Hello out there dear readers, how are you? I very much hope you are well but if not, rest assured that you are in my thoughts and prayers.

Last week I decided to make this “Come Away With Me” Musical Challenge my project to beat cancer. I love to travel and while I can’t at the moment because of my situation and our decision rather pay a mortgage than to have holidays our last one was in 2015.

So I go traveling virtually. I love to watch travel programs, read travel blogs, and now to visit every country on this lovely planet and find an exciting musician. You can find out which country I have planned to visit over the next couple of years here on the “Come Away With Me Musical Challenge” page.

Today we are travelling to Sweden, a country I have visited twice. It is beautiful and full of wonderful people. Of course, when it comes to music, we first think of ABBA, Ace of Base and Roxette. And while I love all three of them, I was looking for this challenge for something utterly different. Looks like the Scandinavians are quite a lot into metal music. I found a lot of those bands for last weeks post on Norway but also for Sweden.

It’s not that I am a metal fan as such, but I have times when I need something more aggressive when it comes to music. I think it is my way of letting go of aggression and rage, and I have to admit underneath all my bravado when it comes to my diagnosis; there is also a rage. I have for a long time expected that cancer will catch up with me one way or the other, but now that it is here, I am angry. It is unlogical anger, but I assume this is a phase like the grieving phases. I will get over it. But to help it along, I like to listen to bands like Metallica.

The band I have chosen for our visit to Sweden is called Meshuggah, which is a play of the Yiddish word for “crazy.” Last FM says about “Meshuggah” that they started with a rather straightforward Thrash Metall sound but refined their style over the years: ” As the group grew older, they further refined the technicality of their musicianship and songwriting. This led to a harsher sound, utilizing strong seven-string guitar (and later eight-string guitar) rhythms, manic sounding vocals, and a combination of jazz fusion elements as well.”

I chose one of the songs of their latest album from 2016 called “Violent Sleep of Reason.” It felt like this is an excellent image for today’s world. Reason seems to be asleep, but it is a fitful and violent sleep. Who knows when we will wake up.

This song challenges music tastes that like a more melodic song. But it expresses so much of the often violent changes happening in today’s world. At least that is what I think :-). If you want to learn more about Meshuggah head over to the LastFM wiki here. And if you want to learn more about life in Sweden, check out these bloggers posts: Life in the Land of Ice and Snow & Exploring Sweden. For facts and stories check out the official Sweden Site.

Come Away With Me 2020 Musical Challenge Country for Monday 16th, 2020

I am taking a rather random route around the world but sometimes it makes sense. Next week we are going to visit Estonia and you can find some of today’s and yesterday’s Estonian musicians here on the Music Estonia Database page.

As for the suggestions to take part:

1. https://www.facebook.com/ComeAwayWithMe2020/Join in! No matter where, when and with what. You missed the first week? Don’t worry. Just jump in when it suits you.
2. Send us the link! The ping-back option does not always work so please leave a link in the comments of the post on the day you take part. Or leave it at the “Come Away With Me 2020 FB page“
3. Tag your post either with ” Come Away With Me Musical Challenge”/ #CoAwWiMeMuCh” / “Come Away with Me 2020 Musical Challenge” o/“CoAwWiMe2020MuCh” / . You can also use these as hashtags for Twitter and other Social Networks to give your post more exposure. If you add #blog and #music with your hashtags it will get you more readers.
4. No matter which music or country the prompt favours you create with it whatever you please. This is supposed to be a fun challenge and no chore.
5. I post a prompt for the next week with every “Come Away With Me 2020 post” I write.
6. If you like, use this picture for your readers to find the posts.

And now for something different 😉

Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals Charity Boudicca Appeal

I would also like to encourage you to support the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals Charity’s Boudicca Appeal. They are fundraising 800 000£ to create a dedicated breast cancer unit. The hospital today sees almost double as many breast cancer patients than they did five years ago. That is an enormous rise and puts a lot of pressure on the current facilities and staff. 

For me, that meant so far five journeys to Norwich within a month. That is between 35 and 45 minutes travel each way and the worry, not knowing what comes. On Thursday the 5th of March, we went again. We found out that my cancer needs an operation and probably radiotherapy. But I won’t know for sure until two weeks after the operation. While I am holding up well, it still puts a lot of pressure on my family and me. 

They say on their page they want to build:” An enhanced environment. Purport-built, spacious waiting, diagnostic and treatment rooms. Counselling rooms for women with a breast cancer diagnosis.
Better experience for patients with fewer days of anxiety while patients wait for results.”

That would help a lot. According to the NHS, 1 in 8 women is diagnosed with breast cancer in their life time. So it is essential to create better facilities for breast cancer care. The staff I have met so far are doing an excellent job. They are so caring, being extremely effective and supportive. They do deserve a better work environment.

So please, if you can spare a little money hop over to their Just Giving Page and give as little or much as you can. Or share the page on your social media. Your support means a lot to me! Thank you very much.

And just to make sure you recognise the symptoms of breast cancer here a video that tells you all about it.

That’s it for today my dear readers. I hope you are going to have a wonderful day 🙂

loving to travel

virtual or real

through all weather and season