Well, best to say it like it is:


I lost my job.

Yep. The parent company that owns my employer went bankrupt. Abruptly. Catastrophically. Irreperably. What followed was a very calm and Swedish version of: deals, politicking, and negotiations. I'm still left wondering what went wrong, who knew and for how long, and how it happened so fast. But ultimately, I have to go on, whether there are answers to these questions or not.

Living life like the sad pablo escobar meme ^

While the bids were being sent for computers, chairs, iPads, and decor - (my Swedish friend got an insane deal on over 60 large beautiful house plants) - a new buyer swept in and won a bidding war to take control of the studio and all it's properties. I still don't know if I can get rehired. If not, I have 90 days (now 86) to find a new job or Nelson and I both get deported back to the US.

On the one hand, I've felt disappointed, depressed, and embarrassed. On the other, I've realised I'm incredibly fortunate to have been able to take such a big risk and fail. Our difficulties are mild compared to what a lot of folks all over the world face with immigration, deportation, family separation, loss of employment, and the struggle to integrate. We volunteered for an adventure that went topsy turvy - a lot of folks don't get much of a choice. To everyone out there hitting a rough patch: keep on keepin' on. It's rough all over, but we're gonna get through it.

Perhaps my new role as... Viking CFO?

In other news, we had our first visitors: Rachel & Keith! My highlight was when Rachel cooked ratatouille for us and we busted out the cloth napkins for a family dinner at our apartment. I enjoyed walking with Rachel in the forest and hearing all of Keith's observations of things that interested and surprised him about Europe. We also took a short train trip to Stockholm where we: saw a giant salvaged shipwreck at The Vasa Museum, had a pretentious dinner that I deeply regret in Södermalm, stayed in a 500 year old apartment that I immensely enjoyed in Gamla Stan, and visited The Viking Museum. Another highlight for me was watching two women roll and weave dough into Swedish cinnamon buns ("kenelbullar") at Cafe Schweizer. I enjoyed the trip but I was glad to return to our sleepy little university town of Uppsala. There's no place like home away from home.

Since our friends departed for Portugal we've been keeping things quiet and waiting to hear how things will pan out. It's been raining a lot and the forest paths are crawling with giant slugs and snails. I saw a wild hedgehog for the first time last night scurrying in front of an apartment building. So cool!!! I'm so inspired by how well the urban and natural worlds are balanced and integrated with each other here. If and when we return to the US, I'm inspired to promote what I've seen here in my community. Cities and multifamily units don't have to suck - in fact - they can offer beauty, calmness, cleanliness, community, and quality of life that is unparalleled.

Now, if only they could offer me a job before I become en snigel utan hus (a snail without a house)!

^ Did you know snails often live 2-5 years in the wild or up to 25 years in captivity?

This one gives me big Santa Cruz banana slug energy ^

Average cups of coffee per day: Back down to 2
Average hours slept: 8 + depression naps
Average daily distance walked: I'm not sure in distance, but I usually get a solid 60-90 minutes of fast paced walking in just doing errands and commuting to work. It's pretty clear to me how folks in Europe stay thin while enjoying all the delicious baked goods.
Culture shocks: Getting laid off and facing even more paperwork. SO MUCH PAPERWORK. 
New Swedish food unlocked: Kebab pizza is amazing. Swedes have a huge pizza culture that's totally unique from the US and Italy. Toppings can include everything from kebab meat to cucumbers, bananas, curry, or peanuts (just to name a few). They are usually served with pizzassallad and come unsliced. Swedes often cut their pizza at home with scissors or eat it with fork and knife. Sometimes there's béarnaise sauce involved. It's the wild hecking west.
Favorite place this week: Cafe Schweizer in Stockholm. Best cinnamon bun I've ever had. Wonderful fresh squeezed orange juice. The scrambled eggs and lox are on point.
New Swedish phrase unlocked: "Jag kämpar för kung och fosterland!" - "I'm fighting for king and country!" (Something you could say when trying to open a particularly difficult jar of pickles, for example. Or - like in my case - when you are looking for a new job!)