Everybody Knows That The World Is Full Of Stupid People

...and those people are the ones who weren't at the State Theatre Thursday night. Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers put on a fantastic show. Although there was a pretty good sized crowd there, it seems that people around here don't quite understand how awesome this band is. I think many people are skeptical because they think RCPM is a country band, and while there is an element of country to some their songs, RCPM is a rock band too. The rock part is the driving beats and the sharp hooks and the country part is how you can dance to just about every song.

Roger Clyne is a fabulous performer live. He puts more into his performances that most performers I've seen. He has a good heart and a good demeanor and that comes through in his music and in his interactions with the audience. The man does tequila shots with the audience throughout the show and actually plays requests when people ask. The people at the show Thursday night were all clearly from the band's fiercely loyal fan base, singing along to every song. I know I'm a little hoarse this morning.

I'll leave you with a little YouTube video so that you know what you missed Thursday night if you weren't there. The video is actually from the show that RCPM did at the State Theatre back in April. That thing Roger throws behind him at the beginning of the video is a cup that was just seconds before filled with tequila. Enjoy!

Dagens Namn -- Vecka 43 (23 Oktober - 29 Oktober)

The name days for Week 43 (October 23 - October 29) are:

Monday, October 23 = Severin, Soren
Tuesday, October 24 = Evert, Ellert
Wednesday, October 25 = Inga, Ingalill
Thursday, October 26 = Amanda, Rasmus
Friday, October 27 = Sabina
Saturday, October 28 = Simon, Simone
Sunday, October 29 = Viola

Dagens Namn -- Vecka 42 (16 Oktober - 22 Oktober)

The name days for Week 42 (October 16 - October 22) are:

Monday, October 16 = Finn
Tuesday, October 17 = Antonia, Toini
Wednesday, October 18 = Lukas
Thursday, October 19 = Tore, Tor
Friday, October 20 = Sibylla
Saturday, October 21 = Ursula, Yrsa
Sunday, October 22 = Marika, Marita

Why are people so dumb? Resurrected!

You may recall that last fall I wrote of a number of posts entitled "Why are people so dumb?" After reading the following story this morning, I decided to resurrect the series...

ERIE, Pa. - A woman used her 4-week-old baby as a weapon in a domestic dispute, swinging the infant through the air and striking her boyfriend with the child, authorities said.

The boy was in serious but stable condition Monday at Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh, police said.

"Never, never, never. I can never remember anything like this," District Attorney Bradley Foulk told the Erie Times-News.

Chytoria Graham, 27, of Erie, was charged with aggravated assault, reckless endangerment and simple assault. She was held Monday in the Erie County Jail in lieu of $75,000 bail.

The infant, whose name was not released, suffered a fractured skull and some bleeding in the brain, authorities said. His head hit Graham's boyfriend, the baby's father, police Lt. Dan Spizarny said.

Authorities removed four other children from Graham's home and placed them with the Erie County Office of Children and Youth, Foulk said.

Some peolpe should not be allowed to have children!

Dagens Namn -- Vecka 41 (9 Oktober - 15 Oktober)

The name days for Week 41 (October 9 - October 15) are:

Monday, October 9 = Ingrid, Inger
Tuesday, October 10 = Harry, Harriet
Wednesday, October 11 = Erling, Jarl
Thursday, October 12 = Valfrid, Manfred
Friday, October 13 = Berit, Birgit
Saturday, October 14 = Stellan
Sunday, October 15 = Hedvig, Hillevi

Kanelbullens Dag

In Sweden, today is Kanelbullens Dag (Cinnamon Bun Day). Apparently this is the seventh year it has been celebrated. Swedish cinnamon buns are very good, a little less sticky than your average American cinnamon bun. Not that I am complaining about American ones, they are just different. Sometimes the Swedes even add a little cardamom. My grandmother makes bullar all the time. We generally have them when we fika. Fika is a Swedish verb that roughly means "coffee break". The exact meaning, however, is generally hard to translate to any other language. One of my favortie places to fika is at Vete-Katten in Stockholm. We always go there every time we are in Stockholm. Anyway, if you live near a bakery or a Cinabon, go get yourself a cinnamon bun and celebrate!

Dagens Namn -- Vecka 40 (2 Oktober - 8 Oktober)

The name days for Week 40 (October 2 - October 8) are:

Monday, October 2 = Ludvig, Love
Tuesday, October 3 = Evald, Osvald
Wednesday, October 4 = Frans, Frank
Thursday, October 5 = Bror
Friday, October 6 = Jenny, Jennifer
Saturday, October 7 = Birgitta, Britta
Sunday, October 8 = Nils

Left Handers Unite!

So, my sister and I were at the Georgetown University Bookstore the other morning and I found the coolest thing...a left handed notebook (see below). Where was this when I was still in lecture furiously taking note and always having the spiral binding get in my way?

Dagens Namn -- Vecka 39 (25 September - 1 Oktober)

The name days for Week 39 (September 25 - October 1) are:

Monday, September 25 = Tryggve
Tuesday, September 26 = Enar, Einar
Wednesday, September 27 = Dagmar, Rigmor
Thursday, September 28 = Lennart, Leonard
Friday, September 29 = Mikael, Mikaela
Saturday, September 30 = Helge
Sunday, October 1 = Ragnar, Ragna

Congratulations Ann and Nik!!

I went to Minnesota this past weekend for my cousin Ann's wedding. The wedding was beautiful and I had a wonderful time at the reception. It was really great to see so many of my relatives that I hadn't seen in such a long time.

Speech Accent Archive

I came across this website today which I thought was very very cool. It for a project called the Speech Accent Archive. I think it confirms that I am a dork, but I don't really care. It is hosted by a professor, Steven Weinberger, from the Linguistics program at George Mason University here in Northern Virginia. This is a little description about the website:

The speech accent archive uniformly presents a large set of speech samples from a variety of language backgrounds. Native and non-native speakers of English read the same paragraph and are carefully transcribed. The archive is used by people who wish to compare and analyze the accents of different English speakers.

They have 576 recorded samples, some from people whose native language I have never even heard of. There are 177 samples for native English speakers alone, covering accents for people from the US, Canada, the UK, Scotland, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, various Carribean locations, and more. They point out that the archive may be useful not only for teachers, linguists, phoneticians, and speech pathologists, but also for actors who need to learn an accent. Check it out!!!

Dagens Namn -- Vecka 38 (18 September - 24 September)

The name days for Week 38 (September 18 - September 24) are:

Monday, September 18 = Orvar
Tuesday, September 19 = Fredrika
Wednesday, September 20 = Elise, Lisa
Thursday, September 21 = Matteus
Friday, September 22 = Maruits, Moritz
Saturday, September 23 = Tekla, Tea
Sunday, September 24 = Gerhard, Gert

Dagens Namn -- Vecka 37 (11 September - 17 September)

The name days for Week 37 (September 11 - September 17) are:

Monday, September 11 = Dagny, Helny
Tuesday, September 12 = Åsa, Åslög
Wednesday, September 13 = Sture
Thursday, September 14 = Ida
Friday, September 15 = Sigrid, Siri
Saturday, September 16 = Dag, Daga
Sunday, September 17 = Hildegard, Magnhild

Dagens Namn -- Vecka 36 (4 September - 10 September)

The name days for Week 36 (September 4 - September 10) are:

Monday, September 4 = Gisela
Tuesday, September 5 = Adela, Heidi
Wednesday, September 6 = Lillian, Lily
Thursday, September 7 = Regina, Roy
Friday, September 8 = Alma, Hulda
Saturday, September 9 = Anita, Annette
Sunday, September 10 = Tord, Turid

Serial Pics

While following links, I came across this great photo blog. It is called Serial Pics and is by a Swedish woman, Ilva, living in Tuscany. Her photos are rather artistic and of a varied number of subjects. I, at least, think she is very talented! Check it out!

Dagens Namn -- Vecka 35 (28 Augusti - 3 September)

The name days for Week 35 (August 28 - September 3) are:

Monday, August 28 = Gurli, Leila
Tuesday, August 29 = Hans, Hampus
Wednesday, August 30 = Albert, Albertina
Thursday, August 31 = Arvid, Vidar
Friday, September 1 = Samuel
Saturday, September 2 = Justus, Justina
Sunday, September 3 = Alfhild, Alva

Dagens Namn -- Vecka 34 (21 Augusti - 27 Augusti)

The name days for Week 34 (August 21 - August 27) are:

Monday, August 21 = Jon, Jonna
Tuesday, August 22 = Henrietta, Henrika
Wednesday, August 23 = Signe, Signhild
Thursday, August 24 = Bartolomeus
Friday, August 25 = Lovisa, Louise
Saturday, August 26 = Östen
Sunday, August 27 = Rolf, Raoul

Superfoods

A while back the Washington Post had an article about superfoods. What are superfoods? Well, compared to ordinary food, super foods contain a relatively high nutrient or phytochemical density for the amount of calories. Among other things, they can: prevent or reduce inflammation, help regulate metabolism and burn body fat, lower total cholesterol, lower blood pressure, help protect against heart disease, help protect against cancer, help protect organs from toxins, and promote digestive health. Listed below are some recommended superfoods and their benefits. Wild Oats Natural Marketplace has a pdf-brochure about superfoods and a recipe section with recipes made from superfoods. Check it out!

Beans
Beans are an excellent source of hearty, low-fat plant protein. Simmered in soups or blended into tangy spreads, beans are a versatile and delicious introduction to the power of food. Soluble fiber from foods such as beans, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease. A serving of beans and lentils supplies at least 4 grams of soluble fiber.

Lentils
Red, yellow and French varieties supply complex carbohydrates and good (healthy) amounts of thiamin, vitamin B6, iron, zinc and potassium. Particularly rich in folate, an essential B vitamin, these low fat, high protein legumes support heart health. Simmered until creamy, pureed and flavored with garam masala, sautéd onions, tomatoes and toasted cumin and mustard seeds; lentils shine in spicy East Indian dal.

Blueberries
Considered a nutritional powerhouse, blueberries are loaded with antioxidant compounds that travel through your body reducing free radicals. Bursting with anthocyanin, an antioxidant that also gives these berries their deep indigo color, blueberries register at the top of the phytonutrient scale. Add one cup of these mighty berries to smoothies, fruit salad and reap the sweet healthy benefits.

General Berries
Whether your favorites are blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, or a combination, your body benefits from these nutrition packed gems. Deliciously sweet and full of antioxidant compounds called anthocyanins, which reduce free radicals in the body. Free radicals have been shown to accelerate aging processes in the body, so hold back the hands of time and enjoy berry filled pancakes, smoothies and fruit salads.

Cranberries
Tart, tangy and a good source of vitamin C, cranberries deserve a permanent spot in your pantry. Full of antioxidants and low in calories, cranberries contain procyanidins, which support the health of the urinary tract. When Thanksgiving rolls around, freeze extra bags of fresh cranberries to enjoy year round. Top grilled chicken with zesty cranberry-orange relish, simmer into a sauce and quench your thirst with a cranberry spritzer.

Citrus fruit
Citrus fruit, such as oranges, tangerines and grapefruit, contain flavonoids unique to the citrus family. Naringin produced in grapefruits and hesperidin found in oranges are both important antioxidants. Sweet, juicy and versatile, citrus fruits are high in vitamin C, folic acid and potassium. Portable and easy to eat; peel an orange for an afternoon snack, toss grapefruit sections in a spinach salad or squeeze lemon over grilled salmon.

Cruciferous vegetables
Vibrant and crisp, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and kale are members of the Brassica oleracea italica family. Named for their resemblance to the Greek cross, cruciferous vegetables not only taste great steamed and sautéd, they are also a good source of dietary fiber and complex carbohydrates. Some studies show that low fat diets rich in fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk of some types of cancer.

Cultured dairy products
Creamy and cool, cultured dairy products, such as yogurt, kefir and buttermilk, contain probiotics. Also known as “friendly bacteria” - probiotics support the intestinal tract. Boost the overall health of your immune system and enjoy a cup of fruited yogurt, chug a tangy raspberry kefir or stir some rich buttermilk into roasted garlic mashed potatoes.

Eggs
Simply folded into an omelet or whipped into a grand soufflé, eggs provide an inexpensive source of high quality protein. A good, bioavailable source of cartenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin, eggs are not only low in carbohydrates and sodium; they also support eye health. Whether you prefer brown or white eggs; be kind to your fine-feathered friends and always choose cage-free, organic eggs.

Green foods
It’s easy being green! Spirulina, chlorella, wheat grass and barley grass add extra bounce to your step. Not quite familiar with green foods? These concentrated supplements are rich in protein and bursting with carotenoids, chlorophyll, vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids. Easily absorbed and available in tablet or powder form, support your health with these vital nutrients everyday. Available in tablets, powders and even as a wheat grass shot.

Green leafy vegetables
The “eyes” have it! Spinach, kale, romaine lettuce and Swiss chard all contain beta-carotene and carotenoids, lutein, zeaxanthin, working synergistically to support eye health. Enjoy a variety of leafy greens and reap all the healthy benefits. A good source of vitamin B and many minerals, eat your way to good health with a crispy Romaine salad or delicately steamed rainbow chard.

Nuts
Roasted, raw or toasted, nuts are a delicious source of protein and fiber. A nutritious snack, nuts nourish our bodies with heart-healthy monounsaturated oils and many vitamins and minerals. Scientific evidence suggests but does not prove that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease.

Oats
Stick to your ribs nutrition! Simmered into a warm, creamy cereal, oatmeal provides a prime source of complex carbohydrates. Full of soluable fiber, eating oats as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease. A delicious serving of oats supplies 9 grams of fiber necessary per day to have this effect. Top with sliced almonds, blueberries and soymilk - your stomach won’t growl until lunch.

Olives and olive oil
Rich and fruity, olive oil stands out as a culinary staple in Mediterranean cultures. High in monounsaturated fats and antioxidants, consumption of olive oil and olives is linked to a lower risk of chronic disease. Eat like an Italian; skip the butter and dip your bread in golden olive oil drizzled with balsamic vinegar. Favolosamente!

Omega fish
Cold-water fish like wild salmon, trout and tuna contain beneficial omega-3 fatty acids. Supportive, but not conclusive research shows that consumption of EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. While amount may vary by species, origin and season, one serving of omega fish provides at least 0.5 grams of EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids. There’s nothing fishy about that!

Orange vegetables
Mo? better – Mo? beta! Vibrant orange vegetables, such as pumpkins, butternut squash, carrots and sweet potatoes contain high levels of beta-carotene. A beneficial nutrient found in fruits and vegetables, beta-carotene is converted into vitamin A, giving the body an antioxidant boost. Enjoy roasted squash, curried pumpkin soup or lightly steamed carrots - cooking makes the nutrients more bioavailable or easier to absorb.

Sea vegetables
Dulse, hijiki, kombu, nori and wakame. No translator is needed to enjoy the health benefits of these nutrient rich sea vegetables. Commonly sold dried, in sheets, strips and strands, it's easy to add essential minerals including potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron and iodine to soups, stews and sushi. Roll fresh tekka-maki in toasted nori sheets and add layers of flavor to miso soup.

Seeds
Good things do come in small packages and seeds are no exception! Flax, pumpkin and sunflower seeds pack a powerful nutrition packed punch. The best source of lignans, a phytoestrogen, seeds can have a balancing effect on hormones and also exhibit strong antioxidant activity. Full of protein, iron, phosphorus, vitamin E and flavor enjoy a small handful of seeds everyday.

Soy
Somewhat of a miracle bean, soy’s superstar status stems from its culinary adaptability and health properties. According to the FDA, enjoying 25 grams of soy protein each day, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease. Versatile and delicious, enjoy soy in its many forms including tofu, tempeh, miso, edamame and soymilk.

Tea
Sip your way to good health with a calming cup of tea. True teas, whether they are black, green or white originate from the Camellia sinensis plant. Only processing techniques differentiate the different types of tea. With high levels of healthful flavonoids shown to have many health benefits and only two calories per cup - drinking tea is a great way to support your health.

Tomatoes
Naturally delicious and full of nutrients, tomatoes contain an abundance of lycopene. A health promoting plant pigment, lycopene not only gives tomatoes their ruby red color but may also help support prostate health for men and the immune system for everyone. Cooked tomatoes found in pasta sauce, salsa, and tomato paste enhance the absorption of lycopene into your system.

Turkey
A lean, mean, protein machine! Versatile and low fat, turkey breast is a great protein choice. Juicy, delicious and rich in zinc, enjoy roasted turkey in soups, salads and sandwiches. Eating a healthful diet low in fat may help reduce the risk of some types of cancers. Development of cancer is associated with many factors, including a family history, cigarette smoking and what you eat.

Wholegrains
Rich in complex carbohydrates, whole grains add beneficial phytonutrients, fiber, vitamins and minerals to your diet. Packed with nutrition, the germ or “heart” of the kernel adds essential B-vitamins, iron and zinc to your plate. Diets rich in whole grain foods and other plant foods, low in total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease and some cancers.

Concord grapes
Blue-black, sweet and tangy, concord grapes are delicious squeezed into juice, simmered into jams or popped directly into one’s mouth! A good source of potassium and vitamin C, grapes are also an excellent source of flavonoids and anthocyanidins - which support the health of blood vessels.

Pomegranates
Sometimes referred to as nature’s most labor-intensive fruit, the pomegranate rewards hard work with juicy, ruby red “berries.” Bursting with effervescent sweetness, pomegranates are rich in vitamins and anti-oxidants. Even the sweet, edible flesh around the seeds provides vitamin B6, vitamin C and potassium. Pomegranates may have two to three times the antioxidant power of equal quantities of green tea or red wine.

Dagens Namn -- Vecka 33 (14 Augusti - 20 Augusti)

The name days for Week 33 (August 14 - August 20) are:

Monday, August 14 = Uno
Tuesday, August 15 = Stella, Estelle
Wednesday, August 16 = Brynolf
Thursday, August 17 = Verner, Valter
Friday, August 18 = Ellen, Lena
Saturday, August 19 = Magnus, Måns
Sunday, August 20 = Bernhard, Bernt

Dagens Namn -- Vecka 32 (7 Augusti - 13 Augusti)

The name days for Week 32 (August 7 - August 13) are:

Monday, August 7 = Dennis, Denise
Tuesday, August 8 = Silvia, Sylvia
Wednesday, August 9 = Roland
Thursday, August 10 = Lars
Friday, August 11 = Susanna
Saturday, August 12 = Klara
Sunday, August 13 = Kaj

More Meredith and McDreamy

Sorry one more picture. This was a fold out, so I had to scan it in two parts and put it back together with my not so sophisticated software, which is why it looks a little wonky in the middle. Doesn't take away from the excitment though. September 21st at 9pm on ABC, be there or be sqaure.

Meredith and McDreamy

I found this picture in the September issue of Glamour. I can't wait for Thursday, September 21st at 9pm!

Dagens Namn -- Vecka 31 (31 Juli - 6 Augusti)

The name days for Week 31 (July 31 - August 6) are:

Monday, July 31 = Helena, Elin
Tuesday, August 1 = Per
Wednesday, August 2 = Karin, Kajsa
Thursday, August 3 = Tage
Friday, August 4 = Arne, Arnold
Saturday, August 5 = Ulrik, Alrik
Sunday, August 6 = Alfons, Inez

The Dash

You may remember back in December I posted a poem called "The Dash." It is about how we need to think about what is important in our lives because we never know how time we have left to make changes for the better. Today my cousin Megan sent we a link to a kind of video/movie/slideshow version of this poem. Maybe it was just beacuse I had a really long day at work today, but it almost made me cry. So, check out The Dash Poem Movie.

Dagens Namn -- Vecka 30 (24 Juli - 30 Juli)

The name days for Week 30 (July 24 - July 30) are:

Monday, July 24 = Kristina, Kerstin
Tuesday, July 25 = Jakob
Wednesday, July 26 = Jesper
Thursday, July 27 = Marta
Friday, July 28 = Botvid, Seved
Saturday, July 29 = Olof
Sunday, July 30 = Algot

Vacation pictures

On a slightly happier note, I finally got around to posting my vacation pictures. They can be found at my Yahoo photos page. There are two albums: Sweden 2006 and Denmark 2006. I still have to caption most of them, but you can still check them out!

Sad news :(

Those of you who know me, know that I am in school right now to be a nurse practitioner. Doubtless you have heard me talk about my clinical rotations. This semester I have been doing a pediatrics rotation up in Frederick, MD. My preceptor Trish has been great, she's great with patients and she's a wonderful teacher. I have learned so much from her in just the six shorts weeks I have been there. Since I started in the beginning of June she has been having problems with a "bump" on her right thigh which she was convinced was the result of injury to her leg while spending the whole day gardening and lifting heavy pots one weekend. Well it turns out that it is actually cancer. I don't know for sure, but I think it is liposarcoma. She just found out today and needless to say she is devastated. She is only 50 years old and has two kids in their early 20s. She will go tomorrow for an MRI to see whether there are any metastases in other areas of her body. Then they will decided whether to do just radiation or radiation and chemo. I am deeply saddened by this whole turn of events. She is the nicest person and she doesn't deserve to have something like this happen to her. (Of course who does deserve to have cancer, but still.) Anyway, I ask all of you to please keep her in your thoughts and prayers and to send as much positive energy her way as you possibly can!

Dagens Namn -- Vecka 29 (17 Juli - 23 Juli)

The name days for Week 29 (July 17 - July 23) are:

Monday, July 17 = Bruno
Tuesday, July 18 = Fredrik, Fritz
Wednesday, July 19 = Sara
Thursday, July 20 = Margareta, Greta
Friday, July 21 = Johanna
Saturday, July 22 = Magdalena, Madeleine
Sunday, July 23 = Emma

Dagens Namn -- Vecka 28 (10 Juli - 16 Juli)

The name days for Week 28 (July 10 - July 16) are:

Monday, July 10 = André, Andrea
Tuesday, July 11 = Eleonora, Elinor
Wednesday, July 12 = Herman, Hermine
Thursday, July 13 = Joel, Judit
Friday, July 14 = Folke
Saturday, July 15 = Ragnhild, Ragnvald
Sunday, July 16 = Reinhold, Reine

Dagens Namn -- Vecka 27 (3 Juli - 9 Juli)

The name days for Week 27 (July 3 - July 9) are:

Monday, July 3 = Aurora
Tuesday, July 4 = Ulrika, Ulla
Wednesday, July 5 = Laila, Ritva
Thursday, July 6 = Esaias, Jessika
Friday, July 7 = Klas
Saturday, July 8 = Kjell
Sunday, July 9 = Jörgen, Örjan

Happy Anniversary to me!

As of yesterday, "Change of Shift Report" was a year old. I've been slacking lately when it comes to blogging, but having a combination of work and school six days a week doesn't leave you with a lot of time for anything else. Luckily, I have the entire month of August off from school, so I am very much looking forward to that! I will make my best effort to post a little more often, although I haven't had any good stories from work or clinical as of late. No more fake triplets or the like. I'm sure something will come up though, and when it does you'll hear about it here!

Dagens Namn -- Vecka 26 (26 Juni - 2 Juli)

The name days for Week 26 (June 26 - July 2) are:

Monday, June 26 = Rakel, Lea
Tuesday, June 27 = Selma, Fingal
Wednesday, June 28 = Leo
Thursday, June 29 = Peter, Petra
Friday, June 30 = Elof, Leif
Saturday, July 1 = Aron, Mirjam
Saturday, July 2 = Rosa, Rosita

Dagens Namn -- Vecka 25 (19 Juni - 25 Juni)

The name days for Week 25 (June 19 - June 25) are:

Monday, June 19 = Germund, Görel
Tuesday, June 20 = Linda
Wednesday, June 21 = Alf, Alvar
Thursday, June 22 = Paulina, Paula
Friday, June 23 = Adolf, Alice (Midsommarafton!!)
Saturday, June 24 = No name day! (Midsommardagen!!)
Sunday, June 25 = David, Salomon

Me, myself, I

Bad grammar is one of my biggest pet peeves, followed closely by spelling errors and lack of punctuation. I came across the following excerpt from Paul Brians's Common Errors in English Usage, which details one of the most common and most annoying errors. Read and learn!!

In the old days when people studied traditional grammar, we could simply say, “The first person singular pronoun is “I” when it’s a subject and “me” when it’s an object,” but now few people know what that means. Let’s see if we can apply some common sense here. The misuse of “I” and “myself” for “me” is caused by nervousness about “me.” Educated people know that “Jim and me is goin’ down to slop the hogs,” is not elegant speech, not “correct.” It should be “Jim and I” because if I were slopping the hogs alone I would never say “Me is going. . . .” So far so good. But the notion that there is something wrong with “me” leads people to overcorrect and avoid it where it is perfectly appropriate. People will say “The document had to be signed by both Susan and I” when the correct statement would be, “The document had to be signed by both Susan and me.” Trying even harder to avoid the lowly “me,” many people will substitute “myself,” as in “The suspect uttered epithets at Officer O’ Leary and myself.” “Myself” is no better than “I” as an object. “Myself” is not a sort of all-purpose intensive form of “me” or “I.” Use “myself” only when you have used “I” earlier in the same sentence: “I am not particularly fond of goat cheese myself.” “I kept half the loot for myself.” All this confusion can easily be avoided if you just remove the second party from the sentences where you feel tempted to use “myself” as an object or feel nervous about “me.” You wouldn’t say, “The IRS sent the refund check to I,” so you shouldn’t say “The IRS sent the refund check to my wife and I” either. And you shouldn’t say “to my wife and myself.” The only correct way to say this is, “The IRS sent the refund check to my wife and me.” Still sounds too casual? Get over it.

On a related point, those who continue to announce “It is I” have traditional grammatical correctness on their side, but they are vastly outnumbered by those who proudly boast “it’s me!” There’s not much that can be done about this now. Similarly, if a caller asks for Susan and Susan answers “This is she,” her somewhat antiquated correctness is likely to startle the questioner into confusion.

Dagens Namn -- Vecka 24 (12 Juni - 18 Juni)

The name days for Week 24 (June 12 - June 18) are:

Monday, June 12 = Eskil
Tuesday, June 13 = Aina, Aino
Wednesday, June 14 = Håkan, Hakon
Thursday, June 15 = Margit, Margot
Friday, June 16 = Axel, Axelina
Saturday, June 17 = Torborg, Torvald
Sunday, June 18 = Björn, Bjarne

My favorite Swedish foods

My favorite Swedish foods (in alphabetical order and with pictures):

Filmjölk och sylt
Filmjölk is a fermented soured milk very commonly served at breakfast in the Scandinavian countires. It is very similar to kefir which you may have seen in the grocery stores here in the US. Since it is a little sour, I usually add some sylt (jam). In the picture below, you see drottningsylt, which is made from raspberries and blueberries. Drottning means queen. In Sweden, most milk and milk type products come in the rectanguar boxes as pictured below.


Gravad lax
Gravad lax is thin sashimi-like slices of salmon cured in salt, sugar and dill. My dad actually makes his own gravad lax at Christmas time. It is super yummy and equally good at both breakfast and dinner. In this picture they are plated with hard-boiled eggs, which is not necessarily a traditional combination, but it looks pretty.



Kardemumma Bulle
A bulle is a type of sweet bun. Bullar (plural of bulle) are kind of like the American cinnamon rolls, but much less sticky. Sometimes the Swedes replace the cinnamon with cardamom, which makes for a very interesting and yummy taste. The bulle pictured below is from Vete-Katten, a bakery and café in Stockholm, which I highly recommend if you ever go to Sweden. It is the perfect place to fika (roughly translated “take a coffee break”).


Kroppkakor
Kroppkakor are potato-dumplings with a filling of pork or bacon. They are a traditional Swedish dish and are mainly eaten in the Swedish landskap (regions) Öland, Småland and Blekinge. We had the ones pictured below on Öland, an island of Sweden’s eastern coast.


Kåldolmar
Kåldolmar are Swedish cabbage rolls filled with pork and rice.


Messmör
This is a hard one to describe. Messmör is basically a sweet spread made from the whey of goat’s milk. I know it doesn’t make it sound too good, but it really is quite yummy. It is very good for spreading on ragkaka or Skogaholms limpa (see below).


O’boy
O’boy is basically the Swedish version of Nesquick.


Rågkaka
Rågkaka is a round Swedish bread made from vetemjöl (wheat flour) and rågmjöl (rye flour). My favorite variety is made by the Swedish company Polarbröd.


Saft
Saft is basically juice. It is usually made from some type of berry. It is commonly prepared or bought in concentrated syrup form and then reconstituted with the appropriate amount of water. The saft pictured below is made from svartavinbär (blackcurrants).


Senap
Senap is mustard. I mention it in this list because of the particular mustard pictured below, Slotts stark senap. Stark means strong. This type of mustard is particularly good on kåldolmar (see above) or mixed into ärtsoppa (split pea soup).


Skogaholms limpa
In Swedish, limpa means loaf, but it is also used to refer specifically to a traditional type of Swedish rye bread sweetened with syrup. One of my favorite varieties is made by Bageri Skogaholm, a major Swedish baker founded in 1926.


Tunnbröd rulle med korv och potatismos
This a common combo that you can get at most road-side kiosks. It involves tunnbröd, which is kind of like a tortilla, but slightly puffier. Korv is sausage and potatismos is mashed potatoes. The combo pictured below was topped with ketchup, mustard, and some lettuce.


Välling
Välling is basically a thin porridge. When I googled it for this blog, I came up with mostly hits for baby food, but I swear adults eat it too. I like to mix in a handful of raisins when I’m cooking it up, so that they get nice and plump.

Metzizah b'peh

Interesting little post from blog.bioethics.net today.

From Wikipedia.org regarding the same subject (you have to scroll down a little).

Motiv Stockholm

I found this very cool shop at Stockholm's Arlanda Airport. They have the most wonderful black and white photographs of Stockholm. Check out the Motiv Stockholm website!!

Dagens Namn -- Vecka 23 (5 Juni - 11 Juni)

The name days for Week 23 (June 5 - June 11) are:

Monday, June 5 = Bo
Tuesday, June 6 = Gustav, Gösta
Wednesday, June 7 = Robert, Robin
Thursday, June 8 = Eivor, Majvor
Friday, June 9 = Börje, Birger
Saturday, June 10 = Svante, Boris
Sunday, June 11 = Bertil, Berthold

Back to reality

As 7:30 pm yesterday I was back here in the good old USA after two long weeks in Sweden and Denmark. I had a great time, but it is nice to be back. School starts up again tomorrow and Wednesday and then work on Thursday. I hope those of you to whom I sent postcards received them. I'm curious to know how long it took them to arrive. Hopefully very quickly considering the obscene amount of money I paid to send them. Since the weather pretty much sucked most of the time we were there, the food was by far the best part of my trip. For those of you who are interested, when I get myself together I will be posting an entry about my favorite Swedish foods complete with pictures.

Dagens Namn -- Vecka 22 (29 Maj - 4 Juni)

The name days for Week 22 (May 29 - June 4) are:

Monday, May 29 = Yvonne, Jeanette
Tuesday, May 30 = Vera, Veronika
Wednesday, May 31 = Petronella, Pernilla
Thursday, June 1 = Gun, Gunnel
Friday, June 2 = Rutger, Roger
Saturday, June 3 = Ingemar, Gudmar
Sunday, June 4 = Solbritt, Solveig

Dagens Namn -- Vecka 21 (22 Maj - 28 Maj)

The name days for Week 21 (May 22 - May 28) are:

Monday, May 22 = Hemming, Henning
Tuesday, May 23 = Desideria, Desirée
Wednesday, May 24 = Ivan, Vanja
Thursday, May 25 = Urban
Friday, May 26 = Vilhelmina, Vilma
Saturday, May 27 = Beda, Blenda
Sunday, May 28 = Ingeborg, Borghild

Blogging Hiatus

My family and I are going on vacation in Sweden and Denmark for two weeks. We leave today, May 21st, and return on June 4th. I may post from the road if I find a good internet cafe, but don't be surprised if you don't hear from me until I get back.

Pseudocyesis

You may recall back in January when I wrote about the patient who came in claiming she was pregnant and in labor with triplets, but ended up not being pregnant at all (see the post here). Apparently there is a name for this condition, pseudocyesis. Well, the other day at work we had another similar situation. This one, however, wasn't quite so dramatic. The lady was escorted up from the lobby by the information desk attendant. She did not appear in any acute distress, but said that she was 6 months pregnant and had been feeling some contractions. Just looking at her you could tell something was off, but then we do get some patients that are actually crazy AND pregnant. The secretary went to get her signed in and came back with a funny look on her face. "She says her name is Diana Ross and that her doctor is Al Pacino." One of the nurses went in to see the patient and of course was unsuccessful in getting any fetal heart tones. Turns out the patient had recently been discharged from St. Elizabeth's, was taking Risperidone, and had made visits to several other area hospitals regarding her "pregnancy." What became of her I'm not exactly sure. We don't have a involuntary admission psych unit in our hospital, so we recommended that she go down to the ER to be evaluated by psychiatry. She refused and we had no reason to keep her, so she was sent on her way. Another one slips through the cracks.

Dagens Namn -- Vecka 20 (15 Maj - 21 Maj)

The name days for Week 20 (May 15 - May 21) are:

Monday, May 15 = Sofia, Sonja
Tuesday, May 16 = Ronald, Ronny
Wednesday, May 17 = Rebecka, Ruben
Thursday, May 18 = Erik
Friday, May 19 = Maj, Majken
Saturday, May 20 = Karolina, Carola
Sunday, May 21 = Konstantin, Conny

Sunday Night at the State Theatre

My sister and I went to the State Theatre last night. My friend's band, Full Minute of Mercury, was opening for 80s "legend" Eddie Money. I figured it would be a fun show and also thought it would be nice to go and support my friend and his band. Sadly we got there "late" and only got to see the last three songs in Full Minute's set. The State Theatre website had said the show started at 8pm, but apparently it actually started at 7:30pm. All the same, it was fun to see Full Minute perform on a big stage. Certain members of the band really like to move around in what I will call a very "spirited" fashion and small stages are just too cramped for them. Hopefully if the State Theatre gets enough good feedback, Full Minute will get to play there again.

The main act, Eddie Money, was quite interesting. The only two songs I could remember by him were, "Take Me Home Tonight" and "Two Tickets to Paradise." Admittedly, the former is pretty high up there on my list of great 80s songs. But now, the guy is in his late 50s now and has gone through many a rehab. He certainly looked at many points during the show as if he were about to have a heart attack. All the same, the music was catchy and he still has a great voice. Plus, he plays the saxophone, so that's pretty cool.

The most amusing part of the evening was the fact that the crazy dancing guy from the Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers concert was there. He was just doing his thing, not giving a damn (or noticing) that everyone was looking at him kind of funny.

Dagens Namn -- Vecka 19 (8 Maj - 14 Maj)

The name days for Week 19 (May 8th - May 14th) are:

Monday, May 8th = Åke
Tuesday, May 9th = Reidar, Reidun
Wednesday, May 10th = Esbjörn, Styrbjörn
Thursday, May 11th = Märta, Märit
Friday, May 12th = Charlotta, Lotta
Saturday, May 13th = Linnea, Linn
Sunday, May 14th = Halvard, Halvar

Dagens Namn -- Vecka 18 (1 Maj - 7 Maj)

The name days for Week 18 (May 1 - May 7) are:

Monday, May 1 = Valborg
Tuesday, May 2 = Filip, Filippa
Wednesday, May 3 = John, Jane
Thursday, May 4 = Monika, Mona
Friday, May 5 = Gotthard, Erhard
Saturday, May 6 = Marit, Rita
Sunday, May 7 = Carina, Carita

Name Days

So, I feel like I've been really bad as of late about posting name days on a timely basis. I'm going to try something new and see if maybe it works better. Every Monday I will post the name days for the whole week. That way no one misses their name day hopefully!

Dagens Namn -- 1 Maj 2006

Today is your name day if your name is Valborg.

May 1st is a national holiday in Sweden. See this Wikipedia article about Walpurgis Night for a little history.

Dagens Namn -- 30 April 2006

Sunday was your name day if your name is Mariana.

Dagens Namn -- 29 April 2006

Saturday was your name day if your name is Tyko.

Dagens Namn -- 28 April 2006

Today is your name day if your name is: Tyra or Ture.

Dagens Namn -- 27 April 2006

Thursday was your name day if your name is Engelbrekt.

Dagens Namn -- 26 April 2006

Wednesday was your name day if your name is: Terese or Teresia.

Dagens Namn -- 25 April 2006

Tuesday was your name day if your name is Markus.

Dagens Namn -- 24 April 2006

Monday was your name if your name is Vega.

My new favorite word

PULCHRITUDE (Noun)

1. Physical beauty
2. Attractive moral excellence

Etymology: Middle English pulcritude, from Latin pulchritudo, from pulcher, beautiful

Saturday Night at the Velvet Lounge

My sister and I went to a show at the Velvet Lounge last night. The place is basically a hole. If you want to go somewhere for the decor, don't got there. But it was dark, so you couldn't really tell. Plus the show was great, so who really cares? There were four bands in the line up.

First was Vote Quimby (official, myspace) out of Annapolis, a pop/punk/rock band with a side of stand-up. I saw them a while back in Baltimore and they were just as fun this time.

Second was The Dance Party (official, myspace) out of College Park, a powerpop/indie rock band whose lead singer's flamboyant style reminds me a little of Mick Jagger. They have a song about the Karate Kid. How cool is that?

Third was The Unlovables (official, myspace) out of New York, a pop/punk band whose songs and sound in general is just so spunky and energetic that you can't help but love them.

Fourth was the hosts Full Minute of Mercury (official, myspace), who I've definitely mentioned at least a few times before. Their performances are always energetic, action packed and entertaining. Last night was no different. They had the whole crowd jumping up and down so much that I almost feared that the floor might fall through. But luckily it didn't. That certainly would have put a little damper on the night.

All in all it was a great way to spend a Saturday night! I really enjoy going to see live music and if I didn't have such a hectic schedule I would definitely go see more shows. I'm going to have to work on that.

Dagens Namn -- 23 April 2006

Today is your name day if your name is: Georg or Göran.

Dagens Namn -- 22 April 2006

Saturday was your name day if your name is: Allan or Glenn.

Dagens Namn -- 21 April 2006

Friday was your name day if your name is: Annika or Anneli.

Dagens Namn -- 20 April 2006

Thursday was your name day if your name is: Amalia or Amelia.

Dagens Namn -- 19 April 2006

Wednesday was your name day if your name is: Ola or Olaus.

Dagens Namn -- 18 April 2006

Today is your name day if your name is: Valdemar or Volmar.

Dagens Namn -- 17 April 2006

Monday was your name day if your name is: Elias or Elis.

Dagens Namn -- 16 April 2006

Today is your name day if your name is: Patricia or Patrik.

Dagens Namn -- 15 April 2006

Saturday was your name day if your name is: Olivia or Oliver.

Dagens Namn -- 14 April 2006

Friday was your name day if your name is Tibirtius.

Dagens Namn -- 13 April 2006

Thursday was your name day if your name is: Douglas or Arthur.

Dagens Namn -- 12 April 2006

Wednesday was your name day if your name is Liv.

Dagens Namn -- 11 April 2006

Tuesday was your name day if your name is: Ylva or Ulf.

Dagens Namn -- 10 April 2006

Monday was your name day if your name is: Ingvor or Ingvar.

Dagens Namn -- 9 April 2006

Today is your name day if your name is: Ottilia or Otto.

Dagens Namn -- 8 April 2006

Today was your name day if your name is: Nadja or Tanja.

Dagens Namn -- 7 April 2006

Friday was your name if your name is: Irma or Irmelin.

Dagens Namn -- 6 April 2006

Thursday was your name day if your name is: Helmi or Vilhelm.

Dagens Namn -- 5 April 2006

Wednesday was your name day if your name: Irene or Irja.

Genetics

My ethics class today focused on th ethics involved with genetic testing. That topic is a little too deep to dive into on this blog, but I did learn a few interesting little tid bits in the lecture.

Why do certain potentially lethal genetic mutations persist in the population when, until quite recently, those who got the disease caused by the mutation perished before passing it on? To survive the ruthless culling of evolution, the mutation must provide some advantage. Two prime of examples of this are cystic fibrosis carriers and sickle cell anemia carriers. People with only one copy of the mutated gene which causes cystic fibrosis apparently gain protection from infection by the bacterium that cause typhoid and cholera. People with only one copy of the mutated gene that causes sickle cell anemia apparently gain protection from infection by the parasite that causes malaria. This explains why sickle cell anemia is so common in the African American population. Their ancestors came from an area of the world where malaria is prevalent.

Kind of interesting how things work, huh?

Kinda Neat

Check this out if you are into numbers.

Dagens Namn -- 4 April 2006

Today is your name day if your name is: Marianne or Marlene.

Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers, Part II

I totally forgot to detail the most amusing part of the concert last night. There was this guy over in one corner who was doing some kind of strange interpretive Martha Graham modern dance thing. Arms failing around, jumps and spins. It was a quite the sight. Wish I had had my camera with for that one.

Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers

You may recall a while back I posted about one of my favorite bands, Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers. Well, last night I went to their show at the State Theatre in Falls Church. It was a great show! Roger played at least five different guitars, drank at least four shots of tequilla, and sang for about an hour and a half. I got two CDs and a DVD for $22. If that's not a good deal, I don't know what is. Say what you want about "country" music, but these guys know how to rock! I didn't have a camera with last night, but here's a picture from the inside of one of the CDs I bought to show you what you missed if you weren't there.

Lady Terps

There has been so much coverage in the media lately of the Cinderella story of the George Mason men's basketball team. And rightfully so, because they played very well and went further than anyone would have expected them to. There is another local team, however, who also deserves some attention. The University of Maryland's Lady Terps beat UNC yesterday to make it to the finals of the Women's NCAA Basketball Tournament. They will be playing Duke tomorrow for the first women's basketball title in school history. Way to go ladies!!

Erika Sunnegårdh

This weekend Swedish-American soprano Erika Sunnegårdh made her debut at the Met singing the title role in Beethoven's "Fidelio." Sunnegårdh was a virtual unknown in the opera world until she was "discovered" in 2004. Until that time she had been waiting tables, singing in recitals and churches, and perfecting her craft. She had been contracted by the Met to cover for Finnish soprano Karita Matilla in this run of "Fidelio," but until this weekend had never actually sung the role on stage. An article in the New York Times likened this turn of events to "the Yankees starting a pitcher who had done nothing more than toss batting practice, or the president appointing a beat cop as defense secretary." It further points out that renowned tenor Plácido Domingo who stepped in for Franco Corelli in 1968 to make his Met debut. In another New York Times article, Anthony Tommasini points out that Sunnegårdh's performance was not without flaws and "a fuller assessment will have to await her future appearances."

Brain Numbness, Orange Urine and False Labor

I worked Friday and Saturday nights this weekend and we had some wackos come in. On Friday night there was the patient whose chief complaint was, "My brain feels numb." She came into the hospital by ambulance. All her vital signs were fine and she didn't appear to have any problem with muscular and nervous system function. Her labs were all negative. Needless to say she got a psych consult.

Then there was the lady who came in at 1:00 am on Saturday night because her urine was supposedly orange. There are certain things that can turn your urine orange: beets, rhubarb, vitamin B, dehydration, rifampin (an antiobiotic), and pyridium (for bladder spasms with UTIs). She had not ingested any of these things. The urine sample she gave at the hospital looked remarkably clear and yellow (aka normal). Lab analysis also showed that it was completely normal. She got sent home.

You may recall my previous post about the woman who claimed to be pregnant with triplets, but wasn't actually pregnant at all. I was talking to one the residents who told me that this woman eventually got admitted to the psych unit, where she was trying for two days to push the babies out. Funny and at the same time very very sad.

Dagens Namn -- 3 April 2006

Today is your name day if your name is: Nanna or Ferdinand.

Dagens Namn -- 2 April 2006

Today is your name day if your name is: Ingemund or Gudmund.

Dagens Namn -- 1 April 2006

Saturday was your name day if your name is: Hervor or Harald.

Dagens Namn -- 31 Mars 2006

Friday was your name day if your name is Ester.

Dagens Namn -- 30 Mars 2006

Today is your name day if your name is: Holger or Holmfrid.

Dagens Namn -- 29 Mars 2006

Wednesday was your name day if your name is: Jens or Jonas.

Dagens Namn -- 28 Mars 2006

Tuesday was your name day if your name is: Morgan or Malkom.

Dagens Namn -- 27 Mars 2006

Monday was your name day if your name is: Ralf or Rudolf.

Dagens Namn -- 26 Mars 2006

Sunday was your name day if your name is Emanuel.

This is why...

1) You shouldn't smoke if you are a guy

2) You should immunize your children

3) I had a good time tonight

Dagens Namn -- 25 Mars 2006

There is no name for today.

Today is Marie Bebådelsedag (aka Annunciation), the day nine months before Christmas, when the angel Gabriel announced to Mary that she would give birth to the Son of God.

Dagens Namn -- 24 Mars 2006

Friday was your name day if your name is: Gabriel or Rafael.

Dagens Namn -- 23 Mars 2006

Thursday was your name day if your name is: Gerd or Gerda.

Local.Live.Com

My co-worker, the other J, showed me this website the other day. It is kind of like Google Earth, but cooler. It has bird's eye views of many locations and allows you to look at them from all four cardinal directions. I was able to look at my apartment, my parent's house, and my grandmother's house in Minnesota. The pictures tend to be clearer than those from Google Earth. I think they are also more recent. For example, they reflect that my parents now have one red car and one beige car. The pictures from Google Earth still show two red cars in their driveway. It has been about four years since that was the case. Anyway, if you are bored and want something interesting to do, check out Local.Live.Com.

Alternative Name Days

My co-worker, the other J, was disappointed that his name did not apppear on the Swedish name day calendar. I have found out, however, that apparently there is an alternate American/Canadian name day calendar. I will stick to the Swedish calendar (I am the SwedishNurse after all), but for those of you who want to have a name day and don't have a particularly Swedish name, please check out My Name Day.com.

By the way, Other J, your name day on the alternate calendar is July 12th!

Dagens Namn -- 22 Mars 2006

Today is your name day if your name is: Kennet or Kent.

Dagens Namn -- 21 Mars 2006

Today is your name day if your name is: Bengt or Benny.

Dagens Namn -- 20 Mars 2006

Monday was your name day if your name is: Joakim or Kim.

Dagens Namn -- 19 Mars 2006

Sunday was your name day if your name is: Josef or Josefina.

Dagens Namn -- 18 Mars 2006

Saturday was your name day if your name is: Edvard or Eddie.

Dagens Namn -- 17 Mars 2006

Friday was your name day if your name is: Gertrude or Görel.

Dagen Namn - 16 Mars 2006

Thursday was your name day if your name is: Herbert or Gilbert.

My favorite Gilbert!

Dagens Namn -- 15 Mars 2006

Today is your name day if your name is: Christel or Kristoffer.

Dagens Namn -- 14 Mars 2006

Tuesday was your name day if your name is: Maud or Matilda.

Dagens Namn -- 13 Mars 2006

Monday was your name day if your name is Greger.

Saturday night in Baltimore

I went to Fletcher's in Baltimore last night to see one of my favorite local bands, Full Minute of Mercury, play. They were great as always, but I was also glad to get to see two other new (to me) bands: Can't Hang and Vote Quimby. Can't Hang was kind of a mix of reggae, rock, and punk. I especially enjoyed the reggae bent to their sound. Vote Quimby was more straight up rock and I especially enjoyed their covers of songs from Footloose. Plus the song Famine and the Darth Vader mask were classic. All in all it was a great show. Both the on and off stage antics were truly entertaining. Follow the links below to check out the bands!

Full Minute of Mercury (official website, Myspace page)

Can't Hang (official website, Myspace page)

Vote Quimby (official website, Myspace page)

Dagens Namn -- 12 Mars 2006

Today is your name day if your name is Viktoria.

Sweden's Crown Princess is Victoria Ingrid Alice Désirée. She was born July 14, 1977 and is also the Duchess of Västergötland. In accordance with the 1979 Act of Succession, which entered into force on January 1, 1980, The Crown Princess Victoria is heir to the Swedish throne. The Crown Princess will be Sweden's first female Head of State within the Bernadotte Dynasty (1818 - present). In modern times Sweden has only had two Queen Regents, Kristina (1626 - 1689, 1632 - 1654) and Ulrika Eleonora (1688 - 1741, 1718 - 1720).

Dagens Namn -- 11 Mars 2006

Saturday was your name day if your name is: Edvin or Egon.

Dagens Namn -- 10 Mars 2006

Friday was your name day if your name is: Ada or Edla.

Random Acts of Kindness

I went to Starbucks today on my way home from clinical. When I walked in there was one woman in front of me in line and one guy came in right behind me. The woman ordered her drink and when they told her her total, she said she would pay with a gift card she had taken out. Then pointing to me and the guy behind me she added, "And I'll pay for their drinks too." The guy and I did a double take, not quite believing our good luck. We of course both thanked her profusely. She said that someone had been kind to her by giving her the gift card and she figured why not pass on the kindness!

Dagens Namn -- 9 Mars 2006

Today is your name day if your name is: Torbjörn or Torleif.

Dagens Namn -- 8 Mars 2006

Wednesday was your name day if your name is Siv.

Dagens Namn -- 7 Mars 2006

Tuesday was your name day if your name is Camilla.

Dagens Namn -- 6 Mars 2006

Monday was your name day if your name is: Ebba or Ebbe.

Dagens Namn -- 5 Mars 2006

Sunday was your name day if your name is: Tove or Tora.

Dagens Namn -- 4 Mars 2006

Saturday was your name day if your name is: Adrian or Adriana.

Fifty Things About Me

1) I was born a week late and refused to turn my head in the right direction so I had to be delivered by c-section.

2) I have only ever had one pet. He was a goldfish and his name was Sven. I named him after my uncle.

3) I have only been a patient in the hospital three times. The first time was when I was born. The second time was when I fell off the jungle gym and had to get stitches in my chin. The third time was when my dad accidentally slammed my finger in the car door. The second and third times were both when I was in second grade.

4) I hate walking over grates in the street or sidewalk. I almost always walk around them unless they absolutely can’t be avoided.

5) I think that toilet paper should come over the top of the roll. If I am at someone’s house and their toilet paper comes from underneath the roll, I will change it around to the “right” way.

6) My ancestry is half Swedish, one-quarter Norwegian, and one-quarter Slovak.

7) My favorite flower is the tulip.

8) I hate bananas. Sometimes even the smell of them makes me want to throw up.

9) I like to mix Coke and Orange Fanta together.

10) I like to dip my french fries in mayonnaise.

11) I prefer dark chocolate over milk or white chocolate and I don’t like chocolate with fruit flavors (e.g., orange or raspberry).

12) I’m not a big coffee drinker, but I normally drink two mugs of tea with milk and Splenda in the morning.

13) My family and I lived in The Hague for three years when I was in high school. I haven’t been back since we moved back to the US almost ten years ago and that makes me sad.

14) I have traveled to the following countries: Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland, Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, England, Ireland, France, Italy, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Kenya, Australia, and Canada.

15) I have been to nineteen of the fifty states, although some of them only for a few hours.

16) I took piano lessons for ten years when I was in elementary, middle, and high school.

17) I took horseback riding lessons for three years when I was in high school. My favorite horse was named Mr. X.

18) I can speak, read, and/or write in all of the following languages (although to varying degrees): English, Swedish, German, Dutch.

19) My mom was born and raised in Sweden. She only came to the US in 1974.

20) My paternal grandfather used to be a traveling salesman. I have this old keychain that was an “extra” he used to give to his customers. It says, “It will pay you to remember – [his name].” Looking at it makes me happy.

21) My favorite colors are red and blue.

22) I have met one American president, George Bush Sr.

23) I much prefer white wine to red wine.

24) I love collecting nice china. My favorite part of my china collection is my Rörstrand teacups and saucers. They are blue and the pattern is called Swedish Grace.

25) I have held a koala bear and I have the pictures to prove it.

26) When I was little my dad and I used to make up stories about a girl named Goofus Roofus. My favorite one was about when she dug a hole in her backyard all the way to China.

27) I have a mental aversion to Chinese food, but I have no problems eating Thai or Vietnamese food.

28) I have one sister. She is four years, eight months, and nine days younger than me. She has naturally red hair.

29) Both my paternal great grandfathers were named George.

30) I always face my bills.

31) I hate make left turns when driving. I avoid them if at all possible.

32) I have been a registered nurse for four and a half years. I have licenses to practice in Virginia and the District of Columbia, but through the compact agreement I can actually practice in twenty-one states.

33) My paternal grandparents had eight grandchildren, all of them girls.

34) I am left handed and even to this day hold scissors the wrong way.

35) I had the chicken pox when I was in second grade. I have three pox scars: one on my left forearm, one at the base of my nose, and one slightly above my upper lip.

36) I like my apples and grapes to be of the green variety, as opposed to the red variety.

37) I still have one doll from when I was little. His name is Smelly Pelle.

38) I love doing family history research. I could sit and look at census records and ship manifests on microfilm for hours.

39) I don’t really like gold jewelry. I much prefer silver, platinum or white gold.

40) Both my hands are double jointed. I can make them look really disgusting or so people tell me.

41) I am a total snob about Christmas decorations and I think colored Christmas lights are incredibly tacky.

42) When I was very young I forgot how to speak English for a few days and could only speak Swedish. Boy was that frustrating since my babysitter only spoke English.

43) I get to watch babies being born for a living. It is amazing every time. It never gets old.

44) I prefer Coke over Pepsi. I beat the Pepsi challenge once. You can TOTALLY tell the difference.

45) I got my first walkman when I was in first or second grade. The two tapes I got with it were “Madonna” by Madonna and “Whitney Houston” by Whitney Houston. I still have both tapes.

46) The embroidered curtains that hang in my dining room were made by my great grandmother. I think that they are gorgeous.

47) My favorite mixed drink is the Grape Crush.

48) My favorite food is potatoes. I will eat them prepared in almost any fashion.

49) I always eat the European way, with my fork in one hand and my knife in the other hand the whole time. It drives me crazy how many Americans cut up all their food first and then eat only with their fork.

50) One of my favorite books as a child was “Andrew Henry’s Meadow” by Doris Burn. A couple of years ago my dad found me a used copy. I read it all the time now.