Under a bridge

Maybe it was the lunar eclipse seeping into our beer. Maybe it was me feeling exhausted and bummed after a long graduation day filled with me giving speeches, having flash-backs, and mini mental crises entitled “what the hell have I done with my days?” Whatever the cause – who cares; Yesterday evening/this morning- one of the most creative groups of Amsterdam ex-pats ever got together aboard Big Jim’s boat for one crazy fun jam session. Ingredients: Three guitarists, one French Hornist/singer, 3 to 4 singers and Crazy Dr. M as well. (yes.. researcher and he sings too!) It was raining you say? Not a problem – we floated beneath a bridge and remained there enjoying the acoustics and pigeons for half the night. Everyone was pleasantly surprised, as far as I can tell, by the French Horn, cause hey – how often do French Hornists sit on boats under bridges in Amsterdam and play anything from rock to country or jazz to Indian music. I swear we did an excellent Indian jam that Ravi Shankar would have wanted in on.(photos to follow tomorrow)

At some point in the evening… between the bridge and the ride through Prinsen Island.. someone shouts, “so how about those elections next week?” There was a collective “uhhhhg” in the air. And then someone broke into some Steve Miller, which I feel way to young for, since I don’t really know the songs. Looking back, this whole thing reminds me of the Accordian Guy and his adventures with the squeeze box on the street.

This morning Ms. Thingk and I did an impromptu “this ol park” which turned into “this ol island” as we wandered Prinsen Island and made some discoveries. But I’m too worried about my Halloween costume to properly blog about what a nice afternoon it was.

OK, this Bin Laden statement. How can I put this….. BULLSHIT! Anyone else have the urge to yell that? I was watching the Eminem video about the election where bin laden’s talking and suddenly the background falls apart and the Bush admin is standing there embarrassed, behind him. I think Marshall Mathers is a genius with a small g, and this video is a sign of the times. (OCG represent!)

What I mean by bullshit is both the timing and the content of this message. First off, I don’t believe this man is the all-powerful mastermind they paint him to be. I think he’s an opportunist with a symbiotic relationship with the US government. (ie: He needs them as they need him, to sell weapons and gain more power, etc) The other thing is I think this message was released to help the Bush campaign; Bin Laden says “Dont vote for Bush” so Americans will watch, get angry, and go vote Bush. If you don’t think the timing of this video and the manner it’s released are sketchy, let me step away quietly so as not to wake you.

Today’s Sounds: Laurent Voulzy – Avril

Ending Moments

*post delayed because blogger is always skrewed up lately*

You know that feeling where you’re somewhere, with a certain group of people for one of the last times, and you think “this is one of the greatest times in my life.” My last 5 years have been a giant collection of those, from way back – walking home at dawn, on our last night in France, with my Polish and Jersean comrads after another night of horrifying the ladies and offending the guys, or sitting in the “womb” in Haledon, NJ, listening to Nick Drake, with one of the finest human beings on this earth and D-Rock, to a pair of years ago sitting on the roof of my Lisbon nest playing horn, to the present – talking gibberish and singing Sinatra with my roomates here at the bicyclemark ranch. At each of these moments, like last night, I realize something great is coming to an end, and I tend to take a mental picture, for that scrapbook in my mind entitled “The best of times.”

The roomates are moving out, first the king of jogging goes – this sunday. And next month my darling miss piggy is moving in with her man. Thus leaving myself, ironically the soul non-dutch person, effectively on my own. Sure I will still sing Dean Martin and G.Love as I cook my fabulous dinners for one, but it won’t be the same without the accompanying dance steps and random shouting.

Then again, this also means a new sort of beginning, in this case, my new roomate from Salamanca. We happily speak Portug?ol – a nice mix of Portug?es and Espa?ol – and I’m not quite sure how to explain it, but there’s a familiar feeling/comfort hanging around with someone from the western side of the Iberian penninsula. He’s a mild mannered, charming dude; reminds me of me in 10 years, and I think we shall get along swimmingly. Perhaps we’ll even sing while we cook, but I doubt it.

Is it obvious that I’m steering the blog on a more personal course these days? It’s all part of my master plan friends… all part of the master plan. (clasps hands in Montgomery Burns style) Eeeexcellent.

Let’s talk comments for a moment. First of all, comments make the blogosphere go round! And if you disagree with that, then I dare you not to leave a dissenting comment. I spend hours reading blogs, at last count, 150 feeds in my bloglines. Half of those might be newspapers, but still, I make it my priority to not only read but also comment. It enhances the discussion on other blogs, and it stimulates some visits and comments back here on the communique. What do I mention this? Because some within my blog generation wonder what they should do to get more visitors to their blogs. Now you know one more way.

The other thing that I often speak of, that also increases your readers (potentially) is being syndicated via an RSS feed. Which is free and, like a broken record I remind you, revolutionary in terms of how the internet is used. Pretty soon my dinners and all my girlfriends will just come to me via RSS. Oh yes! Oh no. Maybe some advances are not so great, but for readin shit on the net, RSS is the best thing since powdered toast. It has come to my attention that some of you might want my help in setting that up. I may indeed be of assistance, but in return I ask that you take a little glance at ye Wish List or ye Paypal (also in the sidebar) and consider giving bicyclemark a little token of thanks. I’m especially fond of the “I’m So Going to Blog This” stickers.

Today’s Sounds: Rickie Lee Jones – The Evening of My Day

Take the A

If you’re going to the End of the World, you may as well bring good company. Last night a pair of Canadians and myself ventured over to the end of Java Eiland, where the wind is colder and the streets are silent. I led them to that long boat I have so often jogged by. From the outside is looks like everyone is sleeping, not a sound. Just as we were about to board the seemingly deserted boat, a group of giggly well-fed people emerge from the boat doors, and cross the plank back to land. After exchanging a few words with them, we board, only to discover the joy of the infamous squat restaurant the Einde Van de Wereld. I expected squat culture at its worst, cramped spaces, unclean. I expected wrong. This boat was huge, and the environment was a warm and friendly one. Never was there a feeling that we were new or unwelcome. We fit right in. I did my best to ask how everything works, so as not to mess up the system:

    – Go to Frank Zappa, tell him if you want the Veggie or the Meat entree.

    – Move down to Zappa’s sister, tell her what you want to drink.

    – Sit down and enjoy bread from the big plate of bread that remains on the table as each costumer comes and goes.

I’m pretty sure I’ll become a frequent customer at this restaurant-boat that is only open two days a week. I’ll bring many a guest there, and who knows – maybe get on a first name basis with the boat-people.

58,000… count’em… 58,000 missing postal ballots in Florida. And we all know that state isn’t alone. I think the UN needs to step in right now and declare these elections null and void. Send in the Canadian and Bangladesh peace keepers to secure the white house and remove the crown prince, until free elections can be held. In the meantime instruct all Americans to “go back to living their normal lives again” or the more popular “go shopping.”

NYC people, listen close, cause this concerns you. The MTA is celebrating their centennial. So when you get on the subway the next few weeks, don’t get upset at the ceiling fans and tweed seats – you’re riding in a piece of history! I’m super jealous, I’m missing out on riding in a wooden train car that was declared unsafe decades ago. The irony is most New Yorkers will pile in, tired and irritated from work, and will look at the old train cars and bitch about how shitty the MTA is.

xtx had a post that I was especially captivated by, regarding moms, babies, and play groups. Makes me realize how much I really want one……

…. my own play group.

One last thing, somebody tell me if this weblog course outline (.pdf) looks any good. I’m going to submit it to learn-ed old men who normally frown upon my youth and inexperience, and hopefully don’t read my blog too closely.

Today’s Sounds: Off the Hook on 99.5 WBAI-NYC

Speech… Speech!

Lots of good folk orbiting the blogosphere might read my blabber and think: “He’s living the life!” It’s a romanticized image of “that guy who went to live in Europe,” as illustrated by BitchPhD last night (doesn’t that sound dirty?):

    bitchphd: shit, you’re 25 and in Amsterdam. There’s no real excuse for not getting laid regularly.

And then there’s Brian @ TheStateImIn, who is so close to packing up and moving to Ireland, referring to me:

    Who wouldn’t want to be able to live a life of riding your bike everywhere, spending Euros, and enjoying fabulous European culture? (And fabulous European women as well.)

I also get the occasional email from a reader asking about my-so-called charmed life in Amsterdamage. How did I get this image? Have I not outlined by part-time professional status? My poverty? And how the hell did so many read between the lines and decide I’m a connoisseur of European women? Maybe I shouldn’t spoil the image, I suppose I represent something to certain people. They look to me and the Communiqu? as an example of what one can do to escape the horrors of the mundane. Plus, I did wake up at 10:30am today, and I won’t go to work because I don’t have to today, and I’ll spend the afternoon shopping for Teenwolf-costume material at second hand shops and stroopwaffle scented Dutch street markets. So never mind, that whole charmed life thing is pretty accurate, thanks guys.

Next week, on that faithful day – Nov 3rd, or -Judgement Day- as me and Arnold like to call it, I’ve been slated to be a speaker at the U of Amsterdam’s “Election Morning Brunch.” Me and other staff have arranged for C-SpaM to be shown on the bigscreen as the results roll in, and the riots begin. A student-friend of mine from Cali stopped me yesterday and said “Bicyclemark, I so want to buy a ticket, fly home and riot with all my friends.” – “That’s the spirit!” I told her, “Go break some shit in the name of democracy!” But alas, she won’t, we’ll have to enjoy that special episode of the surreal world from our cozy brunch catered by Toronto’s finest Chef-in-exile, no one cooks like him. I’m appearing as a “Political Blogger”(hahah) and I’m speaking about the insane amount of voter fraud in this election. (seriously how many states is it — even Saddam couldn’t have organized this much chaos.)

Speaking of kickass speeches, Bunny MacIntosh’s man – Jon Stewart did it again. The man is a slacker-folk hero. (at least mine) Speaking at the William & Mary graduation ceremony, he said some crazy shit, and received an honorary doctorate. My favorite part is where he talks about getting a Doctorate for doing nothing:

    I?m sure my fellow doctoral graduates?who have spent so long toiling in academia, sinking into debt, sacrificing God knows how many years of what, in truth, is a piece of parchment that in truth has been so devalued by our instant gratification culture as to have been rendered meaningless?will join in congratulating me. Thank you.

By all means, cut and paste your favorite part of that speech into my comments, there are so many.

Now, before I get bitched at any further – Swordfish ala BM:

Ingredients:

-500 grams of Fresh Swordfish from the excessively upbeat fishmarket guy with the paper hat.

-1 Tomato, pronounced however you like.

-5 to 6 potatoes regardless of if you can spell the word.

-1 Onion to be cried over and when a roommate asks what’s bothering you blame the onion and supress your sexual disfunction problems.(i kid i kid)

-Fresh Coriander bought from the Dutchman with the excessively dirty hands.

-1 Lemon that you pick up with your own hands before he can do it for you.

Lots of Olive Oil from the Alentejo which is over-priced at a Portuguese Import shop that is quite un-Portuguese with its unfriendly staff.

Preparation:

-Boil them potatoes til they’re soft like the Bush admin. on environmental protection.

-Slice up the onions, tomatoes and lemon and lay them out in the tray, like Jon Stewart did to those crossfire hacks.

Then add the coriander, potatoes, and whatever spices you want – put it in the oven, I really don’t care what temperature. Leave it in they’re for quite a while, and carry on conversation with your attractive dinner guest who you hopefully have impressed with your newfound cooking skills.

-But don’t be distracted, keep an eye on the roasting fish and at a bit of water to prevent it from getting as dry as Kerry’s sense of humor.

-When it smells ready, and looks ready, it’s ready! Now go eat and maybe you’ll get laid like you’re a 25 year old blogger, working at a University, and living in Amsterdam.

Today’s Sounds: Johnny Cash & Willie Nelson – Storytellers (roommate was singing ‘you were always on my mind’ this morn.

To Do List

Bicyclemark, let’s go to Prague!, she said. I didn’t have to think, I said – OK let’s do it. Then I remembered how much I want to see Moscow this year, and ohhh to go to Stockholm. To which she responded Yeah, I’d like to see those places too. And so it will be. Prague first.

The big 25 is a bit over 1 month away, and I recall a list I once made, of goals to be achieved by the time I reach my silver anniversary. I won’t expose you to the bizzaroness of that list, but I will say I’ve done a little over half of that list. Among the goals not achieved: traveling around S. America and North Africa, working for an NGO in Angola. My biggest unachieved goal involved a lama, a nine-iron, some ice cubes, and Claire Forlani. But well, I guess a boy can’t have everything. (I do have ice cubes and access to a nine-iron!)

Hey since I’m some consider me a political blogger (bows), I have done what political bloggers do – sent a correspondent to a Kerry rally in Philadelphia. Unfortunately girlfriend is too busy fantasizing about Clinton to really give us some hard-hitting analysis of a bunch of people waving signs at a candidate who keeps repeating sound bites. But don’t worry, HELP IS ON THE WAY, because WE HAVE PLAN TO WIN THE PEACE. – I know I know.. he’s my guy now. It’s just hard sometimes.

One of the great things about the election circus coming to a close – THE SALES. That’s right Bush and Kerry gear have been slashed in half, their prices (and politics) are INSANE!

While I slept an incredible amount of excellent posts were written in the world of blogs. BFauth’s family turns out to be a midwest militia, and YES they publish those annual calendars with babes and guns.

For all the times that Blonde But Bright or the Torontonienne have asked me, “Why do you think Professor B calls herself bitch?” yesterday we found out why.

Jamie does what I have so often done, questioning the girl sitting across from him, with the big cup of coffee reading Nietzsche.

And just when I thought I had had enough, The Accordian Guy takes his squeeze box to the streets, and plays tunes like “Should I Stay or Should I Go” at Canada’s crazy-go-nuts University homecoming.

I still owe you a swordfish recipe.

Today’s Sounds: Ashlee Simpson (don’t worry, she’s not singing)

In the State of Swing

I’m going to need a Bosnian to Spanish translator in order to communicate with a majority of my fantasy basketball players. Thankfully I’m fluent in French and Spanish, so I can still talk to my other scrubs and my favorite Puerto Rican point guard who I did get to watch in the Olympics. Funnest part, however brief, of yesterdays fantasy draft was getting to chat with Tony Pierce, who’s family is visiting, and who had a seemingly cool birthday party. It has gotten to the point where I’ve seen enough photos of his apartment, via the blog, that I know my way around. Weird you say? COOL I say.

Speaking of the busblog, I was reading Danielle’s “keeping it real” this morning, as I so often do. Sometimes that girl just hits it right for me. Like some wonderfully-crazy gonzo-journalistic-poet. I see hers as one of those blogs, like anyone’s actually, which is only for certain tastes and might be loved by some and hated by others.

An opposite example would be the man with a blog-god complex, the instapundit. I try my best to be open minded and blog respectful, but reading that blog is like riding a bicycle with no seat and flat tires. I literally gave my monitor the finger as he scoffed at the Brazilian space program and proceeded to give detailed summaries and photos of Bushie’s Florida rally. Who gives a flying fuck if the American dictator appears in a denim-blue workshirt with his sleeves rolled up and talks about how much he loves florida and america needs to give him 4 more years and a few billion more bucks. One of the most read bloggers in the sphere you say? A column in the Guardian you say? No thank you sir.

On a brighter note, courtesy of the most famous Canadienne ever to grace the pages of this blog, I now have a costume for Halloween. I just need some brown shag carpet – extra shag, a varsity jacket, some novelty teeth, and a friend named styles. I hear NoCoins was considering topping last year’s Zombie John Ridder by going as Zombie Christopher Reeve this year. What? Too soon?

Today’s Sounds: Kings of Convenience – Silence is the New Loud