Swedish summer

A "cool" Swedish summer, when I'm the most efficient and useful. The occasional hot day with lots of sun and with nothing to do is also nice, but I always preferred "doing" stuff. Heat doesn't help then.

My next important step in getting better at the violin is playing every combination of double stops in the first position in various scales, while still calibrating against open strings. Just under 30 in Wohlfahrt, it took a little while getting used to my old family student violin, and besides, the beam time kept me away. But I finally see the big difference between the two violins. The old student violin is sturdier, has steel strings, and keeps the intonation for years. My new one is more airy and has synthetic strings, but the intonation goes off 100% every day. Some pros are better than some cons though, my new violin is a lot nicer to play with.

It's funny how carbohydrates get a bad name when it comes to food, but the super old generation on Okinawa eats a lot of carbohydrates, plus a lot of vegetables and a little fish. I never really understood the concept of modern "fitness", but isn't a long life a better indication of fitness than how much your veins pop out of your skin? Personally, I try to listen to my belly whether what I'm eating is good for me or not. Too often though, I think "bah, quiet you" :p Time to change that.

I've picked up some Japanese studies again as well. It seems like when I try something for a short while, let it grow somewhere in the back of my head, and then come back to it, I progress a lot easier and faster. That's why you read (good) books twice, once fast, once slow. Change the verb and noun accordingly, and apply to most everything in life.

I'll also try to run a little more regularly, and perhaps not 13 km every time. Pumping blood is one of the best ways of keeping one's brain in shape, so why not? I like running, I think there's an old post of me mentioning the wonderful feeling of looking to the side, seeing fields and houses bouncing away with every step.

Some not so great news too, but there are people in this world devoted to making it a better place. I'd like to as well, only my way will not be quite as direct and obvious. It's about time to

When I get back, I'll start planning my huge origami project. My apartment will look weird for some time, folding 2x 2x1 m^2 pieces of paper on the floor will required some modifications.

And boy is getting to Russia a big ordeal, the only reason I go there is for work to be honest. I've added a few days for sight-seeing with some young co-workers, as I probably won't go back for some time.

Because of no photos for some time, here are some shots from Bergtempelstigen up to Taberg, I forced my older brother to join me:

Time for violin practice in the living room!