Chapter 8

Today is Thursday, March 12, 2009.  I am sitting in front of my laptop at 7pm Turku time (1pm in New York) munching on a dinner I didn’t want and a half-liter Coca-Cola I would have never, ever paid this much for in the United States ($2.50 in euros).  My thoughts circle around the mundane.  Does my camera have enough battery life?  ( ( Read more... )

Chapter 3

Radar.  Sure, you all know about radar.  A state trooper plants himself on the side of the road with his radar gun and the proverbial dozen donuts.  (For the law enforcement minded among you, please don’t be offended.  I know donuts are a police stereotype.  You might have brie cheese next to you or a dog-eared copy of Yachting Week. ( Read more... )

Chapter 2 ( Read more... )

Why Finland?  Part of my job requires publishing complex papers on esoteric things that nobody reads.  Well, almost no one as I found out, when a professor from the University of Turku contacted me about my work.  The professor wants me to come and present lectures on topics almost too dull to mention (ok, I’ll tell you anyway because you are just ( Read more... )

Dare I even say who this would be perfect for?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090303/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_beatles_degree;_ylt=Aov2ZvmWZRXOBMFYm1gPCn3tiBIF

I gave in and bought an Ipod yesterday.   It's 16GB in size and a shiny purple.  Huskywife likes purple.  I've actually managed to put songs on the thing, not like the last monstrosity I purchased which did not work at all.

I leave for Finland thursday!

A video that explains it all in simple language...

http://vimeo.com/3261363

As many of you know, I am visiting Turku, Finland in early March.  I'll be speaking at two universities to students and faculty there.  Ever curious, I searched the university's website and found this description of me... in Finnish of course:

SUORITUSTAVAT:

Kotitentti.Osallistuminen opetukseen: osa luennoista englanniksi: vierailevana ( Read more... )

The dream was like a Stephen King movie. Alone in the woods in the dead of night, I was chased by wild animals that I could not see but hear.  Howls filled the night sky.  I ran through the snow but the sounds just grew louder and louder ( Read more... )

What do they have in common?

http://thislife.org/Radio_Episode.aspx?episode=115

Click on "full episode" and forward your audio player player to about minute 19.5.  You won't be disappointed.