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

My Morning Jacket

Two years ago I never thought I’d be writing about how much I enjoyed a My Morning Jacket show. In 2006 I saw them at least six times in support of Pearl Jam. I remember trying to get into them before the tour, but didn’t really care much for them. I had to see them five times in the US as I was caught up in the Pearl Jam posters, meaning I had to be in the venue for doors opening. As a result, I heard MMJ five times, and whilst they had a few good songs, the experience never did much for me. It was only when I saw them in Europe later that same year opening for PJ in Marseille did I think that they were quite good

Since then, I’ve listened to ‘Z’ a couple times, and found it growing on me. Just last month, their new album came out, and on first listen, it sounded okay to me. So with a week to go before the show, I picked up a ticket to go. And I’m so glad I did. With every listen the album has grown on me more.

The show was really good. I left as they played the last song at ten minutes to midnight, after almost two hours and twenty minutes of solid play. The new songs sound really good, none more so than my favorite off the record, ‘I’m Highly Suspicious Of You’. Mixed in with the old songs, it made for an impressive show. I love the jams that they go off on at the end of songs, makes for a really nice show.

So nice to stand there, listen to some great music from a good band, and forget your troubles and woes. And whilst it wasn’t the best show I’ve seen this year (that honor goes to Bon Iver), it was a solid top five show I think

If you haven’t checked out their latest record, you really should go look it up

Sunset Rubdown

Last night I was back in the small room in the Paradiso Amsterdam to see Sunset Rubdown. It was one of these shows where I almost didn’t go. It was a Monday night, and the band weren’t due on until 2200. After a long day at work there was a moment after dinner where I thought about not going. I convinced myself that it would be good, and the words of my musical adviser were in my head, telling me how talented Spencer Krug is. He is also the lead singer of another band I like, Wolf Parade.

When I got to the venue, I got myself a beer and surveyed the crowd. I like to look at the crowd to see what kind of people the band attracts. My initial findings were a lot of unwashed looking people with strange haircuts. Closer inspection revealed the hall was a mess, so I came to the conclusion that there had been some nu-metal type band playing earlier, and these people had just hang around. The more expected Sunset Rubdown crowd appeared as show time drew nearer. And fortunately the room was only about half full, so there was plenty of room

The band came out just after 2200, and I was looking for the redhead. My Superstar Adviser had told me there was a hot readhead in the band, and whilst she looked a little bit like a librarian, she was still cute. And she came across really well during the show, seemed like a fun girl. Two songs into the show, the guitar player snapped a string. Now every show I’ve been to theres always at least one spare guitar. But no, they only had one guitar. So we were going to have to wait while the dude changed his string. I’m so glad the string broke!! Spencer decided to fill time by playing a song from ”this other band that I’m in that I won’t name”. Of course he meant Wolf Parade! He proceeded to play solo on the piano my favorite tune of theirs, ‘I’ll believe In Anything”. Wow! Such a nice song done like this, I was grinning from ear to ear!

Throughout the rest of the show, Spencer and Co continued to show what talented performers they are. I’d listened to their CDs a fair bit over the last couple of months, and whilst I liked the music, it didn’t really grab my attention. However, live, the songs seem to take on a whole new dimension, which just took them all to a different level. My favorite song has to be ‘The Mending Of The Gown’. If you click the link above you can hear the song. Such a nice song, and Spencer & Red combine together really nicely on it.

They played for about an hour and a half, after Spencer dragged the guys back out for another couple songs. I think it was unplanned, Red came back out with her handbag. They played some stuff I didn’t know, which I understood was from the back catalogue, stuff Spencer said they didn’t play all that often.

Anyway, another great show, following on the back of Bon Iver this past Saturday night, I’ll be hard pushed to get another week with two great gigs like this in it

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!

A Decision

I decided on Wednesday this week to make an offer for the apartment in Utrecht. I had a reservation about an unused shop unit under the apartment. I found out this week that I could go to the local council, and inquire as to the status of the building underneath. They were able to tell me the planning status of the whole property, so I got a good picture of the whole area. So, with my fears alleviated somewhat, I was able to head off to work with my thought process almost completed

I had already talked through the offer process with a friend of mine, so all that remained was to put together an offer letter. That done, all I had to do was sit and wait. At the end of the day, I received confirmation that my offer had been received, and they would contact me when they had consulted with the owner. And still I wait. I thought the process might have moved quicker than this.

However, there is nothing I can do about it. So I will just wait patiently, and see what happens. I’m off to Rome this weekend to see Scotland play their last match of this seasons Six Nations tournament. I was in Rome for the game two years ago, and loved it. Have kilt, will travel!

The Calcutta Cup

Finally! Scotland won a rugby match at the weekend! We beat the English! No tries were scored again, but a confident team performance saw the English well beaten by a score of 15-9. It was a cold damp day in Edinburgh, conditions which always seem to suit the Scottish team. I’ve now been at Murrayfield for three matches against the English, and I’ve seen three victories. In 2000, 2006, and now 2008. And on all three occassions the weather was damp, cold and generally inclement.

Standing for the players to come out, I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, and suddenly I felt we could win for the first time all week. Flower Of Scotland was sung loudly and proudly, with more passion than I can recall from any other match recently.

The game started in the pouring rain, and I could tell we were looking better than the previous three weeks. This game was won with a strong confident performance. The victory never looked in doubt, and it was so nice to get a win. The English were all depressed, very glum and sad. I think they thought they would just have to turn up to beat us. Great to see them so depressed about the result

And why do I hate the English so? On the morning of the game my friend and I were walking down a street in Edinburgh, all dressed up in kilt and rugby gear. This middle aged guy walks towards us, and snarls in a heavy English accent ‘You guys have absolutely NO chance this afternoon’. ‘Thanks pal’, I responded. Not a hint of banter or humour in his comment, it was all malice. I wish I could have met him again that night

But one Swallow does not make the summer, so whilst it was great to win, Scottish Rugby as been under performing this season. So I think it will be more telling to see what happens next weekend in Rome. Another performance like this next week, and indeed we may have turned the corner. If the team under performs next week, then I think the SRU will be looking for a new coach.

Oh, and on the way back to Amsterdam, I finally bought the headphones at the airport!

2nd Look

I’ve just made an appointment to go back and see the apartment for a second time. I’ve been thinking about it for the last week, and I haven’t been able to talk myself out of it yet. I am normally pretty good at talking myself out of things (I’ve been debating about buying a $200 set of headphones since Xmas, and I still can’t decide on that!). I am convinced that if I thought about it long and hard enough, I could talk myself out of breathing! So I’m going back, and taking a friend of mine with me to give me a second opinion.

I’ve now seen two different mortgage advisors, so I know now what I can and can’t afford, which definetely helps when searching for a new apartment!

Nerves are still there, but they are starting to give way to a small wave of excitement. Still a long way to go, but it feels like I am on the right track. And if things don’t work out with this one, then I am all the more informed for the next one that I see and like.

Its such a big step to be making, and I can imagine it’s up there with getting married as the biggest decision that a person can make. I guess this one would be second to marriage. At least if this doesn’t work out or I change my mind, I can sell it, and walk away. I’m not likely to produce baby apartments to complicate things, so thats good. It just all seems so permanent and grown up. I like this apartment, but what if I wait, I might see one next month that I like even more?

I know thats silly, because if we went through life thinking like that, we’d never do anything. I just have to make the best decision I can with the information I have available at the time . I just hope I make the right one!

The Apartment Search Hits Utrecht

This week I went to look at an apartment in Utrecht. I work in Utrecht, and socialize in Utrecht a fair bit now, so I’m not adverse to moving to Utrecht. The apartment I saw was in the vicinity of the centraal train station, and a short walk from the center of town. The location was perfect.

The apartment itself was something quite special, and for the first time I got an indication of the much talked about ‘feeling’. I could really see myself with this one. However, it transpires that it may be slightly out of my budget

I had a meeting last night with a Mortgage Broker to get an indication of what i could afford. I realized last night that the world of mortgages is a minefield, so many options, each with so many numbers attached. How I’m supposed to make an educated decision is beyond me. I think there will have to be a lot of blind faith placed in the mortgage broker, and a belief that I’m not getting screwed

The further I get into this apartment searching, and the actual research for the whole house buying process, the more scared I become. Almost every part of me is screaming to leave it and run away to my safe rental life. It’s what I know. But deep down I know that this is the right thing to be doing

The Utrecht apartment, I’m trying to decide if its worth me going for a second look. I’ve got a lot of thinking to do for sure