Jokers Cave of Games

Just a little thread, a little reminder, about what life is all about. Never forget, it's about being happy. Here are some thoughts on how to be just that... For all of you who need it...  ·           Social bonds. I happen to be somewhat, if not overly, introverted by nature. Some would perhaps disagree but considering the definition of introversion, I am. That doesn’t mean that I don’t like people, or interactions. In fact, even though I am introvert by nature, good relationships provide the strongest base for life satisfaction. Instead of surrounding myself with innumerable friends, I choose to have a few deeper connections and really nurture them. Like my family! ·           Make a difference. By making a positive difference in the life of others, I allow them to make a positive difference in mine. By helping and reaching out, I increase my own feeling of self-worth and add meaning to my pitiful lit...

The breakfast. Breaking the nightly fast was something we were looking forward to. Denied the opportunity to eat in the Bistro, we were somewhat starved when the morning finally came. Interestingly, there had been several notes celebrating the splendor of the breakfast, but surprisingly little information providing practical details. In fact, when we went down and started yanking the door, a young lady provided us with the information that it would be another 15-20 minutes before breakfast was served. And then she looked at us and tried to lock the door, as if we would decide to sneak in while her back was turned to snatch a scoop of Kalles kaviar perhaps. Unfortunately, the door wouldn't lock, even after her insistent attempts, so she instead placed a small ashtray outside the door to stop us. Let me just add, for a moment here, that I live in a modern world. I have seen zombie movies, alright? This barrier wouldn't really suffice to stop a horde of ravenous proles, clawing to...

Communities. Society. Collectives. Social gatherings. For some people, these words give comfort and meaning. Together is the banner under which we all gather. There are enormous advantages to be had from a gathering of people, to be sure, and I will laud these in time. Presently, however, I wish to comment on the Towel Event. Towels - are they a sodalitarian resource or the individual's property? I have lived alone for most of my life, and thusly come to cherish the bastion of sanctity constituted by the comfort of my own towel. It smells of me, and I know the creases and wrinkles like the back of my hand. That towel is part of a elite selection of towels that serve only me, personally. Enter the Dames. Yep, that's what I will call the two ladies who govern my life. These Dames seem to consider towels a form of common amenity. You come out of the shower, you grab the one that is free. It's that easy. And the situation grows even more complicated when you consider the fac...

Let us start where we left off. Slow train bed and breakfast. We passed Kutens Bensin, the designated waypoint for turning off the main road (wherein is meant a small asphalt road, barely enough for two cars to pass each other. Then there was a small metal ball on top of a stonewall, a sign that with a shaking handwritten scrawl declared "Slow Train". Turning it, we came upon a garden no less. Parking on the grass, to one side there was a barn with a side that said "Eater" and to the other, a standard residence. The garden was in rickety shape, overgrown and ignored. The cellar entrance to the house had been opened, or swung open by itself, with a sign plastered over it that said "Jimmy Polke Välkommen Hem". For some reason, it brought to mind the return of a lost love one, who spent the last years in jail. Anyway, we moved around the residence to the main entrance and peeked suspiciously at the door. It looked just like somebody lived there. No signs o...

The trip to Gotland turned out to be fascinating and interesting for several reasons. Some of the more surprising travel memories were constituted quite incredulously. We started from the house in Svalsta in the wee morning hours, actually quite some time before the Sun even pondered getting up. I wouldn't say I was flabbergasted by the mood in the vehicle, but not far from it, as all were sparkling happily and busy chatting away. Except for the ones snoring, but I think that's only common sense. Anyway, Nynäshamn, where the ship arrived at the break of dawn for boarding.  The first stop, after landing on the island and having been forced through the mandatory smoking pit-stop, was Lummelunda Grottorna. There are some really famous caves on the west side of Gotland, something the explorer in me just had to see. If you go there, I recommend you bring warm clothes. Temperature outside was about 30 degrees C in the shade. Inside, it's around 8, and you will be there fo...

As many might have noticed, it has been some time since my last input here. This has not been due to lack of events that have transpired, but rather the opposite. In fact, I have a somewhat horrendous backlog of things to write about, if I could just find the time! Some of the happiest moments of my life thus far have transpired, and some of the most sad ones. I have wed my beautiful wife (she helped a bit, naturally... I mostly said... "I do") and been on a very interesting honeymoon... week. Matters have not really calmed down yet. Even though the touching ceremony of the double funeral is now behind us, there remains a lot of stressful matters to attend to. Papers, papers, papers everywhere dealing with debts, accounts, bills and other economic matters. Add to this the more physical things that need to be sorted, moved and so on, and it amounts to a lot. Such a thing is rarely discussed, so it's new for everyone who has to go through it, unfortunately. Death is somet...

Let's just sum it up to say that it has been an emotional weekend, the equivalent of a huge rock hitting a little pond of water. I expect the ripples with carry for a long, long time before things start to quiet down again. Sadness will strike a life, and like everything else, it has to be turned with a conscious act, into something positive. Which is not easy at all. A symbol of how we sometimes feel, this picture was shot on a deserted, tiny road in the countryside somewhere between Kiruna and Luleå. Really, smack-dab in the middle of nowhere! As the ones close to us already know, there has been a great tragedy in the family. Vendela's father, Staffan, tragically passed away, and only two days after, his mother in turn also passed. A sorrow such as this cannot really be described and it is a great mystery of how to incorporate it into yourself, and yet life must go on. Somehow. We do our best to try to find the strength to carry on and sort the madness and chaos into or...