I Spent 5 Years Illustrating 250 First World Problems, Meanwhile Taylor Swift Stole My Name

by Patrick Penrose Published Nov 13, 2025

I was at the bedside of my sick friend at the hospital. She was not getting any better.

A moment later I was in the cafeteria. Looking for something to drink. But I couldn’t find that soda I had noticed in the ads.

It was sold out. I clenched my teeth, cursed and stamp on the floor. But hey – did I cry over soda water?

Yeah, sure I did. And that was where my blog idea was born. Since then I have illustrated about 250 first world problems for people all over the world.

How does it work? People send me their problems, I let my followers vote on which one I shall pick, then I draw.

In 2016 I discovered that Taylor Swift used my name, Nils Sjöberg, as a pseudonym when writing pop songs with Calvin Harris. Definitely a first world problem. I illustrated it and it went crazy viral. In 2017 Taylor Swift buried me in her new video. I illustrated it again. And once again it went viral.

In September the blog turns five years and that’s about it, the time has come to move on with another project.

Until then, I will keep illustrating first world problems and would be happy to receive more suggestions.

Scroll down for some examples!

More info: nilsfirstworldproblems.tumblr.com

#1 The Dentist Asks Me Questions While His Fingers Are In My Mouth

I Spent 5 Years Illustrating 250 First World Problems, Meanwhile Taylor Swift Stole My Name

#2 Taylor Swift Buried Me (Nils Sjöberg) In Her New Music Video

I Spent 5 Years Illustrating 250 First World Problems, Meanwhile Taylor Swift Stole My Name

#3 I Stepped On A Wet Patch On The Floor. Now I Have To Change Socks

I Spent 5 Years Illustrating 250 First World Problems, Meanwhile Taylor Swift Stole My Name

#4 I Accidentally Turned On My Front-Face Camera

I Spent 5 Years Illustrating 250 First World Problems, Meanwhile Taylor Swift Stole My Name

#5 My Smartphone Is Too Big For My Pocket

I Spent 5 Years Illustrating 250 First World Problems, Meanwhile Taylor Swift Stole My Name

#6 The Banana Doesn’t Fit In My Banana Case

I Spent 5 Years Illustrating 250 First World Problems, Meanwhile Taylor Swift Stole My Name

#7 The Guy Next To Me Occupies The Armrest At The Cinema

I Spent 5 Years Illustrating 250 First World Problems, Meanwhile Taylor Swift Stole My Name

#8 Taylor Swift Uses My Name (Nils Sjöberg) As An Alias When She Produces Pop Songs

I Spent 5 Years Illustrating 250 First World Problems, Meanwhile Taylor Swift Stole My Name

#9 I Have To Keep Holding On To The Hood Of My Coat When It Snows

I Spent 5 Years Illustrating 250 First World Problems, Meanwhile Taylor Swift Stole My Name

#10 A Guy At The Gym Chose The Locker Below Mine, Even Though All Others Were Free

I Spent 5 Years Illustrating 250 First World Problems, Meanwhile Taylor Swift Stole My Name

#11 Stones Get Stuck In My Vans’ Shoe Soles

I Spent 5 Years Illustrating 250 First World Problems, Meanwhile Taylor Swift Stole My Name

#12 The Remote Control To My Garage Door Has Ran Out Of Battery. Now I Have To Open It Manually

I Spent 5 Years Illustrating 250 First World Problems, Meanwhile Taylor Swift Stole My Name

#13 My Glasses Are Fogging Up When I Enter The Supermarket

I Spent 5 Years Illustrating 250 First World Problems, Meanwhile Taylor Swift Stole My Name

#14 My Boyfriend Used The Last Coffee Grains So I Didn’t Have Any Coffee This Morning

I Spent 5 Years Illustrating 250 First World Problems, Meanwhile Taylor Swift Stole My Name

#15 I Can’t Decide Which Selfie To Post

I Spent 5 Years Illustrating 250 First World Problems, Meanwhile Taylor Swift Stole My Name

#16 I Could Only See Clouds When I Flew To Germany The Other Day

I Spent 5 Years Illustrating 250 First World Problems, Meanwhile Taylor Swift Stole My Name

#17 My Avocados Are Too Hard

I Spent 5 Years Illustrating 250 First World Problems, Meanwhile Taylor Swift Stole My Name

#18 I Have Too Large Calves To Wear Slim Fit Jeans

I Spent 5 Years Illustrating 250 First World Problems, Meanwhile Taylor Swift Stole My Name

#19 I’m Totally Addicted To My Iphone

I Spent 5 Years Illustrating 250 First World Problems, Meanwhile Taylor Swift Stole My Name

#20 I Always Put Too Much Stuff In My Taco

I Spent 5 Years Illustrating 250 First World Problems, Meanwhile Taylor Swift Stole My Name

#21 The Guy Sitting Opposite To Me On The Subway Has A Horrible Bad Breath

I Spent 5 Years Illustrating 250 First World Problems, Meanwhile Taylor Swift Stole My Name

#22 My Fluffy Scarf Makes Me Crazy – It Sticks All Over My Favorite Lipgloss

I Spent 5 Years Illustrating 250 First World Problems, Meanwhile Taylor Swift Stole My Name

#23 People Are Setting Themselves Down Way Too Close On The Beach

I Spent 5 Years Illustrating 250 First World Problems, Meanwhile Taylor Swift Stole My Name

#24 Someone Is Using My Netflix Without Telling Me

I Spent 5 Years Illustrating 250 First World Problems, Meanwhile Taylor Swift Stole My Name

#25 There Are Crumbs In My Keyboard So The Keys Don’t Work

I Spent 5 Years Illustrating 250 First World Problems, Meanwhile Taylor Swift Stole My Name

#26 There Are Spiders In Our Wine Cellar

I Spent 5 Years Illustrating 250 First World Problems, Meanwhile Taylor Swift Stole My Name

#27 I Got A Paper Cut And Now It Is Blood All Over The Place

I Spent 5 Years Illustrating 250 First World Problems, Meanwhile Taylor Swift Stole My Name

#28 I Can’t Hear What Radiohead’s Thom Yorke Sings, He Just Mumbles

I Spent 5 Years Illustrating 250 First World Problems, Meanwhile Taylor Swift Stole My Name

#29 Can’t Decide Which Dipping Sauce I Want For My Fries

I Spent 5 Years Illustrating 250 First World Problems, Meanwhile Taylor Swift Stole My Name

#30 I Can’t Reach The Top Shelves Of The Kitchen Cupboards

I Spent 5 Years Illustrating 250 First World Problems, Meanwhile Taylor Swift Stole My Name

#31 Even My Milk Had A Date On Valentine’s Day

I Spent 5 Years Illustrating 250 First World Problems, Meanwhile Taylor Swift Stole My Name

#32 Ipad Pro Is Too Big For The Airplane Table

I Spent 5 Years Illustrating 250 First World Problems, Meanwhile Taylor Swift Stole My Name

#33 So Many People Have Never Seen The Original Star Wars

I Spent 5 Years Illustrating 250 First World Problems, Meanwhile Taylor Swift Stole My Name

#34 The Cucumber Is Bent Like A Banana

I Spent 5 Years Illustrating 250 First World Problems, Meanwhile Taylor Swift Stole My Name

#35 When You Order At Mcdonalds And They Conspire To “Forget” A Crucial Component, Like Dressing On The Side. Pure Evil

I Spent 5 Years Illustrating 250 First World Problems, Meanwhile Taylor Swift Stole My Name

#36 Batman Hasn’t Used His Rainbow Costume Since March 1957

I Spent 5 Years Illustrating 250 First World Problems, Meanwhile Taylor Swift Stole My Name

#37 Can’t Find My Apple Tv Remote Control

I Spent 5 Years Illustrating 250 First World Problems, Meanwhile Taylor Swift Stole My Name

#38 I Can’t Decide Which Christmas Sweater That Is The Ugliest

I Spent 5 Years Illustrating 250 First World Problems, Meanwhile Taylor Swift Stole My Name

#39 Mcdonalds Has Pickles On Their Burgers

I Spent 5 Years Illustrating 250 First World Problems, Meanwhile Taylor Swift Stole My Name

#40 The Siamese Twins From American Horror Story Gives Me Nightmares

I Spent 5 Years Illustrating 250 First World Problems, Meanwhile Taylor Swift Stole My Name

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Patrick Penrose

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