My so-called Dutch life

Sunday night already? This weekend feels like it was very long and very short at the same time.

I managed to actually leave my office early Friday (like I'm supposed to under my contract but somehow never do). I am busy editing my company's new handbook. It's basically all the guidelines about reimbursements, calling in sick etc. While it's tempting to find this a bit of a boring task, I'm reminding myself that bringing good style and grammar to mundane, everyday material is actually the most important part of my calling as an editor.

Saturday I went to Hilversum to appear as a guest on a radio news show to discuss Obama's inauguration. It went pretty well, but I wouldn't call it my greatest success. So I won't put a link on this blog. If you're really desperate to hear me, I am sure you can google it out.

After I finished up at the studio, I went shopping in Hilversum and found a really cool pair of black velvet pants in the post-Christmas sales. That was definitely the most important part of the day.

This morning I attended service at the Anglican church here. It was my second visit and certainly won't be my last. I must say I feel a lot more at home there than in the Dutch churches I've visited. They're so...Dutch. And every day that I live here I see more and more how not Dutch I am. (That isn't to say that I don't love it here. I do. Moi j'adore Utrecht.)

I had a very nice time chatting with the parisioners and then biked through the pouring rain to see my friend Jacqueline. She interned with my dad 4 years ago. I'd only met her briefly then because I was living in DC, and I was in a stressful work situation at the time. So it was fantastic to see her again and talk in a relaxed way. She knows my family quite well. So we talked about them, about books, poetry, careers, real estate and generally what it's like to be an independent twentysomething woman. All this over wonderful Koffie Verkeerd next to a window on a canal. Is there a better way to spend a Sunday afternoon? I'm sure I can't think of one.

So tomorrow it's back to the handbook. It will be a pretty busy week for me. Monday evening I'm grabbing tea with my friend Marleen who also lives in Utrecht, Wednesday my friend Moniek is coming to visit me from Rotterdam, Friday I'm going to an all-day political seminar in the Hague.

But, of course, Thursday is the most important day of them all: the return of LOST!!! The best television show of all time. I've been waiting 7 months for this day. (btw, US LOST-loving Green Stick readers: Yes, LOST comes back on Wednesday for you. Don't panic. It's Thursday for me due to the time difference)

So please do not Skype, text, email, or facebook me or attempt to contact me in any other way on Thursday evening. Thank you for your consideration.