Vasaloppet is currently taking place in Sweden, and it seems to be very popular every year. I like to go skiing but this year I have been lazy. I do my ordinary work out instead. In a way, I am boring since I like to go to the same exercise when I go training. I like to be trained by the same persons. Don’t know why. Yesterday, I did two hours training and I had a little muscle pain today. It started to snow in the afternoon so it was very tempting to stay in the sofa reading. But no. I went for exercise again. Someone has said that when you have muscle pain from training it is good to do exercise again. And it worked out well.

It is still a little chilly, but soon I will go for running again. I am curious to see if I can go jogging for 10 km at a time of 1 hour. The evenings are getting brighter, and I am looking forward to spring. Today it was difficult to imaging, but soon the light will return and birds will sing again.

Monday, and a it is the beginning of a new week. I am still collecting inspiration to continue to write my next book. Therefore, I do a lot of work out right now. I love exercise, and I cannot live without training. However, this evening I am just at home, writing here instead.

About a month ago I met Carola Blank from a local newspaper, Sala Allehanda, where I grew up. Carola works as a journalist and she made an interview with me. It is a little fun since we went to the same high school. She is interested in literature and I had the possibility to present my writing. And she is right, it took a lot of time to find my own way of writing since I have been writing scientifically for many years. To write a novel is different from science. Definitely. In addition, I must say that I have had support from my colleagues who have been very interested to follow my writing. I cannot share Carola´s article due to copywright. However, I can share this photo taken by her. It doesn’t happen very often, but this time I know who the photographer is.

When I have traveled, I have often been on my own. But, of course, this does not mean that I haven’t met people. On the contrary. I have had help with photography, what I call “dogma photography”. Unknown photographers. But this nice photo above is from Sala where I went to school. Where my interest in reading and writing started. And the photographer is Carola Blank.

I have been working this weekend, but I missed my sweetie so I had to go and see her. She is on a diet, but my father spoils her by giving her hamburgers. Not so good. That means that she gains weight, and 1 or 2 extra kilos is quite a lot for a little dog.

I am focusing on exercise right now, so this evening I have been on work out. I also need to get rid of my extra kilos. To stay in shape. I have always liked to do different kind of sports. Spinning tomorrow.

A historical date is approaching. The 29th of March 2019 (11 pm UK time), the UK is leaving the European Union. It is a political and historical step leading to change. Since I have a biological education, I have a different perspective of analysing this change. The EU developed after the second world war when a coal and steel union was needed. Various countries needed to collaborate and trade was the basis. Trade is the basis for peace in the world. No doubt. Today a lot of European countries are members in the EU, and there are strict guidelines to be included. Turkey is working on a membership, but they need to develop human rights more accurately. At least they are a member of NATO.

There have been conflicts in Europe after the second world war where eg former Yugoslavia has suffered a lot. The Srebrenica massacre is rather similar to what happened during the second world war. The UN failed to protect Bosnia´s territory and thousands of men were murdered. Deep emotional scars on survivors were created, and there is stilla lot of challenges for a political reconciliation among ethnic groups. This takes generations to heel, and the scars are emotionally inherited and I feel sorry for that. Peace is the main basis for the EU, but I am sure peace will prevail even though the UK go for Brexit. They are still a member of NATO.

What is more interesting is how the UK can find various agreements for trade since they cannot be insulated. I remember when Sweden joined the EU. At that time politicians talked about the size of cucumber and that it should be EU standardised. Snuff was also a very hot topic. Personally, it is easier to relate to the price of the Brittish Stilton cheese, than to think of complicated agreements between countries. Maybe there will be a so called “Brexit index” of Stilton, before and after Brexit. The market forces, regulating demand and supply, should not be politically regulated.

I must admit that I miss my sweetie, but she is having a good time in the countryside. I see a lot of dogs every day, and that is why I get reminded. Since I am grown up with dogs, I know a lot about them. I remember that we bought dogs, but we also had puppies on our own that I raised and trained. Hunting dogs. My father was not at home that much at that time. He traveled and payed visits to different companies. Sometimes people from his work stayed with us for a while, and I remember in particular an engineer from Belgium. I think his name was Ludo. My brother and I liked him a lot, and it was a little fun since he talked English. At that time I had just started to learn English and I only knew a few words.

It was his first time in Sweden and he enjoyed staying in the countryside. BBQ in the garden etc. When he left he wanted to say a few words to show that he had had a great time. He said “Thank you for your hospitality”. I got very surprised and asked my father in Swedish “Did he really think this was a hospital, I thought he liked to stay here”. My father laught, and his colleague laughed a lot when he understood why I looked puzzled. I learnt a new word.

I remember this very well since it was my first encounter with a person from another country. That was exciting, and it was also very interesting to learn about other countries than Sweden. We namned one of our puppies after him. Ludo. He later became a very skilled hunting dog.

Global warming has been known for a long time to be a threat to humanity. The science is clear. Climate change is real. Climate change is happening now.

Difficult challenges are ahead like the need for changes of lifestyle, production and consumption. And of course also to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to limit the global temperature increase, maybe mostly an industrial challenge. You can find some additional information on global warming on NASA (https://climate.nasa.gov).

The UN has worked for decades to find a global consensus. The Kyoto Protocol (1997) initiated the implementation of these objectives; to reduce the onset of global warming by reducing greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere. This protocol has later been elaborated on, and in 2015, a new landmark agreement was signed by a number of countries to intensify global actions against climate change. The Paris agreement (Accord de Paris). A political agreement on global actions.

However, almost two years ago, the United States decided to withdraw from the Paris agreement. From what I understand, President Trump criticised the Green Climate Fund. Moreover, Pope Francis, from his headquarters in Rome, implicitly criticised the United States from abandoning the agreement, since the USA is the only country out of 195 signatories to have withdrawn from the accord.

But what can local citizens do in daily life? Like you and me. My parents recently installed geothermal heating in their house. Geothermal energy is the heat from the earth. It’s clean and sustainable, and green house gas emissions have been reduced. A step in right direction. I hope.

This morning I saw some news on global heating, that is why I thought of climate change today. Right now I am a little tired since I have been on tough work out this afternoon. Relaxing and having some chocolate. Balance. Browsing the internet and found this documentary with Kylie Minogue. Many years ago. Chocolate, Chapter 37. Talking about global warming.

 https://youtu.be/i0G5kNZan5U