Last night we purchased our first ariline tickets for a weekend trip. We'll be going to Prague on June 22 through the 25th. I can't wait! The sale on airfare was too good to pass up, and both of us have been wanting to visit there. I have to admit that I spend a sick amount of time planning holiday itineraries on line and day dreaming about all of the possiblities. How can't you though? I'm still hoping that we'll wake up on a Saturday morning and just decide to go to Brussels for the night. It's about two hours away on the train, totally doable for an overnighter.
The Arcade Fire is playing a show in Utrecht, which just may be the first trip outside of Amsterdam that we've taken. The show is sold out, but through some people I work with I've discovered the joys of what seems to be the Dutch equivalent of Craigslist. We can still buy tix.
The apartment has gone through some massive growing pains in the last two weeks. After seeing the lot of stuff that we brought right there in front of our faces and realizing that there is nowhere to put any of it, we had a big wake up call. Emotions ran from "there's no rush, we've got all the time in the world", to "what the hell are we going to do with all of this shit?". Needless to say we did ALOT of throwing out. I thought I had gotten rid of soooooo much stuff prior to making the move, but compared to what I pitched here, it was nothing. It feels great. The realization of wants and needs and material excess really clicks in moments like these. I have to say that it feels nice to scale back and live with the essentials.
We have (and I say that loosely as Matthew has done 90% of the work) managed to fit the things we chose to bring along with us into this new life. So far all is well!
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
what the..?
The walk from the apartment to work is barely long enough to listen to two song on the ipod. For those of you in Minneapolis, I'd venture so much as to say that it's the equivalent of the walk from Fallon to Peavey Plaza. Yeah, that close.
The other day after going home for lunch I was walking back to work along the canal, bopping along listening to my tunes, when I noticed this old woman with a walker about twenty feet in front of me who looked like she needed some help. I took out my ear phones and asked if she wanted me to help her. She gestured to her walker and to the door that was about five steps up a stoop. I grabbed her walker and carried it up to the door and asked if she needed anything else, she said no and reached into her pocket and handed to me what looked like a brown, withered, wrinkly ball. I took a look and quickly smiled and said no, no that's not necessary, but she insisted. I hesitantly stuck out my hand and asked what it was (slightly cringing I'm sure), to which she smiled and said, it's passion fruit. Ahhhhh, I thanked her, put my ear phones back in and made my way back to work. So sweet.
The other day after going home for lunch I was walking back to work along the canal, bopping along listening to my tunes, when I noticed this old woman with a walker about twenty feet in front of me who looked like she needed some help. I took out my ear phones and asked if she wanted me to help her. She gestured to her walker and to the door that was about five steps up a stoop. I grabbed her walker and carried it up to the door and asked if she needed anything else, she said no and reached into her pocket and handed to me what looked like a brown, withered, wrinkly ball. I took a look and quickly smiled and said no, no that's not necessary, but she insisted. I hesitantly stuck out my hand and asked what it was (slightly cringing I'm sure), to which she smiled and said, it's passion fruit. Ahhhhh, I thanked her, put my ear phones back in and made my way back to work. So sweet.
Friday, February 9, 2007
snow + moving (part ?)
I got what I deserved the other day.
For making fun of the midwest weather,
we got snow yesterday.
The total was 5-10 cm, whatever that means.
The city was beautiful for a time,
but then everything became a slushy wet mess.
All of it is melted today.
Today, our belongs will hopefully be arriving!
We have been living out of suitcase's since December 18th.
Pics to follow in the coming days.
Hope all is well with everyone.
-Matthew
For making fun of the midwest weather,
we got snow yesterday.
The total was 5-10 cm, whatever that means.
The city was beautiful for a time,
but then everything became a slushy wet mess.
All of it is melted today.
Today, our belongs will hopefully be arriving!
We have been living out of suitcase's since December 18th.
Pics to follow in the coming days.
Hope all is well with everyone.
-Matthew
Tuesday, February 6, 2007
catching up ...
Geeze,
We'd like to say that so much has been going on,
that we can't keep up with the blog.
The truth is just the opposite, not too much of note as been happening.
We are both just getting settled, well settled in Amsterdam!
Is it cold enough for you suckers in the midwest?
Just a quick list of the what what (in no order):
- I had a interview at W+K, went well, they want me to freelance.
One slight (BIG) problem, I'm not legal, and can't...
- Maureen is now legal, to live and work in The Netherlands.
- Celebrated Australia Day, on Friday the 27th, at Coco's Outback.
Not exactly sure what the celebration was all about, its Aussie's "Fourth of July".
Ran into our pal, Douglas, who we met at or favorite pub, Cafe Zool.
Small town...
Check out the place: http://www.cocosoutback.com/
Cafe Zool: http://www.cafezool.nl/
- Every restaurant or bar, has a cat. Guess why?
- Did our first "tourist" activity, went on a canal boat tour.
It was actually really great, well except for the annoying French couple, across from us.
We floated right by our "straat" and Maureen's work. What a feeling, this is where we live!
- We go to the market every Saturday. I hope for rain otherwise its packed.
- Watched the "Super Bowl" on Sunday, yes it is shown here, but on German TV.
Our thoughts go out to all the friends in Chicago. To our friends in Indiana, ah, who
has friends in Indiana?
- Have had some great food, and lousy service. Everything in the travel books is correct.
We've had Italian, Indonesian, Mexican, Chinese, Japanese, and yes, Dutch.
- Went to a coworker's birthday party, it was complete with a male stripper.
Stayed out until 5, these people know how to party.
- Today we saw our first snow fall, it melts instantly.
- Stores we've gone to:
Vroom & Dreesman (Called "V&D" by locals), which is like a Target I suppose.
De Bijenkorf (Called "The Beehive" by locals), which is Bloomingdale's,
meets Create+Barrel, meets Room+Board. With plenty of Design Within Reach thrown in.
So, basically it's Awesome!
- We have a washer/dryer, that I can't figure out, we have a Dutch manual, yeah that's helpful.
The operation, of the grill/microwave/oven "combi" unit, has been figured out, by Maureen,
English manuals are a good thing.
- Last Saturday was beautiful, in the 10's, for you back home, that would be the 50s.
Everyone, was out ...
- We've had absinthe, nice stuff, lets chop off an ear.
- There are great design shops everywhere.
- Dutch banking, is an experience.
We have bank cards, that you slide into a little reader.
You log in, online, type your pin in the card reader, then the website gives a code.
This code is then entered into the card reader, which gives you another code.
That code is then used on the website, and finally, the account can be viewed.
What fun!
- I know, I know, but what about all the museums, and culture?
There are too many damn tourists, on the weekends, and I'm afraid to go places alone.
Kidding, well sort of, the next entry should be filled with that culture stuff.
So there you have it, a bit of what's been going on, I guess maybe a lot is going on.
-Matthew, Maureen says hi, she's cooking, I'm lucky.
We'd like to say that so much has been going on,
that we can't keep up with the blog.
The truth is just the opposite, not too much of note as been happening.
We are both just getting settled, well settled in Amsterdam!
Is it cold enough for you suckers in the midwest?
Just a quick list of the what what (in no order):
- I had a interview at W+K, went well, they want me to freelance.
One slight (BIG) problem, I'm not legal, and can't...
- Maureen is now legal, to live and work in The Netherlands.
- Celebrated Australia Day, on Friday the 27th, at Coco's Outback.
Not exactly sure what the celebration was all about, its Aussie's "Fourth of July".
Ran into our pal, Douglas, who we met at or favorite pub, Cafe Zool.
Small town...
Check out the place: http://www.cocosoutback.com/
Cafe Zool: http://www.cafezool.nl/
- Every restaurant or bar, has a cat. Guess why?
- Did our first "tourist" activity, went on a canal boat tour.
It was actually really great, well except for the annoying French couple, across from us.
We floated right by our "straat" and Maureen's work. What a feeling, this is where we live!
- We go to the market every Saturday. I hope for rain otherwise its packed.
- Watched the "Super Bowl" on Sunday, yes it is shown here, but on German TV.
Our thoughts go out to all the friends in Chicago. To our friends in Indiana, ah, who
has friends in Indiana?
- Have had some great food, and lousy service. Everything in the travel books is correct.
We've had Italian, Indonesian, Mexican, Chinese, Japanese, and yes, Dutch.
- Went to a coworker's birthday party, it was complete with a male stripper.
Stayed out until 5, these people know how to party.
- Today we saw our first snow fall, it melts instantly.
- Stores we've gone to:
Vroom & Dreesman (Called "V&D" by locals), which is like a Target I suppose.
De Bijenkorf (Called "The Beehive" by locals), which is Bloomingdale's,
meets Create+Barrel, meets Room+Board. With plenty of Design Within Reach thrown in.
So, basically it's Awesome!
- We have a washer/dryer, that I can't figure out, we have a Dutch manual, yeah that's helpful.
The operation, of the grill/microwave/oven "combi" unit, has been figured out, by Maureen,
English manuals are a good thing.
- Last Saturday was beautiful, in the 10's, for you back home, that would be the 50s.
Everyone, was out ...
- We've had absinthe, nice stuff, lets chop off an ear.
- There are great design shops everywhere.
- Dutch banking, is an experience.
We have bank cards, that you slide into a little reader.
You log in, online, type your pin in the card reader, then the website gives a code.
This code is then entered into the card reader, which gives you another code.
That code is then used on the website, and finally, the account can be viewed.
What fun!
- I know, I know, but what about all the museums, and culture?
There are too many damn tourists, on the weekends, and I'm afraid to go places alone.
Kidding, well sort of, the next entry should be filled with that culture stuff.
So there you have it, a bit of what's been going on, I guess maybe a lot is going on.
-Matthew, Maureen says hi, she's cooking, I'm lucky.
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