Travelling Kiltman

There has been a slight shortage of posts here recently due to my work commitments, and my vacation time over the past three weekends. I hope to have some time in the next couple of days to write some about my recent adventures around Europe

Enter Kiltman

Today has been a long tough day. Didn’t get off to the best of starts with two very crowded trains, so I had people in my pocket all the way down here today. Doesn’t help with my mood much. I knew that it was going to be a Metallica day. Angry music for an angry person. Its been this way really since I came back after New Year. Not sure how much longer things can carry on this way. I’m going to explode, or blow up or something. I have some training days next week, which will hopefully help.

Home again to be by myself, find something healthy for tea, and attempt to entertain myself so my evening doesn’t drag along as badly as my day has.

I took a photo out my office window today, which shows that my window is really dirty, but also that I have a reasonable view. I have a window, which is more than most can say here.

View from the window

Post New Year Dip

I’ve finally made it to Friday afternoon.  After being off work for two weeks over Christmas and New Year, I always knew the first week back at work would be a struggle.  It does feel like it has been a very long week indeed.  As I look out my window, everything is still dusted in a coating of frost.  It’s been cold all week.  My trains have been late, or delayed all week.  So my commute has been longer, and I’ve spent several extra hours standing around in the cold this week.  I am learning to hate the Dutch train ’service’ more and more!

Hopefully things will look better next week!  I’m off to experience my first opera on Saturday night, so that promises to be interesting.  Just over an hour to go now before I can take off for the weekend, so it’s back to the Green Tea and a spot of Pearl Jam

Will all be fine in 2009?

Another year, another attempt to stick with the blogging about random incidents in my life.  This year shall be the year that I purchase my first apartment, and reach my target weight.  Anything else I shall aim to look upon as a bonus.  Bonus items will include improving my Dutch language skills, or improving my Tagalog skills so I can share all the jokes with my filipino friends.

Lets hope all is fine in 2009.  And if it’s not, we’ll do it all again in 2010

Have a good one

Ketch Up

Another month has past since I last wrote something in here. So many things have been happening that have made me feel depressed, that I haven’t had anything nice to write about here. I have been told that writing here is probably the best therapy I could find, but I still feel uncomfortable talking about my feelings. I think like anyone I take my knocks, and roll with the punches, and get on with things. However this last couple of months, I’ve felt lots of things getting me down all at the same time, which has made it incredibly hard to remain upbeat and positive. I’m trying hard to pick things up, and make things better, as I hate feeling like this. But, the truth is, it’s really, really difficult, and I’m not entirely sure how to go about it. I’ve never experienced lows like this before, so it goes that I don’t know how to fix it. You cut your finger, you put a plaster on it, you have a sore head, you take medication. However, when things aren’t quite right inside the head, I’m really not sure what to do about it. I’m just chugging along, trying to take each day as it comes, and not let things get too overwhelming. It seems though that just when I think I might be getting a handle on things, something else comes along and sets me back again, and I’m back to the start again.

In other news I saw Bon Iver last night here in Amsterdam. I got Bon Iver recommended to me by a good friend of mine towards the end of last year, and I’ve listened to the record several times a week ever since. He has created a sound quite unlike anything else I’ve listened too, and I find his music to be very relaxing, and it helps me a lot when my head is full of nonsense to listen to Bon Iver. So the show last night was quite an experience. I was in as the doors open, and positioned myself right at the front of the stage, just off to the left a little. I was curious to see how he re-created the album live, as on the record there are so many different sounds in the tracks. Well, Justin and his two bandmates more than managed. It really was a great show, very emotional and moving. I felt very fortunate at the end of the show to meet Justin, and get him to sign my CD cover that I had just bought. He asked my name, and signed it to me. I was able to shake his hand, and say thank you for the music. I left feeling like a kid that had just met Santa Claus! I’m sitting here writing and listening to the album just now, it really is a spectacular record. If you haven’t checked him out yet, you really need to get on it. Here is a little sample I found on youtube, of Justin doing one of the songs solo

Bon Iver on Jools Holland

Back In The Saddle

I realize it’s been a while since I made a post here. Its been a combination of not thinking I have anything to say, being a little lazy, and being really stressed by this whole apartment buying situation. For the last few weeks I have been pursuing the Utrecht apartment that I saw and liked. I’ve been playing the bidding game, waiting for responses, and making new bids. The whole process is dragging out, and it’s getting me down. It looks now like this will all be resolved one way or the other by the end of the month now.

I spoke yesterday with a mortgage advisor, I guess I should say my mortgage adviser. I have a mortgage in place, so it’s really just almost waiting for the current owner to say yes or no. What struck me was how much it’s all going to cost me. I sat down last night and, armed with the monthly mortgage amount, worked out expected costs for things like phone, internet, TV, gas, electric, and so on. It sure does all add up!

I notice it so much because for the last five years my rent has been fixed at a very low price, I have a roomate, and everything is included in the price that I am paying. So I have been very lucky. It’s just going to come as a shock to me when I do eventually get something sorted. And these are the planned costs that are freaking me out! What if something unexpected comes along and needs a chunk of change? I think my wings are going to get clipped, I’m going to have to take less trips, eat out less, and drink less. But I’m sure it will all be worth it!

I’m off to Munich this weekend, and this is my last planned trip for a while. Actually, after this one, I have nothing planned, and this is so not like me. I normally like to have my next trip planned at all times, so I am never without plans. However, after this weekend, its’ going to happen!

bloodredshoes

I think this is my first and only post of this week. The reason for this is that nothing has really happened this week. I’ve just been busy at work, with not much going on in my home life that has inspired me to write anything

Last night I went to see bloodredshoes in Utrecht. And today I feel worn out by the experience! I don’t think I can have slept too well last night. I feel like I was out until 0500, roaring drunk, two hours sleep, and a massive hangover. When in actual fact I was home by midnight, six hours sleep, and only a few beers last night. Must be old age!

The show itself was really, really good. They’re a two piece band from Brighton, England. A guy on drums, who is a fantastic drummer, and a girl on the guitar, who is incredibly cute. Both share the vocals. He strikes me as an incredibly gifted musician, he’s able to frantically play punk rock drums, and sing at the same time. The speed at which he plays is quite impressive. I’ve seen other two piece bands play, most notably the Black Keys and the White Stripes, and I have to say I am more impressed by bloodredshoes than I was by the two bands I mention.

Quite a bold claim perhaps. I am not the biggest fan of two piece bands, I feel they are limited in the sound they can make with only the two of them there. But these guys last night seemed to succeed with a variety of sounds and pace, which makes me think these guys have a good future.

Very rock and roll moment at the end of the show. At the climax of the end of show drums, he stands up, throws the drumsticks in the crowd, comes out from behind the kit, disconnecting his ear pieces, and throws himself into the crowd and goes surfing. It was only a small venue, and it was packed. Very cool!

Dublin for me this weekend, off tomorrow morning to see if Scotland can notch their first win of the tournament against the Irish. I won’t hold my breath!

It’s Friday

Almost home time on Friday, sitting here listening to some Neil Young. It seems to fit the Friday feeling quite, well, nice and laid back and chilled. The record is Chrome Dreams II, and it’s really enjoyable. I love the song on there called ‘Ordinary People’. It’s some 18 minutes long, but its superb.

I’ve been suffering from the cold all week, it’s a ‘nosey’ cold this one. Just means my nose is blocked, and i can feel my sinuses choked up as well. And I sneeze a gazillion times a day, which means I am getting a good work out on my back and chest muscles. Hopefully a nice hot curry for dinner tonight should give me a wee bit of respite!

Thank Crunchie it’s Friday

G

Be Great In 08…

As I near the end of my first day back at work in 2008, I am struggling to keep my eyes open.  I had a great festive period, back first in Scotland for Christmas, and then Oslo for New Year.  I arrived back at 11pm last night, and up at 7am for work.  I think I may have killed off some brain cells with alcohol, as I am struggling to get back into the zone at work.  One of my colleagues suggested that meant I had enjoyed a good break, as my mind had completely forgotten about work.  I think honestly it will take until next Monday for me to get myself back to normal. 

Everythings new here today, I have a new desk location in a re-shuffle that was done whilst I was away.  So I have new furniture, and a different view of the office, and I am sitting beside different colleagues.  Its given 2008 a fresh start here in the office, which will take a bit of getting used to.  I think we all easily get into our routines in life, and it’s difficult to shake ourselves out of that routine when things change

 Must learn to be more fleixble this year