t-15=gone

In two weeks I will be leaving this place I have come to love and hate. I will embark for a journey unlike any journey I've ever forced myself into- I embrace myself for the return to an old culture. However, some positives:

• I've done this before. A summer nearly five years ago spent away from home- however I stayed in Iowa.
• I'll be able to use the bar as a comfort space. Since it has become an element of what I find enjoyable about the Netherlands, I can use it as a resource in Pella- more than just booze.

I've seen the low countries and I've thrown myself into the Dutch culture- all while keeping my head above water. I didn't become addicted to marijuana (a worry I had, blown out of proportion by my parents), I have kept up with school work, and I've met local people. All in all, I'd say I've accomplished all the things I was looking to do.

Not saying I won't miss the place while I'm gone- but those are feelings that I can't anticipate.

Finally, here's a photo of my short(er) hair. I'm wearing contacts in the photo- so don't be alarmed.

24/7 Booze

England this weekend implemented new liquor licenses. These licenses allow pubs to stay open past 11 pm, often until 3 am. There were even about 1,000 24 hour licenses released. So with that news, BBC has a great article today about England's Hangover- and why we keep drinking.

Read The morning after the weekend before

I cut my hair this weekend. Not a whole lot- just a trim. I'll post a picture someday, but the computer I am on right now doesn't like USB devices.

We also saw our first snow while here. It didn't accumulate- and it didn't snow for very long, but it was snow. I'm amazed by how quickly this entire last week has gone. I'll be leaving before I know what's gone on- I should get my work done and make the best of my free time.

Just useless...

What a miserable day in Holland! We've got a major low pressure system over our heads, causing constant 30 mph winds- gusts to 40 mph. It's raining- turning to sleet. Just nasty stuff.

I saw the most recent Harry Potter film last night. I didn't like it. I thought the story line was weak- the climax was hardly the highest point of the film- things were done wrong. I felt like the film should not have sacrificed content and story for a shorter movie. We lost crucial characters- and in the hurry to end the story- could have lost Rita Skeeter all together too. The characters were stagnant- we didn't learn a thing about any of them, and the only thing that justifies my seven euro price tag was the short scene in the tub. I was expecting grand things when we first see the Quiddich World Cup- but as soon as the veela are cut out- we know the movie will suck.

The best part about the film was that the theater I went to stopped the film so people could go into the lobby to smoke and buy more beer- thanks theater- because I am so glad I was drinking since three to see that film at nine.

My favorite review quote comes from Phil Villerreal from the Arizona Daily Star, he wrote, "...the busy story tends to lose track of characters, hyperactively vaulting from one plotline to the next without satisfying resolutions or transitions."

Gobble, Gobble, Gobble

Happy Secular Feesting Day! Be sure to bobble all the food you can! I'm seeing Harry Potter 5 tonight, I'm very excited!

my thoughts are so thoughtful

I'm sorry for the lack of posting lately. I've been completely bogged. There's so much work I need to be doing, and quite frankly, I'm not doing it. Well, alright- I am, but it feels like I'm just never done with all the things I should be doing. I need to get down to some serious business, with a little break to bake bread for our Thanksgiving supper on Thursday night.

So give me a few days to recollect my thoughts, and I promise we will all be rewarded in the long run.

The comfort of food-

I've had another week of classes pass me by. It's Thursday, the earliest of my mornings, and for some odd reason after class I was madly craving biscuits and gravy. So, I racked my brain to remember how my dad makes gravy. I looked through my English to Nederland dictionary to figure out how to buy sausage and flour in Nederland. I ended up having to buy bratwursts (it was fun squeezing them out of their skins into the skillet [sorry vegetarians]). I got it just fine. My meal was fabulous. It was the perfect comfort food to engorge myself with during this cold rainy day. Of course, it's not as cold as Iowa this morning. Recent information suggests it hasn't reached the freezing in Leiden yet, whereas it hasn't been above freezing yet in Pella. There was a massive amount of cold, stinging sleet hitting my face as I walked for supper last night in between classes. Anyway- like ass comfort meals that hit the spot, I took a nap.

I had a dream last night.

The bar manager was so happy to see me finally be able to drink in the bar. He told me he would buy all of my drunks, but that I would have to buy all my food, if I wanted any. After a series of drink, I had decided that the nachos would hit the spot. I walk to the other side of the bar (no idea why- I was certainly at Woody's, which doesn't have a double sided bar), to pick up my plate of nachos which were now ready. They looked horrid. I got the bill for the nachos, which totaled $2,000, and happily paid the price for the nachos. I ate the horrible plate of nachos thinking I was going to get my money worth, but they tasted just as bad as they looked.

I don't know what the nacho bit was about, but I'm really excited to come home and go to a bar. I can even go to a bar with my parents, if I like. They can no longer look negatively upon me drinking- because (hurrah) it's legal!

Some bad news- the dollar was at a two year high yesterday against the euro. I, stupidly, didn't withdraw money. I left that for today- to buy my worst and bakmeel. I should have thought ahead- the euro is back to $1.17, where it's been happily sitting for the last month. Let's hope for some more riots!

Time keeps on tickin', tickin', tickin'...

Terribly sorry for the song reference. I'm like that these days. It finally feels cold. All hope we once had of a lovely mild winter due to global warming has passed. I walked outside today and I could smell the ice. Speaking of weather, the cold means that my time is nearly up... soon I will be taking my final train ride from Leiden to Schipol with my bags packed, my room clean, and my memories freshly stored to bring out to friends and family when they ask me, "How was it?"

I'm beginning to get e-mails from friends who have studied here, reminding me that I need to keep constant awareness to my surroundings because they will soon be gone. I have people telling me to see this bar- go to this club- take this drug...

My world seems chaotic. I have quite the work load piling up before the last day of classes- final projects thrown on top of weekly work. I'm absolutely not used to working like this. Why can't we just have a test! My room is a huge mess, which contributes to my loss of sensibility.

And one last thought- western nations, let's begin to choose our leaders more thoughtfully. We seem to be really angry at a lot of the people we've decided should lead us. Let's not get angry at people like Bush, Blair or the Governator, but let's instead think about what might happen if we elect these people. Is California better off since you people all kicked out David Grey and spent millions to elect a man who wanted to cut public unions? Many people voted last week in the U.S. and not much came out of it- in another years' time a serious election will take place that may show how the country will vote in 2008. Let's not fuck it up... really. Start thinking.

My apologies

I am terribly sorry for my fascist ways in blocking all comments. I am sorry. I have found the little button and de-selected it, so you can all leave whatever you like on my blog. I knew I had friends- I just didn't know that it was my own fault you all weren't talking to me.

I now know how Rupert Murdoch must feel. Never censor your friends.

No comment

Really- usually I wait until I have comments until I make another posting, but this is pathetic. Something as exciting as London and nobody can even say 'Horrah!'

I'm not that upset.

I am taking an online test for the National Collegete Health Assestment survey. It's fun. I had to think about how many drinks I had on my birthday, which has fallen within the last two weeks- so I may be an outlier. This is rather fun.

Anyway, I have a little over a month left until I leave, and I am starting to think if I've been pleased with my time here. I no longer feel guilty about being here, but I'm not back into a romantic stage of Leiden, either. I think that when it is time to go home- I will be ready. I didn't have class today because we had it Monday night. All of the European program advisors are in Leiden, along with Dr. Paul Naur and Bryan Zylstra. Funny thing happened before class Monday. We were in the Jantje van Leiden- the little townie bar we love so much and Hans was there- a regular. While we were walking there we mentioned that we'll probably see him. We wondered what he did for work, we had seen him last eating out in Brussels. I mentioned that if he really did like us- he would buy us a drink. Well, Hans was at the Jantje, he bought us drinks and he offered the four of us jobs. He's the Chief Executive of the Europian Institue of Management. He has seen us, and likes the way that we react around each other and carry ourselves in and out of the bar. He likes people who can seperate work and play like we can. Well, that last bit it a little wrong (by American standards), and it was really interesting that he's finally let introduce ourselves.

There's a bunch of girls who have just swarmed around the computer next to me. There's a computer lab with 60 open computers. Aaah!

Sod it... I'm out of fags!

I had a fabulous time in London! I spent my weekend relaxing and absorbing all the vibes that London has to offer. I arrived into the tiny London City airport on Thursday afternoon. I was picked up by Bronwen, a friend who had studied at Central. We went to her place, and one of her roommates had made a shepherds pie for supper. How British!We went sigh-seeing in Central London on Saturday- it was a beautiful day. I had to do all those things that American's are supposed to do in Britain. I saw the buildings of parliament, Buckingham palace, Big Ben, the London Eye, and so on. I drank beer in a British Pub, and heard the "Please mind the gap between the train and the platform" announcement while on the tube.

I was pissed when I found out that the World Premiere of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire film was on Sunday night. I wish I had known, because I would have stayed in London to catch a glimpse of the stars of the film. I was so surprised that they were setting up for the event on Saturday. That seems like a little late to me. I would not have wanted to be the person getting paid to get the event to happen. I mean, the World Premiere of Harry Potter is a pretty big thing, and to be unfinished the day before the event would freak me out.
This was fun. There were a lot of humps in the neighbourhood that Bronwen lives in. I had to take a photo because I'm amazingly immature.
I stopped by the Central College house in London to see if anybody I knew was in. They weren't, I was sad. However, I did get a photo to prove that I had arrived to Vandon House. It's amazing that the students who study in London have such an amazing location to all that Central London has to offer. I mean, compared to where they live, I'm pretty much in the country. Outside of Westminster Abbey, I ran into some students from the Wales program. How odd. This is Scott, a fellow environmental studies major, who just happened to be in London also. It was fabulously random. He apparently also ran into students from Central College who are studying in Spain. I swear, we Central students are taking over the world!It was Bonfire Night while I was in London. A night where people all over the UK celebrate the capture of 13 Catholic traitors 400 years ago who were planning to blow up parliament because they were displeased with the protestant King James I. Since they were caught, King James began a vendetta against Catholics, prompting him to get the bible rewritten (King James' Version) to promote Protestantism further. It was absolutely crazy. Fireworks are not illegal like they are in the states, and so anybody can buy fireworks. They were going off all around us all weekend long. Commercials on television showed people without hands and arms or with scarred faces telling people to be careful with fireworks. They also burn bonfires, with effigy of Guy Fawkes, the most known of the Catholic traitors. We went to see a city firework display. We went to the location for Lewisham, which turned out to be the largest display in all of the UK. It was estimated to have over 40,000 viewers. The display lasted a little under half an hour, and while we kicked British ass in the Revolutionary War- they've got us beat when it comes to blowing off fireworks.

London

I will be taking a blogging break for until Sunday (unless I get a chance before that) because I will be in London.

Yay London!

I am an Irish pirate.

Happy Yesterday Was My Birthday!

This is the cake I told you about in a previous post. It had landed on the floor. I felt horrible for Haley. She tried really hard to steal my lighter to light all 21 candles.

At supper yesterday we were eating and somehow we got on a topic of leprechauns. Then I tried to speak with an Irish accent. Instead I spoke like a pirate... so we came up with this limerick.

I am an Irish Pirate
I have a wooden arm
I am an Irish Pirate
Where are my lucky charms?

As a Halloween baby, I have rights and privileges that others do not. I can get free drinks on Halloween, I don't have to dress in costume, and I can still be a ghoul.

She looks like a turtle. After I took this picture we all made turtle faces. It's fun to make turtle faces.

I have no idea how this came about.

Roken is dodelijk. I love the warning signs on cigarettes in the Netherlands. I apologize for the face. All in all, a fabulous night. I had a great time, and I even was sober enough to call my parents when I got home to tell them that I had ridden my bike home safely from the bar.

In other news... I'm going to London this weekend. I bought my ticket today, and I'm leaving on Thursday. I will be there until Sunday. I'm staying with a friend of mine who studied at Central my freshmen year. I'm very excited to leave Leiden again and see London. WhooRah! It'll be Guy Fawkes Day while I'm there, so it'll be really cool to be in the celebrations with a Londoner.

Some more funnies... this was from the Central Crier this morning:

ATTENTION STUDENTS! Please be aware of a new rule regarding Central College sponsored dances. If anyone vomits inside of the dance space due to over-consumption of alcohol the event will be shut down immediately. It is not CAB's nor anyone else's responsibility to clean-up after you and they should not have to do so. Please take responsibility for your, and your friends', alcohol consumption. Charity Ball is coming up in a few weeks. If you or your friends have had too much to drink, please do not attend the event.

Rules are written because they need to be. I can't believe that people are vomiting at Central events and not taking care of it themselves. I mean, if you're going to puke-get the hell off of the dance floor. Don't just stand there like a deer in headlights waiting for the inevitable, you idiots!