Happy New Year!

Posted on December 31, 2008 by Tomas Halberstad

Yes, I know I’m a bit early (for some parts of the world). here in Göteborg the time is now 1104h so still some 13h to go for 2008.

What happened in 2008? Why was it some great?
Most of the greatness is built around me quitting work (not exactly true: as I still do some extra work, for extra money, from time to time all tough I haven’t since August). See, I used to work nights. Long shifts. From 1800h to 0600h for the most part. This meant that my sleeping rhythm was totally fucked up. Add to that the fact that those days when you don’t work you want to try to see as much sunlight ass you can, mostly for social reasons, and you have a body, mine, which doesn’t know when to be awake and when to be asleep, when to be hungry and when not to and so forth.

My brother told me that it takes the human organs three months to settle in; to complete the switch from being awake at night and sleep during the day (or the other way around). I have no reason to doubt his facts. This means that my organs during the nine years prior to 2008 never knew what the fuck was up since I never had three months, or more, of the same sleep/wake-routine.

I guess that is the core of it. The center of why 2008 was so grate: I got to sleep at night, be a wake during the day and have that order in place for the whole year. (I used to be the most avid fighter for night time work. Saying that the people who couldn’t cope were wimps. How wrong I was. What an ass I was.)

The whole thing started with me wanting to go back to school and doing so lead to better sleep/wake-routines. It also lead to Camilla and I seeing a lot more of eachother (I used to work nights, she worked days) which is a good thing. Another good thing is that it led to me seeing more of The Boo.

2008 was also great because of the fact touched upon above. I went back to school. Which means I filled my time with something, for me, meaningful. Not disrespecting my old colleagues here. Just saying that what I’m doing now is more me than the work I did before will ever be.

More great stuff: My album ‘The Anger’ got finished and released! After working on it since march of 2006 I thought that record would never see the light of day. But it did! And I’m pleased for it.
I got to go to New York, I got to see Arsenal live in London!

Now 2008 wasn’t all joy and laughter. There were probably some crap stuff in there as well (me turning 30 for starters still a lot of good things came out of that, the collapse of The Arsenal etc.). But all in all it was the best year of my life. Strange thing to say but it was. I hope 2009 will bring more of the same! I wish each and all of you a happy new year!

There’s so much more I could write, and probably should write since I feel that I am forgetting stuff, but hey: This post is long enough, too long, as it is!

An end and a begining.

Posted on December 30, 2008 by Tomas Halberstad

Tomorrow’s new years eve. Don’t forget. A whole year crosses the finishing line tomorrow at midnight. Then, 2009 rolls in. I’ll give you a 2008-recap tomorrow. It’s been a good year. Probably the best year for quite a few. Maybe the best in my intire life. I can’t think of a year being better.

So until tomorrow. And oh, please leave the fireworks in the box. I’m not trying to be a kill joy it’s just that they are stupid. I mean think about it.

I have spent many new years eves on the roof of a high building in the outer harbours of Göteborgs. From my high outpost I could see most of Göteborg and several other communities. Can you imagine the number of fireworks I saw? The noise, the lights, the beauty. The cost! Can you imagine the amount of money going up in noise, the light and beauty. Yes, one could think of worse things to spend your money on but honestly; one could think of many better things too. So why don’t you?

First review in.

Posted on December 30, 2008 by Tomas Halberstad

Yes. A month after sending out the review copies of ‘The Anger’ the first review rolls in. (Note to self: In sending out review copies for next album do that at least a month prior to its release.) It doesn’t say much, and it’s in Swedish, you can find it here. The album gets 6/10 which is, for me, kind of a crap grade. Not that it’s low or anything. But what they (and by they I have no idea who I mean) say is true: The best reviews are either complete thrashings, like 1/10, or euphoric celebrations 10/10 (or perhaps 11/10). When it comes to the middle grades, such as my album here has received, one just ok:s it then reads on.

Still. That one person, the reviewer, whom I do not know, has taken some time out of his schedule to listen to my album enough to form a sustainable opinion about it is pleasing. Thanks for that!

Let’s keep those reviews coming!

Now I’ve seen it!

Posted on December 29, 2008 by Tomas Halberstad

I just saw the Nelly.com commercial on TV. I’ve only seen it at the production company and on YouTube before.
If nothing else I can now confirm, if for no one else than myself, that it actually runs. I still really don’t know how I feel about the whole thing but if there is going to music in a commercial it might as well be mine, right?

Back in the G.B.(B.)G!

Posted on December 28, 2008 by Tomas Halberstad

Yes that’s right. Camilla, the Boo and I are now back in the wet and cold.
Tired as hell after a day on trains, a bus and a car.

Now I’m going to walk the Boo then I am going to sleep.

Go Arsenal!

Leaving Högfors.

Posted on December 28, 2008 by Tomas Halberstad

Good Morning!
It’s -10°c here in Högfors and the sun is slowly making it’s way up from behind the treetops. It looks to be a lovely day! That won’t really matter to Camilla, the Boo and I since we’ll be on trains most of the day. Yes folks; it’s leaving time. We would have stayed longer but Camilla has to go to work on the 30:th.

It’s been a nice stay with lots to eat and lots of sleep. The only real downside was that I missed the Villa-Arsenal game on Friday and will miss the Arsenal-Portsmouth game today. Thank God (or whoever, maybe what ever…), thank the Big Bang for 3G mobile phones and the Internet. I’ll keep myself posted during the train ride home.

There hasn’t been a lot of music news updates this passed few days. Maybe that is because of Christmas or maybe it’s because my e-mail has gone mad and I can’t send any. Yes, I’m having outgoing mail server issues. (I might also be having incoming mail server issues… I don’t know). If you have sent me an e-mail during my visit to Högfors and I haven’t replies and you think what an utter asshole not replying to my email, this is why.

That’s about it. Göteborg here we come. (And I thank God, or again, thank the Big Bang for the fact that I before I left home to come here I cleaned the apartment. It’s so nice to come home to a clean apartment, putting down your luggage – taking care of them the next day – pushing them aside, taking off your shoes and just take it easy.)

The Högfors winter post.

Posted on December 27, 2008 by Tomas Halberstad

Högfors is not a lot of things. Most people would say that Högfors is nothing. A right turn or an exit off the main road. Most people driving along that main road, the one between Örebro and Ludvika, will not even know that there passing Högfors, if Högfors isn’t the name of a few of the trees in the vast forest.

Högfors is located between Kopparberg and Grängesberg. In the middle of the woods. It isn’t more than one street of houses. Depicted here below, Högfors high street; Tjärnvägen (from North to South):

high_street

Even though Högfors now is a sleepy street it used to flourish. Here’s a picture of the mansion where the Patron used to live:

herrgard

It’s a bit run down and I have no illusions that it will ever look like it did during its glory days. None the less, it’s a magnificent building that takes hold of ones imagination.

There are other old buildings here. This one is now a museum of sorts:

bruk

I’ve mentioned before that Högfors means High River and in walking the Boo I found a river in the woods. Now I don’t know if this is the river in the name. This could be a man made river. Made by the company in which owns the forest. Still, it’s a river.

river

Another evidence that Högfors ones or maybe twice was a vibrant community is the fact that there is a school here. It’s no longer in use and was sold a while back to an artist. In the foreground to the left there is the old School and in the background the new, or newer, school.

school

That’s it for the winter post. I’ll try to give you a summer post including pictures of the beach and the small lake.

Sleep and Eat.

Posted on December 26, 2008 by Tomas Halberstad

Good Morning to you all. Still up here in Högfors. Sleep and eat. I love it. My brain is finally starting to make way for normality and I haven’t slept this good in a long time. Recharged for the year to come. I’m guessing by Sunday, which is when we go home, I’ll be all rested out.

I haven’t spoken anything about the Christmas gifts I’ve received (and only very little about the once I’ve given, and forgotten). Maybe that is because it seems a bit rich to flaunt what you’ve got, or gotten, when others have so little. I can mention a few things that I received though. First: I got a goat! Yes! That’s right! A goat! Or more, a goat was bought in my name and given to a family somewhere in Africa. A nice gift. Second (and Mats Jonsson won’t be pleased): I got a hair cut. I haven’t gotten it yet… maybe one should write I received a hair cut (but that also implies that I have had my hair cut, which I haven’t… yet).

I really don’t know what today brings apart from eating. Pictures of Högfors will be posted upon the picture series completion. It’s cloudy here today. Maybe I’ll wait for some sun. My weather widget says that tomorrow and Sunday will have blue sky’s.

Branch cracking Elk?

Posted on December 25, 2008 by Tomas Halberstad

Happy Christmas Day to you all!
It’s has been a lovely day here in Högfors with a clear blue sky and about -9°c all day. I have walked around Högfors taking some pictures. I will take some more tomorrow and then I’ll give you all a picture post of the whole thing.

Today, as yesterday, has been all about one thing: eating and that’s really al that there has been.

This morning I took a nice morning stroll with the Boo in the dense, and large, Forest (there really is nothing but forest up here). As we walked along a small, snowed up, trail Bosse stopped to chew on a stick. As he did I looked into the forest and thought about all the wild animals living there. Up here there’s Wolf, Bear, Lynx and more. Deep into my thoughts I, from behind me, heard the noise of a tree branch cracking (no twig; this was a loud sound, and very near my back). I slowly turned around, the Boo turner around a bit quicker, and we both stared into the woods. I saw nothing. We walked away very slowly and the Boo cautiously looked into the woods all the time. I think that there was something there and it was most likely an Elk. I’ll look harder tomorrow.

Travel… One shot video.

Posted on December 24, 2008 by Tomas Halberstad

I now, thanks to this guy; MaxWagnerJohnson, have a music video on YouTube.
It’s not an interesting look.
You can check it out here.

(This is an unofficial video, if you don’t get that then… well then you don’t get that which is why I’m telling you!)

Merry Christmas!

Posted on December 24, 2008 by Tomas Halberstad

Yesterday there was a bit of snow on the ground. The House, here in Högfors, today woke up to fresh fallen snow. Not much but more than enough to add to the Christmas feeling.

So: from us all (especially from Bosse), to you all; have a merry Christmas!

jul

Label me crap!

Posted on December 23, 2008 by Tomas Halberstad

I am the worst boy friend in the world…
I’ve traveled half a day to celebrate Christmas with Camilla and her side of the family.
I forgot Camillas Christmas gifts in Göteborg.
I suck.
I am ashamed.

Not high nor a river.

Posted on December 23, 2008 by Tomas Halberstad

So I’m in Högfors now, Högfors means High River but the place is not high, nor located on a high altitude, or a river but there is a small lake here. Maybe it ought to be called Lowlake. Any how, I’m here and there is a little but of snow. I really have nothing else to rapport today since I’ve been on trains most of it.

I’ll take a couple of pictures tomorrow and post them here. Oh wait, tomorrow’s Christmas eve, maybe now elabotare picture post tomorrow but I’ll promise to show you the place.

Seminar = Passed!

Posted on December 22, 2008 by Tomas Halberstad

Tomorrow is now today and I’m beat. I have had a seminar all day. Who knew just listening o other people talk, sitting in a comfortable chair, could be so tiresome? Also: I passed! My paper! I passed! Just one more exam to go then I can put this semester to rest. No more lectures though and the next semester doesn’t start until sometime around the 19:th of January. Winter brake.

No news on the music front but I guess the Christmas hiatus has set in.

Tomorrow morning, really super early, I’ll leave for Högfors.

Liar, liar, pant on fire…

Posted on December 21, 2008 by Tomas Halberstad

You can call me a liar, liar, pants on fire all you want. I know I yesterday wrote that I would write something interesting today but fact is time has eluded me. I have finished (almost) cleaning the apartment today. Nothing beats coming home to a clean apartment (ok I am a liar, liar, pants on fire; there are a lot of thing beating coming home to a clean apartment). I have read 10 papers today (ok I am a liar, liar, pants on fire; I have only read 8 of them).

Lars-Martin came over and we watched Arsenal-Liverpool. It ended 1-1 and with a sour taste of bad refereeing in my mouth.

That’s it.

Oh, just one more thing. In Sweden we have something called names days. Each day of the year (with some exceptions) has two names assigned to it (with some exceptions). Today was my day, or my names day: Tomas. One congratulations I’ve gotten all day… I’m not sad… not sad at all… at all… no… nope… not one bit…

Tomorrow I’ll write something. I really hope that there are some music news aswell.

Bed Bugs and last song.

Posted on December 20, 2008 by Tomas Halberstad

Tomorrow I am going to write something interesting, or at the very least something readable. Right now I just have two things to say: Good night, sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite (but really if you do have bed bugs, thinking that’s ok just because you do not let them bite, and they somehow obey you, it’s not… get a new bed) and: Tonight I wrote the last song for my next album. Now I know I shouldn’t say that because I might write more songs, but really; enough is enough. It’s a nice song though. It’s going to be a different album.

bild-85

Crappy weather and really nothing to say.

Posted on December 20, 2008 by Tomas Halberstad

It’s Saturday. It’s December. Looking out the window one could thing it was October. No fun Christmas weather at all. Good thing for me that I won’t be in this town for Christmas. I’ll be far north.

Today and until Tuesday I’ll be a grass-widower. Don’t really know how that expression flies in English but what it means is that Camilla, and the Boo, is out of town and I am home all alone. We’re going to spend Christmas at Camillas parents in Högfors, that is where she has gone. She took the train at noon. I couldn’t go today because I have school on Monday. On Tuesday I will join her and The Boo and start celebrating Christmas. I hope there is is snow up there.

Tomorrow I’m going to give myself an early Christmas gift. I am going to sleep in. Yes! Until Monday I have 10 papers to read and one to read thoroughly. I am going to oppose that one on Monday.

Right about now my life isn’t very exciting.

Done!

Posted on December 18, 2008 by Tomas Halberstad

Did you miss me? Have you missed me? Have you even noticed my absence? Well, I haven’t written a line all day. Not here anyway. I have been sitting all day in front of the computer though. Working on my paper. The one due tomorrow. I’m not finished yet. I have a read through and corrections to make. Then I’m done. Not satisfied with the result though. I don’t think anyone in the class is. We had our hand in time cut short. That’s the way it is. Banana.

This is how me and Mats Jonsson (check older posts) look after two weeks of intense paper writing:

bild-81

Top ten!

Posted on December 17, 2008 by Tomas Halberstad

I know I’m not writing a lot with substance these days. I have a lot of other things on my mind, other things than writing here with substance: my paper on the effects of death awareness in individuals. I know I’ve been on and on about where my song, or my album is in the charts, or a chart; the cdon.com one to be specific).

The thing is; I like reporting it and I think it’s fun. Bare with me please.

Why?

Well. I got into another kind of top ten yesterday! I can’t say enough about the kind word written, to me they are very kind and I cherish upon every one of them. Thanks!