Events & plans

The other day, I was saying that not much was happening worth blogging - but then you might have missed that because it was in German. Never mind, because it wasn't really true anyway!

Just to begin with the worst experience of the lot: Today (or yesterday, to be quite precise), I started a dental treatment which had me lying on the dentist's chair for over an hour, and my tooth # 2/6 (experts know exactly which one I am talking about!) has been reduced to a rack and rebuilt again. One thing that has literally burnt itself into my brain during the whole process: The brand name of the dentists lamp, called Kavolux! Very funny - not! In cavo lux is latin for light in the dental cavity! But to the point, I guess. Unfortunately I shall have some more opportunities to observe the blasted thing in operation.

More agreeable is the fact that the Royal Overseas League has allotted tickets to me for a private tour to Buck House, a.k.a. Buckingham Palace on August 10th. Damn, so I have to go to London again - what a nuisance! ;-)

Talking of travelling plans, I have also booked my flight to San Francisco for a CFA Institute meeting in September and a subsequent trip through parts of California. In SF, I am looking forward to staying at the University Club of San Francisco, which is yet another reciprocal club of the Overseas League, as you might have guessed.

There is just one minor problem with the travelling preparations: Apparently the payment for the ticket has not yet been processed because American Express is suffering from a global vulnerability of their security, originating from a Japanese incident. That's why they are insisting on manual identification and authorisation of transactions above a certain threshold. Since it is about security, I wouldn't mind that of course, but they would have to have their act together - and they do not! I have been in touch with them more than three times now for that stupid plane ticket, and it is still not done! This is a major nuisance, honestly and without any smileys!