Flu + Stomach Flu = -2kg

So...after going through one heck of a flu, I had the 'pleasure' of experiencing the stomach flu a few days later, and let me tell you - as someone who is totally against throwing up, it was NOT a fun experience.

See, when you get the stomach flu, your gastrointestinal system shuts down, meaning nothing can stay in. You get totally nauseous (check) and you usually end up throwing up (...). In my case, I suppose my urge to stifle the puke-gag was so strong, I ended up with 'just' hours of nausea, while I lay on my back struggling to keep my body at 90 degrees to the floor, so that I wouldn't have to puke.

After a good um, I dunno, 6 hours, and strange nightmares of myself revolving around in a carousel (wtf right?) I decided it was time to get over my fear of throwing up, and just do it. It was no easy task, but thanks to an orange toothbrush handle and the gentle coaxing of C, I managed to choke up what had been bothering me for way too long.

I'll spare you the details, but I just wanna say: PUKING.REALLY. SUCKS!!! Oh gawd, was it disgusting. and I'LL NEVER DO IT AGAIN if I can help myself!!!!

Real life 'POPPLE'

So remember back when we were kids, there were these cute lil stuffed animals called 'Popples', that you could turn inside out?

Well a crazy Dutch woman/artist (and I use the term loosely) has created a real-life popple, using the carcasses of a household cat and dog. Calling it art, she has once killed her own cat to make a purse, shredded baby chicks in a paper shredder and let hundreds of hamsters run around for days in coloured plastic balls (poor things!).

I find it rather disgusting... and you know what they say about people who kill animals.

Read more:

http://www.tinkebell.com/popple.html

http://www.radionetherlands.nl/currentaffairs/080207-dead-dog-cat-popple

This explains everything.

Ever wonder why so many Dutch kids smoke? This was the weather report in the daily free paper the other day:

No wonder...

Dutch Efficiency

It's 10PM on a Thursday evening, and after another Bikram yoga session, my head's pounding, my mouth is dry, and I'm really craving a glass bottle of freshly pressed OJ. So, I walk into the AH To Go ('convenience' store at the Central Station) and what do I see but a MASSIVE line of people, all waiting to pay for their 1 or 2 items from ONE working kassa (cashier). I'm not talking 5 or 6 people, I'm talking 10+.

Shocked (but not really), I grab my juice and get in the back of the line. In the entrance of the store, people who would have otherwise come in to BUY SOMETHING gape at the line-up and leave quickly, taking their money elsewhere. The guy at the cash machine notices this, but can't do anything and so continues to work quickly with each customer.

I felt bad for him at first, thinking, 'Poor guy, all alone, and all these people to get through...', but when I moved up the line a bit and saw into the other part of the store, I saw not ONE, but TWO bored-looking AH staff, one placing croissants leisurely into rows and another meticulously lining up all the boxed yogurt drinks in the refridgerated shelves.

CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS!? Why, oh WHY weren't they helping out with the customers? Wouldn't it make MORE sense to get on cash to serve the customers instead of sort croissants and yogurt drinks?? It was almost closing time too! Ugggh... and get this - when I finally got closer to the cashier, I read on his plastic name tag: MANAGER.

@_@ ... Only in Holland... Only in Holland, I say.