. Hehe. But, stay tuned.

→ Marshall speaker
I love music and this speaker gets extra points for its awesome design. ♥ Marshall products. (Wish I was sponsored…).

→ Wall decorations above our couchThe Blue Ridge Mountain print is from 7 ton Design and Letterpress Co. based in Asheville, North Carolina. The Ramble & Roam print is from another local artist, Courtney Leigh Johnson, of Holdfast Outfitters. Courtney used to be based in North Carolina but has moved to Salt Lake, UT, now. But hey, you can always buy the stuff online! The antler is from a store here in town, but represents nature and we just love the sort of mountain theme and mix of art above our couch.

→ Coffee station in the kitchen
Do I have to explain…love coffee and can’t live without it, pretty much. The glass container is a Chemex Coffee maker, pour-over style, designed back in the 1940’s by Peter Schlumbohm. The regular coffee maker is a Norwegian brand, called Wilfa. The coffee container is bought at a local coffee and tea store here in Uppsala. 

→ My nightstand
My night stand is an actual apple crate from Waynesville, North Carolina. We brought it over here when we moved from the States.

→ Ukrainian Pysanky Eggs

The Ukrainian pysanky eggs, made by our friend Andrea at Studio A in Asheville, North Carolina, that Liz and I got in the mail last fall. Andrea’s a really talented artist who creates these eggs, prints and various graphic design projects, lamp shades, jewelry, and woodcut prints. Check out her website here or visit her Studio in the River Art’s District in Asheville. 

→ Din Tid Kommer posterThis is a poster with the lyrics from one of my favorite song by the artist, Håkan Hellström. The song is called; “Din Tid Kommer” which means, Your time will come. You can listen to it here or down below.

What are you gonna do this summer?
Gonna hang out in parks/our backyard, grill out, longboard, walk along the river, go to Paris, spend time in the Swedish archipelago with family and friends, go to the States, read, play games, and eat a lot of strawberries, listen to podcasts/music/summer radio…

Are you going anywhere?
I kicked of the summer with the Håkan Hellström concert in Gothenburg. So Gothenburg, Stockholm, the archipelago, Paris, and the States.

How long is your vacation?
Well, I haven’t worked lately, so I can’t really say I’m gonna be on vacation (I’m on sick leave), but I do have a plan for when I will start working a little bit again.

What do you really want to do?
I think I’m gonna do pretty much what I really wanna do. But I would really have enjoyed attending my cousin’s wedding, for example, another friend’s wedding, see Beyoncé live in Stockholm, attend a music festival(s), and go to my sister’s party.. However, I’m sure we’re gonna have plenty of adventures wherever we are at those times!

What do you actually think you will do?
Have the best time in the States!

What are you looking forward to most?
To go to the US! Can’t wait to stand on American soil again, hang out with family and friends we haven’t seen in forever, and drink tons of local craft beer again.

What can go wrong?
Everything. If I don’t follow my treatment plan…

Who will you spend the most time with?
Liz ♥

What will you spend the most money on?
Probably transportation and food/drinks.

What are you gonna buy before summer starts?
A new bathing suit/bikini.

Are you gonna use it?
Yes – at the beach in North Carolina, USA. Perhaps also when floating/tubing down the French Broad river. See pics here of what it looks like.

Are you gonna get a good tan?
I already have a little bit of a tan, but I’ll probably get some more later on as well.

What would you tell you summer-self?
Live life!

What are you gonna drink?
Water, juice, and beer.

What’s gonna make this summer amazing?
To see family and friends I haven’t seen in over a year.

What are you gonna eat?
Loads of strawberries/fresh berries & yummy food from all the food trucks in NYC & Asheville <3456789

What are you worried about?
To fall back. Relapse. Even a tiny bit.

What’s gonna be extra special this year?
To go abroad. See family and friends we haven’t seen in 1.5 years, and Patti Smith in NYC.

How will you remember this summer come September?
As a long and amazing kiss.

What are you gonna be wearing?
Shorts and tanks.

List borrowed from Flora.

Back in the end of January, I wrote this blog post about Wishes, and I thought of checking back on that list to see what actually has happened during the past five months.

This was the list back then with my current status in italics:

I WOULD LIKE TO…

• Enjoy eating and drinking without anxiety and/or negative thoughts.
  I’m not really there yet, but I do eat and drink out more than I did back in fall 2015, and in the beginning of 2016. 
• Like myself – feel that I’m ok the way I am.
  I still don’t really like myself, but this is something I’m working on every day, and I believe that I’m a bit closer than I was back when I wrote the list.
• Work again. I love my job and my co-workers, but my life and the sickness is not stable enough to manage a job right now.
  I haven’t started yet, but there’s a plan!
• Longboard and be pretty good at it.
  I have been longboarding, not as much as I want to, but I will!!! Have actually been contacted by a girl who wants to longboard with me, yay! 
• Decorate our (as of right now non-existing) own apartment, downtown Uppsala.
  We have an apartment, and we own it!!! So this is a big step we’ve taken, I love it, we’re working on decorating it and finding our own Liz & Lina-style.
• Have trips planned and bought. Ex. Paris, Dublin, Berlin, and the States.
  We have trips bought to Paris, the archipelago in Sweden, and the States. We are also planning another trip to the States, to Berlin, Ireland at one point, and hopefully Japan. But now we’re also talking about stuff in 2017.
• Be healthy and free from this stupid sickness. I hate you. Yes, Anorexia is something I truly HATE.
  I’m definitely healthier, but I still have a pretty long road ahead of me…Working on right now accepting this long process ahead of me. 

× Enjoy life, where this f*cking sickness is not deciding everything or anything at all!

× Hang out in parks, drink rosé wine/beer and eat endless amounts of strawberries

× Longboard like a maniac

× Spend time in the Swedish archipelago

× Cook out in our backyard

× Play outdoor games

× Drink beer

× Hang out in my hometown

× Road trip to Gothenburg with three other girls and go to the Håkan Hellström’s concert

× Go to the States and be there for almost a month

× Hang out in Asheville

× Read books and magazines

× Spend a whole week at the beach with my American family

× Go to Paris

× Be creative

DO YOU HAVE?
Beer in the fridge
Yes, a couple of bottles.

A pet
Zola, the cat.

A favorite dish
Pasta.

Make up powder on you
Not right now. A rainy Sunday morning at home with zero plans except watching Netflix, catching up with some series.

Any future plans
Get healthy & travel.

Any sickness lately
Depends on what kind of sickness. Haven’t been sick with a cold for a pretty long time (don’t wanna jinx this now though…gaaah), but have an eating disorder..

A gym card
No, can’t work out right now so my therapist canceled my gym card months ago.

Any A’s
Yes, left University of North Carolina at Asheville (UNCA) with all A’s except one B.

An addiction
Nope.

Nail polish
Yes, a dirty turquoise right now.

A friend living in another country
Yes, several.

WHO?
Do you dislike
No-one really.

Do you miss most
Friends & family.

Annoys you
Sweden’s system that seems to not put in money to eating disorder treatment.

Do you snuggle with
Zola & Liz.

Cooks
Liz. Haven’t cooked a meal in over a year, I think :/

Washes dishes
The dish washer.

WHICH?
Magazine/paper do you read
Dagens Nyheter, Uppsala Nya Tidning, Uppsalatidningen, and Styleby.

Bus do you take the most
13.

Date is your birthday
May 20.

Season
Summer!!

WHAT?
Are you doing now
Blogging while listening to Håkan Hellström on Spotify.

Makes you a good person
Had to ask Liz about this..and she said; I see the importance in every person and care about them.

Makes you a bad person
Same thing as above, because then I don’t care about myself.

Do you want work with
Fun design projects as a graphic designer. The best thing is that it will be fulfilled once I start working again (probably part time starting in fall).

Is most fun right now
Watching series with Liz and hanging out with new found friends <3

Are you wearing
Cozy clothes: Jogger Pants (LA Hearts brand) from Pac Sun, a black tank, and a UNCA hoodie.

Kinds of shoes do you have
Dr. Martens, Converse, Vans, Toms, Birkenstock, various sandals, and flip flops.

Is your shoe size
39.

Book are you reading
“Tio lektioner i matlagning” by Lotta Lundgren.

Are you gonna do now
Catch up on some TV-series (such as The Catch, Outlander, Girls, and Orphan Black).

List from Sandra

Good times at Söder in Stockholm this past summer.

Found this list weeks ago on a girl’s blog, answered the questions, drafted the post, and totally forgot about it until today. So here we go, a get-to-know-me list!

1. How old are you?
31.

2. How old do you feel?
Hmm. Like 25 perhaps? Not really a reason why 25.

3. Where do you live?
In Uppsala, Sweden.

4. What have you done today?
Been to day treatment, got off there at 1pm, walked downtown and met up with Liz, did some shopping/errands (bought some new really cool pants which I might show you another day – so hard to take pictures now when it’s so dark), got home and ate a snack, listened to music, and am doing some blogging right now – answering these questions.

5. Summer, fall, winer, or spring? What do you prefer and why?
All of them in not too long periods and specific months. Spring: around late May. Fall: Late September/October if the weather is sunny. Winter: December with snow on the ground but also the holidays. Summer: July when it’s hopefully warm and nice out.

6. Are you addicted to something/do you depend on anything?
Liz. Internet. Music.

7. Mention three things people might not know about you:
1. I’ve been extra in a Swedish TV-series.

2. I dislike the left side of my face and never want it to be shown. Read: never want it to be exposed in any way. It determines where and how I sit and stand e v e r y w h e r e. True story and something I need to really work on, which I will.

3. I used to be (or am) a singer and have sung (and played) for several weddings, name ceremonies, funerals, and concerts. In fact, three years ago, as of today, I performed, together with a band, in Old Town Stockholm at an old wine cellar from the 1500s (I believe it was the 1500s). I haven’t performed in a long time now.

8. Where in the world would you like to be right now?
USA or Japan (Tokyo)

9. What mood are you in at the moment?
Angry, upset, and anxious.

10. What’s your favorite candy?
Popcorn and chocolate.

11. What are you favorite store(s)?
Weekday, Gap, Carlings, and Monki.

12. Are you a morning or evening person?
I used to be an evening person, but nowadays, more of a morning person. But I think it’s because of how I’m doing right now in life.

13. Have you had any stitches before?
Yes, a few times, different places (my leg, lip, and inside my mouth)

14. Who, lately, did some extra special for you?
Liz, but also an old friend of mine who sent an amazing letter to me with sweet words, thoughts, and such a fun memory shared in a fantastic way. It truly touched my heart <3

15. Are you shy?
No, not so much, but I used to be.

16. Do you have any middle names, if so, what name(s)?
Yes, Maria and Viktoria. So my full name is; Lina Maria Viktoria Eriksson.

17. Would you like to get married?
I’m already married, since 2009 and don’t plan to get married ever again!

18. Do you have any nicknames?
Yes, Lollie, Lollienonna, Blinis, Lina-fina.

Found this list below on another girl’s blog and thought, why not fill in the list as well? So here I go.

5 things I think about a lot
• Where we’re gonna live once we can’t live where we are now.
• The holidays that are coming up (Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas).
• Our upcoming trips (nothing specifically planned, but we wanna go to Paris, Dublin, Berlin, and the States – hopefully all of them or a couple of them, during 2016).
• My treatment right now and all that comes with that – changes in my life that I have to do and that I work on every single day right now. It’s tough. I’ve gone through many different treatments in my life, but I believe this is gonna be the hardest, because this will be (has to be) the last time, therefore, the fight will be harder than ever.
• Friends and family I haven’t been in contact with in a long time…

4 things that smell wonderful
• Clothes that still smell- like the States and the laundry detergent there. I find clothes every now and then that I haven’t used since we lived in the States…and it smells like home. Our American home, which I miss so much. 
• The lilies we have in the kitchen.
• Fresh brewed coffee in the morning.
• The perfume Rain by Clean.

3 things I want to improve in my life/get better at
• Face my fears.
• Be social again. Sorry friends for not contacting you right now…
• Live in the moment and be satisfied with the present time.

2 things I miss in my closet
• Does a watch count? If so, a Daniel Wellington Classic Sheffield Lady watch.
• A soft, thin, gray, long sleeve sweater made of cashmere. Like this one.

1 thing I want to do before 2015 is over
• Eat out at a restaurant and enjoy it without feeling anxious before, during, and afterwards.

Ok, so I find it fun to fill in lists (have always loved it). Do you remember having a friends book when you were young? You know a book you passed around among your friends, they put a picture in it and answered questions about favorite color, their dream job, who they like and so forth. Well, I filled in many of those books as a child, and have had many myself too..and I remember one specific one that I kept to myself (it was a typical gift you got for your birthday party with your friends too), and started my own filling in the book project. It’s at my parents house at the moment in one of the boxes I have there, but once we move to a more permanent home, I’ll get it, and can show you. Anyhow, back to all the lists I’m filling in.. I find them fun since you get to read short little things about the blogger, and I get to reflect on some stuff as well. Story ended. Let’s check out the list below.

3 things I look forward to

• Liz’s B-day
• My American “little sister” (who’s studying in Berlin nowadays) is gonna visit us
• Halloween

3 things I don’t look forward to

• To do blood tests
• Weigh-ins
• The darkness and the cold

3 things I like

• Coffee
• Playing the piano
• To find a really good new song

3 things I dislike

• To wait
• Boiled/warm carrots
• Windy days

3 things I wish

• That I was gonna go to the States for a few weeks (also travel to Paris, Dublin, and Berlin)
• To own an apartment here in Uppsala
• To own a place North Carolina, USA

3 things I should

• Take care of myself
• Clean
• Contact my friends more

3 things I can do

• Organize stuff
• Watch documentaries
• Make my own pasta from scratch

3 things I can’t do

• Longboarding (yet!)
• Be patient
• Walk downtown by myself without getting stressed out and anxious.

3 things I have in mind

• “Fight”
• “Refocus”
• “It will be over”

3 things I talk a lot about

• The weather
• Zola
• Fall stuff

3 things I wish

• Better health
• A new MacBook
• A trip to the States

3 things that calm me down

• Liz
• Zola
• Music

3 things that stresses me out

• When it’s messy at home
• Being surrounded by a lot of people, I don’t know, in a small area
• Unexpected food situations

3 things I’m gonna do this weekend

• No
• Idea
• Yet

3 things I’ve done this past week

• Picked up my longboard
• Finished “Seriously…I’m kidding” by Ellen DeGeneres
• Done fall clothes shopping

List found here.

1. Where’s your cellphone?
Beside me here on the desk.

2. Where’s your second half?
She’s sitting at the kitchen table, talking to her parents on her computer.

3. Your hair?
Blond. Pretty long, but right now in a pony tail.

4. Your mood?
Tired of being sick. Emotional and a bit nervous.

5. Your plan for today?
It’s around 6pm now when I’m writing this (Thursday evening) so my plan is to put on some other clothes and take a few steps outside – get some fresh air. The just crash on the couch, watch some TV and just be.

6. What’s the best you know?
Gaaaah. So many things. But to spend my time with Liz (my wife) and our cat, Zola. To travel – explore new and old places. Be with friends. Unplanned after work on a warm summer day. To wake up in the archipelago and the day is gonna be warm and I’m gonna spend it with people I love. To ride a motor boat. The first breath outside an airport when have landed in the States and you know you have plenty of days to just soak up being in the States – drink local craft beer, order food from the food trucks, hang out with friends and family, see and be in the Smokey Mountains, endless road trips. Strawberries. To arrive with the train in Stockholm with no plans made but the streets of Stockholm are all ours. A crisp fall day with colored leaves and a clear blue sky. The first snow in December. American Holidays. Swedish Holidays. Thanksgiving food. Ok, I can keep going…but this can totally be its own post (good to focus on positive stuff).

7. My dream last night?
Can’t remember..but I had a frustrated feeling inside of me when I woke up :/

8. My goal in life?
To have our home base in Sweden, but also own a place in the States where we can go whenever we want to, and work from there. To explore the world. Have fun. Be healthy. Always, always be with Liz.

9. The room I’m in?
Our living room here in Uppsala, Sweden. Sitting by the desk.

10. My hobby?
Music (play the piano/guitar and sing) and another soon to be hobby which will be announced in the very near future. Tee hee.

11. My fear?
A lot. Not gonna focus on that right now…

12. Where would you like to be in six years?
September 2021 and I’m 37. I wanna sit in our loft cabin in the Smokey Mountains, close to Asheville in North Carolina, USA. It’s just the beginning of fall but still pretty warm. It will be a long weekend since it’s Labor Day Weekend so we’re gonna head out with friends and grill out. Perhaps a road trip to the beach as well is planned in.

13. Where were you yesterday evening?
Home on the couch the whole evening.

14. What are you not?
Ready for the darkness to come and the cold. To not have a trip planned in, in the near future (as of having and plane tickets and a date when I know I’m going).

15. Something I wish?
To be healthy. Money for an apartment/house. A trip planned in.

16. Where did you grow up?
Norrköping.

17. What you latest did?
Worked!

18. My clothes?
A black Uppsala t-shirt I got for free from Uppsala city when I moved here and cozy pants.

19. Your TV?
Is hanging on the wall here in the living room. Turned off.

20. Your pet?
Zola, the cat!

21. Your computer?
An iMac and a MacBook Pro.

22. My best thing I own?
My computers and our couch?

23. Do you miss anyone?
YES! A lot of people who are not living in the same city or country as we do. (And some people who live here, we haven’t seen in a long time).

24. Your car?
Gaaaah. I miss our Hyundai Santa Fe we had in the States. We don’t have a car right now, but I wouldn’t mind a Mini Cooper or a Nissan Juke.

25. Something you’re not wearing?
High heels.

26. Favorite store?
Whole Foods. Weekday. Best Buy, and many other American stores.

27. Your summer?
Like this.

28. Do you love anyone?
Yes. Liz ♥

29. Favorite color?
Turquoise.

30. When did you laugh last?
Yesterday.

31. When did you cry last?
This morning.

Found, copied, and then translated to English from: Sandra Beijer.