All the media hype about Prince William and Kate Middleton getting married.
I don't care, and I don't want to care.
And nobody in the Netherlands cares.
And it's not on tv.
And even if it was, I couldn't understand it anyway.
I love living in a media free bubble sometimes.
Besides, we gots us a real Queen to celebrate this weekend.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Regal and royal
I may have moved here about 20 months ago, but more than ever, I have been more intune with milestones that have popped out of nowhere. I thought nothing of waking up,a year ago, to days whereby I thought I was merely getting on with things.
The milestones of the day I first landed, the day I got my first apartment, the day I met my BFF Laura, my first snowfall.... they are all important.
But the ones that creep up are equally a personal triumph, a little less memorable, but I appreciate them none the less.
Over a year ago, I had no idea what I was creating, no idea what would come of what I would do on a day to day basis.
For example; Last weekend with a sunny, hot easter, hanging in the park with a group of fantastic people I am lucky to call my friends, was a true joy. Compare that to a year ago, where I was hanging out with friends visiting from London, with no idea of where to really take them, and no locals to really introduce them to either, because.... I didn't really know anyone.
Almost a year ago, it was the eve before Queen's day.
I remember getting off the tram from work, with no idea of what I was going to do, who I was going to meet up with (if anyone), where the night would take me.
Tonight, as I was searching for something to wear (because I hate the colour orange, I have nothing in my wardrobe of that hue) I fielded calls from friends as I shopped, reminiscing about what we were all doing this time last year, and it crossed my mind, I knew none of them this time last year and thoughts passed through my mind of what kind of life I had created in a year... and what I could possibly create in more coming years here.
I thought last Queen's day could of possibly been my one and only, and here I am about to experience my second with lessons learnt such as:
- buy beer early
- bring beer with you throughout the day
- bring cash to buy random second hand things
- get out of the house early
- try to find something classy but orange to wear (even though it's hard) because it's bad form to not wear anything orange at all
- bring a camera with plenty of battery
- wear sensible walking shoes
Last year, at the traditional unveiling of a giant Queen Beatrix related artwork on a the facade of a pub called "The Blaffing Vis" ( The Barking Fish), there was Queen Beatrix in a 5 storey high characiture, dressed as super girl, with the speech bubble, "Be a Hero!"
She's so cool, she's kind of my hero. For no other reason than she's just more hip than Queen Liz of England.
This year, we're going to do it all again for the Queen B of the Netherlands.
Here's to new friends, new adventures... and possibly, being able to treat this Queen's day like it might not be my last one ever.
The milestones of the day I first landed, the day I got my first apartment, the day I met my BFF Laura, my first snowfall.... they are all important.
But the ones that creep up are equally a personal triumph, a little less memorable, but I appreciate them none the less.
Over a year ago, I had no idea what I was creating, no idea what would come of what I would do on a day to day basis.
For example; Last weekend with a sunny, hot easter, hanging in the park with a group of fantastic people I am lucky to call my friends, was a true joy. Compare that to a year ago, where I was hanging out with friends visiting from London, with no idea of where to really take them, and no locals to really introduce them to either, because.... I didn't really know anyone.
Almost a year ago, it was the eve before Queen's day.
I remember getting off the tram from work, with no idea of what I was going to do, who I was going to meet up with (if anyone), where the night would take me.
Tonight, as I was searching for something to wear (because I hate the colour orange, I have nothing in my wardrobe of that hue) I fielded calls from friends as I shopped, reminiscing about what we were all doing this time last year, and it crossed my mind, I knew none of them this time last year and thoughts passed through my mind of what kind of life I had created in a year... and what I could possibly create in more coming years here.
I thought last Queen's day could of possibly been my one and only, and here I am about to experience my second with lessons learnt such as:
- buy beer early
- bring beer with you throughout the day
- bring cash to buy random second hand things
- get out of the house early
- try to find something classy but orange to wear (even though it's hard) because it's bad form to not wear anything orange at all
- bring a camera with plenty of battery
- wear sensible walking shoes
Last year, at the traditional unveiling of a giant Queen Beatrix related artwork on a the facade of a pub called "The Blaffing Vis" ( The Barking Fish), there was Queen Beatrix in a 5 storey high characiture, dressed as super girl, with the speech bubble, "Be a Hero!"
She's so cool, she's kind of my hero. For no other reason than she's just more hip than Queen Liz of England.
This year, we're going to do it all again for the Queen B of the Netherlands.
Here's to new friends, new adventures... and possibly, being able to treat this Queen's day like it might not be my last one ever.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Please bring strange things
“Please bring strange things.
Please come bringing new things.
Let very old things come into your hands.
Let what you do not know come into your eyes.
Let desert sand harden your feet.
Let the arch of your feet be the mountains.
Let the paths of your fingertips be your maps
And the ways you go be the lines of your palms.
Let there be deep snow in your inbreathing
And your outbreath be the shining of ice.
May your mouth contain the shapes of strange words.
May you smell food cooking you have not eaten.
May the spring of a foreign river be your navel.
May your soul be at home where there are no houses.
Walk carefully, well-loved one,
Walk mindfully, well-loved one,
Walk fearlessly, well-loved one.
Return with us, return to us,
Be always coming home.”
- Ursula K. Le Guin
Please come bringing new things.
Let very old things come into your hands.
Let what you do not know come into your eyes.
Let desert sand harden your feet.
Let the arch of your feet be the mountains.
Let the paths of your fingertips be your maps
And the ways you go be the lines of your palms.
Let there be deep snow in your inbreathing
And your outbreath be the shining of ice.
May your mouth contain the shapes of strange words.
May you smell food cooking you have not eaten.
May the spring of a foreign river be your navel.
May your soul be at home where there are no houses.
Walk carefully, well-loved one,
Walk mindfully, well-loved one,
Walk fearlessly, well-loved one.
Return with us, return to us,
Be always coming home.”
- Ursula K. Le Guin
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Awkward I - Live in their living room
Concerts in your living room. Your room as a live music venue.
Or in this case, in the living room of my buddies Audrey and Laura.
One minute you're watching a you tube video, the next minute you're eating cookies, and drinking punch with a mixture of strangers, well known music bloggers, and friends watching a dutch guy jam underneath the same overhanging lights you ate Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas dinner, and launched your blog under.
Endless cool stuff happens in this city.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)