2006 version 1.1

As I grow older, new years don't feel so new any more. Take this year for instance, it is totally packed with teaching and other tasks until the 10th of February. In the first 7 weeks of the semester I will be doing all my teaching this semester and next (until 1st of October). I have known this since August, nothing new about it.

That's why I have decided to make a few adjustments to 2006, so it fits my life better.

New Year will be celebrated properly 11th of February, without a stack of papers to grade hovering in the corner.

My birthday, which is normally at the end of a looong line of other birthday celebrations, is moved to give the family a chance to recover before celebration. I have moved it a month, but this year March 6th disappears, so I have to move my birthday a month and a day to make it fit.

6th of March disappears due to international time-zone crossings. There is no March 6th in 2006. Sorry everybody.

March 19th has been expanded. I hope for everybody's sake that it is a good day, because it will last approximately 40 hours.

Since summer failed last year, it's being stretched this year. Summer starts 15th of May and lasts until 15th of September. Midsummer will still be in place, but on that particular date the coastline of Norway invades every other spot on the northern hemisphere. There is nowhere prettier than by the North Atlantic on the shortest of nights, and this should be shared. I have booked exellent weather, if the temperature falls below 19+, talk to your insurance company and demand a refund. Autumn lasts from 15th of September until 23rd of December, when a light snow is scheduled, with a quick and pittoresque winter.

Christmas is not permitted to be surprisingly early this year. Therefore the 24th of each of the months September, October and November are set aside for "cold runs". These are days for panick shopping for relatives on surprise visits and last-minute searches through the house (and in electricity stores) for lightbulbs for the Christmas tree. It is also good dates for testing out different menues and particularly for testing wine, beer and booze.

I am sure that I will be able to think of other improvements. We still have time though, as the start of the year has been moved out. This may make the year shorter, but I am opting for quality over quantity.

So, more than a month in advance: Happy New Year