International Women's Day and a Terrible Bread Accident

Sunday 8th of March

Hello beautiful people.

Today is International Women's Day. The older I get, the more important and beautiful I think it is that we mark this day. I'm so thankful for all the female songwriters who came before me and stood their ground, and so inspired by all the amazing ones out there today. One of many is Amy Allen, who in 2025 became the first woman ever to win Songwriter of the Year at the Grammys!!

Today's song recommendations, all written by women:

• "I'm Just a Girl", No Doubt (word)
• "Landslide", Fleetwood Mac, written by Stevie Nicks (always a masterpiece, just wow)
• "Independence Day", Ani DiFranco (my go-to heartbreak song heh)
• "To Love Me", Amy Allen (the lyricssss!)

From time to time I take these impulsive trips to my grandparents. It usually happens when I feel overwhelmed and need to get away. They live in a very small town four hours from Oslo, in a house by the sea where it's always quiet. I feel like I can finally breathe when I get there.

I feel like a little kid again every time I stay with them. My grandma always rubs my feet, and my grandpa always makes the best meals. I only stayed for two days before I had to go back to Oslo.

For the bus ride home, my grandma packed me lunch. Two slices of bread with butter and cheese. This is where it gets scary, so keep reading.

My first bite was great. Homemade bread, it almost melted on my tongue. I swallowed and went in for the next one. Second bite. The bread and butter were dancing around in my mouth. Yum.

But then there was something sharp. First I thought it was a seed. I kept chewing, but this "seed" was way too hard. The more the bread and butter and cheese melted away, the more I knew this wasn't a seed. I pulled the sharp thing out of my mouth. And there it was.

Glass.

I was so scared. What if I had swallowed some? What if there was more glass in my stomach already? The rest of the day I felt like I had glass in my legs and in my stomach. I even felt something sharp in my chest and thought it might somehow have reached my heart.

I'm totally fine now. But I'm definitely going to be scared the next time I feel something sharp in my bread.

XOXO
JOA