Who IS you?

My name is Amy. I live in Växjö, Sweden, which is nowhere near Stockholm. Americans always think I live in Stockholm and tell me they are going to visit me there. I say "I hope you like trains cuz if you fly to Stockholm, you'd have to take a loooong train ride to get to me from there!"

Until I was 18 I lived in the commuter suburb of New York called East Brunswick. I did not enjoy my 18 years there, but in retrospect, I find Central NJ to be dear to my sentimental heart. A lot of my [overactive] imagination developed in the wilds of exit 9 during the 1980s and 90s. And I often found escape from annoying daily interactions through pop culture and from the hilarious people I grew up with (and am still friends with) Though I don't ever want to live there again, I think of EB and of Central Jersey nearly everyday.

At 18, I moved to New York City to attend university, and have more or less (year in UK, some months in Bolivia, some in Sweden) lived there until now.

Now I live deep in the dark forests of Småland (that is what the region is called) in southeastern Sweden. A lot of nice things come from the Dark Forests of Småland including Pippi Longstocking (author Astrid Lindgren is from nearby), Kosta Boda glass, Örrefors glass, Brio toys (it's actually part of the family heritage) and IKEA. And also my husband S., who is the reason we (husband, son and I) moved here from New York.

The nature is beautiful here. Lots of deep lush forests, clear lakes, and big trees. I often describe it as Swedish Greenwich, CT because it is clean, pretty, kind of posh and filled with well-behaved and clean-cut WASPy people.  I am a bit bored, a lot nostalgic and nearly halfway through my pregnancy with my second child, so that is why I started this blog. I can't promise you that this is going to be a focused blog with a clear mission, but if you're curious about my life here in the dark forest, or even just a little nosy, come and have a read!

PS: The quote "Who IS you" comes from the 1990s era Jersey-based trash talk show called Richard Bey. One time he hosted a group of drag queens, who inevitably got into some serious trash talking and shade-throwing. My favorite drag queen (whose name unfortunately escapes me now) kept yelling at her opponent "Who IS you???? WHO IS YOU??? WHO YOUR MAMA??" I love that shizz.

This is where we live. I call it Downton Abbey. Not all of it is ours, obvs!