My claim to fame...

During my year in Japan, I lost something I never thought I would lose - my fear of singing in front of people. In Japan it's natural. Everybody does it - even the shy ones. You're almost weird if you don't sing. I can't say I'm a very good singer but it doesn't matter- in fact, it's better if you suck. It's more fun that way. Nobody will look down on you, everybody will laugh WITH you and not AT you. I miss karaoke!!

The below video is from October 2007, when me and D went on a 2 week trip to Japan. We had a blast!!

Ugly suit

Mr.Warren Buffett - (the world's most) Famous investor - Fashion victim?

In finance, most of the management positions are occupied by men. Old men in ugly suits. I don't know why the finance industry is so infected by such fashion sense, when every single company in the square mile has a strict dress code:

"Skirts no shorter than knee length", "Denim trousers not allowed", "no sleeve-less tops"... What about "no ill-fitting trousers that are clenched in your buttocks" or "no ties shorter than 20cm" or why not (for men) "no shirts with the level of transparency that nipples and chest hair are visible".

It seems most of the restrictions in the dress code are directed towards women. However, I would say that women, in most cases, are far better dressers than men. So why do so many men in finance dress poorly? I do think many of them try to look, good, or more importantly - POWERFUL, but it just doesn't work - not always anyways.

I think women need to set the standard. We need more women in the board rooms and management positions - they will certainly shape it up. Obviously that's not the most important reason they need to be there. I think the overwhelming amount of ugly suits in finance is just another symptom of the inequality of the business... There are so few women in the top. Hopefully that will change soon!

Then we will show the world that management skills CAN be combined with good fashion sense!

*please note that I am aware that there are good exceptions to my generalisations....

Fuzzy navel

I can't understand how some people seem to produce fluffy stuff in their bellybuttons!! I can always find it in D's bellybutton and mine is always clean!! How do you do this guys?

Patriotism

ABBA - the Swedish pride. But I must admit I can't tell who is Björn and who's Benny
H&M the bitter rival of ZARA

IKEA - the non-official second Swedish embassy abroad

When I get a bit homesick, I go to H&M (I don't get REALLY homesick, I just have a longing feeling for Sweden sometimes...). It's like a little piece of Sweden that I can bring home in a plastic bag. Then I can re-use that plastic bag to put my lunch box in... but that's not the point...

IKEA also works for my home sickness. They have Swedish food I can munch on to bring me back to my true spirits. Food I never thought I would crave - I now crave. It is weird. Just because I cannot take Swedish food for granted anymore - I want it - like a child. I even promote it to non Swedes. "Mmm!!! This is very nice!! Try these SWEDISH biscuits!! They are called Havreflarn! Did I mention they are Swedish? Sooooo nice!!". I am even promoting ABBA for crying out loud! I sometimes claim they are living legends... Which might be a bit over the top, but who cares, I am proud of them! Mama Mia!

As a foreigner abroad, you sometimes discover that your mission is to enlighten people about what it is like being Swedish. I have learned so much about Sweden after having moved abroad because people ask me complicated political, geographical, gastronomical, cultural and behavioural questions about Sweden and Swedes so I have had to do some serious studying (hello Wikipedia!!).

I was kind of fed up with some of the Stockholm attitude when I left Sweden and, as people many times do, was only focusing on the negative. Living abroad has really changed that. It's made me more patriotic. Heja Sverige!

True love

These are brothers or cousins of my true love

(Almost) all women know what I'm talking about when I say it is possible to fall in love with a handbag... That warm feeling you get when you have found THE Bag. It's even speaking to you: "I want to be yours. I love you as much as you love me! Please take me home with you and take care of me. I will never let you down!" The words you have been longing to hear... Although...

Love of this kind is not always uncomplicated. There are obstacles... Almost like in a classic love story - like the families Montague and Capulet trying to keep Romeo and Juliet apart... It is doing it's best to keep you and your loved one apart - your bank account. Even your credit card is on your side, because it will let you swipe - "swooosh!" But you bank account will hunt you down even if it takes till the end of the month...

That's why I am mending my broken heart... I'm too afraid my bank account will punish me if I buy that Prada bag. It was love at first sight. But I haven't given up! One day... One day, I say: "you will be mine!!!"

The Swedish language

Swedish people at a house party, saying Swedish expressions... OK, none of us i 100% Swedish...

My dear cool friend Maria, sent me an email today, with a link to a webpage with Swedish idiomatic expressions. Maria herself wrote something brilliant about it in her Blog and I got inspired.....

It made me remember the charming silliness of the Swedish language. I forwarded it to another Swedish friend, A, who also lives in London and who also shares the same appreciation for silly Swedish expressions as me and Maria, having lived outside of Sweden for quite some time now.

The best thing about the expressions really shows when you translate them into another language. Let's give it a shot with English and Spanish:

One of A's favourite ones is:
"Bang on the beetroot!" which means straight to the point. In Spanish it would be: "Bang en la remolacha!"

My favourite one is:

"Now there will be other buns!" which means ther will be a radical change - it can be used in both a negative and positive context. In Spanish: "Ahora habran otros bollos!"

Maria's favourite is:
"The wheel is turning but the hamster is dead" - a way to describe a not too clever person... In Spanish: "La rueda da vueltas pero el hamster está muerto"...

I admit I have just picked some of the raisins out of the cake, but the "Bang on the beetroot" is really the dot over the "i". I think it is safe to say that the thing is beef - Swedish idiomatic expressions will most likely cheer you up in some weird way. That is why I will put Rhubarbs on a few and keep my toungue correctly in my mouth and say them more often - even in English. Who said Swedish idiomatic expressions were nothing to hang in the Christmas tree?! ;-)

Peer pressure...?

Me a mommy? No, I don't think I have the right holding technique yet...and I care too much about my fingernails... (Kid (Iván) kindly provided by Cristóbal and Isa)

I didn't really see it coming, but suddenly it was there... the "preassure". I'm at that age when friends around me are starting to get married and worse: they are having children! Gosh! A few years ago I could say: "I'm too young and want to do so many things before I even start to think about that!!" Now that's not true anymore. I'm not too young for it.

It's not that I have anything against marriage or that I don't like kids, because I do want to get married one day and have kids (when I have gotten rid of my fear of them!) one day. I just feel "not just yet". I feel like a kid myself! But somehow it's getting harder and harder to dodge the questions like "So when are YOU TWO...?? *wink,wink*" My answer is always "Hahahahaaa.. eeeeh....heeee...*walking away*"

I have 2 weddings to go to so far this year -one in Ohio, United States and the other one in Turin, Italy - strangely enough I always cry during the ceremony - it's just so beautiful!!! My first and most emotional one was when my best friend Maria got married to her Visa. So beautiful and I was bu-huing like a child who lost his candy!!

Another wedding we must not forget is the one of Princess Victoria of Sweden and that guy with the gym.... (really shows how much I pay attention to the royal news..) That's going to be some wedding party! If only I could take some Swedish tax payer money to plan MY wedding!! Then I would surely get married!

Nah...

I will dance at a few other weddings before I dance at my own... Over and out

Mallorca is a very nice place...

Me and my friends and ex colleagues Tim, Micaela and Joaquin at Cosa Nostra in Palma

I liked living in Mallorca for many reasons - the climate (sunny) and the food being two of them but far from being the most important ones. On top of the list of things I like about Mallorca is: friends and family.

I really like the way people go out for a dinner at a good restaurant, order what you feel like having without looking at the prices too much. You have a nice meal with good wine and in good company and when the bill comes you don't feel like you were just robbed!!! Wonderful!

And another VERY important reason why Mallorca is so great: the Sobrassada... It's like a spicy soft sausage that you spread on a piece of bread...Mmmmm!!! The very best one is the one we get from Micaela, which is from Felanitx - made by her and her family!!! It is heavenly!!!! Gracias Micaela!!!

Driving... is cool

The other day I found out I had to renew my drivers licence. Gosh! 10 years flew by just like that! I remember, just after getting my licence, I got my parents permission to use the old Ford Sierra from the year of -86. It wasn't the fanciest car, but I was certainly proud to drive it to school! When other students passed me and my friends (that I would drive home) by in the school parking lot on their way to catch the bus, I remember hoping that they were at least a little bit jealous of us... I know it's soooo childish, but back in those days it was so important! You had to get some cred and a drivers licence definitely gave you some more C-R-E-D.

Here in London I don't even use it. I'm so used to the cars driving on the wrong side here I'm a little bit worried I might drive a la "British style" in Sweden if I don't pay attention...

I must say I am happy to renew my licence for a very vain reason. My photo. I look like a shiny tomato! Whenever a friend asks to see my drivers licence I always feel like I have to explain that I had run all the way to the photographer's and that it was very hot that day... My new photo is much better, so hopefully I won't fee like I have to explain the circumstances of it for the next 10 years...

Deers can be dangerous!!!