We're missing something that would resemble a spark in your eyes, but today's mood find something appealing about androgynous, heroin chic men.

It will all be good in the end, and if it's not good, it is not the end. But then again, we do know that it is not the end that is near, the future is.

Because your name is Texas, and because of the vast horizons that guarantee nothing.

Because Lady Gaga is our home girl. And little monsters should always stay strong.

* Three Months Later *

You are an engineering nerd, and I assume you work all the time
Yet your handsome stature, your boyish charm, is surely worth the climb

The reason I behave as I know you, is because I see
So much of me in you, or so much of you in me

That shadow of a smile, waiting to burst into laughter
Unruly curls, as extensions of thoughts of similar character

A sense of humor, unintentionally entertaining, not really witty
Sparkling eyes, striving still to replaced judgement with curiosity

Communicative, attemptingly pedagogical, we try to make sense
With a contagious enthusiasm, luring people to our side of the lens

Yes, intelligent eyes, the mirrors of a soul and widely seeing
Injecting in its spectator a sense of confidence, calm and well-being

Rich in knowledge, accumulating wisdom. Hard to impress
But lightly amused. Difficult to catch, but easy to undress

Likeable, from the relaxed way in which we move around the world
experiencing life on a different level, another spin, a smoother swirl

Learning from mistakes, and not really knowing what to believe
being happy for each day of health, and the developments we achieve

Yet, my heart beats louder than yours, words flow freely in abundance
A longer way for you to go, tracing unknown paths of emotional distance.

Because we should never underestimate the influence the Ocean has on our future plans. And because we've been in love one hundred and fifty times or more, but meeting you made us realize we'd never been in love before.

Because the reason cigarettes look so sexy and seductive in photos and film is because we can't smell or taste it. Or in the words of our western Yogi Richard Hittleman;

"Since we all know very well that smoking holds no value for the human organism, that is, the body certainy does not require nicotine and tar for its well-being, we can classify the habit as largely a nervous one. /.../ Coal tar and nicotine taste good after heavy, rich, devitalized, acid-forming foods. But cigarettes will hold little attraction following a meal that has been composed largey of life-force food."

And because you are still pretty handsome for someone being prone to nervous habits and a devitalized diet.

Because men who attempted to climb Mount Everest in 1924 apparently knew how to do so in style. Especially, top level far right and bottom row second from left.

And because it is much easier to remember that the world's highest mountain is nearly 9 kilometers high, rather than 8850 meters (2 meters more than first thought).

Because you are the person you take the time to become, and what most people seem to miss is that time is the only common nominator among us. And because you seem to know how to spend it, loosing yourself in a beautiful moment.

For the phrase; "... this love doesn't fear neither hate nor rage, it does not hide unarmed at home, but runs the streets and opens all closed doors."

Because you are obviously a cool guy and because personal integrity requires rebellion at some point. And because right moral over rules stupid laws, although society is (in general) sane and rational. We also picked-up that parrots are the only other species besides humans who enjoy moving rythmically to music and are able to speak, even if former Chairman of the Nobel Committee Prof. Wigzell did not go into the details of the neuro similarities that would explain this behaviour.

Because, wow. Because few things are as gorgeous as lusterous curls. Because your talent emerges out of working with other talented individuals. And because people talk about wanting a piece of the cake, failing to see that the cake is all over the place. And it seems like you see the importance in understanding what is going on, that the only two things you need to change the world is imagination and a smart phone, and in order to be irreplaceable one must always be different.

One of the more amusing incidents of this summer was when our leopard jumpsuit was out in the Brooklyn night. A guy at Daddy's comes up and says he has made a bet with his friends and wonders if we could change clothes. It sounded like fun and we go into the bathroom together where an exchange of jeans, t-shirt and a significantly more festive outfit is made. As we return, half the establishment is wondering what the hell just happend. The guy, Matt from Pennsylvania, has The Time of His Life and his friends are most impressed. After a while it becomes rather boring to stand around in a pair of Levi's while someone else is living it up with the leopard, so we go back the restroom. Undressing once more he then says, "I can't believe we haven't made out yet." We were very tempted to say that "That's our line", but sometimes words are unnecessary.

Because even if the image is blurry, your charm shines through. And at a lecture on Delivering Happiness we learnt that this wonderful feeling residing in our bodies comes from perceived control and perceived progress, connectedness, core values, a vision and a higher purpose.

Although clearly beautiful, we are slightly sceptical to the choice of sweater. Maybe you made a minor error in the closet, or as our old American man of choice, Russ Ackoff, would say:

One never learns from doing things right because, obviously, one already knows how to do it. What one derives from doing something right is confirmation of what one already knows. This has value, but it is not learning. One can only learn from mistakes, by identifying and correcting them. But all through school and in most places of employment we are taught that making mistakes is a bad thing. Therefore, we try to hide or deny those we make. To the extent we succeed, we preclude learning. Furthermore, there are two types of mistakes: errors of commission, doing something we should not have done; and errors of omission, not doing something we should have done.

Needless to say, a theory much applicable to the field of romance too.

Because classic beauty and beards always makes us happy. And because we could re-name this blog to I wanna make out with you (yes, you) all the time. And because substantial matters of the heart bring out the poets in us.

Oh hey, hi, it's me again,
just calling to see if things have changed in the land of men.

What have you been up to? How do you do?
Do you ever think about me, the way I do of you?

Meaning: do I appear at night when it is time for bed?
Do I greet you in the morning when natives of dreams from daylight have fled?

If all minds are connected, and they surely are,
we've already been travelling together wide and far.

I especially like when you go off exploring Paris on your own,
the strangeness of Kansas City or your gigabit excitement in the Tokyo hi-tech zone.

I hope you enjoy the smell of autumn in Stockholm town,
on adventures in my pocket as the coloured leaves fall down.

I want your inner world, I want your soul,
I want your arms, your heart, your age as it turns old.

But the future comes but a day at the time,
every hour sweeter, minutes are sublime
bringing me closer to an era when you'll be mine.

Because, like a Hugo Boss fragrance ad, "we don't expect sucess, we prepare for it". And whatever troubles may be on pretty Bo's mind, he ought to know that there is nothing left to worry about.

Because "again, all that one can hope for is an open market. Boredom has always played more of a role in human history than we are prepared to admit. And we should never underrate the boredom induced by empty ideas pretentiously paraded". Jerome Bruner wrote those wise words, very applicable to people who, much like ourselves, are in love with love. However, we do experience a conflict between empty ideas vs. gut feeling (there is no doubt in our mind where you belong). But, point taken.

Because Brazilians will always be the lovers of the world. And, "living successfully in a world of complex systems means expanding not only time horizons and though horizons; above all, it means expanding the horizons of caring", to quote, what is bound to be our new bible, Thinking in Systems. It is by our new favourite woman, Dana Meadows, who also writes:

Don't Erode the Goal of Goodness
/.../
And so expectations are lowered. The gap between desired behaviour and actual behaviour narrows. Fewer actions are taken to affirm and instill ideals. The public discourse is full of cynism. Public leaders are visibly, unrepentantly amoral or immoral and are not held account. Idealism is ridiculed. Statements of moral belief are suspect. It is much easier to talk about hate in public than to talk about love.

Because smiling, happy Swedes are rare, and we also believe that anything is possible if you put your mind to it. However, current research show that optimism, instead of being a virtue, it is a brain malfunction. Another term could be folk-psychologically insane.

Our thesis supervisor have given us a small stack of Jerome Bruner books on narratives and story-making and with titles like Actual minds, possible worlds, we are enjoying every page of it. In Acts of Meaning he pretty much, in his own meta-academic manner, sums up a lot of our feeling-driven behaviour;

But we also know that desire may lead us to find meanings in contexts where others might not. /.../ This reciprocal relation between perceived states of the world and one's desires, each affecting the other, creates a subtle dramatism about human action which also informs the narrative structure of folk psychology. When anybody is seen to believe or desire or act in a way that fails to take the state of the world into account, to commit a truly gratuitous act, he is judged to be folk-psychologically insane unless he as an agent can be narratively reconstructed as being in the grip of mitigating quandary or of crushing circumstances. It may take a searching judicial trial in real life or a whole novel in fiction to effect such a reconstrual. But folk psychology has room for such reconstruals: "truth is stranger than fiction."

Because a tan and stripes is a very good combination. And with that cool air of an American dude, it reminds us of the male character from One Day, David Nicholls' best-selling love story which contains several grains of truth.

He wonders if he still might tell her that he loves her or, more tentatively, that he 'thinks he might be in love with her', which is both more touching and easier to back out of.
/.../

He picks up the phone. He is frankly drunk now, and with drunkenness has come the old compulsion: to say something stupid to an attractive woman.

And from the leading lady;

'Dexter, I love you so much. So, so much, and I probably always will.' Her lips touched his cheek. 'I just don't like you anymore. I'm sorry.'
/.../

'Oxfordshire. Very nice,' she said, privately mortified at the speed with which initimacy evaporates, to be replaced by small talk. Last night they had said and done all those things, and now they were like strangers in a bus queue. The mistake she had made was to fall asleep and break the spell. If they had stayed awake, they might still have been kissing now, but instead it was all over and she found herself saying; 'How long will that take then? To Oxfordshire?'

Because we love a casual tree climb, Brooklyn boys and the occasional tequila can in a world coloured by shades of blue.

Because sweet Swedes are even better when they are in California, explain their choice of education to parents through pie charts and have worked in Botswana. We do have a rule against younger brothers, but when they are this charming, we just want to share.

Because you look kind and curious, have a beard and hairy arms. It seems like your passion chooses you and that you might know what is done in an ideal world vs. what is practical to do right now that will add value to your life.

Because we adore dark curly hair, leather, extravagant wall paper, potato chips and Reese's peanut butter cups.

And because research has shown that the answer to the question "Do you like the taste of beer?" is more predictive than any other of whether you are willing to have sex on a first date.

Because in California we've learnt that a key to prosperity is to replace judgement with curiosity and create a lot of ideas worth stealing. We've also understood that ideas are cheap and that execution is key, that you can solve a lot of problems using post-its and that ambition levels are contagious. Most things are in flux and the only thing you can (aim to) control is your own excellence. It is better fail than to do nothing at all, or rather, fail fast to succeed sooner. The success of others will reward you too. Greater challenges offer more space for innovative solutions. Bedroom eyes, prominent cheek bones and all the things you do will connect in the end. That's why you should be as open and exploratory as possible.

So, the heart and brain has never experienced a greater disconnect. Maybe that's why we see hidden messages in books on Silicon Valley entrepreneurship and the strategy of investors; "Why would they tell him "no"? He might improve the idea or his team, or some other investor might get excited and then those on the side line would swarm in and create a frenzy. Or, who knows, if not this time, his next idea could be a winner. Might as well keep the door open."

In a sense it feels like we've open the door to Pandora's ballroom and are left with a refreshing lack of interest in all other men and a completely new appreciation for Whitney Houston songs. Contrary to Groucho Marx, we wouldn't want to belong to a club that would not admitt us as members. And contrary to all logic, we remain firm believers in magic and happy endings.

In art, as in life, perspective is most difficult and perception of beauty entirely individual.

At least Ashton is still handsome and share our idea of romance.

Because we don't know it yet, but a year from now we will meet
and I will say:

Som jag känner för dig är det som att du ser
igenom mig, och allt, eller att jag ser igenom allt när jag är med dig. Eller inte ser igenom, utan ser det som det är.
Det blir så tydligt vad som är världsligt och vad som berör.

Sen upplever jag också dig som en glimmande klimp av kattguld som man bara vill linda in i siden och sy in kavajfodret närmast hjärtat.

and

Jag behöver vara med dig 
för att förstå att jag inte behöver vara med dig.
Det är när ditt tomrum ersätts av förhoppningar
av vad som kunde vara som jag blir förvirrad.
Går vilse från nuet.
Fast allra helst vill jag vara i dina armar.
Fast. Där finns inga arma tvivel.

And you will say:

Var med mig hur du vill, närsom.
Ge mig bara fler tid och plats.

And then you'll say:

Jag är en reflektion av den du vill att jag ska vara, den jag har skapat, den jag inte kunnat göra något åt, den som sipprar ut och den som är kvar, den som var där från början och den som kommer att bli. Jag är det man ser och luftslottet som byggs utifrån det.

Det som skulle kunna vara är så mycket större än det som är. Och jag känner mig ibland oftast så otillräcklig + frånvarande.

Skuldsatt gentemot dig.Inte i fas. Darling adventure or nothing. Är inte bra på nyanser.

Du är mig ett tryggt förvar. Något att hålla i hårt.

And then we'll say:

Vi är ju, väl?

Vi är.

They met at the Swedish Chamber of Commerce's crayfish party. To him, a casual affair. Forgetting that's how all great love stories begin.

Give us 140 characters and that's the story. We've met a man who we could, and have, easily write the world's longest novel on his virtues and beauty, how calm and beautiful he makes us feel, and how in our heart of hearts we just know that two old souls has met again. Of course, this freaks guys out. We ought to know that by now. But we are humans, acting in self-interest, sometimes stupidly so, and if our romantic pursuits have come to anything it is courting this man until he realizes that his future happiness depends on it. Frankly, my dear, we have never been so sure of anything before.

Because Midnight in Paris is a delightful cliche of a French-American relations. And because French people define who they are by what they do outside of work and Americans define who they are by what they do at work. And because French people take food seriously and sex lightly while Americans take food lightly and sex seriously.

And because Woody Allen's Hemingway pour out unbeatable prose like;

"All men fear death. It's a natural fear that consumes us all. We fear death because we feel that we haven't loved well enough or loved at all, which ultimately are one and the same. However, when you make love with a truly great woman, one that deserves the utmost respect in this world and one that makes you feel truly powerful, that fear of death completely disappears. Because when you are sharing your body and heart with a great woman the world fades away. You two are the only ones in the entire universe. You conquer what most lesser men have never conquered before, you have conquered a great woman's heart, the most vulnerable thing she can offer to another. Death no longer lingers in the mind. Fear no longer clouds your heart. Only passion for living, and for loving, become your sole reality. This is no easy task for it takes insurmountable courage. But remember this, for that moment when you are making love with a woman of true greatness you will feel immortal. "

Possibly the most insightful/over-analytical rejection we've ever recieved.

Sunday, August 21, 2011, 02:45 am

Dear xxxxx. It makes me very, very sad that whatever mis-communication we've had has been received in a certain way. I think you are one of the most beautiful, interesting and intriguing people I've met. All I want to do is to have you for myself an kiss you in the shadows of the skyscrapers. I feel a rare connection when I look into your eyes, but maybe that is an illusion. Please let me know if I'm right or wrong. Silence will be translated in 'fuck off". X

Sunday, August 21, 2011, 01.23 pm

Xxxx --


You are a darling. Your honesty and "just do it" or "just say it" approach to life are remarkable. I really respect and appreciate these qualities in you. Your positivism is as well 'super awesome'.


Yes, I think there has been some miscommunication between the two of us. I did always feel something special (different might be a better word) with you. You are weird across the board though (even weirder than me I dare say; which is saying something) and so...I just took it as part of that weirdness. I'm not sure. I think (the whole eye thing) was me trying to perceive what the fuck you were thinking. One minute I would think that you liked me but then the next I would think that you thought all that I was a facade and behind it all there was in actuality nothing (of respect); to which you reveled in knowing that I was but a fraud. I'm exaggerating but needless to say I had no idea what you thought and after a while I just didn't fucking care because I basically thought you were insane (and I know who I am and I am increasingly resilient to not caring what other people think of me). I I left it because relations between the two of us normally were fine. There wasn't anything that affected our relationship as friends or as 'professional colleagues'. Beyond that, whatever else that was going on in your head just didn't feel worth the effort of trying to figure out or perhaps more appropriately it didn't feel worth the effort because it seemed like literally like an unsolvable riddle. I apologize for not being more forward in communicating this sense of confusion. You seem like a smart girl so I felt like you must be semi cognizant that you were giving me messages that were all over the board. So, as it turns out it is all just your sense of my humour and my poor sense of humour as you like to think just wasn't able to interpret or pick up on that humour. Anyway....


So...I don't really want all this to interfere what we do have. To be clear, no, I don't want to make out. But I do want to hang out. You're great and I think you know this. Know it better than ever.


=> When would work for you to go check out this Thoreau Centre this coming week?

all the best,

Xxxxx

Because you look like a complete air head and sometimes it's refreshing to just look into a pair of doozy eyes and admire sun-kissed curls, instead of redefining sovereignty, governing a melting Arctic or moving towards a reappraisal of economic thinking.

Because we would like to go camping and fill the summer with sporty activities such as skinny dipping, tennis and mini-golf. And because bearded beauties like you should not be allowed not to smile at all of life's wonder.

Because now we know never again to ask DJs to play "something you can dance to", but we can't help the fact that blue-eyed sweethearts like you makes us fall in love faster than a three minute song, even if the soundtrack is too slow to shake our bodies to.