The plan for Friday had been to head down to Umefolk with lord_kjar and C. as soon as he got off of work, which would have put us there around 20:00 or so. Then dance till they close at 02:00, return home, and have the rest of the weekend (after sleeping) to start unpacking and organizing her stuff into the house. However, he wound up staying up really ( Read more... )

This weekend was the Sorselse Folk Music and Dance week 25 year Jubliee. Sorsele is a small town two river valleys south and far enough inland that one can actually see some small mountains in the distance. One of our good friends, L, from both SCA and Lajv grew up there and now lives in the city of Umeå. She and our friend D, who also lives in ( Read more... )

This weekend we are heading to Sorsele (about three or four hour drive: inland and one river valley south) to attend their Folk Music and Dance Week 25 Year Jubelie We went a couple of years ago as part of a group from the local folk music and dance group, a bunch of us in a rented van, and had a great time. This time we will be staying with one ( Read more... )

Just like every other holiday in Sweden, Midsummer is celebrated on Midsummer Eve, not the day itself. However, in our case the day started the day before that. On Thursday one of our (exchange student) friends from choir, came over for dinner for one last visit before he returns to Germany next week, and then we took him with us to the park in ( Read more... )

This weekend was Spelmansstämman, the big gathering of folk musicians and dancers from all over northern Sweden and further away (including a buss of 20 from Norway, a couple of guys from Germany, one of whom comes every year). It is always a fun event, but this time it was even more fun than usual. A couple of our SCA friends from out of town ( Read more... )

As one might expect for a country which extends so far to the north, midsummer is a rather important holiday. The holiday itself was Friday, the 21st, Midsommarafton. We spent it, as we have every year since I arrived in Sweden (this is my third midsummer here!) with the folk music/dance community. The day started with a gathering at the ( Read more... )

I have enjoyed reading year end summaries/holiday letters from some of my friends and family this week, and it has inspired me to try to see if I can summarize my 2012.

( January = traveling )

This weekend was the annual Spelmansstämma event. "spelmans" in this context means musician's and "stämma" is "meeting", though the word can also mean tune or voice/pitch/part,which is somehow appropriate. For me the weekend started a bit after mid-day on Friday, when lord_kjar and I went out to Gammelstad to help out with the set up. We had signed up ( Read more... )

I have, since starting my current job, made an effort to actually work at my office. This is in contrast to having done most of the work for my PhD at home, and most of that in the evenings and at night. Yet, somehow, it seems appropriate that when working a "real job" that comes with a "real paycheck" to make an effort to be in the building and ( Read more... )

As has become usual for me, I am a bit behind on posting to LJ, let me see if I can remember all of my recent adventures ( Read more... )