First Day of Peace Month: Tough!

The first day of Peace Month was Saturday, 22 August. Through most of the day I took part in a scholarly workshop on Japan / Korean relations at the Utrikespolitiska Institutet (Swedish Institute of International Affairs). Chairing a panel on Economics & Society kept my mind off food & drink very effectively. But the lunch break was a challenge: a huge elegant top-quality sushi buffet which I couldn't sample thanks to Peace Month... I didn't look too closely, but my colleagues sure seemed happy chowing down those tasty treats. Things got really tough in early evening, as my wife Aimee & I were among friends in a lovely garden for a crayfish party, held once a year. Sadly, the party started at 5:30 and sundown in Stockholm was 8:27... I could serve people snacks and take photos, and participate in the singing, but as people got progressively merrier and smacked their lips over beer, schnapps, crayfish and other delights, I began to feel increasingly thirsty, and started to pay more attention to time in the last 30 minutes. But I knew that good food & drink awaited. Future days surely won't be as tough as this one...