January 5
This is not the perfect time to get sick. I've got a sour throat, a nice and stubborn cold. To top that, I also have a tooth nerve inflammation and am on painkillers until operation. Yippie. More cash out the window... -and then some, since I'm probably gonna faint in the damn chair when mr. dentist Mats prepares the injections and scalpel... Uuuh. The 16th. That's the date. OMG... I'm going to die. On the other hand, that was also my firm belief last saturday, when I had to rush to the dentist emergency clinic in Stockholm. Ironically, we'd just had the snow storm of the decade outside, so all communications; subway, trains...were down. Spare buses was supposed to replace the ordinary traffic. Great. It took me four hours to get to the clinic, and two more for the wait. Which totally makes six hours to work up the fear from slightly existing to status: physically ill. By the time I entered the operation room, my eyes scanned the place for anything remotely large enough to puke in.

Thank gods I didn't. I just shivered and obeyed the nurse when she suggested I'd sit and lean back into the chair. Madame dentist entered and soon my jaw (and half my face) felt like painless, rubbery nothing. Felt good. Then there was the drilling... Don't you just hate that sound? And the taste of the sterilised gloves and equipment? Yuck. Then they said that it would hurt. And drilled right through the damn thing, down into the nerve. And here I thought I knew what pain was! And I've been through lots of surgery, accidents, etc. But no; THIS was pain with a capital 'p'! I got a couple of injections, some advice and a new appointment for the removing of that same tooth. I've been seated in a dentist chair and have survived. That's kinda like climbing Mount Everest to me. *silly grin*

New Year's: Had a good start with the first hours of 2002. The only bad part was that the cold had struck viciously the day before. Champagne, fireworks and howling to ABBA's 'Happy New Year' and an alternative version of Auld Lang Syne (since we can't for our lives remember those lyrics in swedish), made the night. That, and a lot of dirty jokes. *BG* The day after that, it had snowed so much that people couldn't open the door without inviting a pile of nice, cold winter. Yup. Winter was laughing it's ass off. And all trains were cancelled.

We're done with the latest issue of the magazine, so I've been busy the last few days with the shipping. It looks good.


What's happening right now:
I've got a good feeling about the "Lost Comfort" painting. It's undergoing some serious changes, but none that interfere with the harmony of the composition. All this and the colours have not even been added yet! Ah, this will be a pleasure to do.

NORSE CON: Me and some friends are putting together the main group of organisers before we do anything else. A few contacts have been made, with some xenites, bands and a xenacrazed accountant. Craftsmen/women have been contacted for smithery, dressmaking, filming, photographs, etc., etc... Seminars, workshops and such things are what swedes do best, so that'll be a large part of the con. I don't know what I'm doing, in other words... I've never organised anything this big before. And gods, am I gonna need some expert help! If anyone is a helpfull, gentle soul; please feel free to mail advice, routines or anything. *s* The best thing with this con, though, is that... even if we lack experience, we so much want to do this. And if there's something I've learned in my life, it is that you actually quite often catch the stars when you have the patience and discipline to reach for them long enough.

It's stopped snowing. Am practically snowed in and will read ubers til I drop. *BG* And after that, I will hunt down the reviewers for a certain site with a dirty toothpic, since they seem to have a death wish. They tore two great writers' works apart! (One of my fave bards, too!) The damn uncivilized monkeys... On the other hand, they seem to make a point in skimming works for faults. And if they can't find any, they play ye olde game of so-called find-the-feather-so-we-can-make-a-hen. Please. Write reviews if you feel inspired in a positive way; if you've gotten something from the ride. Negative inspiration is no inspiration for others. Whining and analyses people can get from their friends by mail, they don't deserve or need to have it shoved up their noses. Hm...

But then again...who am I to criticize, since I can't write proper english? Yup; There seem to be a problem with that, too. I saw what had been published on their site about some poor author who's story had been discussed. That got to me. I can't express myself in english the way englishmen, americans, aussies, kiwis, etc... does. Because it is not my native tongue. And maybe that is the case for the writer too. Should he or she then be ripped to shreds, just because there's a will to reach out, to communicate? Language is a gift to humankind. We can try to understand each other with it. That's the general idea.

I've read hundreds of stories, books and manuscripts. Some very good, and some very bad. And I've learned that it's equally important to look beyond the grammar, for the author's point, before the writing skills are being questioned. 'Cause if the core of a story is weak, then not even the person who writes the best darn grammar (that ever was) can save it. If the characters are weak, there's no turning back. Unless the writer can carry the meaning through, in spite of typos and uneven pace. And what meaning?

That is whatever the individual defines it to be. The point to see. And if the point is lost to the reader, then maybe there never was any reason for him or her to read it.

When you publish something or put something on a site there is a thing called tact and humane respect.


And now to something completely different:
The larch. Theeeee laaaaarch.

Fun -but irrelevant- facts, part 2:
My mom's boyfriend is a former stuntman. He's actually one of the founders of the swedish stunt group. He had to quit because of his knees, they'd been damaged far too many times. He read Daredevil Hearts by WolfDragon and thought it was pretty cool.


Ubers that really should be read:
Hesed, by Mayt. A delicious piece of fic, with good characters and dialogue! Sharp discussions, theories and writing. Two parts so far, and the dramatic peak of the latest update certainly makes the wait until the next one a bittersweet torture, but the story is very well worth the endurance.

Caution: Under Construction, by Vertigo. I love this uber! I really, really do. The characters are so well drawn that you can just lean back, read and enjoy the ride. It's bliss to read through every chapter and find believable story, events, dialogue and great comebacks between the characters. Vertigo is one of those uber writers you can trust; you know that every update will be great.

I should get the uber section of this site up and running, remind me of that if I forget it.


What's happening right now with the site:
Ok, so the FINfools are finally up. The 20th page will be done, and then I might stop my funmaking of the finale. And have fun with the show in general, over in the JFA section. Swedish Fanfic has been updated, too. And with the swedish fanfic contest, there'll be more material to view in a week or so. Some contributions are written in english!

As you've noticed, the index page is changed. Again! It's fun to change it every now and then. The original site look will be restored soon.

Lists, links and such appear every now and then, so stay tuned!


Uninteresting and boring stuff that's happened:
Got some fun requests in the mail, about web graphics, paintings, uber pics, covers and site suggestions. Yay! Fun-fun-fun! Photoshopping and some sketches will be this weeks melody. I'd better prepare my baseball cap... or else hair gets in my eyes.

Am getting a haircut. Trimming, nothing else. Will dye it black again, too. *s*

My brother discovered Counterstrike a couple of days ago. He informed me that over the phone also discussed LOTR and Tolkien. He believes some parts of the book that weren't in the current movie should've replaced a few of the included scenes. He's clever, with an intelligent mind. Gotta love that. And he said that...

...my even younger brother (16 year-old...) recently discovered late nights, hormones and the thrills of being a teenager. Heheheh...mom's gonna freak over some things and I know exactly who she'll call.


This week's "To do"-list:
Get some sleep. Need it.
Do some graphics for two web pages, do an uber pic and make four covers.
Write the fourth episode of Krogen.
Finish reading Tropic of Desire. (Got through half of it...)
Do some Updates!!! (As always.)
Write the end of Vintersjälen. (I must do this! I just forget!)
Continue writing Mörkrets hjärta and Lost, found and Confused. (I'm working...)
Go to the movies and see LOTR again! (For the 3rd time.)