nuzzaci - an online journal

It’s now been 9 day’s since I took my last snus, and as I wrote the first day I was off Snus - I’m now back to explain why.

A good friend of mine, Daniel Carlsson, read my post about me giving up Snus. He said that he demanded answers - that me quitting felt like the Gods had turned their backs away from him and his Snus. (I found that comment very very funny.)

I’m afraid there isn’t a single easy answer to The Why. It’s more like 3 answers… and none of them are really that good.

1) I actually lost a bet to a friend, Mr Tall. I told Mr Tall that if he managed to quit Snus & cigarets - I would quit Snus. He quit both and is now addicted to the gym and his running shoes - but that’s a different story.

2) I told a lot of friends that if Marlboro started selling Snus - I would quit. Prince and Lucky Strike is close enough.

which leads me into the long number 3.

3) Snus. Snus has been around in Sweden for about 200 years. So Snus is nothing new. Snus is a smokeless tobacco product that is used orally, but is not burned. Snus is the ‘Next Big Thing’ according to a lot of marketing strategists and market analysers. Now why is that? How can something that has been around for about 200 years, and is illegal to sell in most countries, all of the sudden be the ‘Next Big Thing’?

When Sweden were about to enter the European Union, the EU said, “We can’t allow Snus. We already have enough problems with cigarette and we are not interested in another nicotine/tobacco product.” Sweden then said, “We will not join the EU without our Snus!”, so they meet halfway; Sweden can have their Snus, but are not allowed to sell the product outside the borders of Sweden… this was 1994 - 12 years ago…

Now, this is taken from British American Tobacco, abbreviates to BAT, website, posted 28 June 2006:

British American Tobacco is to extend its test markets for smokeless Swedish-style snus and open its own snus research facility, underlining its commitment to develop and market less harmful tobacco products.

This is nothing new to me. Since I have been a Snusare for about… what is it? about 14 years now? and am living in a country where its, for now, illegal to sell, and since I do what I do for a living… I know these kind of things. I know it but know what? I don’t like it!

I don’t like that the culture of Snus will just be wheeled over by cigaret giants.

I don’t like that now, when they are putting smoke bans in pub’s and restaurants around Europe, that they see a market for another tobacco product, that they see profit… what happened/will happen to the law?

I don’t like that BAT go on and on about how they are doing this for it is less harmful for everyone then smoking… just now… when smoking is gonna get a rough time they start to have a conscience?

I don’t like what capitalism is doing to our society.

I don’t like that they stated in their report that when Snus been introduced in a country not familiar with the Snus - Snus is only bought by smokers… I don’t like that they will lay this on smokers - look like saviors - but are only after the money.

I don’t like big corporations talking a lot of bollocks.

As I said last week - I been to Skelleftea. Im now sitting in my sofa watching a recording of the Canadian grand prix, waiting for my parents to call from the airport saying; we are here now. Ferrari and Michael Schumacher are currently quickest… but as we all know - he didn’t win this past weekend.

Midsummer was good. It’s just so nice going back and meet all my lovely old friends. They all are truly an amazing bounce of people.

We (Willow, Mr Tall, Henrik and I), rented a car in Stockholm and drove up during Thursday night. I love driving. Especially during the night. And especially Swedish summer nights. It was a pure pleasure.

First thing on Friday morning was a lunch involving fish. I had fish. I just can’t eat it. I did my best. Thanks to the lovely company it went down alright. Then we were of to give my sister a warm hug before finally going to where we the last 4 years have celebrated the midsummer weekend - Olov Nilzens cabin in Boviken. HUGE amount of love and cred to Olov and Carina for putting up with everyone every year.
One of the highlights was definitely when Anders Norberg sang ‘far jag kan inte fÃ¥ upp min kokosnöt’ at the end of a long karaoke session.

On Sunday, we (Willow, Mr Tall, Henrik and I), drove to Burea to play Football Golf with my half brother other brother - Marcus Vaneryd, at Myggvalla (translates to Mosquito Valley).
Football Golf was very very fun. I definitely can suggest that to anyone in any age and any sex.
It is/was a lot more fun then Frisbee Golf, which we played on Monday evening before once again hitting the road to drive down to Stockholm again.

In Stockholm I had a tight schedule. During the day I had plans to visiting Vinh Kha, Simon Kallgard, Isak Wikstrom, Staffan Lamm, Karl Thyselius, Karl Ringman and my brother - Jonaz Vaneryd… turned out to be a bit to tight of a schedule (woke up way to late after the long drive down), so I never manage to get to Karl Thyselius and Karl Ringman =(.

Overall it was a very nice weekend.
And I’m looking forward to next year.

Tomorrow I’m off to my hometown Skelleftea in the north of Sweden to celebrate midsummer. This has kind of grown to be a standing tradition - that I every year go back for this event. Since my parents have moved from Skelleftea and lives in Italy, I don’t go home for christmas. So you could almost say that midsummer is my christmas (Im saying that I’m going home. It’s weird. Since it’s not where my parents live. It’s not where I live. It’s where I was born, raised and grow up… is there a name for that kind of “home”? is it hometown or more like growing-up town?).

Normally it’s loads of fun. Meeting a lot of old friend. My sister (who still lives there). Playing silly games. Having barbecue. Singing songs. Playing volleyball. Drinking beer (Norrlands Guld). I’m really looking forward to it, and a full report on this event will be posted on this blog once I’m back.

This year, two ‘non-northern friends’ are coming with me (and Willow of cause, but it’s not her first time); Henrik Engdahl and Johan Enstrom (a.k.a Mr Tall).
So this year we’re also taking the opportunity to do a little road tip by hiring a car in Stockholm and drive up. I love driving. And since I live in a country where they drive on the left side of the road - driving have come to be something I don’t do very much. - which is kind of sad.

What makes the north of Sweden special during this time of year is the midnight sun. And that, my friends - is amazing! First time I really realised how amazing it is, was the first summer I wasn’t there; my first summer down in Karlskrona (where I went to university at Hyper Island). That year, for some reason, I decided not to go back up north… then I started longing for the midnight sun and jumped on a plane and went back.
When living there, in the north, the midnight sun wasn’t something I regarded as that special. It felt more like my human right after the long and cold winter (yeah, the winters are quite the opposite). But… it is very special and I can suggest the experience to everyone at anytime.

I also have a sad - and happy - announcement to make; My lovely PowerBook, named Alecia (after the artist Pink) and I have separated. After over three wonderful years together, we decided it’s time for her to go in pension. So tomorrow she’s taking a flight over to Stockholm with Mr Tall to go and live her last years with my brother Jonaz.
This means as well that in about 3 weeks I will adopt a new girl. This time around it’s probably gonna be a MacBook Pro.

Here’s some links related to this post:

• skelleftea.se
• Henrik Engdahl
• Willows site
• and Willows blog
• Hyper Island
• The official Pink website
• Apple - MacBook Family

and here are some random links I have found interesting in the last few days:

• listography
  your life in lists create. share. read.
• La Coupe du Monde 2006 de Football en un coup d’oeil
  Every single goal so far in the World Cup. Click on the match score, then click the spinning ball next to the player’s name.
• CSS for Designers
  If you don’t learn, or get more understanding for CSS through this - just give it up.
• Apple - Trailers - Why We Fight - Trailer
  This seem to be a very interesting documentary. Probably a scary one as well.
• Beggr - Scrounging 2.0
  He he, Im afraid he makes a very very good point
• MacNN | 50 Cent turns to Apple for Mac deal
  What caught my attention is the “I never got into it for the music. I got into it for the business.” part. I don’t think Mr 50 is the only one we can blame for all shit music that is floating around - but he sure as hell feeds the beast. After have seen Foo Fighters twice within a week and all… just wished more people did it for the same reason as FF, and with the same respect towards music as an art from. About the Apple deal… if it follows through I will be very disappointed with Apple and Mr Jobs.

On Thursday, during a cab ride back to the office from a meeting, I notice that Tom Hostler (one of my co-workers) had a lovely computer bag from Jack Spade.

So today I went to Aria, on 295-297 Upper Street in Islington, to maybe do a purchase (the ginger ninja was also looking for a bag so). I couldn’t really decide which color I wanted (neither could the ninja), and since I haven’t even decided if my next laptop gonna be a 15″ or 17″ MacBook Pro - so I decided to put it on hold and instead I bought a lovely Italian leather notebook from Barbara Wiggins.

Mr Tall did find the Jack Spade bag unresistable, and bought a brown one.