Solly's Book Club

I just finished 'The Time Traveler's Wife', a novel by Audrey Niffenegger. I bought the book because I was intrigued by the synopsis:

This extraordinary, magical novel is the story of Clare and Henry who have known each other since Clare was six and Henry was thirty-six, and were married when Clare was twenty-two and Henry thirty. Impossible but true, because Henry is one of the first people diagnosed with Chrono-Displacement Disorder: periodically his genetic clock resets and he finds himself pulled suddenly into his past or future. His disappearances are spontaneous and his experiences are alternately harrowing and amusing. The Time Traveler's Wife depicts the effects of time travel on Henry and Clare's passionate love for each other with grace and humour. Their struggle to lead normal lives in the face of a force they can neither prevent nor control is intensely moving and entirely unforgettable.

I have been reading all weekend long, I only stopped to sleep, eat and to go on - obligatory - visits to friends and family. As soon as I returned home, I picked up the book and continued where I left off. It's a wonderful and amazing love story. I was surprised, I smiled, I sighed.
At the last pages of the book, I cried.

 

I have a...

I had a job interview last Wednesday. I came well prepared: knew my pro's, con's, what, how and why's. I was dressed to impress, not nervous at all. The interview went perfect, as planned. I liked the company, the job sounded great, I felt a 'click' with the HR-guy... I floated on a happy cloud all the way home.
They phoned yesterday.
I did not get the job.
I matched the profile almost perfectly, but some one else was a better match. They did not think I was the right gal for the job. I said 'too bad, better luck next time' and hung up after their 'maybe, good bye'. I cried a bit. For 24 hours I dreamt of a job. A real income, a car... My dream did not become reality- again, and I'm still a bit sad.

 

test, 1, 2,

As you might have read in these comments, I moved succesfully from one server to another! This post is a test to check if I have changed all settings correctly...
update @ 9:20 AM Weeeh! I works! I am an ICT goddess... ;-D

 

ch-ch-ch-changes

Sometime this week this site will move to another server. 'MyLove Hosting Ltd.' offers more space and more privileges for less money! In fact, I can pay in goods and kisses ;-D

MyLove has promised me that the process will go as smooth as possible (it better!), but if you can't reach 'me', don't worry: I'll be back a.s.a.p.
I am really excited, aren't you?

 

The GWCC files

Location: Global Weather Control Center
Date and time: Friday 21/01/05 10:31

"Sir! It's time for our annual systems check."
"Already? Time flies when...
Anyway, which country shall we pick to be an unknowing participant in our test? It must be Northern Hemisphere only, than it won't be too suspicious... Somewhere in Europe.... Ah, the Netherlands. The perfect target; sudden changes in the weather are absolutely normal there"

"Sir! We are ready for the test! We are waiting on your signal."
"Proceed."

"Sun"
"Check!"
"Clouds"
"Check!"
"Wind!"
...
"Hmmm... is it on yet? Is still see people on their bicycles... It does look like it's working: we're bending the trees. Increase it a bit... Perfect, we blew that girl right of her bike."
"Check!"
"Rain"
"Check!"
"Can you vary the amount, shape of the drops and direction a bit? ... Perfect!"
"Check!"
"Hail"
...
"Sorry, I wasn't paying attention, can you do that once more? Ah, thanks."
"Check!"
"Sun... Oh, we already had done the sun? Ah well, better safe than sorry..."
"Check!"
"Snow... Go from wet to dry and back"
"Check!"
"Freeze"
"Check!"
"Now push all buttons at the same time... Brilliant!"

Well, the test went just fine. Thanks for your cooperation. See you next year! Carry on as usual."

Meanwhile, on a street in a Dutch town
"Sometimes you really think there's some one up there messing with us. 10 Weather types in 15 minutes, and I was blown right of my bike!"

 

'Content might be hot'

I am a pitiful person! You all should feel very sorry for me! I am injured! I am in excruciating pain! (I am an Aries, so I always over react a bit in case of diseases and wounds...)

I have a huge (2x2 cm) blister on the inside of my right lower arm; the result of an unfortunate cooking incident involving boiling food and hot steam. Don't ask. I am motor handicapped, so this happens all the time. After I dropped the pan - shock reaction - on my foot - F$&#! - I cooled the burned spot with running water, and left it alone; just like I was thought at first-aid class. It was red and a bit painful, but it looked ok. This morning, I woke up with a blister the size of a 2 euro coin! After one look at it, MyLove immediately went to the bathroom and returned with a smile on his face and a needle in his hand. 'Pierce it!' 'No', I replied, 'not by you, anyway. Sadist!' Slightly disappointed MyLove went to his traineeship address, and I went to the doctor. The MD looked at it, complimented me with my fast response and the fast response of my skin - as if I have anything to do with that - and put a gauze dressing on the blister. 'That's all?' I thought. 'That's all', the MD said - which made me wonder if I spoke out loud, or if he is psychic... but that's another story. Anyway, the longer the blister stays whole, the better for the new skin below it. If it pops, it pops, nothing to worry about, just keep it clean. Sounds simple enough, yet the only thing I worry about now is how I can protect the blister against MyLove's sadist tendencies...

 

Habituation

Third cup of coffee this morning and still I can't seem to open my eyes properly, focus or think clear. Any suggestions?

Notes:
1. Yes, I checked if and It's not decaf- which would be really weird, cause we have a decaf-free household. We only buy the real stuff!
2. No, I'm not going to sniff coffee - liquid or powder - like MyLove suggested.

 

No mam

The fact that I don't want to have children (not now, and most likely not in the future), does not mean that I am 'against' having kids. If you women want kids, have 'em. Make as many as you want, when ever you want. You have my blessing.
Except when you're really, really old. I think they did invent menopause for a reason, girls! Therefore, I consider it a very selfish act of the Rumanian woman who gave birth at age 66. Selfish? Yep, incredibly selfish! How big is the chance the mother will still be around at the girl's 18th birthday? Her grandchildren will even never know their grandmother. She had (roughly) 30 years to become a mom. I think that's enough time. If it won't happen spontaneously, adopt, try IVF. Or stop trying. But don't give birth to a kid at an age other women become grandmothers.

 

PARTY

I just realised that this blog turned ONE last Thursday! *pweep!*
I know, I know, it's not as 'old' as some of the other blogs out there but still: I'm really, really proud! So bring out the champagne and - sugarfree - cake!

 

I want Winter!

I never thought I would say this, but as a true Cloggette I complain about all weather:
"Dear weathercontrolling person - whom and where ever you are,
Can you please lower the temperature in this region? 8.3 Degrees Celsius is a bit too high for January in the Netherlands, don't you think? It should be 2.8 degC, yet it was 13 degC this Monday...
I want snow! I want ice on our canals, so I can skate on them! I need a cold period, so I will appreciate the Summer more. I promise *crosses fingers behind back* I'll never complain about the cold again!
Thanks!"

 

Future fairy tales

Once upon a time a Girl graduated from University. She was the happiest Girl ever: she was now officially a Geologist. She walked directly from the classroom to a headhunter's office and asked him for a job. He looked into his bag filled with work and picked the one most suitable for the Girl. "Here you go sweetie, if it doesn't fit, come back and pick a new job." And off she went to Houston, to learn how to log mud. The Girl worked happily on several drilling platforms in the North Sea. She hopped on and off helidecks and you could hear her laugh from Aberdeen to Den Helder.

Two years later dark clouds entered the land of sun and oil. A wicked witch ordered the closure of the Girl's company. She was jobless. The Girl went to the headhunter, and noticed the queue in front of his office. When she finally entered the room, he looked at her with a sad face. The bag of work was empty. The Girl returned home, without a job.

A year past by, and another. Dark clouds still drifted over the country. The Girl was still unemployed. She worked, off course, she had to eat, but not as a Geologist. She had not laughed in a long time.

One day she looked up to the sky and saw a blue patch between the dark clouds. She smiled a tiny smile. Suddenly a beautiful fairy stood in her living room with a piece of paper in her hand. "Sign here", the fairy said. "What is it?" the Girl replied. "It's a contract. If you sign it, you will learn a lot about yourself, your compentencies and your future. I can't promise you a job as a Geologist, but I will try my best to find you a job that will make you laugh again!"

The Girl signed the contract and smiled a tiny smile. Would she live happily ever after, after all?

 

Apologies

Picture your self a huge pile of paper with only one arm sticking out, typing franticly. It's me, trying to bring some order in my administration, that has been piling up on my desk for way too long....

 

Dilemma

Shall I send Brad Pitt an e-mail to ask him out, now he and Jennifer Aniston have split, or is it too soon? (MyLove is very understanding: if I want to date Brad, he wants to date Jennifer or Angelina or both ;-D)

 

If she can do it...

Bulgaria's cleverest woman says she has been inundated with job offers following reports she couldn't find work.
Daniela Simidchieva, 44, has three degrees and her 192 IQ matches that of two-time Nobel Prize winner Marie Curie. She says she was thrilled to receive so many offers for lucrative employment after years of scraping a living for her and her family in jobs that paid no more than £70 a month.

She has landed a new job after an executive at the Centre for Analysis and Marketing in the capital Sophia learned of her plight after seeing her on Bulgarian TV. "It was the first time in my life that I was offered a well paid and fulfilling job with decent conditions. Employers were always impressed by my CV but turned me down because of my age," she said. (more)

 

How a small country can be big

Up till this moment, at the end of a day of special dedicated radio and TV-shows, the people of the Netherlands have donated more than 112 million euro (147 million USD) to help the people in Asia!!! We have 16 million inhabitants, so that's at least 10 euro per adult person. More money is expected, because today (Friday) a special single will be released and this weekend will be filled with benefits and concerts for Asia. I'm so happy that my doom scenario has proven to be wrong! Everyone - regardless of race or religion - tries to raise as much money as they can. Though it's a bit sad that it took one of the worlds biggest tragedies to accomplish this, I really hope this feeling of solidarity stays for a long time...

 

Solly's tips and tricks (1)

For all you men out there: a very useful guide - in 13 easy steps - on how to argue with females. (via)

 

Malicious delight

Normally I don't particularly like and/or watch those 'here's a group of pretty men slash women, pick your soul mate after a number of weeks' reality shows like the Bachelor, but after watching the first episode of Outback Jack I'm hooked!

Outback Jack creates the ultimate test of love as twelve high-maintenance women vie for the affections of a rugged Australian adventurer. However, the women don't realize until it's too late that to meet Jack, they'll have to parachute into the middle of the untamed Australian Outback! After making it to the ground, they're shocked to discover the potential man of their dreams is not living a life of luxury, but roughing it in one of the world's most unforgiving terrains. Over the course of eight episodes, these pampered women will be put to the test, to see which one of them has the stamina to survive in the Outback and win the affection of their handsome hero.

It's great fun watching 12 Paris Hilton-a-like types trying to cope with outdoor live - creepy insects, no blowdryer, no manicure, sunstroke - and look sexy at the same time!

 

Request:

Gossip magazines of a more recent date in waiting rooms! I just read that Britney divorced after 48 hours of marriage, Beckham cheated on Victoria, and Julia Robberts is pregnant of twins. Next time, I bring my own!

 

Serious girl talk

Warning: the following piece is not suitable for potential employers, ex-classmates, vague acquaintances and delicate people.

I have a gynecologist-appointment today.

;-) This sentence should have scared away any remaining Nosey Parkers ;-)

I do really have a gynecologist appointment today. But it's gonna be the least awkward one I ever had. No undressing, no feet in the braces, no one fiddling down under... Nothing of that at all. Though he (or she, I have not checked, nor do I have preferences this time) will be placing a new contraceptive device.
In my arm.
I assume some partial nudity will be necessary for this procedure, yet no more than I show on a regular basis in da club.

After 12 (!) years of daily Pill (read: 50 mcg of estrogen and 125 mcg of progestagen) intake, I had enough. The hassle, the responsibility, the hormones. Bleh! Also, I'd recently had 'the talk' with MyLove. We both don't want kids- not within the next 5 years and presumably never. We both think it's too early for serious (snipping) action, so I looked for a long acting method of contraception.

Keywords: less hormones and no hassle for at least a couple of years. After careful consideration, I ended up with two contraceptives: Implanon and Mirena. I googled, read women's experiences, talked to friends... But I could not pick. To resolve my dilemma, I consulted my MD. He told me that both are 99.99% effective, both are progestogen-only (Implanon releases 40 mcg/day, Mirena 20 mcg/day)... and then he said something rather un-MD-like: "They are both suitable for you, so just follow your intuition. Choose the method that sounds the best or most comfortable to you."

And so I did. I knew, I felt resentment against a 'thing inside my womb', yet a 'thing in my arm' did not sound bad at all. I have (had) my ears, tongue, eyebrow and belly pierced, I have two tattoos - one rather big - so the insertion of (yet another) object into my skin is fine by me. It will be in me, but not inside my body, if you know what I mean. How something small can make a huge psychological difference. I picked Implanon.

I have a gynecologist-appointment today.

update @ 16.00 PM All went well. I have a nice gynecologist. I got local aneasthetic, so I did not feel anything (HUGE hollow needle!!). Now, my upper arm is a bit sore, small black spot and I can feel the Implanon thingy with my fingers - you can't see it, though.

 

Eavesdropper

MyLove (to a friend, who was complaining about his girlfriend who just bought another handbag): "Personally, I have no clue why they need so many handbags, but according to 'Sex and the City', it's a woman's right to have a wardrobe full of handbags - and shoes, off course"
*sighs* I'm so proud of him!

 

A brand new year

2005, 2005, 2005;
January two thousand and five;
Twenty O five;
01 01 05, 1 Jan 2005.

For me, It always takes some time to get used to a new year- writing it down, that is. The first week, or more, I really have to think when I write down the date.
2005
In order to avoid - or at least: reduce - the number of 'sheit, its not 2004 any more' crossing-outs, I thought I'd practice a bit.
2005
Sounds a bit like a sci-fi book title or date (and make the millennium seem like ancient history, only five years later).
2005
Have yourself a happy, healthy, lucky, lovely, blissfully, funny, party-hardy
2005