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Today is that one day in a year when we turn the imaginary page of time…page 2009 in the ‘book of life and the world’ has almost been written, and all experiences of the past year are in it.

Good to know that they are stored in a safe place, in our memories…one can always look back, read and learn.

Writing things down and then turning the page also means that things can be put to rest…it’s time to go on and look towards future, something that comes naturally when you start living your life in the now, in the present…

Stefanie turns 50 tomorrow, and that means it’s PARTY time tonight! It will be a classy gala event, so everyone is dressing up…I love that!

Friends brought a special beer (Zwickelbier) on the tap…he he, I just became an official member of the Zwickel-club…yeah, it’s gonna be a great party! 😉

Nothing beats a gaming night with a friend, eh? Well, being 37 I have learned that some things ARE better, but gaming on the PS3 comes close! 😉

He he, I’m pretty sure I’m gonna beat Robbert’s ass in FIFA10, Need for Speed Shift or…Gran Turismo 5 Prologue which I just bought for him…it’s gonna be FUN!

I did my share of construction work and moving in my sister’s house the last days and will have the coming days really off! Tomorrow is gala-party night (Stefanie’s 50th) and the day after is New Years Eve, pfew already…it’ll be 2010 before you know it!!

It’s great to have time off between Xmas and New Year (called ‘romjul‘ in norwegian): charge the batteries and digest the surplus of good food during Xmas. 😉

These days are however also filled with working…working in my sister’s new house that is: she and my brother in law will move coming Saturday and there is a shitload still to be done.

The inside of the house has been totally stripped and they’re now in the building up stage; today the FIRST  floor (!) was laid, in one of the small rooms, all the other floors are still concrete…so you can imagine, there is a LOT to do! I’m happy that I can help though, he he, that’s what a brother is for, eh? 😉

Bessie A. Stanley: “He has achieved success who has lived well, laughed often, and loved much.”

Second Xmas Day started nice and quiet with a Xmas brunch at home. It was followed soon after with ‘Need for Speed Shift‘…yes, Boxing Day turned into Racing Day at Robbert’s place, now that he bought this FANTASTIC game on the PS3! The graphics are SO smooth, it’s as you’re watching a movie…the only bummer was that there is no dual-player game mode, so we were not able to play head-to-head. Oh well, it’s enough fun playing anyway!

Ho, ho, hooooo…Merry Christmas, God Jul, Vrolijk Kerstfeest y’all!
It is great to be in NL this Xmas. It has been three years ago; good to see and catch up with family and friends…true Xmas spirit!

For all the Norwegians out there: Merry Xmas, Riktig God Jul!!

We’re flying back to NL around the time that tradition in Norway ‘dictates’ the start of the big Xmas dinner, sorry for that! We compensate by bringing a homemade kransekake with us to NL, so at least we’ll be spreading a Norwegian tradition! 😉

The Norwegians, actually Scandinavians in general, seem to take every opportunity to have some more time off (probably because there really are not that many Public Holidays here) and Xmas is no exception;

December 24, Christmas Eve, is the big day that is celebrated, officially half a day off and in reality a full day. And it doesn’t stop there; the day BEFORE Christmas Eve got its own celebration…it’s called lillejulaften (Little Christmas Eve) and has became traditionally the day when the Xmas tree is put up and decorated.

And indeed…this means that half the country takes the afternoon off…smart, eh? Xmas has started!! 😉

Despite the fact that the actual ‘Global Orgasm Day‘ was yesterday, I still suggest for everyone to celebrate the event! Whether you do it today, yesterday or tomorrow…make it count and live in that moment!

He he, I said it before, make everyday a GoD! 😉

Winter officially started today and weather is truly matching expectations…snow, cold and dark!

Interestingly enough, the situation in The Netherlands is more or less the same; a bit less snow, not as cold and ‘longer’ days though. It looks like a white Xmas coming up, the first in YEARS for The Lowlands! (and I will be there to enjoy it, yay!)

I has been a pretty geeky Sunday as I have been running various software updates; the MacBook got upgraded to Snow Leopard, I finally hooked up the Wii to the WiFi and it directly started screaming for new Wii firmware (which it got 😉 ) and I upgraded my WordPress blog software to v2.9 ‘Carmen’…as I said; all-in-all a geeky Sunday update-day!

…and now, on with Inglourious Bastards! 😉

It’s cold, very cold, these days: between -15 and -20dgr C…a good test to see how warm (/cold!) this house really gets, especially since there is no other heating than the two fireplaces. Well, the fireplaces alone ain’t enough with those temperatures, trust me! 🙁

So, it was about time to get some more heat in the house and the three new electrical heaters we bought today are doing their magic right now! It feels goooood inside!

TGIF!

I just finished another long working week and am totally ready for the weekend. Just to get in the mood we’ll be going to friends to make some splendid food and most likely play Guitar Hero 5…we’ll be with four so we can make the band complete (drums, bass guitar, lead guitar and a singer)!

He he, the only thing we will lack is an audience (we might have to practice first though 😉 )!

Just a week before Xmas, it’s dark early these days, the house is Xmas proof and there is snow on the streets…

Just to get a bit more into the Xmas mood we’ll be going to a show tonight called ‘The Source: of Christmas‘. Well-known Christmas songs are played in various styles (crooner, Algerian rai, Chinese opera, cabaret song and many more) by The Source and accompanied by the Royal Norwegian Navy Band and musicians from all over the world. The Source is a jazz quartet (world famous in Norway ;)) with Trygve Seim (sax), Øyvind Brække (trombone), Mats Eilertsen (bass) and Per Oddvar Johansen (drums).

Below a clip from last years show:

Jimi Hendrix: “Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens.”

Google Video: “Peter Taylor is a renowned conservationist and research analyst. Among his many achievements, he has previously taken successful action in challenging the UN to alter it’s stance and policy regarding dumping of hazardous materials into the ocean (in other words, he cares about the environment and his research is credible). In this presentation, made at the Alternative View Conference Totnes UK 2008, he explains the conclusions of his detailed studies which indicate man is not responsible for global warming/climate change, and many of the ‘solutions’ based on this lie are the real threat we are facing (he’s not funded by oil companies).”

It’s one of the best presentations slamming global warming fears that I have seen so far…

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6613938246449800148

Cats…if you didn’t love them yet, you will now! 😉

Robbert left this afternoon, so the party weekend is over…

Well, almost: I went to see ‘The Real Choir‘ in the local cultural center tonight (already the third time for a local culture night out). It was their Xmas concert, done together with an orchestra. Jeez, this was a quality show, the singing and music were abfab and there was a nice modern Xmas tale being told.

Again, a wonderful evening, I got the Xmas spirit now!

Kenneth Hildebrand: “Strong lives are motivated by dynamic purposes.”