This week Robert Palmer died. You know, the guy who got really famous
with the song "Addicted to Love" (or should I say the video carrying the same title featuring a few extremely tall women obviously firm believers of freedom for all breasts?)




27 Israeli reserve pilots proclaimed
to be against bombings that involve killing innocent civilians as a "side-affect" of exterminating Palestinian leaders. Way to go guys!

Amina Lawal's death sentence has been quashed by a Nigerian tribunal.

I guess Amnesty would call their petition a success.
Where do we sign petitions against child-abuse, hypocrasy, blackmail
and lying politicians?




Yousef Lee, an army chaplain got arrested because he was carrying lists of Guantanamo Bay detainees and a blueprint of the area. I wonder why the American government doesn't want the world to know who they're holding captive and what the camps look like. Why be so secretive about those facts?



Saturday in the afternoon 25,000 people, including yours truly marched against the governments new plans. Basically they will cut on everything except for their own wages and weaponry to fight an as yet unknown enemy. Hope we send them a signal and won't have to resolve to tougher means of protesting...


In the evening neighbour Angèlique and I set off to Groningen for the opening of an exposition of the world renowned photographer Erwin Olaf. We had champagne on the chartered touringcar and all! Got home around four that night...



Sunday after a mere few hours of sleep it was time to do the Timewarp again at the rehearsals that now take place weekly 'cause the time for our big performance is nearing.

Monday Thura and her son Noah paid me a surprise visit.
They can do so anytime! Ferdinand was doing great again at karate. He only needs to realize that it's not only about avoiding and blocking but you also need to attack occasionally...

Tuesday marked the start of my new place of work. I'm now officially an afterschool-teacher at a school in a range of five minutes walk from my former employer and from my attorney. So I can have lunch with either an ex-colleague or the guy who has his hands full with two of my exes! In the evening neighbour Johanna came to wish her son goodnight.

Wednesday one of "my" kids told me he recognized me from the recent summercamp. It's a small world...My colleague grew up in South-Africa and since a teacher of mine had studied there I picked up a few words of the language.
Check out this lovely phrase:"Ek is baie bly." 10 Points for your house if you know what it means!

Thursday my son went home after school with his best friend Maurits so again he didn't have to cross the street all by himself. I'm afraid there will be no escape for him next week. Since I work till afterschool is closed I won't be able to pick him up. Therefore we got him his own key and trust that he will be fine by himself for half an hour. For that sole purpose I got myself a second hand mobile (or cellphone or "handy" as they call the things in germ-an).
It became apparent that I needed to workout again so I went to my Pencak-class.
Another good reason for going was seeing a certain fellow classmate again.
No, I'm not referring to neighbour Angèlique who takes the same class...
The sweat hadn't completely dried up yet when I visited my neighbours Leon and
Janine.


Friday my mom and I went downtown and she bought me some genuine Olaf Benz shorts. Isn't that nice? Just like last week nobody was there when I came to neighbour Miriam's place to pick up my daughter for the weekend.
Better luck next time. I guess...:-(

With all the commotion surrounding the death of Johnny Cash people seemed to have forgotten about John Ritter.
The story of his life, basically. He was never outstanding (as in: he never really stood out) but he was always there: reliable, funny, thrustworthy. May he get a nice leading part on the other side...




Saturday it was time for my annual birthday-bash. I'm 36 years of age now. I took it easy, inviting just a bit over a dozen friends.
Officially closing in on the big "four o"...




Sunday it was my birthday officially. My son, my best friend and me went for a swim to get the cobwebs out of our system and in the afternoon neighbour Miriam came to visit and brought along her daughters Eva and Dayna.
In the evening the weekly game of Magic: the gathering took place.


Monday I forgot to take my son to his karate-club. Guess after the school-holidays routine hasn't quite set in yet.

Tuesday neighbour A provided lunch as well as dinner. As I has to work till six my mom picked up my son from afterschool. Just before my son's bedtime neighbour J
came by to do the honors. You know: helping him with a computer-game, getting him to brush his teeth , reading him a bedtime story and tucking him in.
All and all a pleasurable day.

Wednesday my son and I went to a hospital in Utrecht to look up on Daniëlle, a friend
who just underwent major surgery. Luckily it all went well.

Thursday I decided to skip Pencak since I was still short of air due to a cold.

Friday my aunt Mary asked me to take our American relative Jane to the Albert Cuypmarket.
She bought me a cup of coffee and we had a really nice chat.


Coming weekend is going to to be full of interesting things to do.
I'll keep you posted!

A friend sent me this link.
Anyone know it's for real?


In reaction to a free download site that when you actually
start to download something, asks for money I wrote the following
e-mail:



Sirs,



Perhaps you have missed the point of freeware.
Freeware means that you don't have to pay for it:
In other words: it's free.

As you also state on your homepage:
(and I quote) 'everything for free!'

May I suggest you stop calling it free either really
make it possible for people to get the software for free.

People are not happy if you tell them lies.

Thank you.


Sincerely,




Now let's see what happens...
Running with fever I had an interesting dream:

Let me know how you would analyze it...



Saturday it was time for the annual weblogmeeting. It felt a bit odd to go on a blind date with
92 people but I had fun nonetheless.

Sunday it was time again to rehearse with the others of the CastratedGood to do The Rocky Horror Picture Show this Halloween. After rehearsals I saw the band of a friend of mine play: Paxy Dragon. Thura was there as well and she was considering to hire them for a party in pop-temple Paradiso soon.

Monday I got asked to help set-up a circusfestival in Croatia coming summer and Ferdinand's karate-season had started.

Tuesday it was the first day in my new job as an afterschool-teacher. I actually managed to make a few kids look the way they wanted to look with the available paint. Even their parents recognized in them a pirate,
a butterfly, a tiger, a ladybug and an alien princess. I was ever so proud!

Wednesday my son and I had a nice afternoon with neighbour Johanna, his natural mom.
Strolling down the market, having lunch at McDonalds. You get the idea: normal family-stuff.
Later that afternoon Fer and I went over to Thura's housebout where we had pancakes.
Ferd watched Shrek with Thura's son Noah while she was giving me a healthy massage...

Thursday I spend most of the day with neighbour Angèlique: doing groceries, having tea, having coffee, taking her out to dinner. as a late birthday-prezzie. Later that evening when I answered the door-bell
I saw a face from long ago: Peter from a poetry-club I used to be involved in. Turns out his best mate (whom had come along) knows neighbour Petra. Hence they decided to have a cup of tea at my place. Talking 'bout good times
and Wendy...;-)

Friday my dear neighbour Angèlique brought my son to school 'cause she figured I needed
to sleep in since I had come down with the flu.
Thanks, love!