Moving house

No, I have not stopped blogging altogether. Instead, I have been busy moving house. Packing boxes, moving boxes and unpacking boxes. Not the most exciting mental stimulation perhaps. As I stand there, up to my ears with boxes and furniture all in the wrong places, I suddenly realise what a great analogy for life a house move is. Have you ever cleared a house after a deceased parent or grand parent that had lived in their house for a long time? 50 years in the same house does no doubt collect some stuff, usually in the loft and in every corner of the basement. Regular house moves are good chances to both mentally and physically close one chapter of life and start on the next.

When Clive Woodward took over England Rugby he described the process as ‘cleaning the garage’. You take everything out of the garage, clean the floor, and then you return only the things that you need. For some this is a really scary process and for others, me included, it is very satisfactory. It means we can get other new and exciting stuff into the garage!

I wonder though what a mental house move would be like? Imagine that you could stop for a while and be able to pack all the thoughts, values and principles as well as knowledge that you carry around in boxes. Or you could actually choose to clear some of them out. Dump them at the nearest brain station. What would get to stay? What would you then start filling your new house with?

I think I have had it for a while now with physical house moves. A regular mental one I reckon could be a good idea though! I would hate for somebody to have to clear my brain out 50 years from now as I can only too well imagine the kind of rubbish they would find!

The top 5

I was asked by a journalist today to put together my list of top 5 courses on the continent of Europe. That means outside of Great Britain and Ireland. As I sat there reflecting I felt I just couldn’t do another list of great course. Anybody could do that by checking previous lists and and adding a bit of their own experience. That just did not feel right. And besides the number of courses that I have played in Europe is limited. I tend to experience golf courses from the sideline. From the rough, outside the ropes or just on a decent distance away from where the playing takes place.

Therefore I turned into John Cusack. You know, when he plays the lead character in High Fidelity. The film based on Nick Hornby’s excellent book. He spends his days producing top 10 lists and does not really care about the fact that the customers in his record store are more interested in their own lists than buying his albums. I did my very own top 5 list of European Golf courses! It won’t tick everybody’s box but it will be unique to me!

As I slowly come to think about my new job, starting in early October, that uniqueness is something I come back to. How do you make Sweden’s Elite Performance in Sport the best in the World? There is only one way. It has got to be unique!

And if you wonder what is unique with Sweden, Google the Daily Show + Sweden. Jon Stewart discusses the fears of America turning into Sweden. Simply hilarious!

And my list? Check the next edition of Golf World!