Solly as a Rock!!

When checking my Nedstat site-counter, I noticed that several people visited my site after searching (‘Google-ing’, hihi) for a certain picture:



Yes, I might have mentioned John Kerry, the word ‘daughter’ (relating to me…) and a black see-tru dress (at the Eurovision songcontest) but never in one post. Anyway, I am all for giving the people what they want, so here it is: a picture of John Kerry’s daughter see-through dress.

A while ago, I subscribed to an online market research agency. Every now and again, I receive an e-mail in which I am ‘invited to fill in a questionnaire on my personal page‘. Since I have nothing else to do, I participate. In the past months I have answered questions about food, laundry, energy suppliers, and several websites… All fun, games and innocent pass-time, I thought.

Not anymore, things are getting serious (;-D) now! I have been ‘invited to attend a group discussion about websites’. Off course I will ‘receive a small fee and compensation for travel expenses’. Cool! So, let me get this straight: we are going to talk (I love to talk, remember?) about websites (I never surf…) and I get money (never enough) for it? Almost too good to be true… I think I will be having fun this afternoon!

I am so happy that I did not live nextdoor to this appartment!

Dear Sol,

I am holiday. Would you be so kind to water my geraniums once a day while I am gone? The key is in its normal hiding place.

Kisses, Mom.

Always considered your style to be unique? Different? Think again! Here´s an almost anthropological record of people’s attempts to distinguish themselves from others by assuming a group identity…

This morning’s conversation with the collection department of my housing corporation:

- I received a reminder last Friday to pay this months rent, but I paid it two weeks ago already.

- Why didn’t you phone last Friday?

- You are closed on Friday afternoons…

- Your address?

I give her my address

- I’ll check, hold please… hmm, are you sure you paid? …

- *trying to remain calm* Yes, I am. I have the bank statement in front of me.

- Are you sure?

- *really trying to stay calm, I only had one coffee…* I could send you a screenshot of my online one. Or do you want it the old fashioned way: a faxed copy?

- *10 seconds of silence* Here it is. Ah, it entered today, so you must have paid Friday after receiving our reminder.

- No, I paid almost three weeks ago, I can prove it!

- Sure…

I was still waiting for some sort of apology, an acknowledgement that I was right, not she, when I heard a click, followed by the calling tone…

I fell asleep halfway through the televoting . One: it was oh,so predictable, just like I, uhm, predicted. Two: all 36 Eurovision countries, even the ones not participating, could give points. Anyway, I woke up in time for the final results , listed below followed by my comments…

First place: Ukraine. Definitely the best hyped artist… And wildest dance.

Second place: Serbia & Montenegro. My personal favorite.

Third place: Greece. Sexy Enrique look-a-like. Catchy tune, great body.

Fourth place: Turkey. Winner in strangest musical combi: ska from Turkey?!

The Netherlands finished – completely undeserved – at the 20th place, we only got 11 points – thank you, Belgium, Estonia and Malta!

Winners in Solly’s additional categories:

Worst dress: Malta. The Swedish dress was pinker, yet less asymmetric…

Slottiest dress: Poland. Black see-tru thingy. Romania’s corset was runner-up.

Gayest dance: Bosnia & Herzegovina – Disco! Lot´s of hip-movements

Best out of tune: Malta. the chorus was totally off-key.

Due to the growing number of European countries wanting to participate in tonight’s 49th Eurovision Song Contest in Istanbul, the organisation decided that countries (except the ‘Big Four’)that ended up lower than the 10th place last year or didn’t participate last year due to a low score two years ago had to qualify for this years event. 22 Countries competed in the qualifying round last Wednesday, the top 10 qualified for the final – amongst them: the Netherlands!

The Eurovision song contest has evolved from cheesy, via gay pride to cult. How come?

First of all because of the subjective judging – that thing called televoting. It’s hilarious, ’cause it’s so obvious: ‘Support theigh neighbor’. Greece gives points to Cyprus, and vice versa. And, sure, it is just a coincidence that all Baltic countries support each other, and so do the Scandinavian and former USSR ones… Secondly and most important, it’s never the best song that wins, its the best hyped artist. The one that caught everyone’s attention.

Therefore, tonight me and my friends will give points in the some extra categories. Based on their performance in the qualifying round and rehearsals I picked some participants I think will score high in that particular category…

Best song – the Netherlands, Serbia&Montenegro;

Best hyped – Ukraine, Greece

Most out of tune – Malta, Cyprus

Silliest dance – Bosnia&Herzegovina;, Ukraine

Worst dress – Romania, Belgium

I can’t wait for tonight…

The second I jumped on my bicycle, I realised something was wrong. The pedals moved, but the bike did not. Damn! The chain ran off – is it just me or do these things always happen when you are already in a hurry? Fortunately, dad taught me ‘First Aid’ for bikes when I was about twelve, and though I had not used that knowledge in a while, I could still remember all of his lessons.

Cool-headed, I turned my bicycle upside down.

I emptied my handbag and found my pocket knife – Sport Billy moment!

I unscrewed the chain guard, removed it and placed the chain onto the chainwheel – life was some much easier when I did not have a chain guard and thus a grease-less chain…

Intermezzo Off course I was standing in a less than elegant position doing all of this; quite a view (“I can see her thong!”) for the 16 year olds driving me by. An elderly couple, though, was impressed with the fact that “young people nowadays can still fix their own bikes”

I moved the pedals with my hand and ‘magically’ the chain rolled back in position! I gave myself a mental pat on the back, replaced the chain guard and turned the bike into a normal position. I phoned my dad and told him what I had achieved. “Well done, princess! I told you those lessons would come in handy some day.” But I could hear how proud he was in his tone…