Stuck in Bangkok

Well... I thought I was heading home and arriving August 30th, but apparently Thailand loves me and doesn't want me to leave. I am now stuck in Bangkok for a couple nights at a hotel because my flight was 45 minutes delayed and I missed the rest of the connecting flights. So I was up all night on the phone with annoying customer service rescheduling flights, costing me endless fees. Do not fly with Hahn Air. They have a bad reputation. I won't be arriving in Maui until September 2nd.

Where is Home?

Reflecting upon the question, "Where is home?" Is it where your possessions are? Possessions are just things weighing you down... Is it where your cats are? Is it where you feel the most familiar and speak the language? Is it where your family is? Is it where your partner is? Is it where your best friends are? A house is really just a place with walls. Is home simply inside of us? Having moved and traveled so much in my life and having all my loved ones spread out all over the world and constantly separating from people and missing people, this is and has always been a question of mine.

Back to New York

10/24:
Wow, these past five days in Sweden have gone by so fast I've barely been able to absorb what's going on, along with the emotions that come along with it... I woke up and did my breathing exercises and then I meditated with my mom. She has a postcard tarot deck and I got these three cards:

I interpret this one as Pele, Passion and Power erupting...

...with Love...

...and Laughter...

...and protecting myself from danger and fighting the challenges that come up with grace and ease.

I was also really touched because my mom gave me this gold heart necklace with a pink diamond, that was given to her by her mother:

We went out for lunch around 11:30 AM in Liljeholmen. I finished packing when I came home and my mom and I had time to cuddle and cry for 15 minutes before Carina came and drove me to the airport. So emotional and hard to leave... Carina and I enjoyed connecting on the way over. Once I checked in, I had dinner and made sure to eat one of these chocolate balls (on my Sweden bucket list):

The flight was about 8 hours and uncomfortable, as flying always is, but it was still a good experience flying with Norwegian Airlines - they were friendly, they filled up my water bottle several times with a good attitude, I got free food (how rare is THAT nowadays??), it was warm so I didn't even have to wear a jacket, I watched two movies ("The Fault in our Stars" and "Mike & Dave Need Wedding Dates" again) and listened to music. I sat in the middle of the airplane between two people, which is unusual for me. I tried to think about what the plus side was, and realized it's that you get more chances to get up and pee when the other person goes. If you sit by the window you have to bother people all the time and if you sit by the aisle you have to BE bothered. I'm always baffled at how little water most people drink and how seldom they seem to need to use the bathroom.

Once I arrived at 8:30 PM (NY time), I had complications with my phone. I switched the SIM card back to my American one and apparently my account was now suspended for some reason. I couldn't get a hold of my main contact with T-Mobile or work it out with customer service right then and there, and had to be on hold for a long time, and just wanted to get to the hostel, so I paid $60 for a new SIM card that is good for a month...

The trip to the hostel took almost two hours... I took the air train from JFK, and then the subway. There was a nice older man who had just flown from Paris with Norwegian, who started talking to me and looking at a map and voluntarily helping me with directions. Then I kept asking other people until I found my way. The subway system was more complicated than I expected. There were so many places they didn't have an elevator or escalator, so I had to pull my heavy suitcase up the stairs. Luckily people were friendly enough to help me with it.

I finally made it to the Bowery House hostel around 12:30 AM (6:30 AM my time) and there were yet even more stairs! They really need an elevator there with so many travelers coming and going... I had to drag my suitcase up several flights of stairs to the 2nd floor to check in, then back down to the 1st floor to my room, which was a tiny cubicle with a bed and a nightstand and just enough room for my suitcase. Somebody was snoring really loudly next door, so I wore earplugs. Nothing like my cheap fancy hotel room in Madeira ;) At least they had WiFi.

The men's bathroom was on the same floor, but the women's bathroom was on the 2nd floor, so to get up and pee at night I had to go all the way upstairs. The bathrooms were pretty nasty. For $70 a night, I think it was a bit overpriced but hey, that's New York...  especially booking last minute. I just laughed at the experience and was happy to finally lay my head down. Then I woke up with energy after four hours... jet lag... Since I'm already jet lagged and will continue traveling I'm not too concerned about getting into a routine with my sleep. 

I am trusting more and more that everything works out exactly as it is meant to... even if I don't know exactly what that looks like.

10/25:

I was able to fall back asleep for a couple more hours in the morning, which was nice. The showers are actually great at the hostel, the bathrooms were cleaner today, and there was also a small bottle of water by the bed which was generous. The staff is very friendly. I'm so happy I have my own room (even though it's small) and and don't have to share with strangers. It's my first time staying at a hostel. This feels a bit like camping.

At 10 AM, I asked the receptionist if she recommended any good places for breakfast and she said "The Butcher's Daughter" a couple blocks away. So I went and it was a very hip and healthy place. I got some hot water for my Chinese herbs too. The city felt too overwhelming, so as soon as I was done eating I went back and locked myself in my room and breathed and centered myself.

Then I went back out again to hunt for lunch and water... New York is too crazy, noisy and busy - I really kind of hate it. It's good for bringing you out of yourself though. And it was pretty cold and windy. It feels kind of like some sort of "robot land" where everyone rushes around with a blank look on their faces. After a lot of wandering around searching for a good place to eat (and checking out the fashion in the stores on the way), I bought a big portion of falafel and rice for only $5, that was enough for lunch and dinner, and found a Whole Foods nearby the hostel where I bought snacks and water for my room. After I went home and ate and did my nails, I felt more grounded.

Around 5 PM I took the subway (getting more familiar with the system) and had to do a lot of walking in the cold to get to the Broadway Dance Center to take Yanis Marshall's class at 6 PM. I'm not really equipped for this weather since I was borrowing warm clothes in Sweden. The class was so much fun and I'm so happy I did it. It was the first time I took a dance class since I got sick and the nice thing is my little injuries have all healed too during the break. Fresh start! I could watch Yanis all day. The class was Intermediate/Advanced so it was a little hard to keep up, especially since my brain is not as used to picking up choreography anymore, but it wasn't as hard as I expected. It was really fun to wear my new heels. I was reminded of how much ego there is in the dance world and seeing how much I've grown after being so ego-driven with my dance and searching for approval from others and myself and perfectionism.

I wanted to take an Uber home so I didn't have to be out in the cold, but had complications because my new phone number was not updated on my account so I couldn't contact or locate the driver. So after two failed attempts, I gave up and just walked to the subway and took it back to the hostel. You would think the subway stations would be closer to each other, but they're quite far apart. I was very happy to return to my little cubicle safely and I was so tired and jet lagged and went to bed at 10 PM. But hey, I did it!

10/26:

I got a full night's sleep. Sore from yesterday's class. Felt like I was starting to catch a cold... Good thing I'm going to an island tomorrow and that my hubby will be there. I put on more layers of clothes and got creative and used my sarong as a scarf. Took tons of immunity boosters and a hot shower. At noon I went to visit my mom's friend, Carman Moore, a composer. I took the subway and ended up at Lexington an hour later because the Google map directions were inaccurate. Apparently there are three different kinds of subways in NY. I called Carman who told me I was on the wrong side of town and needed to take the bus, but it seemed way to time consuming and complicated, so I took an Uber to Columbus Ave for only $6. Much better. When I got to his place I met his guests, a Danish singer and a Danish film composer. They were preparing for and organizing a "Transformation Festival" for this coming weekend. Carman had a massage chair, which I was very happy to have the opportunity to take advantage of, while he played me some of his compositions.

Then the four of us went for a walk in Central Park. It was nice to socialize a bit and be in nature.

The ride back on the subway was confusing because they skipped my stop, I think because they were doing construction there. So I went too far and had to figure out how to get back. The good thing was that I got to see the Statue of Liberty through the window. I found a cheap and healthy place on the way back to the hostel and got a smoothie and tofu salad to eat in the lobby. They were showing a scary movie, "Child's Play" on TV that I got sucked into watching. Then I went to bed at 8 PM because I needed to get up at 3:30 AM the next day to catch my flight.

Pneumonia

8/26: 

Woke up at 3 AM coughing (this has been a pattern lately) and then went back to sleep and woke up around 5:45 AM in a cold, wet bed because I'd been sweating so much. I felt very gross... The good news is my fever went down to 36.2, which is the lowest it's been! First sign of improvement!

My appetite was good enough to eat some pasta for lunch (I've been eating mainly fruits and veggies) which gave me more strength. It was such a nice warm day and I wished I could be outside... I leaned out the window for a while which felt really nice. I was able to take a long shower without getting dizzy afterward and I changed my clothes and my mom put new clean sheets on the bed, so I felt a lot more refreshed.

In the evening we finished watching "Mary Poppins".

8/25: 

Not feeling better still, so I went back to the hospital and spent about five hours there. They said my viral load was higher than before, so I got a lung X-ray and a few more tests (which they didn't do last because it was too late at night). They prescribed a different kind of antibiotics and if I don't notice an improvement after two days I need to come back again. It can take 2-3 weeks for me to feel back to normal and even then I might feel weak. So I won't be hopping on a plane anytime soon. Pneumonia takes a toll on the body and it can take a while to recover. Right now my job is basically to rest, drink water, cough up mucous and do things that make me happy :)

My mom and I continued watching "Mary Poppins" in the evening, but I got so feverish, I had to go to bed.

8/24: 

Another beautiful day ~ was able to sit out in the sun and eat for a while. Took all the prescriptions to try to get better so I wouldn't have to go back to the hospital tomorrow. It was a lot of work to keep track of everything! Antibiotics, Advil, Vitamin C, tons of water, inhalator, essential oils, cough medicine and Ultrasonic Nebulizer... We watched Mary Poppins in the evening which made me happy.

8/23: 

Another beautiful sunny day. I leaned out the window for a while in the morning, soaking up the fresh air and sun. Being sick makes you appreciate the small things. I was really enjoying fully being present with the sensation of warm peppermint tea going down my throat and chest. I felt peaceful and my mind was quiet.

Pretty much all of my physical symptoms in my life have been caused by underlying emotional issues. I find it so interesting how the mind, body and spirit are so strongly connected and affected by eachother. The underlying emotional reason for lung problems is fear of life, which is exactly how I was feeling. Once I found out it was pneumonia, and got in touch with the fact I could actually die from this, I realized my fear of life was bigger than my fear of death. Really it's the fear of pain in life. But then I started thinking about all the pleasures I would miss about living... my loved ones, cuddly cats, singing, dancing, the ocean, trees, birds, love, music, laughter, movies, good life-changing books, beauty, sunshine, fireplaces... And I started feeling grateful again. Which I believe is the key to happiness.

Our relative, Louise sent flowers to our door! That made me so happy! So unexpected!

8/22: 

Another sunny day! I was starting to get my voice back. The next three days were free trial days at Balettakademin (try any dance class free), so I was a bit bummed about missing that. 

My fever was higher today and by evening it started to hurt when I took deep breaths and coughed, so we decided to take an über to the hospital around 9 PM. Luckily they took me in immediately and they took good care of me and took tests. Turns out it's pneumonia and I need to take antibiotics for 10 days. If I don't start feeling better after two days, I have to go back to the hospital.

My first time ever having to go to a hospital! (I wasn't even born in one). I'm so lucky I got sick here and not anywhere else on my trip, and that I didn't book a return ticket. I was also lucky I got my renewed passport before I got sick so my visit wasn't so expensive! Seeing all the sick people in the hospital made me feel so much compassion for all the suffering going on in the word.

8/21: 

Still sick but I felt like maybe it was starting to turn around. Day 9. 

Carina came by in the evening with essential oils and Vitamin C and gave me a foot massage. Best Godmother :) Mega Vitamin C doses (10,000-20,000 mg a day) has saved lives. My mom and I watched the Japanese Animation of "Swan Lake".

8/20: 

I woke up at 10 AM from a dream that I lost my purse and looked up the dream symbolism. "It denotes loss of power and control. You may have lost touch with your real identity."

The sun was out again. I was feeling pretty much the same.

Anders brought by an Ultrasonic Nebulizer with Colloidal Silver for me to try for my cough. It helped him when he had pneumonia.

I read, worked on my needle-point, slept and played Othello in the day and watched a movie in the evening.

8/19: 

The sun finally came out! Thank God! My mom and I took an über to the emergency clinic in Axelsberg. We spoke with a nurse who advised I see a doctor because it could lead to pneumonia, in which case I would need antibiotics. The fever was sticking around because there was a virus or bacteria in my chest and I needed to cough it up. Since we would have to go all the way to Huddinge emergency because Axelsberg didn't have any openings, we decided to first get some cough medicine and see how I felt and if I got worse, go see a doctor. 

It was so nice to get some fresh air and sun and it didn't feel as cold as before (I dressed warmer too) and took it slow and didn't get too exhausted from the fever.

Reflecting on the fact that I am responsible for all my choices. Just really getting it. Wow. What a terrifying and exciting insight. It's all about priorities and needs and choosing one experience over another. I don't have to do anything that I don't want. And I can do exactly what I want.

The stress comes from thinking that I have to do something I am not willing to do or that am not ready for, because if I don't, then a (series of) negative consequence(s) might follow and I won't be getting my needs met.

I can let go of these stupid ideas around turning 30 in a couple years and putting pressure on myself to have it together by then and know what I want to do with my life.

I kept asking myself:

"What would feel good right now? What else is possible?"

I felt disappointed because I missed Cullbergbaletten who performed at Vitabergsparken tonight :( I had been looking forward to that.

My mom and I stayed up until 12:30 AM, while I lay in her lap sweating and coughing my guts out, watching "The Horse Whisperer" which I thought was a really beautiful and good movie.

Where to Now?

8/18: 

Full moon in Aquarius, which usually brings up a lot of stuff to the surface that needs to be released, especially if it's in your sign (which it is for me). Raining... Felt worse physically (Day 7 of fever and cough!) but better emotionally and mentally. My mind was quieter and I started feeling happy. I was able to take a nice long shower and really enjoy every moment of it. I had been sweating so much and hadn't had the energy to shower in three days. Afterward I felt faint and my heart started pounding, so I ate and felt better. I was able to get the internet working again (yay!). And I got really excited because the cover band I'm in finally added a Backstreet Boys song! 

This is really like a workshop/retreat for me and very necessary. I've decided to not think anymore about career or pushing myself beyond my fears to go traveling more or trying to figure anything out and just be present and do what feels good. Actually, I'm not sure it's a fear of traveling... just resistance to planning and not feeling inspired. The only fear is regretting it if I don't. I told Kelsey to reserve August 28th-31st for me to come see her (in which case I have to leave August 26th), but to not get her hopes up. My flight credit to Vancouver is good until May next year, so I could always pay her a visit later. Blessie invited me visit her next week if I feel better. Nicole wants me to come before September 19th because she might start school, but that is not definite. So there is not much pressure now. My job does not have to be my purpose in life. If I go back to an office job, so be it, it's just money and not my identity. Good relationships and friendships are the priority for happiness I believe. There is a time for everything and I don't have to push. Honor when I am not able to perform at my full potential and be on top. There is no need to rush. Just enjoy this moment. And this moment. And this moment. Just staring out the window, not going anywhere and not doing anything will not make me depressed if I am present. I can find beauty in everything. Even if I search for a peaceful and quiet place outside of myself, I will not hear the silence if my mind is clouded with loud chatter, negativity and fear. It could always be better and it could always be worse. Everything is temporary - the highs and the lows. Feeling very grateful. The answer to the question, "Where to now?" is... "Nowhere".

"Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That's why it's called the present." ~ Bill Keane

8/17: 

Still not getting better... We should get me to the doctor soon, once I am strong enough to go out in the cold. Raining... Missing my husband and best friend, Nicole. I felt so frustrated, stuck, sick of not being able to talk, needing to move, get fresh air, but I was sick of the cold gloomy weather and I wanted to leave Sweden but didn't know where to. It was a good exercise in accepting your emotions and everything that comes up without trying to run away. As if that wasn't enough, I lost internet for some reason. The lessons continue... more non-doing and just witnessing, being and letting go of control. If we constantly acted on our feelings when things felt uncomfortable, kept searching for happiness and something better, we would constantly be on the run. My mom spooned me for a while, which opened up my heart and I started crying. I got this angel card: "Bright future - stop worrying. Everything will be fine".

8/16: 

Was so out of it, I couldn't blog. Klara came over and spent the night. Not talking is such a good exercise in listening, observing your thoughts and not feeling pressure to say anything (which I normally feel in social situations). You notice how important communication is to have good relationships, so that people don't take things personally especially when you are sick, and can't show much facial expression or enthusiasm.

8/15: 

Fever was high today and I lost my voice because of my cough and had to write things down if I needed to say something. I managed to get up, take a shower, wash my hair, change and tidy up a bit, but then my fever went up. My mom invited a couple friends over and it was so nice have some company even though I couldn't parttake in the socializing. I was so happy to receive the love and chrystalized ginger and raspberries, I started crying.

I felt so much anxiety and just wanting to hide from my life and the world, stay sick and let my mom take care of me. Felt afraid of everything. Fear of independece, fear of dependence, fear of failure, fear of life, fear of responsibilty, fear of irresponsibility, fear of freedom, fear of captivity... the only thing I could think of that I wasn't afraid of was pleasure. Laughter. Fun. I was realizing that my physical home was not enough to make me feel at home inside, my posessions were just things, my job is just something I do, my parents were just people who brought me into the world and I am responsible for my own life and my decisions... My soul came into this life alone and will leave alone. It is all up to ME. The only thing getting in my way is ME. I am my own worst enemy and my own best friend. My choice.

Makes me think of my favorite Pink song: "Don't let me get me ~ I'm my own worst enemy ~ It's bad when you annoy yourself ~ So irritating ~ Don't wanna be my friend no more ~ I wanna be somebody else"

Then I thought, "Well, I don't want to let fear run my life, so I have to face it to get rid of it". But no matter which way I go, I would be facing my fears. Fear can also be a good motivator to take action - when the fear of one consequence becomes greater than another. Yes, I think it is good to face fear but it is also OK to do things that feel safe. It's like when I was trying acro-yoga for the first time, I felt scared and the guy that was basing me said, "Ok, we'll wait until you're not scared then". Or when I snorkeled for the first time and got scared, I started swimming back and once I started relaxing because I knew I would be safe, I started enjoying it and was able to go back out in the water. I am constantly facing my fears and I need to give myself credit for that. I don't have to feel like a failure if I don't. Exposure Therapy is good yes, but the key is taking your time, setting a goal and then dividing it up into smaller steps. In the beginning you feel the most fear, but overtime it gets easier. Just like when I worked on getting over my performance anxiety. It's still work to this day, but it gets easier. Right now, I just need to do things (anything!) that feel safe, have patience with myself, and allow myself to be an insecure and scared little child. I don't have to do anything that I don't want to. I don't have to please anybody (including myself or my future self) and I don't have to live up to my own or anyone else's standards.

8/14: 

Woke up feeling stressed, trying to figure out a new plan. My anxiety seems the worst in the mornings right now. I thought to myself, if worse comes to worse, I'll just have to settle for another office job, but I have so much resistance to that thought. I think my resistance will motivate me to come up with another solution. When you are forced to lie in bed and not go anywhere, you are really forced to face your inner demons and work through your stuff. I guess this is why some people have become enlightened in jail. I prayed for the Universe to show me the way and I was listening to a subliminal for relief from Post-traumatic stress/relaxation music with Binaural beats and then following that, a guided meditation for detachment from Over-thinking came on which was exactly what I needed and got me to relax. It's really about being the observer to your thoughts. All the worry is self-created by thoughts and the thoughts trigger emotional stress. Then my mom put some jazz music on, which felt really nice. This non-talking exercise felt kind of nice too, like a Vipassana retreat. 

When I talked to Nicole the other night, she said there would be a training program starting in January next year in Maui called "Mission Be", a non-profit teaching mindfulness in schools. I think that is one of the most meaningful things you can do if you want to benefit the world and the new generation. When I met Doreen Virtue on Maui, I asked her what my life purpose was and she said she saw me teaching kids (dance). I said I didn't really like kids, but she said these were good kids around the age of 9-11. I do love to teach. And because meditation is such a big part of my work on myself right now, it could benefit me to learn more about it. I am super interested in Ayurveda too, but as a career I'm not sure it's for me. Doreen thought it would drive me crazy having to listen to people's problems all day and focus on illness.

I was really happy I let go of the massage idea. I chatted with my friend Debbie last night and she said, "That's hard work Isa, hard on you and they don't pay that much if you have to pay your own taxes etc. And stinky guys, lots of hair ugh... and they'd probably get a boner lol". I love how Debbie is so clear and direct.

"Where to now?" feels like such a stressful question for me, along with the pressures of society of always having to know where to go and what to do, but I guess the key is focusing on the "now" part. And like my Godmother taught me when I was 18 and about to venture out into the world: "Not knowing is ok. Just wait until you know."

This has been my view the past few days.

8/13: 

Woke up with more energy, the fever had gone down but my cough was worse and was starting to affect my vocal cords, so I decided to not talk too much. Anders and Jill invited us over and said Jonathan wanted to make dinner for us in the evening, and I was hoping I would feel well enough, but later on my fever went up and I just slept and stayed in bed. My mom and I watched an episode of "Madicken" (a Swedish kids program from when I was little). I always feel like watching kids shows and Disney movies when I'm sick. My fever was up to 38.4 °C by evening. We also watched the beginning of "Notting Hill".

I was so happy I didn't have any mucous and was really enjoying being allowed to be sick and relax and surrender. I got more clarity on massage school once I surrendered to the idea of not making it home on time, and looked deeper at the underlying fear of the unknown, my concern of making the wrong choice, trying to meet everybody's schedules and desires, and not knowing what else to do and resistance to even wanting to THINK about what else to do. I also downloaded an anatomy app to test how interested I really was and very quickly realized I wasn't passionate enough to commit and do the work. At least right now.

When Björn (the acupuncturist) did muscle testing on me, he said my subconsciousness wanted to keep traveling. I guess he was right. I started feeling inspired again. Since I don't have a "safe" and predictable plan when I return anyway, I might as well take the risk when I'm ready. And then I can take my time going back home. Like John Lennon said, "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans". Life isn't safe and predictable - safety comes from an inner knowing that no matter what happens, it's ok.

8/12: 

I got enough sleep but felt groggy and spacey. I was planning on taking a bunch of dance classes at Balettakademin and then have dinner with Blessie at an Indian restaurant. I rested for a bit and didn't feel like going anywhere but then I brought some lunch to Winterviken and lay on the bridge in the sun. It was windy and cold. Then I went to Odenplan and stopped by Vasaparken and my old school, Vasa Real (4th to 9th grade).

I took a Ballet class at 6 PM at Balettakademin and halfway through, I started feeling feverish and left 30 minutes early and canceled my plans with Blessie and told her I can visit her in Uppsala next week depending on how I feel. It was a beginners class, so I was wondering why I felt so spaced out and stupid because I couldn't even follow something that was so slow and easy that I'm usually good at. Then I realized it was the fever. 

I was proud of myself for so quickly setting boundaries and taking care of myself, when normally I get so stressed out about the things I'll be missing and the people I'll be letting down and won't even admit to myself that I'm sick etc., but overtime I've finally learned that it always works out and happens for a reason and you can find other solutions.

Balettakademin

So there you go! My body's way of saying let go, trust and relax. I did some shopping on the way home to prepare if I got really sick. It was so blustery and cold. Craving fruits and veggies. My temperature was 38.2 °C when I came home and I had a pretty bad cough, but no other symptoms and it was so nice having my mom stroking my hair and making me fruit salad. The past couple times I got sick I was so sad to not have my mom there. We all just want our moms when we get sick, right? I felt so grateful because it felt so relaxing to have a fever and really quieted the mind down. Almost like a drug. 

8/11: 

Woke up at 5 AM hot with anxiety, despite the fact I felt relaxed before I went to sleep. I did a lot of work to relax and called Carina who helped me feel better. I can't run away from my anxiety and process, it's all inside of me. She suggested getting out of the apartment and said I could come over Saturday and maybe spend the night. I went to get my passport and then the bank and then went to Winterviken because I felt the need to be somewhere in nature. I ate and lay in the sun on the bridge (it was finally sunny again!). I had low appetite but once I managed to get the food down I felt much more grounded.

My decision for now is to leave on the 18th or 19th next week and then come home earlier around the 1st of Sept and then I can feel out on the way if I want to go to school. The thought of traveling more feels like too much right now and I have no desire to see new things. Either way I need to relax and get back to balance before I jump on a flight anywhere. I took a sleeping pill to make sure I got caught up on sleep.

8/10: 

I woke up early again around 6 AM, without enough sleep, still thoughts spinning around in my head and anxiety and feeling depressed. I felt like I really wanted to book the return flights so I could stop thinking about it. I did some research and then I breathed and moved and listened to subliminals for a couple hours, which helped me feel better and then I pushed myself to go out in the cold to run a few errands even though I was feeling tired and low. I came home to drop off some things and was planning on going back out to run some more errands, but let go of all the "shoulds" and decided to lay down and rest. I didn't fall asleep, but I was able to let go of all the decision making and trying to please anybody and relax. While I was out, my childhood friend Blessie who I was planning on seeing this weekend in Uppsala, said she quit her summer job and got offered a new job this weekend and would have time to see me Friday night instead, but would be off all of next week. So... while I was laying there resting I suddenly thought of the half-crazy idea that we could go to Barcelona for a couple days together next week. I threw it out there and she was open to the idea and all of a sudden I felt inspired to look at hotels and flights. She said she would look up last-minute flights as well. I finally felt better and started thinking more positively. Rest was good for me. For now, I'm going to try to not think about it.

I was still tired, but went out to listen to live jazz at Sankta Klara in Gamla Stan and sit in. I had such a good time! I loved the cozy environment and the musicians were excellent. The singer was incredible and from France and I introduced myself and asked to sit in and she said I could start the 2nd set, but then didn't let me. Finally she introduced me and let me sing one song - I sang "Ain't Misbehavin" and it went really well. The owner came up to me afterward and thought I did really well and asked me to come back. He thought she was a bit of a diva and didn't treat me quite fairly by letting me sing just one song. I came home around midnight. It felt really good to go out and do something by myself like that and I felt really relaxed and peaceful and sleepy.

8/9: 

Woke up with anxiety worrying and obsessing around 6 AM and didn't get enough sleep. I meditated for 45 minutes, which helped me get out of bed. We continued watching the "Sound of Music" and I started crying every time they sang. Guess I needed to cry... The moon was in Scorpio, so that might have had some influence. I was sad because everyone I love is spread out all over the world and it seems to be my karma to always be missing someone, ever since I was little and my parents and family were spread out all over the world. No matter where I go, I end up missing someone. I got really used to separating from people and convincing myself I was better off on my own and didn't need anybody, and now I'm more and more starting to accept and open my heart to the fact that we need people and can't do everything on our own.

Then my husband called and was missing me and was stressed out about the idea of me starting massage school so soon and afraid he wouldn't get enough time with me and there were things he needed help with around the house. I was already trying to let go of the idea of massage school because it felt stressful, but also the thought of coming back without a plan felt stressful and I was afraid of becoming lazy, understimulated and depressed. I was really trying to feel if I was ready to go back and take that as the first step and then wait with deciding about school. He suggested I go to Barcelona (or somewhere) for just a couple days at least so it wouldn't feel like such a big deal, if I felt the need to travel more and make the trip feel more complete and experience traveling somewhere on my own.

The weather was really bothering me (it was really cold and blustery!) and that alone made me want to leave.

I got acupuncture at 5 PM and it was a really good treatment. I sat in a massage chair afterward too. I felt super relaxed and meditative and out of it and really just felt like going home. But my mom and I had planned to go visit a couple relatives who lived right there (Louise and Lars) so I figured I would just stop and say hi for a bit. Then I got energy and ended up going to the grocery store with my mom and running around in the cold trying to catch busses and we also stopped by our old home while we were at it and I ended up getting stressed out again. I really should have just gone home to let the treatment have its full effect.

When I got home I went to bed at 10 PM thinking I was tired, but still lay there ruminating for an hour, so I called Nicole who helped me calm down so I could go to sleep.

8/8: 

Had a very easy-going day. Woke up with anxiety around having to make the dreaded decision of where to go to next and trying to plan out my life... I lay in bed for hours thinking about it and looking at flights and doing research. The "safest" and most structured decision would be to stay in Stockholm a couple more weeks, go visit my friends Kelsey and Nicole while they have time off the end of August, come back to Maui and start massage school full-time September 12th. At the same time I feel it is my fear of the unknown that would be leading me to make that decision. It would be nice to get into a routine with school but I am not 100% sure I am ready to make that decision and commit immediately and that it is worth the money and  time. At the same time, I think I can't really make the wrong decision with massage because it's a good skill to have to add variety to my life. It feels a little stressful to have to leave Sweden so soon though. And I don't know when I'll have the chance again to explore other places to live. Starting to feel a bit home sick though and wanting some routine and regularity. The other chance to start school is in March. But if I don't start, I might get stuck in a job that prevents me from having time to do that. My astrologer said that no matter how hard I try right now, I won't be able to figure anything out. Once my Saturn Return starts in April-December next year (a time of change), I'll be in a position to make decisions about everything in my life. Right now is a time for exploring different options. But I'm trying to listen to my inner voice and not be swayed by what anyone else is telling me to do or not do. I took an angel card yesterday and got "Take it easy" (there is no need to rush anything and everything will unfold in time) and when I was drinking tea at Anders and Jill's, the teabag also said "Take it easy". It's just that if I am going to leave in a couple weeks, I need to book the return tickets.

Meditated for an hour with my mom and finally managed to clear my mind (and almost fell asleep) and then took a looooong bath. Still couldn't quite relax.

We went to pick up a spare key from my mom's friend, Björn in the evening (he had been watering the plants while my mom was gone) and he happened to be a Chinese Medicine Practitioner and gave us both a body scan with his machine of our overall health. I usually get acupuncture once a week on Maui and I could tell I needed some help right now, so I asked if he could give me a treatment tomorrow, and he said he had an opening in the evening.

8/7: 

Today I had lunch at Mariatorget with my oldest half-brother Patrik on my father's side. We hadn't seen each other since we were teenagers! He lives in Gothenburg now and was visiting Stockholm over the weekend, so we were lucky to have the chance to see each other. It was very nice to see him in person. We've only chatted a bit on Facebook over the years. Can you see the resemblance? I think we look the most like our father out of all the four kids.

Then I went to Bagarmossen to celebrate my uncle's birthday. My mom came later on.

From left to right: Jonathan (my cousin), Jill (my uncle's wife), Anders (my uncle) and Leon (my cousin).

I talked to my husband for the first time in 10 days (the reception was so bad in Skadom). We miss each other a lot.

I also talked to Jill's father about places to live in Southern Europe that were similar to Maui and he suggested the Portuguese Azores islands (he's from Portugal and has connections) and Madeira. He said a lot of the Southern places get really cold in the winter because the houses aren't equipped for that kind of weather, but these islands have a pretty pleasant climate year round - the summers don't get too hot and the winters don't get too cold. I got inspired to go check it out.

Road trip to Victoria!

Leaving for Rhode Island tomorrow - had a wonderful time here in Vancouver Island. So peaceful, comforting and relaxing. I'm going to miss my dad and Penny (and Louie, who might not be around much longer)... Looking forward to seeing my bestie, Nicole though!

My dad and I did a road trip to Victoria Tuesday and stopped at the Butchart Gardens. So incredibly beautiful and magical! Like the garden of Eden... Got to ride on a giraffe on a merry-go-round too!

Had the best seafood chowder at a bar in Courtney!

We spent the night at Wendy's new house in Sooke out in the woods. I was ready to move in. Great if you want to get away from everything and everyone. Got to meet her 25-yr old son Sebastian, who I've heard so much about, and her friend Noel. She had a couple cats and a dog too.