Author Archives: jon

The Price Of Communication

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My hand-me-down mobile phone is reaching the end of its life. The screen is deteriorating to the point where the scratches interfere, and, worst of all, it switches to camera mode whenever it feels like it, draining the battery very quickly.

I have made a cursory search for its replacement, and have been captured by a relatively unknown model (in Sweden, anyway): the ZTE Blade. As mobiles go, it has relatively high end specs, but only costs 1300 crowns (currently about 150 Euros). Which got me thinking.

This is an absurd amount of money when I think about it. I am a lite user, having maybe four or five people whom I regularly text or speak to; I do not have enough alone time to listen to music, and when I do I take my iPod shuffle for its ease of use; And we bought a compact camera recently to take with us on outings. So, is it really worth the money?

It probably will be. There are many apps and some interesting games to download. We invested in a DS lite a few months ago, after Jo’s DS finally gave up the ghost, and I don’t play that as frequently as I would like. The prices of the DS and the ZTE are similar, with the ZTE being more than a gaming machine. Plus, it’s a new area of technology I have yet to explore, which arouses my curiousity no end.

The only real problem is, as always, money. Currently we do not have the funds for me to splash out on a new mobile, regardless the condition of my ageing mobile. Maybe I will be lucky, and this year’s commision for the books that I have co-written will be enough to allow me the luxury of a new purchase.

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Three Years Old (and a few weeks, now)

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Our beloved daughter, Zelda, is now three years old. And very conscious of the fact, too.

She has stopped wearing a nappy at night time, much to our delight. The whole process went quickly and smoothly after we forgot to put one on her one night recently. Since then we have not bothered, and she has only had one accident during the last ten days or so. The only down side to the story is that we had just bought a new packet of nappies (hardly the cheapest consumeable), which are now gathering dust in the bedroom.

Her speech has also developed, and I am of the opinion that she shifts between English and Swedish far more easily and often than Freya did at that age. Though I could be wrong, and I do not trust my memory.

We Are Sailing (Well, One Of Us)

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Freya, now six, has just returned from her first real adventure without the family: an overnight cruise to Åland.

Freya had been asked by a work colleague of mine, Mintra, if she would like to join them (including her nine year old daughter, Nathalie) only a few days ago. At first she was reluctanat, not wishing to be away from us. By the end of the evening she had made up her mind to tag along. And we are so glad that she did.

Of course, the crossing was a fantastic experience for Freya, who could recount a multitude of memories and was even thoughtful enough to buy us all presents. Knowing her father only too well, she bought me a bottle of red wine.

I wish I could have been there to have seen her in her new role; at the same time it’s important for her to own her own experiences. We love you, Freya, and hats off to you for having the courage to do it.

Freya And Her Tooth

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After a short period of wobbling, Freya’s first loose tooth came out today, to her joy. And then, later, dismay.

She had been quite excited at the prospect of losing it. Many of her friends have already discarded one or more ivories, which has left Freya disappointed at her tooth-full mouth. But this afternoon she could not be happier to show me the lack of a lower central incisor (the internet is a wonderful thing for the ignorant).

Then, when she got home, she was sad and scared by the look of the tooth. I suppose it is a strange thing for her to see something that has been inside her mouth for the last five years. Her sadness soon allayed and she started to talk excitedly about the Tooth Fairy. Or more precisely, tooth fairy logistics.

Like Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy does throw up some interesting questions and conundrums. But Freya has worked out that she is a very small creature that can easily make her way under doors (and, presumeably, key holes and their kin). With the aid of her magic wand she can then transform into a larger being to take the tooth. I did not ask too many questions that would have upset the logic of her idea, though they were not far from being uttered.

We discussed where the Tooth Fairy got all her money from to pay for the huge number of lost teeth that we humans discard (no real answer), or what she did with all the teeth (they could be currency in her world, speculates Freya, which makes me wonder why she has not ever considered retiring – she must be loaded).

Part of me does not like lying to Freya, even about the Tooth Fairy. Which sounds odd considering a fair amount of my life has been given over to fantasy role playing games. But it did not stop me from creeping into her room a short time after she had fallen asleep to remunerate her for slipping her tooth under her pillow.

To Be On TV, Or Not To Be On TV: That Is The Question

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A Swedish TV production company are looking to do a story about a vegan family (ideally a mum, dad and two children). I am in two minds whether to put the family forward for inclusion in the program.

My first reaction when Jo mentioned it was: “No. I have no desire to parade myself and my family for the disdain of the general populace, who will only see the negative in our decision to be be vegan.” But the last twenty-four hours have given me another perspective. Both Jo and I are intelligent, articulate and “normal-looking”. We could be a good advert for veganism, provided that the production compnany portray us in a reasonable light.

So, what should I do? I think I may ask Jo to ring and find out more about the proposed program. At the very least it would mean that we could appear on TV.

Fifteen minutes of fame 🙂