The silly season i wrote about is taking off! This weekend we had two very contrasting gigs with the VasaBand (Salvation Army).

First we played at a sale at the corps - one of those “could you play something nice but not too loud please”-gigs. It was good fun though and we had a great time in the band.

And yesterday we played in the Stockholm City Hall - close to 1500 people came. It would have been good if they all came for us … but this was the Salvation Army Christmas Concert and we were the “picturesque” Salvation Army-stuff in the concert. A lot of famous Swedish artists were there too. However the band played exceptionally well, i thought, and we probably raised a few eyebrows.

This week we have only two gigs - both on Sunday. And rehearsal of course. Looking forward to both.

Found a really cool MP3-thingy…

RockBox is a freeware “operating system” for a lot of different hard wares. I love my Iriver H320 and it just became even cooler with the new RockBox operating system.

RockBox contains a lot of nice features and utilities and i am looking forward to learning them all. My favorites so far is the metronome (in all its simplicity) and that you can download and play Doom on it!

Yesterday was a bit hard to keep the mood in top. Probably had to do with the late night the day before…

Anyhow - my band (VasaBand) did a music service yesterday in Hallunda Folkets Hus and it was very well received. Lots of people (200 persons) and a great atmosphere. I am really impressed with all the activities that was going on at that place.

The band played fairly well i thought. I recorded it all and may be able to put something up here for listening. Keep a lookout.

We did a good job last night with launching a new application, although the road there was a bit bumpy.

My “stay happy whatever approach” was close to collapsing a few times but instead took a turn into near madness. A lot of singing and some dancing got me through the day.

I listened to Vasa Gospel, and their CD Precious Lord on the way in.

They are a gospel choir from my corps in the Salvation army. Great! This CD is so well sung, well produced and well played. If you only hear one gospel CD in your life then this is a pretty good candidate.

Well, well, well - this happy week stuff seems to be working… One day with no anger and everything is dandy. Did take to much effort either.

I even managed to handle some bumps in the road yesterday, with some laughter and dancing (?!?!) instead of digging graves. There might be something here.

If this continue i will have to extend the period - let me get back to you on that.

OK - i was wrong, a bit at least.

Met my friends and their new daugther last Friday -and it’s a completely new life for them. Especially for the father. I was great to see though - a lot of love in the air. So - the “still being us”-thing will probably fade for a while but i am sure that it will come back and that they will watch sopranos late at night even though the baby needs to sleep.

But they will never fall into the super-parents-trap! I am sure of that at least.

Last week i was in a terrible mood here at work. I am embarrassed even to think about it…This has to do with me not being happy about the situation we are in at my customer.

But i noticed one strange and weird thing: the more moody and angrier i got, the worse the situation got (or seemed to be).

So this week i am trying a whole new approach: i will not be angry a single time at work (and not a home either i hope :-)). A all in all positive approach is the credo of this week. It will be a good lesson for my self and also an experiment to see if it really works.

So to start things off, in the words of ET: “BE GOOD!” (and let’s see where that takes us - Marcus)

Every Monday morning i start the day with some good radio. The program Listen To the Bands has their program up for later listening. A real classic and some great band almost every time. Go here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/networks/radio2/aod.shtml?radio2/listenband

I am going there now!

I bought the CD Twenty supreme years by Eikanger-Bjørsvik a week ago. You will never be disappointed with release from them. The playing is absolutely stunning and the arrangements are great. Some really quirky music, but hey - who cares?

If you don’t have it - get it now!

PS. When the cover is opened a friend of my can be seen playing the horn, with mute. Way to go Trine. DS