29 December 2005

End of year, Photo shop, Dragons

The end of the year is approaching; a new year is almost there. I have worked for the last time this year. That sounds pretty cool actually 
The last 3 days I worked in the photo-shop. Today and yesterday I worked with my colleague, the one I like best, so that was not too bad. Especially yesterday we had a lot of fun and time went by quickly. I had to frame some pictures for a customer, but we didn’t have a frame that would fit, so I put the pictures together in Photoshop and I made a background of paper-clippings, because the boys on the pictures were reading a paper. It worked out really well. I was a bit nervous whether the customer would like it, but she loved it. We put the picture (30 x 40 cm) in a nice frame. She took it home, and later called that she needed 2 more, because everyone was so enthusiastic about it.
I also joined the editorial team of Fr. Roderick of the Catholic Insider podcast. He has asked for the help of volunteers to write texts for him, perhaps do some post-production or assist in creating the website http://www.sqpn.com . He wants to build a big network of Catholic podcasts, but not really preachy or scary ones, just fun productions also non-believers can listen to. Tonight I have worked on my text for the Secrets of Harry Potter podcast. This is a podcast in which Fr Roderick tries to explain some of the symbolism used by J.K. Rowling. I am working on a text regarding ‘dragons’, and it sure is a lot of work. I’ve been working at it for about 2/3 hours and I only have 1 page of text yet. I’ll have to finish it some other time this weekend, along with studying for my tests in 2 weeks. **sigh**

26 December 2005

Christmas, Pictures, Christmas Carol

Well, Christmas is over. I’ve had two days of a lot of eating, just like most people. On Christmas eve I went to my father in law. He had prepared a big dinner of 4 courses, and I like it very much. Last year I didn’t quite like it, because it was made with all sorts of ingredients I didn’t like, but this year it was ok. We even had a big turkey, which I enjoyed. The dessert I really enjoyed, which was a meringue-pie with different fruits on top, everything home-made by my father in law. After finishing installing his new computer by my boyfriend, we went home at about midnight.
The next day we had to get up relatively early, because we went to the ‘Kurhaus’ in Scheveningen. This is a very luxurious hotel and restaurant, and also has conference rooms. It is usually used by politicians and royal people and such. We went there to have a Christmas lunch with my mother and sister in law. I did not really enjoy this meal. It was made of a lot of fish and posh things which I didn’t like. Afterwards was a dessert-buffet and that was quite nice.
Today I didn’t really do anything. My boyfriend and I emptied some boxes and I ordered 150 pictures via the Internet. If I’m gonna leave my photo-shop, I will need to find another address to print my pictures. It took me about half of my evening to order them, because I did it in the webbrowser way instead of downloading the photo-assistant. Well, that’s a lesson I learned for the next time.
I have volunteered to write some articles for the Catholic Insider podcast. I’m still waiting to be added to the editorial team, but I’m very much interested at what will come of this.
I also listened to the ‘Podcast Christmas Carol’ tonight while uploading my pictures. It was really great. I’m a bit behind with listening to my podcasts, so I hadn’t heard of this initiative yet. I came across it while surfing. It was so cool. I had wanted to watch the ‘Muppets’ Christmas Carol’, but this just was as nice. Here’s the link if you’re interested: http://www.apodcastchristmascarol.org/ . I hope your Holidays have been nice, and I’ll talk to you soon.

24 December 2005

Christmas Dinner


Here a quick short message just before I need to leave. I’m going to have Christmas dinner over at my father in law and other relatives of my boyfriend. I’m already dressed as I should be. I’m a bit afraid of what I’ll have to eat, because he always makes very exquisite things. Well, Merry Christmas to everyone, and I’ll post again soon!

21 December 2005

Work, Dinner, Idols

Today I worked all day. I was with my colleague, so then it isn’t that bad. I’ve told him about my job interview and he was very enthusiastic about it. We discussed it for a while. I was quite bored even because we didn’t have that much customers or work to do. We did have a lot of turnover, so that was very good.
Tonight I cooked my own dinner, which is quite exceptional. I don’t really cook for myself since I live with my boyfriend. When I eat alone, I usually grab a microwave-meal. But tonight I made my own dinner, with chicken and vegetables and a sauce over the chicken called ‘Chicken Tonight’ with a hot-tomato-cream sauce. I enjoyed it (
After dinner I watched ‘Idols’, the Dutch equivalent of ‘Pop Idol’. I missed last Saturday’s show, because I was out on dinner with my work. It wasn’t that interesting, but it was nice to watch.

Job interview, Pilates

Well, today I got the call. I’ve been called by the drugstore at 7:30 pm and I’ve been invited to a job interview at the 4th of January 2006. We had visitors over, which we don’t have a lot, and I was in the middle of eating tortillas, so I was a bit confused and not quite there with my mind. And also, don’t change the ringtone of your phone when you’re expecting an important phone-call like this. I didn’t even recognize my own phone and I thought it was one of my guests’. I do have to take off an afternoon of my work to go to the interview, but I think I’ll manage that. I’ll just say I have to go to the university. I hate to lie about stuff like that, but if this doesn’t work out, it is for the best. And now I have 2 weeks to prepare myself and be nervous. I have to go to one of the shops for the interview, and I’m not quite sure why that is.
And now I just have to go to work tomorrow and pretend as if nothing happened. I will tell my colleague, but I cannot tell the owners yet.
By the way, Pilates went well this morning. One exercise I couldn’t manage, but then I saw the woman next to me doing it, and I thought: “If she can do it, then so can I.”, and I could. I was very happy about that.

19 December 2005

Yesterday's dinner, Finished Essay, Job-hunting

Yesterday my boyfriend went to work with me and afterwards we had dinner with the people from work. Well, actually, just with the owners and a lot of people they knew. I was the only employee, because all of my colleagues, 3 of them, couldn’t make it. We had a good time. The food tastes really good. We went to eat in a Thai restaurant, if that is how you spell it. I had a mild curry with chicken, onion and potatoes. I really enjoyed it. And the restaurant was pretty much oriented for the English speaking people. There was one dessert which was ‘sweet’ in the English description (sweet mango), but ‘zout’ in Dutch, which means ‘salt’. I was wondering what that would taste like…
Today I finished my 2 essays. My classmate will proofread one, and I’ll ask my boyfriend nicely if he will as well. At the moment, I’m pretty satisfied with what I have, and I’m very happy they’re as good as ready. I also searched the Internet tonight for job vacancies to which I can apply. I didn’t find that much. There’s one supermarket company who’s looking for manager of the cash register-department. They are not really in this neighbourhood, but I will remember it. The searching took me a lot of time, so I didn’t do anything else for my tests in January today.
Tonight I watched 24, the 4th season is on air here now, we’re about half way, and I really enjoy it.

16 December 2005

Work, Test, Tomorrow

It wasn’t that great a day today. I started with work. I worked with the owner of the shop, which was pretty tiresome. Her husband was there as well for about an hour, and it was nice to see him. It had been some time since I had last seen him, and he looked pretty well for his condition.
After work I had to go to Leiden to my classes. I had my Language Acquisition Test, the speaking/pronunciation test. It didn’t go as well as I had hoped, but I’m hoping it’ll be sufficient.
Tomorrow I have a busy day. I have to pick up my Student’s Public Transport card for the next year. I have to go shopping, yes, I have to go, it’s not like I really enjoy it. I have to buy a nice blouse for Christmas and I need to buy some Christmas gifts for my colleagues and my boyfriend. We have just discussed the Christmas-issue and we have decided that we won’t give each other big presents or anything. Which is not too bad, since I have no idea what I’m gonna buy. Well, we’ll see about that tomorrow.

13 December 2005

Another Application, Pilates, Pubs, Cartridges

And today I sent my second application. I went to the library with my classmate this afternoon and she convinced me that I should do it. And I agreed with her. The worst thing that can happen is that they don’t want me, or that I get the job and I have to quit my current job in February. I’ll just see what happens.
So I went to Pilates this morning. It was a regular class again, but with the exercises closer to each other, more in one flow, so it was hard, but it felt pretty good. I could almost keep up with everything and everyone, that’s pretty cool.
I read the articles which I have to prepare for next Thursday. They have some nasty words in them, like ‘spontaneity’, ‘etiquette’ and ‘draught’. The texts are about English pubs (which is hard to pronounce in itself). I guess the regular students will like the texts, because they are about pints and beer and stuff, but I’m absolutely not into alcohol, so I don’t really like the subject. They’re kind of hard to read aloud, since they’re not stories, but more articles on the subject.
In the library I did a lot of work. I made a list of the definitions of Literature. It was nice to recognize the definitions the teacher was talking about all semester, like ‘iambic pentameter’ and ‘canto’ and stuff. I wrote 7 pages, copying from the book. My hand was a bit cramped afterwards.
Then I bought new cartridges for my printer. I looked up the price for an original cartridge. It was €50,00 for one black cartridge, just outrageous! I bought two cartridges of another brand, but which are compatible with my printer, for less than half the price.

12 December 2005

Work, Another Application, Christmas cards

I worked pretty hard today. There was still some work I had to fix of last Saturday, but also enough new work. I had to make a lot of Christmas cards, and also a lot of special ones with people’s addresses on it.
I’m a bit in doubt about what I’ll do with another application. I found a vacancy at another company for the kind of function I’d like to obtain. It’s a different kind of company, but that doesn’t matter to me. The good thing about this other company is that they offer all kinds of education to new employers, and also a sort of management education. Now I’m very much in doubt whether I will apply for this job now, because at the moment they have openings in my city. Or should I wait until I’ve been invited by the first company I applied to, if I get an invitation at all. Or will I be too late then and will the vacancies in my city be filled by then. Hmm, my head is a bit spinning at the moment of all these questions. I’m gonna sleep and go to Pilates and then think about it again.
Tonight I already wrote my Christmas cards, so that I can mail them whenever appropriate, I guess like next week or so. Off to bed now…

11 December 2005

Christmastree, computer games



Again, I am sorry for not writing yesterday. This time it was not really my fault, but Icewatchers’. He occupied my computer till after midnight with playing Civilization IV, and by then I was long asleep.
But well, here I am. Yesterday I went to the library to study, and after that I went shopping. I went Christmas-shopping, to buy Christmas decorations for the house together with my boyfriend, Icewatcher. I bought a Christmas-tree, which I really wanted. It has become a budget tree, but that’s all right. In a couple of years I will buy a proper tree and nice balls, but for the moment this tree is just fine. I also bought some extra lights for in the house and two table-cloths.
Today I was supposed to go have dinner with my work, but we didn’t go. My boss went back to the hospital yesterday because his wound wasn’t healing well. He went back home yesterday as well, but of course he didn’t feel well enough to have dinner in a restaurant tonight. But the good news was that I didn’t have to work today. I slept without setting the alarm-clock till 10 o’clock. And the rest of the day I just hang and didn’t do that much. I cleaned the house and I bought some groceries, and a computer game. I bought ‘Need for Speed Underground’ for the Playstation 2. Yes, I know it’s an old game, but that’s why I bought it. I usually play these games just a couple of times, and then I’m fed up with it because I suck at computer games. It’s just that I wanted this game one or two years ago already, but then it was still really expensive. And after playing this, I played ‘Urbs, the Sims in the city’, which was pretty cool. Think I’ll play it again tomorrow, after writing at my essay.

09 December 2005

Work and class

Sorry for not writing yesterday. I had so many things to do before going to bed, and I didn’t finish any of them in the end.
Today I worked, and I didn’t really like it. It wasn’t very busy and I had some quarrels with my colleague. We both think we are right, and I know I am right, so that kinda makes us have quarrels, to say it safely.
Tonight I had to go to class. In Language Lab we had a dry run of the exam of next week. It went OK, wasn’t too bad. I was so into my topic I even started mimicking with my hands and stuff, while all I had to do was talk to the microphone.
After this class I had my two Literature classes, one about The Aeneid of Virgil and the other about Paradise Lost by George Milton. The last one was very boring. I almost fell asleep. But I stayed awake so that was all right. I have found a link for you about this epic poem: http://www.paradiselost.org/
Have fun checking this out! I’m going to study in the library tomorrow, so it’ll be another great day.

06 December 2005

Application Letter, Vocab and Essay results, Pilates with ball

Today I finally did it, I posted my application letter. Actually, I let my boyfriend post it for me. And afterwards I heard that my boss is OK, but he needs to be treated for 2 months next year. I feel a bit awkward about this, because if everything works out really well, I might be away before that time, which leaves them with a problem. But now that I’ve posted the letter, there’s no way back.
I got back my essay about the American Tertiary Educational System and my vocab quiz of last week, and for both of them I have a 5.5 out of 10, which is merely sufficient, but I’m happy with it. I didn’t expect more for the vocab quiz and I knew the essay was pretty awful, so I’m glad. Today’s vocab quiz went pretty well. I knew almost all the answers, so it’ll be an 8 or 9 out of 10 I hope. I studied for it pretty hard all afternoon, with Icewatcher’s help.
This morning I went to Pilates and we got to practice with the ball, which was pretty cool. I was anxious about it, but it was fun. It was a big ball with a diameter of 65 cm made of rubber and we had to do our floor exercises with the ball. We had to lie over it or put our legs and feet upon it. I really enjoyed it, and I didn’t think I would.

05 December 2005

Work, Podsafe Christmas Song, Happy Sinterklaas!


It’s been a pretty long day today. I’ve been working all day. I had to print some Christmas pictures which I left last Saturday, but that was only about one hour work. After that, we didn’t have that much work to do. So, when our fellow-shop holders asked us whether we would close at 5 pm, we said we probably would. My colleague asked permission to the owner of the store, and they said we could close if all the other did as well. But, the unfortunate thing was that we couldn’t close. We still had too many customers and we did make some nice money in this last hour. I took an order of 200 Christmas cards, and they paid in advance, which is always good. So after all I still left at the regular time of 6 pm. I had the train I usually have, but it arrived half an hour later due to some signal failure on the track. So my train ride lasted half an hour longer than it should have, but at least I got to listen to some podcasts and sleep a little.
Oh, and everybody should check out the website of the new Christmas song, made by Podsafe for Peace, called ‘If every day were Christmas’.
And I almost forgot, I edited my application letter, I will run a final check tomorrow and then post it…
Happy Sinterklaas everyone!

Application Letter

I finally did it, I wrote my application letter and I updated my curriculum vitae. My bf says I need to let the letter ‘rest’, read through it tomorrow again, and then send it on Tuesday, so that’s what I’ll do. I’m just very very glad I got to this point now and that at least I’m really going through with this. I’ve been searching the web tonight for some other possible positions as well, and I might have found 2 other companies in the Netherlands where I can apply to if this doesn’t work out.
But if this does work out, then I’ll have to quit my current job, and I’m quite anxious about that. I’ll send my letter the day after tomorrow, and then we’ll see how it turns out…

04 December 2005

Finished Homework, Harry Potter, Application

Again, it took me a long time to do my homework, but at least I have finished the 20 vocabulary units I needed to do for next Tuesday. Now I only need to learn them Still have a lot of other homework to do, but I’ll see how far I’ll get with that.
Friday night we went to the theatre to see Harry Potter. It was a nice movie, it looked good, but I missed a lot which was in the book. They changed most of the story, especially the part of the house-elves, like Dobby in the second movie. And I didn’t really like the part in the maze. In the book it’s a really exciting bit, also with some mythological figures, but now they changed it into a very grim and fast race. Only the part afterwards was done really well.
I’m very much in doubt whether I will send my application. I want to work somewhere else, and I do want to send the application, but that means leaving the shop where I work now; especially now that my boss is ill and in the hospital. It’s just a bad time to leave, but I think the right time shall never come either.

02 December 2005

Application, Vocab, Harry Potter

Yesterday I talked to my former manager about my application. She talked to her supervisor. He or she had said that I should send my application to my former manager so that she can send it to him or her. I am pretty happy with this construction, because now I don’t end up on the big pile at the Personnel department, but I have a different way in.
Today I finally slept in till 11 o’clock, while the last nights I slept way too short. And I did some homework today. I have to make 20 Vocabulary Units this weekend, and now I’m halfway through. It’s not as much as I wanted to do, but it’s a nice start.
And tonight, I’m going to Harry Potter!!! I reserved two tickets for the new Goblet of Fire movie for 20.30 tonight. I am so happy, and yes, I’m going together with my boyfriend, which is also very nice.
Oh, and by the way, I got my essay back which I wrote about dr Faustus last week. The teacher wrote on it: Good Work. I am very happy with his. I do have some minor mistakes to correct, but that’s not a lot of work. So these two days were pretty successful.

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