Bookshop Bliss (2)

Anna did just say on the phone: "Men should read the book too!"
...
And now we're going to stop the free publicity for Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus for a while... :)

Bookshop Bliss

Friday evening, finally back in the city after work, I decide to treat myself to a visit to the English bookshop in town! Taking advantage of its extended opening hours I get lost between titles, covers, fact and fiction. A bookshop full of English books is simply heaven to me and not having been able to 'just' buy an English book while living in Poland makes the experience even better ever since. Of course it happened again - I cannot be trusted in a bookshop. Left with more books than one can read in one time (and in addition to the book I'm already reading!)...

Inspired by the regular discussions and recommendations on books at work, I bought Life of Pi, the Zahir and Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus (which I think will be quoted and presented as 'obligatory' literature by Anna untill all women at work will finally have read it). On top of these, I couldn't resist Kafka on the Shore, written by my all-time favorite, the legendary Haruki Murakami!

The heat is on, some gentle lamp light, music in the background, warm tea and a peeled pomegranade. All comfi in my sweatpants I'm totally ready to read when I realise the dilemma I have just created for myself... Which One Will I Read First?!... Oh difficulty of luxury: the choices presented to me in this part of the world... ;)

A nice weekend to all of you! Enjoy your spare time to the max! :)

Instinctive Urges

My body and soul say
the dark season has come;
It is time to retreat in my cave
and hibernate, hibernate, hibernate...

Enamored with the Andrew I met on the Train

I met Andrew about two weeks ago, on the train between Amsterdam and The Hague. We got engaged in a friendly conversation. He turned out to be from Australia, visiting the Netherlands and some other European destinations. We happen to - broadly - work in the same field; we immediately had some interesting views to exchange. He was interested in the book I was reading. We exchanged business cards. And then there was The Hague Central Station. The thought "invite hime for a drink" flashed through my head, but he had told me that he would leave the next day. So I thought that it would be best to wish him a safe jouney and let our paths part there.
WRONG! As much as my rational side is in denial (a stranger living on another continent on the other side of the globe?!), this desconocido touched something inside of me. Andrew is lingering on in my thoughts...

Problem Solving at the Office

Life is a High-Speed Train

That is pretty much what life feels like at this moment: A high-speed train that just rushes past some important stations. Of course options like herding sheep in the mountains, becoming a monk (no, not a nun) or living in the bush came to mind, but I'm not sure which one will be my miracle solution.
So for the time being I stick with yoga while trying to use my time efficiently in order to have more spare time to just do nothing. Apparently doing nothing is extremely beneficial for the brain. Procrastinating stimulates one to be more open-minded and creative. That's what I read in the newspaper last week. Can I just do nothing all the time? I'd love to be all totally open-minded and creative 24/7. Peace, man!
Well, in an attempt to take my mind off of mundain issues like office politics, household chores and to-do lists, I decided to spend my Friday evening watching Bowling for Columbine by Michael Moore. I know, that's just the the nice and relaxing movie one should watch when in need of a calm Friday night.
The film blew my mind with every gunshot fired on the screen. Particularly the question of why the rate of annual gun-related violent acts is so high in the USA fascinates me. The (hypothetical) answers presented in the movie puzzled me. They went against the image of a multicultural USA as I picture it on the basis of conversations with US citizens I met. I wonder what, if anything at all, I'll see of this while in the States in about two months, although I know that a two-week holiday is not likely to bring many answers.
The movie also provoked really mixed feelings in me. On the one hand I now feel even more that I should really go and live in the States for some time to try to understand the country and its culture(s) better, whereas on the other hand I feel sort of held back in enthusiasm due to such a portrayal of USA popular culture. No matter, Michael Moore did it again... He got me thinking.
P.s.: I know that the ethics and truth of Moore movies are contested. One of the criticism of Bowling for Columbine I read was written by David T. Hardy and can be found by clicking the link HERE.

Marie

I'm afraid that I made my début as a prank caller today. One of my friends is bothered by a stalker who calls or sends her a text message regularly. Understandably she gets upset because of this from time to time. During the past days it has become clear that this 'joke' is possibly carried out by more than one person. Or maybe the awful text messages and today's miserable call are unrelated, but barged into her life together with sick coincidence.
No matter which option is the right one, today a certain Abdul was stupid enough not to hide his mobile phone number while making a fucked-up call to my friend. Shouldn't do that. Abdul should have known he'd get shit for this. I first tried to track Abdul's family name down via the Internet, but unfortunately that did not work. Then I came up with a nice idea: prank call the prank caller. So 'Marie' has been calling Abdul tonight from a hidden number. And Abdul turns out to be a very, very pathetic man, because when 'Marie' calls, pretending to have dailed the wrong number, he does not even want 'Marie' to hang up on him and asks her to stay on the phone. Of course that urged 'Marie' to hang up on him several times in one evening.
And all we need now is an Arab with a Saoudi accent. Without too much doubt Abdul has an Arab background and, as any good Arab, he surely knows not to fuck around with the Saoudis. So the next time he bothers my friend, he should not get 'Marie' on the phone again. We'll send him an Arab with a clear Saoudi accent. Abdul is totally going to shit his pants et tant mieux. Damn, I'm so wishing I could speak Arabic with a Saoudi accent now...

Living the European Lifestyle...

Once Sarah had seen me again in Köln, she did of course realize that she cannot really live without me. So she made her way to the Netherlands to spend the weekend here. ;)
It was a great weekend, Europe-style. Good home-made food, lots of tea and talking, walks in historical city centres, a visit to an art museum, hanging out in little bars or cafes for coffee and more. On her first visit to the Netherlands Sarah decided that she could see herself live in Amsterdam at some point. I know Derek thinks the same, so maybe we should strike a deal here!
I leave you with the images for a little impression... CLICK HERE to see what Sarah's impression of a weekend in The Hague / Amsterdam looks like.

Can't get Enough of It!

Click HERE for some more absolutely beautiful pictures of madness in Köln...