<p>ⓒ Richard Levitte</p>
http://journal.richard.levitte.org/tags/events/Richard Levitte's journalikiwiki2010-06-17T11:44:06ZThe Arvika music festival 2009http://journal.richard.levitte.org/entries/arvika-summer-2009/2010-01-03T01:01:10Z2009-07-13T22:07:14Z
<p>I was there.</p>
<p>Hadn't been to a music festival since Roskilde '97, camping in a
tent, all that. <a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/people/ChH/" rel=
'friend ex-sweetheart met'>Charlie</a> and I borrowed a tent from a
good friend of mine and an extra sleeping bag from <a href=
"http://journal.richard.levitte.org/people/K/" rel='friend kin ex-sweetheart met'>Karin</a> and went
off, july 2nd.</p>
<p>Here's what I wrote in the paper diary I kept...</p>
<hr />
<p><strong>2009-07-02: On our way to Arvika</strong></p>
<p>After a mishap with the car (something was caught in the
exhaust, but eventually cleared), <a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/people/ChH/" rel=
'friend ex-sweetheart met'>Charlie</a> and I got on our way to the
<a href="http://www.arvikafestivalen.se/">Arvika music
festival</a>.</p>
<p>Sometime while on the road, when <a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/people/ChH/" rel=
'friend ex-sweetheart met'>Charlie</a> was in her own thoughts, I
let my own thoughts drift, and somewhere in there, my thoughts
drifted to <a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/people/ChH/" rel=
'friend ex-sweetheart met'>Charlie</a> and <a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/people/K/"
rel='friend kin ex-sweetheart met'>Karin</a>... and my emotions
went high, and deep. I realised that the deep warmth and closeness
I was feeling was very similar to the very deep love I'd felt in my
relationship with <a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/people/EvB/" rel=
'friend ex-sweetheart met'>Eva</a>... the only difference being
that now, it's doubled! I couldn't help but feeling a little bit
overwhelmed for a moment...</p>
<p>A couple of hours later, we finally arrived to our
destination... we got busy parking, getting ourselves and our stuff
on the bus to the camping and festival area. Arrinving there, we
quickly found a spot for our tent and started setting it up. Didn't
take that long, and when done, we could finally sit down, take a
rest with some water and a cold beer.</p>
<p><img src="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/photos/resting-place-20090702.jpg" alt="" align=
"left" />A little later, we went out checking the festival area.
<a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/people/ChH/" rel='friend ex-sweetheart met'>Charlie</a>
was a bit surprised, she thought it would be larger :-). For me,
the nicest surprise was finding this patch off the side with a lot
of hamocs suspended between the trees, decorations a funny
furniture made with left over stuff. What a nice resting place
(picture on the left)!</p>
<p><img src="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/photos/detektivbyran-20090702.jpg" alt="" align=
"right" />We took some time eating, resting and reading the program
for the 3 festival days. Later on, we went watching <a href=
"http://www.detektivbyran.net/">Detektivbyrån</a> (picture on the
right), a fantastiv new band that mixed accordion, xylophone,
synths and drums with music inspired by Brel among others... I felt
strangely at home ;-).</p>
<p>It's now about half past ten in the evening, we're slowly
morphing into an atire for <a href="http://www.nin.com/">Nine Inch
Nails</a> (in about an hour) and <a href=
"http://www.elegantmachinery.se/">Elegant Machinery</a>, and I just
sent <a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/people/K/" rel=
'friend kin ex-sweetheart met'>Karin</a> a message thanking her for
her quick knot instruction, which helped a lot when I reajusted the
tent...</p>
<p>For <a href="http://www.nin.com/">Nine Inch Nails</a>, <a href=
"http://journal.richard.levitte.org/people/ChH/" rel='friend ex-sweetheart met'>Charlie</a> and I are
going to meet up with our friends Magnus and Christina. I haven't
seen them since January!</p>
<p>Now, to get dressed... with all the mosquitos around, should I
change into my kilt? I wonder how wise that would be... ... Or
screw them! Yeah, that's it! <img src="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/smileys/smile.png" alt=":-)" /></p>
<hr />
<p><strong>2009-07-03 10.30ish</strong></p>
<p>After getting to bed at about 2am, I woke up again around
7.30am, couldn't really believe it! And damn, it was warm!</p>
<p>It didn't stop...</p>
<p>Finally, I got out, after figuring that I won't get back to
sleep... and I realised it's not as warm outside the tent... os is
that just because there's a breeze?</p>
<p><img src="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/photos/people-20090703.jpg" alt="" align="left" />I'm
sitting in the shadows of a tree near the festival area, enjoying
an apple and a coke, recollecting yesterday and casually listening
to people. Some are irritated that the festival area is closed, as
that's the closest path to town, and they understood they had to
walk around the huge camping area to get there...</p>
<p><img src="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/photos/goth-girl-20090703.jpg" alt="" align=
"right" />Yesterday night, <a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/people/ChH/" rel=
'friend ex-sweetheart met'>Charlie</a> morphed into a beautiful
goth girl (picture on the right). I was a bit taken aback when she
came out of the tent... and honestly, I was divided, and couldn't
quite figure out why at that point... She did warn me that it came
with a persona, and I now understand that's what I sensed... and
I'm not sure I liked the persona so much, it felt... harsh?... or
like a brat?... can't quite put my finger on it.<br />
Fortunately, that persona (or that version of the persona?) didn't
hold for long, as <a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/people/ChH/" rel=
'friend ex-sweetheart met'>Charlie</a> broke into the warmest of
smiles, and I remember thinking "She's back!" as if someone had
taken her away from her body for a bit... and maybe that's what
happens when you take on a persona (or it takes over you)... I
gotta remember that she is an educated actress and good at it...
She was beautiful though <img src="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/smileys/smile.png" alt=":-)" /></p>
<p>Anyway, later on we went to join our friends. They were watching
<a href="http://www.royksopp.com/">Röyksopp</a> and we caught up
with them at the end of the performance. Beautiful Magnus and
Christina :-). On we went to watch <a href=
"http://www.nin.com/">Nine Inch Nails</a>.</p>
<p>Watching <a href="http://www.nin.com/">Nine Inch Nails</a> was
fantastic, and overwhelming, and sometimes took an effort. You see,
last time I listened, and I did a lot back then, was the darkest
fucking year of my life. I used every word, everything to beat up
on myself. While the memories washed over me when <a href=
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trent_Reznor">Trent</a> sang the
words for <a href=
"http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/nineinchnails/hurt.html">Hurt</a>,
I also listened to other songs he sang, like I am today, and
noticed that I interpret them differently now, almost as
empowering... and I guess it just mirrors who I was then and who I
am now...</p>
<p>After <a href="http://www.nin.com/">Nine Inch Nails</a>,
<a href="http://www.elegantmachinery.se/">Elegant Machinery</a> was
ajoy to watch, listen to and dance with. The perfect ending, a
happy blend of tunes that remind you of <a href=
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yazoo_(band)">Yazoo</a>, <a href=
"http://www.depechemode.com/">Depeche</a>, <a href=
"http://www.kraftwerk.com/">Kraftwerk</a>, <a href=
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Human_League">Human League</a>
and some others <img src="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/smileys/smile.png" alt=":-)" /></p>
<p><strong>11.30</strong></p>
<p>Charlie just called, she's up, has done some yoga and is in the
shower line. We decided to join for breakfast a little later.</p>
<p>On with the day!<br />
Oh, clouds! I guess it might not be as warm today after all...</p>
<p><strong>2009-07-04 12.28</strong></p>
<p>Woke up a little later than I did yesterday... thank the
gods!</p>
<p>Yesterday was ... interesting. The weather was undecided,
quickly switching between sun and pouring rain. That's fine though,
it allowed for a cozy hour in the Libanese café tent to the sounds
of <a href="http://www.depechemode.com/">DM</a> songs being played
nearby and being nerdy on <a href=
"http://www.depechemode.com/">DM</a> history.<br />
<img src="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/photos/emil-jensen-20090704.jpg" alt="" align=
"left" />Then we went to listen to <a href=
"http://www.emiljensen.se/">Emil Jensen</a> (picture on the left),
a brilliant comedian and singer/song-writer.<br />
Later on ... nah, you know, it was uninteresting, I wasn't terribly
impressed by what I listened to, and I was damn tired. What was
mostly noticeable in the whole area was the build up for what was
to come...<br />
But before that, we joined one of <a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/people/ChH/" rel=
'friend ex-sweetheart met'>Charlie</a>'s workmates, a cute blonde
that was dressed like Alice in Wonderland and green rabbit ears,
calling herself "Alice in Sallad Land" <img src="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/smileys/smile.png" alt=":-)" /><br />
Some food, then we went to the event everyone was building up for
(in the program, there is NOTHING else happening at the same
time)</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.depechemode.com/">DEPECHE
MODE</a></strong></p>
<p>Oh my, I believe <strong>everyone</strong> was there, the place
was <strong>packed!</strong><br />
We had wisely place ourselves on a slope a little to the side, the
view was as perfect as we could get.<br />
New songs I didn't recognise were mixed with good old ones. I broke
into tears when Martin sang "<a href=
"http://www.depechemode.se/H/home.htm">Home</a>": "And I thank you,
For bringing me here, For showing me home, For singing these tears,
Finally Ive found that I belong here" or when they played "<a href=
"http://www.depechemode.se/P/precious.htm">Precious</a>" (with
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel%20Ladinsky">Daniel
Ladinsky</a>'s beautiful <a href=
"http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/H/HafizLadinsk/IHaveLearned.htm">I
Have Learned So Much</a> being slowly typed on the screens), which
always makes me think of <a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/people/JaG/" rel=
'child met'>Jacob</a>...<br />
Let's just say it was a fabulous performance... ended perfectly
with "<a href=
"http://www.depechemode.se/S/stripped.htm">Stripped</a>" and
"<a href="http://www.depechemode.se/P/personal.htm">Personal
Jesus</a>".</p>
<p>From there, we went on to watch <a href=
"http://feverray.com/">Fever Ray</a>, a magic performance I
probably didn't appreciate enough. I'll have to do some
discovery...</p>
<p>Oh yeah, Christina joined us before the <a href=
"http://www.depechemode.com/">DM</a> performance. <a href=
"http://journal.richard.levitte.org/people/ChH/" rel='friend ex-sweetheart met'>Charlie</a> saw her
first, and today, she amusedly told me about my excited reaction
("Where? Where???")... I guess my colors are showing ;-). Anyway,
we joined up with Magnus as well a little later on.</p>
<p>I'm currently feeling a bit rushed, so my story gets brief. Plus
I'm hungry. Suffice to say I ended up having some middle night beer
with Magnus, Christina and their friends while <a href=
"http://journal.richard.levitte.org/people/ChH/" rel='friend ex-sweetheart met'>Charlie</a> chose to
go back to out tent. Sent <a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/people/K/" rel=
'friend kin ex-sweetheart met'>Karin</a> a sweet goodnight before
that.<br />
After falling asleep twice (Christina informed me), I sleepily went
back to our tent (finding a shorter way, yay!). *plonk*</p>
<p>Time to get myself ready for the day.</p>
<p>Did I say I'm hungry?</p>
<p><strong>13.17</strong></p>
<p>Can't stop writing!!!!!</p>
<p>I just looked at today's schedule and my selection of shows. I
gotta be nuts, I'd have to watch non-stop from 17.30 to 02.00,
that's more than 8 hours! And my legs are already tired from
yesterday! I've got to make sure I get to sit, I think... or pace
myself somehow...</p>
<p>Today, my T-shirt says "We don't have to think like that ny
more."</p>
<hr />
<p>And that's the end of what I wrote on paper... I just didn't
have time for more, I was tired. The last day, we listened to some
brilliant poets, to some nice bands, I got disappointed with KoRN,
got to sleep, woke up the next day, we packed and got on our way
home in some rain... Back to happy kitties and back home... Home
sweet home... and sweet bed <img src="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/smileys/smile.png" alt=":-)" /></p>
<p>As an epilogue, a few days after we got back when I went over to
<a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/people/K/" rel=
'friend kin ex-sweetheart met'>Karin</a>'s, I surprised myself
saying "Home sweet home" there as well... and I gotta say I liked
hearing myself say so...</p>
Euro Pride 2008, saturdayhttp://journal.richard.levitte.org/entries/pride-saturday/2010-06-17T11:44:06Z2008-08-05T12:09:40Z
<p><strong>Parade day!</strong></p>
<p>I find it interesting to observe myself regarding this. A week
ago, I was unsure if I was going to participate at all. In the
middle of this week, I thought I would and stay fairly anonymous
somewhere in the middle of the poly section... And what did I end
up doing, if not happily <em>fronting</em> the section with a few
others?</p>
<p><a href=
"http://journal.richard.levitte.org/photos/Anders-Hultman_20080802_IMGP5048/"><img src=
"http://journal.richard.levitte.org/photos/Anders-Hultman_20080802_IMGP5048--thumbnail.JPG"
width="150" height="113" class="img" /></a> <a href=
"http://journal.richard.levitte.org/photos/Anders-Hultman_20080802_IMGP5104/"><img src=
"http://journal.richard.levitte.org/photos/Anders-Hultman_20080802_IMGP5104--thumbnail.JPG"
width="150" height="113" class="img" /></a> <a href=
"http://journal.richard.levitte.org/photos/Anders-Hultman_20080802_IMGP5105/"><img src=
"http://journal.richard.levitte.org/photos/Anders-Hultman_20080802_IMGP5105--thumbnail.JPG"
width="150" height="113" class="img" /></a> <a href=
"http://journal.richard.levitte.org/photos/n691299638_896633_3801/"><img src=
"http://journal.richard.levitte.org/photos/n691299638_896633_3801--thumbnail.jpg" width="150"
height="99" class="img" /></a> <a href=
"http://journal.richard.levitte.org/photos/Lars_b_cf_2_20080802_0412/"><img src=
"http://journal.richard.levitte.org/photos/Lars_b_cf_2_20080802_0412--thumbnail.jpg" width="150"
height="100" class="img" /></a></p>
<p>Before the parade started moving and we were all assembled in
<a href=
"http://kartor.eniro.se/query?&what=map&mop=yp&searchInMap=2&mapstate=7;18.070900;59.339977;s;18.063358;59.343801;18.078419;59.336157;545;522&mapcomp=;;;Humleg%E5rden;;;11432;STOCKHOLM;;;;;18.0708996232198;59.33997690711355;0;0;;STOCKHOLM;maps_place.42308.21;0&geo_area=humleg%E5rden&stq=0&pis=0">
Humlegården</a>, it was pouring. Not just raining, but really
pouring and we were wondering how this would happen. <a href=
"http://journal.richard.levitte.org/people/ChH/" rel='friend ex-sweetheart met'>Charlie</a> told us
that this is just wrong, the <a href=
"http://www.stockholmpride.org/Feel/Pride-Paraden/">Pride
Parade</a> always has a shining sun!</p>
<p>We were lucky, though, the rain stopped as we started walking
and we got all the way to <a href=
"http://kartor.eniro.se/query?&what=map&mop=yp&searchInMap=1&mapstate=7;18.046742;59.316912;s;18.039206597730104;59.32073764725072;18.054266847033833;59.31309373188895;545;522&mapcomp=;;;Hornsgatan;;;11821;STOCKHOLM;;;;;18.0467421070301;59.3169124214653;0;0;;STOCKHOLM;maps_place.57216.22;1&geo_area=hornsgatan%20stockholm&stq=0&pis=0">
Hornsgatan</a> before the rain started again, fortunately much more
lightly this time.</p>
<p>I spent the rest of the evening in the park, partly in the poly
tent and partly in the bi tent. <a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/people/AsF/" rel=
'friend ex-sweetheart met'>Åsa</a> and F showed up in the bi tent
and <a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/entries/is-he-warming-up/">spent a little bit of
time with us</a>.</p>
<p>The evening ended in the poly tent, cuddling and playing a game
with those who were there, <a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/people/ChH/" rel=
'friend ex-sweetheart met'>Charlie</a>, Jenny, Fredrik, Sam, Kip,
... before <a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/people/ChH/" rel=
'friend ex-sweetheart met'>Charlie</a> and I went home.</p>
Euro Pride 2008, fridayhttp://journal.richard.levitte.org/entries/pride-friday/2008-08-05T13:10:18Z2008-08-01T23:59:00Z
<p>Today I was quite ambivalent, I had a hard time deciding what to
do. My earlier plan had been to participate in the jealousy
workshop in <a href=
"http://www.stockholmpride.org/Feel/Pride-park/">Pride Park</a>
together with <a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/people/AsF/" rel=
'friend ex-sweetheart met'>Åsa</a> and F, but since they had gone
to it already yesterday and decided not to show up there last
night, I had no real reason to be there (and frankly, I gave up on
seeing them, but <a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/entries/frustration/">that's
another story</a>), and there were some interesting seminars
today.</p>
<p>So, this is what <a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/people/ChH/" rel=
'friend ex-sweetheart met'>Charlie</a> and I ended up planning,
just hours before leaving home:</p>
<ul>
<li>13:30 - 14:50. <strong>Sex Positive Queer Spaces</strong> This
was a presentation about creating open and queer spaces for sexual
exploration in a safe environment, with Klub Fukk in London as an
example.</li>
<li>14:30 - 16:00. <strong>Grassroot movements in southern
Africa</strong> A panel and forum about the situation for LGBT
people in Uganda, Namibia, Botswana and South Africa and the
challenges they're facing.</li>
<li>16:15 - 17:45. <strong>Sexuality without limits</strong> A
panel and forum about dildos, trans, public sex, slutiness, bodies,
norms and limits. Are there limits for what's private or are our
sexual actions politics?</li>
<li>20:00 - xx:xx. <strong>Couples dances</strong>, starting with
Queer Tango.</li>
</ul>
<p>Off we went! We came well in time and there was loads of space
for the first seminar. A very interesting seminar, and it was
interesting to hear more about how Klub Fukk works, how it's very
much based on mutual respect with a sense of experimenting while
being safe. I ended up wanting to go to London :-).<br />
Also, among the presenters was a man who I would never have thought
was a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transman">FtM</a>, my
jaw dropped with a thud when I realised it (well, he said it plain
and clear, but the hints came just before). And a gorgous man he
is!</p>
<p>After that <a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/people/ChH/" rel=
'friend ex-sweetheart met'>Charlie</a> and I realised that we
needed a break and wanted to just relax for a bit, so we went to
the roof, where there's a terrace and a café. Moments after we got
our coffee and carrot cake (mmmmm, carrot cake!!!!!), we got an SMS
from <a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/people/AsF/" rel='friend ex-sweetheart met'>Åsa</a>
saying that she and F were leaving <a href=
"http://www.stockholmpride.org/Feel/Pride-House/">Pride House</a>
to go to the <a href=
"http://www.stockholmpride.org/Feel/Pride-park/">Park</a>. AAAAH!
An SMS exchange later and they turned back to come up to the café.
Apparently, they had left the café just before we got there! Talk
about crossing paths. Anyway, we <a href=
"http://journal.richard.levitte.org/entries/finally-meeting/">finally finally finally got to see
them</a>.</p>
<p>Later on, while <a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/people/AsF/" rel=
'friend ex-sweetheart met'>Åsa</a> and F went off doing I can't
recall what, <a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/people/ChH/" rel=
'friend ex-sweetheart met'>Charlie</a> and I went to the last
seminar, which was quite interesting, talking about being openly
sexual and the politics or politicising made around it. It was
thought provoking.</p>
<p>As planned, the day ended with a lovely soft dinner followed by
an <a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/entries/queer-tango/">evening of dance</a>.</p>
Euro Pride 2008, what did I end up doing thursday?http://journal.richard.levitte.org/entries/pride-thursday/2008-08-05T20:13:47Z2008-07-29T20:33:02Z
<p><em>[rewritten 2008-08-05]</em></p>
<p>I had written up a few seminars, but considering I'd partied
until the wee hours, it wasn't realistic in any way or form...</p>
<p>There were still some important things:</p>
<ul>
<li>14:00 - xx:xx. Poly picknick. I'm not missing this for the
world, colds stay away :-)! There are a few people who I know I'll
get to connect with there and then if at no other time. This will
be held outside the <a href=
"http://www.stockholmpride.org/Feel/Pride-park/">Pride Park</a>
itself, so people who aren't interested in the rest of Pride can
still join in... not that Pride Park itself lends itself for
picknicks anyway ;-).</li>
<li>17:00 - 19:00, 20:30 - 22:30. Schlager evening. This is a very
popular event in the gay community in Stockholm (or Sweden?). I
expect I'll reconnect with a number of gay friends I haven't
mentioned yet. An evening of fun!</li>
</ul>
<p>That's it? That's it!</p>
<p>Oh, there was a last minute proposal to have a poly grilling
party starting somewhere around 19... I never went to that.</p>
<p>Actually, this day ended up being even simpler than the <a href=
"http://journal.richard.levitte.org/entries/pride-wednesday/">wednesday</a> one... Imagine
that!</p>
<p>Aaaaanyway... This day started late, as usual. <a href=
"http://journal.richard.levitte.org/people/ChH/" rel='friend ex-sweetheart met'>Charlie</a> and I
went to the picknick, where we first found <a href=
"http://sem.hypodea.com/read/user/561">smilla</a> together with two
of her loves. Soon enough, a lot of the usual crowd (Karin,
Kristine, Fabian, Karin, ...) as well as a number of people I'd
never met before (I finally got to meet two more of <a href=
"http://journal.richard.levitte.org/people/ChH/" rel='friend ex-sweetheart met'>Charlie</a>'s
sweeties, Anders and Valentin, who I had heard a bit about for a
while) joined in and we simply enjoyed time together.<br />
At some point, <a href=
"http://sem.hypodea.com/read/user/561">smilla</a> summoned the
courage to come around a lot of people and approach me with the
words "I want to talk with him!", and a nice although short talk we
had.<br />
I left a little before 17:00 to join <a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/people/ChH/" rel=
'friend ex-sweetheart met'>Charlie</a> for the Schlager evening
(<a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/people/ChH/" rel='friend ex-sweetheart met'>Charlie</a>
had left an hour earlier to be the host of the bi tent for an
hour).</p>
<p>The Schlager evening was lots of fun, dancing and singing along
as much as was possible in the crowd. I didn't reconnect with those
other friends, oh well.</p>
<p><em>[there will be more added when I remember more]</em></p>
Euro Pride 2008, what did I end up doing wednesday?http://journal.richard.levitte.org/entries/pride-wednesday/2008-08-05T10:11:15Z2008-07-29T20:22:33Z
<p><em>[rewritten 2008-08-05]</em></p>
<p>Wednesday was among the simplest of my days:</p>
<ul>
<li>12:00 - 12:45. <strong>'You can't really ask them if they're
gay, can you?'</strong> A seminar about how it is for personel in
hospitals, among others, when they meet people today and do not
know how to relate. I'm currently not entirely sure I'm going, as
I'm also a bit involved in the poly tent and want to help out.</li>
<li>14:00 - 19:00. I'll be a host at the poly tent, together with
Kristine and Angelica.</li>
<li>22:00 - the wee hours. Party! <a href=
"http://www.slmstockholm.se/">SLM</a> and <a href=
"http://www.clublash.se/">LASH</a> are organising a night together
for all to participate in, no dress code. Going there with <a href=
"http://journal.richard.levitte.org/people/ChH/" rel='friend ex-sweetheart met'>Charlie</a>, and
perhaps others?</li>
</ul>
<p>This was a pretty damn soft day. I ended up not going to the
seminar at 12, I had a lazy morning instead and went directly to
the park at 14. On the way there, I met a young woman with
incredibly beautiful wrap-around pants, black with yellow-orange
flames along the bottom (there's another variant of hot for ya
:-)), commented on them and we ended up chatting the whole way to
the park where we parted ways.</p>
<p>In the tent itself, nothing much happened really. A little bit
of organizing, and oh, yeah, Helena Meyer showed up with a whole
bunch of comic strips, both <a href=
"http://neture.bilddagboken.se/">her own</a> and others. I mostly
ended up talking with both Kristine and Angelica about fetish/BDSM,
since that was the experience for the night.</p>
<p>I've heard later that <a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/people/AsF/" rel=
'friend ex-sweetheart met'>Åsa</a> had turned up somewhere in the
day. It must have been when I went shopping some food for Kristine
and myself. Damn!</p>
<p>There was more happening, a number of friends showing up, I do
remember Jenny, Kip, Karin and goooorgeous Johanna with her
hubby.</p>
<p>The party? It was interesting and more exciting than I expected.
<a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/people/ChH/" rel='friend ex-sweetheart met'>Someone</a>
said I was like a fish in water, and yeah, I enjoyed myself.</p>
Euro Pride 2008, what was planed for tuesday and what really happened?http://journal.richard.levitte.org/entries/pride-tuesday/2008-08-05T10:11:11Z2008-07-29T08:47:56Z
<p><em>[rewritten 2008-07-29 in the evening]</em></p>
<p>Can you tell that I've planned quite a lot? <a href=
"http://journal.richard.levitte.org/people/ChH/" rel='friend ex-sweetheart met'>Charlie</a> and I
spent a few hours last sunday going through the whole guide,
picking and choosing what we would do, planning some bits we'd go
to together and others that is our own, and how we relate to
different things in there and how we relate to each other in this
whole thing with all our ideas. It was a lovely Sunday to have.</p>
<p>Aaaaanyway, the plan for today was this:</p>
<ul>
<li>07:00 - 11:00. Laundry. No, that's nothing to do with Pride
;-), but I'm wondering how the <em>hell</em> I'm going to stay up
the whole day! Maybe I'll find some time to snooze a little, for
half an hour or so, say...</li>
<li>12:00 - 13:30. <strong>Mom-dad-child</strong> A seminar about
how to be with the kids as a queer parent. It seems interesting,
<em>and</em> it conflicts with...</li>
<li>12:00 - 12:45. <strong>Poly 101 - Curious poly</strong> A
beginners guide to being poly. Can't say I'm exactly a beginner,
but it could be interesting to hear what's being said and what
kinds of questions will come up. That also conflicts with...</li>
<li>12:00 - 12:45. <strong>Activist entrepreneurship</strong> How
to be an entrepreneur and do it with your queer activism/queerness
at heart. This could be very interesting, aaaaaand... I think this
is where my priority goes.</li>
<li>13:00 - 13:45. <strong>Living in Sin FAQ</strong> A panel on
being poly in practice. I think I'll prioritise this, as there are
practical points that I might yet be new to.</li>
<li>14:00 - 15:00. <strong>Theatre: QAOS</strong> A show by young
queer activists. Why not go to a show in the middle of all? Have
some <em>fun</em> in a serious day? Although...</li>
<li>14:15 - 15:15. <strong>Svart är en färg man kan bli sjuk
av...</strong> This is a seminar about jealousy. While my own
jealousy is very small to none, I still have to deal with jealousy
among my peers or, as the case is, the jealousy in a love's
partner, and it could be good for me to have a greater
understanding for something that is in part a mystery to me.</li>
<li>15:15 - 16:15. <strong>Aspiequeer</strong> This is a MUST. I've
an <a href=
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asperger_syndrome">aspie</a> brother,
I've a possibly <a href=
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asperger_syndrome">aspie</a> son and
I've a growing number of <a href=
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asperger_syndrome">aspie</a> friends,
many of them queer one way or another. I want to understand them
better.</li>
<li>16:00 - 16:30. <strong>Music: Räuberhöhle</strong> 'A one-grrrl
band which is Krawalla and her doll friends. Manga-pop and disco
mixed with happy hardcore in a chockingly pink mix!' Yeah, again,
why not a little bit of fun in between serious stuff?</li>
<li>16:30 - 17:30. <strong>Acts of Translation</strong> A panel
about queer feminist, post-colonial and anti-capitalist analysis
and activism in America and Sweden.</li>
<li>16:45 - 17:45. <strong>When the boundaries of the genders
collapse</strong> We see more trans activities these days. What is
a human body and where are the limits?</li>
<li>17:00 - 18:00. <strong>Show: Girls, Girls, Girls</strong> A
celebration of Femme!</li>
</ul>
<p>The day started early for me. Someone will have to explain to me
why I woke up at sodding 04:40! But anyway, it made it easy to have
a slow transition to the laundry time, and that was kind of nice. I
just hope that I'll sleep a little longer <a href=
"http://journal.richard.levitte.org/entries/pride-wednesday/">tomorrow</a>, because I'm planning
on going to a <a href="http://www.slmstockholm.se/">par</a><a href=
"http://www.clublash.se/">ty</a> late at night, and I need to store
up on some sleep to be able to!</p>
<p>Laundry done, I was about to change into what I was going to
wear today (same as yesterday except a white tank top) when I got
an SMS from <a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/people/ChH/" rel=
'friend ex-sweetheart met'>Charlie</a>, saying she was better and
was on her way to <a href=
"http://www.stockholmpride.org/Feel/Pride-House/">Pride House</a>.
Woohoo!</p>
<p>Arriving there, a little bit late, I went to <strong>Activist
entrepreneurship</strong> seminar... or so I thought, the place was
packed and they couldn't let me in, they weren't allowed to. So
fine, I went to <strong>Poly 101 - Curious poly</strong> instead,
and I don't regret it. I hadn't seen too much of Kip earlier,
really, but seeing him and listening speaking at that seminar left
me touched. This is a man who's thought it out quite well, or so it
seems to me, and there's one part I'd like to mention specially,
because it answers the obvious questions about jealousy and
competition quite well. The way he sees it, his partners' partners
(also often called bonus partners, by the way) aren't competitors,
they are collaborators. He enjoys being buddies with his bonus
partners. He enjoys ganging up together and make little surprises
for a common partner. Isn't it beautiful? And if anyone would ask
me "how does <em>that</em> work", I think the straightest answer
would be "marvelously".</p>
<p>I reconnected with Charlie after that seminar, stuck around for
a bit and got to chat with a few of her friends, and then we simply
stuck around listening to <strong>Living in Sin FAQ</strong>. The
panel presented two things, one being about having kids in a poly
setting (presented by lovely Jenny that I mentioned in <a href=
"http://journal.richard.levitte.org/entries/pride-monday/">yesterday's entry</a>), the other
being about staying in a relationship while moving apart (presented
by Kristine and Gabriel). I'll confess that I was more focused on
Jenny's part. An interesting thing she started with was the opinion
that all humans are born poly, and she's basing that on observation
and studies of children. The conclusion is that children love
naturally, but through "socialisation", they are basically taught
NOT to love (more than one), which is a controlled
suppresion/oppresion if natural emotions. She told us a lot about
how it was for her, but also all the things she observed in her
three daughters as well as their friends, with a lot of positivity
in all of it. And all of this happens because she and her husband
haven't behaved as if poly would be anything weird, rather the
contrary, as the most natural thing in the world!<br />
Somewhere in the middle of this, <a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/people/ChH/" rel=
'friend ex-sweetheart met'>Charlie</a> asked me with a smile if I
was a little smitten with Jenny, and I answered that I was :-).</p>
<p>After this, I was quite a bit hungry, and so was Jenny, so we
went having a bite in the nearby café as we were both going to the
<strong>Svart är en färg man kan bli sjuk av...</strong> seminar,
which happened in the same place as the previous two. <a href=
"http://journal.richard.levitte.org/people/ChH/" rel='friend ex-sweetheart met'>Charlie</a> had her
heart set on <strong>Theatre: QAOS</strong>, so she went off.</p>
<p><strong>Svart är en färg man kan bli sjuk av...</strong> was
held by <a href="http://www.enligtanna.se/">Anna</a>, and she based
what she had to say upon a number of intervews she had conducted
with people on this very matter. There were quite a lot of
different stories, mostly about what it could look like. Not really
any new information in the matter for me, but it was good to get a
little sense of who she was, because I'm going to take part in the
workshop on the matter that she will hold on <a href=
"http://journal.richard.levitte.org/entries/pride-friday/">friday</a>. The most fun was actually
to translate the little bits that Jenny didn't understand (did I
say she's from Australia?).</p>
<p>Directly after that seminar, I <em>rushed</em> to get to the
<strong>Aspiequeer</strong> one... to find a looooong line.
<a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/people/ChH/" rel='friend ex-sweetheart met'>Charlie</a>
joined in with me as she's interested in the matter as well, but
after being in that slowly moving line for a while, we were told it
was packed and they weren't allowed to take in more people... How
frustrating! Is this the day to get overfilled rooms or what?</p>
<p>So oh well, <a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/people/ChH/" rel=
'friend ex-sweetheart met'>Charlie</a> and I hung around for a bit,
went searching for the exhibit of Femme pictures, didn't find it,
went to the temporary shop and checked things out there, had a
brief encounter with <a href="http://www.ylva-art.com/">Ylva Maria
Thompson</a>, then found the lost exhibit and spent some time
looking at some gorgous pictures! After a bit more time, it was
time for me to join with Jenny and guide her to <a href=
"http://www.stockholmpride.org/Feel/Pride-park/">Pride Park</a> to
join with Kip and a few others. We spent a few hours setting up the
poly tent, and sometimes Jenny and I spent a moment kissing or
cuddling (or all of us ending up in a great lovely group hug
:-)).</p>
<p>It's about 22:00 now, and I'm home, letting the day sink in with
all the impressions and emotions, trying to get ready for the next.
I'm also realising that I may need to rethink my schedule so I've
space to spend time with people, and there are a number of them I
want to connect with. So little time, so many people! <img src="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/smileys/smile.png" alt=":-)" /></p>
Euro Pride 2008, what did I end up doing Monday?http://journal.richard.levitte.org/entries/pride-monday/2008-08-05T14:15:03Z2008-07-29T07:55:04Z
<p>I had my schedule filled, it basically consisted of this:</p>
<ul>
<li>11:45 - 12:00. Opening.</li>
<li>13:00 - 13:45. <strong>Firstly Asexual, Secondly
Heterosexual</strong> about the difficulties people with
disabilities encounter out there with regards to their
sexuality.</li>
<li>13:30 - 14:30. <strong>BDSM and discrimination</strong> Can you
open up about your interest anywhere? Will it get you fired from
work? ...</li>
<li>14:00 - 15:00. <strong>Alternative to the mono norm</strong> An
open panel where polyamorous and <a href=
"http://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relationsanarki">relationship
anarchy</a> <em>[my name for it, which is a direct translation of
the Swedish "Relationsanarki", and the page I point to is in
Swedish]</em> is being presented, talked about, discussed.</li>
<li>14:00 - 14:45. <strong>Coming out - to and for who?</strong> A
panel of people telling different stories about coming out.</li>
<li>15:00 - 15:45. <strong>Both/either or</strong> A seminar about
bisexuality and being bisexual.</li>
<li>17:15 - 17:45. <strong>Perverse and proud of it</strong>
<a href="http://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiina_Rosenberg">Tiina
Rosenberg</a> will hold a speach about being queer.</li>
<li>20:00 - 22:00. <strong>Open soccer training with Stockholm
Snipers</strong></li>
</ul>
<p>So what did I end up doing?</p>
<p>I went to the opening, where sound quality was horrible,
unfortunately, but I found a few friends, <a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/people/FrS/"
rel='friend met'>Fredrik</a>, Karin, Kristine, and met a new
person, Emmanuel (friend of <a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/people/FrS/" rel=
'friend met'>Fredrik</a>'s).</p>
<p>After that, I used the free time to shop some clothes, came back
to <a href="http://www.stockholmpride.org/Feel/Pride-House/">Pride
House</a> and had myself a small snack and ended up exchanging
greetings with Ulf Schyldt and then went on to the <strong>Firstly
Asexual, Secondly Heterosexual</strong> seminar. That was quite an
interesting seminar that talks about the history of how people with
disabilities have been regarded from a sexual standpoint. Have you
realised that people with disabilities were regarded as asexual,
not a long time ago? Can you say <a href=
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ableism">ableism</a>? But then, when
you get past that first hurdle, the next thing is to hit upon the
assumption of heterosexuality...</p>
<p>Aaaaanyway, after that seminar, I walked around and was
approached by a young lady who came from tv4.se and said she was
doing a photo clip/slide show with "cool styles at Pride" and
wondered if she could take a picture of me. I took the flattery and
thought that this could be fun, so <a href=
"http://journal.richard.levitte.org/entries/see-what-happens/">I went along with it</a>.</p>
<p>Shortly after that, I found a bunch of friends again, some of
those I had already met earlier, and Gabriel, Kip, and another new
person, Jenny, who's a friend of <a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/people/ChH/" rel=
'friend ex-sweetheart met'>Charlie</a>'s and Kip's and who I've
heard quite a bit about (and, I realised, yet very little!) and had
wanted to meet for quite a while! Yay!</p>
<p>We ended up all chatting for a while and I didn't go to the
<strong>BDSM and discrimination</strong> seminar, but you know, I'm
not too sad about that. Instead, I went to the <strong>Coming out -
to and for who?</strong>, and it was quite interesting for a bit. I
found it interesting that they had quite a diverse panel, among
others the <em>father</em> of a girl who had come out as lesbian,
and it was interesting to hear his story and the fact that when a
child has come out, the parents have their own "coming out"
process, and to hear a little about that. They did a pretty cool
thing to start the seminar; the whole panel "came out" with fairly
banal things, such as having a cold, which illustrated that while
it feels like a big deal, it's really only because social norm says
that coming out as gay, bi, homosexual, poly, whatever is unusual,
unaccepted, weird, controversial... There was also the question if
one really <em>has</em> to come out, and for what reason; the
conclusion felt a bit obvious, that it was for oneself, not so much
for the others.</p>
<p>After a bit, I got tired of the coming out seminar and moved
over to <strong>Alternative to the mono norm</strong> and ended up
being a bit fascinated, mostly because I got to listen to some
relational anarchists and got a little different perspective on it
than before...</p>
<p>At this point, there were a number of us wondering what we'd do
next and some being a bit hungry, that became the focus, and I
totally forgot about the <strong>Both/either or</strong> seminar,
which is kind of a pity since that belongs with fairly new
discoveries about myself, but on the other hand, I'm quite sure the
opportunities for discoveries will not end. Plus, while chatting
and deciding what we all would do, I got a nice hug and a
<em>kiss</em> from Jenny, which was very nice though a bit
unexpected after having chatted for, oh I think it's about half an
hour in total? A short while later, Kip, Jenny, Karin and I went
eating and got to know each other a little better, telling each
other about little bits of our respective lives. Nice :-). Then Kip
and Jenny went shopping, and Karin and I kept each other company
and talked, mostly about dancing since that's one of her favorite
things in life, while waiting for the time to go to the
<strong>Perverse and proud of it</strong> seminar... unfortunately,
we came there too late, the place was packed way in advance,
...</p>
<p>Eventually, I went shopping some boots and went home, exhausted
and yet having a long, important and dearly needed talk with
<a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/people/AsF/" rel='friend ex-sweetheart met'>Åsa</a>. But
that's a <a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/entries/not-ended/">different
story</a>...</p>
Europride 2008, what's important?http://journal.richard.levitte.org/entries/pride-whats-important/2008-07-29T05:45:53Z2008-07-29T04:27:21Z
<p>Yesterday and today, the main part of Europride is the gazillion
seminars on all kinds of related matters, or shows, or... going on
in <a href="http://www.stockholmpride.org/Feel/Pride-House/">Pride
House</a>. I've sign myself up for a number of those seminars, and
basically have a pretty filled schedule from 12 to 18.</p>
<p>Yesterday, though, I ended up being busy talking with people,
some that I know as well as new encounters, so I missed half the
seminars I had signed myself up for. Yet, I can't say that I missed
much.</p>
<p>So what's important, really? The seminars or the people I get to
meet? I guess time will tell. Today will probably be a bit
different, there are more seminars that I really don't want to
miss.</p>
<p>Either way, I'm having a grand time.</p>
<p>My biggest wish now is that <a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/people/ChH/" rel=
'friend ex-sweetheart met'>Charlie</a>'s start of a cold blows over
quickly (maybe even today?) so she can join in as well.</p>
Europride 2008, the inogurationhttp://journal.richard.levitte.org/entries/pride-inoguration/2008-07-29T05:45:53Z2008-07-26T23:00:00Z
<p>I was there, it was fun and it was emotionally moving, with some
great speakers!</p>
<p>After it was all ended, I found a <a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/people/FrS/" rel=
'friend met'>dear friend</a> among the public in the back. Merry
meet, 'cause I wasn't sure when he was going to be up in
Stockholm!</p>
<p>Anyway, <a href=
"http://photos2.richard.levitte.org/europride2008/invigning/">a
picture says more than a 1000 words</a>.</p>
Pride!http://journal.richard.levitte.org/entries/pride/2008-07-29T05:45:53Z2008-07-15T14:39:01Z
<p><a href="http://www.stockholmpride.org/">Stockholm/Euro
Pride</a> is nearing and I'm getting a bit excited, as this is the
first time I'll attend (and help out as well). Got the ticket
already!</p>
<p>Damn, there's a number of things to do and to handle, and it
seems like I've a number of friends have decided to come for a
visit to Stockholm at the same time. I really need to sort it all
out so I don't get overwhelmed!</p>
<p>Let's see, I've a friend from Malmö that comes up to visit, I've
tagged July 24th for him if he wants to hang out with me then.
<a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/people/AsF/" rel='friend ex-sweetheart met'>Åsa</a> is
coming up with a love from Malmö. <a href=
"http://sem.hypodea.com/read/user/561">smilla</a> has just declared
that she's coming as well. Oh, and I just got the news that another
friend is visiting, from South Africa (he's lived in Sweden for a
large number of years but moved back to SA not long ago).</p>
<p>I'll have my social life filled, let me tell ya! Anyway, I hope
it'll be fun. I just hope I'll have some breathing space too
;-).</p>
<p>So, what do I plan to do, really? Uhmm, check out the cultural
side in the beginning of pride, go to a number of seminars (mostly
about polyamory, but I've seen a few more on political issues and
one about the issues with being aspie and queer (!)), and mingle at
Pride Park when I don't help out in the Poly tent or elsewhere.</p>
<p>But hey, it's still more than a week away, plans will firm up as
time goes, and I do want to spend time with <a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/people/ChH/"
rel='friend ex-sweetheart met'>Charlie</a> as well, never to be
forgotten.</p>