Stockholm syndrome
Solomon came to stay! Such a whirlwind visit. I'm glad I was organised this time and whisked her away, with Toby also, to Stockholm. The weather was stunning- that bright clear sunshine that fails to warm, but succeeds in setting off this beautiful city where you are rarely far from stretches of sparkling blue water. It felt good to get out of London, and put a little something special between finishing at the BFI on Tuesday and beginning at the BBC on Monday. And traveling with friends is so wonderful- I'm so lucky I've gotten to do it two months in a row!
Ok, so, highlights I need to reflect on.
Whilst there we went on a bike ride to Skansen, an crazy open-air museum on Djurgården - the garden island as I liked to call it. It was hard to describe, but it felt to me to be the perfect national museum. The concept is that the huge site represents a tiny model of Sweden, with traditional buildings moved from all over Sweden and placed around the site, then also farm animals on mini farms, and at the top a selection of wild animals you'd find in North Sweden like Brown bears, bison and lynx. Oh then a mini town with all types of shops with people in costume selling you cinnamon buns and blowing glass. Every now and then we'd wander into beautiful little areas with no one around, walking through bluebells and marveling at how beautiful peasant dwellings were. How can painting a wooden hut red make it so bloody nice? Hmm maybe this is like how I find certain blocks of 1970s council flats stunningly beautiful. I'm not sure if its insulting in a way to rave about these dwellings for really poor people, but I guess not so much as its not like I'm romanticising their poverty or anything. I just find them aesthetically so pleasing, in the sense of their minimalism without the pretense of an expensive building that is "minimalist." The simple rectangle shapes of the wooden houses and the bright red wood stain against the bright blue sky was so exciting!
THE WORLD'S BIGGEST TWISTER BOARD!
The things that were annoying about Stockholm were the difficultly of getting booze - the only place other than bars to buy it is state run off licenses that close at 7 and in bars a pint of lager cost around £6.50 - and the lack of gays. Well not so much a lack, but it seems traditionally in Sweden they have been pretty lovely tolerant people and a gay culture like we have has never really risen. And so there isn't a scene as such, as gays just hang out in regular bars, and certain ones are known for being more gay leaning than others- but its an imprecise art. Not that I went to Sweden for boys, but its nice to have a little holiday kiss, y'know?
On the second night we were far more organised than the first, and went to the System Bolaget and bought a ton of extra strong Kopparberg and other funny drinks. Its such a weird system - all the booze is behind glass on display, and you have to go to a counter and request what you want from a lady who I assume is required by the government to look at you judgmentally. But yay we got drunk. Toby and I then went to a bar which had been recommended whilst Momma was asleep and met this beautiful boy called Jonas who for some reason decided to show us a good time and took us to several bars where he succeeded in getting us in for free (saying we were from the UK Film council wtf??) and encouraging us to pick up drinks that people had left around the bar (apparently Sweden is too wholesome to have to worry about spiking or whatnot). I took this encouragement to heart and got so wasted a bouncer suggested I leave (I was the level of drunk that is considered normal at lunchtime in London I reckon) but then did embarrass myself trying to come on to Jonas I think, then vomit and sleep in the corridor at the hostel (which wasn't that kind of hostel - signs everywhere saying "silence at 11" and "NO PARTY").
I wish Solomon's stay had been longer so we could have had some more 1-on-1 time. But I always say that whenever she comes to stay. I think I really need to go pay her a visit in Boston. It really is my turn to take the flight. I could combine this with NY and then San Fran with Charlie, a plan he seemed really into. But then I really wanna see lots more of Europe this Summer. And then maybe I should save all my money for a bigger trip. Agh this is so symptomatic of where my head is at right now. I feel so adrift. I'm still so sad about the funding issues with uni, an wish so much I could be going in September. I DON'T LIKE WORKING. Its lame. I'm not cut out for it. And thats not because I'm lazy or whatever. I just don't see why I should waste so much of my time on unimportant uninteresting things. 40 hours a week is SO much of your life.
This is tuning into an overlong entry but I need to record my illness. It is an illness that blighted the last few days that Solomon was here, from my point of view at least. I've had tonsilitis AGAIN. I struggled into the BBC for my first 2 days, feeling so rough, not sleeping well at nights (having to change clothes several times due to horrific amounts of sweating), wanting to cry constantly through pain/exhaustion. Finally I conceded yesterday and stayed at home, this decision eased by the fact that my placement pretty much sucks so far. I'm now on my second day at home, feeling the pencillin kick in and reading lots and trying to figure out my life AGAIN. At least one thing looks certain - they have finally agreed my tonsils need to be removed. Hurrah!
Ok, so, highlights I need to reflect on.
Whilst there we went on a bike ride to Skansen, an crazy open-air museum on Djurgården - the garden island as I liked to call it. It was hard to describe, but it felt to me to be the perfect national museum. The concept is that the huge site represents a tiny model of Sweden, with traditional buildings moved from all over Sweden and placed around the site, then also farm animals on mini farms, and at the top a selection of wild animals you'd find in North Sweden like Brown bears, bison and lynx. Oh then a mini town with all types of shops with people in costume selling you cinnamon buns and blowing glass. Every now and then we'd wander into beautiful little areas with no one around, walking through bluebells and marveling at how beautiful peasant dwellings were. How can painting a wooden hut red make it so bloody nice? Hmm maybe this is like how I find certain blocks of 1970s council flats stunningly beautiful. I'm not sure if its insulting in a way to rave about these dwellings for really poor people, but I guess not so much as its not like I'm romanticising their poverty or anything. I just find them aesthetically so pleasing, in the sense of their minimalism without the pretense of an expensive building that is "minimalist." The simple rectangle shapes of the wooden houses and the bright red wood stain against the bright blue sky was so exciting!
THE WORLD'S BIGGEST TWISTER BOARD!
The things that were annoying about Stockholm were the difficultly of getting booze - the only place other than bars to buy it is state run off licenses that close at 7 and in bars a pint of lager cost around £6.50 - and the lack of gays. Well not so much a lack, but it seems traditionally in Sweden they have been pretty lovely tolerant people and a gay culture like we have has never really risen. And so there isn't a scene as such, as gays just hang out in regular bars, and certain ones are known for being more gay leaning than others- but its an imprecise art. Not that I went to Sweden for boys, but its nice to have a little holiday kiss, y'know?
On the second night we were far more organised than the first, and went to the System Bolaget and bought a ton of extra strong Kopparberg and other funny drinks. Its such a weird system - all the booze is behind glass on display, and you have to go to a counter and request what you want from a lady who I assume is required by the government to look at you judgmentally. But yay we got drunk. Toby and I then went to a bar which had been recommended whilst Momma was asleep and met this beautiful boy called Jonas who for some reason decided to show us a good time and took us to several bars where he succeeded in getting us in for free (saying we were from the UK Film council wtf??) and encouraging us to pick up drinks that people had left around the bar (apparently Sweden is too wholesome to have to worry about spiking or whatnot). I took this encouragement to heart and got so wasted a bouncer suggested I leave (I was the level of drunk that is considered normal at lunchtime in London I reckon) but then did embarrass myself trying to come on to Jonas I think, then vomit and sleep in the corridor at the hostel (which wasn't that kind of hostel - signs everywhere saying "silence at 11" and "NO PARTY").
I wish Solomon's stay had been longer so we could have had some more 1-on-1 time. But I always say that whenever she comes to stay. I think I really need to go pay her a visit in Boston. It really is my turn to take the flight. I could combine this with NY and then San Fran with Charlie, a plan he seemed really into. But then I really wanna see lots more of Europe this Summer. And then maybe I should save all my money for a bigger trip. Agh this is so symptomatic of where my head is at right now. I feel so adrift. I'm still so sad about the funding issues with uni, an wish so much I could be going in September. I DON'T LIKE WORKING. Its lame. I'm not cut out for it. And thats not because I'm lazy or whatever. I just don't see why I should waste so much of my time on unimportant uninteresting things. 40 hours a week is SO much of your life.
This is tuning into an overlong entry but I need to record my illness. It is an illness that blighted the last few days that Solomon was here, from my point of view at least. I've had tonsilitis AGAIN. I struggled into the BBC for my first 2 days, feeling so rough, not sleeping well at nights (having to change clothes several times due to horrific amounts of sweating), wanting to cry constantly through pain/exhaustion. Finally I conceded yesterday and stayed at home, this decision eased by the fact that my placement pretty much sucks so far. I'm now on my second day at home, feeling the pencillin kick in and reading lots and trying to figure out my life AGAIN. At least one thing looks certain - they have finally agreed my tonsils need to be removed. Hurrah!