Well we are at the consluion of week two of an audit. For those who have never been audited, it is not a fun experience. Of course every company has different audit rules and philosophies on risk management, so I won’t bother to explain any of the mostly. First of all because I probably can’t. Second of all because it would be like comparing apples and sports cars. But suffice it say, I am the focal point for the organisation being audited and it is a drastically different role than being audited.

In terms of my personal future here in Sweden, it is still very unknown. I continue to build an excellent base of support for me to stay here, but it really just depends on the financials as to whether I will stay or I will have to go home. I have a number of interested parties both inside and outside my company…so I really feel as if the world is mine for the taking if I am just smart enough to wade through it. But I would really like to stay here in Stockholm. I have friends and I have established myself…I disbanded the doctrine of “Temporary Permanence” the company suggests you establish to make leaving painless. But humans just aren’t built that way.

In my lazy-guy news, I have become addicted to Desperate Housewives. The show just started here in Sweden and I am already hooked. I found myself at www.televisionwithoutpity.com to read all of the recaps for the episodes I have yet to see here in Sweden (private joke to Steve: Would CAMPER be great as a re-capper for Deseperate Housewives? Nuff Nuff…I miss her).

In other areas of my personal life, Robin’s ex came to Stockholm for a visit, so we had dinner together, hung out, and then I went to bed and they hung out some more. All goodness to me….working 80 hours a week takes the desire out of doing anything other than eating and sleeping.

I was planning a trip home this year, but since my assignment might end and i would be back in the USA anyway, I think that I will instead go to Berlin since everyone has been talking about Berlin for such a long time and it would be great to go to Germany on unofficial business.

At any rate, so ends the public update. I hope that everyone is doing well and I hope to hear from all of you soon!

Love and Hugs, Rodney

Well all I have to say is that the time has been very very busy! Last week I was in Norway for a few days and it was nice to leave Sweden for a bit. This weekend I was going to go down to Göteborg, but I decided that it was more fun to stay around, even though I don’t know what I am going to do.

In education news, I decided not to take my CISSP at the last minute, mostly due to travel but also because I have not had the chance I really wanted to prepare and study. I am hoping to take it later this year, and if I have to I will take it somewhere else in Europe.

This past weekend was OK. One of my friend’s parents died and that was not so cool. I really didn’t support him as much as I should have, but the main problem was that he wanted to go out and be social during times when I just could not afford to be social, so I called and messaged a lot to ensure that he was OK and function. I als got the opportunity to hang out with Markus and Sebastian and that was quite nice as well. It’s been a few weeks since I had seen Markus since he got a new job with Phillip Morris. It’s funny how responsibility changes people…Markus is so different now that he has a job to focus him and his energies. Robin continues to work at the Castle and be a pain in the ass from to time. Maria has married Helene and that was pretty cool even though I wasn’t there for the ceremony. And overall, things just seem to be going really well for others.

In terms of my work, it’s only getting busier and there is only more and more to do. I am looking forward to a day when I am not having 8-14 meetings a day, as I truly believe that there is no way that I can possibly be productive with so many meetings. But my new manager is really supportive of the concept that I not have too many meetings and so she has been constantly asking me if I am working too much and to not to work on the weekends.

I am also getting a wisdom tooth removed on Friday, so what few smarts I have left will evaporate. But seriously, it is time for this tooth to go, especially since I cracked it not too long ago and there is no since in saving it. I have spent about SEK 7000 on dental work so far and I have probably about another 7000 to go. Luckily I have some private insurance that should help out here, but first and foremost I have to make sure that all of the paperwork is filed. And they hate paperwork. So this Friday I have to make sure that the paperwork is completed since each procedure is considered to be a seperate service and requires seperate payment.

Other than the things above, and a rather expensive trip through Duty Free (like USD600.00 on stuff that was basically 50% off), I can’t help but think that I have been doing so much, but I am not sure that I am accomplishing so much.

Well, I am not tired of LiveJournal yet, so expect to hear more from me.

Hugs, Rodney

P.S. I am starting back into the South Beach Diet. But this time around I am creating a Phase 1.5, which is a mix between Phases 1 and 2. I know it means that the weight loss will be slower and the inches don’t fall off of your waist as quickly, it will put me back into the swing of thing to begin running 7km sprints again. And besides, Operation Beach 2005 has to begin again soon anyway. By June 30th, I need to be 10kg lighter and that shouldn’t be a problem.