Swing swing

Me and my best friend had a special place we used to go to, that we called our own. It was a pair of swings in the far end of the Tivoli Park, where no one went besides us. We had the swings all to ourselves, and whenever we skipped school (mostly Spanish and French classes) we headed for our swings. The fact that we were late teens didn't matter, on those swings we became kids again.

Today we walked through the park, passed our secret spot and I saw that the swings were gone. It wasn't really a surprise since my friend had told me a while ago that they had removed our swings, but it was sad nevertheless. I don't know the reason why they took them away, but since no one went there I guess they thought it was unnecessary, and they were too far from the real playground in the park to be considered a part of it. This was only a pair of swings, and they were finally redundant.

I remember when we had just discovered the place, only a week before I was to interview Shawn from the Matches for the first time for Chucow Radio. My friend and I thought up questions on those swings.
I recall all the little squirrels running around the park, and how they tended to find their way up one of the trees right in front of the swings.
I smile at the time when we got so scared of the birds - they have a bird reserve in the middle of the park - because they made inhuman (well, they were birds) noises and acted freaky. We could see in to them while sitting on the swings.
I remember swinging as high as I could while listening to music on our cellphones.

It's sad how things go away. It was only a pair of swings, but it was a haven for us. My friend and I used to say that we would return to those swings when we came back to Sweden (since both of us want to move abroad) because it was the place we cared for the most after our homes. Now it's just a spot of sand.

Summer

This morning, I heard for the first time this year birds singing outside my window. I want summer terribly, and started thinking about music as it associates with much.
Songs that I find summer-y, due to memories of some sort, are:

Wheatus - "Teenage Dirtbag"
I remember seeing the video for this on Swedish tracklist show Voxpop years ago. It was during the summer.

Green Day - "Waiting"
I used to listen to while walking around the city during the summer months a few years back.

Good Charlotte - "Complicated"
When I first started on C4 and didn't know anybody, I listened to this song when we all rode on the bus that took us to the beach one of the very first days.

The Matches - "Chain Me Free"
I used to sing this all the time in art class, while sitting outside in the sun painting our big placards. It was the first song I heard by the Matches and I yet only knew the lyrics to the chorus.

Fall Out Boy - "Sophomore Slump or Comeback of the Year"
We sang this when we ended our first year at C4, after getting drunk on tequila and plain gin, while we walked to the bus in the middle of the bright night.


There's a lot more but I can't think of them now.
I miss those times, when everything was new and I was just starting to become who I am today.

The Demon Barber

Spoilers may occur.

In lack of something better to do with my time, I will as Mr. Harris did a while ago, review the new motion picture "Sweeney Todd - the demon barber of Fleet Street" by Tim Burton.
I must admit that I was thrown off by said singer's thoughts of the movie, as I doubt that I could ever dislike anything by Burton. In my humble opinion, the man works magic whatever he might do.
I enjoyed the movie, it was just a given. The photography is beautiful and the acting is of high standard. Though, even if I just came home from the cinema I can't seem to remember any of the songs. Normally, the music - especially if accompanied by words sung - is what sticks in my head long after I've forgotten the faces. But not in this case. That was the big disappointment. But maybe I'm just dense.
And also, the ending felt cut off. I would have liked some kind of epilogue. Instead we were left with the same interrupted feeling as in Corpse Bride, like we've been deceived of how things evolved. Perhaps it would have been unecessary information, and we were better off without it.

The part I enjoyed the most though, was seeing Borat (well, Sacha Baron Cohen) getting a slit in the throat. As much as I love Tim Burton's work, I hate the character Borat. But I have to give it to Cohen in this movie - he's a good actor. But I can't stand Borat.

As a conclusion: I liked "Sweeney Todd", it's a beautiful film but it is not one of Burton's best. His best has always been the stop motion, as it is one of the most fantastic things in the world to me. I sure hope that Depp wins the Oscar for his portrait of the demon barber though. I'm still crossed that he didn't win for Jack Sparrow.

If this isn't pouring my heart out, I don't know what is.

"With all my dreams hooked to hospital machines,
I think; let's try redefining beautiful."

Those lyrics hit my life spot on. I've always had very big dreams, and I've had to change and compromise them all to be able to accomplish them. Which is absolutely shitty, since you shouldn't have to mess with your dreams since they are the strongest things you have.

According to me, the most important thing is to have dreams. If you will accomplish them one day, is less important - just having dreams is something we need to survive. We need something to strive for, otherwise there's nothing worthwhile. I do not wish to be content; how could I be, without losing hope?

Big dream number one has always been to leave the country. When I say "always been", I couldn't be more honest - I've never had the thought in my head to stay here. Never. It has just never been an option. I sound like a corny fuck, but I was truly born in the wrong side of the world. My heart has never belonged here, it has always been elsewhere. And I've always known I'd never survive living the rest of my life in Sweden.

My big dreams are the things keeping me going, even though they've also been the main reason for my unhappiness at times. Some dreams I've already accomplished, and some I know I never will. For example, I want to be on Martha Stewart and bake, but I'm well aware of that it will never happen since dear Martha probably will drop dead before I get a chance. I sound mean, don't get me wrong - I love Martha (yes, I'm dorky like that) - but we're all getting older. And besides, I would never like to be as famous as I'd have to be to get on her show. But it's just an innocent little dream, one of the lighter ones; one that's not life-threatening if I let it go.

Now when I've gotten older, I've seen my big dreams turn into big plans. Plans that I will go through with. I don't really have a choice - it's just what has to be done for survival.
Even though I try not to worry too much about tomorrow, I can tell you that nothing has felt so good than to see those dreams turn into plans. It's amazing to wake up one day and realize that I have so many opportunities and possibilities ahead of me. We all do.
I don't know what will happen a year from now, but I can't wait to find out.