Aslan's Mane

Going Green

2007-05-13T22:19:00.000-05:00

No, I didn't buy a Toyota Prius Hybrid and slap a "John Kerry 2004" sticker on the back. Nor did I stop showering and purchase a Che Guevarra t-shirt.

No, I haven't become a "true Seattlite" yet.

But I did get a chance to explore some of the abundant natural beauty that the Northwest has to offer. With the weather finally suitable for outdoor activities, Jessica and I, along with the Welch's, ventured on an afternoon hike up Rattlesnake Mountain just 20 minutes out of Bellevue.

May this be the first of many outdoor excursions this upcoming summer season.

Hoop Dreams

2007-04-16T15:29:00.000-05:00

I never thought this day would come, but it has. I feel a horrible sense of guilt for it, which you may feel free to use against me as necessary.

With the recent sun beginning to peak it's head through the Seattle clouds, this past weekend Jessica and I set out to buy some recreational gear. With only a bocce ball set to our name in the category of sports equipment, we decided it was time to invest in some new gear.

There's a nice little park about a block from our condo that we often visit on warmer days, and this park is equipped with a small basketball court (think Washington Park basketball court, but substitute the homeless guys for Microsoft nerds). There's not much of a lawn for other activities, so the b-ball court naturally becomes the focus of the park.

That's when I did it.

The first piece of sporting equipment purchased by the Aaron and Jessica Faber household was a basketball. We own no soccer ball. Just a basketball.

Ashamed? Partially. I did have fun beating Jessica in a free throw competition on Saturday. Yet I still feel a strong sense of guilt, as if I betrayed something or someone so close to me.

I blame Jim Brinks. And his boss.

Too poor to work

2007-02-01T18:57:00.000-06:00

Weird, right?

With not a whole lot of success on the job front thus far in Seattle, I decided to respond to an ad on Craigslist this morning wanting participants for a focus group. The posting was essentially looking for local consumers to take part in a marketing, apparently for coffee companies. It requires 2 1/2 hours of your time for just one morning, during which you sample different coffees and give your feedback on them. The pay is $80 cash per person.

Sweet, right?

$80 for a morning of drinking free coffee and talking about it. Bring Jessica along and that's $160. Let's go with this.

I called the agency, located just a few minutes from our place, and spoke with a nice, middle-aged man. He explained that he just needed to ask me a few questions first to make sure I was eligible to participate in the survey. After lying about not having any friends or family in the marketing industry (my new brother-in-law is in the marketing department at Microsoft), he gave a few words of approval and said he had just one more question.

Easy, right?

"What's your average yearly income, sir?" Crap. Uhh, none, that's why I want to participate in your survey. Having no current income, I threw out an arbitrary figure: "$35,000."

Should be safe, right?

"Hmmm, that's going to be a problem," the guy said. "We're looking for participants in a higher income bracket." End of conversation.

I should have known better than to respond to an ad that says "Coffee Drinkers Needed" in Seattle.

It's time

2007-01-26T16:25:00.000-06:00

for a new blog entry. We finally got internet hooked up in our condo (yeah, it's a condo, not an apartment. Would Michael Scott rent an apartment?), so I figured this was the best avenue to share some pictures of the new place.

We now live in Bellevue, Washington, on the east side of the city of Seattle. For those of you who care, we live across the street from the Microsoft "campus," as it is known around here. We live in a cozy little place, about 800 square feet, in a woodsy, cabinsy complex.

I'm thinking about what else to write, but I made a personal vow about 10 minutes ago to never complain about the weather here. I always find it funny how people move to an area that has cold winters or hot summers, then complain about it twice a week for as long as they stay there. Not me. I love the weather here, and I always will.

For those interested, here are a few pictures of our apartment. Pictures from our dinner date with Bill & Melinda Gates coming soon.

Bigger Battles

2006-11-22T17:59:00.000-06:00

I came across another ludicrous piece of news this afternoon while reading about the recent election in the Netherlands:

The last line of the article states:

In a first for Europe, the Party for Animals was forecast Wednesday to win at least two seats. The animal rights' party wants to curb inhumane practices in industrial farming.

I think Holland has bigger battles to fight than animal cruelty.

Try...Islam?

A Stroke of Genius

2006-11-20T10:59:00.000-06:00

Two San Franciscans have brought me back into the blogging world. How can one pass up blogging about a story like this?

The Global Orgasm for Peace was conceived by Donna Sheehan, 76, and Paul Reffell, 55, whose immodest goal is for everyone in the world to have an orgasm Dec. 22 while focusing on world peace.

The couple have studied evolutionary psychology and believe that war is mainly an outgrowth of men trying to impress potential mates, a case of "my missile is bigger than your missile," as Reffell put it.

Look out, folks, this is going to be big.

Bye Bye Bye

2006-07-26T15:58:00.000-05:00

I totally didn't see this coming...

Why I Love the Internet

2006-07-18T18:30:00.000-05:00

I just happened to pull down my recent Google searches and realized why I love the internet. I can't live without it.

Recent Google searches:

"egg salad sandwich recipe"
"how to hard boil an egg"
"how many calories are in a hard-boiled egg"
"are eggs healthy?"
"things to do at home while you are looking for a job"

I made the last one up.

But still, I love the internet.

It's time for a New Post

2006-07-18T18:24:00.000-05:00

It's time for a new era of blogging. Why?

Because I'm unemployed, and it seems like the logical thing to do.

So, for my first blog, I'd like to divert your attention to my wedding website.

I welcome any comments as to how I can improve it. Unless, of course, you're going to tell me that "faber" needs to be before "veldkamp" in the URL. I already know that.

Poetic Madness

2006-04-12T15:20:00.000-05:00

"Silhouette Serenade"
by Vendetta Red

The last thing I wanna do right now
is read your stupid poetry.
Why can't you just tell me what you really wanna say?
You'd clear your conscience
with words so weak and empty,
but something in your eyes gave you away.

And I've been lonelylike a silhouette, or a serenade.
A heart attack, or a man betrayed.
The arms of love are holding me like a
silhouette, or a serenade.

Is this all you have to say?
This broken boy will hang on every word.
You tell me that you need me, while I slowly fall apart.
You'd heal your heartache
with words so cool and callous,
but the absence of your tears gave you away.

And all pretty poems have to end,
so I say this before I leave.
If words are your weapons my dear, I surrender.
Surrender.

Silhouette, or a serenade.
A heart attack, or a man betrayed.
The arms of love are holding me to you.

Almost Famous

2006-01-11T19:36:00.000-06:00

I never thought I'd say this, but, I'm kind of a big deal.

My work has finally hit the big screen - that's right, my videos are now accessible to Dordt College's ever-growing web audience.

Find your place...Mine's in the spotlight.

All I Want For Christmas is a Moses Doll

2005-11-28T23:23:00.000-06:00

Yeah, that's right, Moses.

Just in time for the holiday season, the Christian company One2Believe has come out with their first line of Messengers of Faith figurines.

I happened upon a commercial for these gems a few mornings ago while flipping through the channels. Their uncanny resemblence to the "real Moses" and the "real Jesus" had me taken aback.

But don't let me do all the talking - the website has some amazing endorsements from supporters. One evangelical by the name of Jay Carty states, "Do you want your kids to be playing with WWF figures or Jesus? Star Wars characters or David? Xevoz weirdos or Moses? Mega Meatwad or Mary? Just a second. Let me think about it. How long did it take you to figure out which will be best for your kids?” You really know how to cut to the core of me, Jay. I'm sold.

At 12" tall and equipped with "realistic eyes," these are going to sell like hotcakes on the evangelical market...right? This article cites the reasons for the company's emergence into the evangelical market. A teddy bear production company is "trying to find a market with churches and religious families."

If you're anything like me, you've got to be thinking, "Come on, how am I supposed to decide between four messengers of faith?!" I don't see this decision-making process being an easy one. Moses has a handy wooden staff, but David's slingshot is classic. I'm afraid the stress of the holiday season is already upon me.

Ring Leader

2005-10-10T13:17:00.000-05:00

Our boy has gone and done it - it's official!

Congrats Johnny and Kelley.

By the way, feel free to use the "comments" section of this post to discuss and spread rumors surrounding the engagment. (i.e. shotguns, unplanned circumstances, bribes, etc.)

Pictures of the happy couple.

Whoops, wrong couple. Here we go.

RYNO!!

2005-09-27T20:18:00.000-05:00

In an attempt to unite the current blogospheric paths, I have integrated two passions: Pads and Photoshop. I bring you the first in a series of rare, elite trading cards.

RYNO!!

Role Model?

2005-09-22T19:42:00.000-05:00

Extended periods of time alloted to internet browsing have left me rather devastated lately. As if a recent run-in with a "prowler" wasn't bad enough, this evening I came across yet another familiar face. But for some reason, this one hurt even more. A (former) mentor, youth leader, and role model has proved himself a fake:

Update: A close acquaintence has revealed some equally shocking news.

Give me my sock back, you ---

2005-09-21T13:38:00.000-05:00

Laundry time. That's right - today I did a load of laundry in the basement.

But today I was on a mission. I wanted to get my clothes clean, yes, but I also wanted to find out where all of those single tube socks go that seemingly disappear every time I do laundry.

My expectations were high - I mean, look what Peter Griffin found on that one episode of Family Guy. Determined to find out where his lost sock was, he climbed into the dryer. Lo and behold, on the other side he was greeted by a delightful little fawn named Tumnus who was passing by the Lamppost. The Griffin Theory: Mr. Tumnus steals those single socks, brings them back to Narnia with him, and decorates his homey little cave.

Oh goody, I thought. If Peter Griffin could get to Narnia, just imagine where I could go! So I was extra perceptive this time around.

This is the part of the story where I tell you something really fascinating, ironic, or gut-splitting. But I'm afraid my little adventure wasn't that exciting. Upon examining the washing machine after transferring my load to the dryer, I stumbled upon my conclusion. There was a lone tube sock hiding under the upper rim of the wash machine. It's not visible to the average eye - it requires sticking your head halfway in the machine.

I can't decide if my laundry adventure was a success or not. I didn't lose any socks - which is a plus - but I didn't find Narnia either. All in all, kind of a letdown. I'd trade a tube sock for a cup of tea with Mr. Tumnus anyday.

Fall Fun

2005-08-29T13:27:00.000-05:00

I just love college campuses at the beginning of a new school year. Sticky fall evenings spent tossing around the pigskin or frisbee, rollerblading bareback, or just loitering outside the girls' dorms.

But best of all, the new school year brings along a new crop of freshmen. Fresh outta high school, these kids are ready and rearin' to have some genuine college fun. So, it is with a reminiscent smile and warm chuckle that I present to you these few precious pictures I happened to snap during my first week of observation. Enjoy.

Fall Fun Foto Gallery

P.S. In completed unrelated news, the latest buzz on Dordt's campus is of a felonous young 20-something posing as a freshman in order to steal their keyboards and network cards.

Return

2005-08-21T22:48:00.000-05:00

"Wrong will be right, when Aslan comes in sight,
At the sound of his roar, sorrows will be no more,
When he bears his teeth, winter meets its death
And when he shakes his mane, we shall have spring again."

Joke Time

2005-06-29T22:57:00.000-05:00

With my new job at the Westwood Club's Summer Day Camp comes hot, fresh material for super-humorous blogs. Here's a little foretaste of what I hope will be a long stretch of stories about kids.

Yesterday we had joke time, a small part of the day designated to letting kids share some of their favorite jokes (or to let them quick make one up). Here are two of my favorites.

Arshia, a small, fearless Persian boy told the following: "Why did the cheetah cross the road? Why, Arshia!? So he could go downtown and go to Bamboo Hut." Ahh, the irony.

Thomas, a shy, timid 7-year-old, nervously scurried up to the front of the room and struggled through this one: "(nervously) Why...why did the, the horse cross the road? Why, Thomas!? Because he...he wanted to go to the mooooovies." Don't worry, Thomas, I get 'em confused, too.

Brand New

2005-06-29T22:54:00.000-05:00

I can't hardly watch as an entire month goes by without being blogged in, so here's a quickie. Hopefully this gets me back into the swing of things (after a week's vacation.)

I can't, for the life of me, figure out why this item is on clearance.

I'll take six.

Bush-Bickering

2005-05-17T17:31:00.000-05:00

If you're bored, and interested in some good ol' fashioned Bush-bickering, check this out.

I wish I was still a hippie.

No Respect

2005-05-10T10:59:00.000-05:00

The recent visit to the Netherlands by our beloved President Bush was, for the most part, rather uneventful. Bush's visit to an American WWII cemetary in southern Holland on Sunday was highly publicized and talked-about for the weeks leading up to it, and for good reason. Bush is not exactly well-liked among Dutchmen, so it was a perfect opportunity for them to practice one of their favorite hobbies: a protest.

Yesterday's headline in the local newspaper (a Reformed one to be exact) read this way: "Publiek komt voor de doden, niet voor Bush." In case you are not as awesome at Dutch as I am, that means "Public comes for the dead, not for Bush." The corresponding photos pictured Dutchmen, young and old, holding up various signs of protest. One elderly man held a sign reading "Not in my name."

The article read on to describe the various subjects of the protests, ranging from the Iraq war to North Korea. My personal favorite: a group of young people protesting about the level of noise that Air Force One emitted upon landing in the Eindhoven airport. Apparently they weren't around for the near-riots just days earlier in celebration of PSV's victorious season.

The fact that Holland doesn't like Bush is nothing new. They don't agree with his foreign policy, his plans for Iraq, and most importantly, "that his hand is in the pockets of big oil corporations." That's fine. They're entitled to their opinions. But a friendly visit to commemorate fallen freedom fighters is different. Have the liberated forgotten their liberators?

Not likely. Just a few weeks ago, I attended a Liberation Day ceremony here in Zwolle. Schoolchildren, city workers, and other citizens gathered to remember the 60th anniversary of Zwolle's liberation by Canadian troops. An immense wave of gratitude overcame the crowd - it was evident that the work of the liberators would not be forgotten any time soon.

So this leaves us with one conclusion: the deep anti-Bush sentiment in Europe has grown so strong that is has overshadowed America's role in the single-most important event in Dutch history.

I think what gets me the most is how readily the European youth have embraced this attitude. I have held many conversations with young Dutchmen throughout the past four months, and the mention of Bush comes up almost every time - their doing, not mine. As far as I can remember, all of them have expressed dislike for our president. When inquired as to the reasons why, a variety of intellectual responses came forth.

"He thinks everyone should have guns."

"He thinks he can invade any country that he doesn't agree with."

"He wants to take over the world." (I cut this guy a little slack - he wasn't exactly sober.)

With youth like this, our future relations with Europe don't look promising. Hopes for mending our differences might prove to be difficult.

So what do we do? Holland is a beautiful country, and I have grown to love it. But what if the dreaded German occupation were to return?

Would they still want us to stay out?

When in Rome

2005-05-08T17:53:00.000-05:00

Being the final hoorah for this semester abroad, the NSPICE group decided to spend our Spring Break travelling up and down the Italian boot. With nine days to kill, we decided to give each of the three hotspots a taste: Venice, Florence, and Rome.

The obvious highlight of the entire trip was the presence of an American celebrity. No, not Sister Sister or Samuel L. Jackson. No, much greater than this. The one and only Coop Cooper. The week-long rendezvous had a special Italian flavor that is nothing like I have ever tasted before. For samples of each city, read on.

Venice: The city that's more water than land. By far the most confusing city to find your way around, but also the most charming. No cars; just canals covered with gondolas and covered bridges. Highlight: A hot date in the most romantic city in the world. You know how I roll.

Florence: The birthplace of the Renaissance and still the artistic capital of the world. The fabulous museums, squares and sculptures combined with the scenic Tuscan countryside made for a relaxing, cultural experience. Highlight: (besides seeing the perfect human body personified in Michaelangelo's David) The boys got all dressed up before going to an Irish Pub for the Chelsea v. Liverpool showdown.

Rome: One word: history. Walking around the Ancient City, you can't help but think of all the history that took place in the greatest civilization known to man. From Paul and Peter to Caesar and Constantine, the walls really do talk. The Colosseum was crumbly and the pillars were pearly, just as I hoped they would be. We even joined the thousands of pilgrims to the religious capital of the world, Vatican City, in hopes of catching Benedict peer out his second-story window onto St. Peter's Square. No such luck. Highlight: Actually a disappointment - the Sistine Chapel. It's OK, but everything else in the Vatican Museum that leads up to it makes for an anticlimactic experience.

Thus ends the chronicles of my travels through Europe. But you shan't be frightened; Europe is simply Book I in the exploration of the land we have come to know as Narnia. Now if you'll excuse me, I must be on my way. I've reached the lamppost and the Professor is calling...

Dutch Flavor

2005-04-27T09:16:00.000-05:00

I was watching some Dutch MTV with my host family this afternoon when I immediately fell in love with the latest Dutch hit single. One of the most popular songs in Holland right now, here it is:

Ali B's "Leipe Mocro Flavour"

And in case you're a bit confused, these guys aren't pure Dutchmen. As the name of the song suggests, they're of Moroccan descent.

Re-born Identity

2005-04-27T05:41:00.000-05:00

As many of you may have heard, last weekend I decided that I didn't want my passport anymore. The picture wasn't my best - the lighting made me look too fat. And there was a crease on the front cover of my passport. So, I decided to leave it in the train on the way to Switzerland.

OK, fine - it was an accident.

Needless to say, last weekend and this week have been a bit hectic trying to quickly get a new one. Police reports, phone calls to the US Embassy - it's all a big mess. But everything turned out OK. Yesterday I took a little day trip to Amsterdam and got a brand spankin new passport. And I don't look fat in the picture, either.

But the Switzerland trip ended up being an amazing time anyways. Our hostel was right on the lake with a great view of the Alps. The highlight of the trip was a day-long excursion to the Alps in which we hiked through the cow-dotted meadows, singing and dancing with excitement as the hills became alive with music. Here are a few pictures to prove it.

So, with my new passport, I can indeed join Cooper for a week-long rendezvous in Italy next week. And more importantly, I can return to the States in a few weeks.

Consider this an excuse for the lack of recent blogging. But be forewarned; there is another draught to come.

By the way, a special thanks to all of you who made the "20 comments" achievement possible on my last post. I could have done it without you, but your help was nice.

Higher Education?

2005-04-18T09:11:00.000-05:00

This semester, the prestigious Dordt College added a new item to their extensive list of high-tech electronic options for students. Cleverly dubbed "DordtTalk," this message board/forum was created to give students a chance to constructively discuss current issues related to the campus, the church, society, and politics. Curiosity got the best of me, and I decided to take a peak at what my peers were talking about.

The first and most popular thread in the forum was the infamous "Women in Office." I was curious as to what the general opinion is on campus about the issue, so I clicked on it. Long story short, I probably shouldn't have done it.

After the third comment, I didn't care what position people took. I think there are some pretty good arguments on both sides, but I didn't see them there. I even had to re-read a few them to figure out if I missed some sarcasm somewhere in the paragraph. What I found was a disturbingly entertaining chat session, in which people offered their "two cents." Two cents is an overstatement.

Because you need a username and password to see the discussion in its entirety, most of you are unable to access it. But I'll go ahead and paste a few excerpts here, displaying the wealth of knowledge, intellect, and insight that is now know as "DordtTalk."

Here they are, with no bias towards a particular position:

"As a general rule, I'm for women in office. Someone pointed out the other day that women can serve with a point of view that men don't have. In addition, I think that there are some women who are much more qualified to serve in office than some men. That's my personal opinion. I haven't analayzed what scripture says, but the impression I get is that you can read what scripture says both ways, depending on what scripture you choose and what you leave out."

"I do not, nor have I ever had the desire to be a pastor or any "official" role in ministry... but what if I did? What if ANY woman did? Great Bible quotes and all, but I think we're just as able to lead and should be allowed to as well. Honestly, I prefer male preachers/elders. Seems more authoritative that way. (Sorry ladies if I just lowered the glass ceiling) But why should you guys get to say "no" if one of us wants to lead a congregation or something? I think the person that it appears will most "pastor" the congregation should get the job, and if that person is a woman more qualified than a man so be it. I'm made in Christ's image too. And I'm aware that everyone has a different function in the body but egads...you can't say that it would be contradicting His word for a woman to be called to a position... unless you have a perfect understanding of His word (if you do please fill me in, I have a couple questions). "

"I'm actually not in favor of women in office. It's not that I don't think there are not any women who are capable of filling such a position, I just honestly don't think that it's their role in life. Interestingly enough, my dad (he's a Christian High School teacher) has noticed that once girls start to fill the leadership positions, guys begin to lose interest in taking on leadership roles. If anyone has any opinions on why exactly that is...they would be interesting to hear...anyways, I'm simply more inclined to think that male leadership in all kinds of things is just the natural way things should go."

"The whole idea that we must look to scripture for our stance on this issue is a good idea. Unfortunately we must first acknowledge that no where does the Bible state anything about church office in general."

"Why I think that women should be in office if they are qualified for the position and if the congregation is ready: God has given exceptional leadership abilities to some women: Hillary Clinton, Condi Rice, my youth group leaders, etc.. I dont see why God would give such abilities to women in the church and then wish for them to stagnate out of ill use. The church has a goldmine of opportunity just waiting to be used. Yet, we shun women to the outskirts of church leadership just becuase they have an extra X chromosome. That doesnt make sense to me. God has given the church some "talents" (think "the parable of the talents"). I think that we are burying some of our talents in the ground. Times have changed. The church should do so as well."

My personal favorite:
"Women in office is not related to salvation. The Bible does not say that "He who places a woman in church office shall not go to heaven." In the big scheme of things, it is not worth fighting over. That is what makes me so mad at the URC. They split over this non-salvation issue."
(A defensive URC member gives a lengthy response, explaining that this was only a small reason for the split. The same person answers back.)
"I really dont care about what the URC says was the reason for the split. Everyone knows that the reason was that they were more conservative and that they thought that the CRC was too liberal. They can list whatever they want about their "reasons for leaving", but I confess that I am rather fed up. I take church splits personally."

Hey Eric, I'll trade you two Defenders for three Trolls.

Aslan's Delight

2005-04-16T09:51:00.000-05:00

While strolling through the beautiful flower fields of the Keukenhof Gardens yesterday, I came across a pleasant surprise.

Hey Edmund, want to go for a ride in my sleigh...?

Entry #3

2005-04-12T17:41:00.000-05:00

Third and final category: "Feelings on your love life"

"Kiss Me, Diss Me"

I don't want to sit next to you.
I can't believe you called me so soon.
Don't try to justify what you did to me.
You're just one of those troubled girls.
Using me for everything but love.
Don't make excuses for what you did to me.

You kissed me, then dissed me,
but now you say you miss me.
You used me, confuse me
but you don't want to lose me.
Don't talk to me.
Don't acknowledge me anymore.
I'm just another score.

I used to be all nice and sweet.
Giving everything you want and need.
I can't believe I did it all for nothing.
Now I'm bitter I can't take no more.
Don't blame this on your bad childhood.
That doesn't justify what you did to me.
I will run away if you stay.
Screw your head on straight so it stays.

Entry #2

2005-04-12T10:02:00.000-05:00

Category #2: Original work

Urgent Message to Friend in Need
4/12/05

I'm sure you already know,
you check it more than me.
Your new ipod needs a home,
Now give in t' the powers that be.

It starts at 8 AM,
so you better be on your toes.
Grab the code redemption,
then see how it goes.

Be ready by tonight,
with all your custom needs.
Then wake up early bright,
and do the dirty deed.

Be sure to get the nice wide screen,
Add extra RAM; it's almost free.

A protective case will make you glad,
for if it breaks you shall be sad.

Now go make haste,
and do what is right.
It shan't be a waste,
should your budget be tight.

Now do as I say,
don't make me yell.
I will make you pay,
'less you buy this Dell.

Entry #1

2005-04-12T09:17:00.000-05:00

Here is entry #1 of 3. Following in Bill's pattern, category #1 will be "Favorite Fine Arts Festival poem."

JABBERWOCKY

by Lewis Carroll

`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:

All mimsy were the borogoves,

And the mome raths outgrabe.

"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!

The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!

Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun

The frumious Bandersnatch!"

He took his vorpal sword in hand:

Long time the manxome foe he sought --

So rested he by the Tumtum tree,

And stood awhile in thought.

And, as in uffish thought he stood,

The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,

Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,

And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! And through and through

The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!

He left it dead, and with its head

He went galumphing back.

"And, has thou slain the Jabberwock?

Come to my arms, my beamish boy!

O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!'

He chortled in his joy.

`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;

All mimsy were the borogoves,

And the mome raths outgrabe.

Yay! I think I love Blog Poetry Day!

2005-04-12T08:58:00.000-05:00

May 12, 2005.
All day long.

A Taste of Home

2005-04-12T03:50:00.000-05:00

This weekend’s travels brought a little taste of home for me. Upon landing near the Northern Mediterranean coast of Spain, my little airplane window was filled with, what do you call them again? Ah yes, hills! Mountains even! And trees, and beaches, and most of all, Hispanics.

Barcelona is perhaps known by many as “that place that hosted the Olympics about 10 years back,” or for some, “home of Ronaldinho,” arguably the best soccer player to date. But Barcelona has much more to offer. Located on the coast of Mediterranean Sea in the Northern part of Spain, it has a culture much different than the rest of Western Europe. It is a strange blend of what I have come to know as Latin American culture and Western European culture.

So what exactly do I mean? I’ll try to explain it using a brief recap of the weekend’s events.

Friday we covered the most ground. Probably the most well-known tourist attraction in Barcelona is an unfinished temple/church by the name of “La Sagrada Familia.” It was conceptualized and designed by the oddball Spanish artist Antoni Gaudi, and is by far the most memorable piece of architecture I have ever seen. It has the strangest mix of gothic and contemporary styles, and really has no consistent theme or style throughout it. Each of the four facades is completely different and unique. The funniest part about the whole thing is that construction on it began in 1882, and it’s still not even near completion. Today there are a total of eight towers completed, but there are still ten more that need to be done. There is one for each of the 12 disciples, the four evangelists (whoever they are), one for Mary, the mother of God, and one for the Son himself (170 meters high). As breathtaking as it is, the church is still one big construction site, with very slow progress and no signs of completion anytime soon.

Because we just couldn’t get enough of Gaudi, we headed for his other masterpiece, the Parc Guell. Its landscape is multi-layered, and it carries a very odd mix of natural and artificial. One minute it looks like a forest, the next like a playground. And who could pass up the world’s longest park bench? Not us. We liked it so much that we stayed for a while and played some hacky sack. Yeah, that’s right. Hacky sack.

It was off to the beach for the remainder of the afternoon, enjoying the salty Mediterranean water and doing a little more “hacking.” The actual beach wasn’t that nice, but the sun-and-water mixture made for quite the afternoon delight.

For dinner we enjoyed an authentic Spanish, Mediterranean meal known as “Paella.” It is, more or less, a giant mixture of curried rice and seafood. Shrimp, mussels, clams, octopus – you name it, they threw it in. I can’t say it was all that delicious, but when washed down with a nice white wine it made for a very memorable experience.

The nightlife in Barcelona, in all of Spain for that matter, is huge. Bars, clubs, and cafes line every street, square and back alley, with suspicious looking Spanish men selling six packs of cheap beer at every corner. Maybe that was more of a taste of TJ, but I felt at home, nonetheless. Things in town usually don’t settle down until about five or six in the morning in Barcelona, so when a few of us woke up early on Saturday morning to see the sunrise, we saw the remnants of the last night’s activities still on their way home. A funny thing happened that morning, too. I witnessed my first live graffiti. As our small group exited the youth hostel in the direction of the metro, we passed a young, rebellious commie practicing his art on a shop window nearby. His two buddies stood at a viewing distance and, upon completion, gave the young artist a “thumbs up.” You ask why I call him a commie? Well, he wrote “Arbeit Macht Frei” (German for “work makes you free”) several times and also a Spanish sentence that went something like, “We need communism (with all due respect to the homosexual community).” But yeah, the sunrise was cool, too.

Saturday was sports day. We first went to see all of the facilities that were built for the ’92 Olympic games, including a giant outdoor ceremony square, the Olympic swimming arena, the soccer/track stadium. Next we visited the soccer shrine known as “Camp Nou,” home of FC Barcelona. The field was amazing, the facilities the best in the world, and the souvenir shop was bigger than the Centre Mall. Inside the stadium was an entire museum dedicated to the over 100-year history of FC Barcelona, including hundreds of trophies and photographs. After the tour I met up with Ronaldinho, shook his hand, and we met up with Sister at a nice restaurant.

Finally, Saturday night we found a nice Irish Pub and enjoyed a thick Guinness with our Spanish friends. It’s great to know that no matter where you travel, there’s always an Irish Pub in town with cold Guinness on tap.

Wine not?

2005-04-03T16:19:00.001-05:00

While browsing through the latest edition of the EURC's Share and Care newsletter this afternoon, I stumbled upon some interesting news: the Consistory has re-introduced wine into the Lord's Supper.

Now for as long as I can remember, the EURC/ECRC has always used the same delicious, non-alcoholic red grape juice in communion. I don't know the reasons for the previous absence of wine, but I can't help but make a few guesses as to why.

1. The Dutch generation of immigrants who started the church were in rebellion against the loose attitude toward alcohol use in their homeland. They decided to take the opposite extreme.

2. Wine, even the cheapest stuff, is more expensive than watered-down grape juice.

3. Grape juice goes better with dry Wonder Bread crusts than does wine.

4. Wine makes you sleepy, and the elders didn't want anyone in the congregation to "pull a Eutychus."

I always think it's interesting how almost every church has their own unique way of administering the Lord's Supper. We partook of the sacrament a few weeks ago at the church here in Zwolle, and it was quite an ordeal. The half-hour process involves most of the congregation filing to the front of the sanctuary to "take, eat, drink, etc." in three different shifts. Somehow, upon filing up to the front, I got separated from my host family. I ended up next to some stranger front and center, seated next to the pastor. And instead of simply passing around individual cups for the wine, everyone drinks out of one big goblet. Thankfully, the lady next to me explained that I should take a sip and pass it down. So I did. And, in hindsight, I'm glad I was first. After drinking and passing, a chorus of coughs, throat clears, sneezes, and lip-licks filled the quiet air. But I guess the joke was on them - I had the cold.

Let's Eat

2005-04-02T09:13:00.000-06:00

The Dutch food isn't all that weird, but check out this masterpiece that showed up on the dinner table a few weeks ago.

This base is a mound of cooked beets resting on a bed of lettuce, decorated with hard-boiled eggs, cocktail onions, pickles, and rolled up deli ham.

Let's eat.

2005-03-31T02:37:00.000-06:00

Coat Wars

Mythbusters: Parisian Special

2005-03-29T07:32:00.000-06:00

Everyone is always talking about the French. For most travelers, it stirs up more preconceptions than one can count. They’re stubborn, they’re mean, and they smell. Well, after a weekend in Paris, let’s see what these mythbusters discovered.

Myth #1: French people know English, but they refuse to speak it. If it’s not French, forget it.

Before going to Paris, we were told that we would have a hard time communicating and getting around if we didn’t speak French. “They’re stubborn,” we were told. “You have to speak their language when you’re in their country.” Myth. The minute we stepped off the train, two different young Frenchmen actually approached us to see if he could help us. I immediately thought scammer or pickpocketer, but they both turned out to be helpful. They spoke English and helped us get through the subway. After that, almost everyone from hotel managers to restaurant waiters were willing to help us in English. This is probably true only in Paris, the biggest tourist destination in Europe, but nevertheless, we fared well.

Myth #2: French people are mean.

I’m not sure. We saw some awfully cold and mean people around Paris, but every city so far has had their fair share. French males are, however, very obvious in their gazing at the opposite sex. They have no problem blatantly staring at a girl, even making eye contact, gestures, or winks when necessary.

Myth #3: French people smell.

Definitely true. We took public transportation a lot this weekend, and this often involves close contact with the Frenchies. I don’t know if it’s because they don’t shower, or if they just don’t use soap/deodorant, but they emit some awful odors. I even think dandruff is trendy in France.

Myth #4: Paris is the city of love.

Never before have I seen more couples making out in one weekend in one place than this weekend in Paris.

Woman: “Oh, look honey, there’s the Eiffel Tower! Wanna make out?”
Man: “Yeah, I guess."
Woman: "Baby, look! It's the Arc de Triomphe! Let's make out!"
Man: "OK."
Woman: "Wow, look at all the lights! Kiss me, honey!"

Woman: “I’m bored, and the subway doesn’t come for another three minutes.”
Man: “Wanna make out?”
Woman: “Heck yeah.”

I guess you can call it love.

Myth #5: French people aren’t too fond of Americans.

True. For being such an “international” city, they do a good job of covering up any and all traces of America. Even the menu at McDonald’s was “Frenchized” to make it look like one of their own. The French people also acted differently when they discovered we were from America. For example, our hotel clerk got that disappointed little grin on his face, sighed, and tried to politely hide his uneasiness for the sake of what was in our wallets. Well I have news for you, jerk, I dislike you.

So those are just a few of the myths that I experimented with this weekend. Keep in mind, though, that they are just based on my personal experiences in one weekend. I’m sure some of you have had some quite different experiences, from which you would draw different conclusions.

To see pictures of the Mythbusters in action, go to the picture pages:
Picture Page 1
Picture Page 2

Let Freis-dom Ring

2005-03-21T09:49:00.000-06:00

Last weekend I, accompanied by Jessica and some relatives, explored a greater part of the Northern Dutch province known as Freisland.

I'm sure you've seen traces of it before - the colorful blue stripes and red lily pads of their flag, the Freisian Hulstein cow, dikes and of course, "slukjes." (Up until last weekend I was a bit skeptical of JT's numerous references to his Oma and "slukjes." But, rest assured, they exist. And boy, are they tasty.)

The weekend was very relaxing for a change, as we spent a lot of time chatting with numerous members of the enormous Brouwer family over a cup of coffee. We stayed with the sister of Jack and Elko, and if it means anything to you, she's the female version of Elko. (I'll let the imagination do the rest.) So, in order to allow Jessica to get in touch with her roots, we took a few nice drives through the Freisian countryside in search of a little family history.

The results were fascinating for me, and it's not even my family. As it turns out, Jessica's great-grandfather, Gerrit Brouwer, was a fallen hero of the Dutch Resistance during WWII. He was part of a small group of Freisian men who took up arms in order to stop the German invasion of Freisland. On April 14, 1945, just one day before the Canadians liberated Holland, he was struck by a German grenade during a rural skirmish. Due to a lack of hospitals and transportation, he didn't survive the night. Gerrit, a man of only 37 years old, left behind a wife and six children. Soon after the war, all but one child immigrated to Canada.

This story in itself probably wouldn't have meant as much as it did if it weren't so real. It's one thing to hear the story, but it's another thing to be standing on the same ground in which the events took place. We also visited the homestead of the family, Gerrit's gravesite, and a special memorial dedicated to the Freisian men of the Dutch Resistance. They all served as powerful supplements to the already intriguing stories.

So that's the story of Jessica's family. Hard to "top", you might be thinking. It's quite a "tall" order. But wait 'til you see the great "heights" to which the Faber Family has gone to. The tension is "rising," and the blood pressure is "high........"

Great Grandpa Hans

Dropping the Pounds

2005-03-14T06:30:00.000-06:00

A jolly long three-day weekend, and nothing to do. What then? Well, off to the UK with my mates, I say.

We had three days to kill, and my guidebook suggested spending them all in the capital city of London. Train, plane, and automobile later, we arrived at our hostel on Thursday eve.

First off, London is expensive - terribly expensive. Their currency is the English “pound,” and our almighty dollar only buys a half of one pound. Simply put, everything in England is twice as expensive. A drink at Starbucks is 3-4 pounds, or 6-8 US dollars. So money quickly becomes an issue.

Second, our hostel definitely left something to be desired. We ended up at an 836-bed youth hostel called the “Generator” that prided itself much more on hosting drinking games for teenagers than washing their sheets. After one night in my bunk bed, I acquired a nice little rash on my stomach, probably compliments of the last disease-infested teen to sleep in the bed. Worst of all, our room held a terrible “dirty gym sock” odor all weekend due to faulty plumbing. But the free breakfast was good.

So what’s there to see in London? Well, being the good young Dutchmen that we are, we decided to tackle this question in the cheapest way possible – on foot. Circling the entire city in just one short day, we walked an estimated 12 miles. So let’s just say we got our cardio in for the week. But the sights made the journey well worth it. Here’s a rundown:

Buckingham Palace: the historic royal residence where hundreds of tourists flock each day to see the “changing of the guards.” It was all a bit anti-climactic; they’re more talk than walk. (Although they do wear some fantastic hats.)

Westminster Abbey: Probably the most fascinating site in London. Founded in the 10th century, this church became the official “coronation church” a few years later when William the Conqueror was crowned. Since then, it has become home to the graves of countless royalties and public figures. Bloody Mary, Henry VII, Elizabeth I, Geoffrey Chaucer, Charles Darwin – you name him/her – they got ‘em. My favorite relic was the well-worn coronation chair, on which every British monarch since 1066 has been crowned.

Big Ben: It’s not that special, I guess. It’s just a big gothic bell tower. But it’s got such a sweet name…

The Thames River: Cutting through central London, its various bridges are a delight both to look at as well as walk across. And the London Bridge? You guessed it – it fell down. A boring replacement was built in its stead, focusing all the attention on its neighbor – the Tower Bridge.

Other squares and parks: London is filled with eye-pleasing squares (Trafalgar, Piccadilly) and parks (Hyde, Regent), all of which made for an enjoyable trek around the city.

Last but not least: As of this weekend, I have fulfilled one of my lifelong dreams. No, I didn’t meet Mark-Paul Gosselaar, and no, I didn’t go for a swim in a giant mound of pennies. No, this is much bigger. I saw Les Miserables, unarguably the best musical of all time, live at the Queens Theatre. I saw Les Mis back in the day at the San Diego Civic Center, but nothing competes with an enthusiastic London cast – thick British accents and all – in a bustling theatre district in downtown London. It was a stunning performance, to say the least, and it was worth every pound.

So despite the weighty prices and long walks, London was the perfect destination for a three-day weekend. With an unmatched theatre district, a fascinating imperialistic history, and an exquisite riverside charm, it was worth dropping a few pounds for.

Searching for a Purrpose

2005-03-09T08:13:00.000-06:00

For the first time in my life, I'm living in the same house as a cat. I have expressed my dislike for our feline friends on more than one occasion, and recent occurrences have heightened the situation. Perhaps it's time to blog about it.

My dislike for cats doesn't stem from any horrifying childhood experiences, or even recent disturbing run-ins. Sure, just yesterday my breakfast was tainted by cat vomit on the kitchen floor (or was that Hagel?); and sure, everytime I sit down on a chair or sofa I attract hundreds of clingy blond hairs. But I assure you - I have always disliked cats.

Let's weigh the cons and pros of having a cat in your house:

Cons:
1.They can't talk.
2.They can't even bark.
3.They don't offer any protection from intruders. If anything, they encourage it by allowing an entrance through the cute little "cat door."
4.They smell like cat.
5.They don't do anything. They sit around all day, usually by the window, staring at something. Every day, they stare at that same thing and won't tell anyone else what they're looking at (see #1).
6.You can't play with them. Try throwing a stick to a cat once and see what it does. Well, I'll tell you. It walks over to the window sill and parks its fur on the warmest, flattest spot.
7.They leave hair everywhere.
8.They carry certain allergens to which 2% of the population has allergic reactions to.
9.When they get wet, they smell like wet cat.
10.They always take up the best chair in the living room that you want to sit in, and you can't kick it out because he was there first, and your host mom is watching.

Pros:
1.It's fun to watch them jump onto high objects.
2.Sometimes they are nice enough to sit on your lap.
3.Having a cat gives you something to be obsessed with. You then have permission to buy cat calendars, decorations, and maybe even cat towel sets.
4.They can watch you watch T.V.
5.Their little blond hairs are a purrfect accent to the brown suede chair.
6.They're fun to accidentally step on.
7.They're great conversation pieces.

There it is - fair and balanced. Now you decide.

Heidelberg Castlechism

2005-03-06T15:13:00.000-06:00

After recently coming up empty-handed in Belgium looking for the “Confession,” this weekend I decided to head to Germany on a quest for the holy Catechism.

I should have known it’d be a failure.

I discovered only one mention of our beloved Catechism in Heidelberg. And it wasn’t even in writing – it was oral. It went a little something like this:

Castle tour guide (at the end of the tour): “I tell you a little story about an American group I had a few years back. They were a group from a little town in Michigan called ‘Holland.’”

The crowd chuckles at such a funny name.

Guide: “And they said to me at the end of the tour, ‘Do you know anything about the Heidelberg Catechism? That’s what we know Heidelberg for, and it’s half of the reason we came here.’

Crowd laughs again at such a ridiculous comment.

Guide: “Yeah, yeah, funny isn’t it? They were, um, how do you call them, Reformed people? Yeah! It was pretty funny…”

Me: “Haha…yeah…dorks…”

Well, that was as close as I came to any mention of the Catechism, but I was pleasantly surprised with the rest that Heidelberg had to offer. Here are some of the highlights of the weekend:

Car: This was the first (and probably only) weekend that we tried renting a car instead of taking a train/plane/bus. We piled five people into a shiny new VW Golf, and putted our way across the border into Southwestern Germany. Diesel-powered and fuel efficient, we managed to make it there on a minimal budget. It was also a chance to drive on the infamous Autobahn.

Hotel: Another first. Instead of a crowded, busy youth hostel, we found a hotel at the same price. It was good to relax at night with a game of five-player Rook.

Heidelberg’s famous Schlosser (Castle): The highlight of the city and one of the most popular castles in the world. Nestled in the hillsides along the Neckar River, this medieval castle boats authentic ruins and gloriously re-constructed interiors. We spent over two hours exploring and gawking at everything it had to offer. To top it off, it offered perfect scenic views of the city.

World’s Largest Wine Vat: Its name is unpronounceable, and its size is unbelievable.

Heiliggeistkirche (Church of the Holy Spirit): Yet another Catholic-turned-Protestant church. The church itself was nothing special, but the view from its tower made it worth the 326-step climb to the top.

Neckarsteinach: A small fishing village a few kilometers upstream from Heidelberg. Four medieval castles lay burrowed in the hillside forest – two are abandoned, unoccupied, and open, and the other two still have residents. All of the castles were built around the 12th-13th centuries and provided great views from their climbable towers. The Kunst Weg (Castle Road), a meandering foot path through the forest, connected the castles and made for a very peaceful, enjoyable little hike.

All said and done, I’m 0 for 2 in my search for the Reformed Confessions. We’ll see what London brings next week – I hear Westminster is a nice area…

Bruged and Broken

2005-02-28T09:43:00.000-06:00

This past weekend's travels took me to the rustic little town of Bruges, Belgium (For those of you who are wondering, the "g" in "Bruges" is like the second "g" in "garage," making my title awesome and perfect.)

My Europe guide book described Bruges this way: "Suspended in time centuries ago when its lifeline - the Zwin estuary - silted up, it is now one of Europe's best-preserved medieval cities and it's also Belgium's most visited town." This sounded enticing, so I decided to see for myself.

One of the things that has struck me most about seeing Europe is its age. No matter where I go, ancient structures and statues dot the cities and countrysides. It's quite amazing to walk through churches, palaces, and castles that existed before our country was even "discovered." However, the case in most cities is that they have been highly renovated and remodeled throughout the centuries. As the guide book suggests, this wasn't the case so much with Bruges. Walking through the quiet streets and alleys, you could really get a sense of what life was like in centuries past. Other than the presence of cars and a few fresh layers of paint, the town truly does appear to be suspended in time. With several horse-drawn carriages and serene little parks, Bruges was not your typical European tourist destination.

This characterstic alone set Bruges apart from the other European cities I have visited thus far, but it was also distinct in its atmosphere. There was no loud, "party" vibe which so often dominates European capitals. There were no clubs or discotechs, just history and natural beauty. It had an astonishing city square (by day and by night), but was not near as crowded as those of other major cities. Because of this, the city is much safer than its competition. Because pickpocketing and theft is such a huge problem in highly-visited European cities, I am usually too busy clutching onto my possessions to enjoy the scenery. This was not the case in Bruges. No suspicious bystanders, no large crowds, no sketchy alleys. That feeling of safety made my time there all the more enjoyable.

Now back to another strenuous week of preparation for next weekend's travels...errr homework...

Caught Huge-Handed

2005-02-23T07:54:00.000-06:00

It appears I have been apart from Cooper for too long. While doing some investigative work on the internet as to his whereabouts, I came across a rather incriminating photo.

A/S/L?

Czeching In

2005-02-20T08:22:00.000-06:00

After a wonderful week-long vacation to Eastern Europe, I'm back in full force.

This past week our entire group trekked across Germany to the oft-forgotten Czech Republic. We stayed in the capital city of Prague (really the only place worth visiting in the country) and went on a variety of excursions.

First off, let me say that Eastern Europe is noticeably different from Western Europe. Even in a rather "westernized" city like Prague, the differences were there. With hints of communism still scattered throughout the country, the city is much colder than the West. Store owners, hotel clerks, and waitresses were much less friendly, and I felt like I was constantly looking over my shoulder.

But that aside, the city of Prague is probably the most beautiful that I have seen to date. It contains a fascinating history and an endless line of ancient architecture. Even after four days there, we were still seeing new and exciting things.

The first day consisted of a city walk accompanied an experienced tour guide. She didn't have a whole lot to say, but one thing struck me as being very interesting. With all the extravagant and prominent churches in Prague, you would think it was somewhat of a religious center. But despite all the churches, nobody goes inside. In fact, I just read an article yesterday about "faith in Europe." On average, 90% of Europeans "believe in God." Czech Republic returned the worst results, with only 34% saying that they belived in God. Possibly a reason why the city seemed so "heartless."

On day two we headed outside town and visited Melnik Castle. Although it wasn't what I had in mind when I was picturing a castle, it was intersting to tour. The castle originally housed a wine cellar and a large vineyard outside, and surpisingly it is still functioning. So, we received a tour of the wine cellar and participated in tasting some homemade wine.

Day three was the highlight for me. We took our chartered bus about an hour outside of Prague to the small village of Terezin. Terezin is most famous for its "Small Fortress" established in the 1700's as a national prison. However, when the Germans took control of Czech during WWII, it became a concentration camp which housed more than 30,000 Jews. As far as concentration camps go, it's not particularly popular. Only some 2500 Jews were killed there. It served more as a holding place for Jews to be shipped to places like Auschwitz or Buchenwald. Its residents included several prominent anti-communist scholars, artists, philosophers, scientists, and even the young assassin of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. But the fact that it wasn't a main concentration camp actually made it better, I think. Nearly everything was left unrestored after the war, making it very authentic and real. Second, it wasn't very crowded. It's kind of out in the middle of nowhere, so it wasn't swarming with tourists. Finally, everything was wide open. You could touch anything, walk on anything, go anywhere - nothing was off limits. That made for quite a real experience. All in all, it was shocking, real, scary, and fascinating.

Day four was spent browsing and wandering on our own. Shopping was popular, because things in the Czech Republic are very cheap. They still use "crowns" as their currency (1 US dollar = 25 crowns). Let's just say it became apparent that this story is true. The highlight of the day was probably our visit to the Museum of Communism. It documented exactly how awful the influence of communism was and is on the Czech Republic. It's quite amazing to learn that the communist party was still so prominent in the Czech Republic up until the late 1980's.

Well, in other news, President Bush is heading my this week - he is visiting, among other places, the EU headquarters in Brussels. As my good friend Pol de Vos puts it, "He is coming to persuade and influence the European leaders. We are afraid the European leaders will distance themselves from their people." So I look forward to what my other European friends have to say about W. And for some reason I think the citizens of the Czech Republic aren't such a big fan of Bush, either. A popular souvenir in the shops in Prague was peaceful, sympathetic portayal of Osama bin Laden in the form of a wooden doll.

So it goes.

Sweet Sundays

2005-02-13T14:29:00.000-06:00

I'm beginning to like Sundays here in Zwolle more and more each week. Sunday is probably the most planned out day of the week for my host family, and I love it.

Here's the Sunday schedule:

Wake up and eat a light breakfast of coffee, tea, and bread with Hagel.

Go to church.

Return from church and talk about the sermon, current events, etc. with the family over coffee and cake.

At about noon, we take a drive out to the countryside and park alongside the road somewhere. We get out and continue to take a 1-1 1/2 hour walk around the rivers, dams, country homes, and pastures.

Come back to the house and have a small meal of hot soup and fresh bread.

One hour of freetime/naptime/blogtime.

"Night" (4:30 p.m.) church.

Return for the larger evening meal consisting of meat, potatoes,vegetables, wine, and dessert.

Coffee, conversation, and "free time" until bed.

One of the best things about Sundays here is that all of the "moved out" children in the family are all home. They travel from across the country (not that far) to be home on the weekends, making Sundays, especially, a quality family time.

So I, for one, am a big fan. Maybe it's not too different from our Dutch communities in the U.S., but I prefer it.

Amsterdamned

2005-02-13T09:03:00.000-06:00

This week I visited the capital of the Netherlands not once, but twice.

That's right, I just couldn't get enough of the den of iniquity the first time, so I went back for seconds.

On Wednesday, our entire class went on an "Excursion" to Amsterdam, in order to improve our understanding of Dutch art and culture. First we visited the Rijksmuseum, where famous Dutch painters such as Rembrandt and Steen are showcased. We saw a lot of impressive works of art, and the tour ended with the famous Nacht Wacht (Night Watch). Next, we made our way over to the Beurs van Berlage, a large exhibition hall that used to act as the trading floor for stocks. I wish it still served that purpose; I would have bought a stock or two. We rounded out the day with a walk through the Red Light District and a visit to an organization called "The Scarlet Chord." It is an organization in the heart of the Red Light District whose purpose is to talk with prostitutes and encourage them to change their lifestyle. We had a good talk with them, and the information they shared with us was quite eye-opening. Overall, the Red Light District was a grim look at the sex culture in Amsterdam and Western Europe. Prostitution became legal in the Netherlands in 2000, in an attempt to lower prostitution-related crimes and ultimately decrease the practice. So far it has been ineffective.

We didn't have a lot of free time to explore the city, so I decided to take advantage of this uneventful weekend by heading back for a second look.

Yesterday five of us went back, despite rainy weather that was not ideal for sight-seeing. So, we stayed inside as much as possible.

First we toured the Anne Frank House. It is a very familiar story, but becomes all the more powerful when you walk through the same hallways and climb the same stairs that they did. To refresh your memory, there was a total of eight people who lived in hiding on the top floor of a working warehouse. After 25 months, they were discovered by the Nazis and sent to concentration camps. Only the father, Otto Frank, survived. The rooms were completely unfurnished (the Nazis cleaned the place out upon its discovery), but the structure itself was, for the most part, orignial. Everything - from creaky floors to low ceilings - made for a compelling experience.

Next we visited the world-reknown Heineken factory. The tour included free samples and a free gift, making the experience all the more enjoyable. The 150-year old factory stopped functioning in 1998, but was very interesting to see nonetheless.

Finally, Jessica and I stayed a few hours longer than the rest of the group and did some more walking around. After we had had enough of the same shops, we took an evening canal cruise around the city. It was a great way to explore the entire city without having to walk or take public transportation everywhere.

So I think I've had my fill of the Amsterdam for a while. Unless Ajax moves into first place, I shan't be returning anytime soon.

Dutch Oven

2005-02-10T03:44:00.001-06:00

It seems that my last post, including a picture of a scrumptous stroopwafel, has aroused curiosity about a comparison between the stroopwafels in the States and here in the Netherlands.

For starters, I should note that I am a bit shocked at the lack of baking that goes on here. I have yet to see a household that has baked cookies, cake, or muffins. In fact, they don't even own ovens. Their microwaves have a setting in which you can heat it like an oven, but most households don't have a separate oven.

But everyone's kitchen is stacked with pastries and baked goods galore. They're all store-bought, but they're also very good. My reasoning is this: there are no big supermarket chains or retail chains here. Small bakeries, delis, and produce markets are everywhere. Everyone wants to support their local baker (who is also vey good), so they buy cookies instead of making them at home.

Having dessert after meals is a must here, so it's always interesting to eat a store-bought pie or pastry after finishing a big, made-from-scratch, homemade meal. That's just how they roll, I guess.

So, long story short, I have yet to come across a homemade stroopwafel. But I'm fine with that, because I think the local, store-bought ones are just as good.

Roughing It

2005-02-08T09:47:00.000-06:00

Just got back from class - my last one for two weeks.

It's rough out here, I tell ya: done with class on Tuesday; excursion to Amsterdam on Wednesday; Thursday and Friday off, and next week a class trip to Prague.

A well-deserved break, I say - today our first homework assignment was due: a two page paper.

I think I'll celebrate with a stroopwafel and something to drink.

Saved by the Belgium

2005-02-07T11:00:00.000-06:00

Now that I have your attention, I’d like to tell you about my weekend in Belgium’s capital city – Brussels.

Being the first trip of the semester, the entire NSPICE group (all 18 of us) participated on this little weekend getaway. I hate traveling in large groups, so hopefully the group sizes will get smaller as we get deeper into the semester.

Our method of transportation for this trip was everything but a car. We biked to the train station, took a 40-minute train to the bus station in central Holland, then traveled the remaining three hours by bus.

We arrived Friday in the early evening. After dropping off our bags at the youth hostel, we quickly made our way to the city’s center to sample the nightlife. The city was very alive with bars, restaurants, chocolate shops, waffle stands, and specialty shops, all of which we partook of.

The most impressive feature of the city is by far the Grand Place. (Scroll over the picture for a description) With its impressive 17th century architecture encompassing you from all sides, standing in the center of the square is truly a breathtaking experience. Despite being scattered with modern restaurants and shops, it still has a very archaic feel to it. It has also been labeled by many as Europe’s most impressive square.

Naturally, the expedition the next morning was centered around the magnificent Grand Place. The city is littered with history, with a wide range of churches, town halls, palaces, and statues, which is evident from the pictures. One particularly interesting feature of the Catholic church architecture I noticed was the extravagant nature of the pulpits in nearly every church. It was usually the centerpiece of the building, reflecting the Catholics’ beliefs about the clergy and church hierarchy. As shown in the pictures, the pulpit often told the entire story of the Bible through art and architecture. I guess that was for the people who didn’t feel like listening to the sermon (or were too distracted) – they could get their spiritual nourishment by just looking at the pulpit.

Perhaps Brussels’ most famous attraction is the classic Mannekin Pis. You know, it’s the statue of the little naked boy peeing…it’s a fountain…Anyways, every single gift shop or store in Brussels is full of souvenirs of this thing. Miniature statues, t-shirts, stickers, you name it – they had it. So naturally, by the end of the day we were dying to see this little gem. What a disappointment. Anticlimactically located on the corner of a few dirty souvenir shops, it is no larger than two feet. The backdrop is a graffiti-covered store wall, and hose going into the statue’s backside is huge. So bad, I refused to take even one picture.

Interestingly enough, we finally attended a church service in English while in Brussels. Sunday morning we went to the International Baptist Church of Brussels for morning worship. It consisted mostly of American and British couples who work for their respective governments in Brussels. It was good to hear a familiar language again – especially the sermon.

The rest of the details are boring, so I will get to what everyone really wants to know about: the waffles, the chocolate, and the beer.

The waffles: Even for as much hype as they receive, I still think they are highly underrated. You can hardly call it a waffle. Made right before your eyes, they are an oasis of goodness. They are hot and gooey in the middle with a crisp, sweet coating. When topped with whipped cream or strawberries, they put a regular waffle to shame.

The chocolate: I didn’t try actually try any, but I would say that it is overrated. To me, chocolate is chocolate. So, all I had to do was glance in the shop windows, read the price per ounce, and keep walking. Unlike the waffles, it seems to be somewhat of a tourist trap.

The beer: Different. Their most popular beer, Stella Artois, was nothing special. But all of their other local brews were well worth sampling. They make a lot of sweet, nectar-like beers, ranging from strawberry to apricot to cedar. At only $1.50 a pop, it was fun trying all of the different “flavors.”

Finally, for those of you who think I have forgotten my roots, I searched, but never did find, the Belgic Confession.

Hindsight

2005-02-02T13:50:00.000-06:00

I'd like to step back into the United States for just one post.

As you all know, a friend and I recently sold our beloved Apple stock, cashing in on well-deserved profits. We told ourselves we would never look back, but I'm afraid I'm pulling a "Lot's wife."

As Apple pushes $80 a share today, I confess: I looked back.

The Price is Wrong

2005-02-01T09:52:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow night will mark the first time that Lawren and I will have to cook dinner for our host family. We told them that we were very capable of making dinner every now and then, so they put us on the schedule: every Wednesday night is our night.

So today we went to the grocery store to pick up the necessary items for Chicken Fajitas. Most of the prices were similar to the those in the U.S., with the exception of the chicken. We picked up a 2/3 lb. package of chicken, only to find out that it was priced at $5. Much more expensive than the States, but we decided to bite the bullet. But while standing in line at the cash register, I happened to notice a large display of beer. Bavaria, a relatively good beer, was priced at around $4 for a 24-pack (bottles). Interesting. After pushing moral dilemmas aside, it finally dawned on me why the Dutch consume so much beer. It's cheaper than buying basic food products. (And it is, in fact, quite cheaper than Coke).

So with that said, any meal suggestions for next Wednesday?

Party down, it's...Monday?

2005-01-31T14:01:00.000-06:00

Upon talking to the native Zwollenaars, I have come to discover an interesting difference between American college life and Dutch college life.

As part of an introductory project upon arriving, we American students spread out into the city and had talks with different clergymen, college students, bar owners, vendors, etc. When chatting with the young owner of a college bar in town, one of the first questions to come up was, naturally, "what do the college students do for fun on the weekends?"

The answer, later affirmed by others, was quite surprising. As it turns out, the weekends are more or less "dead" in Zwolle. In fact, the owner said that Saturday is one of the worst days for business. The best days? Tuesday and Thursday nights - College Night.

The reason is this: all college students go home on the weekends. Even if they're twenty-four years old, they travel up to four hours to be with their family. So, it appears, they "party" during the week. A strange mix of traditional/nontraditional values, if you ask me, and quite contrasting to the U.S.

A Historian's Delight

2005-01-29T15:57:00.000-06:00

Today Jessica, Lawren, Beth and I spent the day in the historic city of Utrecht, Netherlands.

Founded by the Romans in 46 A.D. and developed in the 12th century, Utrecht is famous for being a religious center of Europe. It's most famous church is the "Domkerk," accompanied by the gothic Dom Tower, the highest and oldest church tower in the Netherlands. Pictures don't do justice, but they help.

We walked around the entire city center, canals and churches being the most common sight. We spent most of our time inside the astonishingly ornate churches, trying hard not to identify ourselves as Protestants. The most popular church, the Domkerk, was by far the most interesting. This enormous church was littered with faceless sculptures, statues, and paintings. I thought this to be rather interesting. Why were the faces broken off on all the sculptures and scratched out on all the paintings? After reading a few description tags, I soon discovered that they were all broken off by the Protestants. Fed up with the Catholics' iconoclastic obsessions, the Protestants took over in 1580 and de-faced all the beloved saints.

After we had seen enough churches, we followed the canals through busy city streets. Despite the city's age, it has become quite the bustling "University" city. Shops and markets litter the narrow main streets, while a delicate mix of whorehouses, bars, and "coffeshops" make up the side streets. We actually went in very few stores - both because they sell nothing but junk and because they can't hold more than three people at a time.

Overall it was a very enjoyable day, especially given the relative inexpensiveness of the trip. 35 euros for a good history lesson and some impressive sight-seeing isn't bad, I think.

Shelf Life

2005-01-28T06:45:00.000-06:00

I told myself I would never blog about "merds," but out of respect for others, I'll go with it.

Lately I have been blogging about my experiences here in the Netherlands, and this post is no exception. This particular entry focuses on one particularly interesting aspect of Dutch culture: their merds.

The interesting part isn't the merd itself, it's the toilet. The toilets here are a bit different than those used in North America. First of all, the "hole" or "drain" is at the front of the bowl instead of the back. The entire back half of the bowl is a giant ceramic "shelf." Basically, it's a stool for your stool. So when you're finished doing your duty, a high-powered flusher washes the goods down to the front of the bowl and down the drain.

I'm not exactly sure why the Dutch choose to display their droppings. Maybe it makes for an interesting conversation piece? It certainly doesn't help the smell. Perhaps the Dutch have a longer "shelf life" than Americans?

Well, Eric, I know what you're thinking right now: I have to have one of those. Well, they're kind of big and heavy, but I'll do my best to fit it in my suitcase.

Picture update

2005-01-27T09:30:00.000-06:00

The weather has been rather gray and stormy lately, hindering any photo-taking. But I managed to snap a few pictures this afternoon. (Bill, here's your windmill.) The second two pictures are of Oosterenk Stadium, home to FC Zwolle, just two blocks from my house. Tomorow night we are watching them play Emmen, team toward the bottom of the standings. But for around $10 a ticket, it should be worth it. Let me know if you want any souvenirs.

The Pick-Nicker

2005-01-26T08:41:00.000-06:00

I have a rather humorous joke I'd like to pass on from here in the Netherlands:

This morning, our energetic Dutch language professor was trying to explain the Dutch word for "pickpocket." I don't remember the actual word, but a funny little anecdote accompanied the definition. It was a little shocking, so for those of you who are politically correct, a word of caution.

The professor began by warning us of the dangers of "pickpocketers" throughout Europe. He then said, "You know what we call the pickpocketers who are black, right?" The class gave a hesitant "No.....what?" I was mentally preparing myself for a joke about the stereotype of blacks being theives. "Funny," I thought. "I didn't think people from the Netherlands were like that. After all, there are a lot of black Dutch people."

The professor went on: "Well, the Dutch word for a black person is "nigger," making them "pick-niggers" - "pick-nickers" - "pick-niggers" - "get it??" The class gave a curteousy half-chuckle, but it was a little racy for most. For a second I thought he was going to elaborate even more, making a reference to "black people" picking cotton. But that was it - that was the joke - "pick-nickers."

The professor didn't act like it was racy at all, so I'm curious as to how the Dutch view racism/other races. After all, their beloved Sinter Klaus does have a black slave, Zwarte Piet. So I'll have to check that one out.

Oh, and if you're wondering what my other goals are, here are a few:

1. Run with the bulls in Madrid
2. Bathe in the Rhine
3. Save an entire Dutch town by sticking my finger in a dike
4. Sing while walking atop the Swiss Alps
5. Write graffitti on the Berlin Wall
6. Kick somebody in Paris

Zwolle Knows How to Party

2005-01-25T14:22:00.000-06:00

Last night was another first - a Dutch birthday party.

It was a fellow Dordt student's birthday, so her host family organized a little get-together for her. The party began rather simple - coffee, tea, cake, pie, and of course, "Lang zal ze leven." But just when we all thought that the festivites had ended, the host dad brought a table neatly decorated with more than enough Amstel, Heineken, and fine wines. We casually cracked a few, and within minutes the party was beginning to liven up.

The part that struck me most about the night was the Dutch hospitality shown by the host and hostess. They love to serve people. They won't even let you throw your napkin away by yourself. It's awesome on the verge of being shameful.

So for the hours that followed, upwards of six platters full of cheeses, meats, vegetables, and hors'devours were passed around, as well as countless bowls of Dutch munchies. Apparently they were impressed with our appetites (thirsts?), because the host dad made a second trip to the supermarket for another case of Heineken...and Gouda.

So if you enjoy an aged Merlot, a cold Heineken, and some good Gouda, head out to Zwolle. You shan't be disappointed.

Welkom

2005-01-24T10:12:00.000-06:00

Johnny already introduced another new friend to the blogosphere, but I felt it was worthy of another post. If Lawren keeps it up, his blog looks to be an entertaining place for heated political debates. Come, one and all, to the "L-Zone."

Eventful Sabbath

2005-01-23T15:59:00.000-06:00

After a delicious breakfast of Hagel on bread, I ventured into my first Sabbath in Holland. First was church. I didn't know what to expect going into it, but it ended up being very similar to my very own EURC.

First of all, I don't know what denomination it was. It was Reformed, and that's all I could figure out. The order of worship was identical to my home church, so there was some familiarity despite the fact that the entire service was in Dutch. One interesting thing: the elders, which consisted of six men, sat in the front of the church, off to the side on folding chairs, during the entire service. Thought that was interesting. There was also a strange break in the service, when, for about 20 seconds, nobody did anything. I thought it was time for the offering because everyone was popping a mint in their mouth, but there was no offering. I seriously think that they have a designated slot in their order of worship for popping in a Whillemina or a King peppermint. More churches should do that.

Then, immediately after church, six of us students began a "progressive dinner" in our neighborhood. First we went to one house for coffee and stroopwaffels, then a second for Pea Soup and bread, a third for Curry Chicken, Rice, etc., a fourth for yoghurt and granola, and a fifth for beer and cake. We spent about an hour at each house, and it was fun getting to know different families. Three of the families were very young couples, two of them with kids. I got off to an awesome start at the first house by asking the man what he did for a living. He hesitated, then responded that he doesn't work. He stays home with his two kids. Strike one. Well, I figured he was a black sheep, so an hour later I asked the same question of the man at the next house. I figured that since he didn't have any children, he had a job - but I was wrong. He started to stutter a few words before his wife jumped in and said that she worked three jobs. Yep. THREE. So, maybe he pulled a Mark Memmelaar, right? No, he doesn't go to school, either. Awesome. I want to be that guy - he should be commended. But it was interesting to see that three out of the five households had women bringing home the bacon. I started up a conversation with one of the wives about it, and she responded with something along the lines of, "Well, it seems to be a popular new things these days, and more and more people are doing it, so why not? It works." European philosophy and worldview in a nutshell, no joke. It's a little bit like my motto - If it feels good, do it.

Night church isn't very popular among the churches out here it seems, which is not all that surprising in a way. Not many churches take "night church" very seriously anymore. It is becoming more and more "optional." But tonight, since out host family was not going to be attending night church, we allowed another young man from the church to escort us to a "worship service" for younger people. Now I have never been to the infamous "Flood" in San Diego, but I would imagine that is very similar to this "service." It was basically a concert in a local gymnasium, packed with 5000 young Dutchies. The show of sounds, lights, and video were stunning, and they even had a professional five-camera live broadcast of the event on the "projector." The crew for the show must been around 50 people. It started with some thugged out Dutch, white rappers, backed up by two hoed-out female dancers on stage. It was ridiculous, but quite entertaining. A few praise and worship songs were next, followed by a skit, a message, an "offering" (some kids walking through the crowd with buckets - no, not KFC), and more singing. In all, it lasted over 2 hours. So, I think I'll go to an actual church next week.

But, in all, the day way a good one. One nice thing about Sundays in Zwolle is that all of the stores are closed. The only businesses open are gas stations, which I really appreciate. It's funny, because sometimes I think that if all businesses shut down in Escondido on Sundays, people wouldn't be able to make it. We just wouldn't be able to function. Well, Zwolle (a city of over 100,000) is living proof that it works. To top it off, the work week doesn't officially start until about 11:00 a.m. tomorrow. That is when most shops open again. It make Sunday nights a little less rushed, I guess.

Well, "classes" start tomorrow morning, so I'll be off to bed. Cheeri-o.

First Take

2005-01-22T06:07:00.000-06:00

Lawren and I just got back from town. Because it's Saturday, the "market" downtown is bustling. It's basically a big street fair with hundreds of vendors.

Here are some pictures.

Our house, as shown in the first picture, is situated in the middle of the city. We live right on the corner of a busy "roundabout" or intersection. So it's only a few blocks from downtown. The family has lived in the house for only two years, which was at that time renovated into a home from a livery stable for horses.

De Colonisten van Catan

2005-01-22T04:06:00.000-06:00

While browsing through the Glas family's (my host family) selection of board games and puzzles this morning, I saw a little glimpse of the homeland. That's right: Settlers of Catan.

They have not just Settlers, but Seafarers, too. So, hopefully Evar (son, 15) will bring his little friends over and game it up sometime. Or, as a particular blogger might like to hear (notice there's no link), Roanne (daughter, 13) might bring over her friends from school, like she did yesterday afternoon. We chatted in half-English for quite sometime, and the father (Gerrit) said that his daugther and her friends were "very excited" for the American boys to come.

Well, off to go out for my first exploration of the city of Zwolle. No bike yet, so I'll be taking it by foot. I'm bringing my camera, so hopefully some pictures will soon follow.

I'm missing something

2005-01-18T13:17:00.000-06:00

Two more days left until I venture out into the great land of liberalism, and many curiosities prick my mind about the Old World.

I have been trying to read up on Europe as much as I can in order to lessen the culture shock, but there are still many things I am just unsure about.

Up until today, my biggest uncertainty was riding a bike in Holland. That will be our primary mode of transportation, so we better be good at it. Now I biked quite a bit as a youngster, so I brushed off the warnings by the program's coordinators that the bikes in Holland are different. According to the head coordinator., the funniest day for the students and facutly at the university there is the day that the Americans receive their bikes. She said that they all run to the second story windows facing the parrking lot to watch in jest as we ride away on our new bikes.

I think everyone who is going on the program was a little bit scared, but I was more confused. What kind of bikes are these? Do they have three wheels? Do they have a steering wheel instead of handle bars? Do you pedal with your hands? Naturally, My imagination went wild.

This had been prickling my curiosity up until today. We got an email from the coordinator with an attached picture of the infamous European bikes. Ahh. It all makes sense now. Check out the picture and you'll discover why.

Yep, you guessed it - if you look closely, you will notice it - a bell on the handlebars. Not a horn, but a bell.

I dread the day that we receive those bikes.

A New Era-n

2005-01-16T13:46:00.000-06:00

For more catchy, clever titles that don't really work, go here.

Amidst a chorus of cheers, shouts, confetti, and fireworks, today I am 21.

OK, so maybe there wasn't confetti, but last night I celebrated. I started off the night strong at CCHS's murder-mystery dinner theater with the fam. It was wild, but I survived. Later, as the clock approached the stroke of midnight, I....waited. Robert, Luke, Z, and I ended up at O'Sullivan's Irish Pub in Escondido, and we enjoyed a few lagers to the tune of some live Irish music. It was a truly edenic experience.

Now, ironically, I will soon join the hoards of high schoolers in the pubs and bars across Europe in an anticlimactic coming-of-age. So, in the words of Coop Cooper, "Happy Birthday, you're not special."

Deja Vu

2005-01-12T22:06:00.000-06:00

School is back in session at the alma mater, and as of late I have been making my way to a few CCHS basketball games. Last night was a home game, so I made my way over to the gym to watch Reuben light up the court. Oh, and contrary to "popular" belief, high school sports ROCK. And I love being "that guy."

The game was a little boring until, halfway through the second quarter, I thought I was in high school all over again. Why? Two reasons.

First, a strapping young man who I thought was my beloved ex-roommate walked through the doors of the gym. With his shirt off, tanned bod, short brown hair, dominating forehead, and soccer bag in hand, I almost jumped out of my seat. Nope. Just his brother, Dan, carrying the torch through a packed gymnasium. Anyhow, I joined him for a shower in hopes of a vicarious healing experience.

Second, my pops, Lyle, hit a new low. If you've ever attended a soccer game in which my dad has been present, you know what I'm talking about. He has a bad habit of saying really stupid stuff, mostly to officials. He was especially notorious in the late 80's/early 90's for getting ejected from games. Usually being the coach, that's not such a good thing. Well, it's been a while since he has coached one of his son's soccer games, and he has since grown out of that "phase." Reuben plays JV basketball, so my dad is forced to sit in the bleachers and remain somewhat removed from the politics of the game.

Back to the game last night. My dad volunteered to work the stat book at the scorer's table last night (a JV game versus a horrific Julian team on a Tuesday night is pretty low-key and laid-back). All of a sudden, in the middle of the third quarter, Reuben got whistled for a questinable foul at midcourt - right in front of the scorer's table. But when the ref walked over to the scorer's table to report the foul, he made a big fuss about the something. The crowd, confused about what was going on, watched in a hushed curiosity.

It soon became clear: the ref had ejected my dad. Either we had to find a new scorekeeper, or we forfeit the game. My dad had apparently yelled at the ref for the call, and the ref didn't like it.

When ridiculed about it at home later that night, he pleaded innocence, as always. Supposedly he was yelling at Reuben, not the ref. Likely story, as usual.

Last night, a new page was turned in my father's sports-spectaror career book. But let's hope it's not the end. Reuben still has a few more years, and there's always grandchildren. After all, if he can get ejected from the scorer's table of a JV boys basketball game at Calvin Christian High School, anything is possible.

Troy?

2005-01-03T19:31:00.000-06:00

I haven't seen Troy yet, but after seeing so many movie stills of Brad Pitt, I'm tempted to just buy the DVD for 15 bucks. I figure if I rent it, that's 5 bucks already anyways.

For the three of you who read my blog - any suggestions?

Water-Blogged

2005-01-03T19:09:00.000-06:00

Today's rainy weather brought me back to one of my favorite childhood pasttimes: the public library. I don't think I've been there since junior high, so I was naturally quite nervous about coming back after being gone for such a long time.

As a kid, I would immediately hang a hard left and head upstairs to the children's literature section. I'd sign up for the bookmark contest, glance at the entries on the surrounding walls, then make my way to the "Great Brain" series books in the far corner. I was tempted to go upstairs today, but the need for a rite of passage overcame me, and I headed for the "adult" books.

I went to the library to read up on Western Europe, as I have begun mentally preparing for my semester in the Netherlands. I acquired much valuable information in my three-or-so hours of reading, and the time was well-spent. But I also learned where all the homeless people go when it rains - the Library. Normally they hang out outside the building, nibbling on a block of chesse and talking to themselves, but when it rains, apparently they head inside. And I guess they have to pretend like they are reading so that they don't get kicked out, which is even funnier. One old guy read an issue of Vogue while his buddy, a really old man, caught up on the latest celebrity gossip with People. It was entertaining, but distracting. I think maybe I'll just stick to the children's section from now on.

My...computer...broke?

2004-12-27T19:45:00.000-06:00

After a few heckling sessions and a few verbal threats from a particularly hostile blogger, I'm back.

People seem to be sharing what they got for Christmas, and heck, I'm trendy, so I'll give it a whirl.

First, before I tell you what I got, allow me to inform you of the gift I gave to Eric. Well, I didn't give it to him yet, but I officially give him three lumps of coal. Why give such a good, lovable boy such an awful gift? Here's why: At church last night, I asked him why I didn't see him at the Christmas service the morning before. "Oh, my family doesn't go to church on those holidays. You know - Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Years." Being a good Reformed boy, I quickly scolded him and condemned him to his appropriate eternal resting place. His reasoning: God commanded us to worship on the Sabbath, not on holidays. That's why he didn't show up. I let Josh Koonce cast the first stone, which I thought was perfectly put: "Well, I'm just glad Jesus showed up on Christmas Day." Shame on you, Eric, you lazy sack of excrement. (He's being punished.)

OK, on to the good stuff. For starters, my Dad and Mom got me a wallet, a watch, an alarm clock, and a gift card to Barnes and Noble. And some socks, too.

Levi and Christina and Luke got me some much-needed parts for my busted desktop computer. Hehe. Now Luke gets to install them. Sweet how that works.

Reuben got me a USB thumb drive. Basically a portable hard drive. Very sweet and handy.

Jessica got me my first ever garment from GAP. It's cool though, it's just a plain jacket. I love it - it's very European. I'm gonna put a big American flag patch on the back.

Those are about all the presents worth mentioning. Some people didn't get me anything, but hey, that's life. But is a little Sunny D too much to ask for?

That's all for now. Peace. On earth?

Yeah...I lift.

2004-12-14T14:31:00.000-06:00

While at the gym this afternoon, I was reminded of why I try to go when no one else is there. A few years back, I came across a "Top Ten Things To Remember When Going to the Gym," compliments of this guy.

1. This is your gym, everyone else is just visiting.
2. You, being the seasoned veteran of weightlifting (which should be glaringly obvious to others because of your enormous stature), feel the need to tell other people what they are doing wrong with their workout and how they can be more like you.
3. Staring at yourself in the mirror while lifting makes it easier; either that or the sight of your own huge body makes you all warm inside.
4. You continually talk about how much weight you can lift, used to lift, and will be lifting, without ever actually doing anything.
5. You feel the need to show off your massive physique by coming to the gym and proceeding to lift weights with no shirt on, or no sleeves on. I mean honestly…..
6. You bring a girl with you to the gym so that the Chandra Bosman look-alike can worship your creatine filled muscles and see how gigantic you actually are. Afterwards, because you are so amazing, she will finally let you join in on her next fondue party.
7. You bring your own “gear” to the gym. This shows everyone how serious you are about weightlifting if you walk into the gym with some sweet gloves, belt, etc. If you come in with a hockey size duffle bag, you will be revered by all as the gym guru.
8. You feel the need to wear clothes that are about 80 sizes too small for you that way as soon as your muscles begin to sw
9. You roll your socks down just low enough, or your shirt sleeves just high enough, revealing your one-of-a-kind tattoo(s) proving to anyone daring enough to look at you that you are a certifiable badass.
10. You look at other people in the gym and with your eyes let them know you are saying, “what the **** are YOU doing here?”

Picture Perfect

2004-12-12T16:26:00.000-06:00

Here at Dordt College, we like to take a lot of pictures. So, in case you're interested, here's a link to some of our most memorable moments.

College Fun!

She Loves Me Not

2004-12-11T11:26:00.002-06:00

Sometimes I make up my own companies and create logos for them.

Sample one of them here.

Suggestions are welcome.

Holiday Spirit

2004-12-10T01:31:00.000-06:00

Well, the F5 Christmas Party is officially over. What a night!!

First check out the pictures

Here are a few highlights of the party:

-Johnny dropping one of his delicious BBQ meatballs right on his lap! Oops!!
-Kyle forgetting what was on the "10th day of Christmas" during our sing-along. That one always gets him!
-The girls not getting the memo about wearing red and green. Jessica walked in and shouted, "Wha' Happened?!?!"
-Lawren stuffing three peanut butter balls in his mouth all at once!!
-Aaron childishly ignoring the "misteltoe" above his and Johnny's heads!
-Johnny mistaking his stocking for an oven mitt! Ouch!!

Dearest Edmund ~

2004-12-06T23:42:00.000-06:00

My child, take heed and patiently await that day! For no man hath tread where you and your siblings will one day wander. For the current state of things leaves our feet numb. How much longer must we walk through endless snow? Our vision gets blurred, until this whiteout blinds us. But us, we will walk by faith. These dark clouds remain from ages past. A fire burns within - our only warmth. I can see your breath uttering words of hope. Glimpses of the sun penetrate in us. This Winter will end.

Good call

2004-12-03T11:25:00.000-06:00

Man, I knew we shouldn't have gone to war.

Coincidence?

Wonder what they do with the dirty dishwater...

Experiments in Light

2004-11-19T13:47:00.000-06:00

Last night we had a borderline candlelight vigil. Scary? Some say.

Now indulge in these delicious snapshots...

2004-11-19T13:46:00.000-06:00

Would you light my candle?

2004-11-19T13:45:00.000-06:00

Tranquility

2004-11-15T15:30:00.000-06:00

"The Bean" in downtown Millenium Park

Chi-Town

2004-11-15T13:16:00.000-06:00

Well, after spending the entire weekend in Chicago, it's hard to blog about just one thing. So I'll blog about a bunch of things.

Trinity: One of the reasons my roommates and I went to Chicago this weekend was to see friends from Trinity Christian College. This was my first time visiting Trinity's campus, and I was very impressed with the aesthetics of the campus. It has some beautiful landscape and architecture, and the new chapel and science center are impressive. But there was just one problem: I didn't see any people. We were on campus three or four different times throughout the weekend and I probably saw six people total. I know Trinity's a little smaller, but I was shocked. I felt a definite lack of community, at least compared to Dordt anyways. A few friends from Trinity shared this concern, saying that most people go home for the weekends. Bummer. Anyways, we had a great time meeting up with old Calvin grads and others, most notably our blissful reunion with Eric. We topped off the weekend with some much needed carne asada burritos at two o' clock in the morning. Thanks, Eric. You are forever my first love.

Downtown: We spent all day Friday exploring downtown. I had never been to Chicago before, so everything was new to me. I can't say that anything particularly surprised me, besides the slew of white ear buds that emerged from the trench coat pockets of every other person walking downtown. That's right: iPods. Half the people had them, and that number is destined to increase. Being a shareholder in Apple stock, I was encouraged. Saturday night we visited two Dordt friends who are on a Chicago internship program downtown this semester. We stayed in their apartment and they showed us the city. We had tickets to go to an improv comedy club downtown that night, so we went with high expectations. It was an experience, to say the least. It was a BYOB type thing, which made for an interesting show. It reminded me of what plays used to be like back in Shakespeare's time. Peasants would sit/stand in the front area and obnoxiously "watch" the performance. They'd toss around mead and peanuts, yell obscenities "bloody" and "crotch," and casually walk around the theater. Substitute these for beer, jello shots, and a few four-letter words, and you get "The Hot Karl." The ad said it was rated "R", but we figured we could handle it. Not really. The eight actors casually drank beer on stage in between skits, using foul language as a crutch. For me, the higlight was when the "big boned" actress grabbed some audience member's cell phone, shoved it down her pants, and rubbed it all over her area. It's generally not a good idea to try and get your audience to throw up. But who knows. Generally, the problem with the actors was that they had no class. They weren't even very funny, they were just really dirty. In my opinion, it takes a real comedian to be clean and still funny. So, if you're in downtown Chicago sometime soon, pass on the Hot Karl.

Meet Me in Montauk

2004-11-10T16:07:00.000-06:00

Last night my roommates and I watched Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind for the first time. I had heard many good things about the movie, and they were practically giving it away on ebay, so I bought it without ever seeing it before.

Here's the plot summary:
A couple (Jim Carrey & Kate Winslet) undergo a procedure to erase each other from their memories when their relationship turns sour, but it is only through the process of loss that they discover what they had to begin with.

The movie is an artistic masterpiece. It has a fascinating plot, oustanding acting (Carrey, Winslet, Kirsten Dunst), and great cinematography. I am a huge fan of nonlinear plotlines, and this movie does just that. But because it jumps around so much, I think I need a second (or third) viewing in order to straighten all the events out.

This isn't a movie review, just a recommendation. Go watch it if you haven't already. If anything, go see it just for Jim Carrey. His shaggy-haired, unshaven look makes him look awful sexy.

On second thought...

2004-11-06T14:47:00.000-06:00

Interesting article in the Washington Times today about the presence of "jihad" in the Netherlands:

"THE HAGUE — The Dutch government yesterday vowed tough measures against what a leading politician called "the arrival of jihad in the Netherlands" after a death threat to a Dutch lawmaker was found spiked with a knife to the body of a slain filmmaker by his radical Muslim attacker."

My profile:
Race: White
Religion: Christianity
Career: Filmmaking
Plans for next semester: Study abroad in the Netherlands

Sweet.

I know a guy

2004-11-04T11:43:00.000-06:00

There's a guy I know...Johnny. Check out his righteous blog:

http://edmundsdelight.blogspot.com

Me vs. Nemo

2004-11-04T11:28:00.000-06:00

The nightmares won, 3-0, last night. This is the gospel according to my roommate, Kyle:

Nemo, that plush, orange fish, was getting on my nerves. I sat up on the edge of my bed, picked him off of the floor, and looked him right in the eyes. Inches from my face, he wasn't so intimidating anymore. As I strangled him, a certain gentleness overtook me. I felt bad. I had acted unfairly. I had no choice but to comfort him. So I began to stroke him with a gentleness that comes only at night. I apologized and placed him back on the floor. But there on the floor was the nametag "Briana." If anything angers me, it's a "Briana" nametag on my bedroom floor. I flung it towards the closet. Finally, that was out of the way. I could go back to sleep now.

Enter: Lair

2004-11-04T10:48:00.000-06:00

Welcome to Aslan's Mane.