AMERIKANSKA

Birthday present!

So a friend was having a fika for her birthday yesterday. When we were thinking about what to bring to her for a present, all we could come up with was a bottle of wine.

LAME!!!!

So I googled around to find something a little more interesting and personal than a bottle of wine. I saw that cookie bouquets are a new, big thing in the USA, so I decided to give it a try. Nevermind the fact that I haven’t made cookies from scratch since I was about 8. And I’ve never made my own icing. Ever. How hard could it be? I mean, psh, I’m an ARCHITECT. I’ve got this ‘creative’ stuff down pat, right?

Here is a picture of what I was after:

My first step was finding a cookie recipe that didn’t seem so sweet. Swedes aren’t as into sugar as we Americans are— they actually hate the acrid taste of something that’s too sweet. I couldn’t actually find one that didn’t have a lot of sugar, so I used this recipe, halfed it, and used half the sugar again. While I was at it, I looked up an icing recipe as well since American icing here costs about $7/can.

Since I needed to buy some of the ingredients as well as a vase, I prepared myself to go downtown. This was going to be an all-day event! First I visited the TGR, a Swedish version of a dollar store (except with way cuter things!).

The thing that cost the most was YELLOW FOOD DYE. It was about $5/bottle. The thing that cost the least was the VASE. It was about $2. All I can say is “what the fuck?” and leave it at that.

Now, the way I convert US recipes to Metric recipes is that I say a cup is about 2 dL. That isn’t precise, but it’s good enough. A dL is .42 cups. So you see what I am saying. So basically I followed the recipe all the way to the ‘chill the dough’ part.

Can someone explain to me why we chill the dough? What does that do? Is something chemical happening to it? I find it kind of bizarre, but ok, its in the recipe so I’ll follow it.

Next up, roll the dough out onto a surface and use the cookie cutter on it!

Now we’re lookin’ a little rustic here, but I thought it still was charming. Now for baking/cooling.

Now the icing was a little weird. It DOES give a ‘wet look’ to the icing, which I thought sounded nice, but looked kind of weird as a finished product. I also think it had to do with the choice of yellow— it kind of turned out looking like cheese. Sooo…maybe a nice pink or blue color next time. Also, definitely add a flavor to the icing. The sugar tastes AWFUL by itself. Instead of using almond flavor, I took brandy + vanilla flavoring.

By this time I was a little disappointed by the outcome, but was determined to dress it up to look nice! Paper, vase, and sparkly things to the rescue!!!

When Malin received her gift she was a little surprised, but she thought it was fun. AND she posted a picture on facebook along with the card! Success!!!!!

I enjoyed making these cookies myself! It gave me time to think about the person I was doing it for, and why. I feel like I have a better appreciation for the time, skill, and willingness that it takes. Go homemade things!

While doing research on the cookies, I found something incredibly inspiring— icing embroidery. While this might have been a good first try, practice makes perfect, and I’m really interested in trying this— so beautiful!!!

http://amberspiegel.blogspot.se/2009/08/brush-embroidery.html

The key to learning Swedish!

I was outside washing off the appleboxes that Mats and I purchashed to decorate our apartment with, and all of a sudden a tiny little head appeared over the garden wall. The sudden “HEJ!” in a squeaky, cute voice actually scared the shit out of me (I’ve heard too many tales of gnomes and trolls :p), but I managed to mumble out a “Hej!” back to him.

A little boy started jibbering away in Swedish so fast and cute I couldn’t understand at all. Not that I could’ve understood him anyway. I struggled to find something simple to ask him in Swedish. Nothing came to mind because I was so distraught about being caught in shorts and a tanktop hosing off fruitboxes in the back garden. It seemed like super unSwedish behavior to me hehe. I tried a “Vad ar ditt nam?” and he didn’t understand. Then I tried, “Well, I am sorry, I don’t speak Swedish.” Still nothing.

“Jag prater engelska, inte svenska” (I speak English, not Swedish)

“Uno, dos, tres, quatro, cinco”

I laughed a lot about this.

“Ooooooh, spanska! Nice!”

I finished cleaning off the last fruit box, and said a quick, “Well I need to go in. Hej da!!!”

He told me in Swedish, “Goodbye! I’ll see you tomorrow!”

Good to know that I can count on some company to practice some Swedish with:)

The First Few Days!

The first few days back in Sweden have been a blur. I arrived last Wednesday, May 16, slightly groggy with only 2 hours of sleep on the plane. Magically, I found my luggage really quickly, loaded it onto a cart, and sat down to wait on Mr. Mats who arrived only about 5 minutes later :)

Since the arrival we have been taking care of making me a legit Swedish resident. I turned in my paperwork to Skattaverket (the tax agency which everything runs through), signed up for a cellphone plan (my number is amazingly easy to remember!), bought a bike, and some fruit boxes (more on this later), and celebrated Mats’ mom’s 60th birthday!

Today is the first day Mats has had to work. We planned my trip to coincide with a holiday weekend. My plan is to go to his alma mater to watch a few thesis reviews that are in English. I think it will be very much fun.I have the choice to either take the bus or bike on through. The explorer in me is wanting to bike very badly, but I am unsure since it may make me all sweaty. We’ll see :)

Lisbeth’s party made me think of the Dennis the Menace movie where Mr. Wilson and his wife have a garden party. There’s something so wonderful about getting dressed up, eating off of fine dishware, and enjoying delicious food you don’t often have. Perfection.

Cleaning and Thinking

I needed a break from packing, cleaning, moving. So I decided to sit and think for a bit.

I have had this countdown list on my phone going all semester. It has had things like Mats’ Thesis, Sweden Trip to Find a Job, Final Review, Graduation, and Move to Sweden on it. It times these events down to the millisecond so you can see how much time you have left— which is a haunting reminder — we only have so much time left.

I’ve also been watching movies likes Cocoon, The Tree of Life, and Up. They all seem to have the same resounding theme: make the most of the time you have on this planet.

I’ve spent about 22 years of my life going to school with a small break in between. What will I do afterwards? I want to continue learning, I want to learn about myself, I want to be with the man that I love, hopefully eventually start a family.

I could not think of a better adventure to be going on than moving to Sweden. I have worked incredibly hard in order to have the opportunities that are open to me. It takes a bit of luck I suppose— but most of all it is perseverance. It is hanging in there when times are challenging, it is understanding when something is taking way too long and changing methodology. It is simply adjusting to life— but not so much that you lose your way.

I want to take time every now and then to reflect, and make sure that what I am doing matches up with time left and life desires.

I need time to rest after this move. It will be fun to have springtime back again. It will be fun to plant a window garden, to bake bread in the morning after a run through the park, and to study for the next thing I want to do— the LEED ND test! :)

Atlanta, I love you. You’ve been so amazing, a wonderful concrete jungle to grow up in. I love your diversity, your historical roots, and the will to push through. You are the best Southern city by far. Georgia mountains, my childhood friends, you give me deep peace. The beauty found walking through your deep forests, winding paths, and rocky outcrops are in me forever. I feel at home with you— and with places that remind me of you.

Sweden, my new friend, I am enchanted by you. The long cold nights will help me appreciate the spring sun. The soft light helps everything look so much more fresh and different than the orange pulsing rays that I am used to. I am beginning to understand your language— a mystery I will probably chase after my entire life. I am intrigued by the idea of returning to Europe after my family has lived so long in the US.

The wind takes us.

the collective

im finding myself wide awake after my thesis review. i am thinking about how the review went, the comments that were made, and my general approach to studio this semester. the review wasn’t the best in the world, but actually it wasn’t as bad as i thought it was immediately after. they made some valid points, some unnecessary comments, and generally just wanted some clarity. i can buy that. i guess what i am saying is that for me, this semester was a means to an end. the project is extremely doable, and it would be a great asset to the city. a catalyst for change. it is not a project done in vain.

the point of this post is that i really would like to close this chapter on a good note. my favorite part of the studio is that we made something together (our declarimanifesto).

my favorite part of this semester wasn’t the physical studio— but that elusive studio spirit. i felt it while making the coffee sleeves with kelly, woody, and jason. it was there this past week when we were all jacked up on caffiene, lack of sleep, and staring at computer screens too long. it’s laughing at 3am at the most ridiculous shit. it’s coming up with a game to play during the review. it’s about meeting new people, and finding a common ground. it’s asking someone to sketch out their idea if you don’t understand. it’s talking about everything and nothing all at the same time. it’s about doing something together. architecture isn’t meant to be a solo sport. we are meant to play together, work hard together, and strengthen our skills and depth of knowledge.

this year i learned how to craft (and mass-produce) products. i learned how to lay-out amazing booklets. i learned a better appreciation for typefaces. i learned about landscape— and that i want to know more about it.

know thyself. it is the only way to grow.

UT KORT!

That’s me! In the picture! With Swedish all around me! I’m super happy!

I’ll be happier when thesis is through next week, but this represents 8 months of perseverance and determination from both me and Mats :)

neighbors are listening to pb&j

My neighbors like to live it up on the weekend. I swear that they run a rave out of there house sometimes. Each weekend they blast music starting at 10am until 3am. The thing is, I actually like a lot of the music they play, so I don’t mind. They play the electronica music I like and also Talking Heads and Peter Bjorn and John.

This weekend I am super sick. Well, it started Thursday with a headcold, it was awful yesterday so I just stayed in bed, ate pizza, and worked on my portfolio. Almost done! I just have to add a project from work and its completely ready to send out. My list of folks is kind of like whoa. But I figured, hey, if I am moving why not try to reach for the stars? If I fall, then I’ll land in good company anyway.

I also found a competition that speaks a lot to me. It is for an installation at Roskilde music festival in Denmark. The winning design will actually be built- which is mega cool. It has the demand that it speak to refugees who enter the country and the conditions they have had to endure and the hardships they still will have to deal with in their new land. While I am not a refugee, I still am experiencing an incredibly difficult time trying to find housing in Scandinavia. This hardship is experienced by all who enter there. The hatred and blatant racism that exists against refugees makes it that much more difficult for them. So that is what I am working on at the moment. It is simply cathartic to work on my personal problems through architecture— and hopefully it may bring understanding to others. :) I never thought I would get to the day where I considered myself apt enough to do so, but it feels damn good.

Last Semester (touch wood)

Since this semester is the last one before I pack up and head to Sverige, I am thinking I better record my thoughts. Or at least contain them all in one place.

This semester consists of

1)Thesis
2)Work
3)Swedish Class
4)Running
5)Some sort of catching up with people and places

The first two are a little boring. If something gets totally exciting in those categories it may find its way on here. Otherwise…eh. The name of this blog is amerikanska, and I think it should be about this transition rather than architecture. We’ll see how that one goes ;)

Swedish class has been pretty interesting. The teacher seems like a relatively calm, laid back guy in English. But when he’s trying to get us to understand Swedish he is SUPER DRAMATIC!!!!! “FEEEE FAAAAAN!!!!” This, paired with the stories in our Swedish book about teenage romances, is really pretty damn funny. Here is an example from my Swedish homework. They haven’t been corrected yet, so just hold off with the grammar critique. I also don’t have time to go finding proper swedish vowels….so use your imagination :-p

Emil ringer aldrig Hanna.     Emil never calls Hanna.
Emil traffar antagligen andra tjejer (!!!!!!!!!)    Emil is probably socializing with other sluts girls.
De prata sallan hinner med varandra. They never have time for each other.
Hanna ar verkligen besviken. Hanna is disappointed.

Hanna! Call my friend Joel and have him take you to klubben where you can have lite jager…..and just forget about this loser Emil.