for serious? no, for JOKE

I am really adjusting...

My weekend was pretty productive.  I got some things ticked off my to-do list that I had intended to accomplish on Day One.  I can be such a procrastinator sometimes.  Not that I have actually been IN Amsterdam all that much. 

I am now the pride owner of a gray women's "Gazelle" bike, second hand (Hey!  I am a recycler). Check it out, here is is parked on a bridge I was shooting pictures off of: 

Yes, yes, YES!  Guess who biked around the glorious sunshine for two hours Saturday evening!!  Yes, yes, MEEEE!!!  Ohhh it was so nice.  I got everywhere so much faster than when I made the tram take me.  And no waiting... and wind through my hair WEEEEEE!   My girl Hannah helped me find it and I am so very grateful.  Word of advice to everyone: when moving to a new country it is extremely helpful, I repeat, EXTREMELY HELPFUL to know at least one person in the new place.  Because how the heck am I supposed to know where to buy a heavy duty German steel bike lock?  (Thanks Hannah!)    Oh, and speaking of that bike lock?  Heh heh, boy I do look like a fool.  It was clanging around my legs and I was such a klutz trying to get this HEAVY thing tied around something secure... which explains why I didn't stop very much on my two hour bike ride.

Also, who has re-joined the twenty first century?  Again, ME!  Check out my sweet new phone:

I have never been so happy to be re-connected to the world again.  I had other alternatives (internet phone via Skype, my crappy landline at home sans answering machine) but this is infinitely better.  I can even text with people in the States!  So, I'll be emailing it soon, but if you want my number, shoot me an email.   

Plus, I mean really, how nice is this phone?  In NYC my friends made fun of my phone, calling it "Barney".  Which I guess was pretty appropriate, seeing as it was ancient (four and a half years old, which, in cell phone years, is like, seventy five years old!) and well, purple.  Still, I really like Nokia, so I stuck with what I know. 

Also, my apartment?  Clean!  Sparkling, smells good (finally), furniture rearranged so it feels like HOME.  It was about time too - Anuj will be here next weekend and my mom the weekend after that. 

So tonight will be sweet dreams for me... g'nite. 

The weirdest/funniest contest is happening in Amsterdam right now...

Bijenkorf, which is the only large department store (it's also fairly old, open since 1870!) in Amsterdam, is doing a strange event.   They are holding a contest for students in which they can win a student apartment for a year in whichever university city they choose, with a housecleaning service for the year, as well as a solid amount of house-related prizes from the store.  Only four people are in the running for this contest.  Their assignment?  Live in the corner ground-level display window for five days. It's the freakiest sight!   I walked past on Wednesday, when it started, and noticed they were changing the display.  But when I saw four (students) playing cards at a table that evening I really wondered what was going on... Can you imagine?  They cook and sleep there!   I know the Dutch have a penchant for big windows and open drapes in the evening, but this is really taking it very far.   People can vote for their "favorite student" and by Sunday their will be a decision made as to who wins the prize.

I think I am going to go "watch" tonight.  Strange!

It's a small world after all...

I just had lunch with my friend Hannah, who was in the neighborhood with the baby she was taking care of... so we plopped down in a local corner café (lovely seats on the street, in the sunshine, aahh) to chat and have Koffie Verkeerd.  (edited on 11.30.2005 to eliminate work-related references, but basically, I met someone tangentially related to work as I was explaining what I do to Hannah)

I thought this would only happen to me in NYC but looks like it will in A'dam too.