Rawls & Me

Eclipse

noreply@blogger.com (Rasmus Karlsson) — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 17:07:20 +0000

Taking a high-speed train into the solar eclipse, I can look back on an incredible day with William in Gothenburg. Kicking things off with an hour at the gym, William challenged me to do as many chin-ups as possible. In the end, I managed 20 in one go while William did 17, but I have no doubt that he will surpass me within a few months, if not weeks.

From Järntorget, we headed over to Vapiano for lunch, followed by a swim at Pöl Harbor, which certainly reminded me how soft the heated waters of Brottet have made me. It is funny to think that many public swimming pools in Sweden originally had water temperatures of around 21 degrees when first constructed, something that many people would probably find unacceptable today. After a few refreshing laps and a visit to the sauna (all publicly available for free!), we hiked up to Keillers Park along a walkway constructed during the 1930s as part of a relief work programme.

Having had enough UV for one day, we then sought refuge at the library, where William pulled off a stunt by pretending to put his phone in my bag while in reality sneaking off to find a corner where he could play chess online. None the wiser, I was certain that he had found a good book, so I spent a couple of hours reading the latest issues of Monocle and browsing the poetry stacks before getting slightly nervous as the departure time of my train approached. Texting him, I discovered what he was up to but, obviously, I did not have the heart to be angry with him. Dropping him off at the summer chess tournament, where Anna will pick him up later, I was once again reminded that I have the best kiddos in the world.

Canvas print

noreply@blogger.com (Rasmus Karlsson) — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 17:47:24 +0000

Eighteen years ago in December, I was out exploring the North Island in a silvery Toyota Corolla. After landing in Auckland, I headed east to the Coromandel Peninsula, where I found peace by the Pacific. As a seasoned escapist, I could hardly think of a better motif to have on my wall here in Halmstad, now that the Northern Hemisphere is once again slowly turning dark.

For the moment, however, the sun is still very much here, so after spending all day in front of my laptop, I went for a coastal jog followed by another swim at my new favourite pool. Tomorrow, I am taking the train up to Gothenburg to be with William, and later this week, Eddie will be back here in Halmstad.

Matlådemåndag

noreply@blogger.com (Rasmus Karlsson) — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 16:50:53 +0000

As forecast, this Monday brought rain and grey skies – in other words, perfect weather for returning to work after the holidays. By lunchtime, I had already scheduled dozens of meetings, prepared one more lecture, and realized just how much of a crunch the coming autumn will be.

Meanwhile, Roger Pielke published a fascinating new dashboard that allows you to calculate the magnitude of the decarbonization challenge for different countries. Extrapolating into the future, it becomes clear just how important assumptions about future energy use are. On the one hand, there is spontaneous decarbonization and continued improvements in energy efficiency; on the other, there are new uses for electricity, like AI, and potentially a growing need for things like air conditioning in a climate-changed world. Running the numbers for Sweden and assuming that these opposing trends cancel each other out, replacing all fossil primary energy would require the construction of eighteen new 1 GW nuclear power plants (or a whopping 15,748 3 MW wind turbines). To achieve this by 2050, emissions would have to fall by almost 17% per year, more than twice the highest observed rate of reduction during the nuclear build-out of the 1980s.

To help with the carbon math, I at least brought my own vegetarian lunch to work today: a recipe from Tuvessonskan for mushroom ragù with white wine, thyme, and lemon zest that I will definitely make again soon.

Six issues

noreply@blogger.com (Rasmus Karlsson) — Sun, 09 Aug 2026 18:19:01 +0000

Despite frequently stopping my watch to drink, eat ice cream, or simply catch my breath under the pine trees, today’s half marathon out to Tylösand turned into a true nightmare. At least I got some lovely photos of the coast and plenty of sunshine to cherish tomorrow, when it is expected to rain all day.

A month ago, I subscribed to the travel magazine Vagabond, as they offered six issues and four Orrefors wine glasses for only 299 SEK. Just as I feared, however, travel magazines can quickly become expensive, and Linnéa and I now have an epic Francophone adventure ticketed for Christmas. More to follow in due time.

Calleth you

noreply@blogger.com (Rasmus Karlsson) — Sun, 09 Aug 2026 11:46:26 +0000

With four days together, Linnéa and I managed to swim a thousand metres at Brottet, make the complete version of my recreated SFO/Polaris salmon dish with a bottle of Dog Point from New Zealand, and drive down to Malmöfestivalen the following day for a midnight concert with The Ark.

Skolstartsluft and anticipation, with blank pages and new adventures awaiting. Right now, I am doing the laundry and planning an afternoon run out to Tylösand. Tomorrow at 8 a.m., I will be back at work, with one of the busiest Septembers on record coming up, so it feels good that Hallandsgatan now boasts a fox poster, a new bookshelf, and some ridiculously unnecessary Molton Brown hand wash in the bathroom – reinforcing that sense of home in these post-diluvian times.

Alto Molino

noreply@blogger.com (Rasmus Karlsson) — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 18:04:18 +0000

Transported back to SFO in 2019, I am experimenting with making pea purée with oven-roasted zucchini and salmon for dinner, accompanied by a new budget find from the Uco Valley in Argentina (available only as a 25 cl can at Systembolaget).

This afternoon, I finally cracked the code with the governance book and am now back to speed-making lecture slides for the autumn. I also managed to run out to Erikshjälpen and pick up a new lamp for the living room. Slowly but surely, Hallandsgatan is turning into a home after all the fires, floods, and separations.

Hovs hallar

noreply@blogger.com (Rasmus Karlsson) — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 09:44:37 +0000

Drinking coffee from my orange Santa Cruz mug, I am struck by the fact that I am much more familiar with the Central Coast in California than with our own stretch of coast here at home. To give just one example, I have never been to Hovs Hallar (where the blueberries are from), despite it being only fifty kilometres away and renowned for its natural beauty.

As I look towards the autumn, I hope to make up for my lack of local geographical knowledge. There are still so many places along the Halland and Skåne coast that I have never properly explored, and my run to Båstad alone gave me a couple of new favourites. For now, I am happy to put dreams of distant shores on hold. Still, it is unusual for me not to have a single trip to look forward to (Stockholm for work in September does not really count, lovely as it is), and with plenty of miles expiring later this year, something tells me that I will come up with something before long.

Reason prevailed

noreply@blogger.com (Rasmus Karlsson) — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 18:44:25 +0000

While still technically on vacation for another week, I have spent this Monday eating bagels and reading Elgar's Advanced Introduction to Governance for one of the courses I am teaching in September. In between, I have done the laundry, run ten kilometres in the sunshine, and ended the day with a swim at Simstadion Brottet. Open from 7 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on weekdays, it is simply incredible to have free access to a 50-metre lap pool in the neighbourhood.

In a weak moment, I briefly considered registering for the 100-kilometre edition of Halland Ultra Beach on Sunday but, fortunately, reason (and a closed registration window) prevailed. After failing to complete the Essex Way Ultra just over a month ago, I feel a bit like I did in 2022, when I simply had to run Ultravasan 90 to set the record straight.

Sydney simulator

noreply@blogger.com (Rasmus Karlsson) — Sun, 02 Aug 2026 13:35:15 +0000

When visiting Jon in Sydney, one of the things I appreciated most was the city's public swimming pools, like the Andrew (Boy) Charlton Pool next to the Royal Botanic Garden and, of course, Icebergs out in Bondi. Here in Halmstad, we have “Simstadion Brottet”, which has been temporarily closed for repairs but reopened today, something that Eddie and I celebrated with a short swim in the afternoon sunshine.

Offering free admission, it is an incredible asset to the municipality, and I hope to return a few more times throughout August before it closes for the season.

Run to Båstad

noreply@blogger.com (Rasmus Karlsson) — Sat, 01 Aug 2026 19:30:00 +0000

Heading out into the midday heat, I began my birthday adventure by exploring the non-fording option of Halland Ultra-Beach (HUB) across Fylleån in southern Halmstad, a body of water that I have crossed many times further upstream in the woodlands of Halland but now got to share with all the cyclists following Kattegattleden.

Keeping a steady pace around 5:45 min/km, I then crossed the birdwatchers' paradise of Tönninge Meadows and the golden fields beyond. After cutting the HUB ultra race short twice, I was eager to finally see the coast between Halmstad and Båstad in earnest. Not racing, I allowed myself plenty of stops, including at the most lovely garden cafè in Påarp, overlooking the glittering sea and wind-sculpted pines. After a smørrebrød, I felt energized to continue into Gullbranna Nature Reserve on highly runnable trails.

Nineteen kilometres into my run, the trail headed out onto sand dunes that quickly proved difficult to navigate and slowed me down considerably. The preceding two nights with only a few hours of sleep made the whole thing feel like some kind of SEAL training exercise as my mind drifted to Coronado, sand filled my trail shoes, and the sun kept blazing. At Hökafältet, I finally plunged into the cool water before continuing on towards Mellbystrand.

Talking to Eddie on the phone, he said he wanted to come down to Halmstad tonight, so instead of running along the beach, I followed the bike path all the way to the railway station in Båstad. Finishing the full 38 kilometres in just under four hours of moving time, I was reasonably happy with my performance and already planning another run on the Bjäre Peninsula.

Excess kilometres

noreply@blogger.com (Rasmus Karlsson) — Sat, 01 Aug 2026 07:16:27 +0000

The last twenty-four hours have been absolutely wild as Anna moved out of Ängtegsgatan and into her new apartment in Gamlestaden. Crisscrossing Gothenburg to pick up various pieces of new furniture, I got to see everything from exclusive pool villas in Askim to social housing in Mölnlycke and, by the time I finally reached Halmstad around midnight, I was beyond exhausted. Throughout it all, I had great help from Anna's brother Erik and the kids.

Unfortunately, I had to get up again at 4:30 this morning to return the truck to Gothenburg, a misery compounded by having to pay 1,700 SEK for the excess kilometres. At least I was rewarded with beautiful misty fields as July gave way to August and, now, I finally have all my things in place at Hallandsgatan.

Caractère

noreply@blogger.com (Rasmus Karlsson) — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 04:56:20 +0000

Drinking a black coffee from Pressbyrån, I am now on an Öresund train to Gothenburg, ready to help Anna move into her new apartment in Gamlestaden. Behind me lie a couple of incredible days in Bakareboda, just on the border between Småland and Blekinge, waffles with my parents in their garden in Kalmar, and an early birthday dinner at Hallandsgatan over a glass of Weszeli Caractère Grüner Veltliner.

Driving all 242 kilometres of Road 25 in a white Škoda, yesterday was a true coast-to-coast adventure, with plenty of amusements along the way, including listening to the absurd story of the 31-year-old Swede who attempted to build a nuclear reactor at home. Sticking to safer hobbies, I am planning my own guerrilla version of Halland Ultra Beach this weekend by running from Halmstad to Båstad – the section I never completed in 2024. If I succeed, I will finally have one continuous red line on my Strava heat map from Åskloster to Båstad.

3x Bakareboda

noreply@blogger.com (Rasmus Karlsson) — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 08:16:50 +0000

The Odyssey

noreply@blogger.com (Rasmus Karlsson) — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 05:25:44 +0000

Turning fourteen in the City of Birches, Eddie and his girlfriend got to walk along the river in the sunshine, revisiting all the places that once signalled home and that now, for me, mark the breathtaking passage of time. Looking through old photos, like the one above from Broparken, I am reminded of what an immense privilege it is to be a parent.

After building supertall structures at Curiosum and having dinner at Basta, we all got to watch Christopher Nolan's adaptation of The Odyssey, which spoke directly to our own times: of worlds descending into darkness, and of how violence – be it in Gaza or Ukraine – ultimately distorts our souls.

A short sleep later, we are now on SK25 to Arlanda with breakfast being served above the clouds, as my own odyssey continues. Before nightfall, I hope to be in Bakareboda, but looking back on these two days in Västerbotten, it is above all with a sense of warmth.

Norrland

noreply@blogger.com (Rasmus Karlsson) — Sun, 26 Jul 2026 18:30:00 +0000

Taking off from runway 01L/19R at Arlanda, our CRJ900 banked right and then turned sharply towards the north. Flying into sunshine, I looked down on the blue waters of the Gulf of Bothnia, thinking back on all the years when this was my gateway to the world.

By the time we were on final into Umeå Airport, the plane was surrounded by heavy rain clouds. Yet, after a couple of hours on the ground, the sun had made it up to Umeå as well, and I got to repeat my signature river run with Elin followed by coffee at Kulturbageriet – all while Eddie reconnected with his Umeå friends at Nydalasjön.

Ending the evening with pizza at Ruccola in Haga, we passed by the house on Hemvägen where we lived during our first year back from Korea. With every turn came memories of stroller walks, playgrounds, and pre-school drop-offs.

Bjäre

noreply@blogger.com (Rasmus Karlsson) — Sun, 26 Jul 2026 05:34:41 +0000

A short hop through the air later, I am back at Pontus, this time with a wooden medal after yesterday's fantastic race on the Bjäre Peninsula. While Kullaberg has always held a special place in my heart, Bjäre has remained practically unknown to me beyond a few visits to Båstad.

Running 35 kilometres on technical trails with plenty of elevation, I got to experience breathtaking views across Halland and the sea, Khazad-dûm-like bridges, and steep birch forests. Completing the first loop in just over two hours, I struggled more on the second after being stung by a wasp and accidentally grabbing an electric fence. Truth be told, the drama of the past few days had also taken its mental toll, with my heart rate being much higher than the terrain warranted. In any case, I crossed the finish line in just under five hours which, after having to throw in the towel in Essex earlier this month, felt like a small measure of vindication. With this race behind me, I am not planning anything competitive until Malmö Marathon on the third of October.

Tomorrow, Eddie turns fourteen, something he wanted to celebrate by returning to Norrland and Umeå. After all, he spent the years between the ages of two and eleven there, so it is hardly surprising that it still feels like a kind of home, even though the house has long since been sold. Having gone from outright abysmal to merely a bit rainy, the weather forecast still suggests that we will probably stay in Umeå rather than drive out to Bettnesand or anywhere similar.

Kasai

noreply@blogger.com (Rasmus Karlsson) — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 07:33:42 +0000

From the depths of Djuphavsbadet to the skyline at Kasai, yesterday had it all, including a falafel at Davidshallstorg, which has been transformed from parking lots into an urban living room for the summer. At a time when public space is becoming increasingly scarce, it was uplifting to see the trend being reversed with ping-pong tables, outdoor chess sets, and community bookshelves.

Now on high-speed train 484 to Gothenburg, the coming week will be something of a logistical puzzle, with rental cars, a 34 km trail race on the Bjäre Peninsula, a flight to Umeå for Eddie's birthday, before I finally make it to Bakareboda on 28 July.

California weather

noreply@blogger.com (Rasmus Karlsson) — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 09:54:47 +0000

After picking up some books at work, I boarded what has been my morning train for the last three years and, a couple of hours later, I was lacing up my running shoes in Västra Hamnen. Heading out into the wind in the most beautiful California weather, it was nevertheless with a heavy heart, having just learned that my long-term Umeå colleague Torbjörn had passed away. As one of our most senior professors, he was an exceptionally kind person who always took a genuine interest in the work of junior colleagues, and I know he will be deeply missed.

Sitting down for a moment at Djuphavsbadet, the vulnerability of it all was painfully apparent, reminding me of the words of Elio's father in Call Me by Your Name: "Our hearts and our bodies are given to us only once”.

Piccolo Primo Primitivo

noreply@blogger.com (Rasmus Karlsson) — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 19:11:20 +0000

Twenty-two years ago, in Vienna, I picked up a copy of Charles Baudelaire’s On Wine and Hashish at Shakespeare & Company. I remember reading it shortly afterwards in the gardens of Schönbrunn. If asked about its contents today, I am afraid I do not remember much beyond the blurb: “Wine elevates the will; hashish annihilates it”.

After finishing my second pedagogical portfolio assessment of the summer, I fell asleep on the couch earlier today, something that has only happened a handful of times in recorded history. Waking up, I felt almost as though I were jet-lagged but, eventually, managed to get my act together and head out for a five-kilometre run along the sea.

Returning home, I found a small can of Piccolo Primo Primitivo from Puglia (made from the same grape that is known as Zinfandel in California). Best served at 16–18 degrees, it reminded me that I really need to locate my copy of Roger Scruton's I Drink Therefore I Am. Yet, with every sip, geographical boundaries seemed to blur and, far from being territorial in the way that Scruton suggests, wine more often appears to transcend place and time, transporting me across continents and decades.

Elsinore

noreply@blogger.com (Rasmus Karlsson) — Sun, 19 Jul 2026 19:12:38 +0000

What better way to end two blissful days in Denmark than with a chilly swim next to Hamlet’s castle in Helsingør. With Kullen looking both familiar and oddly unfamiliar from this side of Öresund, I finally sensed an end to all the turbulence. Stopping by Værftets Madmarked for some post-swim asado and a cold lager: time for all the winding roads from eastern Småland to the world – and the solace of certainty.

A few hours later, I was back in Halmstad, where the heatwave had faded and a light rain accompanied me out to Skulpturplatsen and back on my evening run. A day on my own now awaits before heading down to Malmö on Tuesday and then back into full parent mode again.

Villa Copenhagen

noreply@blogger.com (Rasmus Karlsson) — Sun, 19 Jul 2026 15:24:47 +0000

Nuclear news

noreply@blogger.com (Rasmus Karlsson) — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 13:52:05 +0000

After spending half the day at work, I returned home, changed into my Hoka singlet, and headed out to catch some sunshine in the hope of looking slightly less ghostly. Running 15 kilometres along the coast to Grötvik and back brought my weekly total to 50 kilometres, which I think is just about perfect with next week's race on the Bjäre Peninsula in mind. And few things beat celebrating that with an iced coffee and a cinnamon bun from our local Bärlin bakery.

Before heading out, I watched an SVT news report on the new nuclear reactors being built at Dukovany in the Czech Republic. Following the Korean nuclear industry's success in constructing the four reactors at Barakah in the United Arab Emirates, it is fantastic to see the state-backed Czech utility ČEZ moving ahead with an order for two more Korean reactors "off the shelf". As Barakah has demonstrated, standardization really is the key to bringing construction costs down.

Sommarjobb

noreply@blogger.com (Rasmus Karlsson) — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 07:06:26 +0000

Swiping my key card, I find myself entirely alone at work, the usual buzz of students and colleagues replaced only by the hum of the ventilation. Picking up the ninth edition of Policy-making in the European Union, I am reminded that it was one of the books that first sparked my interest in political science at the turn of the millennium. I especially remember the opening chapters on integration theory, how the world still seemed to be coming together, and how cooperation in one domain could spill over into others.

Preparing slides for September, which I already know will be an exceedingly busy month with three courses starting at the same time and a conference in Stockholm. With the election on 13 September, we will also know a little more about what kind of country Sweden has become.

Walking to work this morning, I stopped in front of the Sweden Democrats' election posters, with their faux nostalgia and celebration of fossil-fuelled hedonism. Much as I have come to reject traditional environmentalism for its lack of global imagination, moments like that very clearly remind me where I stand. A renewed mandate for the Tidö parties would, I fear, legitimize our basest instincts and further accelerate the erosion of democracy itself.

15 months ago

noreply@blogger.com (Rasmus Karlsson) — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 06:39:50 +0000

Returning to the rolling fields of Halland, I braved the morning heat in my Hoka Rincons and ran out to the Sperlingsholm estate, greeting the horses and reflecting that it has now been almost fifteen months since I last did this run.

Though slower than that morning in April, there is clearly new hope and healing after all that has been. The last few days have been eerily beautiful, almost to the point where a warming climate makes it difficult to fully appreciate high summer. And yet, the swallows still fly high, the evenings are long, and at last there is time to talk about so many things.

Salta bad

noreply@blogger.com (Rasmus Karlsson) — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 12:39:36 +0000

Taking the ferry over to the island of Öckerö, William and I started the day with a relaxed morning hike. Stopping for a swim in Hjälvik, where the water was above 20 degrees and the horizon stretched uninterrupted towards the west, I was reminded of how much I appreciate living in this part of Sweden, even as Skåne always beckons.

Back in town, it was well past William's lunchtime, so we had to make an emergency stop at Daawat for some of the best Indian cuisine this side of Delhi. Tomorrow, I am handing over the relay to Anna for the coming week as I take the train down to Halmstad. Before that, however, I hope to squeeze in a few more runs around Delsjön.