The members of the English speaking community in Stockholm are arguably separated by no more than about 2½ degrees (referring to the popular idea that we’re all connected within 6 friend knows friend and so on.)
If you’ve been in Stockholm a few years and have even the smallest network of friends, workmates or acquaintances it’s nearly impossible to meet a new English speaking person without a friend in common –or within 2 degrees and dang nearly guaranteed to connect within 3. If you think the world is a small place, Stockholm is a pinhole.
Last night I tagged along to the Liffey’s English comedy night
to see a friend of a friend perform –whom I also know (this is going to start getting complicated but is unimportant in the grand scheme and just for laughs so don’t feel a need to keep it straight.) Another friend tagged along with me who didn’t know either the comic or my “tagged” (presuming now I’m the tag-alonger to the tagged –or would that be tagee? It would be easier if there were established terms.) But as it were in this friend-incestuous town my tag-alonger found a mutual friend in the comic whom she’s been searching for in vain. Guess that search is now over.
Now I knew Ben Kersley of 110% Lagom blog fame wasn’t on the roster, but it wouldn’t have surprised me to find him there (he wasn’t) but I did find Alannah of Eating out with Alannah whom I’ve never met before. In addition to sharing The Local as a mutual friend or sorts, I’ve known for quite some time that Alannah and I share another friend in common. Without detailing too much of Alannah’s social connections (or mine I suppose) we can say that our mutual friend is an unlikely pal-in-common considering the PIC (coining new terms now) is neither a native English speaker nor a resident of Sweden. And it was THAT person, visiting Alannah who recognized me and introduced us for the first time during intermission.
I didn’t look more to find yet additional intricate webs of connection in the crowd though there certainly must have been –it’s an Irish bar in Stockholm after all. But the grouping of two Local bloggers in one place (and could easily have been three had 110% Lagom been there) inspired me to meet another Local blogger in person today.)
Sarah from the blog No Man’s Land had extended a public invitation to introduce oneself which I took her up on today. It’s always a pleasure to meet someone in person.
As for the comedy last night, it might sound biased but the PIC/1st degree comic, Brian O’Grady, was the best comic on stage. They’ve asked him to stand up next Thursday too if you want to judge for yourselves.
Oh, and as for degrees of separation. I also discovered last night that I am indeed 6 degrees separated from Kevin Bacon.
Stockholm, Schtokholm… I live in Linköping where we play Six Degrees Of Lars Winnerbäck
Glad you had fun at The Liffey – I’d play there more often, but I have my own club night here on Thursdays
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Indeed, it’s a very small world
It just takes 5 mins of talking to someone in Stockholm and you already find a mutual person who you both know! (Or you bump into someone at an Irish bar!!) Hope to catch up again soon! Maybe at the next comedy at the Liffey 
The Irish and Canadian guys were great!! (And I’m not just saying that because I’m Irish!)
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Nice to see you went along with this idea for the blog, haha! It was great meeting you too, maybe one of these thursdays I’ll actually make it out to the comedy night.
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@Ben. Linköping is lucky to have you. Hopefully you’ll throw us a bone occasionally. How many degrees are you to Lars Winnerbäck?
@ Allanah. I even forgot that the Irish comic also knows yet another mutual blogger, Ms. Demsteader from Desperately seeking Sweden. http://www.thelocal.se/blogs/desperatelyseekingsweden/. It just doesn’t take long.
@ Sarah. I think we need to get every Stockholm-based blogger out to the Liffey the next time Ben @ 110%Lagom plays.
BB
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I’m totally up for that. I will even plan a visit to Stockholm during the 3 months I’m gone to get to the comedy night, haha. Let me know the next time Ben is in town.
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I thinks theres alot of international people living in STK, so enviroment is english..People easily gets job if they dont know swedish…so its cool
, if I will cpmare with small town
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I visited Stockholm for the first time back in October. Really cool town. I didn’t know there were Irish bars over there, though – or so many people who spoke English. What is the percentage of English speakers in Stockholm? Does anybody know?
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