It was 41˚F today in Stockholm; 20 degrees warmer than in Washington DC where I call home.

For split seconds, I forget where I am.

Besides a weekend trip to Luleå in Norrbotten way up north where the temperature lived up to its bone-chilling reputation, snow barely made an appearance here. Like lovers quarrelling over who’s right or wrong, the days have been consecutively at odds – thundering rain one day, blistering winds the very next, spring-like sunshine the day after.

Returning home in just seven days seems unreal. I feel like I unpacked yesterday. In reality, I’ve been here close to a month – trying to live the winter life of a local. Working remotely, savoring the few hours of sunlight for errands, and beating the winter… well, winter-ish blues.

Like the weather, I’ve been at odds with personal projects since the New Year commenced. Lots of travel has been lined up including dragging a bunch of girlfriends hiking the Inca Trail in what I’ll be pitching as From Manicures to Machu Picchu.

Yes! Cheesy title. But I digress…

Ever the busy bee, they are diverse and range from travel photography to exhibiting art and yes! maintaining a comic strip with maybe 2 or 3 loyal readers.

Can one equally focus on half a dozen time-consuming projects and still produce quality stuff while working full-time for a job that funds the projects and constantly puts me on the road?

Not so sure.

That is the challenge for 2008. Right now, clearing my mind seems the only logical thing to do.

For goodness sakes, it is sunny and varm in mid January here in Stockholm. I need to soak it up.

Hand in hand, strolling down Birger Jarlsgatan enjoying the sunshine that defied the Swedish winter, the semblance of a life that could very well provide the answer emerges.