A very Hobbit-y Midsummer

   This year, for the first time since I was in my early twenties, I had enough time off from work to be able to attend some sort of Midsummer festivities without stressing myself to bits. My best friend arranged a LotR-inspired potluck in her garden for which ten happy nerds turned up. 

     In proper hobbit fashion we were absolutely drowning in good food and good drink. Pictured below is most of the food we had to choose from (key word: "most of"). After all the food it's Swedish tradition to play games and be silly which we obviously did with gusto and to our great joy one of the nerds had created a LotR-themed game especially for the evening - a version of "Toss the Dwarf" obvisouly. 

I'm eternally grateful for my best friend for lending us her garden to meet up - it was lovely seeing friends, dressing up and stuffing my face with good food. Some of these nerds I haven't seen since High School, but we're all still basically the same lil' nerds/misfits as back then.

This fucker right here

   This past DecemberI was looking around for conserts to attend during 2023 because like so many others I wanted to make up for the Covid years when we couldn't attend... anything. In particular, I was looking to see Amity Affliction or I Prevail and LO AND BEHOLD - I stumbled over Graspop where both bands were planning on making a performance.

   Seeing as I've never been to a music festival I found it ludicrous that I would even consider going to an event not only abroad but also attended by over 200 000 other metal heads. Going through the rest of the line-up I realised that I actively listen to nearly 20 of the performing bands.

   Did I want to go? Yes. Did I hesitate? Yes. Did I finally buy myself a ticket? Also yes, with a whole lot of encouragement from my friends.

   Did I go? Hell yes.

Did I enjoy myself? HELL YES.

Do I want to go again? Also yes, but with a few but important corrections to my luggage and food plans. Lunch and dinner was never a problem at Graspop, but pickings were slim when it came to breakfast for us vegans...

   Favourites included Architects (basically a religious experience), Hollywood Undead, Motionless in White, Fever 333 and Amity Affliction. My camp gets a bonus gold star simply because it was nowhere near as nasty as I thought it would be. Four day festivals are brutal though and, as expected, hella expensive... 

   ...I wanna go again.