Expat Jon takes on the world (well... Sweden)

With one Thanksgiving celebration under my belt now I had confidence.  I knew I could make the food (besides the cornbread) and the friends would be awesome as always.  The (affordable) turkey had been thawing all day Saturday.  It was ready.  I didn't know if I'd be ready though.  My visiting friend would be leaving on Sunday morning.  This meant he wouldn't be at the dinner.  It also meant that I'd have to show him a good time on Saturday night.  I mean, who wants to take a flight NOT tired and hungover? We went out Saturday and met some friends of mine.  Half the night was spent deciding if we'd go to this other party that was kind of far from city.  With my friends, leaving the comforts of "the city" had better be worth it.  Plus that other party had port-a-potties!  How dare they?!  I wanted to go check out the party (that I had RSVP'd to), but as the night crept on, the comforts of the city felt like the place to b...

Each year we plan a trip to the US for Thanksgiving.  I hadn't given thought to the importance of the holiday for me.  I guess I took it for granted.  Thanksgiving was always there for me.  I still consider New Year's my favorite holiday, but Thanksgiving is a very close second.  The warmth and love and food and football is always amazing. I had hosted Thanksgiving dinner in Sweden back when we lived here in 2006.  I wanted to spread the spirit of the holiday to my new family.  That dinner went well.  I had my mother on speed dial to make sure I got the recipes right (I did).  Everyone loved it.  I still remember the satisfied faces of my in-laws as they sprawled out on the couch with a case of "the itis".  Ah, memories. This year we wouldn't be able to go home for Thanksgiving.  Apparently Uncle Sam and his cohorts did a little research and Expat Jon had crunched his numbers wrong at tax season in 2012.  Vacation mone...

I'd like to start off by offering my condolences to you and yours if you lost someone in 2014.  My family here was hit with the devastating loss of two beautiful people that we will never forget.  I can only hope that the memories of those lost can live on in your heart and mind forever. ---------- It's 2015.  I know.  New Year's Day was on a Thursday and I was supposed to release a blog entry that day.  Well I didn't.  So technically the first thing I did in 2015 to my readers is lie to them.  I would say disappoint, but I don't think it was that disappointing.  Bright side: at least the standard for me is low for the rest of the year! I would love to say that I didn't write because I was too hungover.  Because I partied so hard.  Or that I had to work all day and it was too hectic.  But truth is, I was home before 2:30am (early for me on New Year's) and I was off both New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.  So it boils down...

Merry Christmas readers!!!  I would say "Happy Holidays", but I'm completely against when people say that.  Everyone's so sensitive nowadays that I can't even wish people a Merry Christmas without feeling bad or improper.  If someone said "Happy Hanukkah" to me, I would probably say it right back.  I want them to have a happy whatever they celebrate.  I don't know anyone that celebrates Kwanzaa, but I would definitely extend wishes of Kwanzaa happiness if I did.  So don't get on me for saying "Merry Christmas".  Especially when  I'm  the one wishing the well-wishes and I happen to celebrate Christmas.  And it shouldn't be a surprise gesture.  I mean, look around.  People have didn't put up holiday  lights or decorate a holiday  tree.  They aren't playing holiday  music on the radio.    Well, actually I've heard two Hanukkah songs this year and one was by Adam Sandler so I don't know if that really ...

I know, I know.  Home is technically here now.  I live in Sweden.  But I'm at that point of excitement when you start saying in [insert time frame] I will be in [insert American city].  Well, next week's blog will be sent from Miami.  Bam!  So excited. This one is going to be different.  I'm always excited to go back home, but this time I'm bringing the next generation.  So far only my mother and brother have gotten to meet Bash.  That takes it to another level.  I can't wait for Bash to meet all of the crazy people that helped make me into the crazy person that I am.  I can't wait for all of the crazy people to meet the person that I'm going to make into a crazy person one day! I'm a bit apprehensive about the flight.  I'm that passenger that rolls his eyes and wonders why people can't get their kids under control.  Karma will probably guarantee that I'm the apologetic parent at some point on this flight.  The go...

So the drive up to Maryland wasn't so bad.  The ceremony in Georgia was nice and we were all ready to gear up for Thanksgiving.  We put on some Pandora comedy and cruised while laughing.  We played a fun game where you name a food starting with letter... We made it all the way to the letter "F" before we decided to take a break.  Take a break really means never do that shit again.  Plus the game always turned into the sad and not-so-subtly competitive duel between my brother and me.  Both of us wanting to outwit each other and end up the victor.  Only to be named the smartest person in the car full of barely interested people. We get to my sister's and woah is her belly big!  She looks like she is about to pop.  The baby is due in a couple of weeks and it's so beautiful and strange to see her like this.  My little sister with her first child.  I got to see what's coming our way pretty soon.  I am to expect my wife to waddle a...

I had heard so many things about Midsommar.  It has to be the most popular holiday here outside of Christmas.  So when it rolled around I was ready to have a good time!  We were going to the summer house and we were going to have a blast.  We headed up to Norrtälje on Thursday.  My wife Swedie  was to be my tour guide of sorts to help me through my first midsommar. Day 1 The drive was shorter than I expected.  It only took us about an hour fifteen.  As soon as we arrived, I was greeted by the heaviest, most aggressive mosquitos you could imagine.  I figured we were just in some mosquito patch or something, but I was assured by my bro-in-law that this would happen all weekend.  Great.  Now, I'm familiar with mosquitos thanks to South Florida living.  And for some reason I never get bitten up too bad (that plus my inability to get hangovers are my super powers).  So I was ready for this little rendezvous with some pesk...