I can't believe I'm leaving in three days. Nuts. Packing is slow-going (per usual) but I'll get it done. :) Ineke and Robbert took me and the kids out for Italian tonight for my Last Supper. Haha-- it was delicious (thanks again, Ineke!) but kind of sad. But I'll at least get to see them at the beginning of the year-- AND I'll get to see the new puppy! :)
Also-- I can now solve Rubik's cube. I feel like I leveled up my intelligence today times ten. I AM GENIUS!
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Cynic and Chimp Spanner
Just got back from the show. Oh amazing! What a great show to end my Rotterdam experience with. :)
My second-ever show attended solo. It's kind of nice going by myself-- get to stand where I want, don't have to wait for anyone or save anyone a place in the crowd.
I arrived when the first band started. It was supposed to be a French experimental metal group called Hypno5e but a band called Eden before Dawn (or something like that) was playing instead. Didn't get the details on what happened with that. They were pretty blasé, which is standard for any and all opening bands.
Chimp Spanner came next. I had the opportunity during the opening band's set to talk to Paul Ortiz (Chimp Spanner's guitarist) in the smoking room but I'm awkward and weird sometimes and don't know how to start conversations randomly with people I don't know (who happen to be very talented musicians) for some reason but anyway.... [Note: Disclaimer: I am not a smoker... only at shows. It's a time killer and keeps me from standing around looking like a loser by myself :) ] They were pretty rad. They sound a lot like Animals as Leaders-- not as technical but they've been around longer. The crowd didn't move much at all, though, throughout the set. This was to be a common theme throughout the night.
Cynic was next. Gahhhhhh. They make me giddy. They started with the first two tracks from their newest album (or is it an EP?) So yea... some Amazonian tribal chant into the Carbon-based Anatomy title track. Then came Evolutionary Sleeper, which is always beautiful. Next was How Could I? which was (of course!) amazing. I was front row directly in front of Paul Masvidal the entire time (yes!) but from what I could tell, the only people dancing/headbanging/showing any signs of interest or engagement were me, the guy to my left, and some dude off to my 8:00. Idk what was up with the crowd, but it was like a sea of hipsters, minus the Burberry scarves and square-framed glasses.
I forget the order, but the also played Veil of Maya, Wheels within Wheels, Adam's Murmur, Elves Beam Out, Bag Up My Bones, another track off Focus (can't remember the name shame on me). And before they went into Integral Birth, Paul addressed the audience with something along the lines of :
My second-ever show attended solo. It's kind of nice going by myself-- get to stand where I want, don't have to wait for anyone or save anyone a place in the crowd.
I arrived when the first band started. It was supposed to be a French experimental metal group called Hypno5e but a band called Eden before Dawn (or something like that) was playing instead. Didn't get the details on what happened with that. They were pretty blasé, which is standard for any and all opening bands.
Chimp Spanner came next. I had the opportunity during the opening band's set to talk to Paul Ortiz (Chimp Spanner's guitarist) in the smoking room but I'm awkward and weird sometimes and don't know how to start conversations randomly with people I don't know (who happen to be very talented musicians) for some reason but anyway.... [Note: Disclaimer: I am not a smoker... only at shows. It's a time killer and keeps me from standing around looking like a loser by myself :) ] They were pretty rad. They sound a lot like Animals as Leaders-- not as technical but they've been around longer. The crowd didn't move much at all, though, throughout the set. This was to be a common theme throughout the night.
It's funny because you can't see anything.
Cynic was next. Gahhhhhh. They make me giddy. They started with the first two tracks from their newest album (or is it an EP?) So yea... some Amazonian tribal chant into the Carbon-based Anatomy title track. Then came Evolutionary Sleeper, which is always beautiful. Next was How Could I? which was (of course!) amazing. I was front row directly in front of Paul Masvidal the entire time (yes!) but from what I could tell, the only people dancing/headbanging/showing any signs of interest or engagement were me, the guy to my left, and some dude off to my 8:00. Idk what was up with the crowd, but it was like a sea of hipsters, minus the Burberry scarves and square-framed glasses.
I forget the order, but the also played Veil of Maya, Wheels within Wheels, Adam's Murmur, Elves Beam Out, Bag Up My Bones, another track off Focus (can't remember the name shame on me). And before they went into Integral Birth, Paul addressed the audience with something along the lines of :
This next song has kind of turned into something very important on this tour... especially to Sean and me. But I really want audience participation for this. I want each of you... to think of someone you haven't forgiven for something. And I want you all to... send them some kindness. Because you know, it's not their stuff. It's our stuff. And this really should be a daily thing, to forgive, but you know... you have to start somewhere.
That is in no way a direct quote but that was the gist of it... and it was really sweet. Then he started playing the Re-Traced version of Integral Birth, with just him and the guitar without any distortion but really stripped down. Then the rest of the band joined in at the second verse. Ahhhh it was so beautiful. :) They ended it with The Space for This, without any encore (lame.) But I did get a highfive from Mr. Masvidal.
Shame you can't see anything... their lights weren't very camera-friendly and I didn't want to blind the poor guy. :/
I wanted to chat with him after the show (as he always invites people to do) and tell him about the guy in Rotterdam who, every day, would get that megaphone out of the display case on Coolsingel and shout out "It's never too late to say you're sorry." But I couldn't bring myself to interrupt him with other people. I did, however, have a lovely encounter in the smoking room (stop judging me) after the show. I had just bought Andy a new Cynic hoodie (the zipper on his old one broke recently and boy do I win the award for best ex-girlfriend.) And I was in there with a guy that works at Baroeg. In walks Paul Ortiz from Chimp Spanner and asks for a lighter. I hand him mine and am like "Your name is Paul, right?" So we end up chatting for ten minutes about the tour, how it's like opening for Cynic, their vinyls catching on fire and not having any new EPs for the next few shows, different crowds in different cities, and other stuff. He was really easy to talk to, friendly, and very appreciative. Gained a lot of respect from me tonight. :)
So yea... wonderful evening. And... 7:00 is gonna come way too early. Night.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Two weeks left
Two weeks left til I fly back home to Alabama for the holidays. That is nuts. We're looking at flights on Tuesday, the 13th of December. Since I'll be using the buddy pass, I'm gonna have a better shot at getting to go stand-by if it's not too close to Christmas. With any luck I'll get bumped up to first class again ;) Oh I can't wait to see my family and get doted on the entire first week I'm back. Famjam chrimas party is that Saturday (or Sunday?) and those are always a delight.
Yesterday I talked with Ineke about my flight plans and my future job plans. Since there's still no guarantee that Robbert is getting this job he's been looking into, we both decided it'd probably be best for me to go with this family in Hannover, Germany that I've been in contact with. My main job will be to help the eldest son, Kilian (who is 8 or 9), to learn English. I'm feeling pretty positive about it all. They have offered to drive to Rotterdam to pick me up in Germany, so that I won't have to tote ALL my stuff (including the pc I bought here) to the States and back again. Very kind of them.
It's still weird knowing I'm not going to be living in the Netherlands much longer. Haha. Csilla, Asta, and I all thought we were definitely gonna be here for a whole year and all three of us are moving-- well, Asta's already moved back to Iceland.
That was strange, too. All last week I was in such a funk, a depression with all the symptoms I was so familiar with my sophomore year at Auburn. I was really afraid I'd be stuck like that permanently. I'm so glad that was just a temporary phase. But the timing was awkward in regards to my farewell to Asta. I felt so hollow and blasé for her last few days here. I was faking a smile all Tuesday and Wednesday and when we were at my house to give her back something I had borrowed, I came back outside with it and we had our farewell goodbye and she was crying and I felt no emotions. Yea... definitely glad I no longer feel like a robot.
I think it's somewhere between the 2:23 and 2:42 minute mark of The Unknown Guest that makes me realize just how much I love Cynic. Eight days til the show with Chimp Spanner (yes ma'am!) and Hypno5e (whoever they are). I have a feeling-- a good feeling-- that there's gonna be next to no one at the show. There was barely any crowd at Rotterdam Deathfest and that was an all day affair on a Saturday. Next week's show is on a Wednesday and... for some reason Cynic's not all that popular here. But ohhhhh! I can't wait. :) The new album was initially a bit of a disappointment-- they've lot almost any sense of "metal" and have gone in an almost-entirely progressive-space-rock direction. But whatever. Paul Masvidal will forever be my hero. <3
And I like this picture of Csilla:
Yesterday I talked with Ineke about my flight plans and my future job plans. Since there's still no guarantee that Robbert is getting this job he's been looking into, we both decided it'd probably be best for me to go with this family in Hannover, Germany that I've been in contact with. My main job will be to help the eldest son, Kilian (who is 8 or 9), to learn English. I'm feeling pretty positive about it all. They have offered to drive to Rotterdam to pick me up in Germany, so that I won't have to tote ALL my stuff (including the pc I bought here) to the States and back again. Very kind of them.
It's still weird knowing I'm not going to be living in the Netherlands much longer. Haha. Csilla, Asta, and I all thought we were definitely gonna be here for a whole year and all three of us are moving-- well, Asta's already moved back to Iceland.
That was strange, too. All last week I was in such a funk, a depression with all the symptoms I was so familiar with my sophomore year at Auburn. I was really afraid I'd be stuck like that permanently. I'm so glad that was just a temporary phase. But the timing was awkward in regards to my farewell to Asta. I felt so hollow and blasé for her last few days here. I was faking a smile all Tuesday and Wednesday and when we were at my house to give her back something I had borrowed, I came back outside with it and we had our farewell goodbye and she was crying and I felt no emotions. Yea... definitely glad I no longer feel like a robot.
Regardless, this is the Asta I will remember: the one eating ice cream in front of 9gag.
I think it's somewhere between the 2:23 and 2:42 minute mark of The Unknown Guest that makes me realize just how much I love Cynic. Eight days til the show with Chimp Spanner (yes ma'am!) and Hypno5e (whoever they are). I have a feeling-- a good feeling-- that there's gonna be next to no one at the show. There was barely any crowd at Rotterdam Deathfest and that was an all day affair on a Saturday. Next week's show is on a Wednesday and... for some reason Cynic's not all that popular here. But ohhhhh! I can't wait. :) The new album was initially a bit of a disappointment-- they've lot almost any sense of "metal" and have gone in an almost-entirely progressive-space-rock direction. But whatever. Paul Masvidal will forever be my hero. <3
And I like this picture of Csilla:
Csilla, writing a letter to my mother in BED, which is open as a cafe during the day.
Monday, November 21, 2011
Anddd at long last...
Just as expected, homesickness hits the week of Thanksgiving. Le sigh. This is perhaps partially due to a combination of my back being messed up the past week, me getting sick recently (tho it could be allergies?), and the inherent depression that comes a few days after a really fun show. Asta's going back to Iceland on Thursday, Csilla's moving somewhere soon, since she got the boot last week. :C
But that show really was pretty spectacular. Nothing's gonna beat the Cynic show, of course, but Fleshgod was quite theatrical, and the Canadian band Archspire was a very nice surprise. :) Alanson and Maarten made the trip here and met up with me and their friend Amira who lives in town. Since it was an afternoon-into-the-night show we started drinking around 4:30 and the party didn't stop until 9:00 the next morning. Apparently. Some hours are completely missing though I do definitely recall dancing in Amira's living room listening to Ace of Bass. Yep.
So to get me out of the funk, I went out and bought Skyrim. Because if there's anything that can cure homesickness, it's a completely immersive 9.5/10 role-playing game. Huzzah! And it's wayy more entertaining than Oblivion, for some reason. Go figure.
But that show really was pretty spectacular. Nothing's gonna beat the Cynic show, of course, but Fleshgod was quite theatrical, and the Canadian band Archspire was a very nice surprise. :) Alanson and Maarten made the trip here and met up with me and their friend Amira who lives in town. Since it was an afternoon-into-the-night show we started drinking around 4:30 and the party didn't stop until 9:00 the next morning. Apparently. Some hours are completely missing though I do definitely recall dancing in Amira's living room listening to Ace of Bass. Yep.
So to get me out of the funk, I went out and bought Skyrim. Because if there's anything that can cure homesickness, it's a completely immersive 9.5/10 role-playing game. Huzzah! And it's wayy more entertaining than Oblivion, for some reason. Go figure.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Weekend Activity: Minimal
There is definitely something to be said for do-nothing weekends. The girls were pre-disposed all weekend and frankly, I didn't much feel like leaving the house. (I knew this would happen as soon as I got internet for my desktop.) Yep, just spent practically the whole weekend reading (still on the 3rd installment of Song of Ice and fire series), playing Portal 2 with Dad, replaying Braid (stuck on the last door to World 4-- stupid "Fickle Companion" key), and watching the Big Bang Theory and Breaking Bad. I love getting into movies (and in this case, TV shows) where I know next to nothing about them and they turn out being amazing. Such is the case with Breaking Bad. Have heard a lot of people saying how awesome it is, but I had no clue what it was about. And now I'm officially addicted and am on the 5th episode of the 2nd season. Yeehaw.
So yea that's been fun. Oh well-- last weekend was rowdy enough to make up for this past one. In Amsterdam, Asta and I ended up at this improv comedy show where you supposedly get free shots any time one of the things you shout out to the actors gets used in the skit. Well, we were both quite vocal, and even tho many of my various suggestions ("Spaghetti", "Hogwarts', "'I haven't pooped in a week'", and something else I forgot) were used, no free shots were given that day. Figures.
Despite my extended staycation inside the house this weekend, I think I'm getting sick. Not cool-- my superfun metal week starts tomorrow and I need my energy . :C Been chugging green tea all day and just ate a mandarin orange. I need to invest in some vitamins.
The end.
So yea that's been fun. Oh well-- last weekend was rowdy enough to make up for this past one. In Amsterdam, Asta and I ended up at this improv comedy show where you supposedly get free shots any time one of the things you shout out to the actors gets used in the skit. Well, we were both quite vocal, and even tho many of my various suggestions ("Spaghetti", "Hogwarts', "'I haven't pooped in a week'", and something else I forgot) were used, no free shots were given that day. Figures.
Despite my extended staycation inside the house this weekend, I think I'm getting sick. Not cool-- my superfun metal week starts tomorrow and I need my energy . :C Been chugging green tea all day and just ate a mandarin orange. I need to invest in some vitamins.
The end.
Friday, November 11, 2011
B'awwwwww!
On the bike ride home from field hockey, Caroline was in front of me and points at the sky and yells, "Look! A star!"
"Haha yea, do you not see stars often?"
"No. Never."
It was cute and kinda sad at the same time. :3
In other news, my time in Rotterdam may be cut short due to Robbert still being in-between jobs. If he doesn't find one by January, they're gonna have to let me go. :/ I was really sad when I found out, naturally, but I bounce back quickly. I'm going ahead and putting feelers out for another family, just in case. And if worse comes to worst, I get to continue my European adventure somewhere else. :)
"Haha yea, do you not see stars often?"
"No. Never."
It was cute and kinda sad at the same time. :3
In other news, my time in Rotterdam may be cut short due to Robbert still being in-between jobs. If he doesn't find one by January, they're gonna have to let me go. :/ I was really sad when I found out, naturally, but I bounce back quickly. I'm going ahead and putting feelers out for another family, just in case. And if worse comes to worst, I get to continue my European adventure somewhere else. :)
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Amsterdam
I am in desperate need of sleep but wanted to update before I forgot everything.
So last night Csilla informs me that she ended up purchasing more beer than she had intended and then asked if I would be interested in partying in Utrecht. Being as I've been in Rotterdam for the past few weeks (and that I did absolutely NOTHING last weekend) I was all for it. Yet her friend in Utrecht was way behind on schoolwork, apparently, and wouldn't be able to host us. But I (yes, me) had the brilliant idea of going to Amsterdam instead, and just hanging there all night since Csilla needed to pick up her little bro from the airport at 9 this morning. Winner of Good Ideas Award goes to me.
We roll into A-dam like champs around 11 and have no clear plans on where to go (natuurlijk) but we ended up finding our boat that we adopted from our previous trip.
Then we ended up traversing to Leidseplein... took a lot longer than expected. Ran into a trio from South Africa who were very friendly and entertaining. Made friends with two Romanian fellows who also had no game plan and we ended up wandering around Amsterdam from like 3:30 to 5:00 looking for a bar, coffeeshop, or toilet that was open. Nothing. Apparently the entire city shuts down after 3:00. There were no WC's in the open McDonalds'and I was dying. I almost got denied at the Central Station because I didn't have a ticket but I ended up talking my way into using one anyway.
We continue a fruitless search for any warm place that was still open--nothing. So we climb atop a statue of a lion and go into what I remember being a halfway point between meditation and nap. It wasn't super cold or anything but there was definitely a chill to the stone. So we go back to Central (and by that time they're letting people in like normal). We find some couches that we're not supposed to occupy, really, because it wasn't a waiting room (but Csilla has such a way of endearing authority) and they agree to let us sit there--provided we didn't sleep--until the Centraal cops kicked us out. "Sure-- we just want to sit for a few minutes. Sure, no sleeping."
Around 7 Csilla and I left for Schiphol to wait on her brother to arrive. His plane didn't come until 9:15 and the couple of hours we were there were the longest. But we were in good company. Her brother made it safely and man... Hungarian is sooooo strange sounding. As is Icelandic. Oh speaking of Icelandic, and this is super sad, Ásta is having to go back to Iceland soon-- Nov 16 ish. :C Not nice. Something to do with custody battles and her host mom fleeing the country with her child. Shit's serious. But I'm superbummed about her leaving. But I'll end this on a positive note.
And Csilla's kinda amazing...
So last night Csilla informs me that she ended up purchasing more beer than she had intended and then asked if I would be interested in partying in Utrecht. Being as I've been in Rotterdam for the past few weeks (and that I did absolutely NOTHING last weekend) I was all for it. Yet her friend in Utrecht was way behind on schoolwork, apparently, and wouldn't be able to host us. But I (yes, me) had the brilliant idea of going to Amsterdam instead, and just hanging there all night since Csilla needed to pick up her little bro from the airport at 9 this morning. Winner of Good Ideas Award goes to me.
We roll into A-dam like champs around 11 and have no clear plans on where to go (natuurlijk) but we ended up finding our boat that we adopted from our previous trip.
See? We found it. It may not look much like a boat, but I assure you it is.
Then we ended up traversing to Leidseplein... took a lot longer than expected. Ran into a trio from South Africa who were very friendly and entertaining. Made friends with two Romanian fellows who also had no game plan and we ended up wandering around Amsterdam from like 3:30 to 5:00 looking for a bar, coffeeshop, or toilet that was open. Nothing. Apparently the entire city shuts down after 3:00. There were no WC's in the open McDonalds'and I was dying. I almost got denied at the Central Station because I didn't have a ticket but I ended up talking my way into using one anyway.
We continue a fruitless search for any warm place that was still open--nothing. So we climb atop a statue of a lion and go into what I remember being a halfway point between meditation and nap. It wasn't super cold or anything but there was definitely a chill to the stone. So we go back to Central (and by that time they're letting people in like normal). We find some couches that we're not supposed to occupy, really, because it wasn't a waiting room (but Csilla has such a way of endearing authority) and they agree to let us sit there--provided we didn't sleep--until the Centraal cops kicked us out. "Sure-- we just want to sit for a few minutes. Sure, no sleeping."
The no sleeping part was hard-- it was freaking 6:00 in the morning.
Around 7 Csilla and I left for Schiphol to wait on her brother to arrive. His plane didn't come until 9:15 and the couple of hours we were there were the longest. But we were in good company. Her brother made it safely and man... Hungarian is sooooo strange sounding. As is Icelandic. Oh speaking of Icelandic, and this is super sad, Ásta is having to go back to Iceland soon-- Nov 16 ish. :C Not nice. Something to do with custody battles and her host mom fleeing the country with her child. Shit's serious. But I'm superbummed about her leaving. But I'll end this on a positive note.
Adorable!
Cause that bag wasn't light... and her bro isn't either. :) Haha
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