Gone to sunny California. Back in 10 days.
Monday, 23 February 2009
Sunday, 22 February 2009
THE CHALLENGE
I have got to stay on track and to keep envision the trajectory I have to follow. As a reminder:
My challenge is:
...to remain calm; in the end everything will be all right
...to relax; do not strain the whole thing;
...to open myself for new experiences;
...to hold on to my dreams and desires; they are feasible;
...to look for my own path;
...to take more and do not feel as a victim;
...to let others share in my experiences;
...to recognize my strenghts and be proud of them;
...to stay in touch with my own motives;
...to get inspiration and pleasure out of the things I do;
...to not look back at what has been;
...to not fall back into old scenarios and ways of thinking;
...to better promote my unique selling points;
...to take more actions and to finish these;
...to be authentic and to stay authentic.
Please give me the strength to follow this path and to conquer all the threats.
My challenge is:
...to remain calm; in the end everything will be all right
...to relax; do not strain the whole thing;
...to open myself for new experiences;
...to hold on to my dreams and desires; they are feasible;
...to look for my own path;
...to take more and do not feel as a victim;
...to let others share in my experiences;
...to recognize my strenghts and be proud of them;
...to stay in touch with my own motives;
...to get inspiration and pleasure out of the things I do;
...to not look back at what has been;
...to not fall back into old scenarios and ways of thinking;
...to better promote my unique selling points;
...to take more actions and to finish these;
...to be authentic and to stay authentic.
Please give me the strength to follow this path and to conquer all the threats.
Saturday, 21 February 2009
A NIGHT AT THE OPERA
I have been to the opera only three times in my life. The first time was a long time ago: in Warsaw, Poland in 1989. That was quite an event. Poland was still under communist rule and the opera and other cultural events were incredibly cheap. Because it was so cheap we decided with our group of law students from Utrecht University on a "study trip" to Poland that it was a good idea to go to the opera on the first evening after our arrival.
We had nothing suitable to wear and nobody had any Polish money; only I had changed illegally some Dutch guilders to Polish zlotys in the hotel lobby that afternoon (an unexpected talent of mine). Both clothes and money turned out to be no problem at all; the audience was dressed as if they just came from the supermarket and I had paid for all the 12 tickets. If I remember well it was only €0,16 per ticket !!
I do not remember that much about the performance. Only that it was a Polish composer and that there were a lot of people on stage (just like it should be in an old-fashioned opera). It was crowded and I still can see old ladies knitting as if they were sitting in front of the telly.
The second time was last year on my birthday, February 19th, when I saw with a friend "Die Entführung aus dem Serail" by Mozart. I am not a big fan of Mozart: It is too frivolous for me. But OK, Johan Simons was the director and he is the shooting star of European opera. So let's see what it is and it is always a nice night out. Unfortunately it was a disappointment, may be the expectations were too high. The opera was sung technically beautiful, but it simply was not my taste. We had good seats, but we paid also € 90, which could have bought tickets for 540 people back in 1989 in Warsaw !
Last time was last week when I saw Nabucco by Verdi in the Lucent Theatre in The Hague. They made a modern version of the storyline and it was now set in some Latin-American banana republic instead of Jerusalem. But the rest was in my eyes (I am no connaisseur) quite straight-forward opera: with a large choir, great bombastic music by Verdi, famous melodies, a rather sturdy diva, lots of melodrama, great lighting and decor (at least in my opinion; there were other opinions) and a standing ovation, which is these days unfortunately more rule than exception. Great for a saturday night out.
To end this I added a clip of the überfamous chorus Va Pensiero sull'Ali Dorate (the Slave Choir)
We had nothing suitable to wear and nobody had any Polish money; only I had changed illegally some Dutch guilders to Polish zlotys in the hotel lobby that afternoon (an unexpected talent of mine). Both clothes and money turned out to be no problem at all; the audience was dressed as if they just came from the supermarket and I had paid for all the 12 tickets. If I remember well it was only €0,16 per ticket !!
I do not remember that much about the performance. Only that it was a Polish composer and that there were a lot of people on stage (just like it should be in an old-fashioned opera). It was crowded and I still can see old ladies knitting as if they were sitting in front of the telly.
The second time was last year on my birthday, February 19th, when I saw with a friend "Die Entführung aus dem Serail" by Mozart. I am not a big fan of Mozart: It is too frivolous for me. But OK, Johan Simons was the director and he is the shooting star of European opera. So let's see what it is and it is always a nice night out. Unfortunately it was a disappointment, may be the expectations were too high. The opera was sung technically beautiful, but it simply was not my taste. We had good seats, but we paid also € 90, which could have bought tickets for 540 people back in 1989 in Warsaw !
Last time was last week when I saw Nabucco by Verdi in the Lucent Theatre in The Hague. They made a modern version of the storyline and it was now set in some Latin-American banana republic instead of Jerusalem. But the rest was in my eyes (I am no connaisseur) quite straight-forward opera: with a large choir, great bombastic music by Verdi, famous melodies, a rather sturdy diva, lots of melodrama, great lighting and decor (at least in my opinion; there were other opinions) and a standing ovation, which is these days unfortunately more rule than exception. Great for a saturday night out.
To end this I added a clip of the überfamous chorus Va Pensiero sull'Ali Dorate (the Slave Choir)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BZSqtqr8Qk
Wednesday, 18 February 2009
Tuesday, 17 February 2009
WHAT TO DO IN AN EARTHQUAKE ?
SAN FRANCISCO
THE BIG EARTHQUAKE 1906
You might wonder why someone living in area where earthquakes are non-existent would write a post on his blog about what to do in an earthquake ? But, since I am going next week to San Francisco and they still expect "the big one" overthere, I decided to learn what to do to survive and to share this information with you. Always a positive mind !
OK. It all seems common sense, but you never know what you will be doing when panic strikes. First tip therefore: stay calm. If your life should end, it is still better to go with a big bang, than with a small whisper.
Suppose I am in my hotel bed when it happens. In that case it is best to stay in bed, curl up and cover your head with a cushion to prevent falling debris hurting you.
Suppose I am somewhere inside when the earth starts moving. Then it is best to hide underneath heavy furniture like a desk or a table or to stand in the door frame (even I knew about the door frame). Obviously it is best to stay away from the windows or other glass objects. But what if you have a glass door ? It is also wise to stay away from outside walls and to cover your head and face to hide it from falling debris. Do not use the elevator.
Suppose I am in a room or building with a lot of people. Do not rush to the door to try to get outside; in a reflex all the other persons might do the same. It is better to look for cover; see above.
Suppose I am outside; move yourself to an open space without high-rise buildings and utility wires. Stay there till the shaking stops or watch out for after shocks.
Suppose I am driving when it happens. Then move over to the shoulder or the curb and watch that you are not stopping near high-rise buildings and utility wires. It is also not wise to stop on or under a bridge. One should stay in the car and pull the parking brake. Switch on the car radio for information. If you decide to start driving, watch out for holes in the road and loose utility wires.
If the lights fall out you should use a battery-operated flashlight and not matches or candles; if there is a gas leak it goes "kaboum"!!
Well, the chance that you read another post on my blog after 6 March 2008 has increased. But remember: I can still crash with the airplane, run over by a car, suffer a heart attack, be on a runaway cable car, choke on a hamburger or locked in and forgotten on Alcatraz. Life is never dull. Ciao.
Wednesday, 4 February 2009
LET'S GO TO SAN FRANCISCO
Where can I go in this cold time of year ? Let's go to San Francisco ! Golden Gate, Alcatraz, Castro Street, Chinatown. In a spontaneous act I decided to go to San Francisco and not to waste any more time over it. USA is cheap for us in Europe: the dollar is low, the crisis is severe especially in the US and the hotels are empty. I made a wonderful deal by paying only € 670 for 11 days San Francisco: hotel in the center of town and a flight with Lufthansa. For me the deal of the century - I am extremely happy with it. Just to get into the mood for later this month (I am leaving on the 24th) some pictures of San Francisco:
Sunday, 1 February 2009
SING, FIGHT, CRY, PRAY
As a last post for today I have collected three favorite songs in Dutch. I am not a huge fan of music in my own language - besides the music also the lyrics have to please you. In my opinion these three are outstanding choices.
First the passionate Ramses Shaffy "Zing, vecht, huil, bid, lach, werk en bewonder" ("sing, fight, cry, pray, smile, work and admire"). A song from 1971 from a singer that puts emotions in his songs like no other Dutch singer. But if you imagine that he is born in Paris and is from Russian / Egyptian descendance it is not so surprising.
Second the Scene "Blauw" ("blue"). A song from 1990 with an incredible drive and power.
Last and not least Willeke Alberti "Telkens weer" ("over and over"). This song is often called one of the most beautiful songs in the Dutch language from the movie "Rooie Sien" from 1973. Willeke Alberti has a career of almost 50 years and is still around, but never sang a song which could stand in the shadow of this one.
Maybe in a couple of weeks more modern Dutch songs - these three are ancient but still going strong. Not all worked as it should do:
SWEAT
It was already for months on my wish list but last Tuesday I finally managed to actually go to a lesson: Bikram Yoga. I went together with a friend and we needed to motivate eachother to actually go in the freezing cold; it is easier to stay on the couch.
Bikram Yoga is "hot yoga" - in a heat of 45 degrees Celsius (which is bearable when you sit on your mat) you have to do 26 positions in total in a period of 90 minutes (which is not bearable when you want to finish it). The positions are in fact not that difficult but in a heat of 45 degrees everything gets difficult; it all gets wet, slippery and stinky. And a teacher is walking around like a drill instructor: shoulders down, stomach in, legs higher, do not drink water ... 90 minutes long.
Though it is very healthy for your immune system, because you sweat out all the poisonous fluids in your system, and you get increasingly flexible. We survived and we are going for a second time on Tuesday. The second lesson is for free - for real Dutchmen that is the real incentive to go. I must say it feels wonderful afterwards - you feel fit and refreshed.
http://www.bikramdenhaag.com/
Bikram Yoga is "hot yoga" - in a heat of 45 degrees Celsius (which is bearable when you sit on your mat) you have to do 26 positions in total in a period of 90 minutes (which is not bearable when you want to finish it). The positions are in fact not that difficult but in a heat of 45 degrees everything gets difficult; it all gets wet, slippery and stinky. And a teacher is walking around like a drill instructor: shoulders down, stomach in, legs higher, do not drink water ... 90 minutes long.
Though it is very healthy for your immune system, because you sweat out all the poisonous fluids in your system, and you get increasingly flexible. We survived and we are going for a second time on Tuesday. The second lesson is for free - for real Dutchmen that is the real incentive to go. I must say it feels wonderful afterwards - you feel fit and refreshed.
http://www.bikramdenhaag.com/
WRITING IS SEDUCING
This week I read in my newspaper De Volkskrant an interview with Swiss/British writer Alain de Botton in which I recognized a lot of myself and my way of thinking. This interview was published as promotion for his book The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work (Ode aan de arbeid) in which he deals with the question why people want to be happy in the work that they do.
Especially the fact that he does not envie people for their profession as such, but that he envies them for the capacity to be happy and content with their work, I recognize. I would have loved to have this passion; it is difficult to learn - either you have or you have not. That people can be happy to get to work at 8 and leave at 5 and that is OK for them; without any specific goals or events. That is unbelievable for me; luckily we are not all the same.
De Botton says that he poses himself over and over the question how to be meaningful as a writer and how to make a difference. By writing about his own feelings he tries to hit the feelings of his readers, which leads in the end to a sort of long-distance friendship writer-reader. By writing about his feelings he wants to create order in a chaotic mind. He can only do so by writing honestly about his feelings and being vulnerable. On a smaller scale I like to do the same; in fact I would like people to read my blog (that reminds me: I have to do some marketing!), but the effect of creating order is present just by writing it down and being honest to yourself. What you read is what you get !
I was amused by the statement that he associates intellectuals with neuroses and that intellectuals are anxious people; may be I am living proof. Not everyone is practical and rational. But thinking also leads to some comfort - De Botton says that it actually helps to read works of pessimistic philosophers like Schopenhauer if you are feeling down. In any case it does not help to read the overenthousiastic and optimistic American selfhelp literature; those works seem rather naive and far-fetched if you are not in your most hopeful mood.
A good idea of him was to start a School of Life, which deals with life lessons concerning work, love, family etcetera, with the ultimate goal of not only discussing life but also changing life. That is what I call a good idea; I would have loved to join and to learn. Give us more of these thoughts !
Source (only in Dutch):
