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.