Well, I have it a half-hearted attempt at a theme.  I was having to explain what bling-bling meant so many time that I decided to drop the theme as such, but instead have a party for 12 of my closest friends (5 showed up) and really spoil them.  The goal was 1000 kronor per person.  So I had a chocolate fountain and all we drank was Bollinger all night long.  And then we went to Lino and got even more drunk than we already were.  We went through several plates of fruit (chocolate fountain) and 6 bottles of Bollinger.  Markus K, Susie, and Tomas got me a lovely champagne bowl (holds 4 bottles easily), Markus B got me a bling-bling 3-Kings chain and a marzipan pig (he’s gone now).  David got me a cool christmas decoration that makes the apartment smell like lovely pine.

Here are some pictures…besides the ones that Sipho took and posted before me because I was too lazy to post my own immediately…

bling

This year Markus invited me with his family and Tomas to Örebro for Christmas Eve.  Because of the Prodestant background of the the Scandinavian countries, it means that they celebrate Christmas on the 24th of December.

Here are some photos that I took….
http://public.fotki.com/RodneyCornelius/events/katajachristmas/

I am not in any of them because I wanted to focus them and not on myself.

Here are a few as preview

Kataja Family Fun

I like the RENT soundtrack.

You should too.

That is all.

In the continuous efforts to spend these travel vouchers, I was in Zurich this weekend.  As usual, it was a nice time.  Friday night was spent hanging out with a friend.  Saturday was spent drunk at 2 parties.  And today, well thanks to global warming, it is unseasonably warm all across Europe and especially in Zurich.  So I will take the train to the top of one of the mountains, have lunch and walk around.  Yoddle a little (ever heard of “Riiicooola!”? ;), and then snap some bad digitial camera photos, and then come back and make my way to the airport.

I get back to Stockholm at 22.00 tonight which in practice means 23.00 before I get home.  But no rest for the weary…I will then have to leave out for a flight to Helsinki at 06.45 so it means I have to wake up at 04.00 and that will include a trip to Helsinki and Copenhagen this week.  And then I am home for a few days.  Maybe home long enough to go grocery shopping and cook real meals.  I need the practise…I am a bit rusty…

I hope everyone is doing well!  Hugs! 🙂

Tomorrow I shall be in Zurich.  I am excited 🙂

I am also excited to be able to buy Absolut Bling Bling tomorrow at the airport!  Yay! 🙂

Instructions: Open your WMP/iTunes/WinAmp/whatever and select ‘All Audio’. Set the setting to “Random” and write down the first fifteen tracks that start playing (no cheating!)

1. Count on Me – Whitney Houston
2. C’est Li Bon – Amanda Lear
3. Remember Tomorrow – Mo’ Horizons
4. Sexy Noises Turn Me On – Salt-N-Pepa
5. Jungle Man – Red Hot Chili Peppers
6. Pass Me By – Raw Stylus
7. The Wonder of It All (Escape 2 Gomi Remix) – Kristine W
8. Rock Your Body, Rock – Ferry Corsten
9. Let It Rain (Original Vocal Mix) – 4 Strings
10. One Night In Bangkok – Murray Head
11. News – Dire Straits
12. Reisetips/melodika – Jo Nesbø
13. Together Again – Janet Jackson
14. Alright (Ultmix) – Janet Jackson
15. Say Goodbye – Khan Feat. Julee Cruise

I woke up this morning and screamed to myself “I have to fill out insurance forms!”

I have been a local here since June 2006. And there is paperwork. Glorious, glorious paperwork! (or not)

So after 4 hours of reading and research, I have completed most forms. But hey, at the of this experience I feel covered in most areas. Because like most Americans, I choose to be overinsured 🙂

Yesterday Markus, Henrik (his brother), and I put up a new mirror. Well Henrik did most of the work. Thank goodness Henrik was there. Next week we will re-route some of the electricity. I am anticipating my new dining room table to come by the 27th. Exciting stuff. My chairs are here already so that is nice. Just found out that my new coffee table will come after my housewarming party. I bought a cheapo tv stand from Ikea, but it fits so no complaints.

And I also decided that I am going to have to renovate my apartment; however, I need to do it in the summer of 2007. Markus gave me some magazines for inspiration and actually we found a terrific color for the walls. I’ll also be installing some track lighting in the kitchen and floor lighting in the bedroom and changing the lighting in the hallway. All of this will be about 35,000 kronor (or 5,000 USD). But the value of the house will increase significantly once it is done. And for summer 2008, we’ll then move walls around 🙂

Work is going well too. I think. I walk in every day thinking I will be fired. We’ll see. Just a feeling for no particular reason…