the earth and its future
Earthquake in Haiti, earthquake in Chile, earthquake in Los Angeles yersterday. My class mate Sebastian stood in his apartment in downtown LA, feeling the whole 12 story building wobble for 2 minutes. It feels like it will strike here in San Francisco any second now. What else? Unusually cold weather and snow storms everywhere. Some of Asia's tallest mountains are loosing their ice, resulting in millions of people loosing their daily water supplies, resulting in massive people displacements. It's not weird that I'm starting to think that the Maya people were quite accurate when they pinpointed the end of the world to occur on December 20th 2012. It's like the earth think it's had enough. It screams louder and louder the more we humans spreading across it's surface and drenching it from it's resources.
The movie Zeitgeist: Addendum shows a very interesting scenario, a utopia, a society that would work without human work power, where money isn't needed, where resources is shared equally, where all transportation is powered by renewable energy. They describe how this utopia would already work, today. But unfortunately it isn't that easy in reality. The systems the world today is built upon is to deeply rooted, to widely spread into every single corner of this world. Right now I'm reading the book "Så Fungerar Samhället" where Eric Ericson in a satirically way describes how the world we live in is built, how everything circles around consumption. Everything needs money. The world IS money. If we would stop to consume, the entire world as we know it would collapse. It would do a 180 spin towards a new stone age. In that case I guess that I - as someone who's about to step into the world of advertising - is doing the world a favor, or at least for those who likes the world as it is today, likes where it's heading, without having to make any sacrifices. I'm keeping the machinery going, making you and everyone else consume, keeping the society alive. The individual is weak, but together, united, we can achieve the most amazing things. But it's also together we become the biggest threat this earth have ever seen.
The COP 15 meeting in Copenhagen didn't work out, which makes all sense in the world. How on earth are you gonna be able to redirect something that has been growing strong for over hundreds of years, something that is so widely spread, something that everything is built upon? Sure, we can live through our values and try to do good. We can try to live ecological - eat less or local meat, buy second hand, avoid certain products. But it's in the higher districts, in the top of the tallest skyscrapers and in the closed rooms the biggest and most important decisions are made, where there is enough power to actually start spinning the wheel and make any difference. Is that gonna happen? I actually doubt it. Or at least not in the next twenty years.
Even if we manage to flip the coin around, set new standards, new systems, everything is far from over. The changes will strike hard, probably with violent riots and deaths as a result. You can't please everyone. It's both interesting and scary to think of the restrictions that may become reality if the wheel towards a more sustainable world starts spinning. How will it affect us? What luxuries and comforts do we need to sacrifice? Things like yearly family vacations to Thailand and having as many kids as you want is no longer gonna be defendable. Maybe you're not even gonna be allowed to travel outside your continent if it's not work related business.
I've heard some scary future scenario where they would build a giant iron wall between Europe and Africa to keep away all people trying to escape a world that's no longer habitable. Only certain people with high ranks would be allowed to pass. A truly scary scenario, but not science fiction. In fact I think it's closer than we think.
As I see it we got three paths to chose from:
The risky way: Fully take part in trying to change the world with it's current economical system. Stop consuming, make your own clothes, grow your own food, don't make any babies, or maybe just one. Put a giant metal pole in the wheel of production. Try to save the plants and animals that still exist but cut down on our wealth, luxuries and comfort. It's probably gona take A LOT of effort to flip the coin, probably with fatal and devestating results, at least in the first staggering round.
The middle way: Live like you do today, with some minor changes and hope for the best. Take the bike as long as your destination isn't to far away, only try to fly once a year, stop consuming some things that's bad for the nature so that the manufacturers eventually stops producing those things (no market no recources). But will it have any impact? Will it make that big of a difference?
The "safe" way: Fully play along with the system we got today. Consume even more. Put more money in the giant loop. Even if the nature dies we will be wealthy and contribute to science and other stuff that may help us overcome diseases, poverty and other widespread problems. Maybe the scientist are able to come up with cars or even airplanes that runs on water, maybe they will come up with ways to recreate extinct species, which of course is only possible if they keep getting money.
Which path will you chose?
The movie Zeitgeist: Addendum shows a very interesting scenario, a utopia, a society that would work without human work power, where money isn't needed, where resources is shared equally, where all transportation is powered by renewable energy. They describe how this utopia would already work, today. But unfortunately it isn't that easy in reality. The systems the world today is built upon is to deeply rooted, to widely spread into every single corner of this world. Right now I'm reading the book "Så Fungerar Samhället" where Eric Ericson in a satirically way describes how the world we live in is built, how everything circles around consumption. Everything needs money. The world IS money. If we would stop to consume, the entire world as we know it would collapse. It would do a 180 spin towards a new stone age. In that case I guess that I - as someone who's about to step into the world of advertising - is doing the world a favor, or at least for those who likes the world as it is today, likes where it's heading, without having to make any sacrifices. I'm keeping the machinery going, making you and everyone else consume, keeping the society alive. The individual is weak, but together, united, we can achieve the most amazing things. But it's also together we become the biggest threat this earth have ever seen.
The COP 15 meeting in Copenhagen didn't work out, which makes all sense in the world. How on earth are you gonna be able to redirect something that has been growing strong for over hundreds of years, something that is so widely spread, something that everything is built upon? Sure, we can live through our values and try to do good. We can try to live ecological - eat less or local meat, buy second hand, avoid certain products. But it's in the higher districts, in the top of the tallest skyscrapers and in the closed rooms the biggest and most important decisions are made, where there is enough power to actually start spinning the wheel and make any difference. Is that gonna happen? I actually doubt it. Or at least not in the next twenty years.
Even if we manage to flip the coin around, set new standards, new systems, everything is far from over. The changes will strike hard, probably with violent riots and deaths as a result. You can't please everyone. It's both interesting and scary to think of the restrictions that may become reality if the wheel towards a more sustainable world starts spinning. How will it affect us? What luxuries and comforts do we need to sacrifice? Things like yearly family vacations to Thailand and having as many kids as you want is no longer gonna be defendable. Maybe you're not even gonna be allowed to travel outside your continent if it's not work related business.
I've heard some scary future scenario where they would build a giant iron wall between Europe and Africa to keep away all people trying to escape a world that's no longer habitable. Only certain people with high ranks would be allowed to pass. A truly scary scenario, but not science fiction. In fact I think it's closer than we think.
As I see it we got three paths to chose from:
The risky way: Fully take part in trying to change the world with it's current economical system. Stop consuming, make your own clothes, grow your own food, don't make any babies, or maybe just one. Put a giant metal pole in the wheel of production. Try to save the plants and animals that still exist but cut down on our wealth, luxuries and comfort. It's probably gona take A LOT of effort to flip the coin, probably with fatal and devestating results, at least in the first staggering round.
The middle way: Live like you do today, with some minor changes and hope for the best. Take the bike as long as your destination isn't to far away, only try to fly once a year, stop consuming some things that's bad for the nature so that the manufacturers eventually stops producing those things (no market no recources). But will it have any impact? Will it make that big of a difference?
The "safe" way: Fully play along with the system we got today. Consume even more. Put more money in the giant loop. Even if the nature dies we will be wealthy and contribute to science and other stuff that may help us overcome diseases, poverty and other widespread problems. Maybe the scientist are able to come up with cars or even airplanes that runs on water, maybe they will come up with ways to recreate extinct species, which of course is only possible if they keep getting money.
Which path will you chose?
Please don't go back to Big Sur
Normally the weather clears up a few hours south of San Francisco. But this time around the magnificent Highway 1 wasn't that magnificent. 7 hours in the car, rain ALL THE TIME and the worse hang ever!
smørrebrød bonanza
Got invited to a danish dinner at Maja's co worker Andrea's place outside Okaland. Lots and lots of fish filled sandwiches and booze in various variations were consumed during some of the friendliest hours I've had in San Francisco so far. Most of the dinner i spent talking to Andreas husbands old father.
If it's one thing I love doing it is to sit and listen to old peoples life stories. Sometimes the're so engaging and spellbinding that it feels like I'm a kid again listening to a fairy tail with full concentration to not miss a single word. The same thing when I was working at Apoteket (the Swedish pharmacy) a couple of years ago. I worked with customer support where I assisted people who called for their medicines. Most of the time it was old people who called, and unfortunately they were mostly bitter and angry. But sometimes the old just called to talk, because they didn't have anyone else to talk to, I guess. I loved these calls, not only because I got some relaxing pauses from the serious and boring work. Mostly the old actually had very thrilling stuff to tell and the more I asked the more stuff I got in return. Since they had lived for a long time they had a lot of memories to share. Sometimes very sad, sometimes hillarious - as life is in general.
Andrea's husband's father told me stories about the second world war, about being on the run as a 11 year old, about bird watching, about catching giant mussles under water. I just sat there, eating all the delicious food, and enjoyed every single second.
If it's one thing I love doing it is to sit and listen to old peoples life stories. Sometimes the're so engaging and spellbinding that it feels like I'm a kid again listening to a fairy tail with full concentration to not miss a single word. The same thing when I was working at Apoteket (the Swedish pharmacy) a couple of years ago. I worked with customer support where I assisted people who called for their medicines. Most of the time it was old people who called, and unfortunately they were mostly bitter and angry. But sometimes the old just called to talk, because they didn't have anyone else to talk to, I guess. I loved these calls, not only because I got some relaxing pauses from the serious and boring work. Mostly the old actually had very thrilling stuff to tell and the more I asked the more stuff I got in return. Since they had lived for a long time they had a lot of memories to share. Sometimes very sad, sometimes hillarious - as life is in general.
Andrea's husband's father told me stories about the second world war, about being on the run as a 11 year old, about bird watching, about catching giant mussles under water. I just sat there, eating all the delicious food, and enjoyed every single second.
tap water for the win!
I've always though buying bottled water is one of the most unnecessary and worst things you can do, as long as you're not in some dirty town in Asia where you can't know weather the water is clean or not.
This video below perfectly describes why you shouldn't buy bottled water. If you're interested in how buying a bottle of water affects the world your living in, or if you just like to gain more knowledge of your importance as a consumer - I suggest you watch it.
Enjoy!
This video below perfectly describes why you shouldn't buy bottled water. If you're interested in how buying a bottle of water affects the world your living in, or if you just like to gain more knowledge of your importance as a consumer - I suggest you watch it.
Enjoy!
Top 3 - The most awful American bevereges
Since I don't have anything to do at work today (yet), I figured I should start putting together some lists that sums up this shattered country and its sometimes strange culture. One of the main goals here is to try as much of their food as possible. So far I've got to taste a lot of things I already know I'm gona miss back in Sweden, but also a lot of things I wish I'd never put in my mouth
Starting today with - The most awful American beverges.
3. Dr Pepper - I actually enjoy Cherry Coke, or at least in small doses. But with Dr Pepper it's defferent. It got that so very familiar American cherry taste, the taste you can find in almost ever cherry candy out there, the taste that maybe feels more artificial than anything else on earth. I'm edning up pouring it down the drain, always.
2. Root Beer - Why am I not surprised. This awful drink from hell is produced by the same company that has earned the number one spot on this list. I've tried it twice now, only to see if it got any better, but it didn't. Both times I stopped drinking halfway through the bottle. It's hard to discribe what Root Beer taste like. The closest I've come so far is Jenka (the old Swedish chewing gum) with a touch of vanilla. And that's something I will never force down my throat again.
1. Cream Soda - Oh.my.fuckin.god. I say - You shouldn't drink candy, and especially not in the form of floating vanilla ice cream. This is by far the most icky American liquid I've ever had in my mouth. I think there's only one thing I ever tried that's worse than this, and that's some weird lemon licorice experiment that Festis tried for a week or so in Sweden before they drove every bottle up to Lapland and nuked it, or at least I wish. I hope they do the same thing with this evil poisonous liquid.
Starting today with - The most awful American beverges.
3. Dr Pepper - I actually enjoy Cherry Coke, or at least in small doses. But with Dr Pepper it's defferent. It got that so very familiar American cherry taste, the taste you can find in almost ever cherry candy out there, the taste that maybe feels more artificial than anything else on earth. I'm edning up pouring it down the drain, always.
2. Root Beer - Why am I not surprised. This awful drink from hell is produced by the same company that has earned the number one spot on this list. I've tried it twice now, only to see if it got any better, but it didn't. Both times I stopped drinking halfway through the bottle. It's hard to discribe what Root Beer taste like. The closest I've come so far is Jenka (the old Swedish chewing gum) with a touch of vanilla. And that's something I will never force down my throat again.
1. Cream Soda - Oh.my.fuckin.god. I say - You shouldn't drink candy, and especially not in the form of floating vanilla ice cream. This is by far the most icky American liquid I've ever had in my mouth. I think there's only one thing I ever tried that's worse than this, and that's some weird lemon licorice experiment that Festis tried for a week or so in Sweden before they drove every bottle up to Lapland and nuked it, or at least I wish. I hope they do the same thing with this evil poisonous liquid.
Strange sounds in the hallway
Feeling dull and slow and lazy today. Feels like someone pored syrup into my brain while I was sleeping. Slow reactions, bad English and no motivation. Maybe the side effects from wednesday's beer filled night stroke today, because yesterday I didn't feel a thing. Well well. What can possibly be a better cure than some locksmiths drilling in the hallway at work, creating a sound that sounds like a screaming cross breed between Chewbacca and a horny blue whale. Got pretty scared at first, thought it was some sort of earthquake alarm. I even got ready to duck and cover.
the loop
The world is a small place. Sooner or later paths will be crossed, like in the tv show Lost. I've experienced it so many times by now that I've stopped trying to act surprised, allthough I must say it mostly makes me happy. Once I went to a Jamie T concert in the outskirts of London and these girls taps me on my back, putting on their biggest smiles when I turn around. It turned out it was the girls me and my friends had as neighbours the first night on Bali one year before. Their parents owned the bar next to the venue we we're at. People sooner or later runs into each other. And It's not that strange if someone's ending up humping someone they know has allready been humped by someone they know. Exchanging body liquids. Uniting. Becoming FB's and FS's. I guess it's just the easiest way to do it. And we must not forget - the world is a small place. I've stopped being surprised.
Expanded!
Coachella ticket booked
surf & park & gig
Bought my first wet suit ever this weekend. The guy in the surf shop said: "Wow, this is normaly a $330 one. You're lucky!". It's a used one, but it's in really good shape. And I got it for $120, including a hood. Most importantly it fit's me very well and keeps me warm in the cold water.
And I once again went to surf in Pacifica with Ryan, Brandon and Marius. I was in way better shape this time around and actually managed to capture most of the waves. From now on I'm gona try to go once every week.
Hung out in Dolores park, one of SF's most beautiful parks for sure. Me, Johan and Maja worked on our tan (sorry Mom, I forgot to put sun lotion on), ate some ice cream, played some football and enjoyed the amazing view over the city skyline.
Went to see Titus Andronicus throwing the best show I've seen in SF so far. An melodic, powerful and emotional indie rock odyssey that sended me into the most delightful state of mind. Their latest album The Monitor (which is loosely based on the U.S. civil war) is definitely one of the most interesting albums I've heard this year.
The Monitor, on Spotify.
And I once again went to surf in Pacifica with Ryan, Brandon and Marius. I was in way better shape this time around and actually managed to capture most of the waves. From now on I'm gona try to go once every week.
Hung out in Dolores park, one of SF's most beautiful parks for sure. Me, Johan and Maja worked on our tan (sorry Mom, I forgot to put sun lotion on), ate some ice cream, played some football and enjoyed the amazing view over the city skyline.
Went to see Titus Andronicus throwing the best show I've seen in SF so far. An melodic, powerful and emotional indie rock odyssey that sended me into the most delightful state of mind. Their latest album The Monitor (which is loosely based on the U.S. civil war) is definitely one of the most interesting albums I've heard this year.
The Monitor, on Spotify.
Catched the sunset this time
corn bread
First time I've ever tried something that tastes like how a new leather seated car, warmed up by the summer sun, smells like. Kinda weid. Maybe I just got foul corn bred?
Three bands too good to miss!
Frightened Rabbit - Swim until You Can't See Land
Titus Andronicus - No Future Part 3: Escape From No Future
Fang Island - Daisy
Titus Andronicus - No Future Part 3: Escape From No Future
Fang Island - Daisy
Oh the future
So many roads to take. Where do they lead? Which one is mine?
Two new Hyper Island students in town!
Azin and Hanna from the Interactive Art Director program just arrived to San Francisco and we celebrated that yesterday with some beers and hamburgers. They will be art directors at one of the biggest agencies in the world - Goodby Silverstein & Partners. I wish them good luck on their journey and hope that we get some fun times together here in this lovely city.
You can follow them at http://blog.hannazin.com/
You can follow them at http://blog.hannazin.com/
First SF surf
It feels like I've been longing forever. But the past week the time had finally came. It was time to go surfing!
I got to borrow a board from my friend Ryan's friend Brandon (who had one of the most charming dog's I've ever met) and I hired a wet suit from the local surf shop in Pacifica/Linemar. It was a pretty beginner friendly beach, but I had a hard time in the water. The water was cold and I felt so fucking weak (maybe because I had been drinking to 5 the night before and catched 5 hours of sleep). My arms weren't strong enough to get me out as far as I wanted. Frustrating as hell. And I only managed to stand on one wave. But hey, it was actually two years since I surfed the last time. What's more important is that I finally got to do it again. And it definitely once again sparked my surf flame. Now I'm trying to do push ups every night to get in better shape for the next time, which hopefully will be soon.
I got to borrow a board from my friend Ryan's friend Brandon (who had one of the most charming dog's I've ever met) and I hired a wet suit from the local surf shop in Pacifica/Linemar. It was a pretty beginner friendly beach, but I had a hard time in the water. The water was cold and I felt so fucking weak (maybe because I had been drinking to 5 the night before and catched 5 hours of sleep). My arms weren't strong enough to get me out as far as I wanted. Frustrating as hell. And I only managed to stand on one wave. But hey, it was actually two years since I surfed the last time. What's more important is that I finally got to do it again. And it definitely once again sparked my surf flame. Now I'm trying to do push ups every night to get in better shape for the next time, which hopefully will be soon.
Ace Ventura 3
Yes, there is a sequel. First - a short resume:
Met this pet lawyer named Bruce at the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club a while ago. We chatted for a while, mostly about music. I met him again, at the Manchester Orchestra gig some days after. He asked me for my email and I gave it to him.
So - Last week I got an email from him, Bruce. He wanted to invite me to a gig with this band Gomez that he mentioned the last time we met. And he wanted me to mention my five favorite bands. Of course I accepted this friendly guesture. So I once again went to The Great American Music Hall. This time Bruce was friendlier and more talkative than ever. He said: "When I met you for the second time I knew this was something special" and handed me a package containing four bootleg recordings (the last concerts we'd been to + The Hold Steady + Pavement). It turned out that he was some sort of well known guy at this venue. He was good friends with the owners and used to record the gig's as often as he could. He also knew this night's band. He ran into them in a record shop in San Francisco, shortly after they released their first record in the late 90's, and they've been friends ever since.
The gig wasn't that good. But I'm very happy to have met this cool old fart.
Met this pet lawyer named Bruce at the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club a while ago. We chatted for a while, mostly about music. I met him again, at the Manchester Orchestra gig some days after. He asked me for my email and I gave it to him.
So - Last week I got an email from him, Bruce. He wanted to invite me to a gig with this band Gomez that he mentioned the last time we met. And he wanted me to mention my five favorite bands. Of course I accepted this friendly guesture. So I once again went to The Great American Music Hall. This time Bruce was friendlier and more talkative than ever. He said: "When I met you for the second time I knew this was something special" and handed me a package containing four bootleg recordings (the last concerts we'd been to + The Hold Steady + Pavement). It turned out that he was some sort of well known guy at this venue. He was good friends with the owners and used to record the gig's as often as he could. He also knew this night's band. He ran into them in a record shop in San Francisco, shortly after they released their first record in the late 90's, and they've been friends ever since.
The gig wasn't that good. But I'm very happy to have met this cool old fart.
Trimmed hair cut
My friend & hairdresser David definitely deserves a salute
St.Patricks Day
Well, I don't think even 1% of the Americans know why they're celebrating St.Patricks Day. It's just an excuse to get drunk (which indeed is very Irish). On my search for the actual reason I scrolled through the St.Patricks Day Wikipedia page just to get some more meat on my legs (swedish expression). I learned that the original celebration colour was blue (which helped me out later that night when people were asking why I wore a blue epic false beard) but that the shamrock became such a strong symbol that the green colour became number one. Good for me. I like green more. Green matches my hair. And my hair makes me look Irish.
I didn't try to be Irish last night though. But that's what some girls thought after talking to them for a while. I was rejected, accused for having an fake Irish accent, without even trying (even if it may've sounded like that when I mumbled through my beard). When I said I was from Sweden they just said: "Haha, you're such a looser, trying to hit on us with you're fake accents. We've lived here for 6 years and we're so fucking tired of guys like you". I said: "You know what, fuck off!", showed the rude girls the finger and went for the big outdoor dance alley where I later was lifted up into my first crowd surf ever.
Overall it was an epic night. Started with some awesome Italian food and ended with some car park roof exploration.
I didn't try to be Irish last night though. But that's what some girls thought after talking to them for a while. I was rejected, accused for having an fake Irish accent, without even trying (even if it may've sounded like that when I mumbled through my beard). When I said I was from Sweden they just said: "Haha, you're such a looser, trying to hit on us with you're fake accents. We've lived here for 6 years and we're so fucking tired of guys like you". I said: "You know what, fuck off!", showed the rude girls the finger and went for the big outdoor dance alley where I later was lifted up into my first crowd surf ever.
Overall it was an epic night. Started with some awesome Italian food and ended with some car park roof exploration.
Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara was great. It's a sunny city with lots of beautiful houses, girls and cars. It's a city where students have their own college cities with beach houses and stores and awesome surf. It's a city where beer pong is beeing played every day and where cops storms house parties filled with red beer cups. I think it's the closest I've been to experience the "O.C life". It was so fun to see my friend Jocke Schafer after all this time apart. Allthough I have to admit that I havn't been drinking that much alcohol since I came to the states.
Here's a short video of what we did last saturday:
Here's a short video of what we did last saturday:
