Good luck TOM

Tom [Wurdinger], one of Ivan's schoolfriends since high school, has been part of our scene for many years, but now Tom is spreading his wings and he is leaving us for the USA. After high school and the VU University in Amsterdam, where Tom graduated - in minimal time - as a medical biologist [virology], Tom has dedicated his energy to cancer research. His subject: "Tumor-selective coronaviruses as potential anti-cancer agents." In layman's language: "how to use special viruses to search and destroy cancer cells." Tom has now accepted an invitation to take up a three-year research fellowship at Harvard Medical in Boston, MA. Although Tom is leaving us one of these days, we expect to meet him again in February, next year, when he is scheduled to be back in the Netherlands - just for a few days - to receive the honours of a doctorate in a special ceremony at the VU-university. We salute Tom and to wish him a great time at Harvard Medical !

Bling Bling Party

"Bling Bling" means something like 'hip hop jewelry' but our electronic version of the Webster's Dictionary has not yet heard of it. Anyway, on November 11 2005, some friends organized a 'bling bling party' at the famous 'BOK' place in Enkhuizen. Preparations are always part of the fun. Some pictures of these preparations:

• NORMA with her fancy sun glasses
• IVAN with his special jewelry
• MEREL [Ivan's mate] as diva
• TOM in a flashy unit and his buddah head.

Quote 500 party

At Anneke's initiative we [Anneke, Ivan, Sieta and Simon] attended the so-called "Quote-500 party" on November 2, 2005 in a hangar at Schiphol Airport. "Quote" is a monthly glossy magazine of shallow qualities but reportedly very populair in circles of the nouveau riche. The "Quote-500" is an annual listing of the 500 richest persons in the Netherlands. The "Quote-500 party" is a 'champagne & caviar' social event with the objective to celebrate the publication of the new listing. The party is clearly a non-event and simply a publicity stunt for Quote, but at the same time a nice excuse to get together and to have drinks at the expense of Quote. After the Quote-party Sieta, who had been on an early duty that day, left us and we went to the centre of Amsterdam where Stefanie joined us for drinks at a cosy pub selected by her.