Episode Whaterver : The Story So Far

Yes, my blog is back.

As a mechanism to keep in touch with friends and the ones I love when I am far away.. which at the moment, I am.

So, here is the story so far:

I haven't updated this blog in bloody ages. To bring people up to speed, I am still working for the same huge European IT company, clinging to a position as a kind of bumbling strategy type person around the Microsoft side of the business. I'm still living in Seattle, WA. Life has got better, and worse for a whole bunch of reasons. So we'll start with the good stuff first because it kind of sets the scene for why the other stuff is bad.

Firstly, and the best bit is I am settling down at last with a wonderful girl I met in my building when I got back home to Washington in 2007. Many of you might remember my last antics with being stuck in foreign countries etc. Well she's one of the big reasons why the blog died, I actually developed a life :) By settling down I mean actually having a future, which is kind of a big deal for me, but she really is the most important thing in my life - yes, ranked over work, and cars!

Okay, that's enough gushing on the relationship front, the other good thing is that work is going pretty good, we've had some good ideas which should ride us through the economic problem, and that still gives me a nice enough place to live and a good lifestyle.

Right, now to put the cloud behind the silver lining. My employer divested their USA business a while back, which, long story short, has thrown up some visa complications for me. So, I'm now back in Europe for a few weeks waiting to find out what the new Visa position is. Hopefully I'm not going to be stuck over here, away from home for much more than 3 weeks, but you never know. Mercy of the US immigration service, lovely people that they are.

So, the blog is now alive and well, you know the background, and over the next few weeks I will be blogging the horrors and perils of where I'm stuck in Europe, and why I'm so homesick for the civilised world (I apologise to the sacrilege involved in that statement to anybody reading in England.. but seriously, take one look at the lifestyle and tell me England is better!?).

I arrived today, and am staying in Zoetemeer for 2 weeks out of my European tour. The hotel is small, spartan, but okay. The bed is horribly uncomfortable but I'm sure I'll get used to it. As with any Euro hotel, the heating controls are broken, and without starting a previous old rant.. there's no ironing facilities. Flight here was okay, I couldn't sleep so got through plenty of films:

1. Twilight - lots of pouting teenagers and im not really sure if anything happened, but it was set near home in WA so what the hell.

2. Working Girl - Meg Ryan classic, comedy moment but not as funny as it could have been because typically it's something me and my girl would have sat just ripping the piss out of constant. Huge hair! (note picture)

3. Quantum of Solace - Bond, Aston, Nuff said.

4. Day the earth stood still - made it a while in before I wanted to physically harm keanu reeves. Resorted to reading.

Now thanks to the timezone, my body and mind are complete mush. Body is mainly because I'm out of shape, but I forgot the fact I arrive at 7am this morning and then have another hour to get to my hotel.

At least tomorrow is sunday, and that means more rest. Other thing is that I did hear from my woman earlier which cheered me up as well, it's depressing out here. Stuck amongst another language and a very weird country!

I'm sure there will be more to come.. look forward to the ranting! :)