This is not to often but these courses are in fact totally free of charge AND a good introduction. I have taken them and had great use of them: https://www.microsoftelearning.com/eLearning/offerDetail.aspx?offerPriceId=109340 By the way - here’s a good site for us who want to check in on .NET 3.0 - http://www.netfx3.com/ And finally - a real good presentation by my housegood Juwal Löwy: http://perseus.franklins.net/dnrtv/0039/PartA_media/PartA.wmv

When I wrote the list over weird things to do this weekend i forgot the most heartwarming thing; yesterday i went to the St Görans Hospital with Elin and a friend. Elins father works there as a hospital priest. We went around about 5 floors and sung carols and some euphoniumplaying sneaked it’s way in there too :) It was very rewarding although not too many people had the strength to come out - which you can understand. But I could almost feel their appreciation out the place where we stood.

Yesterday did my first Santa-performance! Since it was on party for Elins workplace and didn’t know anyone I was a bit nervous. Also they are nurses on a “urology”-department i was a bit nervous to read the rhymes on their present. :) And I was right - some of the rhymes had to do with the parts of the body that they work with. Nothing to bad though… To the right is not a mugshot of someone robbing a bank, but rather me in the Santa outfit.

Someone has a little bit to much time on their hands…

Here are some pictures of me doing the presentations this weekend. I would like to think that i have at least a small Bond-look…

Just read that the YBS Band are looking forward and keeps a positive attitude. That’s what i like! See the positive - even in the dark situations. Read more here I know about a story about the times when Watson took over Black Dyke. After two rehearsals the band consisted of only 5 players. But that didn’t get them down. Apparently Robert Childs said: “Great - now we can build the band we want!”. That’s cool! I still cheer for YBS. Keep going!

I am from today starting a period with some really weird stuff on my schedule: Today i will be a Santa at Elins work. I have never done the Santa-stuff before, will have to choose a voice later today Tomorrow i will give a presentation on SOA (Service Oriented Architecture). This is scary since so many people have things to say about it. I have prepared and hope that it will work out alright. Saturday - playing with the Salvation Army. Typical Christmas stuff for me and a lot of people in the world. On Sunday there is a gig with the Vasa Band in some church. It will be fun And then to top things of with - on Tuesday the 19th the Vasa Band will be “door” number 19 in the “advent”-calender in the Old Town in Stockholm As I said a lot of really different and weird...

Well, this is probably no news to people reading 4BarsRest, but one of the most successful bands in later years (ever?) is being dis-assembled as we speak (?). Since Sunday all of the key players and the conductor has left the band in a single file: David King - conductor and primus motor for the band since 13 years Sheona White - solo horn Steven Walsh - solo euphonium, who by the way made the gutsiest move in the business by stepping up to take up the solo euphonium chair after Morgan Griffiths. Respect! Stuart Linguard - principal cornet I can’t imaging how the band has planned to cope with these problems but i hope they do! YBS stands for a quality above the rest and probably have improved the brass band movement as a whole with their performances. I, for one, has listen to some recordings of test pieces...

I got the Seinfeld-box from my sister in (a late) birthday present. There are some great moments in there; this is when George starts doing the opposite of everything he think is right … with wonderful results - everything starts to go right for him!!? No worries though - in the next episode he is back like the loser we love.

Got my new glasses yesterday… I am not sure that i have got used to them yet. A certain dizziness and some picking-up-stuff-problems has occurred. But the will probably go away after a while. Glasses are not cheap! What (!) are they made of when they cost that much? Must be gold or titanium something. Well i like them so far, i can read stuff with my right eye again. Also i think i will get used to my new look.