Tom & Femke: now Mr & Mrs. Wurdinger!

On Saturday, November 4, it so happened that Ivan was speaking to Tom via Skype. Tom casually mentioned that "he was going to get married". When Ivan asked "when?" he got the incredible reply "in two hours from now". When it was clear this was no joke but a fact, the machinery got in action. Ivan mobilized all his friends and even Tom's brother and worked out a high-tech scheme. The result was that exactly two hours later we were witnessing Tom and Femke's wedding on a large video screen in the local watering hole, the famous "BOK's Place". This was a truly simultaneous dual-nation wedding-party between Boston and Enkhuizen and even the Officer of the Peace, who conducted the ceremony, took time to address the crowd in the Netherlands over this live video connection. All in all a clear triumph of technical skills, improvisation and true friendship. Congratulations to Tom and Femke. Well done !

Ivan back from Washington

Time to go and time to return. Mid October 2006 Ivan returned from Washington DC and his family and friends arranged such a home-coming party that it felt as if Ivan had never been away. In reality of course, Ivan spent more than five months at the American Enterprise Institute and during that period he tasted the political machinery and he met many 'political celebrities'. In addition Ivan has learned much about strategy and tactics and - last but not least - he has developed a new high caliber international network of fine individuals. All in all no doubt a very useful period. As a compliment to his efforts at the AEI, Ivan has the potential to return to the AEI as a researcher, but presently it is Ivan's intention to start a career in the field of business, either in the USA or in Europe. Before his departure from Washington, Ivan obtained a verbal agreement for a very special job in Washington, but unfortunately the gentleman with whom Ivan made the arrangement [the company's CEO] now seems scheduled to leave the organization in a very unexpected way and on very short notice. In the light of this uncertainty Ivan has redirected his career efforts but basically anything can still happen in this connection. No doubt an exiting new period for Ivan. .