SvenskaThe first snow came today and I really needed it. I am still in the fall, September somewhere, and I cannot understand that there are less than two weeks left until the first Advent. That means I need to get some Christmas decorations to brighten up December. I was looking for a nice Christmas song yesterday to get into the right mood, and I found this one by chance. So cozy!
Author Archives: Anna
Corruption here and there. Sweden has provided aid to SIDA. It has now been shown that it has directly supported Hamas. What a circus! Direct help on the spot and no intermediaries is the best way to support. I remember being appalled that Hamas had attacked an Israeli music festival (the Re’im music festival massacre) which claimed many lives in 2023. Music and sport unite people across borders. I remember it hurt my heart. It was just as if Vladmir Putin had a hand in the attack.
Exercise is a good way to get rid of frustration. I have tried to exercise moderately for a few weeks. Allowed myself to watch TV and not have a bad conscience about that I should be jogging. Professor Fredrik Nyström in Linköping has made me think about the word “moderation”. That tough training causes injuries. After reflecting, I would like to learn the opinion of Professor Markus Heilig, who is an authority in addiction research in Linköping. Nyström does not take into account the potentially serious development of addiction to, for example, wine consumption. There is a lot going on in Linköping. Moreover on the military-political level. After Volodymyr Zelensky was in Norway, he stopped by in Linköping and met Ulf Christersson. An agreement on the JAS plane was the result of their meeting.
After these weeks I will return to my usual training. It is my life. I gain joy, strength and do not crave chocolate as much. My eating habits are becoming healthier. My reward systems are in balance. I have participated in the Stockholm Marathon twice and remember them with pleasure. Running is addictive and can cause injuries.
Winter time is here and dark evenings. Normal time. I will continue to read and share some music from time to time. Here Clocks with Coldplay. Last time´s writing was six months of thinking, I have had a little break. Take care of yourself.
When I wrote my previous book “Generations”, I had read a lot of literature and up-to-date in biology in many areas, not just neuroscience. My knowledge in science was combined with my humanistic interest. When I finished my thesis in 2004, I needed a few years to gain perspective. I have experienced the same when I finished “Generations” in 2018.
Today, there are a few diseases where you find specific mutations associated with the disease. Alzheimer’s disease (An overview of the genes and biomarkers in Alzheimer’s disease) and also breast cancer (Understanding genetic variations associated with familial breast cancer) are examples where underlying mutations have been identified that are linked to the development of the disease. This is a complex area where interaction with environmental factors also plays a role. The theme of my next book is therefore epigenetics.
Here, I thought, artificial intelligence (AI) must play a major role in understanding the interaction of genes with environmental factors. After mail correspondence with Dr Lidströmer, a prominent medical doctor and researcher in AI, I realized that we have already come a long way (see eg https://link.springer.com/referencework/10.1007/978-3-030-64573-1#overview Thanks for new inspiration. With this insight, I understood that my future book will entirely be a novel.
It also made sense when I visited the Henri Matisse exhibition in Nice, France. Everything fell into place. I was reminded of Aristotle (4th century BCE), whose ideas later were expanded upon by the English philosopher John Locke in the 1700s. Locke believed that one is born as a blank slate, a tabula rasa. Human common sense is empty when one is born but is filled through experience and knowledge, among other things.
In the 17th century, people had little or no knowledge about genes. Perhaps they understood that diseases could be inherited within families. At least in the 19th century, it was understood that hemophilia could be inherited because it was spread within the royal houses of Europe (see eg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haemophilia_in_European_royalty). Today, we know that there is a hereditary component in Alzheimer’s disease and breast cancer. Average life expectancy has increased dramatically, which has certainly affected epidemiology.
To return to AI, it will certainly help processing the large amount of information about genes and mutations that we have today. Interestingly, questions also arise about what is human because a computer can be trained to solve a task through machine learning. A computer is in a sense a blank slate but can be can be trained over time.
Well, I still write everything myself. There will probably be some reading in philosophy for me after delving into my own memory. It is difficult not to write something that someone else has already written. Painters Matisse, Chagall and Picasso have given me new impressions and led me on a new path.
I feel grateful that I can still write and want to write.
My friend, who had also registered for the Tjejmilen 2025, had unfortunately gotten an injury when she was about to increase her training. Injuries happen, and that is absolutely not fun. In that case, it is better to refrain from participating. Usually, it takes time to heal.
The day before the race, I resumed a habit from previously. I visited a spa and received a facial treatment. It is important to take care of yourself and at the same time find I found some peace before the race. In addition, the past week I had trained extra and I felt that my legs needed rest.
As usual, I prepared my training clothes the night before so that I was all set for the start day. The weather was good. No rain. Once at the start, I realized that I had forgotten the wonderful feeling when you wait for your turn to jogging and then have sights set on the finish line. The tingling and eager feeling was there, and I had the opportunity to take some selfies.
A few weeks before, I had found a good way to train intervals that is very hard but so effective. I already know core and strength training. Today I have a little soreness, but above all, I have tools to continue in the same spirit in September. I feel like I have taken a little step, but it is still a long way from the fitness I had in 2020.
Yesterday, there were also music along the course. Music and cheers gave more energy. Music ensembles along the way lightened the mood. Something like this below: It ain´t over 🎶 🎶
Exercise and movement are fun. I have participated in a few races over the years, and it is primarily the joy of experience that drives me. People gather under festive conditions with the same interest. The goal is to move forward with great focus and determination. My reward system is stimulated, and I get a feeling of well-being. The brain reward system is stimulated by exercise. Interestingly, drugs such as nicotine and alcohol can also stimulate the brain reward system where dopamine is a common denominator.
At the time I was studying the reward systems, I read about results from a research group in Stockholm at the Karolinska Institute (Brené et al). Exercise is not only rewarding but also has an antidepressant effect: Running is rewarding and antidepressive. Moreover, exercise and movement have measurable effects on cardiovascular health. Parameters such as blood pressure, blood sugar, blood fat profile, and reduced inflammation levels are improved. What really supports this is a dose-response correlation. The more we move, the greater the health effects. Please see: https://www.aftonbladet.se/a/W0zJ8d. From a pharmacological perspective, a dose-response can appear differently, with a linear or, for example, a biphasic relationship. I need to find the exact reference to find out the shape of this correlation.
Today is the check-in for the 2025 Ladies’ 10 km run. It is good to be registered for a race because it makes me go jogging a little extra. This will be my fifth Ladies’ running. I am happy to have started jogging again, and I expect to continue even in autumn and winter since exercise is perishable. There are many pointers when it comes to diet and training, but the most important thing for me is that it provides well-being and happiness!
The paintings by Chagall were gigantic. Biblical and very colorful motifs. This museum was created during his lifetime, which is fascinating by the way. It was pleasant to see strong colors. The motifs reminded me of biblical events that I read as fairy tales when I was growing up—memories intertwined with these colorful illustrations. The afternoon passed quickly, and it was time to return.
It was spring at that time, and the leaves had just started to burst out. The days now are beginning to get a little cooler, a change that is noticeable when the wind blows through the trees. The leaves rustle in a different way than when they just fell in spring. However, September has become a summer month to be reckoned with. Warm, sunny afternoons. Even though it feels like there are a hundred seconds left until Christmas Eve.
I still haven’t finished sharing with you my experiences at the art exhibitions in Nice, France. It is true, you live on memories for a long time after a trip. When I travel to a city, I love to walk for hours. Sometimes with the help of a map, but usually roughly, where I at least know the directions. A city map can limit the journey of discovery. That’s why I always look for routes that look exciting and interesting.
Today I was on my way to see Chagall. I had walked for about an hour, passed the train station, and a large, busy street in Nice. It was just after lunch, and I saw a small alley that piqued my interest. I hesitated for a microsecond, but it felt quite safe. Some older men were playing boules on my left, and on my right, there was an adjacent wall. It was a relatively steep road, and a few meters ahead of me, I spotted a so-called fighting dog. They might attack, I thought, even though they are considered family-friendly. I kept an eye on the dog for a while and then ventured forward.
Unexpectedly, I discovered paintings on the stone wall opposite the gravel court where the men were playing boules. The paintings blended well into the surroundings, and I stopped. They were intense, vibrant colors with life and movement. I took a few selfies as Molly had taught me. I felt the atmosphere, which at the same time gave me a taste of Chagall’s house and art exhibition.
The dog ran down the road and was at a safe distance. Maybe it sensed that I am used to dogs. I walked on and after a few hundred meters, I arrived at the museum. Luckily, the museum had just opened after being closed for lunch. New impressions awaited the retina, which had already received many experiences during today’s excursion.
My ability to associate allowed my thoughts to wander to the world of literature with “Le mur” by Jean Paul Sartre. I still argue whether we have free will or whether our choices in life are pre-destined based on our heritage and environment.
The free will? The theme of my next book.
My hairdresser had given me information in advance about Sally’s wedding. It turned out that his sister had previously gotten married in the same venue. I was well prepared and, above all, both Jack and Sally said “yes” to each other. It was no “Runaway Bride” like in the movie with Julia Roberts. You certainly remember the scene when she jumped onto her horse in a big dress and wedding veil and then rode away at full gallop from the church.
Film is a big part of my life, even though I don’t watch as many films a year as I did 30 years ago. Back then, film was a way to learn more about life and the world, and at the same time, a perfect entertainment. Today it’s still the same, but with more life experience, I see things from new perspectives. Sometimes I can watch the same film again and experience it in a completely new way because I have gained more knowledge.
When I was in Nice, I saw a photo of Charlie Chaplin in connection with the Cannes Film Festival. It made me think about who Charlie Chaplin of our time is. I don’t have an answer yet, but at least Chaplin’s films during World War II in the 1940s meant a lot in challenging times.
I am happy with this year’s summer. Warm days, sun, rain sometimes, but not all summer like it is some years. Greenery, flowers, and a little easier everyday life because you don’t have to think about thick jackets, hats, and mittens. It had been raining heavily the whole Friday, and it stopped in the evening. That should mean a long and happy marriage for Jack & Sally!
Sally’s wedding was fantastic. She was beautiful in her lovely dress with flowers. We were at a venue where everybody felt part of her wedding day. My mind was brought to the oriental “One Thousand and One Nights”. There were many at the party, several hundred. A whole team filmed and photographed the evening. Those of you who know Sally can see it on her FB. The dinner never wanted to end – cross-cooking with toast Skagen for starter – then one course after the other was taken in true Meze spirit. I also met some former colleagues who were sitting at the same round table. Friends of the bride were also at the same table, and they jokingly said they felt discriminated against; their husbands drank wine with the food, and the women would drive the car home later in the evening.
Today is August and we are back to everyday life again. Nowadays, August and September are also nice summer months with great opportunities to continue being outdoors. I hope so, because I now have the women’s mile, which will be in early September. This constant striving for good posture and jogging steps.
What a summer. Stockholm is fantastic in the summer with water in the middle of the city. I haven’t swum yet, even though it looks very inviting. I like saltwater swimming the most because I’m afraid of being bitten by a pike.
I have now switched from cycling to jogging, and it’s going well. I reviewed my training times from 10 years ago, and I can see potential for improvement. It is wonderful to go jogging, but I know that interval training is needed to achieve my previous results.
Reading some literature on training to find changes that will increase my performance. The goal is to jog 10 km under 60 minutes. I have August to improve. When I go jogging in Stockholm, I pass horses in a pasture similar to the countryside.
It is a bit of a win-win because I need to be in shape to wear a dress in a week. I am going to Sally’s wedding on Friday. She has struggled much with her studies, and soon she will have her final semester. And now she is getting married. Hurrah!
I have received some tips that it is good to have comfortable dancing shoes, maybe some chafing plasters too. I searched and found this song that sums up quite a lot: ”Young hearts run free 🎵🎵🎵”