Hi all,

I'm blogging from a major PA hospital, one of the physicians I work with was interested in blogging, so this was a little demonstration.

It's really interesting to see the number of doctors that are blogging, especially in my area of cardiac electrophysiology. I've enjoyed reading DrWes commentary regarding EP news...

There's something to be said for the power of blogging that enables everybody to be their own news analyst, and the ability to form communities (like the band of doctors who blog about medicine and science)... it reminds me of the old BBS days with the message boards. Interesting how we've come full circle, from local BBS's to local BBS with national message boards, to the Internet, which seemed to have killed off the local BBS's, and now the Internet with forums and blogs, which is similar to an "international" BBS

Kitchen Project:

So, my kitchen remodelling project is finally all finished (actually, finished in March or so). When I first started, I was hoping I could use it to test some newly learned project management skills. According to my original schedule, I was to start the project in July, and be completed by late September. (this is taking down old cabinets, installing a new floor, new cabinets, appliances and counters)

well.. september passed... then december... then finally March!

So, 6 months after plan, it's finally finished and I'm really pleased with the results. Thanks to many people for helping me out on different phases of the project ...

See pictures here for a step-by-step view...

The Minnesota Microsoft Settlement:

So, I finally got a check from the Microsoft/Minnesota price fixing settlement today. Back in 2003-2004, the state of Minnesota filed suit against Microsoft for price-fixing software. As the settlement, people were entitled to get money back for each copy of Office, DOS, Windows, etc that they purchased or received with hardware since 2001 or so. (it was something like $10-20 per license, depending on the software.. ie. not much)

Usually, when I do these things (along with rebates), I try to track when I sent it, and when I received the check. Well, I thought it was about a year since I sent this thing out. So, I went into my Excel sheet.. and found that I had sent it in July 2004!

I had given up on the settlement money, since I didn't have all the documents, and it was impossible to get through to the claims administrator. The amount I was expecting wasn't much, (usually trial lawyers get lots more), but I can't believe I actually received a check after 20 months!

Definitely sets a new rebate/check record. I credit the combination of Microsoft's database skills and state government bureaucracy that allowed my check to be sent after 20 months. I mean, if I had a kid that was born on the date I sent the rebate, he/she would be starting pre-school already!

Starbucks Vending Machine with Hot Coffee!

So, I was helping out at the Minnesota First Lego League competition this weekend, an engineering/science competition for high school kids. All of the judges have an engineering or software background, and one of the refs saw a really cool vending machine. It's a Starbucks mahine that dispenses canned coffee, but it's hot! And it even takes credit cards. I wish I had a pic of the can it dispenses... it's a metal pop-top can, with a plastic and laminate "bumper" so you don't burn yourself.

So, what happens when you have a bunch of engineers see a cool vending machine? They try to figure out how it works! Especially how it takes credit cards, and how it can dispense a hot can of coffee. When you pay, a little LCD display says "preparing drink", a progress bar shows, then it drops the can.

It was so funny, one of the refs looked behind the machine, and saw only a standard 120V power cord... but no telephone cable. There was actually a little antenna at the top of the machine, so we guessed it used the cell phone network to verify the credit cards.

And, we were guessing how it heats up the coffee. Since the can appeared to be steel, we thought it's probably an induction system that rapidly heats up the can and the coffee. (like the induction cookers for hot pot) I remember seeing a vending machine in Japan with hot drinks, but that machine seemed to keep cans in a 'hot' area, since it instantly vended.. but this one required some time to heat. And it didn't seem to be chemical, since the can didn't have a false bottom. Anybody have ideas on how it might work? It was pretty cool, but funnier to have a bunch of engineers trying to figure out a simple coffee vending machine.

I think something is seriously wrong with my furnance... it sounds like something straight out of the reactor room in Star Trek. (well, kinda cool sounding, but probably isn't good...)

Tot Ziens, Belgie, Au Revior

Time sure goes quickly, I finally left Belgium today, back to the US, ending a nearly 2 month stay in Brussels. While flying back, this ranks up there with my longest time out of the country... #1: 9 weeks in Taiwan, #2: 7 weeks in Belgium, and #3: 4 weeks all over Austral/Asia.

This was my first time working overseas , and it has really inspired me.. I worked hard (maybe more so than in the US.. because I felt I needed to justify my time there), but I also took time to enjoy it (leaving almost every weekend to someplace new)

It's hard to believe (for those who know me), but I was really nervous about going over, even though I really looked forward to the assignment. In the end, you form these great friendships with people there, and that's what really makes the difference, I think, between an 'OK' versus a fantastic experience.

So, goodbye Belgium. I'll miss your tri-lingual signs, gastronomy, the little cars, and the wonderful people!

Yay! I was able to upgrade my return flight from Brussels to the US using my frequent flyer miles to business class! Seat 2J, here I come! My company doesn't let me fly business class, but this is the best way to utlize those extra miles.

Here's the wierd part: normally you'd think business class would be completely full, since I'm only a few days away from departure. I looked at the seatmap, and out of 34 seats, there's only 11 seats sold/occupied! Wonder what's going to happen on flight day.. will they start upgrading people for free?

In another note, I finally received my Belgian work permit.. just in time for me to leave my assignment. I guess slow government is true all around the world. I applied for it in early November (after undergoing this strange Belgian medical certification saying I'm capable of working), but the application got lost in the mail since I wrote the wrong post code, so I re-applied. At least now I have a work permit that lasts for the next year.. I look like a convict on the picture.. I'll have to post a scan sometime..

Sinterklaas Day

Our office celebrated Sinterklaas (St. Nicholas) day on December 6th.. we even got Neuhaus choclate figurines (best in Belgium) on each of our desks, a cart full of candy, and a boquet of even more candy.

Sinterklaas as almost as important as Christmas day. The story is that Sinterklaas (St. Nicholas) and his assistant Zwarte Piet (Black Peter) go around visiting the children, the bad children are taken away, and the good children receive gifts. So, kids in Belgium typically get their gifts on 6 Dec. In the past, that was the only day they got gifts, as Christmas was more for family activities, and gifts from the younger people to their parents. But now, with the differences in celebrating Christmas, most kids get gifts on both Sinterklaas and on Christmas.

The Sinterklaas tradition will seem strange to Americans.. it's about St. Nicholas, who apparently was a Spainard, and his assistant Zwarte Piet, who was an African dressed in 16th century costume. This scene is often re-enacted for the kids near the Christmas markets.. but here's the wierd part. Zwarte Piet, an African, is typically played by a caucasian guy with black makeup and an afro wig. I was really shocked to see this, because it would be so politically incorrect in the US. Apparently it's the custom with some historical background, as Zwarte Piet is supposed to be a freed slave who was a follower of St. Nicholas. More info on Black Pete and St. Nicholas

Either way, it was really festive at the office with the choclates (and too much sugar for one person!)

Coolest Parking Lot Ever

So, continuing on my barber shop story.. the local mall where I got my haircut: Woluwe Shopping Centre has a super-cool parking lot. In front of each row, there's a screen showing the number of parking spots available.. AND there are lights above each slot: red for used, green for free, and blue for handicapped!

No more driving around looking for a good spot, just glance at each row and look for the lights. Isn't that a brilliant idea?

Too bad you actually have to pay for parking... =(

Best Haircut Ever!

So I needed a haircut, and went to the local mall after work, following a barbershop suggestion from another expat at work. It wasn't a women's salon or anything, just a "Barber Monsieur" It was the best haircut ever! (well, maybe women are used to this kind of service, but it was a first for me) Usually my haircuts are the very practical type: go in, get hair cut, get out. This was a total surprise... and I probably looked a bit confused, because I didn't know what step was going to be next...

1. They give you a full cover (including separate sleeves) to keep the hair off your clothes, and then a neckpad that keeps hair out of your collar

2. Hair get's cut

3. Shampoo: this was almost like a scalp massage! Plus, it's practical, gets all the short pieces of hair out

4. Complimentary Drink of your choice after your shampoo. Guy next to me had a beer. I took a sparkling water...

5. Facial massage, with a warm towel. I was half expecting a shave at this point, but nope.

6. Hairdryer & final styling.

It was a really good haircut! And you feel relaxed afterwards too! Funny thing happened while she was cutting.. my hair is pretty coarse, and while she was cutting it, a piece flew into her eye and really caused some trouble (almost as if it was a piece of sand!).. she said "wow, your hair is really hard!"

Belgian News - Three dead in a car accident near NATO in Evere

Was driving to work today and traffic was really slow near NATO. Looked over to see the worst car accident I've ever seen.. it was a single car accident that happened earlier that morning. The police were still there cleaning the scene, and the news photographers were just arriving.

The car was completely split into two, one half was lying next to a tree, covered with tarp, the top of the tree was completely shaved off, and the other half of the car was on the other side of the highway.

Must have been travelling at a really high speed for this to happen... this section of road isn't even highway, it's the spot where the local road "becomes" the A201, which feeds into Brussels. On my way back home, I saw the police had completely removed the tree from the area, probably too many bad reminders of a horrible accident.

Uh oh, went on a flight to Munich and back today. Got back, and realized I don't have my US keys anymore! I keep my SecureID token on that keychain, and without it, I can't login to work remotely. (as well as not having my US car and house keys!)

Gotta call the airport to see if they have a Lost & Found... =(

Update: Found out I left my memory stick (and keys) plugged into the computer at work! Whew..

I've been waiting for my GPS unit for my car these past few weeks... (Garmin Quest, onsale at Costco for $300!). It arrived in Belgium on the 18th, but nothing arrived in the office.

Just found out today that it's stuck in customs because they're trying to determine its value and whether taxes need to be applied or not. =( Can't believe that nobody at the Belgian post bothered to call me to ask about it.. only found out through the mailroom at work, after pestering them about my package over the past week!

Hope I get it soon.. I've been driving without a GPS, but would be nice to finally have one and a chance to use it before I leave back home!

Weds = week 4 here! Time goes fast!

A Truly Belgian Meal: Steamed Mussels in White Wine

1. Celery: $0.49
2. 250 mL White Wine: $1.25
3. 1 kg North Sea Mussels: $3.59

Yum! Best part:I made it myself! This would cost $20 in a restaurant!

Rotterdam
Ever since I've been travelling on my own, I've always relied on guide books, word of mouth, or the Internet to plan my trips. However, this time, I didn't have a tour book, suggestions, internet information, or even a map!

So, on Saturday morning, armed with just my little car and my camera, and uncompletely unplanned, I set off for Rotterdam in the Netherlands. And I made it! Without getting lost, nothing. It was really liberating to travel without any plans, guides, schedule! You feel like you're really discovering things anew, by yourself.

It's amazing how small Belgium is, it took me 1:30 to drive to Rotterdam (2nd largest city in the Netherlands). I figured out some signs for the 'Park and Ride', parked for free outside the city, and took the trains in. Almost every major city in Europe has a tourist info office, and while walking around in Rotterdam, I found it. From here, I got all the information on where to go, what to see.

Amazingly, I stayed the whole day, and it was 8:30pm when I decided whether to stay or go home. I didn't make it to the museum area yet, so I decided to scout out a hotel. (note: I had nothing on me, no toothbrush, change of clothes, nothing. Just my camera). There was the NH for 80euros, some "grand central hotel" for 60 euros (which I checked out, but was really shady: the door next to my potential room was busted in, carpet was really old, otherwise really shady), or, the elite Westin for 160 euros. (if it was like anything like the Kuala Lumpur Hilton, maybe I would have considered it.)

Rotterdam is an interesting architectural city, since most of it was bombed out in WWII. It's all very modern, as if it was a model city for IKEA. Check out the cube houses on the left.. imagine not having any straight (90 degree) walls in your house...




I think I figured out why I like the Netherlands so much. One reason is because of this: (satay!) Great indonesian / Malaysian food here due to the former Dutch colonies. Another reason is, I think it looks like Wooster.

The Autobahn

Just came back from a business trip to Germany.. my co-worker let me drive his Volvo wagon on the Autobahn! There's no limits on the Autobahn (in certain sections). So, I took the car up to 100 mph (160 kph), and occassionally up to 125 mph (200 kph)! Wow! It was so effortless for that car... I think my Honda would be shaking apart at that speed. It's interesting to see the BMW's or the Mercedes, zooming on the leftmost lane, flashing their lights WAY in advance to let you know they're overtaking. I'd be going around 90 mph (140 kph), and these guys would just blow by.

Unfortunately, there's only short sections of the Autobahn that you can do this, mainly because of congestion, construction, or limited speed areas to 100-120 kph (~60mph). Either way, it's a great feeling, even though I only hit 200 kph for 10 seconds before having to slow back down.

Wow! Remember hearing about Mac on x86? Supposedly, it wasn't going to run on standard x86 platforms... well, some developer images leaked out, and it works on standard PC's.

I-Hacked.com Taking Advantage Of Technology - Building the $200 OSx86 Mac:

European Habits

Most people who move to a different country often notice the "different" things first, making comparisons to their home country. In the beginning, it's fun, but after a while it gets old hearing about the things that are different.

Here are my observations:

Greetings - Its so nice to hear greetings every day: everybody says "hello" or "dag" or "bonjour" when people enter the office for the day. Walking into a restaurant, you'll always hear "bonsoir", and before eating "bon appetite". It's so... polite, in a nice way!

Taking responsibility for their actions, meaning no lawsuits! What an amazing concept. We had a major celebration at work for an important milestone, and they pulled out chocolate and chapangne! Can you imagine drinking champagne on company time and company property? Even better, every first Friday of the month is happy hour, on the company. I asked "What happens if you get drunk and crash your car?". Response: "too bad, its your fault". I think the lawsuit-happy culture in the US really drives up the price of everything, forcing companies to put labels on cans of peanuts saying "Danger - may contain nuts"

Holidays are taken seriously. Today was Armstice Day, the end of WWI. So, I went to the mall. Closed. Grocery store, also closed. The office... locked up! I'm liking the office part, but it's hard to imagine a holiday in the US where all the stores are closed!

Eating habits - We went to a nice Italian place, and I ordered pizza. A co-worker later said: "I forgot Americans eat differently... there's a lot of time spent switching utensils". Apparently, Europeans will eat with the knife in the right, and fork in the left.. and you keep these utensils in those hands while you're eating! I told her I was being polite by actually cutting the pizza (switching utensils, then putting down the knife).. and that if I were in the US, I'd just cut and use my hands!

GPS units are popular here. I guess when your streets were planned hundreds of years ago, and are laid out "willy-nilly", then you'd want a GPS to help get around town. I can't wait for mine to arrive next week! Maybe I can finally figure out how to drive in and out of Brussels.

Ok, goal for this weekend is to be a tourist and buy a guidebook for the area. Hope I can figure out how to get to the bookstore!

Maps!

Thought I'd include some pictures (courtesy of Google Earth) of my area, including my apartment, NATO HQ, and the EHQ office. As you can see, my drive brings me in front of NATO every day... the first time I came to Brussels, George Bush was visiting NATO, and this main road running in front of NATO HQ and the office was completely shut down! You can see it's a major road for the area.

For those of you who are interested in exact co-ordinates for plugging into Google Earth:

• Apartment (50 deg 51' 47.97" N, 4 deg 24'47.87" E)
• NATO (50 deg 52' 36.30" N, 4 deg 25'16.66" E)
• EHQ (50 deg 53' 08.28" N, 4 deg 27'05.56" E)

Things I miss and don't miss

After failing miserably to cook rice the old fashioned way (boiling water) today, I realized I really missed the convienence of my rice cooker. This made me think of other things I'm miss or don't miss:

Things I Miss:

• rice cooker
• an iron with a built-in steamer
• a TV with more than 3 English TV chanels
• my own washer and dryer
• diverse restaurant choices
• a gas stove (my stove here is a cermic type... the time-constant on changing the temperature is nearly forever! large heat intertia in the ceramic...)
• my collection of spices and sauces
• Hanging out with friends (my crowd here is still fun to be with, but they're a bit older)

(hm... noticing a trend here..)

Things I don't miss:

• My commute to work (it's even closer here!)
• fast food (although a spicy chicken sandwich sounds nice right now)
• Grocery store selection
• Minnesota weather (it's unusually warm here)
• Complacency (every day is an adventure here)
• Yardwork!