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There are no words to describe how I am feeling at this moment.
Dear friends,
First and foremost let me just say, "HEJA SVERIGE!!!" World Cup is alive and kicking in Europe and people are going crazy. I watched the Paraguay/Sweden game at an outdoor sitting area at a pub in downtown Västerås and it was pure maddness. We had to sit five hours just told hold the spot (but it was well worth it). When that final goal was scored 85 minutes into the game-- the crowd went wild. I was happy to share the moment with them. And you better believe...everyone everywhere in Sweden knows where they'll be Tuesday night in the game against England. All I gotta say is, "Beckham better be ready for the gold and blue." I also want to celebrate with the US against their tie with Italy. Everyone is Sweden hailed the match as the "most entertaining in this World Cup." It was an unexpected "win" for my homeland.
Now, let me apologize to you all for being so absent. I've been really busy traveling, moving, finishing school and just having a blast. These past couple of months have been some of the best. When I first came to Sweden I was afraid that at the end of June I would think to myself, "I've been living in Europe for 10 months and I have nothing to show for it." Well, the end of June is here and I don't feel that way at all. I have no regrets about my time here-- I've done everything I wanted to do with the time and money available to me. I've changed in ways I haven't even discovered yet and I've really developed as a person. I've learned about the world--through means outside the classroom--I've traveled to four different countries, made friends all over the world, and done the partying expected of any 20-something girl in Europe. It's truly been amazing.
Let me start this catch-up game by writing about London. I traveled to London to meet up with the Flagler summer class "Shakespeare's London" (taught by my advisor, Dr. Todd Lidh) and one of my best friends (and roommates since Freshman year) Meredith Brace-Sloss. I was introduced to new friends and was actually permitted a bed (they had an extra one in the hotel where they were staying). This was a big luxury for me, I thought I was going to have to sleep on the floor for five nights. (Thanks again, TL) I'd also like to give myself a little pat on the back for traveling to London "all by myself"-- I flew into Luton airport without any idea of how I was going to get into London downtown (or the hotel!). But I made it safe and sound and met my friends over fish'n'chips in Piccadilly Circus. The next day we traveled to St. Paul's Cathedral and climbed an excruciating long spiral staircase to the very top. The view from the top was magnificent. We saw the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace and went to a football match at a real British pub. Meredith drank Guinness and felt truly European. We visited Shakespeare's Globe theater the next day and saw "Coriolanus." The play is written as a tragedy but this one was directed to be a tragic comedy. It was hilarious at parts, and heart-wrenching in others. Coriolanus was extremely good-looking (which Meredith and I greatly appreciated) and the play ended with him falling lifeless into the crowd and having his heart ripped out of his chest and held up for the audience to see. It was a real crowd-pleaser. :-) I went off on my own one day and saw Big Ben and Westminster Abbey. I went to the National Portrait Gallery and saw a "moving portrait." It was a flat screen tv hung on the wall of David Beckham sleeping. A 107-minute loop shows a close-up Beckham sleeping, changing positions, scratching his head, etc. It was a bit creepy and I felt like a perverted voyeur. But you know what they say about art...My last night in London was great. The whole class went out dancing and drinking and we had an awesome time. We made sure to "mind the gap" on the subway trip back to the hotel and watched the Eurovision Song Contest. We watched a Finnish monster-rock band clad in monster costumes win the whole contest. It was entertaining, to say the least.
My final days in Växjö were tearful. Watching each corridor mate leave until finally it was my turn was difficult. Some people I don't expect to talk to again, but some I truly hope I do. To those people I cared most about, I wrote them a small note explaining what they meant to me with all my contact information on it. I'm sure I'll be having some visitors in either FL or MD.
I traveled down to Landskrona to say goodbye to my Swedish relatives. They made me a delicious Swedish dish, kåldolmar--stuffed cabbage. I was introduced to their children and grandchildren-- all of whom I'm related. We had a BBQ and played a Swedish lawn game called Kubb. The next day, we ventured to Copenhagen and saw the Danish Museum of Design, two castles, and ate on the famous strip of bayside with all the colorful houses. We could not have asked for better weather that day, it was perfect. I said a final farewell to them and drove back to Växjö to collect my things and ventured the 5 hour journey to Västerås, where I'm ending my stay with Erik. He and I attended his brother's medieval wedding. We were requested to dress in medieval clothing and ate the wedding dinner with wooden bowls and spoons. Unfortunately, every time someone stood to make a toast I couldn't understand a word-- but it was good times despite the language barrier. This Friday marks Midsummer Eve in Sweden and this is the day all of Sweden will raise a Maypole and dance and sing around it. This is the second largest holiday in Sweden and the reason I lengthened my stay. Erik's father has requested me to make some "American pies" and a side dish (which I hope to take my Grandmother's infamous and delicious carrot loaf).
So I'll end this email saying cheers to all! I hope you catch some of the game on Tuesday and think of me. I'll see you all soon (I hope). It's been an amazing journey and I was happy to share it with you. All my love, Jessica
"The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page."
~St. Augustine
First and foremost let me just say, "HEJA SVERIGE!!!" World Cup is alive and kicking in Europe and people are going crazy. I watched the Paraguay/Sweden game at an outdoor sitting area at a pub in downtown Västerås and it was pure maddness. We had to sit five hours just told hold the spot (but it was well worth it). When that final goal was scored 85 minutes into the game-- the crowd went wild. I was happy to share the moment with them. And you better believe...everyone everywhere in Sweden knows where they'll be Tuesday night in the game against England. All I gotta say is, "Beckham better be ready for the gold and blue." I also want to celebrate with the US against their tie with Italy. Everyone is Sweden hailed the match as the "most entertaining in this World Cup." It was an unexpected "win" for my homeland.
Now, let me apologize to you all for being so absent. I've been really busy traveling, moving, finishing school and just having a blast. These past couple of months have been some of the best. When I first came to Sweden I was afraid that at the end of June I would think to myself, "I've been living in Europe for 10 months and I have nothing to show for it." Well, the end of June is here and I don't feel that way at all. I have no regrets about my time here-- I've done everything I wanted to do with the time and money available to me. I've changed in ways I haven't even discovered yet and I've really developed as a person. I've learned about the world--through means outside the classroom--I've traveled to four different countries, made friends all over the world, and done the partying expected of any 20-something girl in Europe. It's truly been amazing.
Let me start this catch-up game by writing about London. I traveled to London to meet up with the Flagler summer class "Shakespeare's London" (taught by my advisor, Dr. Todd Lidh) and one of my best friends (and roommates since Freshman year) Meredith Brace-Sloss. I was introduced to new friends and was actually permitted a bed (they had an extra one in the hotel where they were staying). This was a big luxury for me, I thought I was going to have to sleep on the floor for five nights. (Thanks again, TL) I'd also like to give myself a little pat on the back for traveling to London "all by myself"-- I flew into Luton airport without any idea of how I was going to get into London downtown (or the hotel!). But I made it safe and sound and met my friends over fish'n'chips in Piccadilly Circus. The next day we traveled to St. Paul's Cathedral and climbed an excruciating long spiral staircase to the very top. The view from the top was magnificent. We saw the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace and went to a football match at a real British pub. Meredith drank Guinness and felt truly European. We visited Shakespeare's Globe theater the next day and saw "Coriolanus." The play is written as a tragedy but this one was directed to be a tragic comedy. It was hilarious at parts, and heart-wrenching in others. Coriolanus was extremely good-looking (which Meredith and I greatly appreciated) and the play ended with him falling lifeless into the crowd and having his heart ripped out of his chest and held up for the audience to see. It was a real crowd-pleaser. :-) I went off on my own one day and saw Big Ben and Westminster Abbey. I went to the National Portrait Gallery and saw a "moving portrait." It was a flat screen tv hung on the wall of David Beckham sleeping. A 107-minute loop shows a close-up Beckham sleeping, changing positions, scratching his head, etc. It was a bit creepy and I felt like a perverted voyeur. But you know what they say about art...My last night in London was great. The whole class went out dancing and drinking and we had an awesome time. We made sure to "mind the gap" on the subway trip back to the hotel and watched the Eurovision Song Contest. We watched a Finnish monster-rock band clad in monster costumes win the whole contest. It was entertaining, to say the least.
My final days in Växjö were tearful. Watching each corridor mate leave until finally it was my turn was difficult. Some people I don't expect to talk to again, but some I truly hope I do. To those people I cared most about, I wrote them a small note explaining what they meant to me with all my contact information on it. I'm sure I'll be having some visitors in either FL or MD.
I traveled down to Landskrona to say goodbye to my Swedish relatives. They made me a delicious Swedish dish, kåldolmar--stuffed cabbage. I was introduced to their children and grandchildren-- all of whom I'm related. We had a BBQ and played a Swedish lawn game called Kubb. The next day, we ventured to Copenhagen and saw the Danish Museum of Design, two castles, and ate on the famous strip of bayside with all the colorful houses. We could not have asked for better weather that day, it was perfect. I said a final farewell to them and drove back to Växjö to collect my things and ventured the 5 hour journey to Västerås, where I'm ending my stay with Erik. He and I attended his brother's medieval wedding. We were requested to dress in medieval clothing and ate the wedding dinner with wooden bowls and spoons. Unfortunately, every time someone stood to make a toast I couldn't understand a word-- but it was good times despite the language barrier. This Friday marks Midsummer Eve in Sweden and this is the day all of Sweden will raise a Maypole and dance and sing around it. This is the second largest holiday in Sweden and the reason I lengthened my stay. Erik's father has requested me to make some "American pies" and a side dish (which I hope to take my Grandmother's infamous and delicious carrot loaf).
So I'll end this email saying cheers to all! I hope you catch some of the game on Tuesday and think of me. I'll see you all soon (I hope). It's been an amazing journey and I was happy to share it with you. All my love, Jessica
"The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page."
~St. Augustine
I'm thinking about applying to NYU Grad School. Can you people imagine ME running around Manhattan?! Holy crap! How coold would that be?! I don't know if I could handle NYC, but for two years it shouldn't be so bad, should it? And yes, you can use and abuse me for a free place to stay-- as long as you take me out for drinks. :-) Sex in the city...and I will be on the prowl for my own personal NYC Derek Shepherd. He encapsulates everything I want in a man. I just need to take him out of a tv sitcom and place him in real life and have him fall in love with me. Easy, right? Wait...I haven't even been accepted yet...Life is so much freakier day by day.
Why did I start crying today when looking through the Graduation pics from a couple of weeks ago? Maybe because I realize that that will be me in about 7 months. I'm not ready for life...
Hello friends! I'm sorry for my neglectful behavior; I've been meaning to write for a while now. First, let me share my excitement about all the snow melting in this part of Sweden! It happened the first weekend in April and I think all the Swedes let out a long sigh of relief. They claim that this has been the longest winter in twenty years. (Of course it had to occur the ONE year I came to Sweden! I just keep telling myself that it's God's way of telling me that I belong in the USA hereafter. Haha!) I'm beginning to acknowledge the fast that I come home in two months and so I'm doing all the things I have been obtaining from-- mostly going out and partying! Never again will I be able to share nights with the friends I have met here, never again will I be able to frequent the pubs on campus and never again will I be able to be 21 in Sweden. This is the time of my life and I am milking it for all it's worth! I'm not sure if I've written since my 21st birthday party or not, but just to quickly note...I had an amazing black and white party. Tons of people came and complimented me on the success of it. I wore a beautiful black and white dress that I can't wait to debut in St. Augustine and G'Burg. Thank you everyone for your warm birthday wishes! It really made me feel closer to home!
My class took a two-night field trip to Stockholm. Being my third trip to Stockholm, I thought I had seen it all. But had I! We went to Parliament and listened to Göran Persson, the Prime Minister, tackle questions about Sweden's lack of contribution to the Asian tsunami. Unfortunately, it was all in Swedish and it was (to me) really, really boring. We went to Rinkeby, an area outside of Stockholm home to the majority of Sweden's immigrants. I guess one could call it Sweden's largest "ghetto" -- even though "ghettos" don't really exist in a Social Democrat state. Sweden has been homogenous for most of its history so the recent traffic into Sweden has produced neighbourhoods on-display for international college students. Coming from outside the DC-Metropolitan area, I didn't see what all the fuss was about. The BEST part of the Stockholm trip was the Vasa museum. In the early 17th century, Sweden was at war with Poland and the king at the time wanted Sweden to build the biggest war ship of its time. Sweden accomplished that feat. It was a spectacle to the eye...beautiful colorful paint, intricate wood carving and two rows (two rows? two rows!) of firing cannons. It was the most magnificent and impressive war ship at the time. The day that it set sail, the beautiful ship was sailing out of the harbor...they lifted the windows to the cannons and let out a salute to all of Stockholm (most of Stockholm's citizens were out at the harbor, watching its great accomplishment sail for the first time). Just as the shot was fired, a large gust of wind blew through the harbor making the ship tilt a bit on its side. Water rushed in the bottom row of firing cannon windows. The ship, however, attained balance again just in time for the Swedes to let out a sigh of relief. Just as that sigh was released, however, a SECOND gust of wind came through and the poor Vasa ship sunk to the bottom of Stockholm's bay. It was forgotten about until this 20th century, when Swedish historians remembered that a great treasure lay right beneath them. They recovered the vessel in the 1950s and it stands (in tact!) in a beautiful and amazing museum on the bay. You can see a picture of the boat (and navigate around the museum's website, just make sure you set the language to English) at: www.vasamuseet.se. It was quite a sight, I was impressed. One of Sweden's greatest failures is one of the tourist attractions that they display most proudly. I'll let you figure out the irony there...
We also visited one of the churches in Stockholm where we were introduced to a former cocaine-addict who had found God and changed his life around. The next day, we visited a mosque where we were introduced to a Swedish Muslim. The Muslim was happy to answer all of our questions about Islam and the mosque. My teacher, who I thought to be a rational, modern and accepting man, burst out to the Muslim that he was preaching to us students. There was a brief verbal argument, but I didn't think the Muslim was "preaching" any more than the cokehead before him. I certainly wasn't expecting the outburst from my teacher. All of the women had to cover their hair and clothes with robes that they provided us and I couldn't help but reflect a feeling of segregation. Here I was, covered, and there were the boys--some with hair just as long as mine, with shorts, rather than pants (like I wore). It was a peculiar feeling, but in a way I was happy to experience it. I'd like to think it brought me some understanding...
Now, don't worry and think that we were so busy studying in Stockholm that we didn't have enough time to "get down and boogie." The class made sure to hit the pub and dance the nights away...most memorable.
Easter was great! I spent it with Erik's family and they were happy to accept me as one of their own (despite the language barrier). Because both of Erik's parents have had previous marriages, we experienced THREE Easter dinners...a weekend filled with food. It was actually done a bit differently than home. For one, there was no church...no mention of the "reason for the season"...no dinner-prayer. Instead, on the Thursday before Easter, the little girls and boys of Sweden dress up as "påskkärring and påskgubbar" (Easter witches and Easter geezers). The girls wrap their hair in bandanas, paint freckles on their faces and carry baskets. They go door to door and trick-or-treat (I'm NOT kidding). If you don't believe me, GOOGLE IT. Houses are decorated with flying witches on broomsticks and bare tree branches with colorful feathers glued to them. I think it looks like a parrot exploded, but the branches are sold for about $4 each and you need about 5 branches for a good display. When Christianity came to Sweden, the Swedes didn't want to forego their Pagan holidays...so there remains small hints of Paganism...witches at Easter, and dancing around a phallic-Maypole during Midsummer. Every day before the meal we would all sit in the sun room and share fika (the coffee breaks that I have mentioned before). We drank strong Swedish coffee and had small pieces of pastries...cinnamon buns, strudel, cake, bread. We then all sat around the Easter table and drank lätt öl (light beer-- light in alcohol content, not in calories). We ate LOTS of potatoes. Boiled, au gratin and Johnson’s frestelse (scalloped potatoes with anchovies). We didn't eat ham; we ate (naturally) köttbullar (meatballs) and prinskorv (little hotdogs). There were three different types of sill (herring) and a large egg omelette stuffed with crayfish, shrimp, salmon, sour cream and cheese. My favorite dish was a type of Swedish-quiche with hardboiled eggs (closely resembling deviled eggs) and caviar. Det var jättegott! (It was very tasty!) Dessert was called "marängsvisch" (meringue swish) and it consisted of sliced bananas, bite-sized meringues, scoops of vanilla ice cream and warm chocolate sauce. I was in heaven! After dessert we retreated back into the sunroom to have more coffee and more pastries. Wow...I suppose you could guess that my diet was ruined.
For Christmas, Erik gave me a cruise to Finland and this week, we travelled the Baltic. It was a two night cruise with a one-day trip to Finland in-between. When we pulled into the bay in Helsinki, it was still frozen! We sailed through sheets of ice and frozen waters. We spent the day exploring a 5-level mall (one of the largest I have ever seen!), a church over-looking the city, and a small marketplace on the bay. The market place was crammed with individual food stands specializing in meats, fish, cheeses, olives, pastries, candy and wine. It had an old-world flavor and has apparently been around since the early 1800s. The weather in Helsinki was sunny, but cold. Erik kept remarking about how Sweden is always one-up on the Finns (I guess he's a little more patriotic than he cares to admit). The night coming home, Erik and I sat and listened to the ship's troubadour. We kept requesting favorites, and I ended up belting "Home Sweet Alabama" with a bunch of drunk Swedes and Finns. It was too comical to try to put in an email. Anyhow, I have pics that I will post soon...so check back at the end of the week to my website. I miss you all and will see some of you soon! My next stop is London on May 16th. I'll be there a week sharing pints and fish n' chips with some of my favorite people at Flagler. Please write and update me with your lives. You have no idea how much I love them! Sorry this email was so long. Thinking of each and every one of you. Always, Jess
My class took a two-night field trip to Stockholm. Being my third trip to Stockholm, I thought I had seen it all. But had I! We went to Parliament and listened to Göran Persson, the Prime Minister, tackle questions about Sweden's lack of contribution to the Asian tsunami. Unfortunately, it was all in Swedish and it was (to me) really, really boring. We went to Rinkeby, an area outside of Stockholm home to the majority of Sweden's immigrants. I guess one could call it Sweden's largest "ghetto" -- even though "ghettos" don't really exist in a Social Democrat state. Sweden has been homogenous for most of its history so the recent traffic into Sweden has produced neighbourhoods on-display for international college students. Coming from outside the DC-Metropolitan area, I didn't see what all the fuss was about. The BEST part of the Stockholm trip was the Vasa museum. In the early 17th century, Sweden was at war with Poland and the king at the time wanted Sweden to build the biggest war ship of its time. Sweden accomplished that feat. It was a spectacle to the eye...beautiful colorful paint, intricate wood carving and two rows (two rows? two rows!) of firing cannons. It was the most magnificent and impressive war ship at the time. The day that it set sail, the beautiful ship was sailing out of the harbor...they lifted the windows to the cannons and let out a salute to all of Stockholm (most of Stockholm's citizens were out at the harbor, watching its great accomplishment sail for the first time). Just as the shot was fired, a large gust of wind blew through the harbor making the ship tilt a bit on its side. Water rushed in the bottom row of firing cannon windows. The ship, however, attained balance again just in time for the Swedes to let out a sigh of relief. Just as that sigh was released, however, a SECOND gust of wind came through and the poor Vasa ship sunk to the bottom of Stockholm's bay. It was forgotten about until this 20th century, when Swedish historians remembered that a great treasure lay right beneath them. They recovered the vessel in the 1950s and it stands (in tact!) in a beautiful and amazing museum on the bay. You can see a picture of the boat (and navigate around the museum's website, just make sure you set the language to English) at: www.vasamuseet.se. It was quite a sight, I was impressed. One of Sweden's greatest failures is one of the tourist attractions that they display most proudly. I'll let you figure out the irony there...
We also visited one of the churches in Stockholm where we were introduced to a former cocaine-addict who had found God and changed his life around. The next day, we visited a mosque where we were introduced to a Swedish Muslim. The Muslim was happy to answer all of our questions about Islam and the mosque. My teacher, who I thought to be a rational, modern and accepting man, burst out to the Muslim that he was preaching to us students. There was a brief verbal argument, but I didn't think the Muslim was "preaching" any more than the cokehead before him. I certainly wasn't expecting the outburst from my teacher. All of the women had to cover their hair and clothes with robes that they provided us and I couldn't help but reflect a feeling of segregation. Here I was, covered, and there were the boys--some with hair just as long as mine, with shorts, rather than pants (like I wore). It was a peculiar feeling, but in a way I was happy to experience it. I'd like to think it brought me some understanding...
Now, don't worry and think that we were so busy studying in Stockholm that we didn't have enough time to "get down and boogie." The class made sure to hit the pub and dance the nights away...most memorable.
Easter was great! I spent it with Erik's family and they were happy to accept me as one of their own (despite the language barrier). Because both of Erik's parents have had previous marriages, we experienced THREE Easter dinners...a weekend filled with food. It was actually done a bit differently than home. For one, there was no church...no mention of the "reason for the season"...no dinner-prayer. Instead, on the Thursday before Easter, the little girls and boys of Sweden dress up as "påskkärring and påskgubbar" (Easter witches and Easter geezers). The girls wrap their hair in bandanas, paint freckles on their faces and carry baskets. They go door to door and trick-or-treat (I'm NOT kidding). If you don't believe me, GOOGLE IT. Houses are decorated with flying witches on broomsticks and bare tree branches with colorful feathers glued to them. I think it looks like a parrot exploded, but the branches are sold for about $4 each and you need about 5 branches for a good display. When Christianity came to Sweden, the Swedes didn't want to forego their Pagan holidays...so there remains small hints of Paganism...witches at Easter, and dancing around a phallic-Maypole during Midsummer. Every day before the meal we would all sit in the sun room and share fika (the coffee breaks that I have mentioned before). We drank strong Swedish coffee and had small pieces of pastries...cinnamon buns, strudel, cake, bread. We then all sat around the Easter table and drank lätt öl (light beer-- light in alcohol content, not in calories). We ate LOTS of potatoes. Boiled, au gratin and Johnson’s frestelse (scalloped potatoes with anchovies). We didn't eat ham; we ate (naturally) köttbullar (meatballs) and prinskorv (little hotdogs). There were three different types of sill (herring) and a large egg omelette stuffed with crayfish, shrimp, salmon, sour cream and cheese. My favorite dish was a type of Swedish-quiche with hardboiled eggs (closely resembling deviled eggs) and caviar. Det var jättegott! (It was very tasty!) Dessert was called "marängsvisch" (meringue swish) and it consisted of sliced bananas, bite-sized meringues, scoops of vanilla ice cream and warm chocolate sauce. I was in heaven! After dessert we retreated back into the sunroom to have more coffee and more pastries. Wow...I suppose you could guess that my diet was ruined.
For Christmas, Erik gave me a cruise to Finland and this week, we travelled the Baltic. It was a two night cruise with a one-day trip to Finland in-between. When we pulled into the bay in Helsinki, it was still frozen! We sailed through sheets of ice and frozen waters. We spent the day exploring a 5-level mall (one of the largest I have ever seen!), a church over-looking the city, and a small marketplace on the bay. The market place was crammed with individual food stands specializing in meats, fish, cheeses, olives, pastries, candy and wine. It had an old-world flavor and has apparently been around since the early 1800s. The weather in Helsinki was sunny, but cold. Erik kept remarking about how Sweden is always one-up on the Finns (I guess he's a little more patriotic than he cares to admit). The night coming home, Erik and I sat and listened to the ship's troubadour. We kept requesting favorites, and I ended up belting "Home Sweet Alabama" with a bunch of drunk Swedes and Finns. It was too comical to try to put in an email. Anyhow, I have pics that I will post soon...so check back at the end of the week to my website. I miss you all and will see some of you soon! My next stop is London on May 16th. I'll be there a week sharing pints and fish n' chips with some of my favorite people at Flagler. Please write and update me with your lives. You have no idea how much I love them! Sorry this email was so long. Thinking of each and every one of you. Always, Jess
Step 1: Put your MP3 player or whatever on random.
Step 2: Post a line from the first 20 songs that play, no matter how embarrassing the song.
Step 3: Post and let everyone you know guess what song and artist the lines come from.
Step 4: Strike out the songs when someone guesses correctly.
Step 5: No cheating.
***1. There are places I remember all my life, though some have changed. (Guessed, "In my life" by the Beatles...even though the version I have is DMB's)
2. I heard about some guy that you beat pretty bad and got it in the papers.
3. Sit. Good dog. Stay. Bad dog. Down! Roll over. Here's a good man and a pretty young girl trying to play together somehow.
4. We at war with terrorism, we at war with racism, but most of all...we at war with ourselves.
5. Over the mountains and the sea, Your river runs with love for me and I will open up my heart and let the Healer set me free.
6. We jammin'. I wanna jam it with you.
7. People can you feel it? Love is everywhere. People can you hear it? Songs in the air.
8. I've seen your picture. Your name in lights above it. This is your big debut. Your dream come true.
9. The sun is sure sinking down, but the moon is slowly rising. So this old world must still be spinning round and I still love you.
***10. Comin' out of my cage and I've been doing just fine. Gotta gotta be down because I want it all. (Guessed, "Mr. Brightside" by The Killers)
***11. Whenever I'm with him, something inside starts to burn me and I'm filled with desire. (Guessed, "Heatwave" by the Supremes)
12. Welcome to the planet. Welcome to existence. Everyone is here, everyone is here.
***13. He was working through college on my grandpa's farm. I was thirstin' for knowledge and he had a car. (Guessed, "Strawberry Wine" by Deana Carter)
***14. I hear the drums echoing tonight, cheetahs only whispers of some quiet conversation. (Guessed, "Africa" by Toto)
15. You do that romeo, be what you want to be. Looks like you're running in place, do that stupid dance for me.
***16. I've got some big news. The bank finally came through. And I'm holding the keys to a brand new Chevrolet. (Guessed, "Mud on the Tires" by Brad Paisley)
***17. Breathe in. Breathe out. Breath in. Breathe out. Breathe in... (Guessed, "Machinehead" by Bush)
***18. Riders on the storm. Riders on the storm. Into this house we're born, into this world we're thrown. (Guessed, "Riders on the Storm" by The Doors)
19. Jag har lurat mig själv för många gånger nu. Jag trodde kärlek som din var lätt att fånga nu.
20. Just a small town girl living in a lonely world. She took the midnight train going anywhere.
Step 2: Post a line from the first 20 songs that play, no matter how embarrassing the song.
Step 3: Post and let everyone you know guess what song and artist the lines come from.
Step 4: Strike out the songs when someone guesses correctly.
Step 5: No cheating.
***1. There are places I remember all my life, though some have changed. (Guessed, "In my life" by the Beatles...even though the version I have is DMB's)
2. I heard about some guy that you beat pretty bad and got it in the papers.
3. Sit. Good dog. Stay. Bad dog. Down! Roll over. Here's a good man and a pretty young girl trying to play together somehow.
4. We at war with terrorism, we at war with racism, but most of all...we at war with ourselves.
5. Over the mountains and the sea, Your river runs with love for me and I will open up my heart and let the Healer set me free.
6. We jammin'. I wanna jam it with you.
7. People can you feel it? Love is everywhere. People can you hear it? Songs in the air.
8. I've seen your picture. Your name in lights above it. This is your big debut. Your dream come true.
9. The sun is sure sinking down, but the moon is slowly rising. So this old world must still be spinning round and I still love you.
***10. Comin' out of my cage and I've been doing just fine. Gotta gotta be down because I want it all. (Guessed, "Mr. Brightside" by The Killers)
***11. Whenever I'm with him, something inside starts to burn me and I'm filled with desire. (Guessed, "Heatwave" by the Supremes)
12. Welcome to the planet. Welcome to existence. Everyone is here, everyone is here.
***13. He was working through college on my grandpa's farm. I was thirstin' for knowledge and he had a car. (Guessed, "Strawberry Wine" by Deana Carter)
***14. I hear the drums echoing tonight, cheetahs only whispers of some quiet conversation. (Guessed, "Africa" by Toto)
15. You do that romeo, be what you want to be. Looks like you're running in place, do that stupid dance for me.
***16. I've got some big news. The bank finally came through. And I'm holding the keys to a brand new Chevrolet. (Guessed, "Mud on the Tires" by Brad Paisley)
***17. Breathe in. Breathe out. Breath in. Breathe out. Breathe in... (Guessed, "Machinehead" by Bush)
***18. Riders on the storm. Riders on the storm. Into this house we're born, into this world we're thrown. (Guessed, "Riders on the Storm" by The Doors)
19. Jag har lurat mig själv för många gånger nu. Jag trodde kärlek som din var lätt att fånga nu.
20. Just a small town girl living in a lonely world. She took the midnight train going anywhere.
An Article from "The Washington Post"
Let Moussaoui Live
By Richard Cohen
Thursday, April 6, 2006; 12:00 AM
The way things are going, the United States government will succeed where Zacarias Moussaoui could not. This convicted terrorist, this whack job with a suicidal bent, will almost certainly be put to death -- which is one more death than he was able to manage on his own. In the end, Moussaoui may turn out to be a suicide bomber on a four-year fuse.
Moussaoui's fate is of no concern to me. He is a very bad man, complicit in an evil plot for which he claims a central, though probably exaggerated, role. Whatever the case, he certainly set out to kill innocent Americans and whether he actually did so or not seems beside the point. He was in a position to abort the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and he did nothing to stop them. For that, he may die. So be it.
Nonetheless, while the American sense of justice might be satisfied, that is not how many other people will see it. Instead, they might marvel at how much effort had gone into the killing of a single man. They will note his trial and the lengthy part of it devoted to determining if he is worthy of the death penalty and then whether or not he will get it. The process is almost a parody of justice -- a laborious procedure to carry out what most of us recognize is nothing more than revenge. Call it justice if you will, we all know what it really is.
That, of course, is probably Moussaoui's take on it as well. He seems determined to become a martyr. He might have slipped the noose after the government bollixed up its own case when a lawyer coached some witnesses. Had he simply not taken the stand and let his lawyers talk for him, he might have averted the death penalty. Not only did he insist on testifying, he was insulting and unfeeling and downright hateful. Here was a man crying out for execution. With the government's help, he will attain what he always wanted -- martyrdom.
If I had my way, I would deny Moussaoui his opportunity. I would do so not just because it is pretty clear the man is crazy and, on account of that, he played a marginal role at best in the 9/11 plot, but because I would not complete the plot for him. I would not grant him what he wanted from the day he stepped foot in America -- his own death. If, in his case, the punishment is to fit the crime, then he would suffer most by spending the rest of his life behind bars. When he dies of old age, he will have been forgotten. In no place will people gather to mark his death. That will not happen if he is executed.
Of course, I would not seek his death in any case. I am opposed to capital punishment -- not for Moussaoui's sake or for another guy's, but for our own. The taking of life is something we should not permit government to do. In the first place, life is inviolate. Second, governments have abused this power in the past and will do so in the future. It is no accident that Europe bans the death penalty. Under Hitler, Stalin and others, Europeans learned what government can do.
Societies have their own, peculiar, reasons for taking life. Afghanistan was about to execute a man for converting from Islam to Christianity. To many Afghans, this seemed inarguably to be the right thing to do. In Iraq, Awad Haman Bander, a former judge under Saddam Hussein, confessed to sentencing 148 Shiites to death at one time. It was all legal, he said, with the proper papers being signed and confessions in order. Nothing out of the ordinary. Stamp, stamp. Take them away.
It is naive, I know, but it would be wonderful if the United States showed that as a matter of principle, it does not take a life. It is naive because other governments would not follow -- not right away, anyway. But in time, anything is possible and just as we, bit by bit, have restricted the death penalty so that it is rarely imposed, so may the rest of the world restrain its blood thirst.
Zacarias Moussaoui's execution will do no good. We will see it as justice, but so will he. With a lot of money and immense effort, we will give some of the world another martyr -- and Osama bin Laden can finally close the book on his most successful mission.
Let Moussaoui Live
By Richard Cohen
Thursday, April 6, 2006; 12:00 AM
The way things are going, the United States government will succeed where Zacarias Moussaoui could not. This convicted terrorist, this whack job with a suicidal bent, will almost certainly be put to death -- which is one more death than he was able to manage on his own. In the end, Moussaoui may turn out to be a suicide bomber on a four-year fuse.
Moussaoui's fate is of no concern to me. He is a very bad man, complicit in an evil plot for which he claims a central, though probably exaggerated, role. Whatever the case, he certainly set out to kill innocent Americans and whether he actually did so or not seems beside the point. He was in a position to abort the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and he did nothing to stop them. For that, he may die. So be it.
Nonetheless, while the American sense of justice might be satisfied, that is not how many other people will see it. Instead, they might marvel at how much effort had gone into the killing of a single man. They will note his trial and the lengthy part of it devoted to determining if he is worthy of the death penalty and then whether or not he will get it. The process is almost a parody of justice -- a laborious procedure to carry out what most of us recognize is nothing more than revenge. Call it justice if you will, we all know what it really is.
That, of course, is probably Moussaoui's take on it as well. He seems determined to become a martyr. He might have slipped the noose after the government bollixed up its own case when a lawyer coached some witnesses. Had he simply not taken the stand and let his lawyers talk for him, he might have averted the death penalty. Not only did he insist on testifying, he was insulting and unfeeling and downright hateful. Here was a man crying out for execution. With the government's help, he will attain what he always wanted -- martyrdom.
If I had my way, I would deny Moussaoui his opportunity. I would do so not just because it is pretty clear the man is crazy and, on account of that, he played a marginal role at best in the 9/11 plot, but because I would not complete the plot for him. I would not grant him what he wanted from the day he stepped foot in America -- his own death. If, in his case, the punishment is to fit the crime, then he would suffer most by spending the rest of his life behind bars. When he dies of old age, he will have been forgotten. In no place will people gather to mark his death. That will not happen if he is executed.
Of course, I would not seek his death in any case. I am opposed to capital punishment -- not for Moussaoui's sake or for another guy's, but for our own. The taking of life is something we should not permit government to do. In the first place, life is inviolate. Second, governments have abused this power in the past and will do so in the future. It is no accident that Europe bans the death penalty. Under Hitler, Stalin and others, Europeans learned what government can do.
Societies have their own, peculiar, reasons for taking life. Afghanistan was about to execute a man for converting from Islam to Christianity. To many Afghans, this seemed inarguably to be the right thing to do. In Iraq, Awad Haman Bander, a former judge under Saddam Hussein, confessed to sentencing 148 Shiites to death at one time. It was all legal, he said, with the proper papers being signed and confessions in order. Nothing out of the ordinary. Stamp, stamp. Take them away.
It is naive, I know, but it would be wonderful if the United States showed that as a matter of principle, it does not take a life. It is naive because other governments would not follow -- not right away, anyway. But in time, anything is possible and just as we, bit by bit, have restricted the death penalty so that it is rarely imposed, so may the rest of the world restrain its blood thirst.
Zacarias Moussaoui's execution will do no good. We will see it as justice, but so will he. With a lot of money and immense effort, we will give some of the world another martyr -- and Osama bin Laden can finally close the book on his most successful mission.
Swedish Spectacular
Posted on 2006.03.23 at 14:33Current Mood:
chipper
Current Music: Long Haul -- Voxtrot
Tjena from the other side of the ocean! It's been a long time since I've written so I've decided to catch everyone up on my past, current and upcoming activities.
Today something happened which I consider to be monumental. I was registering to become a member of Flagler College's online newspaper when I was confronted with the inevtiable "user name" question. All my life I've used the webname "svenskablondie" (swedish blondie). I've used it as my AOL screenname, and as my registered user names to various websites. Today, however, faced with the question of MY webname...MY identity...MY persona...I typed in the name "AmericanBlondie" (no translation needed). What I've come to realize here in Sweden is that while my ancestry lies in Sweden, I am undoubtedly American. I identify with Americans, I love American literature, I love American lifestyle, I am American. The best gift I've recieved in studying overseas is I've truly learned to appreciate "home." Before leaving my school, my family, my friends, I considered most things in my life as unfastened-- that if I was left up to my own devices, I'd be able to survive. Being removed from these things, however, has made me cherish everything that I'm a part of back home. My friends are irreplaceable, people that I can see lasting relationships with throughout my life. My family is the thing that keeps me focused and motivated...challenging me to achieve all the things I desire. My school is amazing-- awesome teachers who really know how to excite their students into pursuing the answers they seek. Going to class in Florida is so enjoyable (if you've done the reading, hehe), prepared to challenge both the class and the professor with dynamite questions. I love my life and I love my home and I'm excited to come back.
I do, however, have 3 more months in this tundra up here. The snow is slowly melting, day by day. It's created an obstacle course to get to class...dodging slush puddles, ice patches and snow piles. It's a mess but they assure me that spring is on its way. This Saturday is Swedish Waffle Day (I kid you not) and one of the clubs is hosting a Wafle Night on Tuesday. Twenty kronor (about $2.50) will buy me 5 waffles packed with strawberries and ice cream. That's the right price on a college kid's budget (and surprisingly cheap for Sweden). The girls from my corridor are traveling to the first IKEA ever this weekend and I will be joining them. I don't need anything (and I'm lacking space in my suitcases to transport everything home as it is) but IKEA is one of those places you can roam around in and just have a good time. Only simple pleasures for me. I'm also planning my May London trip where I'll be meeting up with some fellow Flagler students (as well as my advisor) during their two week course abroad. I'm really looking forward to visiting England and acting as a tourist for a little while. It should be a spectacular time.
I had my birthday earlier this month (thanks to everyone for their good wishes). I had a lovely black and white themed party and everyone congratulated me on throwing the fun event. It's still hard to believe that I'm 21...I'm getting so old. In Feruary I went ice fishing. Erik and I went out on the lake at his parents' house with two small fishing poles, two fold-up chairs and an ice drill. We drilled and drilled and drilled until finally we made a 8" in diameter hole. We sat out for about an hour and half until we were frozen ourselves. We failed to catch anything except minor colds. In the first module of my current class, Swedish Politics, I recieved the highest marks possible-- let's hope I keep up the good work. I'm keeping busy by reading, downloading some movies, hanging out with friends and waiting for the warm weather. I'm excited to celebrate Easter and I've even found a church service in English in Stockholm. I think I may be headed into the city for the holiday. Speaking of Stockholm, my class is taking a 3-day fieldtrip there next week. I have to give an oral presentation on the assisnation of King Gustav III. It's actually a pretty cool story-- he was shot at a masquerade ball. Can you imagine? Just like out of Hollywood.
I'm currently looking into the possibility of teaching English in Thailand for six months next spring. Nothing is set in stone, but it never hurts to have ideas. I think Sweden has given me the travel bug, which as my friend Margo said, "That's a pretty good bug to have." With that, I hope you all are doing well and enjoying the warm outdoors (as I'm sure it's warmer than here). I miss you all terribly and I can't wait to see you over the summer and fall. Please write and let me know how everyone is doing-- I'm always interested in the people I care about. Love you all, Jessica
"The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page."
~St. Augustine
Today something happened which I consider to be monumental. I was registering to become a member of Flagler College's online newspaper when I was confronted with the inevtiable "user name" question. All my life I've used the webname "svenskablondie" (swedish blondie). I've used it as my AOL screenname, and as my registered user names to various websites. Today, however, faced with the question of MY webname...MY identity...MY persona...I typed in the name "AmericanBlondie" (no translation needed). What I've come to realize here in Sweden is that while my ancestry lies in Sweden, I am undoubtedly American. I identify with Americans, I love American literature, I love American lifestyle, I am American. The best gift I've recieved in studying overseas is I've truly learned to appreciate "home." Before leaving my school, my family, my friends, I considered most things in my life as unfastened-- that if I was left up to my own devices, I'd be able to survive. Being removed from these things, however, has made me cherish everything that I'm a part of back home. My friends are irreplaceable, people that I can see lasting relationships with throughout my life. My family is the thing that keeps me focused and motivated...challenging me to achieve all the things I desire. My school is amazing-- awesome teachers who really know how to excite their students into pursuing the answers they seek. Going to class in Florida is so enjoyable (if you've done the reading, hehe), prepared to challenge both the class and the professor with dynamite questions. I love my life and I love my home and I'm excited to come back.
I do, however, have 3 more months in this tundra up here. The snow is slowly melting, day by day. It's created an obstacle course to get to class...dodging slush puddles, ice patches and snow piles. It's a mess but they assure me that spring is on its way. This Saturday is Swedish Waffle Day (I kid you not) and one of the clubs is hosting a Wafle Night on Tuesday. Twenty kronor (about $2.50) will buy me 5 waffles packed with strawberries and ice cream. That's the right price on a college kid's budget (and surprisingly cheap for Sweden). The girls from my corridor are traveling to the first IKEA ever this weekend and I will be joining them. I don't need anything (and I'm lacking space in my suitcases to transport everything home as it is) but IKEA is one of those places you can roam around in and just have a good time. Only simple pleasures for me. I'm also planning my May London trip where I'll be meeting up with some fellow Flagler students (as well as my advisor) during their two week course abroad. I'm really looking forward to visiting England and acting as a tourist for a little while. It should be a spectacular time.
I had my birthday earlier this month (thanks to everyone for their good wishes). I had a lovely black and white themed party and everyone congratulated me on throwing the fun event. It's still hard to believe that I'm 21...I'm getting so old. In Feruary I went ice fishing. Erik and I went out on the lake at his parents' house with two small fishing poles, two fold-up chairs and an ice drill. We drilled and drilled and drilled until finally we made a 8" in diameter hole. We sat out for about an hour and half until we were frozen ourselves. We failed to catch anything except minor colds. In the first module of my current class, Swedish Politics, I recieved the highest marks possible-- let's hope I keep up the good work. I'm keeping busy by reading, downloading some movies, hanging out with friends and waiting for the warm weather. I'm excited to celebrate Easter and I've even found a church service in English in Stockholm. I think I may be headed into the city for the holiday. Speaking of Stockholm, my class is taking a 3-day fieldtrip there next week. I have to give an oral presentation on the assisnation of King Gustav III. It's actually a pretty cool story-- he was shot at a masquerade ball. Can you imagine? Just like out of Hollywood.
I'm currently looking into the possibility of teaching English in Thailand for six months next spring. Nothing is set in stone, but it never hurts to have ideas. I think Sweden has given me the travel bug, which as my friend Margo said, "That's a pretty good bug to have." With that, I hope you all are doing well and enjoying the warm outdoors (as I'm sure it's warmer than here). I miss you all terribly and I can't wait to see you over the summer and fall. Please write and let me know how everyone is doing-- I'm always interested in the people I care about. Love you all, Jessica
"The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page."
~St. Augustine
 | You scored as Christianity. Your views are most similar to those of Christianity. Do more research on Christianity and possibly consider being baptized and accepting Jesus, if you aren't already Christian. Christianity is the second of the Abrahamic faiths; it follows Judaism and is followed by Islam. It differs in its belief of Jesus, as not a prophet nor historical figure, but as God in human form. The Holy Trinity is the concept that God takes three forms: the Father, the Son (Jesus), and the Holy Ghost (sometimes called Holy Spirit). Jesus taught the idea of instead of seeking revenge, one should love his or her neighbors and enemies. Christians believe that Jesus died on the cross to save humankind and forgive people's sins.
Which religion is the right one for you? (new version) created with QuizFarm.com |
I want to be Ellie, so....
Posted on 2006.02.20 at 16:44Current Music: Flagler College Radio (in Sweden!)
