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Swedish mainstream shop: Alternative lifesytle?

Wednesday, August 24th, 2011

When homosexual wedding greeting cards are unceremoniously displayed in mainstream shops we’ve shaken the “alternative lifestyle” label tagged on to gay marriage. At least in Sweden.

Same-sex marriages have been legal since May 1, 2009 and registered same-sex partnerships were recognized already from 1995.

I found these cards on display at one of my favorite stationery [chain] stores,
Ordning & Reda
wedding cards .

Now you have all options covered for your next wedding invitation needs.

Just don’t drive yourself nuts by converting the 30kr cost of the card (OK, if you have to, it’s just under $5.)

Oh, and if you’re attending a gay wedding, I highly recommend buying the Leatherman Multitool for the happy couple. Especially if it’s already on their gift registration list.

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Tags: gay marriage, leatherman multitool, ordning & reda, ordning och reda, sweden, swedish gay marriage
Posted in Swedish culture, Swedish politics, Swedish products | No comments »

Swedes: We just don’t get them.

Thursday, August 18th, 2011

I think I get Swedes. Sort of. Kind of. Still working on it, really.

I’ve been at it for nearly 2 decades and the learning curve has been tumultuous, but any good ride has its ups and down. However, it can be a hit or miss for most “newbies” to Sweden. And if you read the pages of The Local, you’ll find there is often “someone” with their knickers in a twist about Swedes. This popular article on TL comes first to mind.

Now it’s quite true that striking up conversation with the random Swede on the street is not always forthcoming. Swedes are a little skittish and they (particularly 08ers aka Stockholmers) are molded from that normal “big city aloofness” you find in any big city which does make them hard to reach. But reachable they are. Warm and loving too. But yes, also, terse, stoic and reserved.

swedes

I’m gregarious. I talk up everyone and anyone and it took me a long while to realize that I’m pretty odd in Boston too. New Yorkers and other Americans regularly complain about us Bostonians being uptight and unapproachable. When I first heard it, I was shocked. Taking a look at it with open eyes I realized that there’s truth to it. Your average Bostonian won’t strike up random conversation, not the kind of polite conversation the people in the article are talking about. BUT, if YOU strike up conversation with a Bostonian and work at it by all the unwritten social/cultural rules of Bostonianism, you can be chatting away for hours.

Stockholmers are like Bostonians: tough nuts to crack (and Swedes have slightly tougher outer shells.) But inside that outer crust it’s all warm and gooey.

I feel sorry for the couple in the above article. They think that because they were brown Swedes didn’t want to interact with them. I’m brown (more so now after a sunny summer) but I chat up Swedes regularly with the fitting success one can ascribe to chatting to Stockholmers.

But maybe I “hear” Swedes better. So much communication among Swedes is non-verbal: a nod of the head, a crook in their smile, a twinkle in their eye.

As for the staring, I have heard people complain of this, but in all honesty I’ve never felt it myself (do Bostonians stare a lot?).

So take heart. If you want to speak to Swedes. Make the first, gentle move. Wait. And then listen…they’re talking to you.

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Tags: non-verbal communication., Swedish culture, talking to swedes
Posted in Boston blend, Swedish culture | 14 comments »

Crown Princess Victoria is preggers: Baking a royal bulle

Thursday, August 18th, 2011

Preggers, Up the Duff, Baking buns. Whichever colorful expression you fancy, Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden, Duchess of Västergötland (my, that’s a mouthful to remember) will soon include “Mum”to her title.

pregger

The official announcementfrom the palace came on Wednesday and traditional and social media spread the news wildfire. I am sure loyal royalists are delighted by baby news (seeing as the last bit of Royal news was scandalous linking the King Grandpa to the criminal underground, sex parlors and brought speculation to his credibility.)

The baby-in-making is welcomed news since in that old-fashioned way, he/she assures the royal lineage. Baby bun will officially become 2nd in line to the Swedish throne after his/her mom.

But heirs to thrones tend to spark raised voices calling for a republic. Though I think, indifferent-to-the-monarchy Swedes, and even mildly motivated republicans are all closetly warmed by the creation of life and the prospects of baby photo ops.

The instigator inside me is hoping for a girl. It’s no secret that if the King had his way, his first-born son (second-born child) Prince Carl Philip, Duke of Värmland, (not quite as long as big sis’ name) would have remained Crown Prince. Calle was born Crown Prince and retained his title for 7 months until January 1, 1980 when Sweden adjusted its Act of Succession and snipped the bit of male preference primogeniture (first born heir-apparent status).

Good luck Vicky and Danny. We look forward to a bouncing baby come March 2012.

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Tags: pregnant., sweden, swedish crown princess pregant, swedish princess, swedish princess pregnant
Posted in Swedish culture | No comments »

Swedish sing-along”Blame it on the gays”: Not hate inciting

Wednesday, August 10th, 2011

As left or liberal as Americans consider my political viewpoints, I tend to place right of center in Sweden on matters, especially on socio-political matters and even “quite right” fiscally.

In today’s SvD (one of Sweden’s daily newspapers) I read about a report that a case of “incitement of hate towards a populous group” (hets mot folkgrupp)against a humorous and satire-dripping song/performance was dismissed by the committee appointed to investigate the complaint. Apparently the song was performed at the über popular summer sizzling sing-along event at Skansen, Allsång. I don’t think that it’s merely coincidental that the performance took place during the Stockholm Pride Festival.

gay pride

I had never heard the song, knew nothing of the case and was very curious since this particular law I find…well…hyper-sensitive and too restrictive. The basis of the law is to prevent active, intentional and even unintentional incitement of hate aimed at particular groups of people.

Now I don’t espouse or condone hate or inciting hate, but I don’t really subscribe to a notion that we should legislate against it if there’s no call to act upon that hate (like an incitement to violence.) I just can’t see making a very naturally human condition to be bigoted as something to criminalize. I mean, if I have an unfounded and inflammatory opinion about Blue People, I really should be able to express it provided it lacks a call to hurt Blue People.

So I watched the performance and listened to the text. It is absolutely hysterically funny and so obviously a satirical parody of bible-thumping Christian fundamentalists (probably inspired by the Westboro Baptist Church who once maintained a website called “God Hates Sweden”). The song’s text basically repeats that all of today’s woes, all wars, all problems…you name it, it’s all the fault of gays/homosexuals.
bögarnas fel
Here’s a link to the YouTube performance. Unfortunately, while the link says it’s subtitled in English, I haven’t seen where the subtitles are supposed to be.

Of course if you take the text literally, it would be deemed in breech of the law, but the committee quickly returned a judgement that it was not intended to be literally interpreted.

It’s good that the discrimination authority had a sense of humor. Not everything can be taken too seriously.

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Tags: allsång, bögarnas fel, Grotescos, hot mot folkgrupp, skansen, svd
Posted in Swedish culture | 3 comments »

Norway bombing/shooting: “Don’t mess with my baby brother”

Saturday, July 23rd, 2011

Sympathetic outpouring for Norway from Swedes and anyone I know linked to Sweden is all over my social media regarding the bombing/shooting in Norway Friday afternoon (TL article link.)
CNN 1

While the attacks took place in Norway, Sweden is shaken as if the bombs were on Swedish soil. Norwegians are readily regarded as brothers and sisters to Swedes (as described by blogger CC Champagne this evening — link to entry).

Indeed, even foreign minister, Carl Bildt, tweeted earlier this evening, ”Terrorism has struck. Police confirms bomb in Oslo. We are all Norwegians.”

I’m still glued to CNN and BBC and Swedish news sources. I’m currently fascinated by the CNN need to untiringly speculate about the potential for an Al-Qaeda link despite repeated reports from all media that the man in custody is a 32-year old ethnic Norwegian. After all…a blond Norwegian could be sympathetic to Muslim extremism.

*insert saddened sigh*

Now, I know I don’t know who (if anyone) is behind this sole suspect but I’m guessing it’s a domestic protest. If you really want to cling to a fanatical Muslim connection you can hold out for a desperate hope to connect a very obviously political motive (well, of course the blond Norwegian could be protesting Norway’s involvement in Afghanistan or its ties to Danish/Swedish cartoons) I suppose you still have hope.

People will be trying resolutely to make this about crazed “others” rather than crazed “us.”

After all, “We are all Norwegians.”

For what it’s worth, I think it’s funny to hear the clarification that the Norwegian man is white and ethnic over and over again.

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Tags: Anders Behring Breivik, bbc, CNN, norway attacks, norway bombing
Posted in Swedish culture, Swedish politics | 11 comments »

Swedish media: Revising sensational account of skydiving accident

Saturday, July 16th, 2011

A tragic accident took the life of a fellow skydiver today. I didn’t know him and he wasn’t a member of our club but he was a member of a tight-knit community of skydivers and tributes and discussions have gone on all afternoon/evening on a variety of social sites.

The media eagerly features skydiving accidents even without a fatality. Fear and intrigue are easily riled up in the average reader by suggestive references to falling to one’s death (or nearly doing so even when it’s not nearly as nearly as suggested.)

Shock and horror capture our attention. We rush out to watch a fire, we stare at the strewn debris of a train wreck and we terrify ourselves trying to imagine the last moments before impact in airplane crashes. And skydiving accidents. It’s human nature.

Unfortunately for our sport, skydiving, it’s rather bad press. People presume that skydivers are all adrenaline junkies and irrational risk takers. It sets up the sport to be something akin to dancing with death and not a serious sport.

Certainly those personality types are attracted to skydiving but (in Sweden for sure) the community at large don’t fit well into that sweeping presumption. Safety is priority number one within the sport world-wide and especially in Sweden, skydiving is extremely regulated and taken very seriously.

Earlier today, Aftonbladet’s article featured a provocative yet inaccurate quote from a police officer describing the accident. After the journalists were forwarded the press release and most recent factual information about the accident (sorry, Swedish only) from the Swedish Skydiving Association, Aftonbladet very professionally revised the headline and took the time to better research the incident and the background around skydiving and the equipment.

Thank you Aftonbladet. BSBD

bsbd

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Tags: aftonbladet, skydiving, sweden, swedish skydiving
Posted in Swedish culture | 6 comments »

Midsummer in Stockholm: Stuck in the city

Friday, June 24th, 2011

‘Tis the night before the night before midsummer and instead of swatting mosquitoes on an archipelago island, we’re home in our ‘burb just north of Stockholm.

There are surely some relieved varpa champion hopefuls (see 2009 misummer blog entry ) knowing the Swede will not challenge them for the trophy this year. He still hasn’t won it, but he got close again last year. In fact, I nearly took home the women’s trophy last year. I seem to be some sort of Viking rock tossing natural. We have year to gear up for next year.

Tomorrow is Midsummer’s Eve and while it’s not an official public holiday (also known as a “red day” in Sweden), it is THE day to celebrate midsummer. Schools , preschools and most businesses are closed and everyone and anyone with a summer cottage to escape to has left the city.

The major highways leading away from Stockholm were bumper-to-bumper already at 4pm. Eerily enough the streets around Stockholm are nearly deserted in the twilight.

One midsummer eve six years ago we drove home to our condo on Södermalm after the day’s dancing around the maypole. Normally finding a parking spot outside our front door is on par with winning the lottery. That night we had the entire street of parking options to chose from.

This year we have guests from the US visiting us and we’re still unsure where we shall dance like ducks around the midsommar pole.

Skansen is always an option, though I think we’re going to try to find somewhere closer to home.

At least I’m certain we won’t eat our midsummer lunch at McDonalds as we did 3 years ago.

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Tags: midsommar, midsummer, stockholm midsummer, sweden, varpa
Posted in All about Blatte, Swedish culture | 1 comment »

Right on Red in Sweden: Right on!

Wednesday, June 15th, 2011

I never thought I would see the day that turning right on red while driving would ever come to Sweden, even if only as a discussion. Dagens Nyheter had it as a front cover story in yesterday’s newspaper. (The Local’s article in English)

The story came on the heels of the previous day’s news about the Stockholm government’s proposal (or at least discussion opener) to allow bicyclists to drive through red lights in certain circumstances. The idea is that many bicyclists already do this and that it would make traffic flow better. Not sure if I agree with that.

On the other hand, coming from Boston, no one would be surprised if it were suggested that I might (not admitting anything here) regularly, daily even, already partake (purely for scientific purposes) in both activities.

Right on red is the driving rule that I miss terribly from driving in N. America and in Boston. I sort of miss the ability to pass on the right when on a highway too, but I can adjust to that one easily enough since cars don’t hog the travel lane like they do on Yankee Division Highway ( old Rt. 128 –NO one knows it as Yankee Division Highway) or anywhere on I-95 or the Pike.

But I digress (no stop sign posted.)

I doubt this traffic law will ever be enacted in Sweden, but I would really love it if it did.

Though the arguments against all point to greater chaos on Stockholm’s streets. I doubt that. As much as it should be admirable that Swedes are highly law abiding, the pedantic sticking to what a motorist or bicyclists “thinks” the rules are or ought to be (that’s worse) causes heaps of chaos.

I still subscribe to the Bostonian mentality of driving/biking…communicate, work it out and flip ‘em off (if need be;) but just get out of the way!

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Tags: dagens nyheter, köra höger mot rött, right on red, stockholm, stockholm traffic, sweden, swedish traffic
Posted in Boston blend, Swedish culture, Swedish politics | No comments »

School closing ceremony. No church please.

Wednesday, June 8th, 2011

Our 6-year old will celebrate his school term close this afternoon. The ceremony (which is just the kids choir-singing, or at least that’s what I gather) will take place in the schoolyard and look a bit like this
school end

instead of the nearby church and look like this.

church school close

Our children’s school always has the June closing ceremony in the schoolyard. However, many school closing ceremonies around Sweden still regularly take place in the local Swedish church.

The reasons are:
a. That’s the only place big enough to have the full school + parents/family
b. Tradition.

The Swedish school advisory stipulates that the ceremony, if held at the church, must be non-religious. However, from personal experience I know that this is a gray zone in a minefield.

Our school had a end of autumn term event at the local church. It was beautiful to observe the torch procession in the December darkness. The priest was the master of ceremonies and his “message” centered around Christmas via the Jesus-in-Bethlehem nativity story. We were all handed religious psalm books (technically that’s redundant as psalm books are religious by definition) so that we could join in for 3 psalms. I’m not the atheist in the family and I was aghast in disbelief.

I can’t see how a ceremony headed by a priest in a church could ever pass as non-religious. Though, of course if you stretch it and dissect it and pick it apart you could get away with it falling within the “non-religious” guidelines. There was no Eucharist given and no non-sung prayers (psalms aren’t technically prayers) and recounting the Jesus/Nativity story is like recounting a popular legend.

The atheist in the family, the Swede, wrote a very kind letter to the school pointing out that school ceremonies should not be religious-lite ceremonies. Gratefully, the school agreed.

After all. Our school’s normal summer close ceremony is in the schoolyard. And that’s where I am off to now. Swedish summer is rather glorious in and of itself. No religion required.

(though with the weather in Stockholm right now, it might end up looking like this)
rain

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Tags: skolavslutning, stockholm, sweden, swedish church, swedish school ceremony
Posted in Swedish culture | No comments »

Groupon Coupon Stockholm: Today’s deal

Monday, February 28th, 2011

I bought my first Groupon Coupon today at an 80% discount.

80% sounds too good to pass up (even if I am skeptical of how much the original price normally is.) Groupon, if you’re not familiar with it yet (and haven’t clicked on the link,) is a deal-of-the-day website offering collective bargaining power.
groupon
Boston was the second city market (after Chicago) to kick off about 2 years ago. After signing up for the Boston deals (since I’m there regularly) I discovered that Sweden has its own Groupon and its Dagens deal.

So I went for broke (thinking that I really might be just throwing away money if I never use the coupon or if it doesn’t work out or some other pessimistic disastrous eventuality) and took today’s deal.

Don’t laugh, it’s a hair-removal treatment using some fancy-dancy-schmancy thing-a-ma-bob. hair
I’m not all that hairy, but if I can be rid of the tufts of unwanted hair forever…all at an 80% discount, I’ll be a Groupon addict from here on in.