Sunday, December 25, 2005

Merry Christmas, Everyone!

I hope you're all enjoying your Christmas celebrations or, for some of you, Chanuka! Knowing most of you there will be good food, nice moments, etc. I am sitting in the living room while beautiful breakfast odours drift towards me from the kitchen...

However, I'm most of all writing, because I wanted to tell about the Christmas present I got this year: one of the best ever! ;) Last Thursday I have been offered a job! Woohoo! :) From the 1st of Februari on I will start working as a manager at the place where I'm already working right now. I will have to manage two projects that have been assigned to us by the European Commission. It's gonna be a lot of work with busy times, but it's a great place to gain work experience! Lucky me!

Wednesday, December 21, 2005

French Fries, or What Makes Me Dutch...

I know that national identity is a big deal to a lot of people. It is not to me, and it has never really been. A couple of years ago I even wrote an essay about how my supposedly Dutch identity has much to do with the fact that I happen to be born in this country rather than in any other. However, while consuming fries today I realised that there is something that makes me very Dutch: mayonaise! I swear to you, NO FRENCH FRIES WITHOUT MAYONAISE! And I case you don't understand, watch Pulp Fiction (and pay attention)...

Tuesday, December 20, 2005

Complain, Complain, Complain!

Already for a couple of days I am thinking about how I could make an awesome trip by taking up on all outstanding invitations for places to stay abroad: Japan, Israƫl, the States, and so on. But you know what? AIN'T GOT NO MONEY TO GO! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! :(

Alright, that was enough for today...

Friday, December 09, 2005

How To Impale Oneself On A Knitting Kneedle

Last week my American friend Derek visited me in the Netherlands. I did have a great time having him over at my place. Not only did his visit allow me to 'play tourist' in my native country and look at it through the eyes of a foreigner, but also when I came home from work in the evenings Derek would have a warm cup of tea ready for me. That is just the best way of coming home!
However, while Derek was with me I did get myself into one of these accidents that only certain persons can get themselves into. I'm think about hurting a toe before you have to come down one of Poland's highest mountain passes, neatly slicing a part off of your finger..., those kind of accidents. I think that for the newest accident, called Knitting Kneedle Impalement, we'll rely on Derek's witness report:

"I was sitting on the couch when I saw Sanne do a running start, like they do in the Olympic long jump, from her kitchen. She then executes a perfect long jump position onto her bed, both legs forward and her arms flailed outwards, as if she knows this jump is going to break the world record. However, because it all happened in two seconds, I just had this gut feeling that something BAD would happen. AND IT DID. The 'sandpit' was her bed that was cluttered with all sorts of stuff; her laptop, a magazine, the tv remote control somewhere under the blanket and of course, the scarf she was knitting and those pointy knitting needles. WELL, she lands on a knitting needle and it was just a shock to both of us, as she rolls over and peers between her leg and there is this size 8 wooden knitting needle sticking out of her leg below the left buttock, which I call the "hindquarter". We were both thinking, is this for real? Sanne didn't scream or anything, but she just was like, Oh no, and pulls the needle out of her hindquarter, where there is a huge hole in her pants, but no excess blood drainage. Since the needle was straight, there was no real damage as I think it slid through muscle and fat and missed that crucial artery that brings blood to your legs. The next several days, Sanne limped a bit, especially up the stairs, but it healed and what it seems so far without any infection. PHEW!"

So, people, that was the newest move... I still cannot believe I am really so stupid that I jump on the knitting kneedles I have left on the bed myself. But, hey, I guess I really am! :)

Friday, December 02, 2005