Visiting TV4 Förkväll

The wind has finally settled down in Stockholm and the stars are shining in the sky. We're back to the prison/hostel after another eventful day.

Today, we were able to visit the set of a tv show:



We were informed that we could be at the taping of TV4's show Förkväll today. A message came that we were to meet Jenny and the gang over at the TV4 building. We got there about thirty minutes late due to a traffic jam on the E20.

We got into the building and found out from the women in the reception that the taping of the show was actually in another building near the central station.

Oh, and by the way, the show starts in 15 minutes. Uh-oh.


The wrong TV4 building.

Back to the car we went. We programmed the GPS unit and it got us there part of the way, but we went into a tunnel and it died. We navigated our way to a parking garage and made our way to the central station.

Problem.

We didn't know where the Royal Viking hotel was exactly, since the women at the TV4 building only told us the name of the building but nothing more. As we were hurrying down the street, I asked a gentleman if he knew where it was located. He did and he was headed in that direction. He offered to walk with us there and we followed him.

When we arrived, it was about 5:25 pm and the program had been running for almost thirty minutes. The guy at the desk helped us out by calling up to the tv control room and they sent down a woman named Mollie to take us up to the recording studio.

Mollie gave us a spirited hello and led the way to the elevator. We chatted on the way up, as she was interested in hearing where we were from and how we ended up coming to the studio that night. She was very nice and quite energetic, running around the studio making sure things were the way they should be.


Mollie, our intrepid guide.


Studio - this way!

We were led through the corridors of the studio and Mollie let us know we should feel right at home. She offered us a place to put our bags and told us there was food around the corner if we felt like having a little bite to eat.


Mmm, food!


Notice there was a bowl of candy included with the food. It's everywhere! YES!!

As we rounded the corner, we saw Jenny sitting in the hallway waiting for the proper time to be interviewed. Jessi and Anja sat down to chat while I explored the studio setup with Mollie's help.


Jessi and Anja chatting with Jenny.


Make-up room.


Sound room.


The room where the studio workers sit and watch the live broadcast.

Afterwards, I rejoined Jessi and Anja and Jenny. A few minutes later, Mollie also sat down to chat with us for a few minutes. We had a nice conversation about our favorite books and music while we were waiting for Jenny to record her part of the program.


The curtain that leads to the studio.

Jenny was called into the studio and we waited in the hall. I munched on a sandwich and the three of us waited to watch the interview on a tv situated in another area of the studio.


A close-up of Jenny's book and CD during the interview.

The interview took place and I watched a little bit on the screen. People who worked on the show were walking in and out of the area and it was a little difficult to hear the interview, so I wandered off into other areas of the studio, such as the control room and sound room.


Studio crew watching the interview.


Mollie and another woman from the crew watching Jenny on screen.


Anja and Jessi posing for the camera.


The control room during the broadcast.


Control room screens.

I'm not sure how long the interview actually took, but immediately after everything was over, the studio crew started breaking down the set. The set isn't actually permanent. It's built on the set of a functioning bar, so they have to break it down so the bar can serve customers later on in the evening.

It was incredible to see just how fast the set was broken down and pulled apart. The show ended with the guests sharing the meal that was cooked on set. All the guests shared the meal and chatted, while the studio crew took down the set. They worked amazingly fast. Jessi, Anja, and I had to move quickly to get pictures of the set before it disappeared out from under us.


The guests mingling with the hosts and sampling the cooking.


Studio camera on set.


One of the studio cameras with list attached.


A close-up of the list that was attached to the camera.


The interview couch.


Breaking down the set.


The carpet is gone in a flash.


The lights need to be taken down too.


Time to turn off the sound board.


And stack the chairs.

I was mesmerized by the skills of the crew, both during the show and after the show was over. Everyone was very professional and very kind to us. People were running here and there and in every direction down the hallways and through the rooms, but they took time to let us know what was going on and where things were. They made sure we felt comfortable every step of the way, even though they had a program to film. Thank you for that!


Anja getting photos.


Jessi taking film.


A happy Sara on the set.

Afterwards, we were able to sit down with Jenny for a little while and talk about the album. Jenny asked us what we thought and we let her know about the songs we liked best and the songs we weren't so fond of. We discussed a little bit about the album artwork and the recording dates for the songs. We asked questions about this and that and Jenny kindly answered.


Jessi and Anja speaking with Jenny after the interview was over.

Jenny was waiting on her ride for the trip back to Gothenburg, so we spent a little time walking around the streets and chatting about general things. Again, we talked about our lives and told little anecdotes about ourselves, while Jenny contributed her own stories to the mix.

We were able to say hello to Simon, Terese and Staffan before they piled into the car for the trip back. We said our goodbyes once again and wished each other safe travels back to Gothenburg.

The last time you did this...

Once the first two interviews were finished up, Jenny stopped by the the table and offered us something to drink again. We thanked her and said, "Yes, please!".

Jessi got an espresso. Anja got fizzy water and I got some tap water.

During the second interview, a woman from the office came in and placed a plate beside Jenny. The plate had a sandwich and fruit on it. Once the interview was over, the sandwich and fruit were still sitting there.

Somehow, the plate migrated to our table.

Jenny asked if we were hungry and we said we were slightly hungry, so she grabbed the sandwich and started slicing up pieces for everyone. She grabbed some plates and there we were, having a little snack and chat with Jenny.

It seems everytime Jenny and Jessi meet, Jessi ends up getting an offer of food. Today, Jessi mentioned a memory from the last time they met. Jessi mentioned that the last time this happened, it reminded Jessi of the song "Let Us Break Bread Together."

We chatted about general things, about the website, the album. Anything that came to mind. Jenny did most of the chatting. And we were totally ok with that. At one point she mentioned this fact and asked us about ourselves and our lives. So we chatted a bit about that too.

Jenny asked if we wanted anything for the website or the blog. Yes, please! I asked her to make another little clip for the blog. I mentioned the light problem last time and Jenny grabbed the lamp hanging over the table and directed it towards herself. She made such a face and such funny comments, I couldn't stop laughing. I had a hard time composing myself again actually film the clip.

So, here is the clip: Jenny saying hello and talking about her day today:



We were finished eating and there was another interview coming up that Jenny had to attend to. This one was a live interview with a radio station via phone.


A live interview on the phone.


But, before that happened, she taught us an icebreaker game. We didn't have time to play it together, but Jessi and Anja gave it a little go afterwards.

The game goes something like this: One person puts a toothpick in between their teeth. They come up with a noun and tell the person to their left. They tell a verb to the person on the right. The person with the toothpick in between their teeth then says the phrase to a fourth person. The fourth person then has to guess what the first person actually said.

When Jessi and Anja actually tried it out, I was laughing so hard I could barely take pictures. Then, Jessi has the bright idea to take two pieces of gum and make teeth.

Here is visual proof of their antics:





So, the office was about to close and Jenny had to go to rehearsals. We went back out of the office and onto the street. Jessi mentioned the fact that we hadn't been able to get ahold of the album yet and Jenny proceeded to open her suitcase. She pulled out three CDs and handed one to each of us. So very very cool.

We thanked her and she again apologized that we weren't able to into the Expressen XL event. We said our goodbyes until the next time.

Whew! And that was today...

Now we're back at the hostel with our albums! Been listening to it since we got back and it's marvelous! We're trying to decide which songs we like best. Difficult!



The three of us with our album and single!

Hope you enjoyed the reports from today. :)

On the East Coast

Our road trip to Stockholm lasted about six hours. We took our time getting there. There was also a little bit of constrution and traffic in Stockholm proper, but the trip was fun. Jessi brought several mix cds to play and I found out we listen to a lot of the same music. I suppose that should come as no surprise.

Anja drove the whole way and did an excellent job. The car is a manual, so I'm not allowed to drive it. If I did, we may not get out of the driveway.

We walked to town after checking in at the hostel and saw a little bit of Gamla Stan. By the time we got down there, most places to eat were closed or closing, so we went to the 24 hours, always open golden arches. That is to say McDonalds. I usually try to avoid the McDs while in Europe, but this was an exception. We were very hungry by that point and it was open. I had a McTasty. I think that's a Homestyle burger in the US. Not sure though. Anja wore a bib for her meal. Ok, not really. She just wore it for the picture.

So, here we are this morning. Just got up. Not sure what we'll be doing today but we will find out when we get into town a little bit later.

Swedes and their sweet tooth

The Swedes love their candy and I love their love of candy. The residents of this country are number one in the world in candy consumption - 17 kilos per person per year. (That's 37 1/2 pounds for the non-Metric readers out there.)

It's easy to see why candy consumption is high. First, it's a tasty treat. Second, it's available everywhere. Third, it's in abundance. And fourth, it's really really cheap.

Take a look!







I have already bought a bag. Ok, maybe two. And I had a few pieces of candy in Karlstad. And maybe a few more tonight. But I do lose weight every time I visit Sweden, even though I eat candy like a fiend while I'm here. Maybe it can be the new fad diet. The Swedish candy diet. I'll sign up for that one. Who's with me?





Ah, candy!



A plate full for just a few dollars.

I bought a new backpack and it has a velcro strap on the outside. I've been thinking and thinking about what this strap might be good for. I think I've finally found the answer...

I want to be forever young

Whew! We just got back from a fun-filled evening. Anja, Jessi and I met up and went to pick up our tickets at the theatre. We weren't sure we had the right place until we walked around the whole building and saw the entrance tucked away in the middle of the building.

After picking up tickets, we looked for a place to eat. The closest restaurant was pizza, which was just right. Jessi was craving pizza and I haven't been able to eat any pizza yet on this trip.


Anja and Jessi waiting on our pizzas to arrive at the table.

We walked back to the theatre and I asked the woman working at the ticket window if I could stash my bag in the back of their workroom. She was very kind and said it wouldn't be any problem at all.

We picked up our programs and waited for the doors to open. While waiting, we noticed we were at the younger end of the age spectrum for this performance. Much of the audience was older than we were, although as the time went on, we saw some folks that were in our age.

The doors opened about fifteen minutes before the performance was to start and we found out our seats were in a very good location. We were on the second row, right up front. It was maybe ten feet from the stage.

It was finally showtime and the entire theatre was packed full. The theatre holds about 250 seats and every single one was taken. They even pulled out a few extra chairs for the overflow.

The play stared with Jakob walking out on stage and sitting at the piano, then the nurse came in to help the other characters into the living room of the nursing home. She had them sing songs that were easy and simple. A bit like children's songs. As soon as she felt they were ok, she left the room and that's when things got fun. The cast would chat with each other, sometimes argue, but always break out into song. They would use props such as a cane and the cover for the piano keys to create rhythm. Much of the music was with Jakob playing piano, the characters singing, and sometimes using a prop to add rhythm.

Their first song was "I love Rock and Roll" and it set the stage for the rest of the play. Many of the songs were current or new classics (Light My Fire, Mr. Tambourine Man, I Will Survive, Barbie Girl, Forever Young, Smells Like Teen Spirit, etc).

Each character had their own strong personality and sometimes they would conflict with the other personalities. Some of the humor was based upon this. Much of the humor was based around aging and getting older, with a lot of physical humor. There were many jokes about the physical sides of aging and the mental decline that comes with age.

The audience was laughing so hard at many points, the actors had to pause to let the laughter die down before they were able to continue their dialogue. The songs were placed at just the right moments in the play and delivered the proper feeling at the right time. The songs were funny, mellow, powerful, thought-provoking, jovial, and moving.

The play was mostly lighthearted, but there was also a serious side to this very funny performance. We are all getting older, and as we do, we lose some of our physical abilities. We may also lose some of our mental abilities with time. But we don't lose who we are. We don't lose our zest for life and our desire to live life to the fullest. We don't lose our memories and our stories. We don't lose our need to love and be loved. We will get old, but it doesn't mean we become useless or lose our need to hear and be heard, to love and be loved, to need and be needed.

The play is a funny way to remind us that we're all alike, regardless of age.

The play lasted an hour and fifty minutes but it felt like five minutes. The actors received a standing ovation, twice. The entire cast came out on stage twice after the play was over to receive thanks from the audience.

I was quite impressed with a part of the play that turned Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" into a moving, almost heartbreaking ballad about the fear of letting others see the effects of aging.

The entire cast was very talented in both singing and acting and it was a pleasure to watch them work. I really haven't laughed this hard in a long time. There was a funny bit every other minute, it seemed.

An excellent way to spend an evening. I can understand why it was sold out and why they are running the play again in the springtime. It's just too good to only have one season of performances.

We were not allowed to take pictures during the play, but Jakob met us for a few minutes after the play was over to take a few pics. Thanks Jakob!

Anja's picture didn't turn out well on my camera, but there are a few pics of her and Jakob as well.



Jakob on stage after the play was over, in character.


A pic of me and Jakob.


Jakob and Jessi

Time to unpack the superlatives

It's a good thing I brought my great big bag of American superlatives, because tonight I will need them to tell you the tale of Tranås.

It was nearly 5 pm and time to head back to Löfstad church. I grabbed my backpack and put only the necessary items in it. Video camera 1, video camera 2, audio recorder, webcam ,laptop, batteries, extra batteries. Check!

I strolled down the hotel staircase and the moment I stepped out onto the sidewalk, the wind cut right through me. It didn't really matter. I was too busy thinking about what I might be doing when I got to the church.

The walk lasted just five brisk minutes and suddenly I was at the door. I hung up my coat and scarf and walked into the kitchen. Then, an incredible thing happened. I was a stranger to them - some woman from the US they knew nothing about - yet they ushered me into their world and gave me a place at their table. Literally. It was refreshing and quite humbling.

We jumped into the preparations. We stood at a table just outside the kitchen and prepared sandwiches. We buttered bread, added ham, veggies, cheese, and a little dollup of seafood spread to each sandwich. And as we stood there, we learned a little something about each other.

Other volunteers were elsewhere creating centerpieces for each table in the cafe. A candle, flowers, leaves, and apples were being put together to create a colorful Autumn touch for everyone to enjoy while they ate their sandwiches and drank coffee after the program.

The sandwiches were finished and stored in the fridge, so I was given a second job of pulling out the coffee mugs and placing them on the table. There was still a lot of life happening in the kitchen. People were brewing more coffee, pulling out plates, placing food into the fridge, cleaning up work stations, etc. It was like a choreographed dance, with people weaving in and out in perfect sync.

I felt like I was in a travel show where the host visits a wonderfully unique and open place with real heart and soul. A place tourists may pass up, but in reality is the best place in town to be. I was here with people who had welcomed me in and treated me like family the moment I walked in.

Jenny would later talk about how she saw God's voice and guiding hand in moments like this one. As she spoke those words, my thoughts were immediately directed the people who make up Löfstadkyrka. And there it was. That feeling, that understanding that the Kingdom of Heaven is here and now. Among the people in this place.

The all-volunteer kitchen crew was preparing to seat about 150 people in the cafe after the performance. Ten minutes before the start of the show, 140 tickets had been sold.

I had finished up what I could in the kitchen, so I decided to take my seat in the church. Just a few minutes before showtime and the place was packed. There were a few benches in the back and some small spaces here and there. I walked up one of the rows, scanned the room, and saw a little lone seat at the front right side of the room. I asked the gentleman beside me if the seat was taken. It was free, so I sat beside him and saw he had a camera, a pencil and a piece of paper. As I pulled out all my recording equipment in preparation, he joked with me about everything I had.

The program itself was quite moving. It grabbed me like no other program. The character and atmosphere was different than the previous day. It almost seemed like the program was set to go one direction with a general program, then went a different direction entirely. Jenny raised some profound thoughts and ideas, which struck a chord with a lot of people, including myself. The longer description of the presentation will be up on The Jenny Source as soon as I get the opportunity to write and send.

Some pictures from the cafe even after the program:

(Also some video in the Bambuser feed of people enjoying the evening)

Four hours had passed from the time I opened the church door until the time I started walking back to the hotel, but it felt more like four seconds. It was the most amazing, most incredible, most heartfelt, most wonderful, fantasic time I've had in a very, very long time. See, I told you I'd need those superlatives! And not one of them was overused or unnecessary.

A mighty thank you to everyone at Löfstad for all the hospitality, the great company, and the wonderful event! It was a real blessing to be with you all tonight. You are all a true treasure in Tranås! If our paths don't meet again here on Earth, we'll meet again in Heaven - where there will be "No More Nights".