Hi babes, now you find the “most played April 2022” playlist on my Spotify page. Follow and I will follow back and hopefully discover new music, artists and maybe “music buddies” – You can never get enough music buddies.
And to actually have something else to tell today we go for an old favorite:
Björn
A new week, and for a lot of people I guess new challenges. While I feel like the same ones is on repeat, or maybe more like a broken record for those who experienced the wonderful time of vinyl.
But at least it feels like spring slowly is coming to Paris. Really nice in the sun, but cold as hell as soon as it’s gone, and my “memories” on different social media platforms send me reminders of this week 1, 5 and 10 years ago, one with Paris in snow the 19th and 20th of March a few years ago. So we are not safe yet.
Which leads me to me moving to France from Sweden in 2015. When final decision to do it was taken I said to myself to try it for at least 5 years. I have told that story many times already. It was a “If I don’t try I will wonder all my life how it would have been, so take the chance and be ready to fail and know instead of not trying”. I have not failed, and the 5 year limit passed with a margin so it is time to look forward, without panic cause I’m not without home or work. I can think, plan and decide. So far all good, but I need to come up with some kind of plan before my next renewal of my renting contract, at least it is what I want to do, 2024 is the limit so too speak.
If the plan will be to move back to Sweden I have no plan to move back to Stockholm, I look at the possible move to my birthplace, Norrköping, way before Stockholm. There is also a dream to move a few years to some place with a better climate, Malta is the obvious choice if I can find work there.
Work will be the big problem since I’m not a inventor or entrepreneur (and have no wish to be one), no funds to buy something already in business. And Sweden, a country where you looked at as old ad 40, and at no use for employers, it will be tough to find a job even in Sweden.
In any case, time to start to look into different possibilities for the future. Best thing ever? Good, an fantastic offer to retire wherever within the EU, not living in luxury just to cover daily expenses and rent. Thumbs up directly.
Strange post today, but as said… This is not a blog, it’s a diary for my family back home most of all.
Björn
So, then we got it. For at least 4 weeks, more likely 6 weeks we not allowed out here in Paris between 21h00 to 06h00 cause its obviously more dangerous to sit outside at a café than it is to enter a crowded Metro at 06h15
I am sorry, but I am sure more people get infected in the Metro 13 each day than having a beer at “Café Gitanes” 23h00 if you sit outside.
Also, theaters etc already change their time schedule to play 18h00 to 20h00, so same amount of people will meet.
This is crazy times.
Björn
The, without a doubt, most stupid French invention is never as noticeable as when there is a strike going on… The door….
“What the fu** are you thinking of” you might think… Did the French invent the door?
Oh no, they might not have invented the door as such but in the way French are French and France is France they take a perfect normal invention and give it a French twist to make it look normal at first but in use its different from the rest of the world. Like doors.
A door, to save space and make life easier for people is opened outwardly but not in France, proud someone said: “A door, what an amazing invention, let’s open it inwards in France”.
And on a crowded bus, during strike, this means that the doors can’t open cause people is in the way. It also means, in a so called home, that the space behind the door cant be used for anything if you get the idea of what a door is made for, entrance.
Beside this morning and some reflection on life in France it only took 30 minutes today to get to work so I find myself at work kind of extra early and keep on the countdown to Christmas vacations. Today: 2 Tomorrow: 1 and then 0!
Björn
PS…
Working in a place not famous for it’s humor to find this in elevator this morning give some hope for the future. Just wonder who had the balls to do it?
So, the 13th of December passed and as you know the 13th of December is the day when we Swedes celebrate Lucia. So I went to the Swedish Church in Paris together with two friends, not Swedish, to marketing Lucia.
For me as a Swedish person the celebration is kind of normal but it is obvious that Lucia is a strange animal in the zoo of traditions outside Scandinavia. Nevertheless it was a great success and to bring some non Swedes to a Church in the middle of December is actually a great idea.
And with longer opening hours on the day some Julbord was offered at the Swedish store in Paris. Julbord, traditional Christmas food. Also a success, even if I thought this point on the program might have been a larger risk than seeing Lucia.
Keep warm people
Björn N.
Just a new day, trying to be positive, not think about the grève, grippe ou refroidissement.
Not easy at all…
Björn
Pardon my French, but this fu***** strike! Seriously, the whole of Paris will spend the weeks up to Christmas AND Christmas in bed sick based on over crowded buses, long walks in the “fantastic” winter weather.
And to find out that none of the commercial unions don’t protest…. For me it’s mind blowing. If I was the owner of a shop, weeks before Christmas and the transport industry decided to strike… I mean, people do not shop when it’s impossible to bring your purchases home, so the income must drop. So, fire the store staff and blame the transport unions, maybe Mr Macron will wake up and not run around trying to save Russia and Ukraine.
Another thing I don’t get is that French people whom literally protest about everything buy this situation. It’s against all the rules you learn about the French.
Stop strike! NOW!
Björn
The upcoming strike creates a lot of problems when it is at the same time as a huge Conference. People leaving earlier to be sure to get home at all, staff need to walk to work… Fine if you live close to the venue but from the suburbs?
Not looking forward to this at all.
Björn
First blog post in December 2019, and the last month of the year (where did it go????) – and start with one of the most hectic weeks of the year at work so there will be both good and bad stress during this week.
Hopefully my free Friday will stay where it is, we know on Thursday.
Have a nice week
Björn
As you can see from the image above Crillon continues to get X-massed and today the Swedish Church open up their Christmas Market. So let’s see if weather allows to go there after work.
Björn
