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Movies , Notes, Posts, Videos, Photos, Books

October 2025

: Watched: Bo Burnham: Inside 🍿 I decided to rewatch it with some Covid distance (no pun intended), …

: If you ever visit my hometown, Stockholm, I highly recommend taking the retro tram. There’s even a …

: I’ve been working on the design for my “new” Bear blog over at robertbirming.com. There’s still a …

: Since I still haven’t been able to decide about mixing short and long posts, here’s my previous one, …

: Happy cinnamon bun day It’s Cinnamon Bun Day in Sweden! The perfect excuse for an extra fika (as if we needed one).

: Just watched: Sentimental Value (2025) 🍿 So sad, so beautiful, so good. I loved it! The acting was …

: A video from one of the clients I visited yesterday. It might look like the home of a hoarder, but …

: Haunted by ambitions Ambition can be a spark, but for me it often turns into a shadow. Some thoughts on recognizing the …

: Värmdö, Sweden — I stopped for a coffee between jobs and had this foggy fairytale view from my …

September 2025

: Skarpnäck, Sweden — this is the picture many people have of my home country, Sweden. And to be …

: Just watched: Speak No Evil (2022) 🍿 An unsettling feeling that kept growing as the story unfolded. …

: Stockholm, Sweden — I was greeted by a mighty sky on my bike ride to work this morning. One that …

: The world’s worst blogger Sometimes blogging feels more like a struggle than a flow, as I sort through thoughts and platforms.

: Just watched: ‎One Battle After Another (2025) 🍿 I skipped the trailers and all the pre-info on this …

: The guru on the wall Sometimes knowing one name is enough to look like an expert, even when you’re not.

: From rookie to master Experience doesn’t always show up as new skills, but in knowing the drill and trusting ourselves.

: No shortcuts to wonder Shortcuts save time, but they also steal moments. The path of least resistance isn’t always the …

: Publish, don’t polish Chasing perfect posts only slows us down. Publish, don’t polish — raw words often say more than the …

: Finished reading: Gruppen by Sigge Eklund 📚 It was an OK read, no more, no less. Nothing that blew …

: Stay curious We can’t stop the years from passing or the body from aging, but curiosity keeps the youth in our …

: Life without labels Life shifts, it stops and starts. I remind myself not to cling too tightly to labels, because life …

: The mysterious stranger On my bike ride home I keep meeting the same mysterious stranger, always with his head in the …

: From grumbling to growth Sometimes venting helps, but real change begins when complaints turn into suggestions. A few words …

: Blogging builds bridges Sometimes it feels like we’re the only ones with certain doubts. Blogging can be a great reminder …

: Choosing writing I’ve tried mixing my blog up, but it never feels right. In the end, it’s not about less, it’s about …

: From problem to perk Sometimes the smallest shift in perspective can turn a frustration into a little gift. A story about …

: Making promises It’s easy to make promises. The real challenge is keeping them — and it starts with only promising …

: The mess we hide I see a thousand homes a year, most a little messy — like us. We polish the outside, but inside can …

: Where do thoughts go? Thoughts come and go like clouds. Writing helps me catch them, turn them into raindrop letters, and …

: Catching creativity Even in dull routines, inspiration isn’t gone. With a small shift, a different angle, the colors can …

: The free ride Life is quite a ride — ups and downs, laughter and sorrow — and the best part is that the ticket was …

: The silent applause Loneliness in blogging isn’t always what it seems. Even when we don’t hear the claps or see the …

: Finished reading: The Night Stalker by Chris Carter 📚 Great read! Just as horrifying as the others …

: Not good in group I’m not good in group. Too many voices, too much at once, so I slip away to recharge and find my …

: Guided by the Sandman Sometimes the best guide isn’t logic or lists, but the way my body exhales and finally rests.

: Too many balls in the air In Sweden we say “många bollar i luften” (many balls in the air). I’ve learned I’m not that person. …

: Why write for an audience? Why I write for an audience, the quiet nudge it gives me, and the blogkin family that makes it all …

: The courage to trust ourselves Sometimes it’s not about the noise around us, but the quiet nudge within, asking if this is really …

: The real problem isn’t the problem Most problems aren’t what they seem. Sometimes it’s just our minds turning small things into big …

August 2025

: The "just one more" trap We keep saying just one more book, podcast, or tip before we finally start. But the truth is, we …

: How I use AI for my blog A look at how I use AI on my blog — from proofreading and meta descriptions to small design tweaks — …

: Passion doesn’t shout Sometimes the quiet things matter most — like leaving a home safer or writing a blog post simply …

: The kindness of early warnings Sometimes the smallest warnings save us from the biggest surprises — in houses, and in life.

: The mysterious people A flooded basement, a child’s laughter, and a reminder that we could all use a little more curiosity …

: My lucky seven Seven years, 6642 places, and countless faces. Looking back, what I’m most grateful for isn’t the …

: When worry grows like mould A day of house inspections turned into a reminder of how easily we let worry grow — just like mould …

: The boredom antidote Staying home doesn’t have to be dull — the secret is having something you love to do.

: Right here, right hiraeth Today I learned the word hiraeth, a longing for a past that may never have existed, and it made me …

: Routine beats word counts Blogging gets easier with routine. Forget word counts, write a little every day, and let the posts …

: Blogging is beyond age Blogging erases age and borders. It’s a space where walls turn into bridges and inspiration flows …

: Where inspiration lives Everyday life is full of creativity, but only if we make ourselves available to it.

: Doing the work Talent helps, but without hard work it fails. Those who succeed are the ones willing to do the work.

: Most people care A sick day made me think about kindness, trust, and how most people - strangers included - really …

: Writing within limits I used to write my blog in Swedish and translate it into English. Now I write directly in English. …

: Beauty in the chaos In times of chaos, something new stirs. When our walls crack, we open, and hidden creativity finds …

: The unseen victories Even in dark times, progress happens quietly — unseen victories that remind us why we must keep …

: Finding your own way Finding your own way in life can mean sticking with one thing or exploring many. Both paths can be …

: Am I the new asshole? Spent an hour inspecting a house and listening to a blame list longer than the inspection itself. By …

: Writing it off This week started badly, everything went wrong twice. No advice, just this: write it off. Writing …

: Your blog, your rules Personal blogging isn’t about rules, it’s about rhythm. Some days I write a chapter, some days just …

: Our kryptonite Just back from the new Superman movie, and it got me thinking. We all mess up, regret things, and …

: You have me A customer once said he had nothing of value, and his girlfriend replied, ‘You have me.’ A joke, but …

: Bloggers unite Earlier this year I joined the original Bear blog question challenge, and with Kev’s help it spread …

: Many men called Otto Met the neighborhood’s own “Ove” the other day — car horn, complaints, and all. Unlike the movies, …

: Cookies and blogs A little story about cookies, generosity, and how the blogging world still carries something …

: Finished reading: Wild and Crazy Guys by Nick de Semlyen 📚 The stories live up to the title. A crazy …

: A suitcase full of dreams A family I met today is off to Thailand for half a year — finally living out a long-time dream. It …

: The balance of just enough Trying to find the right balance — in blogging, in habits, in life. Not too much, not too little. …

: Pride Stockholm 2025 Went to the Pride parade here in Stockholm with my mom. A colorful, joyful day full of warmth, …

: The bored blogger Trying to find the perfect way to blog… again. This time it felt right — until it didn’t. A few …

July 2025

: The cost of not listening Today’s client talked non-stop, leaving no room for me to do my job properly. It got me thinking …

: Less time, more blog A rare afternoon off got me thinking about time, creativity, and why I actually blog more when I …

: Fungus and flow An unusual house inspection got me thinking about routines, resistance, and why blogging — like most …

: Turning resistance into reward Some days the attic feels like a sauna, but I still climb up there — because it’s what I do. This …

: Passion as the recipe for success I listened to an interview with a Swedish baking star and it got me thinking about how joy and …

: Text or talk? Had a job out in the archipelago the other day and ended up calling instead of texting the person …

: Can't please them all Did a routine inspection, gave a thumbs up and explained everything clearly to the client — still …

: What keeps us going I met a 99-year-old client who was full of energy, and it got me thinking — maybe the secret to a …

: It’s not wrong, it’s life Life rarely gives us a week without challenges — and that’s not wrong. Accepting the ups and downs …

: I want a blog restart Thinking about restarting my blog — new name, new domain. Just sharing some thoughts (again) to …

: Beginner's mind Some thoughts on how a beginner’s mind can outsmart twenty years of experience. Sometimes, not …

: Finding flavor in life A customer told me he quit his high-paying job because it just wasn’t worth it anymore. It got me …

: Overthinkers non-anonymous Yesterday, a blog identity crisis. Today, all clear thanks to writing it out and hearing from others …

: Finished reading: Atomic Habits by James Clear 📚 Nah. Some good bits, but formulaic and uninspiring. …

: Blog identity crisis — again Just me, once again, trying to figure out how to balance micro posts and long-form writing. No big …

: The lost art of listening I’ve been thinking about how rare good listening has become. Here’s why being a listener matters to …

: Re: Starting without a plan Thoughts on why I love seeing new blogs pop up, and how blogging can be both a creative outlet and a …

: Finished reading: New Thinking by Dagogo Altraide 📚 An interesting read! It’s cool to see how much …

: Dancing with ghosts A dreamy dive into Kate Bush’s Wuthering Heights — ghostly vocals, red dresses, and a story that’s …

: The present Reflecting on past, future, and the uncertainty of life, I realize the most important part isn’t …

: Finished reading: The Executioner by Chris Carter 📚 Yep, he’s done it again! Without a doubt the …

: A lifetime of lessons I recently overheard a conversation where someone proudly shared a photo of their grandchildren. The …

: Setbacks with a purpose I was recently listening to a thoughtful interview with the wonderful Finnish singer Arja Saijonmaa. …

: Clarity over chaos This day started out with a bit of a challenge… The first client I visited had a (false) …

: A place that feels like elsewhere Right now, I’m sitting at The International Bar. It’s just around the corner from where I live. …

: Finished reading: Creativity, Inc. (The Expanded Edition) by Ed Catmull 📚 A great read! Packed with …

: The perfection myth I just finished reading Creativity, Inc. by Ed Catmull. I loved it! So interesting and inspiring. …

: Finding your voice — and keeping it There’s one challenge most bloggers face: discovering their unique voice. And honestly, the only …

: No likes, no stats, no problem I really appreciate the new features available on this fresh little blog home of mine. I like how …

: Blogs have birthdays too I just read the post Thank you for being you by Ruben Verweij. He writes that his blog has just …

: I’d rather be a fake millionaire I heard on the Swedish news that our dear neighbors in Norway had a bit of a bummer the other day. …

: Re: IndieWeb is Punk Yay, I got my ”IndieWeb is Punk” T-shirt today! 😎 This awesome creation is a perfect example of what …

: After the blogging honeymoon With this new home for my blog, I’m still on the limited Micro.one $1/month plan. It’s a …

: JulyReply 2025 is here Junited 2025 is over, which means it’s time for JulyReply 2025! If you’ve been following my blog for …

June 2025

: The beauty of blogging I’ve been blogging for about 20 years now — give or take a couple of breaks along the way — and I …

: Finished reading: Battle Scars by Jason Fox 📚 An honest, interesting, and at times deeply unsettling …

: The illusion of overnight success I recently listened to a documentary about the artist Charli XCX. It featured, among others, the …

: The Zen of CSS Creating a rainbow logo or category styles takes me a long time. Too long, most people would …

: Cherish what you have I remember a house inspection I did a while back. Before I started looking around, I asked the owner …

: Blogging balance In her latest post, Véronique writes that she’s been thinking about posting daily “card pulls” and …

: Finished reading: Studie i mänskligt beteende by Lena Andersson 📚 I really like her books! She has a …

: Finished reading: The Innovators by Walter Isaacson 📚 Very interesting read! From the invention of …

: Awesome aging Since I’m in the one step at a time process of moving my blog, and today picked Ava’s post I like …

: Micro.blog Rainbow Logo Want to sprinkle some rainbow magic on your Micro.blog during Pride Month? Or why not keep the joy …

: True success is daring to fail We often only see the finished product, not the messy journey behind it. That thought struck me …

: High on low expectations We’ve all been there: the anticipation of something great, only to be met with disappointment. It’s …

: Finished reading: Crucifix Killer by Chris Carter 📚 A new favorite of mine in the crime/thriller …

: A life in motion Lately, it’s struck me that I now prefer books, movies, and shows that feel real and take place more …

: Blog Recycling I listened to an interview (it’s in English by a Swedish journalist) with the American songwriter …

: Micro.blog Question Challenge A while back, Ava kindly invited me to take part in her wonderful initiative, the Bear blog question …

: Swedish Midsummer: family, frogs & flowers Today is Midsummer’s Day here in Sweden. Of all the holidays we celebrate, this might just be the …

: Finished reading: Från Noice till nu by Peo Thyrén 📚 A nostalgic read for anyone who remembers Noice …

: Finding my genuine English voice My blogging workflow used to involve writing in Swedish and then translating it into English. I did …

: The overthinking blogger I’m dragging my feet when it comes to writing this post. Or rather, publishing it. Not because I …

: Never forget to remember Today I spent the whole day working in the Swedish archipelago. A colleague and I traveled around by …

: One step at a time One ongoing project for this new home of my blog is to move content over from my old platform—like I …

: We all need a hobby I recently read the autobiography of one of Sweden’s most well-known actors, Mikael Persbrandt. …

: The simple perfection There are many reasons why I love my job. One of them is all the amazing places I get to visit. I …

: Finished reading: Thorsten Flinck : En självbiografi by Thorsten Flinck 📚 What a ride! Great book, …

: With great platform power comes great reader responsibility You probably recognize the inspiration behind the title. Even though Voltaire coined the phrase, …

: The uplifting burdon of living I started the weekend with a visit to a burger joint in my neighborhood. I took a seat on the …

: Your Swedish Local Guide There are so many things I love about my job inspecting houses. Getting to meet people in their …

: Everyone's a genius behind the wheel I visit up to seven places a day in my line of work. That adds up to a lot of driving. And with all …

: Blogging & Design Resources Those of you who’ve followed me for a while know that I like to collect useful links related to …

: When saying no is the right answer The other day, I received an offer that sounded both fun and interesting. I started drafting a …

: Finished reading: Be Useful by Arnold Schwarzenegger 📚 An inspiring read. Also some fun trivia, like …

: Curiosity as a compass We all feel disappointed, sad, hurt, or unfairly treated from time to time. When it’s something big, …

: My blogging inspiration As a blogger, one of the questions I sometimes get asked is, “Where do you get your ideas?” The …

: Learning to live with uncertainty This day started like any other. I woke up and did my usual little yoga routine in bed—a comforting …

: Celebrating Sweden’s National Day Today is Sweden’s National Day, and I celebrated it with family and friends in my childhood …

: My blogging workflow Now that I’ve moved my blog to Micro.blog, my blogging routine looks a bit different. So I figured …

: Why I remember you I’ve conducted over 6,000 home inspections. That’s taken me to countless places — and brought me …

: When nothing is everything I was a few minutes early to one of the jobs today. I sat down on a park bench to wait. The first …

: You have time When I finished one of the day’s jobs, the customer asked if I wanted a cup of coffee. I politely …

: Why I moved my blog to Micro.blog This blog has moved from Bear and now has a new home on Micro.blog. But it was far from an easy or …

May 2025

: Finished reading: The Empty Chair by Jeffery Deaver 📚 It was good, but not quite as strong as the …

: Finished reading: Tio tankar för själens hunger by Antje Jackelen 📚 Not my cup of tea, but it’s a …

: Finished reading: I May Be Wrong by Björn Natthiko Lindeblad 📚 A truly wonderful read, filled with …

: Finished reading: Wolf by Mo Hayder 📚 A good book with a thrilling, unpredictable ending, but the …

: Finished reading: The Coffin Dancer by Jeffery Deaver 📚 An outstanding thriller! Even better than …

: Finished reading: Mikael Persbrandt by Mikael Persbrandt 📚 What a wild ride! A great example of when …

April 2025

: Finished reading: Markoolio – mörkret och den rosa bubblan by Marko Lehtosalo 📚 I liked it. It was …

: Finished reading: The Bone Collector by Jeffery Deaver 📚 Another great one in the series. Horrifying …

: Finished reading: A Life on Our Planet by David Attenborough 📚 A powerful and sobering read. The …

: Let's get curious I listened to an interview with the Swedish artist Ernst Billgren. Among other things, he said: If …

: Finished reading: Din tid kommer by Carl-Johan Vallgren 📚 Definitely worth reading! I love …

: Finished reading: Poppet by Mo Hayder 📚 A decent read, but the weakest in the series so far. It felt …

: The value of a firm "No" It’s been a pretty challenging week at work — lots of home inspections and a whole lot of driving. I …

: Finished reading: Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane 📚 Just read the book for the first time, and it …

March 2025

: Finished reading: Gone by Mo Hayder 📚 Easily the best Jack Caffery book yet! Non-stop excitement. If …

: Finished reading: Skin by Mo Hayder 📚 Another chilling, gripping ride with Jack Caffrey. If you’re a …

: Finished reading: En bra man by Tina Trender 📚 Thought about putting it down more than once. But …

: Finished reading: Sömngångaren by Lars Kepler 📚 Rreally exciting all the way through, and definitely …

February 2025

: Finished reading: The Treatment by Mo Hayder 📚 Liked the first one better. This one felt …

: Finished reading: The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris 📚 Finally read it after a million …

: Non-stop talkers A long day, a social hangover, and a reminder that how we choose to look at things can make all the …

: Finished reading: The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky 📚 I love the movie! Seen it a …

: Finished reading: Jävla karlar by Andrev Walden 📚 I absolutely loved it! It’s a fantastic mix of …

January 2025

: Finished reading: Jag lever, pappa by Siri Marie Seim Sønstelie 📚 I found myself wishing it was …

: Finished reading: Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey 📚 I loved it. It’s full of wild stories and …

: Finished reading: The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave 📚 Kept me interested, but didn’t blow me …

: Free from freedom I heard an interview with the Swedish author Per Hagman. As a new parent, he explained that nights …

: Finished reading: No and Me by Delphine De Vigan 📚 I loved it! It’s such a beautifully written book …

: Finished reading: No Time Like the Future by Michael J. Fox 📚 Inspiring and beautifully written. He …

September 2024

: You're not me A little rant about the classic line “If I were you…” and why I think it’s more about the speaker …

: The sound of silence People who talk too much are a red flag for me. Even when the topic is interesting, I end up …

August 2024

: Social hangover A few thoughts on why being social always seems to be the default, and why choosing solitude still …

July 2024

: Don't f*ck with fika! Did you know that Sweden is one of the top 10 coffee-consuming countries in the world? We really …

June 2024

: My blogging journey Inspired by Juha-Matti Santala’s post, Short History of My Blogging Journey, I decided to write a …

March 2024

: Why write? I’ve been thinking about why I write… Is it a call for attention? A hope that it might lead to …

March 2023

: This or that Sometimes I catch myself stuck in either-or thinking. Life keeps changing, though, and so do we — …

: The gift of limitations Too often we see limitations as obstacles, but in this post I write about how they can actually …

February 2023

: Writing without waiting for inspiration I haven’t written here in a while, but this post is about ignoring that “not today” voice and just …

: Cutting concepts Went to the hairdresser. I started explaining what I wanted… Then I stopped myself and said: “Just …

: A win-win kind of blogging I started this blog in Swedish but quickly switched to English as a way to both write and practice …

: It's alive! Hello everyone! I’ve been keeping an eye on Bear Blog1 for a while, and I really like its approach …