Category Archives: Thoughts

Shejkens nyårsquiz

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Alla som behöver ett quiz till nyår eller till vilken fest som helst. Ta gärna del av detta för inspiration eller bara att testa dina egna, samt nära och käras kunskaper om året som varit.

2014 i backspegeln, vad minns du?

Januari

Den 7 januari lamslås USA:s huvudstad Washington av en enorm iskyla. Det är den värsta kylan på 140 år.
A) Hur kallt var det, som värst, i USA denna dag? Svara i Celsius
B) 0 grader Celsius är exakt hur många grader Fahrenheit?
C) Vem har gjort filmen Fahrenheit 9/11?

Februari

Det händer mycket i öst. Sotji-OS inleds och Ukrainas president avsätts. Vilka tre länder toppade medaljligan sett till antal medaljer oavsett valör?

Lista i ordning där nummer ett är det land som fick flest medaljer.

Mars

Den 8 mars försvinner ett flygplan. Det är LOST-hysteri i världen och teorier kring försvinnandet uppdagas.
A) Vilket flygbolag och vilket nummer var det på planet som försvann?
B) Till vilken stad var flygplanet på väg?
C) Vad heter läkaren i Lost som på sina bara knän bad till Kate att de ”gotta go back!”?

April

Den 29 april hittas 50 mumier vid en arkeologisk utgrävning i Konungarnas Dal.
A) I vilken stad ligger Konungarnas Dal?
B) Arkeologen Indiana Jones pappa spelas av Sean Connery. Denna Sean gjorde i slutet av sin aktiva karriär ett felval i klass med Loket då han tackade nej till en stor roll till fördel för en annan. Vilken känd fiktiv karaktär tackade Sean Connery nej till att gestalta på film?

Maj

Den 10 maj vinner Österrike ESC2014. Det är andra gången i historien som Österrike vinner.
A) Vad hette artisten som framförde Österrikes bidrag Rise Like A Phoenix?
B) Vad kallades artisten famöst på diverse sociala medier?
C) Fågel Fenix är mytomspunnen. Men vilken typ av fågel är han?

Juni

Den 11 juni friges massmördaren Mattias Flink efter 20 år i fängelse.
A) I vilken stad den 11 juni 1994 gick Flink bärsärk?
B) Hur många promille hade han i blodet vid testet efter gripandet?

Juli

Det är värmebölja i hela landet och i grannlandet i väst träder en lagförändring i kraft som ännu ej verkställts i Sverige. En lagförändring inom ett område som flitigt debatterats i vårt eget hemland.
A) Vilken lagförändring trädde i kraft i Norge den 29 juli 2014?
B) Vilket djur upptäcks utanför Bohuslän som ett led av den värmebölja som sköljde över landet?

Augusti

De 8 augusti hittas 14-år gamla Raudhatul i den indonesiska djungeln. Flickan försvann i tsunamin år 2004, då endast 4 år gammal.
A) Vad heter författaren till Djungelboken som utkom 1894?
B) Vad heter den nu avlidne skådespelaren som gör röst åt pantern Bagheera i den svenska versionen av Disney-klassikern med samma namn?

September

Den 13 september förklarar USA krig mot Islamistiska staten.
A) Vem spelar den kvinnliga huvudrollen i serien Homeland?

Oktober

Den 2 oktober blir Stefan Löfven vald till Sveriges statsminister och två veckor senare påbörjas en ubåtsjakt i Stockholms skärgård. Men allt är inte kaos i världen. Den 4 oktober föder en kvinna fram ett barn efter att ha genomgått en livmodertransplantation. Detta är första gången i historien detta sker.
A) I vilket land sker födseln?
B) Vem är ställföreträdare till Stefan Löfven?
C) Vilket år utkom boken Jakten på Röd Oktober?

November

Filmen Interstellar har premiär den 7 november. I Christopher Nolans episka rymddrama ser vi bland andra Anne Hathaway och Michael Caine.
A) Vem gjorde musiken till filmen Interstellar?
B) I vilken låt av bandet Kent nämns skådespelaren Michael Caine?

December

Det är juletid i vårt avlånga land och en ny julvärd sätter sig tillrätta i Arnes gamla stol.
Kvällspressen basunerar ut att det är en riktig succé för Henrik Dorsin.
A) Vad är Henrik Dorsins bror Mikael känd för?
B) Hur gammal var Henrik Dorsin när han önskade eder alla en riktig god jul?

Facit är postat som en kommentar.

Gott Nytt År! 

2014

The Sad Fairytale of New York

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What’s the first thing you think of when I say Kirsty MacColl? Probably the song Fairytale of New York by The Pogues. Kirsty features on this always-voted-number-one-Christmas-song that each December makes it possible for Shane MacGowan to order in another round of yearly gin and tonics. The story you are about to read is not a fairy tale at all. Its a tale and verdict on how horribly cruel life can be at times. So cherish the moments we are here for.

Besides being blessed with a heavenly voice Kirsty was also one of the few people to get really close to Steven Patrick Morrissey. kirsty-morrisseyThe two friends cherished moments and memories together. When Morrissey moved to Los Angeles they remained in contact and for Christmas in the year of 2000 Kirsty wanted to go on a sunny holiday with her two children. She knew that Morrissey had spent a lot of time in Mexico and called her old friend to get some good insights. They spoke for great length about nothing at all and everything at all. Kirsty ended the conversation by asking Morrissey about Mexico. The front man of The Smiths gave his blessings of the country and told Kirsty about how much he loved it there and how he travels across the border every each week. It was decided. Kirsty was to spend her Christmas holiday with her children far away from Galway Bay and cars big as bars.

Mexico lived up to Morrissey’s promise and the MacColl family spent their days by the water.

On December 19 Morrissey hear his phone ring while back in the United Kingdom where he is to celebrate Christmas. On the other side of the line he can hear a voice telling him that Kirsty is dead. She was killed when saving her two sons from being hit by a speeding powerboat while they were snorkeling.

Morrissey travels back to Los Angeles after New Years Eve. When he enters his home he can see a postcard on his hallway floor. He looks at it and it features an overview of the blue sea and a lovely beach. He flips the card and on the back of it he reads:
Steven, its wonderful here. 
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Love x Kirsty 

Wikipedia entry on the death of Kirsty MacColl

Kort om Klas

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Jag minns som liten hur jag sprang omkring med mina kusiner på landstället i Östergötland och spelade fotboll varenda minut som solen var framme. Det var sommar. Det var hett. Året var 1994. Och solen var framme nästan hela tiden.

Morfar brukade gå bredvid och klippa gräset åt oss. Planen skulle ju vara perfekt. När solen gick ned och dag blev natt förflyttade vi oss inomhus för att titta på VM-matcherna som spelades på andra sidan Atlanten. Där hade precis dag blivit natt. Det var konstigt tyckte jag.

Något som inte var konstigt var att morfars favorit i Sveriges landslag var Klas Ingesson. Morfar gillade mittfältskämpen Ingesson av den enkla anledningen att han var just en kämpe. Han sprang och sprang. En riktig fighter. Att han precis som morfar också var från Östergötland gjorde inte saken sämre.

Nästa dag när vi stack ut och spelade igen sa morfar åt mig, “kämpa som Klabbe!”.
Det minns jag med glädje. Nu är året 2014 och 20 år efter VM-sommaren utanför Norrköping finns varken morfar eller Klas Ingesson kvar. Två riktiga kämpar. Cancer finns tyvärr fortfarande kvar. Och det finns inget mer orättvist än det.

När jag under dagen Googlar: “Klas Ingesson” får jag upp denna bild. Och det gör mig i all ledsamhet lite glad. För det är så här en person ska bli ihågkommen. På den absoluta toppen. Med solen i ögonen och en segernäve i skyn. Klas Ingesson

Dansken

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Det är svårt att sätta ord på lycka. Men riktig lycka uppkommer först efter lite motgång. Så måste det väl vara? Ty livet ska vara som en EKG-linje – det måste gå rikligt upp och ned för att det ska kännas att man lever. Lever man livet som en rak linje kan man lika gärna vara död. Det är mer spännande att åka bergochdalbana än godståg.

Jag tror nog Kim Larsen beskriver detta bergochdalbaneliv bäst i sitt monumentala minspel och lyrik till låten Gør mig lykkelig.

Den åldrade och allegedly alkoholiserade dansken kan sin sak.
Se, njut, lyssna, och lär:

Hvis du føler det er færdigt før det er forbi hvis du fælder en tåre af melankoli

Melankoli

Melankoli

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Så lad mig sige dig dette

Oraklet

Oraklet

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

husk vel derpå af skuffet kærlighed skal verden bestå

Och när livet är som tyngst för gode Kim, då hittar han ljuset i tunneln. Ur sviken kärlek uppkommer tydligen någon form av lust och fägring stor. För när det är som mörkast, då släpper han sin gitarr, lutar sig bakåt, och sedermera torrjuckar i takt med bryggan. En brygga som sedan brister ut i sommardoftande tuggummipop och den finaste av refränger. Och att någon i publiken samtidigt viftar med en krycka, i detta underbara liveklipp, det är ren och skär lycka.

Larsen4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lycklig

Lycklig

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hoppas att han återigen ska bli lycklig. Eller Lykke Li som han säger. Och jag kan bara hoppas att det var härifrån popdrottningen tog sitt namn. Det hade varit hennes största bedrift i min bok.

Why to fight fire with fire

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It is spreading like fire. The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has, through the means of celebrities and social media, spread up north to the country of Sweden. As I was nominated by a mate of mine from the UK I stood at crossroads. Was I to continue this trend and pour a bucket of ice water over myself and create awareness for Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or was I to let it be, donate a few  bucks and just wait for this viral phenomena die out. Because let’s be honest, it will.

After pondering about for some minutes I decided, why not. Let’s fight fire with fire. If it will make people unite across the globe and create awareness of something millions suffer from, then its a good thing, a good cause. And for myself, as I saw Liam Gallagher do it I really had no choice.

I’ve read claims that the idea behind the challenge is stupid, you poor water to not have to donate money. But let’s be honest for a second again, who does that. Only a few I hope. Most people get wet and then pull out their wallet. Like it should be. And if you are unable to donate due to financial reasons, at least you spread the thread further and it will involve more people, and more money will be brought in.

I’ve also read claims that only narcissists take part in the challenge. I highly doubt that as well. Narcissists are probably the ones that take part and then have to explain in text why they acted that way. And seriously though, if more people now know who Lou Gehrig is, then the world is a slightly more knowledgeable place to be at. So keep on pouring ice and fight fire with fire.

Fyra år med Filip och Fredrik

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Torsdagar. Mina pappa hade ärtsoppa och pannkakor. Jag har Filip och Fredriks Podcast. Det är ingen slump att jag nämner min far och inte min mor för denna text ska handla om två män som allt som oftast pratar med varandra om andra män. Och jag älskar det. Filip och Fredrik

Rutiner är härligt. Rutiner ger trygghet. Kaffe på morgonen. Samma väg till jobbet. Kioskgubben som vet vilket snus man köper. De tre kulor glass man väljer i struten. Boken och badet på kvällen. Listan kan göras lång. Min härligaste rutin under mina late 20’s har utan större konkurrens varit den dryga timme jag fått varje torsdag med mina ledsagare Filip och Fredrik. På väg hem från jobbet har jag tryckt in lurarna och tryckt på play. Och då självklart varit så oerhört mottaglig för denna typ av okomplicerad underhållning. Lätta steg, rapp dialog i öronen, och på språng mot friheten. Det hela är och har varit en perfect storm av känslor. Jag har fått ta del av anekdoter, skvaller, åsikter, och debatter. Till stor del om ämnen som just jag intresserar mig för. Podcasten har varit min vän, och sfären kring den har varit mitt bollplank. Det har varit som en förfestdialog utan alkohol – rakt in i mina öron från min telefon. 200 avsnitt, 200 timmar, och jag har lyssnat på varje minut.

Det händer mycket under fyra år. Arbetsplatser ändras. Vänskapsband växer sig starkare eller brister. Platser besöks. Kärlek uppstår. Och försvinner lika snabbt. Det så ofrånkomliga allvaret i att bli vuxen, på riktigt, kryper sig på likt ett annalkande oväder. Podcasten har dock funnits där som en konstant. En oföränderlig storhetsstund som ingett ett lugn i en föränderlig och hektisk vardag. När nu Filip och Fredrik gör sin 200:e-podcast live från ett sprängfyllt Globen känns det som att något tar slut. An era comes to an end. Jag är orolig. Vad händer härnäst? Jag vill inte att min torsdagsrutin ska försvinna. Min generations ärtsoppa med pannkakor smakar ju så jävla bra.
The Last Waltz

Självklart är jag på plats i Globen. Likt jag var för avsnitt hundra i Berwaldhallen. Men det kommer vara med en viss ledsamhet, för när jag lämnar lokalen är jag säker på att något har förändrats. Stormen har blåst över.

Alla ni som lyssnat på podcasten – Jag är säker på att ni kan känna er igen i detta. Vissa i stora mått mätt, andra i mindre. Ni som har stått utanför sfären på eget bevåg eller av misstag, ta chansen och njut av alla tidlösa avsnitt som finns sparade för eftervärlden. Om inte är det er loss. Jag vet att jag kommer lyssna igen. Och minnas platserna jag var på, vännerna jag var med, och allt annat som hände under dessa fyra år. Det är jag tacksam för.

Den första personen som kommenterade ett inlägg i denna självterapeutiska megafon till webbplats var faktiskt Fredrik Wikingsson. Och det är en annan sak som gjort Filip och Fredriks Podcast så STARK. Vi som lyssnat har fått vara med. Från Virre i norr till Andolf i söder. Vi har varit en del av gänget.

Fredrik skrev; “Lovely, my good man! Keep it up!!” och det ska jag fan göra. Med eller utan podcasten i lurarna. Även om jag innerligt hoppas att även podcasten tågar ut med vind i seglen ur detta centurium så vi tillsammans kan gå in i ålderdomens dementia och uppleva solnedgången av våra liv tillsammans. Om inte så kan jag ändå se mig stå där en dag på ett ålderdomshem, med en iPhone i handen och introlåten spelandes på högsta volym. Och när sjukhuspersonalen frågar vad jag håller i är jag säker på mitt svar: “I don’t know what it is, but I think it has something to do with me”.

För jävlar vad dom här åren och timmar med podcasten har påverkat mig. Okomplicerat men ack så självklart. Vi syns på vägarna!

Coke, Death, Roasts, and Greg Giraldo

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Whenever a celebrity dies I have a feeling that my own inevitable death comes closer.
It’s a big chunk of a reality check when someone famous dies, because if the immortals die, so do we. And in the shadow of the death of actor Philip Seymour Hoffman I came to think about one celebrity death that really affected me. The death of comedian Greg Giraldo. Greg Giraldo

I discovered Giraldo through the Comedy Central Roasts. The events held twice every year to honor some washed out celebrity that needed air-time enough to say: yeah sure, they can verbally shit on me on national television.

Giraldo was always the first roaster on stage. The reason for this was simple – he was always the best. If the dais included eight people telling jokes you most likely would find two people bombing, five people doing well, and one doing great. That one was always Greg Giraldo. Hence the production company wanting to kick off every roast in style, Giraldo was always up first.

In 2006 Star Trek hero and author William Shatner was the center of attention at the Comedy Central Roast. Two of the comedians on the dais were Greg Giraldo and Artie Lange. Lange famous for battling demons and drug use throughout his life met Giraldo at the JFK airport in New York. They were both scheduled on the same flight down to LA for the taping of the show. As Lange approached Giraldo he could see that something was wrong. Giraldo, spastic, blurred out: “Fuck Artie, I’m off the wagon. I’ve been on a three day coke binge, I can’t do this man, I can’t get on this flight. I’m not gonna make the roast!”.

Artie, having experienced the same in his life, but sober at the time, calmed Giraldo down and told him, “we will make it Greg! I’ll make sure we get down to LA safely”.
Making sure they got seats next to each other on the plane Lange provided Giraldo with Valium and talked to his fellow comedian throughout the flight. Giraldo survived but was at the time of arrival in LA so strung out that he directly called his dealer. Lange held on to Giraldo and forced him to bail out on his drug-meeting and instead follow him to the hotel.

He checked in together with Giraldo and followed him up to his room. In the hotel suite Lange stayed up forcing Giraldo to take a shower, another Valium, and go to bed. After talking Giraldo to sleep he stayed in the room to make sure he stayed put. When waking up in the morning they enjoyed a big breakfast together and Giraldo, tearing up, thanked Lange for his companionship and that he helped him through his extremely tough time.
They took a taxi to the venue and Lange ended the cab-ride by stating to Giraldo, “I told you we’d make it!”.

After being introduced by Seinfeld-actor Jason Alexander, Giraldo, as always, was the first roaster to enter the stage.

Giraldo, energetic after a full nights sleep, took the stage with extreme confidence. He opened his roast by saying:

“Artie Lange is here! Artie Lange, you fucking drug addict!”

Greg Giraldo died of an overdose in September of 2010. 
Story told by Artie Lange in WTF podcast with Marc Maron. 

Dark Comedy

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I’ve been interested in dark comedy ever since I read Anthony Jeselnik‘s Tweet on September 11, 2011. Anthony wrote: Today is the 10th anniversary of my first 9/11 joke.

So with that in mind I started to come up with my own dark comedic punchlines to stories we all can relate to.

I have obviously put all of these in my vault but I wanted to share one:

When I was ten years old and the spring semester was just under way I remember that everybody in class talked about that the second Monday in January was the day of the year where most couples decided to break up. It was the day when married people decided to get a divorce.

This was of course very worrying for me as I had heard my parents argue a lot over Christmas. As I walked home from school my gut was filled with anxious butterflies and I was so nervous my hands were shaking. Perhaps it was paranoia, perhaps it was fear of the unexpected and unknown.

As I reach our house I can see through the window that my mother is sitting with a straight back on a chair at our kitchen table. I enter our house and silently take of my winter coat as I hear my mother call: “Sebastian, get in here, we need to talk!”.

“Oh no, they are getting a divorce”, I quickly think to myself as I move over to the kitchen.
“A very sad thing has come up”, says my mother. “Your dad has received the news that he has cancer”.
“Oh My God!”, I think to myself as tears are rapidly dripping down my tiny ten year old face. My father having cancer is even worse than my parents getting a divorce.

“But Mummy, what will happen now?”, I stutter as I continuously cry and soak down the kitchen table.
She looks me calmly in my wet eyes and says:
“You will have to talk to your dad about that, because we are getting a divorce”.

Nelson Mandela tributes from hell

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Winston Churchill once said that “the greatest argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter”.
If Winnie would have lived today he probably would’ve seen a decline in human kind. No moment in life showcase how stupid people are more than when a global celebrity dies.   Because during this 24 hour long spectrum people all over the globe gash out their deep condolences. Comedy comes through pain people so have a look at what some of your fellow human beings posted on the internets in honor of the late Nelson Mandela.

R.I.P. Mandela

Mandela#1

Geordie Shore superstar Gaz honor Nelson on Twitter

Nelson Mandelamandela thatcherCosby

To Tiger

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It was late November in 2007 and the rain was falling down. My college soccer team Jacksonville University had just ended the season with a loss and Thanksgiving was only one week away. With the season coming to an end all players looked forward to enjoy a long weekend at home with their respective families. As international student athletes in the United States my Swedish friend Stefan and I were invited to our team-mate Jordan’s family home to celebrate Thanksgiving with him and his family – The Stantons. Jennifer, Dave, Jordan, Ross, Claire, and Anna embraced us with such hospitality and generosity. During that weekend we were really thankful for being able and invited to be there and to take part in this great American family tradition. It was a weekend of great fun and food. And friendship that would last for a lifetime.

It was the first time I got to celebrate a traditional Thanksgiving and it was also the first time I met Merl McBee. Or as he later asked me to call him – Tiger.

Merl Jefferson McBee Jr. was a close friend to the Stanton Family and had coached Ross in debate and Jordan in soccer. Merl didn’t have a wife or any children but he played just as big part in the Stanton Family as Jennifer, Dave, Jordan, Ross, Claire, and Anna.

Merl took a liking to Stefan and I right away during that Thanksgiving weekend. He thought it was fun that we were from a place so far away. An avid globetrotter himself Merl had traveled the world many times but never made it to Scandinavia. That was about to change. He also enjoyed the fact that we were playing soccer (he refused to call it football) with his old friend and “brother” Jordan.

After that Thanksgiving weekend Merl and I kept in touch. We exchanged e-mails and being a senior citizen with plenty of time on his hands Merl was able to watch our team Jacksonville University play a few games during the season that was to follow.

A lot of people asked Jordan, Stefan, and I who this “old” man was and why we were friends with him. We explained the story behind it all, how we had met, and what a great person Merl was. Some people still thought it was weird and some thought it was funny. And perhaps it was. But you learn a lot from people that has lived for 70 odd years in comparison to the usual 20-something talking heads you have a dialogue with on a daily basis.

In 2008 we once again celebrated Thanksgiving in Kentucky with the Stanton family. Merl was of course present and I remember that we all visited his condo. He was so proud of his movie collection and his extremely huge television. To this day it is still the largest TV I have ever seen. I’ve been to movie theaters that had smaller screens than that one. We watched “I’m Not There” – the movie about Bob Dylan. Merl didn’t like Dylan. Nor did he like The Beatles or Springsteen. We really didn’t have that many popular culture references in common. Merl liked history. He was a very religious person and his favorite contemporary President was George W. Bush. In many ways we were each others complete opposites. But it didn’t matter. Our friendship continued and Merl kept sending those e-mails every week updating me on his life and I kept sending mine back. Not as long, not as detailed, but it was such a great tradition we had. A tradition that would last for over five years.

In 2009 Merl visited Stockholm and Sweden. He spent ten days in Stockholm and he loved it. My brother and I took care of him during these days and Merl got to go to a lot of restaurants, meet many of our friends, spend time in museums, and visit the Royal Palace. Which he loved immensely. He even got interviewed by the largest daily newspaper in Sweden, Dagens Nyheter, about his time in Sweden. He said he liked it “but it was too expensive”.

Perhaps he was thinking about the dinner we had at TGI Friday’s. We were a gathering of around seven people and Merl, as the generous man he is, offered to pay the bill.
When the dinner was over and the bill came Merl looked extremely surprised. He was in shock. The bill of 2000 Swedish Kronors was in Merl’s mind a bill of 2000 American Dollars. Since he knew TGI Friday’s was an american restaurant he expected the bill to be in dollars. It was just the next day when he finally asked us that we could ease him down by saying: “Yeah Tiger, it was expensive, but not that expensive”.

During that week Merl was very specific that we were to call him Tiger when we spoke to him or called for him. The tiger was his favorite animal and he didn’t really have a liking for his name. He said it was okay to call him Merl but when we spoke directly to him he wanted to be called Tiger. Of course we all said. You are Tiger.

Tiger, sleep tight. I’m going to miss your e-mails, your phone-calls, your kind letters, your updates on Facebook, and everything you have done for me, my family, and my friends. But most of all I am going to miss you – a dear dear friend. Tiger and I

Merl Jefferson McBee Jr. passed away at 1.45 a.m. on August 21, 2013, in Prospect, Kentucky, USA.

Update: Here is a picture from Merl’s funeral with some of his friends wearing some of the many hats that he used to wear. A very beautiful photo. 

hats