"good plan, superman"

leaving UK on the 17th

a man in Sweden

and a French lover

I'm leaving Kim behind

not music, not at all

just taking a break

packing my belongings

taking responsibility for my actions

no panic, no hard feelings

just a small goodbye, not bye bye forever

longing for Sweden

lots of love

Tigern

Nina Simone – Seems I'm Never Tired Lovin' You

at a night of the proms

the ceiling of royal albert hall

cheers

cheers;

to the greatest lovestory of them all,

the one that never was;

to the beauty and the beast,

to the one with a prince on a white horse,

to the frog that turns into a prince,

to the greatest story invented by human mind;

a tricky one to reveal

but

raise your glasses; take a look; see, experience and believe

and after tonight comes dawn and yet another day

I will always be you soldier

someone who says:

- "we'll work it out"

and holds my hand.

I woke up yesterday morning

and I knew that feeling all too well.

I had slept on the floor with a pillow created out of jumpers and not overly used towels.

I felt dry, beaten and perplexly dazed

I hadn't been drinking worth mentioning since November.

I recall wondering if that really was the actual state of things?

It is, but still, I have had enough;

and in either case is this the breaking dawn of a new era.

Good morning early bedtime and betimes mornings - we'll be seeing a lot of one another from now on.

We used to call each other Katherine and Eve

I don't know from where we got those names.

We used to love each other with deep intencity

We used to fight with kicks and fist and nails

If I had a dime for everytime I've been bad

I'd be a millionaire by now

You used your big sister comb

to tease me to tears

I used to pinch you a little bit too hard

(...)

Världens bästa, stora, bästaste SysterYster! Jag saknar dig och du är så himla långt bort. Jag vill bara sitta där i kökssoffan med er, skratta rakt ut i luften, söndagsbruncha och låta tiden gå.

Tala om stort och smått, höra det senaste, fuldansa och ge dig en hård, riktig kram.

Lycka till i spåren och har du vägarna förbi så skulle den här kalufsen mer än något annat behöva en klippning (men den har roligt ändå).

brevvän sökes, penpal wanted, Brieffreund wo bist du?

Mitt postfack är så fasligt tomt så jag när jag stod i den ändlösa kön till posten (det enda stället där man kan köpa frimärken för Europa 5 st för £2,80) så kom jag på det! Vi ska naturligtvis bli brevvänner ni och jag! Så jag tänkte, vad är bättre än att skriva en liten annons. Jag har försökt minnas hur de brukade se ut i Kamratposten. Skulle inte ni också bli fasligt glada över ett brev som damp ner i brevlådan?

Om du läser det här med Google translate, (varför du nu inte har lärt dig svenska än) så är du naturligtvis välkommen att skicka många och långa brev du med. Mer än gärna!

Här är den i alla fall.

Hej hej hej!

Karin heter jag. Mina intressen är äventyr, plockepinn,

min kontrabas Kim, killar och musik.

Jag blir 21 år i vår och letar efter en brevvänner i alla åldrar.

Jag bor i London men det spelar ingen roll vart du bor.

Lyssnar på allt från Lady Gaga (inte så ofta) till det senaste

(av Monteverdi, det svänger bättre än vad man kanske tror).

Kille eller tjej spelar ingen roll!

Jag har spelat kontrabas i 4,5 år. Förut spelade jag blockflöjt.

Jag gillar flanellskjortor, galna frisyrer och har snygga ögon.

Om du bara längtar efter små delikata, intrikata brev -

släng dig på på papper och penna och skriv!

PS min favoritbok är Vem ska trösta knyttet? tror jag. Vilken är din?

Pen pal wanted!

The address as follow:

Karin Nordstrom

London

UK

Ain't that a cute picture?

I hope to hear from you soon and that you want to be my penpal

English, German, Swedish ... with a little help, any language you prefer.

Do not hesitate to give it a go.

Every attempt is appreciated and I promise you

- you won't be disapointed.

Och vet ni? Jag svarar på allt, jag älskar att svara!

Dela med er av små tips och finurliga idéer - skriv skriv skriv!

Fantastiska epistlar kan räkna med snabb respons.

Och ni, om ni inte har någon bild att skicka med

är det helt ok om ni bara ritar en själv!

Jag är ingen ful gubbe så var inte oroliga.

Aber natürlich möchte ich auch einen deutschen Brieffreund.

Ich liebe zu hochlesen, üben, springen, Zeitungen lesen, Musik hören, mit meinem Kontrabass reisen, Orchester spielen, traumen, sprechen, lacheln, wiegen und tanzen und singen dich ein.

Tveka inte mina vänner! Posten fixar fram det mesta.

thuesday is fine

I'm trying to open my hopeless suitcase which has decided to change its three-number code

- I have reached 500. In worst case senario: 499 more to go.

It's been a nice evening of doing nothing at all,

Well, gather for a gathering in the hall,

talking loud,

spinning around on the floor,

exploring your fysical limits by doing weird gymnastic excersises,

insulting each other:

you sound like a parrot - your legs are short - leave - talking Swedish to none Swedish speakers

Such a nice way to end a long day.

We even had a long discussion about parrots;

such an (if not only anoying also a bit) amazing animal

I won't tell you what(/but I had beetroot, carrots, millionaire cake and coffe) for dinner.

And I was almost going to give R a bass lesson tomorrow morning.

We're already getting going with the Swedish:

jag orkar inte öva - jag ska gå till mitt rum och läsa min bok

She's got some potential (for learning Swedish, she's allready a bass player, 4th year ^^).

But she cancelled, I'm sure she's cheating on me with the bathtube again.

take me to the moon

What a way to start a Sunday morning ...

I'm self-evidently referring to the fact that Saturday became kind of an all-nighter.

Trying to sleep around 2-3 showed out to be mission impossible. Instead it was me, the sky and bird twitter outside my window. It was us against the world until 6 o'clock. At that time of the day we had had enough. Exhausted of all the coolness (there was an open window involved) it was good night. For at least 3 hours.

Breakfast time. Sundays at 8.30-9.30. Dude, you don't want to miss it. It's weetabix (or cereal of your own choice), milk, raisins, all kinds of coffee or one kind of tea, juice (this morning it was even apple juice; something was seriously wrong, it looked like pee).

There is toast, sometimes straight from the toaster, sometimes not that newly born. And wait - there is jam and that marmite-thingy all British people seems to like (if not try, at least google it, it's disgusting), butter and peanut butter. And ! On weekends there is even chocolate spread and instant hot chocolate.

You got it. I go for some cereal, a glass of water and buttered toast.

I’m meeting up with M at Shepherd’s bush at 12 for a day at the mall. Just like ordinary people do. Walking, looking, touching, laughing, talking. Some coffe, great toilets, not much of actual shopping - after all. This Westfield place is huge. Like a spaceship (with Louis-Vuitton and Karen Millen).

We finish up, taking a walk round H&M. It’s a fact, H&M outside Sweden is nicer, tidier and neater. The staff seemed to actually be enjoying themselves.

I haven't been to H&M for ages. About time?

It was a nice surprise. I don’t usually like H&M.

And yes. There was a boy.

Smiling, dressed in a Mikey Mouse-sweater.

Cute.

Made my day.

Bass is definitly best!

Double bass philosophy is perfectly appropriate at this time of the day. Quotes from François Rabbath's 3rd book of "Nouvelle Technique de la Contrebasse" It's astonishing:

A physical and psychological approach to the double bass

How is it that most double bassist are incapable of finding a way to hold the instrument without inflicting torture on the body? How is it that they have not discovered the use of the force of inertia (my note: disposition to remain inactive)?

...

Each player's own physique and personality must determine his relationship with the instrument. One must carry out one's own research on oneself and one's instrument.

...

Instead of the obstinate repetition of a movement to overcome an obstacle, we must learn to find the cause of the obstacle.

...

MOVEMENT - SPACE - TIME

Movement = fingering. The fingering determines different movement of the hand, and consequently of the arm. These movements must be considered in their entirety: the placing of the fingers is only a detail in a larger conception of movement. This idea of movement must become the guiding line for the fingering (the opposite of the usual relation).

Space ... The word "space" must be remembered. I never say a note is out of tune; I say the space is not correct.

...

Travelling along the fingerboard of an instrument with complete confidence, eliminating trial and error, chance, achieving an accurate space-time movement to reach a note, wandering freely across conqured and familiar territory, that is the dream of every instrumentalist.

...

In order to reach this goal, it is essential to become concious of one's own body and movements. Unfortunately we are not prepared for this. Instead of being taught to develop our movements, we are often forced to reduce them ... This results in short and cramped movements - physical blockages which are multiplied by the fear of the instrument's difficulty (perpetuated by most teachers). In fact the player's movement should be as natural and familiar to him as walking.

The double bass!

I love playing the bass. It's full of opportunities!

It's amazing playing the orchestra. It's actually real fun training your technique, finding new and even sometimes easier ways of doing things. The freedom of choise this gives you!

Don't fight nature, bass is best!

attention to all residence...

"Attention to all residence!

It is now quarter to eleven and time to take your visitors out.

Attention!

Attention!

Attention,

attention!

It is now time to take your visitors out.

All at once.

Thank you."

Det är en liten fars som utspelar sig här, sisådär varje kväll.

4x extra Attention & All at once tar kanske priset, annars förra veckans lilla:

"Thank you...

veryy...

muuuuch!"

Ut på högtalarsystemet med det bara!

what is wrong, when not even banoffee-pie makes you happy

What is wrong with you when not going to the gym checking out the rowing machine and sweaty people makes you happy?

Not even riding the elevator instead of taking the stairs - twice,

having an extra cup of coffe in good company,

or listening to Brahms 2nd clarinet sonata in concert - makes you happy?

Or the fact that it had been snowing all night and when you went out early in the morning, your foot print was the first in a peaceful snow white world?

What is wrong with you, when not even banoffee-pie for supper makes you happy?

how we spend our friday night at XX

Me in the mirror, my bass , Rosie's bass, double trolley-stool, crap piano and guest starring - the college baroque bass!

(the single decoration so far - my rag-rug end-pin-rest and borrowed pink music stand)

Note to co-practisers in the Ring on the door to the new bassroom here at XX:

"Hallo!

Me and Karin turned

this depressing room

into a bass room, therefore

it's now fabulus. However,

we understand if you think

this is annoying or selflish,

but we thought it would be

better to use one room rather for

dumping our rubbish & firewood

rather than 3. Thanks for

understanding. Feel free to use

the room anyway, we

just thought it would be

nice to explain. Ja.

lots of love,

from the bass

players of XX"

Friday

I'm reading my blog in Google Translate it's wonderful. If I ever wrote anything bad, by accident, it wouldn't really make sense in English anyway.

I've had readers from all over the world, from Turkey (before my sister went there), via Spain, Italy, France and the UK to Brasil.

People who are searching for German prepositions are directed to my blog. Also quotes from films I've been writing about seems to attract visitors. But as my German grammar is quite good and I only write aboute quality film, hehe, it's not a problem

And my bookshelfes ain't empty no more. Six wonderful!? wellwritten!? nice!? books for the total cost of £11 are now placed on the to read and carry around-shelf. Great!

What do people do in this town at night? Maybe I should do some more hours of practise before asking. I'll get back to you...

Bass Club!

Lawrence, Marianne and Edmund in bass orchestra.

I Chambermusic masterclass with Ali Yazdanfar, Canadian/American bassplayer and Caroline Emery and Jan Alm. Quartet: Paul, Karin, Sara, Tom

II Gareth Wood conducting his second quintet for duble basses in rehersal, first preformance. Quintet: Frances, Rodrigo, Ruan, Kristina, Ben - all examples on the standing technique with Rabbath-endpin(stackel).

III Class with Ali: Paul, Caroline Emery, standing on chair, Tom, Ali Yazdanfar, Karin, Katie. Revealing the relaxed natural approach to the bass - movement from sholder, whole body, a relaxed arm, using of body weight.

Master classes, technique classes, orchestra classes, ensembles, quartets, trios, bass orchestra. Bass, basses, bassists. From junior to advanced continuation course. Lots of fun and the juniors were quite impressing. UK, Sweden, Spain and South Africa was represented.

Rodrigo & Kristina with the 8va 1/32 minibass.

Pictures by Kristina Edin and Ben Daniel-Greeps.

I've got no party to go to. Got no friends in this town...

Honestly, I’m in that state of mind again. I’m waiting for respons. I’m longing for action. I’m starting to work harder. I am to fill in those gaps of mine I’ve created earlier.

Lucky me, I have friendlyminded pals, knowing to appreciate me trying to reconect.

I hate to not be surrounded by them all the time.

I say that now, I reject it later on.

I’m starting to read a Swedish blog from London, girl living the dream with uniform and paycheck from AA. Might be what I need, as well as to go out dancing, practise and some sun upon my pale face.

If I havn’t called you for weeks, call me!

Things are easy, when you’re big in Japan.

kap

This is what I do when I do not sleep:

I sit in bed with my new sandals on.

kött

sometimes I wish I ate meat