Woohoo! The power company sent me a note to tell me they owed me 350 euros. I'm a happy camper! I still might be able to afford my own life :-) Don't know how it happens but whenever I think:"Whoa, spent too much!", somebody sends me lots of money. Please keep doing this, people.
Also, could the people who abducted my Ernie please contact me? I'd really like to know how to get him back!
Monday, January 29
Saturday, January 27
30!
An eventful week this far, turning 30 meant presents, such as lots of clots from my mum, cds from Kaz and even girlfriend moving in from girlfriend.
Yes, I kind of requested the last present and am now somewhere halfway between:"Eeeek!" and "Weehee, I'm getting rich!". Yes, that's the territory where I actually believe it'll be fun to have girlfriend move in. Keep watching this space for more details (at the moment we still need to decide on dates, for example).
Also the week where girlfriend decided that we really needed to book the tickets for Singapore so we did just that. For some reason I doubt that flying from Paris through Sri-lanka to Singapore and taking 18 hours to do so is the fastest option but at least it'll prove to be interesting. Yay, I'm going back to Thailand.
Then yesterday I had my 16 year old cousin over, she dyed my hair, we ate apple-pie and visited a Mac Donald's. Basically the useful stuff.
And lastly I may need a wireless keyboard (or Guitar Hero for the PS2). Trying to prove that I'm not really that old, I discovered. Frets on Fire, which makes you look like an arse jumping up and down while holding your keyboard like it's a guitar. But it's a lot more fun than it should be. What do you recon, should I get guitar hero or a wireless keyboard? Or both?
Yes, I kind of requested the last present and am now somewhere halfway between:"Eeeek!" and "Weehee, I'm getting rich!". Yes, that's the territory where I actually believe it'll be fun to have girlfriend move in. Keep watching this space for more details (at the moment we still need to decide on dates, for example).
Also the week where girlfriend decided that we really needed to book the tickets for Singapore so we did just that. For some reason I doubt that flying from Paris through Sri-lanka to Singapore and taking 18 hours to do so is the fastest option but at least it'll prove to be interesting. Yay, I'm going back to Thailand.
Then yesterday I had my 16 year old cousin over, she dyed my hair, we ate apple-pie and visited a Mac Donald's. Basically the useful stuff.
And lastly I may need a wireless keyboard (or Guitar Hero for the PS2). Trying to prove that I'm not really that old, I discovered. Frets on Fire, which makes you look like an arse jumping up and down while holding your keyboard like it's a guitar. But it's a lot more fun than it should be. What do you recon, should I get guitar hero or a wireless keyboard? Or both?
Sunday, January 21
Shell-shock
I guess that yesterday's paranoia was justified. I was already having suspicions that girlfriend might be up to something, with her acting suspicious all day. Even so suspicious that I made sure to lock my front door before falling asleep again, when she left my place in the afternoon to make sure nobody could barge in while I did my beauty-sleep.
No, I didn't need that one because I'm old I needed that one because Friday night I went to a "battle of the bands"-competition with McR and there may have been beer involved, as well us harassing Michelle by phone at 3am. I may have been somewhat hungover on Saturday morning.
Eventually I woke up again and got a phone call from Annemarie that girlfriend was having a panic attack at her place and that she really needed me because Annemarie couldn't quiet her down. Being the nice boyfriend I am, I thought:"Something smells fishy here", before jumping on my bike and barging in to mentally stabilize girlfriend.
The fishy part being that girlfriend was going to have dinner at Annemarie's place, and because I could think of no way end up at girlfriend's place when starting off at Annemarie's place. Found girlfriend's housemate (who I hadn't met up till now) somewhat shocked while I stormed in torn between:"Don't panic! Everything will be alright" and "they're up to something, don't be surprised by anything", ready to switch from one to the other-mood at the drop of a hat.
Fortunately for me there was no mental breakdown to be spotted but on girlfriend's bed there was a yellow t-shirt with a picture of a large "30" chiseled out in rock and the text:"Selmer pubcrawl 1977-2007". Besides it was a customised VRiSBI bierloop (the annual pubcrawl we participate in) beer-mug with on the back the text:"A McRonald's production". There was a stamp-card with place for 7 stamps of not-mentioned bars, there was an envelope lying on the bed, next to a note welcoming me to my own personal pub crawl and telling me to put on the shirt and open the envelope which I'd need to determine where to go.
Knowing the reply to the question:"How did you use to wake up in the morning" (Your mum wakes you up with the vacuum-cleaner) sent me towards "Het Bolwerk", where I found Remco, Ronald, Nicktor and Lorraine drinking beer and apparently having fun already. Everybody welcomed me, the bartender filled my beer-mug and Lorraine stepped forward as the quiz-master for the night, explaining that there'd be mathematical questions to earn my birthday presents and that there'd be questions on the past 29 years to determine which pub to go to next.
Still being in shock made it hard to straight away know the square-root of 841 (29), which earned me a backpack to carry my presents. The question which was supposed to bring me to the next bar was a hard one. Deciding what my favourite cuddly toy was could bring me in big trouble seeing as the options were 1. A sheep. 2. Baba (my favourite toy for many years) or 3. Girlfriend. Because the girlfriend-answer would get me to the other side of town, I decided that Baba would be the safest answer to go for.
This got me to Pardoen, where girlfriend and Annemarie were waiting for us. Lorraine, who kept trying to freak me out more and more asked me to convert 63,80 guilders to euros (29, I'm spotting a theme here which I failed to pick up last night) and I earned shot-glasses. (Eeek!) Obviously they made me drink a pint of beer.
A question on my girlfriend when I was 10 years old got me to Cambrinus where Martijn, Michelle, Arjan and Roos were waiting for me. Strangely enough there was more beer, I earned myself a beer-game by knowing that the day of my birthday + 96 hours was 29 (How did I miss this theme?) And my name even made the beer special-board, as "Selmer's pulletje" (Selmer's beer-mug)
Knowing that Nicky wouldn't call his dad in the middle of the night got me to the kebab-place, where Shiwa, Cindy and McR were waiting for me. Lots of food and pint of milk further, I was posed with the question which superhero'd climb a wall fastest. (Obviously superman), which got us to Villa Kakelbont.
Here Sabrina and Kevin were waiting for me, strangely enough I drank more beer *hic* and determining Nicktor's age minus one got me an apron with a pretty girl on it. Then knowing how not to lock a moped got me to Grand Cafe de Paris, where threats were issued of making me do karaoke but fortunately these never materialised. Another maths-question (to which the answer must have been 29 but which went missing got me my next present).
This present was a tiny skippyball, which was also my means of transportation to the next pub. There I was posed with the question what the first conversation was about that I heard in the morning of 2003, to this the answer was:"Shoes" and this got me to:"De Dijk". Or actually, it took a bit of effort to get there because I kept falling off the skippyball. (I blame the size, not the beer) In "de Dijk", I drank yet more beer and people started going home.
Ronald, Remco, Marjoleine and Adriaan (even though Marjoleine and Adriaan weren't even present) presented gave me a nice bottle of whisky and the question:"What's the average of all the maths-questions + 1" earned me a pair of old men's indoor shoes. You don't want to know how long it too me to determine the reply to that question, I blame the beer. Wearing the slippers and the skippyball I ended up in "Broodje Snor" with McR and girlfriend.
At this stage (3.5 liters of beer later) I may have been not entirely sober but at least I managed not to spill my spicy chicken baguette all over me. Then I did the 200 meter stumble back home, where I somehow failed to get my key out of the cellar door (this took me at least 5 minutes). Walked back upstairs and passed out in bed.
All I can say is:"Very impressive, guys! Thanks a lot!" I fear that photos will start showing up in the next couple of days.
Oh, one more thing, my friends claim to know nothing about the theft of Ernie. Eeek!
No, I didn't need that one because I'm old I needed that one because Friday night I went to a "battle of the bands"-competition with McR and there may have been beer involved, as well us harassing Michelle by phone at 3am. I may have been somewhat hungover on Saturday morning.
Eventually I woke up again and got a phone call from Annemarie that girlfriend was having a panic attack at her place and that she really needed me because Annemarie couldn't quiet her down. Being the nice boyfriend I am, I thought:"Something smells fishy here", before jumping on my bike and barging in to mentally stabilize girlfriend.
The fishy part being that girlfriend was going to have dinner at Annemarie's place, and because I could think of no way end up at girlfriend's place when starting off at Annemarie's place. Found girlfriend's housemate (who I hadn't met up till now) somewhat shocked while I stormed in torn between:"Don't panic! Everything will be alright" and "they're up to something, don't be surprised by anything", ready to switch from one to the other-mood at the drop of a hat.
Fortunately for me there was no mental breakdown to be spotted but on girlfriend's bed there was a yellow t-shirt with a picture of a large "30" chiseled out in rock and the text:"Selmer pubcrawl 1977-2007". Besides it was a customised VRiSBI bierloop (the annual pubcrawl we participate in) beer-mug with on the back the text:"A McRonald's production". There was a stamp-card with place for 7 stamps of not-mentioned bars, there was an envelope lying on the bed, next to a note welcoming me to my own personal pub crawl and telling me to put on the shirt and open the envelope which I'd need to determine where to go.
Knowing the reply to the question:"How did you use to wake up in the morning" (Your mum wakes you up with the vacuum-cleaner) sent me towards "Het Bolwerk", where I found Remco, Ronald, Nicktor and Lorraine drinking beer and apparently having fun already. Everybody welcomed me, the bartender filled my beer-mug and Lorraine stepped forward as the quiz-master for the night, explaining that there'd be mathematical questions to earn my birthday presents and that there'd be questions on the past 29 years to determine which pub to go to next.
Still being in shock made it hard to straight away know the square-root of 841 (29), which earned me a backpack to carry my presents. The question which was supposed to bring me to the next bar was a hard one. Deciding what my favourite cuddly toy was could bring me in big trouble seeing as the options were 1. A sheep. 2. Baba (my favourite toy for many years) or 3. Girlfriend. Because the girlfriend-answer would get me to the other side of town, I decided that Baba would be the safest answer to go for.
This got me to Pardoen, where girlfriend and Annemarie were waiting for us. Lorraine, who kept trying to freak me out more and more asked me to convert 63,80 guilders to euros (29, I'm spotting a theme here which I failed to pick up last night) and I earned shot-glasses. (Eeek!) Obviously they made me drink a pint of beer.
A question on my girlfriend when I was 10 years old got me to Cambrinus where Martijn, Michelle, Arjan and Roos were waiting for me. Strangely enough there was more beer, I earned myself a beer-game by knowing that the day of my birthday + 96 hours was 29 (How did I miss this theme?) And my name even made the beer special-board, as "Selmer's pulletje" (Selmer's beer-mug)
Knowing that Nicky wouldn't call his dad in the middle of the night got me to the kebab-place, where Shiwa, Cindy and McR were waiting for me. Lots of food and pint of milk further, I was posed with the question which superhero'd climb a wall fastest. (Obviously superman), which got us to Villa Kakelbont.
Here Sabrina and Kevin were waiting for me, strangely enough I drank more beer *hic* and determining Nicktor's age minus one got me an apron with a pretty girl on it. Then knowing how not to lock a moped got me to Grand Cafe de Paris, where threats were issued of making me do karaoke but fortunately these never materialised. Another maths-question (to which the answer must have been 29 but which went missing got me my next present).
This present was a tiny skippyball, which was also my means of transportation to the next pub. There I was posed with the question what the first conversation was about that I heard in the morning of 2003, to this the answer was:"Shoes" and this got me to:"De Dijk". Or actually, it took a bit of effort to get there because I kept falling off the skippyball. (I blame the size, not the beer) In "de Dijk", I drank yet more beer and people started going home.
Ronald, Remco, Marjoleine and Adriaan (even though Marjoleine and Adriaan weren't even present) presented gave me a nice bottle of whisky and the question:"What's the average of all the maths-questions + 1" earned me a pair of old men's indoor shoes. You don't want to know how long it too me to determine the reply to that question, I blame the beer. Wearing the slippers and the skippyball I ended up in "Broodje Snor" with McR and girlfriend.
At this stage (3.5 liters of beer later) I may have been not entirely sober but at least I managed not to spill my spicy chicken baguette all over me. Then I did the 200 meter stumble back home, where I somehow failed to get my key out of the cellar door (this took me at least 5 minutes). Walked back upstairs and passed out in bed.
All I can say is:"Very impressive, guys! Thanks a lot!" I fear that photos will start showing up in the next couple of days.
Oh, one more thing, my friends claim to know nothing about the theft of Ernie. Eeek!
Saturday, January 20
Paranoia
Help! Girlfriend is smiling at me, I'm turning 30 on Thursday and there's still no news about Ernie. People must be up to something but what is it?
Am wondering now whether girlfriend is responsible for the storm that caused the Blue man-group to be cancelled for the second time.
For those in Europe, I guess there will be a big storm on the 31st, beware!
Am wondering now whether girlfriend is responsible for the storm that caused the Blue man-group to be cancelled for the second time.
For those in Europe, I guess there will be a big storm on the 31st, beware!
Wednesday, January 17
Still a geek!
Had fun all night with parents' old laptop, on which I spent the night attempting to install Linux. Last night I attempted an Ubuntu install (which anyone can do with his/her eyes closed) but it was lacking memory. So tonight I did it the oldschool way, just plain Debian, the lightweight XFCE4 window manager and it's a breeze to work with.
Note to self: Geek out more often!
Note to self: Geek out more often!
Hmmmm....
Lorraine's complaining about being labeled "the villain" in my Ernie abduction story. But I'm a bit short on other suspicions. Nicktor was not really moving and the whole letter looks just a bit too neat to be a project done by McR. Maybe in co-operation with Martina then?
Haven't been contacted yet about a time and a place to make the money drop. Am constantly watching my mailbox now. I will catch the bastard!
Had passport photos made because I need a new passport. Because we're not allowed to laugh in passport photos anymore I now look like I'm taking a dump. Arse!
Haven't been contacted yet about a time and a place to make the money drop. Am constantly watching my mailbox now. I will catch the bastard!
Had passport photos made because I need a new passport. Because we're not allowed to laugh in passport photos anymore I now look like I'm taking a dump. Arse!
Sunday, January 14
Forensics 101
Just visited my uncle's birthday party where we all contemplated the letter that came in the mail. Pretty quickly we decided that it had to be a girl because boys aren't that neat and tidy at cutting and pasting letters. Secondly we decided that it really needed to be somebody who's got quite a bit of spare time, because of all the searching, cutting and pasting envolved.
I think I know of a person who fits this description. Lorraine, can I have Ernie back? :-)
I think I know of a person who fits this description. Lorraine, can I have Ernie back? :-)
Turning 30?
 |  |
Saturday, January 13
Apparently I still haven't lost my touch for getting things cancelled that I own tickets for. Due to severe storms the Blueman-group show I was supposed to be going to on Thursday got cancelled. Girlfriend not happy, me not happy, booh!
Fortunately I had already been doing cultural stuff on Wednesday at Martina's art-event in Waterfront. Had fun with Lorraine, Sabrina, Nicktor and McR, drank beer. *yay!*
Oh and last night I had McR over, we drank beer, watched jackass and played with my helicopter. *Yay!* Sadly Lorraine decided that she'd rather drink alcohol than come over to my place and Nicktor was in a "I'm not picking up the phone"-phase but well, helicopters make up for a whole lot ;-)
Fortunately I had already been doing cultural stuff on Wednesday at Martina's art-event in Waterfront. Had fun with Lorraine, Sabrina, Nicktor and McR, drank beer. *yay!*
Oh and last night I had McR over, we drank beer, watched jackass and played with my helicopter. *Yay!* Sadly Lorraine decided that she'd rather drink alcohol than come over to my place and Nicktor was in a "I'm not picking up the phone"-phase but well, helicopters make up for a whole lot ;-)
Monday, January 8
Working for the weekend
Had a company weekend at CenterParcs de Vossemeren (a holiday-village in Belgium). Got to ride a Segway, star in a tv commercial dance at a really cool jungle party and drink loads of beers *hic!*. Oh and somehow I (and 3 others) managed to win an innovation award for our project. *Yay!*
Tuesday, January 2
Note to self...
5 cloves of garlic in an omelet is a bit much. Don't kiss people for the next couple of hours.
Happy New Year!
Somehow I completely managed to forget to mention a Malaysian colleague visiting in the previous post. I wonder what I'll forget in this one. 3 days of work, which I had planned on doing with my eyes closed but turned out to be more crisis-filled than expected, then a visit from Karen, my Australian friend, who currently lives in London and a pretty successful NY-eve party.
At the start of it all there was some worry that it might turn out duller than planned but when eventually everybody got together, there was plenty of party for all of us. Possibly even a bit too much party for some of us. Karen decided she couldn't handle Nicktor's cocktails and after midnight girlfriend decided that passing out and throwing up (in random order) would be a nice way to end a party. (Note to self, buy more sheet-covers) All NY-eve photos can be found at my flickr-site.
Massive hangover (for some people) and cleanup for others on monday, a walk through Rotterdam at night with Karen and that already gets us to today, where I dropped off Karen at the ferry to Harwich after a bike-ride through "het Kralingse Bos" and shoe shopping.
Oh and UPC digital tv sucks even more than I thought. I've been trying to get rid of it ever since October and I still haven't succeeded. My current problem:"They promised they'd come and pick up my digital receiver today but they kind of forgot" Argh!
At the start of it all there was some worry that it might turn out duller than planned but when eventually everybody got together, there was plenty of party for all of us. Possibly even a bit too much party for some of us. Karen decided she couldn't handle Nicktor's cocktails and after midnight girlfriend decided that passing out and throwing up (in random order) would be a nice way to end a party. (Note to self, buy more sheet-covers) All NY-eve photos can be found at my flickr-site.
Massive hangover (for some people) and cleanup for others on monday, a walk through Rotterdam at night with Karen and that already gets us to today, where I dropped off Karen at the ferry to Harwich after a bike-ride through "het Kralingse Bos" and shoe shopping.
Oh and UPC digital tv sucks even more than I thought. I've been trying to get rid of it ever since October and I still haven't succeeded. My current problem:"They promised they'd come and pick up my digital receiver today but they kind of forgot" Argh!
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