CNN has just published its list of the top 10 events of 2004. Here’s my brief opinion on them: 1. Election 2004 – I still feel like someone ripped out my heart and beat me over the head with it. At the same time I want to say “I’m not Read more…
For those who missed our first post about this topic, here are some more examples that we found at the Kerstmarkt. Now those are some serious boots.
Today was one of the 5 cloudless days in the Netherlands, and Ann and I took a stroll through the Kerstmarkt (Christmas Market) which had been set up on the main shopping street in the middle of town. Every year, for three days they fill up the already congested Read more…
I had to go to Rotterdam yesterday to my MBA school to take care of some financial matters. It seems that Sallie Mae, after telling both me AND the school that it would be a cold day in hell before they made out educational checks to a student, sent $30,000 Read more…
New back wheel, chain, plus labor involved to put them both on shoddily (so I had to take it back to the shop after riding on it for two seconds): 96 Euros. New lock because now apparently I need to lock BOTH the front and back tires: 12 Euros. New Read more…
Some asshole stole the back wheel off my bike yesterday. I came back from my first indoor frisbee tournament, and when I got to my bike I saw that it was curiously low to the ground in the back. It took me a few seconds, but I eventually realized that Read more…
So, I was speaking with my friend Esther the other day when all of a sudden she was locked out of her computer. This program hijacked her computer, put up pictures of people doing strange things, and wouldn’t let her close it or do anything else. “What’s that?†“Oh, that’s Read more…
Just to illustrate the different attitudes between the Netherlands and the US as concerns employee welfare, below is an excerpt from an actual memo sent from the Facilities Manager here in Dordrecht: “2. Temperature and Humidity in our buildingJohn Q. Dutchman (trainee Facility Management) is measuring the temperature and humidity Read more…
Saturday – December 4, 2004 Ann booked us a weekend getaway in Maastricht and I am writing this from the bed of the Crown Plaza hotel, which Ann acquired for us at a discount that warms her little Belgian heart. Maastricht is one of the oldest towns in the Netherlands Read more…
A grand and noble tradition has now been introduced to the gambling-impoverished masses of Dordrecht: poker night. First I had to wait two months to get an apartment. Then I had to wait another month to fill it with IKEA furniture and new appliances. Then I had to go through Read more…