It's absolutelly crucial to do something for the populations in South-East Asia. I list below the different entities which collect donations for relief aid. Don't wait, send you donation now!

Switzerland:
Chaîne du Bonheur
Caritas

France:
Secours populaire français
Secours Islamique français
Fondation de France
Care France
Croix-Rouge Française

United Kingdom:
Unicef
Oxfam
British Red Cross
Care International UK
Save the Children UK
Christian Aid
Islamic Relief

USA:
Agencies accepting aid dollars

Merry Christmas to all! Hope you joined for the radio show yesterday. It was great fun. Thanks to Hervé and Fred at Couleur 3 who helped me realize one of my *wildest* dreams. Below the playlist I selected for the show. If you missed it, you can listen to it here (click on "Archives" and then on 24.12). Let me know if you want a CD of it!

• Souad Massi: Ghir Enta
• Groove Armada: My Friend
• Sing-Sing: I'll Be
• Everything But the Girl: Single
• Cubanismo: Marie Laveaux
• Lobith: Fairytale
• Keren Ann: Le sable mouvant
• Ani DiFranco: Here For Now
• Tanita Tikaram: Amore Si
• Michelle Shocked: Anchorage (Acoustic)
• Texas: Place In My World

What's cooking for Christmas? With only 3 days to go, I have not yet decided what to make for Christmas dinner!!! A recent change of plans means that I won't be cooking in my kitchen. I'm afraid I will have to make do with the smallest oven on earth...

Luckily, the first course(s) will follow the Swedish tradition and I'm told that usually quite filling. I might get away with only a small bird... Still looking for a recipe tho'.

The best of the season to you all! May the new year bring the loveliest of times!

Fame at last!!!! Well, just for one hour... I will be programming on Couleur 3 for the Tanger-Glasgow show on 24 December from 17.00 to 18.00. I am so psyched! I hope you will tune in (either on the FM or on the web).

All the best for this end of year.

Hello all,

It's been now 10 days that we are under the stupid "stratus" here. It's really depressing! It's so bad that we can't even see the other side of the lake from the office... However, living in Geneva is not that bad as it is easy to go up and escape the fog. I will post my pics from Chamonix soon, you'll see what I mean!

Last Sunday my PC decided not to come up anymore. I was really annoyed because I'd just downloaded iTunes and finished 2 mixes and wanted to share them with you. After a few days of agony, I have found a friend who had an old PC from and I was able to retrieve the spare parts I needed! Pfff. What a life saver!

So here I am, ready to share the 2 new mixes with you guys! You know how to go about getting your own!


MIX NOVEMBER 2004 – volume 1

1. R.E.M.: Leaving New York (Listen)
2. Badly Drawn Boy: Logic Of A Friend (Listen)
3. The Get Up Kids: The One You Want (Listen)
4. The Slackers: International War Criminal
5. Rachael Sage: It's So Hard (Listen)
6. American Minor: Walk On (Listen)
7. Slow Motion Reign: Flashbacks
8. Human Television: I Forgot
9. Rachael Yamagata: Worn Me Down (Listen)
10. The Twilight Singers: Black Is The Color Of My True Love's Hair (Listen)
11. Earlimart: The Hidden Track (Listen)
12. Jonny Polonsky: Even The Oxen (Listen)
13. The Cooper Temple Clause: New Toys (Listen)
14. Killradio: Do You Know - Knife In Your Back (Listen)
15. Green Preservation Society: Smile (Listen)
16. Bodega: Unemployed
17. Citizen Cope: Bullet And A Target (Listen)
18. Ed Harcourt: Born In The '70s (Listen)
19. Autumdivers: Turnaround (Listen)
20. The Randies: Boys In Stereo (Listen)

MIX NOVEMBER 2004 – volume 2

1. Angela McCluskey: Know It All (Listen)
2. Franz Ferdinand: The Dark Of The Matinée (Listen)
3. The Hellacopters: Carry Me Home (Listen)
4. Jane Birkin: Je m'appelle Jane (Listen)
5. Ari Hest: They're On To Me (Listen)
6. Faithless: Mass Destruction - P Nut Sister Bliss Mix (Listen)
7. The Head Set: A Regular Bonnie & Clyde (Listen)
8. Björk: Who Is It
9. Stimulator: 78 Stimulator (Listen)
10. Trent Dabbs: It's Not Like That (Listen)
11. Amy Winehouse: F**k Me Pumps
12. Ted Leo Pharmacists: Me and Mia (Listen)
13. Radio 4: Party Crashers (Listen)
14. A Girl Called Eddy: People Used to Dream About the Future (Listen)
15. Medeski Martin And Wood: End Of The World Party (Listen)
16. Tom McRae: Stronger Than Dirt (Listen)
17. J. Dimenna: For When We Fall
18. Cake: No Phone (Listen)

OK, I have been pretty silent lately. The start of the autumn has been a little tough and I am just starting to recover my stamina... Somehow one needs to be in the right mood to post something up here! Or have a good excuse...

You know that I am a big music buff already, well I am not alone -- who would have guessed! ;-). Last week I got an e-mail from Matt, a guy from Chicago, who had stumbled onto my website and decided to drop me a line about my music mixes. He likes them and wants us to share our respective ones. His winter mix is soon on the way!

Apart from that, for people who don't live in Geneva, you might want to have a look at the very impressive pictures taken during the recent storm. Gale force winds, high waves, trees tumbling down. Nature proves us once again who is the ruler!

You have not bought Christmas presents yet!?
Caza Allianza Switzerland have created a CD which is now for sale on their website. Cool music for a cool cause. Get it now!

If you still need ideas for your present list, check out the New Scientitst "No More Socks" website for a whole new way to look at Christmas gifts when you already have everything you need! I personally think I will be sending cattle to a family in Africa.

More soon!

Fab

A new mix is out! Check it out!

MIX SEPTEMBER 2004

1. Maroon 5: This Love (Listen)
2. Grey Does Matter: Harvey Liston For President
3. Umphreys McGee: In The Kitchen (Listen)
4. The Coral: Pass It On (Listen)
5. Joss Stone: Super Duper Love (Listen)
6. Butterfly Boucher: Another White Dash (Listen)
7. Snow Patrol: Spitting Games (Listen)
8. Blue-Eyed Son: Tide (Listen)
9. Kings Of Convenience: I'd Rather Dance With You (Listen)
10. Damnwells: Sleepsinging (Listen)
11. Robi Draco Rosa: Como Me Acuerdo
12. Paco: My Love (Radio Mix/Edit)
13. Athlete: You Got the Style (Listen)
14. Modest Mouse: Float On (Listen)
15. Just Jack: Snowflakes (Listen)
16. Keane: Something Only We Know (Listen)
17. The Cure: The End Of The World
18. Lamb: Wonder (Listen)
19. The Martinis: Right Behind You
20. Ambulance Ltd: Primitive (The Way I Treat You) (Listen)
21. Carina Round: Into My Blood (Listen)

Just found a cool website which should help me remember your birthday... (Yes I've been know to be a scatterhead!).

You can enter your birthday by clicking on the link below:
http://www.BirthdayAlarm.com/dob/22731045a17457526b363

The holidays are over and it's just as well because the weather has been awful. It's so cold and wet that I always feel like sleeping! I have actually been toying with the idea of getting a kip on the emergency bed in the office... That's how bad it is!

I will be going to England mid-September. This trip was long overdue so I'm really looking forward to being there again. Any of you need anything from there? Let me know!

Finally, just two small pics from the last day of summer in Geneva. Enjoy!

Recognize this?

If we took a holiday. Took some time to celebrate.
Just one day out of life. It would be, it would be so nice.
Holiday!

Well yes, finally off for 2 weeks and intending to make the most of them now that the weather is back to normal!

On the list of things to do:

• Read a few good summer books (any recommendations welcome, just finished The Da Vinci Code. Fun! Have just started the lastest Kay Scarpetta novel: Blow Fly. I am sure I can handle a few more!
• Hike a little (most likely won't be able to join Manue on the Via-Alpina, the Jura will have to do)
• Enjoy the lake at the Bains des Pâquis
• Go watch some wheelchair tennis (Swiss Open runs from Tuesday 3 to Sunday 8 August in Geneva). A demo in town will take place on Tuesday
• Celebrate my birthday with a concert and picnic in the parc on Friday 13 August. More news soon!

and if the weather goes back to cold and rainy:

• Fix my books and music blogs
• Visit a few museums

The Homeless World Cup Cameroon team needs you!

All the teams who can make it to this year's Homeless World Cup are organised, except one - Cameroon. They are really toiling to raise the cash for the airfare. It's a real shame because they have put so much effort into their training and their preparation. They really want to come. The round trip is going to cost about 10K € for transport and visas, so here's the plan: if 20 people/companies put up 500 € each then we can get them there. So far, 4 people have given 500 €, so there's only 16 to go.

What about you or friends, colleagues or even your company? Go on, Cameroon will love you forever, and it will make a huge difference to their lives. Do hope you can help.

All donations, even if it's not the full 500 € suggested above, will help!

Just found out that Bénabar is coming to Geneva on my birthday! So please save the date for a picnic in the park on Friday (!) 13 August. More details closer to the date! Watch this space!

Thanks to Enrique who always pushes me a little further on this blog, I now have a feed you can subscribe to.

You'll need an RSS Reader for that.

Let me know if you don't manage to subscribe.

Just back from a day and a half retreat in the mountains with my team from work. Such great fun! We did some pretty impressive things in the mountains and I hope to have one or two pictures to prove that at some point!

The whole thing took place in the mountains over the Annecy Lake. The weather was perfect, offering us a stupendous view on the Lake and the mountains around.



June is actually the best month to be in this region. The temperatures are already good to hike in shorts but not so warm that you need to carry 5 liters of water with you. In addition the alpine flora is at its peak and the diversity is simply amazing.

Got to go nurse my muscle ache...

The new music mix is out! Let me know if you want a copy!

MIX JUNE 2004

1. Phoenix: Everything is Everything
2. Jamie Cullum: All at Sea
3. The Shins: Saint Simon
4. Cowboy Junkies: No Long Journey Home
5. Eskobar: Fly on the Wall
6. Tribalistas: Ja Sei Namorar
7. Jack Johnson & G. Love: Rainbow
8. Adam Green: Jessica
9. Morrissey: America is Not the World
10. Air: Cherry Blossom Girl
11. Everlast: Lonely Road
12. Girls in Hawaii: Short Song for a Short Mind
13. Perry Blake: Tropic of Cancer
14. Syd Matters: Black and White Eyes
15. Alanis Morissette: Everything
16. Bo Kaspers Orkester: Långsamt
17. George Michael: Amazing
18. Papas Fritas: Way You Walk
19. Rumplestitchkin: Oh Lord
20. Al Green: I Can’t Stop
21. The Go: American Pig

Saw the most amazing performance last night: Stabat Mater / Unscheinbare Veränderung. Given in German (!), the show consisted of a juxtaposition of different media/actions: storytelling, opera (Pergolesis's Stabat Mater), video, living on stage (including cooking!). A complete surprise! If it ever shows in your city, go see it!

Sick with the flu and coughing away... At least I get time to familiarize myself with my latest "toy": a DVD recorder. Was fed up with the video tapes and always forgetting to setup my recordings. Now I can plan a week in advance and record everything on the DVD's Hard Disk. I know I'm a nerd...

Finally managed to hang the new Bo Bendixen poster I bought when in Copenhagen. A brand new design, it shows a smiling monkey with a yellow belly-button. It really cool, happy and colourful. Brightens up the living room. I looked on Bendixen's website but he does not yet have a picture of it. 8-((( Still looking... Might have to make my own. In the meantime you can have a look at the poster collection at http://www.bobendixen.dk/pages/posters.html.

"Let's stand up against racism", your help is needed!

Sign the Forum's weblog!

Remember I was telling you about Spring last time. Well I thought you might want to see some pics from our garden!
Near the Terrace
Plum Tree in Bloom
Plum Tree in Bloom (Detail)

It's spring!!!!! I mowed the lawn for the first time already.

A corollary to Spring is Spring Cleaning... Was reviewing my inbox and found all the weblinks I'd been saving.
Find below some of the cooler ones:

Want to buy a book at the best price? Try Fetchbook. It searches over 100 stores for the cheapest!
http://www.FetchBook.Info

Online Mentoring and Education Program for Girls and Young Women in Developing Countries Who Aspire to be Entrepreneurs in 2020
http://www.womenwith2020vision.org

Spend a week end in a cool place in the Fribourg area
http://www.aux4vents.ch

Get moving!
http://walking.about.com/

Enjoy the beauty of nature!

Fab

Today I FINALLY did something I have been talking about for a LONG time. I made the most of a grey and cold day and alphabetised my CDs! No more filing by colour!

Apart from that, I am just one day away from a holiday in the mountains! It's been such a long time since I actually went skiing for more than a day at a time. Really looking forward to it. Just hoping for some snow because the high pressure weather must have had the best of it by now! Oh well!

And then one will have to plan the next holiday. There are a few things to do, friends to visit in far away places. A new baby in Slovenia to go and say "hi" to (Yes, Luka and Polona have had a little girl: Pia Marija, born on 10 February). Should definitely make the most of my miles before Swiss goes under!

What about you guys? Anybody doing anything special? Would love to hear of your plans!

That's it! Davos 2004 is over: 10 days of work non stop with an average of 14 hours work a day... My bed is the thing I wanted most! Lots happened but unluckily my camera got stolen on the first day of the Open Forum so I don't have anything to show 8-(((. Have a look at the website and watch the webcasts!

Got to drive an Audi A6 while in Davos. Pretty nifty but definitely not my "intellectual" kind of car: too big, too thirsty, too showy. Why can't cool cars be more environmentally friendly!

Back to work tomorrow, hopefully in a slower mode!