Monday 30 June 2008

Mr. Gay Netherlands 2008

The vote is open for the Mr. Gay Netherlands 2008 contest. Three pages with pictures and profiles of guys who think they are cute enough to win can be found here. Almost all of them are very young, as if it is forbidden to compete for the title when you are over 25. I don't have a real favourite, although this guy Tim is quite cute.

Congratulations and celebrations

In the old days, one would receive congratulations in only a few different ways: 1) in person; 2) via snail mail letters and postcards; and 3) via the home telephone. For yesterday's birthday I was congratulated 1) in person; 2) via snail mail letters and postcards; 3) via the home telephone; 4) via mobile phone talk; 5) via mobile phone SMS; 6) via a blog post; 7) via a message through Facebook; 8) via e-mail; 9) via e-cards and 10) via a gaydar message. So confusing!
The party was nice. The weather cooperated nicely, my family behaved and I think we all had a good and merry time. So now I better get used to the fact that I am 37 years old.

Saturday 28 June 2008

Not the best week

I just finished shopping for my birthday party tomorrow. My parents, siblings and their families and my cousin from Canada and his family will all be visiting and of course they expect to be fed. As usual, we will have a BBQ in the garden. RO was so disappointed that he wasn't invited that he made me promise to organize another BBQ for the gang in July or August.
Last week was not the best: the doctors have told OS that he may have another tumor (more research will have to be done) and understandably this news was not easy for him to digest. I am trying to support him which (at times) is difficult. Work is the same old sh!t - I was talking with WI in the bar last night who told me he had recently also been a bit down, and he recommended a "life coach" (an older lady) that he had a few sessions with that helped him a lot. I may just invest a few € and see her.....
The only positive news was that I received an SMS from TR. I had met him some 6 months ago via one of the gay dating sites. We had a nice first meeting, but when I messaged him for a follow-up get-together he didn't have time so I forgot about him. Suddenly he wanted to meet on Thursday but as JV was coming to the house for dinner I didn't have time. His message: "Not even time for a quickie?" So I left work half an hour early and the meeting with TR was quick, but very nice.

Friday 20 June 2008

Bearforce1 - Shake that thing

Is it me or have they aged and fattened a lot in just one year?

Thursday 19 June 2008

Old life and young life

These people are Pieter Ably and Henriette Jeanne Ably-Tritsch who have been married for 80 years! They are both 102 years old. I just watched a documentary about the couple and I was touched how sweet the man was for his wife. Their daughter explained that the husband met his wife in France in 1928 and brought her to the Netherlands. It took her a long time to get used to life in a different country and as he had brought her here he decided to be extra sweet to her.
Our new Australian secretary suddenly uttered a loud shriek in the afternoon and it turns out we have mice in the office. A full nest of babies. As the only man in the office today it was my task to catch them. Needless to say I failed miserably.

Tuesday 17 June 2008

Norway legalises same sex marriage

Members of Parliament in Norway approved a bill that will allow same-sex couples to marry. The new law, which passed by 84 votes to 41, will make marriage gender neutral. The new legislation will replace a 1993 law that gives gays the right to enter civil unions similar to marriage, but refuses them the right to church weddings or to be considered as adoptive parents. As well as more equal partnership rights, it would expand the provision of parenting rights.
Family Issues minister Anniken Huitfeldt, introducing the bill in March, called it "an historic step towards equality." She also had a message for some members of Parliament who claimed the bill would weaken tradition marriage. "The new law won't weaken marriage as an institution," Huitfeldt told Parliament. "Rather, it will strengthen it. Marriage won't be worth less because more can take part in it."
Norway joins Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, South Africa and Canada in granting gay people full marriage rights. Six countries now, and many to follow!

Party afterthoughts

It was a nice party. Everyone we expected showed up - the first ones a few minutes before the official opening time at 5pm, and the last guests left around 2am. The caterer did a good job as the food was excellent - people had 2nd and 3rd plates later in the evening, CR was so nice to be our barman all evening, HE and CC took turns as DJ s mixing contemporary music with 70s and 80s hits and Dutch sing-along songs. We got many nice gifts: books, CDs, pieces of art, hard cash and so many bottles of champagne, wine and other spirits that we have enough stock for the next few years. Some of our straight friends (the cute ones, of course) had never had so much attention in their lifes, and the few fag hags that managed to get invited felt like in heaven. The quiet lounge upstairs got a steady stream of visitors throughout the evening (including me spending a few minutes of quality time with our cutest guest KN), but it was all very decent until the last two went upstairs - you know who you are. I was drunk but not too drunk. Only negative was GZ' bag that went missing - I sure hope that someone took it by mistake and it will show up soon.
The party hosts took a day off on Monday and we were busy cleaning and returning the music equipment, the glasses and other stuff to the owners. And we had lunch together and cleared the last beers after the work was done. Another nice day. I am blessed to have such friends as WI, HE and MA. And all the others who contributed in making it a nice party.

At the traffic light

Scene: me waiting for a red traffic light, next to me an older gentleman with a young girl on his carrier.
Girl: "Hello Sir"
Me: "Hello how are you?"
Girl: "I am fine."
Me: "Well, you are a lucky girl that your granddad takes you on a bike tour."
Girl: "He is not my granddad, he is my dad."
Me: OhshithowamIgonnarescuethesituation...(Saved by the green light): "Bye".

Sunday 15 June 2008

Party time!

Today is the big day of MA, HE, WI and my party. We expect some 125 guests. WI and MA were busy with all the preperations last week, so it will be HE and my task to clean up tonight and tomorrow. I must do my best to not drink too much too early, as it is very unbecoming to be drunk at one's own party.
Last night I went to PA's 40th birthday party. PA is an expat from Ireland living in Amsterdam, towards the end of the month he, his boyfriend MR and their dog LU will move to Germany. LU is known for his frequent and very smelly farts - yesterday every so often people would move from one part of the room to another after LU left a smelly trail. I have only known PA, MR and LU for a short while, but they will be missed in Amsterdam.

Saturday 14 June 2008

Images of Ireland







A perfect day and the best hotel in the world

You know that song: it is just a perfect day. Today was such a day: woke up after a great sleep, had a nice leisurely breakfast, drove slowly along long, winding roads in sunny, breezy weather along the Donegal coast, arrived at the best hotel I have ever stayed (I always thought the best hotels in the world are in Asia, but after staying at great hotels such as The Oriental in Bangkok, the Shangri-La in Singapore, the Formosa Regent in Taipei and the Peninsula in Manila, I must say that Harvey's Point Country Hotel in Donegal beats them all! Who would have thought that the best hotel in the world is in Ireland?), had a nice walk, sat in the sun with a pint of beer, had a great, great 5 course dinner, watched the Dutch football team beat France 4 - 1, and had an Irish sing-along session in the hotel bar. Pity the holiday is almost over and tomorrow after breakfast I will drive to the airport and we will fly back to Holland in the afternoon.

Wednesday 11 June 2008

The Silver Tassie Hotel, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal, Ireland

So here I am Wednesday evening in this hotel just North of the town of Letterkenny. The trip is nice: the weather has been good (for Ireland) with lots of sunshine and almost no rain. Driving here is fun because there are so few cars on the road and the scenery is very nice. Few people live in this part of the country and they all seem to live in beautiful houses. Thanks to my tax money, Ireland is now the 2nd richest country in the EU and it shows when you see all the new mansions that have been built. Tomorrow Ireland will have a referendum on the new EU constitution (which may not be called a constitution) and everybody thinks the vote will be a big "NO". Our only complaint is the quality of the food: too greasy, too big portions and quantity over quality. Travelling with old people is very relaxing: everything is done in the slow mode. Quite nice for a week!

Friday 6 June 2008

Going to Ireland


Tomorrow morning I will be flying from Rotterdam Airport to Donegal, Ireland. I am taking my mom, my stepfather and OS on a one-week fly-drive trip through Northern and Western Ireland. Earlier this year, when my mom and stepfather were visiting, they were quarrelling about the trip they wanted to take to Ireland. My mom wanted to join a group tour, but my stepfather refused saying "I am not going to sit on a stupid bus with old people". (he is 82, she is 78) My mom is afraid that she'd be left alone again in a foreign country if something would happen (my dad died while on holiday with my mom in Mexico in 1993), so I thought if I join them that problem will be solved. OS has had a difficult year so he deserves a trip as well, moreover he had an MRI scan this week and the doctors found something suspicious which means the entire medical circus will start again when we get back. This will not be the most exciting holiday I have ever had, but it will be good to spend time with the family.

Singapore boys get new uniforms

From 30 June 2008, Singapore Airlines male cabin crew will take on a fresh look, wearing a new uniform, which will complement the legendary sarong kebaya worn by the airline’s female cabin crew. The new male cabin crew uniform is the creation of veteran French fashion designer Christophe Galibert, artistic Director of Balmain Uniformes. The fashion house was appointed for the redesign of the uniform in 2006.
Said Mr Galibert: “In designing this new look, our main aim was to retain the legendary elegance of the Singapore Airlines male cabin crew but at the same time make it more consistent with the iconic creation of Mr Pierre Balmain’s sarong kebaya. Our challenge was, therefore, to find a matching smartness and unique sophistication for the male crew uniform.” The new uniform comprises a single-breasted navy blue suit (jacket and trousers), sky blue shirt and striped tie. The tie colour differentiates the four ranks of crew.
This is the first time I hear about SQ male crew's "legendary elegance". Though I must admit that in the 1990's, I have known a few SQ guys up-close in Amsterdam, and more recently in Singapore my SQ-friend DE gave me many moments to remember.....
Anyway, don't you agree the new uniforms are a bit boring? The old light blue ones looked quite good on guys with a darker complexion.

Wednesday 4 June 2008

Getting high and saying goodbye

Around lunchtime today, I was suddenly feeling hyper-active, almost high. I even went outside to get some fresh air, and did not have a clue why I felt so excited. It was only late in the afternoon that I found out about the reason for my energy: I had been drinking the strongest coffee I have ever had. Normally, I am the first one to arrive in the office and I brew the coffee in the morning, but this morning my colleague TA arrived early and she made the coffee. I can tell you: it was strong, very, very, very strong. I hope I can sleep later tonight.....
Today was the last day that our secretary SU worked for us. She is amazing and by far the best secretary I have ever had: clever, intelligent, hard working, cheerful, pro-active, funny, simply the best. She will be going to New York to study business English for a few months, and as she is overqualified to be a secretary she will not return to our company. Saying goodbye to her, I felt a bit sad. Like sgboy wrote in a recent blog-entry, many people that we like to stay close to are moving away. Well, that's life. We found another student, MR, to be our secretary. She is from Sydney, Australia. Strange to hear a strong Ozzie accent in our office; we are working with lots of Brits and Americans but we don't often hear the Australian accent.

Centraal Beheer Commercial: Acupuncture

Another commercial from the same insurance company. I hear "ang mo", is it filmed in Singapore?

Monday 2 June 2008

Dutch insurance commercial - Adam and Eve

This insurance company is known for its funny commercials. "Call us if things go wrong".

Sunday 1 June 2008

Way too feminine and perfectly masculine

We all have our different tastes and we should thanks the gods for that. Friday evening in the bars RO brought his friend AT for the second time. AT is quite cute, he is from South America and has lots of Indian blood, but he is a bit too feminine for my taste. RO told us that he is not allowed to see, let alone touch, his cock. He wears a string during sex and all RO is allowed to do is fuck him hard. Even RO was complaining about it.....
It was a good night out with everybody there, and I had a long conversation with RM playing wise uncle. RM is (too) desperately looking for a boyfriend and gets disappointed every time meeting men who want sex but not the rest of it. So I told him to enjoy life and one day, he will find someone trustworthy and sweet. He is only in his mid-20's so he has lots of time.
Yesterday had a long chat with EY who is so totally my type, masculine, cute, perfect clothes. We only met once but he is perfect in looks and behaviour. We both can not easily host so our next meeting must be arranged well in advance. I was happy to learn that he is also looking forward to it.