Dear readers - meet my wedding ring

Now I have a wedding ring! Remember how when we got married, we exchanged vows and earrings?? We melted the gold down and used it in our rings. Here's mine. It's the history of my family. First, in 1999, I met Anders, marked by a purple stone. Then a year passed and we had Vanja, seen here as a blue stone. Then three years went by and Joel, mr green stone, came along. One more year, then Niki arrived, symbolized here by a red stone. Three more years and then we finally got married.

I love my ring and the kids love pointing out their stones. Thank you Sofia!

Funny or sexy - you decide

Uggs by Jimmy Choo. Have the greatest respect for Tamara Mellon, but seriously, these look like they were designed by Brüno. Props to Amber Valetta for doing all that she can, almost succeeding in making EVEN THESE appear somewhat sessy.

Dear partners of tired men, did you try Medaglia coffee?

Perhaps did not work as well as promised or we'd be more familiar with Medaglia coffee?

Dear people who love Marion Cotillard

Roughly 50% of the people who come to this site do it to gawk at Marion. Can't blame you. Here's another pic for you.

Dear winter

You're a little early? And you mean business! No half-assing your first snow fall of 2010!

Dear Acrobat Outlet

Your ad scares me.

Dear daughters

Yes, those are your personalities.

Dear people who wear clothes

(Because I'm a prude, this is all I will share of my undergarments with the internet. Also in pic: showing how well I've matched my passport. Going to NYC on Sunday!)

There are clothes you buy because you love them and others because you think you should. I tend to wear the passion pieces most so have become more forgiving about seemingly random purchases. On the other hand I return 80% of all purchases within the open return policy period. The way I see it, it's just a different kind of exercise, running around returning stuff. I also feel virtuous and economic when returning stuff. It probably has protestant roots - buying stuff I might not need is indulgence but so is returning as we up here in the dark north have been told clothes should be warm, not expensive. We're not sexy Italians. We wear wellies and knits and Acne jeans you can throw in the machine.

I had a passion moment last week, buying two (yes 2! One black and one white) slips at Bric-a-brac. I've gone an entire life without slips. I've tried to buy a slip before, but failed miserably. It had a control function that worked but kept riding up, collecting around my waist so whatever the fabric held in of my midriff was hid behind folds of undergarment. My friend Lotta was upset, telling me "That's so not OK! You should be able to really trust, to RELY on your slip. Your slip should never fail you!".

Since I've never owned a working slip, I thought perhaps I really didn't need one so I was ready to return my beautiful slips and feel good and penny pinching. But then I tried them on and I tell you: If you're a woman, get yourself one. I've been wearing my slips every day!

But remember:Your slip should never fail you! Make sure the skirt part is not tight!

Dear Etsy

What I did buy. Because I LOVE FALL MOST OF ALL. Bought from Scottie in a Canoe.

Dear Etsy

You're my meditation spot. Here are three things I almost bought yesterday.

Trains and critters.

A dancing Russian couple, a church, some kind of whips? Love it.

I can't stop looking at this. See the snowball? Is this a canoe? Kayak?

Dear Ruth Krauss

Because we are Swedes, we hadn't heard of A hole is to dig until I read Dear Genius. We absolutely love it. Thumbs are for showing you love something!

Training Lisa Chong. part 7

This week, make sure you make it out the door or to the gym 3 times as well. You should work out for 30 minutes. Nothing scary. But this time, run your 2-minute runs as often as you can. Ideal would be 2 minutes run - 2 minute walk, but if that's too much, then settle for 2 minute runs followed by 4 minute walk until your half-hour is up.

Have you decided on your reward yet?

What is it? Share with me!

also! from now on moving training lisa chong over to Run with e.

Dear Boney M

I LOVE YOU ALWAYS. Especially you ladies.

Training Lisa Chong and you. part 6.

Helping you even more with those 2 minutes

As you try to run your two minutes, these thoughts will likely go off on a loud speaker in your head:

• Why am I doing this?
• This is pointless.
• I hate this.
• I'm not a runner, I'm a walker.
• Not everyone can be a runner.
• I must look ridiculous.
• There's no dignity in running.
• I'm too old to start running.
• This is hard.

Think of these thoughts as disturbances. That's all they are. Work through them. It's just 2 minutes. You can do it. You will do it. This week.

Use these thoughts if you need counter action:

• I'm doing this because I know it will feel good, eventually.
• Though I think this is pointless now, it's not pointless to use a body if I have one.
• I hate this now, but this now is not forever.
• I can be a runner and a walker.
• Everyone with working legs and feet can be a runner. And some other people.
• I may look ridiculous. Who cares?
• There's no dignity in running. Dignity is overrated.
• I'm too old to start running. It's never too late to get healthy.
• This is hard. And I get stronger by the minute.

Training Lisa Chong 5

Eventually, running will be a reward in itself. But you're probably far away from that nauseatingly perky attitude right now. Instead, think of something you really really desire. Once you've completed 2,5 km of non-stop running, you can have that thing. I wouldn't make it an edible or drinkable reward but that's me. You decide what you crave the most. If you want to, post it here, as I'm chronically curious.

Training Lisa Chong 4

Ok this is where we start the real running. Now that you have the gear and are getting ready to spend 30 minutes 3 times a week, let's get down to the business of the actual running.

This is what most people do wrong and why they hate running:

They try too hard. They run too fast.

Today, your task is to run for two minutes out of your 30. No stopping. No walking. Just running. You might hate it. You might think it's the longest 2 minutes of your entire life. So. Let it be the two longest minutes of your life. You can do it. If it pains you, then remember: you're probably going too fast! slow down. Look at that watch. Keep running. Then you can walk. If you feel it's possible, try to get a few more 2-minute runs in there. But if this is your virgin run, make it one 2-minute try.

Personally, I did this part of the training on treadmill, aided by the friendly little lights, seconds and blinking bars. It wasn't wonderful. But it was just 2 minutes!

This is what you need to tell yourself:

I'm getting stronger. I'm getting better. Each time I do this, I will hate it less.

The truth about running is that you really evolve more dramatically during your first months than you do later. If you get your training in, building stamina is very rewarding! You'll notice great changes pretty soon.

Ps. a few words on warming up & stretching:

I hear it's good to warm up before a workout and great to stretch aftwerwards. But since it seems implausibe for any person to have grown up in the western world without hearing about this, I haven't brought it up.

personally I just put on my shoes and go, jogging very slowly for the first few hundred meters. That's my warmup. I think real athletes would not approve. Then post-workout I do some stretching, if I remember.

should you stretch or not stretch? you decide!

(http://running.about.com/od/running101/a/stretching101.htm)

Dear Andre 3000

Dear Andre 3000, thank you for bringing so much joy into this world.

Ps. That's how I WISH I*D LOOKED PLAYING THE DRUMS.

Ready will-be-runners? Today we begin. (training Lisa Chong 3)

Don't worry. This is your first, very easy task.

Today you will schedule 3 separate 30-minute sessions for the upcoming week.

Starting with the first one, today. This is what you have to do: Just walk for 30 minutes. YOu don't even need to change into running gear unless you want to. I just want you to understand how short 30 minutes can be and how good they can feel. You don't have to even walk fast. Just get outside and walk for 30 minutes. That's it.

Don't understand how this will make you run 5k? Don't worry. It's all very zen. Gain by cutting back on effort.

Enjoy your day!

love

-e

Training Lisa Chong and you. part 2

What you'll need:

• A good sports bra.
• Running tights. I hear your protests - you look big in them, you're not comfortable wearing them. Bla bla bla. You know what I say? Get them. I believe one of the most effective ways to stop women from reaching their running potential is our own tendency to wear sweatpants on workouts. Don't do it. There's enough to fight when getting your running going without adding excess textile material to the list.
• Good shoes.
• Running socks. They are expensive, but work in a ritual way. You should wear them only when running. They signal that you take this as seriously as you should.
• Personally, I also wear (and swear by my) orthotics. If you have bunions or any kind of knee/foot/back problems it could be a good idea to see an orthopedist before you start running for real.
• If you're a man, chances are great that you think you'll need a Garmin Forerunner as well. You might. Later on.

Yes this is a lot. But it's an investment in yourself.

Training Lisa Chong and you

Are you interested in starting running but never get around to it? I'll be pep talking reader Lisa Chong here at the blog from now until Christmas when she will run 5k without fainting.

If you're Lisa or a jogging/running rookie who wants to join in, here is where you start. Make sure you have the right shoes and, important! RUNNING TIGHTS. You can not run well in those comfy slouchy gym pants. You need running tights. They may make you feel like a seal on legs, but honestly, who cares? This is about making you a stronger, faster individual.

Now that you have the right gear, get ready for your first task.

Make sure you have the right shoes and other equipment. Then find a song you love. LOVE LOVE LOVE. Right now I love Tweet and "Boogie 2Nite"

Perhaps that works for you.

Otherwise pick another song. It really doesn't matter.

You begin running tomorrow.

Museum blog - not mine

I really like this blog. You probably will as well.

Australia? Chile? New Zealand?

I love fall so much, want more of it. Where can I go to get fall in March? I want tender sun, yellowing leaves.

I probably won't even go, just want to know.

Dear son

As I tucked you in earlier this evening, you begged me to stay.

Or as you put it "mom, don't worry, I'll tell you when I'm sleeping."

Ps. You also replied wisely when we asked you how a certain dinosaur might have sounded:

"His head was so small it was hard to hear him at all".

Read with me!

Am now reading The Leopard by Giuseppe di Lampedusa. Read with me! Then we can talk.