Writers Not Writing tag

Happy Sunday everyone. I’ve been too busy writing this week to have time to read, so there won’t be a review today. Instead I borrowed a YouTube tag from my friend Amy and decided to answer the questions here on the blog. So if you’re interested in getting to know me a little better, now’s the time! 🙂

Oh, and click here if you want to watch Amy’s video on the topic and find out whether she likes tea or coffee better 🙂

Do you have a day job?

No. I did back in Sweden, but I haven’t had one since we moved to Malaysia. I’m an expat wife, but I’m not a member of any expat organization, meeting other wives for lunch or cocktails or pilates. I spend my days reading and writing and talking to my writer friends and doing yoga and I love it.

Are you a reader?

Duh. Yes. I’ve been since I was very young. My mom taught me to read at a very early age because she was very sick when I was little and didn’t have the energy to be outdoors and play. So to keep me occupied, she taught me how to read and write, and that’s been my thing ever since.

Also, I don’t believe you can be a writer if you don’t read. I’m not one for giving writer advice because what works for me doesn’t necessarily work for anyone else…But this is the exception. If you want to be a writer you need to read. Period. My best – and only – advice 🙂

What are your other hobbies?

Music. I love listening to music and I do it all the time. Seriously, I can’t live without music. We also bought a piano this Friday, so now I’m going to learn how to play. Wish me luck 🙂

Tea or coffee?

Tea. Green tea. I had to quit coffee because I’m super sensitive to caffeine and can’t sleep if I drink it. But I’ve always loved tea more, so it wasn’t really a hardship. Instead I buy expensive teas, fluttering my eyelashes at my husband if he’s grumbling over the price, saying, Since I can’t have coffee… and he caves 🙂

In the picture is one of my favorites: Sakura Sakura. Green tea with cherry blossom petals. Sooo yummy.

What are you passionate about?

Equality. Equality for all regardless of race, gender, or sexuality. Nothing makes me as angry as inequality.

Do you have any pets?

No, I’m allergic. Unless you count the gecko that moved into my kitchen without my consent, but gets to stay because he eats bugs. He also poops all over my kitchen, but as long as he keeps eating the bugs I’ll look the other way 🙂

What was your dream job as a child/when you were younger?

As a very young child I wanted to be a cashier, because that’s what my mom did. When I grew a little older, I wanted to work as an air hostess because I thought it would be glamorous with all the traveling they get to do. (This was before I’d ever flown anywhere, now I know better!) After that I wanted to be a writer.

If you could live anywhere else in the world, where would it be?

I’m originally from Sweden and now I live in Malaysia, so I’ve left my country behind already. When we leave Malaysia in the future, it will be for Europe. We’re not moving back to Sweden (it’s too cold), but I can see myself living in Italy, France or Germany. Most likely we’ll end up in Berlin, Germany because of reasons 🙂

Do you speak foreign languages?

My native tongue is Swedish, and this post is written in English, so yes. I can also manage (barely) in France, but most of the time the French people I try to speak to feel sorry for me and reply in English 🙂 I also took German in high school, but I’m very, very rusty. Maybe it’s time to start brushing up on my skills, if we plan to move to Germany?

What music would we find in your collection?

In the image below are a few of my favorite artists/records.

From top left: Listen Without Prejudice by George Michael, Mosaic by Wovenhand, The King of Limbs by Radiohead.

From bottom left: Live from KCRW by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Harvest by Neil Young, and Den Morronen by Thåström.

I’ve loved George Michael since the early 80s when he was a member of Wham! My teenage heart beat hard for him and never stopped. I cried when he died, and I still can’t listen to his music without tearing  up.

Wovenhand is a fabulous band and I’ve seen them live several times. Them and their predecessors 16 Horsepower. Love the singer, he’s an amazing live performer and I love his voice.

Radiohead has been a favorite since the release of Creep in the early 90s and I love them more and more for every year. I’ve actually used the singer, Thom Yorke, as inspiration for one of my characters. Check out this image of him and tell me if you can figure out who 🙂

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds is my favorite band in the whole wide world. (Or maybe it’s Radiohead…who knows?) and I’ve seen them live twice. I am, however, a bit disappointed with their latest album, but maybe it’ll pass 🙂

Harvest by Neil Young is one of the best albums in the whole world. I’m not a Neil Young super fan except for this record, but seriously. This one is a must in any record collection. Also, if you haven’t watched this live version of Heart of Gold from 1971, you really need to fix that oversight immediately. It’s fabulous.

Thåström is a Swedish artist who has been a huge part of the Swedish music scene for 40 years. He started out as a punk singer, but now he’s more of a singer-songwriter. I love him so much, but have never managed to catch him live. But my daughter has…and she bought me that signed album as consolation 🙂 If you’re curious what he sounds like, here’s a YouTube link to one of my favorite songs. He sings in Swedish, though.