There are Places
I remember 2009
Update: December 20, 2009

Season’s Greetings YA’LL

BRRRRR is about all I can manage to get past my chattering teeth…

Most of the places I have lived or been to seem to be experiencing the wrath of this year’s winter. To think it
has really only just begun.  Here in Eindhoven this morning (just 5 days till a probable white Christmas) it’s -4
degrees C. (feels like -11 w/ a blistery North Sea wind/light snow falling).  I’m reminded I have nipples attached
to my body as the stainless steel freezes up causing what I term as “PERKY NIPPLE/They’re not GLOWING  in
the dark now WEATHER)!

I can imagine it will be very interesting to cycle to places I need to go in the next few days (I might have to refer
to my old method of transportation….FOOT).  

Here at the end of another year and the beginning of a new decade.  It feels like only yesterday we were
bringing in the millennium with all its news media hype about nothing.  That year I remember bringing it in with
my good friend Jane off the balcony of my condo in Austin Texas watching the best illegal fireworks ever put
on by the mostly M exican neighborhood behind me (haha that year and 3 years later tripp’n on a blend of
chocolate and magic shrums Jay and I were eating by the spoonful was a pretty good display as well).  
Yup…ya gotta love it!

And where’d 2009 go?  

Wasn’t it just yesterday I was on a train from Berlin to Paris sharing it with those special people I chose to
share it with…all part of that special place called memory and nostalgia.  How good times continue to fly.  It’s
been a full year with much cause to celebrate and bring in the New Year amongst those I will be with today.  
The promise of the yet unforeseen New Year…who knows?  I surrender to whatever surprise element it has in
store (sometimes reluctantly).  I’ve always liked surprises anyway.

Seems Facebook is one of those places where I’m often times surprised…I’ve reconnected this year with so
many faces from those past lives (at least 9 lives and counting).  It goes back to the consistency I seem to
have with certain people that I’ve made such a strong connection and at some point loose touch with for
whatever reason.  They keep popping up in various ways.  Because of this consistency I’m a hopeless
romantic and strong believer of reconnecting.

And meanwhile all along making new connections in which I strive on while maintaining the present
relationships (those 1 liners in Facebook say a lot).

My mom (aka M s. Betty Boop) and dad both just had their birthdays this month.  Not to mention all the other
birthdays I’m reminded of that seems to come in 2’s and 3’s weekly (again, it’s Facebook that comes to mind
while suddenly I’m bombarded with all these birthday reminders or do I really have so many friends I need the
reminders to remember all the dates?  I certainly can’t remember but the select few.  Not bad if I can remember
at the very least…your birthday month.  I guess I can thank the internet for the reminders.

And the fact that it’s ability to get to see/be in touch with those I love every once in a while (whatever did we do
before Skype and Facebook and such)!  Who’d ever thought I’d be Skyping mom on her birthday and
watching her open her gifts specially made by Ruth and sent to her in Ft. Worth from Austin ?  Seeing her face
as she opened her gift was PRICELESS and the next best thing to being there.  The whole transaction and
correspondence took place thru the internet (good thing the bar my brother and his girlfriend work at now
have free Wi-Fi as I doubt the dial up at mom and Warren’s would have allowed this miracle)…remember when
dial up was the fastest thing on the planet?  It’s hardly imaginable now but I am reminded when I visit mom : ))
~~

I shared a nice Thanksgiving this year amongst 3 American friends, 1 Dutch, and a Brit.  Everyone contributed
to making it a traditional feast complete with turkey and all the fix’ns.  Turkey is not a common thing here and it
had to be special ordered at the butcher and Dan cooked it to such perfection it didn’t need to be carved
either…fell right off the bone (please do check out the video to see for yourself as well some random surprise
shots of across the pond happenings).  

It was so damn tasty that we’ll be doing much the same dinner again for Christmas with the same American
gang (myself, Dan, M ark, Jody, and Tommy joining) and we’ll see what international variety we attract this
time.  

Much like our regular Thursday Bier Professor night out our predominately American group has become quite
international.  With the next couple of Thursdays occupied with holiday happenings it’ll more than likely be
missed until the next year (Glitter Ball on Christmas Eve and who knows what on New Year’s Eve)…it’ll be the
first year to stay in Eindhoven since my first year here (the last 3 being spent in Berlin).

I opt for the fire pit that night with a few close friends (anticipating the afternoon arrival of my good friend Janek
from Krakow in for a long holiday weekend) making s’mores and watching the fireworks that’ll be going on
amongst the neighbors all trying to outdo one another.  I’ve got all the fix’ns for s’mores…all we need is some
drink, maybe some sparklers and the pit. Who’s in?

Have you been naughty or nice this year?

Does it matter?

In Netherlands if you’ve been a bad boy or girl you are taken by Sinterklaas to Spain …uuuummmmm hey,
Sinterklaas I’ve been really really naughty all my life…CAN YOU PLEASE TAKE M E TO SPAIN THIS YEAR!

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings—then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose.
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew, like the down of a thistle;
But I heard him exclaim ere he drove out of sight,
" M erry Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight!"

See ya’ll next decade with more travel adventures (I’m envisioning a lot of visitors this year from Austin while
sugar plums dance in my head).

Love and peace always,
Jes (The Adventurer)