Bill Clinton

At work I work with 2 male and 2 female colleagues. Well we are in one room. When the 2 ladies are outside the room inside often is a cacophony of sounds; my male colleagues can belch, burp or eructate on command and our flatulence is really good. But mind that the flatulence of an average elephant is enough input for my heater to get me through the winter warmly. And when we talk about sex, well Bill Clinton and his Monica-gate is the extended version.
But today the women bgan talking about a Dutch documentary about alteration of the vagina, the majora and minora labia. It seems quite frustrating having an "abnormal" vagina. Compared to models in the industry who are photo-shopped completely everything should be frustrating for an everyday woman.
These days are the days of less differences, some people make it no differences no matter what the costs are.

I started today's entry with a message of Mr. Clinton. It's sad that he's out of the heart of politics. But he still can put a finger on the right spot. He knows what matters and together with the 45th vice president Al Gore, he can make a difference.

Worries

At work everyhing is okay, that means for the time being. Our new teamleader is really good. She is keen and picks up the things that matter very quicky. After the 3 weeks she's in duty now, she dalayed talks my colleage and I had with another department. Something we didn't want on the short term. She gives me a feeling that she cares for her people.

2 weeks ago my neighbor has heard the result of a second opinion. For 2 years now she has difficulties with eating and digesting food. Even drinking is ard to do.
The result of the test was a slap in the face: cancer on the oesophagus.
The last 2 weeks were actually like before; She did a lot of tests. The results will be here this week I think. It´s not clear to me if the cancer is malicious.

dreaming being a writer

..........zei hij dat iedereen moest beseffen dat er destijds nog apartheid bestond. Het was op z'n hoogtepunt. Daarna vervolgde hij zijn verhaal.
‘We voeren dus de territoriale wateren van de Republiek Zuid Afrika binnen, tegelijkertijd kwamen er twee schepen aan, ze voeren op ons af. Het was de Zuid Afrikaanse kustwacht. Een aantal manschappen van een van die boten enterde ons en pakte de kapitein op. Heel raar alsof het de normaalste zaak van de wereld was, dagelijkse praktijk. We protesteerden niet eens. De stuurman had alleen een kort gesprek met een agent op die politieboot. Vanaf de andere boot werd een loods gestuurd die ons veilig de haven binnenloodste. Daar werden we aan de ketting gelegd.
De kapitein werd twee dagen vastgehouden voordat onze ambassade hem vrij kreeg. Hij werd beschuldigd van spionage, wat wij natuurlijk belachelijk vonden. Onze kapitein kwam uit Suriname en als dat de reden was voor zijn arrestatie dan was het goed mis met de republiek. Wij lagen dus aan de ketting, wat ons de gelegenheid bood Kaapstad te bezoeken.
Sommigen van ons bezochten de zwarte hoeren in het zeeliedenkwartier. Dat waren de types van laag allooi, dacht ik,' Zeeman glimlachte, ‘Ze waren niet getrouwd en op zoek naar vertier na bijna twee weken op een schip met zes man te hebben rondgedobberd. Ik was de jongste van de bemanning en wilde nog wat zien in de wereld. Toen had je nog idealen. Ook ik ging het centrum in, maar niet met de anderen mee. Ik bekeek de stad met mijn westerse ogen en zag een op ras gebaseerde samenleving. Nee, het was geen samenleving maar een afscheiding. Je had er verschillende groepen. Hoewel ze in de minderheid waren, overheersten de blanken. Daaronder stonden de Indiërs en mulatten en helemaal onderaan de ladder van dat feodale stelsel stond de zwarte bevolking.
Ik was benieuwd hoe de onderdrukten, die je het smerige werk zag opknappen, leefden, waar en hoe ze woonden. Tot dan toe had ik alleen maar de villa's van de rijke blanken in de stad gezien. Ik nam de taxi naar ‘a quarter where the black people live.' De chauffeur begreep me niet, of hij wilde me niet begrijpen. Uiteindelijk heb ik me naar het station laten brengen en zag daar veewagons, mèt mensen,' beklemtoonde Zeeman, ‘Ik vroeg aan iemand die uitstapte waar hij vandaan kwam. Helaas verstond ook hij mij niet.'

‘Die man sprak zeker Zulu?'
‘Nee Douwe, hij sprak Zuid-Afrikaans. Het leek wel oud Nederlands. Het was in ieder geval bijna Nederlands. Ik vroeg waar die man was ingestapt, waar hij woonde. Dat heb ik geweten. Drie uur rijden per trein. Drie uur in een veewagon, want dat was het. Hij werkte voor een blanke en onderhield de goede mans huis en tuin. Ik vroeg hem of er in de buurt een wijk was dat leek op zijn stad. Maar Kaapstad scheen een blanke stad te zijn. Je moest uren reizen om te weten hoe de gediscrimineerde bevolking leeft in townships, in krottenwijken buiten de stad.

Het station benauwde me, te veel ellende, te veel mensen. Ik nam een taxi terug naar de haven. Er zaten al drie anderen in de wagen. Ieder keurig in pak, een wit overhemd met een donkere stropdas en idem colbert. Ze schenen bij elkaar te horen en toen de wagen reed was ik zo vrij te vragen wat ze deden. Ze zeiden dat ze voor zaken in Kaapstad waren. Ze moesten naar de haven voor een ‘Dutch freighter'. Ik vroeg of ze de Botany Bay bedoelden. Dat was zo. Daarna vertelde ik wat er met de kapitein is gebeurd. Een van hen gaf direct aan de chauffeur door in het centrum te stoppen. Ze zeiden ontzettend blij te zijn mij te hebben ontmoet. Want als zij zich in de haven zouden vertonen, waren ze onherroepelijk gearresteerd.
Anderhalve dag later was de kapitein vrij. Je kon aan hem zien dat hij niet goed was behandeld. Ons schip was intussen door de stuurman in gereedheid gebracht uit te varen en we kregen de volgende dag toestemming te vertrekken,' Zeeman stak wederom een sigaret aan met de peuk van de oude, ‘De volgende avond bij het avondeten vertelde de kapitein dat het kantje boord was dat die ANC-jongens er lucht van hebben gekregen.' De asbak deed zijn dienst.......

The week revisited

Friday I came home after another day of work. I was really tired.
The Thursdaynight was a little bit to long I think. Today I don't feel well, a severe headache. It's like I've had an enormous blow against the head. But that's not true I just went to bed very late. Also this week has had many thing to think about. First the cancer of the child last Tuesday, second the change of work, the talks about the tender and the financial wishes ( will be continued next week) and 3rd my neighbor.

My neighbor has had her examination in the hospital. After having trouble with eating and swallowing food and even water for at least 2 years now. The family doctor didn't really help, as well as the hospital doctors who are concentrating on her lower stomach. That's why she fought the medical institution for her right for a second opinion

Not much later when I was in the telephone rang. It was my neighbor. She was really quick telling about her health. It's cancer. A bad one. And because she is now recognized as a cancer patient, there will be action as soon as possible. Well Friday, tiredness, I talked 30 minutes with her. (no infact she talked 29 minutes to me) She doesn't realize what that means at the moment she told me. Clinically she pointed me out it was her mistake not to take action when not long ago a doctor (dr. M.A.M.T. Verhagen) told her that it could be a mentally disorder. He didn't want to give her a second opinion.

Well last week sucks.

Work

Work; the day started with some sun on the horizon. I felt sharp and it took me little time to reach the office.

3 Of my colleagues were already there. The day promised much. So I sat behind my desk and told my co-worker about my thoughts the work I'm doing. I won't do this kind of work for another 4 years I told him. There must be a change. We have to enter the digitalized world totally and the next public tender is the next step to go to a complete digital financial administration.
After having said that, I finished my letter to my labour-union for some assistance in the change of work.

At 11 am my colleague and I had talks about the public offering procedure with Jaap (who knows a lot about software, and connecting systems) and Madeleine. (from Planning & Control, who is member of the tender-committee) Talking with each other it became clear that we could learn from each other. Also I have a feeling that our remarks to put some minimal requirements in the tender triggered one and another. But we have to otherwise we are lame ducks not be able to work on a digital financial administration.

When I saw Madeleine I had to think about the Portuguese Madeleine affair. What happened in Portugal?

At noon Jaap got a telephone call from home, his wife called and he expected it.
But when he came back after 5 minutes he was shocked "I've to go immediately"
When he sat down he told that his daughter has a malicious tumour on her knee.
She is only 11 years old.
I never know what to do (and what to say) when I hear such news.

At home I thought how deep the impact on the parents must be. Of course the child must be in shock too, but I think that children are survivors. I got a feeling that children accept the situation they are in but at the same time they will be opportunists in a positive way. If you think differently let me know.

About a Dutch girl and the FARC

Suddenly it was news in Colombia (South America). A Dutch girl, Tanja Nijmeijer, is fighting the government, a guerrilla in Colombia. What can I say, is she naive? Maybe she is but after 4 years in the jungle she must be a tough one. Yes, she is partly responsible for the killing of people by FARC and kidnapping of Ingrid Betancourt (opposition-leader).
It is sad to watch the media on television and internet, hear about her frustration and living dangerously on the edge and see that her mother went to a FARC camp (she can find it!) to visit her daughter.
Mothers do their utmost to bring their kids in safety. But sometimes it won't work.

If the mother of Tanja can find her then the Colombian national army and police will probably know where Ingrid Betancourt and other kidnapped people are.
When they dismantle the FARC I think it may destabilize Colombia. In the war on drug the US is one of Colombia's best friends. Without FARC this can change quickly. That's certainly no good news for the government.

On my way to Amsterdam

When I came back in my old town I came along this wall. This was last weekend. I took my camera with me on cycle tour which was a day return Utrecht-Amsterdam. Partly I followed the road between the canal and the railway on the video. The return was 102 kilometer by the way.

On my way to Amsterdam I had a lot to think over. At work really a lot is going on. Especially the spreading of rumors about my colleague's and my position leaving the department is something which interest me. But it's true between 3 months and a year I will be doing work in a different way. But which way, that is the question. The management who favours our transfer does mention the pros but doesn't speak about the contras of it. Being on the department means having short lines with the work-floor and having access to (not digitalized) information and people. Files cannot leave the department so for payments I have to be on the department. There is so much to say about it. As we have a new team-leader we first want to inform her about the progress in this transfer.

Today we had a trip with our department. Some kind of team-building without the coming team-leader. (what made the interim manager decide to plan it on his last day in office?) It was a ride with cars and in the meantime we had to do some tests as in a rally like Paris-Dakar. The cars we drove were Citroen 2CV's. Very nostalgic cars, but not really for me. After 10 kilometers I was sick and at the first stop I decided to to back home. I walked 4 k to a train-station and took the train back home. That happened at 2 pm. 10 Hours later I still felt sick.

 Two days ago I had this view from my window.

this week

This week I thought I would work without co-worker. But suddenly he appeared Tuesday at work. He postponed his holiday. At work some thing are going on. A colleague who worked on a temporary basis with us was suddenly fired by her coordinator. This is not done.
Next week my co-worker and I will have talks with the manager of the department where we might work in future. This manager wants to break the ice. I informed the Unions of what will happen and they told me to put everything on paper and to make sure that the works council knows about the alterations.
I will influence the job we're having now.

About this weekend: I'll make a long distance bike tour.
I'll leave at 7 am.
When I come back the weekend will almost be over.
So all of you enjoy your days.

Paris

From above, place de la Bastille, place de la republique, view from a terrace near the Eifel tower and gare du nord

Yes, I've reached Paris and stayed there for an ultra short time of 3.5 hours.

On my way to Paris I've seen a lot, met interesting, nice people and ate good meals and drank lot's of water And I liked it. But Paris, no it's not my city.

Public service: don't go to far

Our social securities are really good here in the Netherlands. Disabled people get their wheelchairs if they need one from the local Public Service (PS) and if applied for. When the chair is stolen they get a new one immediately. It's a need for living for some disabled people. Some disabled people don't depend on a wheelchair, but that's often forgotten.
PS also pays for housing adjustments, such as stairs-, toilet- and kitchen-adjustments. The ownership belongs to the owner/user of the house. When there is damage to the adjustment due to burglary it's an insurance problem. It can't be that the invoice for reparation is for the municipality.

Such an invoice was offered to me with the subject burglary damage. I immediately informed my co-worker of the reason. I think it belongs to the owner/user of the house who should have an insurance. Let him (it's a he) pay for it. It doesn't matter weather he is handicapped, he just an ordinary citizen who should insure himself the way or citizens do. The reaction of the colleague who wanted me to pay the bill was that the client would cause a lot of trouble. Communication seems to be very difficult. It would take him 3 hours to solve the matter. Probably he would go to the local Ombudsman. The simpliest thing to do is paying the bill.

I think it's showing weakness of the PS to walk away for these possible difficulties. Also PS doesn't take it's client serious and you can ask yourself if in similar cases the same procedure will be followed.

Well, this was the last thing at work which made me a little bit angry. 3 Weeks no work.
When I leave for Paris is the question, the weather you see and maybe not only that.

A week to go

One week work lies ahead for me. Than I go on holiday. I made the decision to go to Paris en vélo.

The last experience in France wasn't very good so I got wipe that out. I'll cycle from Maastricht in the south of the Netherlands to Paris. It´ll go through the Ardennes, Along the city of Laon in the north of France, through the forest of Compiègne to the Bastille in Paris.

Also I think to do more by train to go further south.
The weather is a big disappoinment the last weeks. In Great Britain it rained cats and dogs. Here in Holland we have rain every day and often thunder. Not very good for a cycle holiday. Belgium is the same and the north of France is the same.
Hopefully the forecast will show better weather from the 7th of July.

Wednesday 4th of July: happy holiday.

Why should I?

Now it's all clear.. A week ago my colleague was not amused that he spilled coffee because of me. I apologized for that. He didn't apologize for his reaction but only listened what I had to say about how his reaction came over to me. He asked me if I would complain about him. Why should I complain about him?

We made a deal and will get coffee for each other again...

cycle tour

On a cycle tour I shoot this crossing of the nearby river. These 3 minutes feel great. It brings you closer to the esence of life. crossing the river with no stress. On the other side there is life too and the ferryman doesn't ask much for his service.

temperature rise

The severe weather warning this afternoon could be seen on the temperature maps of the National Weatherservice.





































In the center of this picture temperature is rising after a short decline in temperature due to thunderclouds

A day at the office

What a day, for the 1st time this year 31C .... I took a day off on recommendation of my co worker. I had time for cycling and I did. After changing the old brakes for new ones on the bicycle I could fly again after 2 weeks having no racing bike.

Racing 40k/hr on a light bike with small wheels, the shoes are connected via a click-on system with the bike's pedals, wearing a helmet as protection in case of a fall, short and shirt made of ultra light fabric. These statistics make the rider one with the bike. If the bike flies, the rider flies too.
This is what I did at noon and after exactly 1 hour, no second more, I was back home. I did a short trip to try the new prepared bike. A trip of 31.2 kilometer.


I cycled fast, maybe because of yesterday when I had a short clash with a colleague S. I don´t know how I should interprete the (re)action of my colleague S.

It was about coffee. I asked if my co worker wanted coffee. S. answered that he should have one, but he's not my co worker. After numerous times that my co worker and I served coffee for our room (the 2 of us and for 3 other colleagues including S.) I decided to get coffee for my co worker and myself and walked out of the room. S. ran after me, took another route and stood at the coffee machine with a pokerface waiting for another colleague (who didn't know anything what has happened). I asked him if I could get my coffee right after him. He said yes of course. Leaving colleague S. behind me.
S. and I had a short coffee mug fight, clinging with the mugs. S. won, he got his expresso.
I porred him and some coffee was wasted on the floor. Maybe that made S. angry. In his eyes I saw anger and I was astonished as well as anxious. I was in a defense mode. Standing a few metres away from him, he kicked me with his feet. At least he tried and that doesn't feel okay.