Surprise Birthday Trip to Milwaukee

On my birthday I got a card from Amanda that read "pack a bag, we're leaving at 9 am tomorrow morning". So, I had no idea where we were going or what we were to do when we got in the car the next morning (really exciting, I always know where I'm going).

An hour later, we were in Milwaukee. Amanda had gotten a room at a nice hotel, but first of all we went to the Milwaukee Art Museum, which had a great collection. We had a really good dinner, drinks, and brunch before heading back to Chicago.

Amanda outside the museum, designed by Calatrava (same guy that did Turning Torso in Malmö)

Amanda with (creepy) installation (Duane Hanson: Janitor, 1973)

Stalagmites - made from plastic buttons!

On the beach in Milwaukee

Climbing in Colorado

About a month ago I had to go to a conference in Denver, Colorado. I managed to get there a day early to go climbing with my friend Brett. Below is a link to a few photos of us climbing, taken with my new camera that I bought with help from graduation and birthday money. Thank you, everyone!

Boulder Canyon

Graduation Photos

Much delayed, here are a few photos from the graduation ceremony in early May.

There were about 200 students graduating from the School of Public Health this year

My speech was the last of all speeches, but most people seemed to be awake still

Me, mamma, pappa, and Vera (despite quite a few tries, we could not get pappa to not blink) :)

Me, John, Bogdan and Jo Anna with our advisor Serap Erdal in the middle

Me and Steve - he was the first teacher I had at UIC six years ago and has been a friend since

Me, John, Chirag

Me with Amanda's parents Paul and Connie

Amanda made sure all the parents made it to the ceremony on time

Post-Graduation Update

Here is a nice article about the graduation. Scroll down to the last 3 paragraphs!

http://www.uic.edu/sph/news/news_318.html

Anders' Education Program

I go to school at the University of Illinois at Chicago's Division of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences. Recently, the Division developed a video to promote the programs offered. I know that I sometimes have a hard time describing what it is that we do, perhaps does this clear things up?

(Click twice on the video for viewing options.)

Skiing Wisconsin

Last weekend Amanda and I went skiing with a bunch of friends at Devil's Head Resort in Wisconsin. It was Amanda's first time on skis - and she did great! Good practice for our Colorado trip in early April... There is a good video too, but unfortunately too large to be posted here.



Me, Ramon, Greg, Chiping, Mandy, John, Chirag, Amanda, Barbie



For our Colorado trip, Amanda will get a helmet too - to go with the sweet Oakley goggles I got her last week!

Emil is here since last Wednesday, it's been a lot of fun so far and today he did his first day volunteering at the museum. More photos to come...

Billy Corgan Likes Amanda's Work

For the past couple of months Amanda worked on the invitations, programs, etc. for a friend's fundraising event. The event was raising money for an alternative medicine clinic, and headlining the music set at the event was Billy Corgan [of the Smashing Pumpkins].

I saw the design of the event grow into something very, very cool, and a little while ago Amanda received an email from her friend detailing all the praise her design was getting - from event staff and from Billy Corgan himself. In fact, just yesterday her friend reiterated that Mr. Corgan liked her stuff a lot.



A low-resolution version of her save-the-date for the event




Someone else's video of Billy Corgan covering "Nowhere Man" by the Beatles during his set at the event

Yay! Good News!

Anders presented his doctoral defense today and HE PASSED! He's officially a doctor now and can graduate in May!

Fun News!

Anders is going to be super embarrassed that I'm posting this, but he found out the other day that he is the recipient of a University of Illinois Alumni Association Student Leadership Award!

Only 50 students in the entire university's graduating class win this award each year. I'm so proud! I figured this post was the best way to get this bit of news out to his family.



One of Anders' friends sent me this ridiculous photo of him having lunch at school this week. He looks so small next to his giant spoon and bowl of soup!

Christmas Tree

After a couple of years without a tree, Amanda surprised me on Friday by taking us tree-shopping. We found the perfect sized tree and proceeded to Target to get decorations...

Anders Halloween 2009!

I'm finally getting around to posting Halloween photos.



Anders went as an 80s rockstar and I was a fish. No one could tell I was a fish. Since Anders' costume was so good and he was so into it, here are lots more photos of him...



Anders with Mel and Adam.



Jessie and Anders.



With his "goblet of rock."



He pretended to really play that foam guitar all night.



A pretty believable wig.



Playing the guitar.



Eating late night burritos. Anders actually went up to that table of strangers in the background at one point and pretended to play the guitar for them. Sigh.

Fall Weather and Brunch with Niklas

Today was a great day, sunny and warm, nice for being out and about. Thus, perfect timing for Niklas to be in Chicago. My second cousin was in town for a conference this week and today, before he went back to Calgary, Amanda and I met him for brunch. It was a lot of fun to see him again, I hope it won't be another 16 years until next time!



Amanda preparing her Halloween costume last weekend - I will post more photos as soon as I get the photos from Jessie...



Long shadows in the park last Sunday.



Niklas and I enjoying the sun in Wicker Park earlier today.

Fall Trip to NYC

This past weekend, Amanda and I went to New York City. One reason for the trip was that my passport expires soon, and I can't get a new one here in Chicago. The other reason was simply wanting to go there!



The first night we stayed at our friend Anthony's place in Brooklyn.



Amanda and Anthony having coffee - doorstep style.



Friday was a little bit rainy - but Times Square was still worth it!



Another touristy pose in front of Rockefeller Center.



Amanda and the F train in motion.



The Flatiron building was too tall for this photo op.




Amanda + art installation at the Museum of Modern Art.



Amanda daytime on Times Square after securing tickets for Hair.



We went to see Hair! It was a lot of fun.



View from the New Museum of Modern Art on Lower East Side.

Kanelbullar

This past Sunday, Sweden celebrated Cinnamon Roll Day. This inspired me to finally get around to bake some "kanelbullar" myself. The results are pictured below - please don't make fun of my first attempt on American soil. I'll blame the weird shapes and degrees of brownness on (1) the gas-fired oven and (2) the dry yeast I had never tried using before...

First roll - I think I rolled it too loosely.

Second batch - not uniform, but at least they look a little better.

More Wisconsin Camping Photos

I finally got around to develop a roll of film from the summer, these are from the canoe trip to Wisconsin in June.



Miten in a heated discussion about something very important, obviously.



Amanda grilling up some cheeseburgers and chicken kebobs on Jessie and Adam's new grill.



This was the girls' farewell dance for Miten when he had to leave Saturday night.



Unfortunately he found the pirate flag I had duct-taped to the roof antenna of his mom's Lexus...



Nathalie's favorite activity.