Sara Hammerzmith

Ah. It is indeed, I will admit, kind of nice to wake up and the sun is shining on the outside, and more importantly perhaps, to actually step outside and it is warm! We headed down to the cafeteria to have some breakfast and trying to plan out what we were gonna do today. There was a nice shopping mall a bit down the street from where we lived, and we decided to head over there, which turned out to be a great decision.

I was asked by my dear friend Sofia to pick up a perfume for her, and the shoppingmall had it! And if that wasn’t enough, I also picked up on a top and a belt. Both on sale, to make it EVEN better.

Once out of there, we headed over to a park, George English Park. It was a nice walk around the water, conquering some gyms and just spending time outside in the amazing sunshine and heat, something we don’t have a lot of here in Europe right now.

Toward the night we found the greatest of restaurant just down the block from where we were, where we enjoyed a nice meal and spent the rest of the night packing most of the things, because tomorrow my dear friends, the embarkment of the ship was happening!

// Sara

I’ve spent most of my days working, packing and organizing for upcoming trips. For the next trip I’m making, it is something like three trips in one, I pretty much come home just to change my bag. So how convenient then, that I’ll actually prepare myself well and make sure I pack all the bags BEFORE I leave for the first one.

Might sound a bit too much for the average person, but I know for sure myself I’ll thank myself so much once I land after the US and just have to move the toiletries to the Lady Gaga bag and not think of anything else, and more importantly between Civil War and the US, where I’ll probably be stressed as heck instead.

So essentially, I need to start thinking about what I’d wear for Toto and Lady Gaga already now, which feels surreal to me. I haven’t even gotten around to properly pack US yet, but I guess it’s a different story with that, am I right?

My playlist these days, aside “Sign of the Dragonhead” consists of the bands playing the cruise. I better listen through them all, so I don’t end up missing out on something great. Like I’ve done a lot in the past.

Oh, touring preparations. Oh so fun.

// Sara

Leave’s Eyes new album is currently on my table, and it’s looking promising so far actually! I’m intrigued to dig deeper into it.

Besides all the preparations for the trip coming up, I’ve gotten around to deal a little bit with my apartment. A long time, very long time ago, my parents got me these vinyl shaped bowls, which I really wanted, but at the end of the day, I had no idea what to do with.

Gladly, with my new place, they are coming right to use. The smaller one I use in the bedroom, and the smaller one in the kitchen, and I store them to hold teabags actually. I carry quite a few different teaflavors, and it’s always a hassle not only deciding but then go and get the box to pull it out, so I’ve gotten myself the luxury to have a few bags of every box in both of the bowls, so I can easily take or choose one when I need it.

On top of that, my new set of coasters, also vinyl shaped, arrived the other day, so if I only find the light green one, I now carry around six of them, which should be enough at least for a while! I plan to get more as time goes by, as I like the luxury of just randomly having them placed all over where they are needed, thus I don’t need to think about it all. I got dashing colors this time, so I am very very happy!

The place is starting to feel more and more like a home. And I love that.

// Sara

Brothers of Metal is pretty much the only thing that is currently going on repeat, as I’m working  A LOT these days to make some extra cash before crossing the Atlantic Ocean, and it seems to me that Brothers of Metal is the only thing that works for me in the background, which also inspires me to work more.

But with that said, I can’t believe it’s only about two or three weeks left until I see Gloryhammer and Civil War in Vosselaar, and after that it’s just one mere day or two before we take off to the US! It’s coming so close so quickly that I don’t even know what to do. I started packing, but I sense the travel fever hitting the better off me already… but I’m sure it will solve itself very soon.

And I’m still all too pumped about festivalseason. Before I leave for the US, I need to pack a bag for Toto and Lady Gaga, so as soon as I come home, I can simply repack everything (the hygiene products) in a different bag and then head back to Stockholm. It’s going to be sooo much going back and forth, but that is what happens, right? Ah, tourlife.

Today we’ve been celebrating my mothers birthday. She’s turning 57, and it was great popping over to celebrate it and to catch up on the latest.

// Sara

Another day has passed, and whole first week of January has passed! And we all survived! Or at least I did.

United States is creeping closer as we speak, and I’m starting to put together our initeray for Miami. Looking around the state, where are in fact the thing we wanna see, where should we stay, you know, the normal things. Because why not, right?

Other than that, I still have this really weird hype for the festival summer. I can’t wait for it, like, at all. Which doesn’t make any sense, I have so many shows to still go to just in January and February, and I’m thinking about things happening in June, July and August. It’s crazy.

But probably, this comes from the fact I know I will have the greatest of times at the festivals, because I always do, and that is what I love the most.

The festival seasons, and the tours, and everything, may just come.

// Sara

For some reason, completely out of nowhere, I got so excited for festivalsummer. Because clearly, I cannot focus on one thing at a time.

I guess this comes from my boss speaking of vacations the other day, and me and Niki starting to hype a potential Lordi camp at Masters of Rock, that I’m just looking forward to it soo much, I can’t even deal with it. And I’m even going to sort of a festival in just three weeks, so I should take a chill pill, but it feels like this years festivals might be different, in a way, and I like that.

I’ll be going out to our wilderness store some day now, to look for a new matress and sleeping bag. I want something smaller and lighter that I can bring on my backpack, and my sleeping bag I had for so long it’s sort of time you know.

But oh, I have so many great things ahead of me. I am truly blessed.

// Sara

Today has been a real good and productive day. It feels like I’m finally just like that snapping back into work and everyday mood, which I am so grateful for. I have managed to pick up quite seriously on my training again, which is beyond important for me. To finally get back to that.

I applied for my first job in forever, and even got a lot of work done today. Not as much as I might have wished for, but still good enough.

The evening was spent with Linn, it was way too long since we last saw each other, so we got together, went to the store, bought and cooked some tacos for some cozy tacos time. Hours of talking about music, festivals, experiences and good food, was a great evening to say the least, that ended way too soon, but I’m sure we will do it soon again!

And that aside, I just keep working and prepping for United States. So soon!

// Sar

It’s been three days into January and everything feels like a mess right now. I guess it’s because I have a lot of big, and perhaps too many big trips planned as of now and too many big decisions to make all at once, and what hasn’t really helped is the lack of a calendar, as it is in a way my best friends – when I get too much to think about or too many decision to make all at once, my brain shuts down.

Writing things down in a calendar helps a lot, and what helps me a lot is the fact I can cross of things on a list, I guess it is in a way a reward kind of system where I can see how much I accomplish in a day and I try never to overdo it. Which is very very helpful, I’m glad I started that.

With that said, I should probably get on with it!

// Sara