It has been so long since I have last updated. It’s a testament to how busy I have been. But not just how busy I have been, rather how mobile I have been and the fact that it is not always easy to get an internet connection.

OK, so it has only been 7 days, but it has felt like a very long 7 days, thank you very much.

Let’s see…so the last time I wrote I was in Oslo…which was last week. Last week I had been in Finland, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden all within 6 days. It’s a very tiring thing to do in fact and I don’t recommend it. Anyway, so it is one of the reasons that I have been really tired. Last weekend Thomas over came over for Denmark to visit and that was really nice. I took Markus to see Eddie Izzard for his birthday. Eddie Izzard was really great. So the weekend had been quite nice actually.

In other news, I was told by my landlord that I had to leave the apartment at the end of the month. Apparently laws in stockholm are such that landlords can only rent their apartments for 2 years before the person living in them have “squatter’s rights”. So I basically I need a new place to live by 1 October. I looked at one place that was very central, but it had a lot of this old lady’s furniture in it and it was really cramped. So I didn’t rent it. Yesterday (Friday), I saw this beautiful one-room loft (80 sq meters). It’s in Ostermalm (the richest section of stockholm), has bay windows running long one side, the lights are remote-controlled, and I have no neighbors (the building is otherwise businesses) so I can be as loud as I want. The best part? The rent is 3000 kronor cheaper than staying where I am. I agreed verbally to take the apartment the moment I saw it. But I am going to look at another 2 apartments just to say I did. I already made a verbal contract. And the company is giving me 7000 kronor for miscallaneous moving expenses which is nice too bceause in the new flat, I plan to put in some wall dividers to provide some seperation from the rest of the loft.

So today I will be going around the city, doing errands, going to the gym and other stuff. Part of me also wants to just chill out and relax, but I don’t have that luxury….

Today I made a donation of miles from my airline frequent flyer programs where I do not have a large milage accrual and to simply hold on the milage is to not utilize them effectively. So I made a contribution from my Delta and United Airlines.

Strangely enough, the one airline where I have the most miles that I don’t plan on using — Northwest Airlines — does not have a facility to donate miles to relief efforts.

Now, all other debates aside as to whether the airlines just use milage donations as a way to get miles back from customers when they could donate cargo and passenger plans for a tax benefit on their own, it just seems strange that Northwest does not have a facility for milage donation.

I know that times are tight for a lot of people and that not everyone can contribute cash. But things like airline mile donations are a way to make a non-cash contribution.

I know that I personally will be looking for additional cash and non-cash ways to extend my commitment. For example, I set aside a targeted amount of money each year that I use for political (non-tax deductable) and charitable (help significantly with reducing taxes at the end of the year) contributions and I will shift that money around in the next couple of days. And I also know that times are tough for everyone (including yours truly), but if you have given already — great, give again. If you have already given twice — think about giving one more time. Direct your funds if you don’t want to give to general organisations like the Red Cross who can use it for purposes other than Katrina. Visit the Department of Justice for a list of honest organisations.

Anything that you can do I am sure would be appreciated.

I just finished working a 3 hour presentation that I also have to present in 5 hours. It on business compliance and risk management.

Wish me luck!

Today I am thankful for LJ in its many shapes and forms, particularly….

The thought-invoking postings of artkouros
A cool guy such as sipho84 who always provides a relaxing place to de-stress and cool company to be with in Trondheim
The artistic expressions and insights of malte
That I am getting fatter (I can feel it), but it is not showing…yet
A warm sunny day in Copenhagen
Life-long friends like sjneedham
People like garyjr whom through his postings, should feel confident that nice guys like him do finish first, as the race is longer than most us can see.

That it is soon time to make delicious pumpkin pie now that fall is upon us

I got tickets today to see Eddie Izzard. I got 6 tickets. Two of which is might give away as a birthday present. Two more pair for myself. And the remaining pair I will hold on to. I loves me some Eddie! He’s really funny.

You can see more about him at www.eddieizzard.com

Now back to work for me!