Fun: January 2008 Archives
'it's okay…the struggle for things not to say' - U2, If you wear that velvet dress againPossibly the sexiest song ever.
'Run away from all your boredom, run away from all your whoredom and wave' - Placebo, Slave to the Wage
In my link-whore efforts, (whoever said this blog was going to be high-toned was obviously delusional), and because Neil told me all about his idea and I encouraged him (ideas-whore too, hey, I'll sell myself for pretty much anything), I'm participating in Neil's Great Interview Experiment.
I'm being interviewed by Not Fainthearted and I'm interviewing Bryna from a Day in the Life Of.
There's nothing happening just yet, because:
- I haven't thought of the questions I need to ask Bryna (too busy link whoring and such), and
- Not Fainthearted is angsting about her questions for me.
Perhaps I've been watching too much Dirt.
Or was that Dexter?
'I'm not in a film, I'm not in a play.' - The Guillemots, Blue would still be Blue
Thank you Last.fm.
I give you the Guillemots. They are fabulous and shiny new for me.
Made-Up Lovesong #43. Blue would still be Blue, and We're Here.
So sweet, these lyrics are from Blue would still be Blue:
It's not raining cats, it's not raining dogs
And pigs are not flying, or turning the cogs
The sun has no hat on, whenever it shines
And I've never seen a cat with nine lives
I'm not in a film, I'm not in a play
I saw no aliens today
I just saw you, and thought of me.
I had a few lousy days recently. Duvet-calling-me days.
But today?
Ohhhhh today.
Today I heard birds singing at 8 am. It was light at 5 pm.
The grey of January was streaked with feathery pink. I glimpsed Spring, beckoning.
The world is turning, still. It didn't stop last night, it didn't.
Turning.
One week left.
'Sweets for my sweet, sugar for my honey, your first sweet kiss thrilled me so.' - CJ Lewis, Sweets for my Sweet. Originally by the Searchers and a 1980s dance mix here (very cute).
Blogging has been easy this week. First there was that meme, then Ms Adventures in Italy decided to write about sweets in Italy and offer an amazing giveaway on her blog.
Of course, I probably shouldn't tell you because then I have less chance of winning because you're all going to go and enter aren't you? Oh well, too late.
Go see. The ones I think are the most interesting are the honey candies and the Rossana. Yum, I hope I win.
Sweets of my childhood? Similar to British ones I would imagine. There's loads of nostalgic sweet shops out there now. Just google 'Old Fashioned Sweets'.
My favourite is Hope & Greenwoods in the UK. Look at their Valentine's selection.
Gilded cherry nipple dainty anyone?
Shamelessly stolen. The things we do when we need to post every day ...
'Need a little patience.' - Guns n Roses - Patience
What you need to do is put your ipod or itunes on shuffle, then answer the questions with whichever song comes up. No cheating!
Version I
What does this year have in store for me?
Aaliyah - Miss You. Jesus dudes, I had no idea I had Aaliyah in my itunes, let alone that it was my theme for the year.
What’s my love life like?
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Into My Arms. This is more like it.
What do I say when life gets hard?
Moke - This Plan. 'Oh for the life of a sweet child, just to know love in your life.'
What do I think of upon waking up?
Pink Floyd - Astronomy Domine. Uh..... well, I guess it's disconnected enough to describe how I feel when I wake up.
What song will I dance to at my wedding?
Gwen Stefani - What are you Waiting For? Err. two weddings, no dancing. tick tock tick tock.
What do I want as a career?
Katie Melua - Mary Pickford (Used to eat roses) - Seeing as I have no idea at all, this pretty much sums it up. Beautiful song. Maybe I should take up eating roses...
My favorite saying?
Sheena Easton - Modern Girl. Am I? A modern girl? An independent lady taking care of herself? This makes no sense at all as a saying. Maybe as a motto.
Favorite place?
Bruce Springsteen - Secret Garden. Aha. Finally one that makes sense. (Yes, I know it's not really about gardens, I'm not that naive.)
What do I think of my parents?
Bruce Springsteen - Radio Nowhere. I was trying to find my way home... is there anybody alive out there?
What’s my porn star name?
Sarah McLachlan - Fallen. Hmm, Fallen Ash, Ash Fallen. That could work.
Where would I go on a first date?
David Ford - I Don't Care What you Call Me. Eh. Does this mean I have no preferences about first dates?
Drug of choice?
Texas - Insane. This should be the answer to the next question. Itunes is confused :)
Describe myself.
The Corrs - Would you be happier? Have you ever wondered where the story ends and how it all began? Do you ever feel you're someone else inside and no-one understands. And wanna disappear inside a dream... and then you stumble on tomorrow and trip over yesterday.
What is the thing I like doing most?
The Rolling Stones - Rough Justice. Put your lips to my hips baby and tell me what's on your mind... eh?
What is my state of mind like at the moment?
Delta Goodrem - Born to Try. I truly believe I was born to try. Sometimes you gotta sacrifice the things you like.
How will I die?
Texas - Everyday Now. Oooooookay.
Version II
If someone says, “Is this okay?” what do you say?
Nelly Furtado - Hey Man! I didn't even know I had this song.
How would you describe yourself?
Keane - Leaving So Soon. Do I seem to eager to please, to you now? You don't know me at all. I can't turn it on turn it off like you now. I'm not like you.
What do you like in a guy or girl?
Enya - Less Than a Pearl. Hmm, there's all kinds of things I could say here but I'm not saying any of them.
How do you feel today?
Jeff Buckley - Last Goodbye. Well, possibly. But I thought I was upbeat and cheerful today. Damn you itunes!
What is your life’s purpose?
Leaf - Wonderwoman. I'm up for a little bit more.
What is your motto?
Texas - So In Love with You. Hmm, is the shuffle repeat hitting on Texas today or what? Nothing to say about this one either.
What do your friends think about you?
Kaiser Chiefs - Ruby. Ooh, this is nice. I want to be Ruby (maybe).
What do your parents think of you?
Christine Kane - The Real World. And the real world softly falls away and the moment swirls into the fine designs of grey ... you can download this song for free from Christine's website. Buy her album while you're there.
What do you think about very often?
Melissa Etheridge - I'm The Only One. Ooooh, what does this say about me?
What is 2 + 2?
Sisters of Mercy - This Corrosion. Eh?
What do you think of your ex?
Texas - Halo. Well the dude was and still is super-religious. Of the apologising-to-god-for-the-sins-we're-about-to -commit type and the lay-preacher type and the no-eating-without-saying-grace type, and the good-at-telling-lies type. So....
What do you think of the person you like?
Cassette - AI. Hmm. I stay true, always.
What is your life story?
The Fray - She Is. No comment.
What do you want to be when you grow up?
Razorlight - In the Morning. A hooker? Blame itunes.
What do you think when you see the person you like?
Snow Patrol - Run. Yes, RUN!
What will they play at your funeral?Van Velzen - Baby Get Higher. I'm not having a funeral. Did I tell you?
What is your hobby/interest?
Train - Drops of Jupiter. Astronomy again? Miss me while you were looking for yourself out there? I guess I am on a soul-vacation right now so this one is right.
What is your biggest fear?
Plain White T's - Hey There Delilah. I guess. Did I tell you I'm going to see them on the 4th Feb?
What is your biggest secret?
Madonna - Hung Up. Time goes so slowly for those wait. Those who run seem to have all the fun.
What do you think of your friends?
The Pretenders - Stop Your Sobbing. Sometimes.
Wanna play too?
'You don't care if it's wrong or if it's right.' - The Police, Roxanne (this version El Tango de Roxanne)
Last night, the husband and I went to his work's annual party. The theme was Club Variete and I'm just sorry I didn't dress it up more. I was dressy, but I could have been so bustier, garters, frills, hats and capes. Oh my.
It was held in the Thalia Theater in Ijmuiden. There were waiters circulating with endless glasses of wine, there were shows, there was a magician. The dude made foam rabbits appear in my hand, copulate and reproduce. Cute. Rabbitsex in my hand.
He also did stuff with various bits of rope, cards, the appearance and disappearance of diamonds (yes please!) The fire-eating lady who was super-sexy, people were dressed up as tigers and go-go girls (and that was just the colleagues, not the show!). There were tango dancers doing their sexy intense thing, there was a hot DJ, who played 'Last night a DJ saved my life'.
There was this dude on stilts doing the most amazing stuff, jugglers, a parrot, yummy food; the latter despite a salmon dish that appeared to have shrimp in it only after I already had it on my plate. Had I eaten it, this blog entry would not exist.
I danced all night with K, while Husband and C got progressively more cheery. We rocked. Girls are always more fun on the dance floor, although some of those couples were having a bit more bang for their buck, if you get my meaning.
This morning the husband is still in bed, hungover. I'm on the couch listening to and watching TMF with only a little bit of a headache from my moderate three glasses of wine. The kids are playing Nintendo. We are all in pyjamas. The daring baking is waiting.
The wind is blowing and I'm writing. I have an idea for a short story, the theme of fantasy versus reality. This is what I wrote to a friend today:
'Imagination only takes you so far. It can't substitute for weight, touch, the heaviness of another person leaning into you, smell, smooth skin, the sound of someone's breath, the talking into each other's mouths while you kiss, the sweat running down into the small of your back and pooling there, saltysweet.'
'I''ve been looking so long at these pictures of you that i almost believe that they're real' - The Cure, Pictures of You
How adolescent of me. Don't laugh.
So, it's Saturday. Way-hey.
This week has been kind of crappy, despite the horoscope predictions of a fabulous week. Monday was good.
I spent some time working out on Monday evening and the company was fab. That just happens sometimes, you know?
Thursday was good too, it was Ms Blonde But Bright's birthday drinks. I drove with Citizen Stu to Leiden and we had a little mini-blogger meet in amongst all the real people. Thanks J!
I got lost on the A2 driving Stu back home because I was talking too much, but it was fun. Stu, let's get lost again together sometime.
In retrospect it hasn't been crappy at all. The only aspect that's been crappy is money.
The loss of it, the not having it.
Oh well.
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Saturday seems to be the day when I collect all my uncollected thoughts and put them in one place. Here's one - how odd it is that I can read enough German and French to order from various online shops? Linguistic shopping abilities - chalk up 110% for Ash. Real life German and French skills? Uh.
Here's another: Tamara-the-uber-trainer told me today that people find it difficult to step over the threshold and get themselves into a gym because once inside you are confronted with yourself.
Not only the physical shortcomings, but the mental ones too, determination and drive, fear of failure. I never thought of it that way but it's true. Every time you walk in you make a choice. I guess I'm not so bad at making choices after all.
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The online shopping I did was at amazon.de. I bought a whole heap of books. Carol Ann Duffy's Rapture, The New Rules of Lifting for Women, Tim Winton's Cloudstreet and Henry & June, Anais Nin.
Don't try and find any connection between any of the books on the list. Unless I'm bodybuilding to find rapture on Cloudstreet using Anais Nin as my guidebook?
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I trained so hard today that I thought my nose might bleed. Unrelated to that: coconut really is the best flavour of protein powder.
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The Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl came! (Addressing Shauna directly) Woweeeeee babe! You are so hot! I had never gone through your whole blog before because I only started reading about a year ago but so much of what you say in the book is my story too. I could tell you all the similarities but that would be boring. Instead I'm just going to say thank you so much for sharing what you have to say! Big hugs!
(Addressing the rest of you lot again) Go and buy Shauna's book. Even if you're not trying to lose weight, not struggling with an eating disorder, even if you're a man and you think it's a girly book. She's side-splittingly funny, she has a perspective on life that is guaranteed to be different from your own, she comes from a time and place very much like mine. Oh, and I'm telling you to. So shoo! Go!
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Last Sunday evening I went with my girlfriend T to the possibly-ultra-hip&happening Panama. I say 'possibly' because these places are not usually hip once someone tells someone else that they're hip. Know what I mean?
We went to watch Xandra van Rossem, a friend of T's who I had met once before at a different concert, sing at Jazz it Up.
I was completely speechless. She is breathtaking. I can't remember what she sang now, but the atmosphere was amazing and her voice is piercingly clear, yet surprisingly warm.
The club felt so 1930s. The piano and a barstool for the singer in the centre of the room, beanbags and low stools arranged all around, tables and chairs at the outside. The fake fog swirled, the conversation flowed, the jazz types were there in their hats and suits. Couples kissing on the beanbags while Xandra sang.
It felt glamorous and grownup. I could see myself in a cocktail dress, stocking-clad legs crossed demurely at the ankle, lipsticked mouth neatly sipping from my glass while I sat across the table from my partner in crime who carefully leaned forward to light my cigarette.
To listen to Xandra you need to click this link, then choose Nederlands (the English version isn't done yet), choose music, scroll down and listen to my favourite, Boulevard of Broken Dreams. Ah.
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A photo of mine was used for Schmap! Cool beans, huh? It looks like a cute application. In the summer I plan to photograph more. You can trawl through Amsterdam's Schmap yourself to find the photo.
Other great photography that I came across this week is from Xelia. Go see. Take heed, flickr will ask you if you want to go back to the kittens. 'Tis all I'm saying. Beautiful photography. I love it.
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I rejoined the Daring Bakers. I will be daringly baking tomorrow. Anyone want some? Come over around 4. Phone first please, let me know you're coming. I wouldn't want to be surprised.
And that ends Saturday's long, languid post. Long and languid is the best kind, right?
My mini-shorts I mean?
'I'm too sexy for my shirt too sexy for my shirt' - Right Said Fred, I'm Too Sexy
I'm crushing on my new Bjorn Borg mini-shorts.
Purple ones, black and white with flowers, white with a green and grey band and hot pink all over.
And sexy too.
I spent the morning kissing my colleagues, kissing the parents at school and my co-parents on the PTA.
'And they'll meet one day far away and say I wish I knew you I wish I knew you before.' - Amy MacDonald, Mr Rock n Roll
It's the first day back at school and work and it's one of those Dutch things. Everyone kisses you. Well, not everyone, but everyone you know well.
The rest just shake your hand and heartily wish you 'Beste wensen' or 'Allerbeste wensen' or 'Gelukkige nieuwe jaar'.
For those you know well, this is how it goes:
You have to kiss three times on the cheek, left right left. A hand on the shoulder or arm is optional, but I only do this when it's someone I know pretty well. You can also do the handshake and the kiss at the same time, which can be disconcerting for foreigners.
You go in for a handshake and you come out with three kisses! How's that for a bonus deal?
If you're a foreigner you can also go for a hug while you're in there for the three kisses. You get away with it on the basis that you have no idea what you're doing. Only do this with people you know really well.
Those who hug randomly without the kissing can be frowned upon.
So there you go.
It's New Year in the Netherlands!
Pucker up!
'Pink like a deco umbrella, it's kink - but you dont ever tell her' - Aerosmith, Pink
... Leaves you with nothing to write about.
Meh. I did very little today. I lay on the couch a lot. I have no excuse. I also have nothing to write about. Sorry.
So instead I'll link you to this story on Muscle with Attitude about Shawn Tan. She has interesting things to say about disordered eating.
Go read.
'He's got his hands in my hair and his lips everywhere.' - The Pretenders, Night in my Veins
And still with the Chrissie Hynde crushing..
And completely unrelated to that:
Why does no-one tell you that when Sinterklaas brings 2 Nintendo DS Lites for the kids that their mom will spend the next x years of her life looking for the goddamned styluses?
'Don't get me wrong. If I come and go like fashion.' - The Pretenders, Don't Get Me Wrong.
Yes, I'm crushing on Chrissie Hynde again.
Crushing crushing crushing. Love the videos and the lyrics. Love this video most of all. Don't we want someone to do that for us?
Yesterday morning at 10 am I ran 7 km on the treadmill today listening to her sing.
When I was done I listened to 10,000 Maniacs sing Verdi Cries, and shed a little tear for the man in room 119.
Afterwards, in solitude, I sat in the steamroom and listened to the water drip off the end of my nose while I watched the ends of my toes.
I sunk into the herbal bath. I was alone so I could float on my back, pretend to be a fish and gulp air with only my nose and mouth above water while the lights changed colour beneath me.
I showered, and I washed my hair. I talked to a Englishwoman who has lived in the Netherlands for 38 years and no longer speaks English. I made some phone calls, did my face, dried my hair.
For lunch I had coffee, a baguette with ham and cheese and a glass of water and conversation, because I shared a table.
Then I went to the Cobra Museum to see their current exhibit - the China Now exhibition.
I like art. I visit a lot of exhibitions with my museum card.
I see lots of stuff every day that passes me by on the Internet. I visit design and style blogs.
But wow.
Nothing prepared me for the overwhelming intensity of this exhibition.
It's colour, passion, anger and lust all in one. Mostly anger.
The artists whose work is exhibited feel.
Really feel.
And you can't help but feel with them.
My favourites:
- A video installation of a wok, with ingredients being added, the burners being turned up high and when the lid is lifted a different cityscape in the lid. Portrayed on nine different screens, nine different dvds produce nine different images and as you watch you see the cityscapes appear briefly. The way the room is laid out your eye darts from one to another and then just as you change focus you miss the view on the lid.
- A video animation of 'night-time' with overtones of death and pain so strong that I almost started to cry.
- A ceramic installation of everyday objects cascading from the ceiling into a pile. White and pure and ordinary. And not at all ordinary. Hats, phones, hammers, pistols, teddy bears, shoes.
- An all-white painting of pagodas that seemed to gleam as though there was a light inside it.
- A painting of a mother and child whose eyes shine incredibly bright with tears while the rest of them fades to an almost impressionist-background of blur. The sadness.
It reminded me of when I was little.
Living in a socialist country, we had lots of toys made in China. But as usual, people always want what they can't have. We wanted western toys because the colours were less vibrant than the Chinese toys, more natural, more lifelike.
I always thought it was a dye or a chemicals thing, that maybe the cheapest dyes were the bright ones. Now I'm not sure.
Maybe we see colour more brightly than the artists do? Maybe it's just more or less rods and cones?
Whatever, it's charming and original and breath-taking.
I had a whole year's emotion in one day.
Now I don't need to feel anything at all until 2009.
