Mama

Last weekend we went to a screening of a short movie of Sissi, a friend of ours (M’s sister-in-law-to-be); The movie, called ‘mama’, depicts the wedding of a young couple, but the only thing missing at the wedding is the mother of the bride. Not to let her mother spoil her wedding, the bride leaves the church to find her mum. It’s a great short movie, we saw it in a group of six shorts and ‘mama’ was definitely the best of them all. Sissi Seifert will definitely be a name to remember!




Now a busy period has started, busy full of parties, gatherings and next week on tour with the proms. I still am a bit cold-ish and it does not seem to have the intention to go away and the lack of sleep does not help a lot for the healing process. Last night, I had, since long, again a rehearsal with the band I’m in; but I forgot to take my keyboard, but after a smart suggestion of my mum, I ended up playing my old (little) accordion; which, I must say, was fun to do (I don’t know if the other band members enjoyed the noise as much as I did);

For the blog-question for today? Did Sinterklaas brought something to you today? For the nice kids? At our office, we all got a little bag with candy and an email from the good man (he apparently works for our company, because he has the email-address sinterklaas@mycompany.be :-)

Office Breakfast

Office breakfast this morning: chocolate and mint tea and birthday-cake from a colleague... mmm

higher...

Last Friday we went out with some friends to go and eat in the famous (or notorious?) Chicago Tower on the left bank of our famous Antwerp river. The cultural organisation “Antwerpen Open” organised its “Higher/Plus Haut”-festival about all the different towers in Antwerp. In this residential tower, you could go and have dinner with a family that lives in this building, usually people not originating from Belgium. We ended up with a very nice and friendly Pakistani family, that moved two years ago to Belgium. At first we were all very uncomfortable but once seated and the delicious food arrived, we exchanged our ‘life’-experiences. Needless to say that they had a lot more to talk about than us spoiled little brags…

Afterwards we were invited by the organisation to go and have dessert on the 25th floor of this building. There you had the most amazing view on the town – really breathtaking… Antwerp from a very different perspective.

I think – and here’s another one of my theories – that a town, in order to have a common sense of identity, very much needs a place where it can have an overview of the town from above. A sort of geographical high-point from where to look and admire the town that also can function as a reference point. Barcelona has its mountains, Edinburgh has Arthur’s Seat and the Castle, Berlin has its television tower, the Eiffel tower in Paris… Cities that lack this geographical overview are difficult for me to really love, like London, that I really love visiting, but I never can get an overview (maybe that’s just me or its size); or Brussels which misses this reference point as well…

Further highlights of the weekend, I hear you ask? New shoes that immediately turned into great dancing shoes on the after-party of the Proms in Rotterdam. Because of this, I unfortunately missed Sarah’s birthday party, but I promised myself to make it up to her this week by inviting her for dinner, although she does not know yet… on Sunday, not much happened because the effects of too much champagne kicked in and the only thing I saw on Sunday was the sofa and the TV…

type-it

It’s funny how little things in life can make a big difference (or actually I believe it's not so strange, because i think that’s what life is about, the little things, but that is a philosophical story for another time)…

in a few days/weeks from now I will be working, here at my job, on my brand new, monster-PC-Power-machine. But for now, I have to settle with its keyboard (which already arrived) I plugged it into my old pc and, well… they might as well have kept the new pc and just bought me only a new keyboard! It’s such a pleasure to type on it… and it looks great as well… I am still wondering if I should use the wrist-support or not… I think it looks better without, but probably for my wrists it’s better to have it on.

ah anyway, with these happy feelings, I’ll type myself into this new weekend! Hurray!

Oh when the saints

Happy Musicians -day!!

According to the catholic-saints-calendar (as was being pointed out to me by my nephew K. who is in the appropriate position to tell me these things), today is Saint Cecilia, which is – as I remember well from my days when I went to the brass band in my hometown - the saint for all musicians. The brass band was named after Saint Cecilia (as almost every other brass band in Catholic Flanders I imagine).


So to all musicians out there: Congratulations! And maybe a good day today to – as I learned from Sarah – for the lurking and non-lurking people to tell 1. me what kind of music you like, 2. if you play an instrument and 3. what your favourite song in the world is!

My answers?

1. Nick Cave is my absolute God
2. I played the trumpet for more than 15 years and also play a bit of piano/keyboard
3. Into My Arms from who else than Nick Cave

so what about you?

a minor confession

His music is perfect, every single one of his songs is a hit,
His albums are pure pleasure, his presence is astounding, he is a true entertainer,
his arrogance on stage is so over the top that it becomes addictive to watch.
Every time I hear his music on the radio, I smile and feel good,
he is also an advertising-guy and a is genius, he is from Belgium,
he is the 'player', he is DAAN!

(this very positive mood might be triggered by the fact that it is Friday, the sun is shining and this weekend I’ll go with the friends on a weekend-trip to the Netherlands! Hurray)

Hair...

Dylan, my godchild 1 year! hurray!

when I look at this picture i find it a bit curious – I haven’t got as much remarks on the length of my hair as I did in earlier days when it had reached the length it has now (as a matter of fact, I think it has not been this long ever). I got the first remark today at my job from a colleague, but besides that, nada! I never can seem to find the time to go to the hairdresser.

The fact that my hairdresser is located in my hometown near Brussels and that I refuse to change hairdresser, because it’s one of my best friends doesn’t help making things easier concerning my hair.

And on a psychological note, longer hair hides my ever worsening receding hairline… a sensitive issue for the male ego... So my hair is long now… and I must confess, a bit beyond the point where I can deal with it on a normal way…

hmm, i have succeeded in getting an appointment this Thursday… what do you think, short or let it grow a bit longer still?

verdict...

First: thanks for the many reactions to the previous post (also for the mailers – I just wonder, is there a cure for blog-comment-fear?) The solution or the verdict might be however a bit of an anti-climax. There is a bit more context (as always) to this situation;

Then: Maybe you would like to know my own humble position in this story: My choice is the one WITHOUT the black frame. And – here’s the pun - actually my boss’s choice as well, since we agreed on this matter already almost a month ago – when the ad-agency came up with their propositions – and after some consideration and serious convincing we choose the borderless logo!



In the past the logo used to have a border but with the new corporate style we agreed to get rid of it and the first headed paper with borderless logo is leaving the company as we speak.

However this whole with-or-without-border-discussion came up again when I had to order something trivial as stickers; My boss feels that, in case of the stickers, the logo needs its border (for its place in space or something). But I have always learned that uniformity is the only ticket to go to marketing-heaven, so I said, "no border!" And then he calls ME persistent and stubborn… but in this case, I am proud to be called that way!

With or Without...

Ok guys, I really need your help this time, from everybody!

The Introduction: at my job here, I am in conflict with my boss - it's not that i am about to be fired - but we have an esthetical disagreement, an it turns out to be a very sensitive issue. And yes, I can halfway understand his arguments and find it sometimes hard to defend mine, since they are based on subjective feelings and (good?) taste…

The problem : we recently have redesigned our corporate logo, together with the help of our advertising agency but there is one thing where my boss can't seem to live with (and I find it on my turn very hard to live with the opposite). I won't tell you what my preference is, not to influence your opion. As marketing-guy I am responsible for all good use of the logo, on t-shirts, cars, paper, folders, etc. and this disagreement doesn't make my job a whole lot easier...

The Question: So please tell me, which of these two logo's do you like the most! (you can immediately see about what our opinions differ... with our without...)

exit: this way please

Curious how a good night sleep can effect my mood – well ok, that is not so curious, since it is a common known fact. But yesterday – after a perfect meal at A’s - I went to bed – people who know me please attend a position of absolute amazement and shock before reading the following: – a few minutes before 10:30 pm! That has not happened since… I can’t remember when I went to bed that early… my mind works ten times faster, I don’t need the amounts of coffee I usually do, the sun is shining (do you think I can effect the weather by sleeping well?)

And it has done me good. Not all the microbes that considered my body their new home the last days have left, but enough to get me through the day (I hope)! (I think most of them have left through my nose, because there is still some congestion going on at the moment)

Good timing anyway, because tonight starts the last serious of three performances of the proms – which is a pity because I really came to enjoy the shows. After this weekend the circus moves to Rotterdam, where I normally have no shows (I am in the reserve section) and then after Rotterdam to Germany, where I will sing too a couple of days, somewhere mid December...

The Black Dahlia

So I went to see the latest De Palma movie, ‘The Black Dahlia’ yesterday. After installing ourselves in our very wobbly seats (for extra 3D-movement effect? or did they just needed repairing?) we were transferred back to the glamorous post-war Los Angeles in the late 40’s. In a style that strongly reminded me of LA Confidential and of course, more logically The Untouchables (because also from De Palma) this is a typical genre-movie – a “whodunit”-detective-story (think Cluedo) and has all the usual ingredients: good cop-bad cop, glamour girls, prostitutes, millionaires, crazy housewives, servants, crooks, the works!

It’s not a spectacular movie and I maybe expected a more ‘modern’ style from De Palma, but it is a good movie with a strong story, with as inspiration the murder of the infamous Elizabeth Short. Starring Josh Hartnett, Scarlett Johansson and Hilary Swank, this movie has the (young and fresh) talent it needs to bring this story alive… and you better watch out for those few scary bits in the movie that make you hide your eyes but still peep through to see what is going on :-)
(the smiley has a cruel double-entendre if you go and see the movie…)

Oh oh, yes we also saw the poster for a new movie coming out soon, called Babel, with two of my favourites : the best actress in the world Cate Blanchett and the Mexican beauty of Gael Garcia Bernal.

Hungry Eyes

"I’ve been meaning to tell you, i’ve got this feeling that won’t subside…"

:-)


Unfortunately the feeling this morning is mainly in my stomach… I’m always very hungry round 10-11ish and I always always always forget to take something from home… usually to satisfy this internal feeling I walk to our coffee-booth on the workfloor where there are chocolate ‘mignonets’ (if you want it to pronounce as I prefer to – you should call them mignognejtjjjes)– but since last Thursday – oh great disaster – no more of them!

And all this is no great help to my up-and-coming cold. I feel a bit sniffy and my head feels a bit heavier than usual on Monday-mornings. What can one do to prevent this cold from actively gaining ground? Or is it too late? And don't tell me to get more sleep, because I just can’t seem to be able to go to bed before a decent hour… and it won't be the case tonight either because I’ll go with Jan to the premiere of ‘The Black Dahlia’…

Crowdsurfers, sea-surfers and couchsurfers

Oh i am finally a bit back on track with my "online world" (which unfortunately means that I am sitting at my desk in the office again); the last weekend and up till now has been very eventful: a few highlights: singing at the Proms (was super), then spending a weekend at the seaside with my sister, brother-in-law and the three kids (who woke me up every day at an inhuman early time), a visit from a New-Zealand-couch-surfer JJ (very funny), eating home-made waffles at my grandmothers’ (delicious) and visiting the new house of H&L (really wow)...

wrong

Last night, we went with some friends to a "literary evening" in the Bourla; it actually was a parody on how a literary evening would look like if the extreme right would have control over the city (as everybody feared they would have, just before the last elections). The literary “beau-monde” was present (Hugo Claus, Jef Geeraerts, Tom Lanoye) and even the second man in command from the extreme right party was one of the spectators. The speakers depicted existing politicians from the extreme right party and the whole experience gave me shivers… It was at times worryingly realistic...you could really feel how it would be if they would rule the world… a very dark and painful place it would be…

pregnant

I dreamt last night I was pregnant... how strange is that!
should i consider counselling now? or start taking the pill?

:-)

Busy

Busy and strange times these days… for all sorts of reasons...
But most of my free time this week will be spend rehearsing for the Proms. On Wednesday and Thursday afternoon and night there are the first full-dress-rehearsals on stage with all artists and bands…
Oh and there is a very funny feature about the proms, because John Miles is said to be kidnapped... check it out!

gifts

I’ve been working for my company on a selection of new corporate gifts, and we – and more precisely – my bosses, can’t seem to agree on it. But what is an ideal corporate gift, say for instance to give to your clients for New-year?

In my opinion, it needs to be something original, useful and not cheap-looking. Something people will keep at least for a while, or would pass on to somebody. Not something that gets lost in drawers or in the bin…

but the offer of these things is endless… knives, umbrella’s, clocks, pens, bags, scarfs,… so anybody who can help me find an original idea… post them here!

Science of Sleep

Why is it that, every time I see a movie of Gael Garcia Bernal, I feel a sense of pure pleasure… is it because he chooses not to choose for mainstream commercial success? Or is it because he gives younger directors a needful “star” on their cast-list? Or is it maybe because he has a talent for picking out wonderful scripts? Is it his social involvement? his incredibly funny accent? Is it because he reminds me of a friend from my past? Or is it just because I think he is one of the greatest young actors of these days? ...

or maybe it is just his devillish handsome looks?

I am nuts!

Yesterday night, while being in Turnhout, we paid a surprise visit to the parents of M. We just went to say hi, but were treated on ice cream and drinks! M. has a real ‘mama’ that takes care of her guests just like your typical mom. On the way out, she asked if somebody of us didn’t care to have some fresh-from-the tree walnuts, and guess who couldn’t refuse that offer?

They are healthy (contain omega3 acids good for cholesterol and reduce the risk of cancer) and very nutritious (they provide protein, several essential vitamins and minerals, and antioxidants, yet are free of trans fats and cholesterol. Thank you Google) and even the Romans considered nuts as the food for Gods…

As a child me and my sister used to spend hours opening nuts and pealing of the brown-yellowish layer that covers the inside… But I always wondered if this in necessary or advisable? is it good to eat this layer? Is it a nutritious part? I don’t think it tastes good anyway and still like to try to peal it of – if I can find the patience that is…

turkish

I received a very funny letter this morning. It came from the socialist party with a flyer to vote for a specific candidate of theirs. Now as such this is not a very exciting fact, especially because in two weeks there are local elections, and probably everybody's mailbox is full of these things. But mine was special.

It started with the name it was addressed to... First there was a Turkish sounding name, then my surname Duran and then my first name and then another Turkish name. And to make things complete, the flyer inside was also in Turkish!

Now i suspect that somebody reading the population register saw my name, "duran" which is - as a former Turkish flatmate of mine told me - a very Turkish name, and thought that i was Turkish...

That, or maybe because of my beautiful tan and southern looks :-s

Walk on the wild side

yesterday-night, it was the first night since long that i was home-alone and no plans for the evening. And i can say i have really enjoyed it. At night, I decided to take a walk into town, just to have a walk. (first i wanted to go by bike, but i had a flat tyre, just like P). Not to become philosophical but it felt as if I had a walk with myself (which i suddenly remembered was already a while ago). It was a little walk down memory lane as well, since i went past all the flats i used to live, through the student area, past my old school, my first "real" flat and then again home.

And J. can tell whatever he wants, but i still like those super-size advertising that they put on scaffoldings in the city. especially if it's an diesel-angel... (i wanted to put a picture here of the ad, but cannot seem to find one... pity)

Take a walk on the wild side...

yesterday-night, it was the first night since long that i was home-alone and no plans for the evening. And i can say i have really enjoyed it. At night, I decided to take a walk into town, just to have a walk. (first i wanted to go by bike, but i had a flat tyre, just like P). Not to become philosophical but it felt as if I had a walk with myself (which i suddenly remembered was already a while ago). It was a little walk down memory lane as well, since i went past all the flats i used to live, through the student area, past my old school, my first "real" flat and then again home. And J. can tell whatever he wants, but i still like those super-size advertising that they put on scaffoldings in the city. especially if it's an diesel-angel... (i wanted to put a picture here of the ad, but cannot seem to find one... pity)

walk

yesterday-night, it was the first night since long that i was home-alone and no plans for the evening. And i can say i have really enjoyed it. At night, I decided to take a walk into town, just to have a walk. (first i wanted to go by bike, but i had a flat tyre, just like P). Not to become philosophical but it felt as if I had a walk with myself (which i suddenly remembered was already a while ago). It was a little walk down memory lane as well, since i went past all the flats i used to live, through the student area, past my old school, my first "real" flat and then again home.

And J. can tell whatever he wants, but i still like those super-size advertising that they put on scaffoldings in the city. especially if it's an diesel-angel... (i wanted to put a picture here of the ad, but cannot seem to find one... pity)

walk

yesterday-night, it was the first night since long that i was home-alone and no plans for the evening. And i can say i have really enjoyed it. At night, I decided to take a walk into town, just to have a walk. (first i wanted to go by bike, but i had a flat tyre, just like P). Not to become philosophical but it felt as if I had a walk with myself (which i suddenly remembered was already a while ago). It was a little walk down memory lane as well, since i went past all the flats i used to live, through the student area, past my old school, my first "real" flat and then again home.

And J. can tell whatever he wants, but i still like those super-size advertising that they put on scaffoldings in the city. especially if it's an diesel-angel... (i wanted to put a picture here of the ad, but cannot seem to find one... pity)

God was in the house

With some re-scheduling and putting priorities in my calendar-activities, I managed to go and see Nick Cave anyway on Sunday-night. And - for me - it was divine. I have not much adoration for many artists, but only one, and that is Nick Cave. And he totally lived up to the expectations. He was charming, in good shape, witty, talkative and very funny. The play list was very similar to the gig I saw in Edinburgh a couple of months ago. Nick Cave has the ability to play his own songs in such a different way (Henry Lee goes wild or The Mercy Seat on a slow train) but still in his unmistakingly Nick Cave-style. For me, pure heaven... Add a fresh piece of midnight-strawberry cake with friends and you have a recipe for a perfect night!

Where do we go but nowhere...

He has been mentioned in my blog before (and is the inspiration even for its title), and might be mentioned many more times I hope. Next week I have – or better "had"– in my calendar a big fat date marked: Sunday 24/09. That day was circled in red because my all-time-hero would perform that night in Belgium: Nick Cave.

I have seen him perform the same show in Edinburgh a couple of months ago, one of the better shows of Cave I have seen. As soon as i knew that he was coming to Belgium, i bought these tickets. But now my own musical project (what’s in a name), the choir, has planned its first rehearsal on that same day and being present is obligatory! I dare say that – if Cave had not scheduled a second gig on Monday – I would have had strong doubts of participating in the first place!

Leaves me still with one problem: swapping my tickets… I have posted several messages on fan-forums to swap my tickets, but no-one seems to be interested… does anybody have some creative ideas to get me into the Monday-night gig?

DIY-sunday

Last Sunday, we had a DIY-day at our home - well half a day for me, since i slept until after midday, because we went out to the "Mayor's Ball" - a great (yearly) initiative of our current major (great atmosphere and beautiful people - i always end up wondering where they would go out on regular saturdays, because that would be the place i want to go as well). This party felt a bit like a massive wedding party where everybody is happy and where there is a very strong communal feeling... very cool) and afterwards to our old time favourite "Petrol".

But back to the DIY; we painted one of our walls in olive-green and Joris hung up an old map of Europe on the wall. Our old cupboard, that i dismantled after i thought i had done it wrong the first time, was put back together - in the right way this time (which, very worryingly, looked very similar as the first time). I'll see if i can take some pictures tonight of the final result.

Afterwards, as a treat for our work, we went later at night to a comedy-night in "The Joker", which had a line-up of three stand-up comedy acts. The best act came from Johan Petit, not much a stand-up-comedian, but more a full blown actor who can be extremely funny...

oh and i will need your help - if you would be so kind to start thinking about what kind of tasks our friend Caroline can do during her 7 months in Australia for us (i'll give a wee example: "take a picture of yourself together with a koala-bear"... send all usefull things to finland@advalvas.be)

first time

lots of first-timers yesterday:

first time in cd-shop after midnight
first time eye-to-eye with a famous belgian singer
first time watching that freaky old lady sneaking up to the cd-shop and wondering what the hell she was doing there
first time taking pictures in the cd-shop of any dvd that seemed to have a funny title
first time letting R drive on his bike through a poster of that same singer
...
unfortunately also:
first time (since being back from Edinburgh) forgetting to put my alarm clock
first time sleeping in and arriving late - which is at my current job a very delicate matter...

Come un lampo di vita...

Last night, for Joris's birthday, i had bought him tickets to go and see "Alegria", from cirque du soleil in Brussels. Joris works for a cultural festival in Antwerp and I wanted to show him that culture and commerce can go hand in hand and deliver a beautiful product all the same...

However I fear that yesterday's "Alegria" failed to convince. I had seen the same show a couple of years ago and remember that i found it a truly magical experience. But after yesterday's show, it all felt a bit dissapointing. The acts were more divided, there wasn't anymore that magical "flow"that melted one act into the other. And there were stupid clown acts that abruptly changed the mood between acts.

To me, Alegria has lost a bit of its original weight, and that - my dear friends - is a pity ;-)

we had a little bbq

and that is just what i wanted to say; yesterday we had a nice little bbq, just like that. Nothing fancy, nothing organised... which made it the more fun... after the food we went for a treasure hunt near the water (I really can't tell more about this) and then for a cocktail in the Capuccino Club (which may sound like it is inspired by "Friends", but is in fact a very laid back, cool bar just around our flat... just so you know!

Tornado

Yesterday, I was visiting my parents in my hometown in the jungle under Brussels, and my mother told me something remarkable. In the town adjacent to ours, there had been a tornado!


Now when I think of tornado’s, I immediately see those killerscenes you can see in Hollywood-movies – houses torn apart, cars upside down in trees, screaming antagonists who always seem to be able to run just a bit faster than the tornado itself. Apparently - and luckily - in this case the tornado turned out to be a very small one, just in a meadow (of which there are a lot in that area) and did no harm to men nor beast…

it’s reassuring to know that even tornado’s adapt themselves to the scale of my very small hometown…


By the way, tonight on Canvas they broadcast one of my all-time favourite movies, Bram Stoker's Dracula! definitely worth watching!

Little red things

*
I was sitting at my desk at the office when suddenly, by seeing “it” I was confronted with a sudden flashback of my youth… and then I realised it was indeed a very long time since I had seen these things… * I can very vividly remember seeing them as a child in summertime on the blue stones of my grandparents entry of their house.

I am talking about those very little red spider-kinda-like animals… I cannot really name them, since even in Dutch I wouldn’t know what their name is (in my youth we called them “donderbeestjes” but after some research that turned out to be another kind of small spidery animal…). Does anybody now their name and what they * are?

I have already seen two on my desk now (on the same day). We work in a very green environment here, but it struck me to see them in this kinda un-green environment… I would have taken a picture of them, were it not that I have squeezed them with my pen (the only proof of them being here are two small reddish bloody spots…) – I made a little drawing in illustrator to help identify them… They actually look like red asterisks - just like this: *
or zoomed in like this:

Finally!

Finally, finally, finally! I already purchased my new keyboard a while ago now – somewhere mid-july -expecting to be able to play still in my holidays until the end of july. Faith however, decided against me; the store didn't have my keyboard in stock and so I had to wait for a new delivery from the manufacturer… and I waited and waited and waited, in great anticipation, I must say… until now!

I finally have it! It looks and sounds super great! My new baby is called Kawai MP4 and i bought it together with a superfancy-state-of-the-art active monitor…


Still a bit unfortunate timing however, because my good friend (and priest) Geert had arranged to pay me a visit (have not seen him since I am back from Scotland), so I had to leave my new toys already behind – although I must say the alternative was just as good – Mojito’s in Café au Lait!

Mail

This morning i received a letter in the mailbox. Nothing spectacular you would think, though the letter came from China - you must remind me to show you the letter once, it had a beautiful chinese drawing on the front. But i couldn't think who would send me something from China!
The normal procedures happened before opening the letter: touching it, weighing it with your hands, looking at it in the light, smelling it... and then the magic moment: opening the letter.
And then i realised what it was!
I had bought a week or two ago on ebay the dvd of "Disney's Beauty and the Beast". Disney has stopped selling it though the regular channels so you couldn't find it anymore. So three hurays for Ebay, where you can find everything!

By the way, in my humble opinion Beauty and the Beast is one of the best animated movies Disney ever made. I watched it immediately and again I was swept away by the story, the music, the characters, the drawings... It's the part in me that doesn't want to grow up...

Le Manege d'Andrea

Yesterday night, two good summerfriends came to have a goodbye-drink, because they leave Antwerp again. The French artistic company "Le Manege d'Andrea" consists of two very nice, friendly and funny people, Joris and Kathie. Kathie very pregnant of their first child. Every year, and already for some years, they come to the the Summer of Antwerp Festival with their very imaginative artistic merry-go-round, which has been created by the very famous Royal De Luxe (the brains and muscles behind the visit of the elephant-giant this year).

During the summer they camp on the summerbar-site, just behind the bar, so needless to say that many pints have been drunk in their presence this summer. Pity though that they will not return next year, because they have a very large and prestigious project in Nantes. But everybody who wants can visit them this winter during the Christmas-activities in Brussels.

And yet again, a very sad sign that this summer is almost over again…

Pokernight!

ok ok, it took me way to long to post a new item, but here it finally is:
and there is a good reason as well: tonight i organise a pokernight! I redecorated our kitchen into a casino-style room, there will be Spumante-cocktails with lime, there's a 30's style dress code for participants and of course, the game itself, Texas Holdem Poker. The game in Belgium is not yet as popular as in UK or USA, and tonight might be a small step to achieve more popularity; (the tv-show in oktober on national tv will be a rather bigger step i suppose)...

And oh yes, we had a very special visitor this week: a small cat, named Luigi (i changed it into Louis-G). Joris found it near his work where it was dumped by it's previous owner. The intention was to keep the kitten to ourselves, but then this week a friend of joris's ran over her own cat (tragic!) and so he promised the cat to her. I can't say i don't feel a bit relieved about it leaving, although yesterday the house felt already a bit more empty and less vivid... strange how soon one can get attached to a pet...

The emptiness of the house however was soon over when we ended up with 11 of us playing a pre-pokernight-game of poker... The last weeks have been very entertaining, always ending up way to late at the summerbar, meeting new people, but having to get up way to early... this weekend i definitely need to catch up some sleep! but first... let the games begin!

Drainage problems...

It’s very hot in Belgium… already a few weeks now. And what is more relaxing in this hot weather then to shower regularly? But what happens if this comfort suddenly is not available anymore? shock-horror! It happened already once a week or so ago, the toilet blocked, the bathtub blocked, water (and not so clean water) everywhere in the bathroom… First tried with one of those chemical plungers, but nothing happened and then the more serious albeit old-fashioned plastic plunger (thnx to an & Mr J who still have one of those) – which I must say made a lot of promising noises but didn’t help a bit...

So finally we called in the rescue team (the landlord and his side-kick). They brought a tube cleaning system under high pressure and cleaned out the tube-system…

all fine you would think, until a week later, all the water that had to leave the house, left again each day a bit more slowly…

So finally our landlord came again, doing his thing, leaving a bathroom full of dirty water and our flat in an odour I wish not to describe… hopefully the last time for a long period now…

If we took a holiday

Working in the construction sector has it benefits, for sure!
As from today – this hour – I have my three weeks of holidays! hurrraaaay!
Three weeks and no plans, not having to do anything, enjoying the city, the friends, hopefully some spontaneous travel-attempts, London, Amsterdam… hopefully seeing Maria, sleeping, dancing, sitting at the summerbar… let the festivities begin!

Do-mi-sol-do

I didn’t tell a lot of people, but last Friday i went to an audition. It was Magali who pointed me out a week or so earlier that the choir for the – in Belgium and surrounding countries – very popular “Night of the Proms” was auditioning for choir-members for their performances later this year.

I used to go to the Night of the Proms with my family and friends a couple of years in a row but the last few years we all stopped going, because once you know the formula pop+classical – every year it seems to be more of the same, and a lot depends on the groups or artists that come.

But I was looking for a new musical challenge, and I wanted to meet new people in Antwerp, so I decided to give it a shot. After my singing lessons in Edinburgh I knew how to breath properly and am able to keep my tune, but I kept my chances of success very low. I have no practical choir experience and everybody, for some odd reason seems to be annoyed when I start to sing :-)

So the audition. After leaving my details, I had to wait for the conductor to come pick me.
He came and greeted me, - made the classical joke about my name - asked me some questions about my musical background, and then asked me to sing scales to determine my range. So I started my do-mi-sol-do’s up and down and going higher and higher – and yes I rather have a high voice – no comments J !

But the conductor seemed very pleased. He said I should still improve on my sharpness but then circled on my audition paper : “succeeded the audition”. Which makes me now one the new members of the Night of The Proms Choir! Hurray!

Small note to put things in perspective, though: the choir is always in need for tenors, because there is a great lack of them. So after seeing my ability of more or less keeping my tunes in the high tones, the conductor probably thought, best to have at least another tenor. Apparently on the entire day of auditioning I was only the second tenor who succeeded… But still ! I get to go and experience this great thing to look in the face of 15 000 people, sing with an symphonic orchestra and see TEXAS from nearby!

Needles to say I am really excited about this…

Retiring

No, i am not yet retiring, but my father is... he is officially retired now... at first i felt a bit strange with that whole idea. My father - in my eyes - has always been away for work and now that has finished... guess that it is another sign that tells me we're all getting older...
but so far for the phylosophical side of things; on a more practical note: the following question:


This saturday my father organises his retirement-party for the family and friends. I want to do something funny/special, but I seem to lack the inspiration to find something good. Maybe a song? or i was thinking about a funny auction with his old desk-materials (a cup, a pen, an old pc, etc.) but how can u make such a thing funny? any ideas?

Time takes so much time

Time time time... since we moved back to Antwerp, I seem to miss a lot of it. But all the fun activities compensate that fully! Just a few highlights of the past week :

The uttermost important (slightly exaggerated, i know, but still) was going to ROBBIE WILLIAM's concert! that was really amazing. I kinda got more interested in RW since his Swing album and now his last cd i think is really a mature pop-album! and what an entertainer! really really great!

More news: i am still working for the construction company and last week they decided - as part of my practical training to get to know the products - to send me on a field mission: working with the assembly teams and - yes - constructing hangars - hard physical labour! Besides a bit more muscles (gone already) the most positive effect of that was that I now have a beautiful summer tan (might sound a bit girly, but if you know me - Mr White - this is something that only happened once or twice before in my life...

Yesterday night i went on a pub crawl with my uncle to find some bars where he possibly could do a gig with his new band with my other uncle... was great fun, although i am afraid not too much positive outcome, but a great night anyway!

Utrecht

This weekend, Joris and I went to visit Wendy, our dear friend from The Netherlands. She lives in Utrecht, which - as a surprise for me - lived only a bit more than one hour away from Antwerp (my parents live almost as far away). Utrecht is a really lovely town, with a beautiful centre, great little shops and a vibrant cultural life.

This weekend there was the "Festival a/d Werf" - a cultural festival a bit similar to our beloved Summer of Antwerp. We went to see two performances. The first was "Tocht" (which means: Journey - see picture): it was kind of an installation where you had to go through on your own and which took you about half an hour to walk through. It was funny, but was based more on some clever gimmicks than on a real story our constitent whole... On Saturday we went to see a play by a very young company. The theme of the play was young people who want to become famous but are not very talented. A very actual topic, and the play was very funny and lighthearted.
Also the Utrecht nightlife proved tentalising and especially the over-crowded Tivoli night-club was a must-see on our trip...
So Utrecht: really worth a visit!

oh yes PS: beautiful new scarf (see upper picture) only 3 euro in a second hand shop ;-)

tomorrow

tomorrow i have to work - as part for my training for my new company - in the production part of the company; this means : with the workers behind the machines!
good heavens, for a simple office-boy like me rather a challenge!
will keep you posted how this has ended!

First day at work...

Today was the day! first day at work... feels a bit like a first day in a new school... meeting loads of new people, having to remember lots of names and - in my case today - lots of technical training about hangars and prefab steel building... My new company specialises in the construction of hangars and I will be the new marketing person! A busy task and very strict email- and internet-rules (rather the opposite of what i was used to in Edinburgh) will make that my respons time with emails will be a lot slower than before!...

Antwerp Life

Back in Antwerp - what a strange feeling... the day I arrived, spring had just unleashed its first flock of sunshine over the country and it felt very very good... the day was carefully planned and there was no time for delays - which luckily didn't happen. My father brought me from the airport straight to my job-interview, which lasted about three hours, but went - in my own opinion - very well... later that night i met up with friends David and Paulus and headed afterwards with Roel to Antwerp. After checking our the new flat -still looks great- we met up with Magali and Sarah to go and party in town to celebrate my return! The next day was spent hanging around in town, drinking coffee and now lazy night on the couch... On Sunday, Karlien will bring me breakfast (hopefully); my parents bring a bed to the apartment (am sleeping on a mattress in case you were worried) and later all the 4IC-girls come and visit me after their pampering-weekend... Fun!!!

That's it...

So that's it... my last day in Edinburgh... and the weather is not helping it to make it a festive day (grey clouds, bit of rain). Also it's my last day in the office... all a bit strange though, I must say. I will certainly miss my beautiful view from the office looking over the Westside of Edinburgh and the Pentland Hills... and also of course working with my (one and only) colleague/boss and the team in London...

Tomorrow i have got another job interview, for which i am rather excited... hopefully you'll be able to read some very good news soon on this very spot...

It might take some days before i can post again, and then it'll be from Antwerp :-)

10 days... oops no : 2 DAYS....

My departure from Scotland will probably happen suddenly a lot earlier than I first had planned... Yesterday I got a telephone from a company that is really interested and that wants to see me this friday.... and then my mind started thinking... going through all the hustle of going to belgium this friday, coming back on saturday or sunday, joris moving on wednesday, me alone for three days in an empty flat and another job interview in belgium the next friday... why not make life a bit easier and just stay in Belgium this weekend... so I am now in negotiotians with my boss here (but she kinda already said that i could more or less do it - thank you thank you!!) to leave this friday!...

11 days...Easter Weekend

Easter weekend has gone by so quickly... although there was not a lot of easter-egg-hunting involved, I guess the clocks didn't find their way to our place :-(
On Saturday both Joris and me worked for the last time for the catering company we sometimes worked with (for that extra bit of spending money) and it took us to the marvellous Oxenfoord Castle; If you ever want to do a very romantic wedding, or a party in style, i can highly recommend this place.


On Sunday I slept a lot and we had dinner with Mem and Chen, the chefs from the Thai restaurant where Joris used to work - had a delicious meal - unfortunately also for the last time probably :-(
Now this week is the wrapping-up-and-putting-things-in-boxes-week... and on Saturday Joris's sister and her husband are arriving with the van to get our things and then they leave next Wednesday... all very exciting!!!

17 ...

T Minus 17... and counting....

Tonight we have arranged to go and play poker with friends. I have always been fascinated by the many poker-games on television here (it seems to be very popular here), and every week there seems to be as well somewhere a very important poker-championship - usually on very glamourous locations (but the only thing you see is the inside of a hotel-conference room, where the pokergame takes place).
They say poker is the only game you can learn only by watching it. On television they have these small camera's underneath the table so you can see all the cards of all the players. Our friend Ken is a very good player and has his own real poker-room, and real casino-style chips and everything, so tonight we will go and find out how much fun it really is... and in case you should worry, the stakes in the game will only be 1 pound each!

18 DAYS

Last 18 days... As from today I will try to focus on our move back to Antwerp: all the preparations - or the lack of them, last trips, emotions, goodbyes, etc.

Today is the last day of the visit of Joris’s grandmother and uncle. They both had – in my eyes – a very nice visit and have seen a wide variety of different things(castles, mountains, the sea, wildlife, museums, shops), and I must admit – I found keeping up with a 80+ years old granny is exhausting and am in definite need for some sleep! Easter weekend will hopefully bring some help with that!

Prodi

Europe is changing.. bit by bit… but yesterday a step in the – according to my humble self – good direction has been taken… Romano Prodi has won the Italian elections (probably)… but – however happy I am that Berlusconi is not in power anymore – I am not sure how happy exactly I should be… A victory with only 0.1% difference in votes can hardly be called overwhelming. It is apparently a common trend in current politics. Look at the elections in Germany where Merkel had to fight for her little majority, or Bush against Gore… not easy…

On a more practical and day-to-day level : the last three weeks of our stay in Edinburgh have begun. Joris’s grandmother is visiting us here and after her stay we will start with the first preparations of our leave. Packing things, making all the necessary arrangements… And still yet we manage to learn to meet new people, friends of Maria (or her sister I guess) in Spain have arrived in Edinburgh to live here for a while, so they will take over from us here…we are also making up a list of things we still want to do, ranging from visiting Dynamic Earth, doing a Literature Pub Tour, exploring the borders, playing golf, …might have to postpone our departure if we want to do everything…us here…

Bye Bye

the end of an era...

RNE is no more...

I kindly invite you to write a little word of support

in the book of condolences...