One week, tells, and a playlist.

Wow. I've officially been here over a week. This summer is going to disappear faster than I think.
So far today, I've been like the P in receipt. (i.e. I haven't done much) Work at the Frans Halsmuseum is only Monday to Thursday, so I'm trying to make it so that I can work at the ICN on Fridays. Haven't heard from them, so today's been a day off. I've needed it for sleep, actually. Not that I'm still jetlagged, but the sun rising earlier and setting later has me off a bit - I keep thinking that it's earlier than it is. It wasn't quite dark here until 11 last night.

So far the whole language thing has pretty much been a non-issue. Literally everyone that I've had to speak to so far has spoken English. I'm finding that I'm starting to build a vocabulary (especially with food ingredients). I almost never speak any Dutch, though, save for the occasional "dankuwel" or "spreekt u engels?" or maybe a "Nee, danku" to a beggar or someone trying to sell me something on the street. I can kind of follow conversations. Kind of. At work, it's difficult because we'll have our morning tea or lunch or afternoon tea and everyone is carrying on conversations in Dutch (as they should). Then someone will have to stop and translate ("we've just been talking about blah blah and blah") and then I say something, someone says something in response, then they go back to Dutch. It's a little awkward, to say the least.

But it's ok - I've always been an observer in these types of situations anyway. More than anything, body language and non-verbal communication -- tells, if you will -- are keeping me aware of exactly what's going on. I can see when somebody says something that's meant to be funny (so I can chuckle along), something that's not meant to be funny (so that I don't chuckle)... I've been able to pick out points when somebody says something that bothers someone else, who's flirting with whom, who around a table commands the most respect.. all of that. I'd say picking up on these things are way more helpful than any phrase list in the back of a guide book. See, poker isn't ALL that bad, right?

Speaking of which, there's a casino about 10-15 minutes by foot from where I'm staying. Have I played at all? nope. not a hand. haven't even gone to see what the games are like there. I might go once or twice, but I doubt it. There will always be another game. Who knows if I'll ever get to return here.

I might post again later tonight, prolly not. I'll leave you with the playlist that I've been listening to on my iPod on the way to work every day. Go find these songs. Do it. Do it NOW:

01. Lukewarm - New End Original 02. I'm Sorry I'm Leaving - Saves the Day
03. Hanging on the Telephone - Blondie 04. Collect from Clark Kent - Braid
05. Don't Panic - Coldplay 06. Just Like We Do - Eisley
07. She Smiled Sweetly - Rolling Stones
08. Lost in the Supermarket - The Clash
09. (What's so Funny About) Peace, Love, and Understanding - Elvis Costello
10. Stranger than Fiction - Bad Religion 11. American Idiot - Green Day
12. This is the Part - Gratitude 13. Theme from Kill Bill (extended version)
14. Halo - Martin O'Donnell 15. Ache - Jawbreaker
16. Smile Like You Mean It - Jeff Caudill featuring Buddy
17. If It's Here When We Get Back, It's Ours - Texas is the Reason
18. Four Chords, Seven Years - Gameface 19. Ali vs. Frazier I - Bane
20. Happiness - Elliott Smith 21. Transatlanticism - Death Cab for Cutie

PS - This is what part of the alphabet would look like if Q and R were eliminated
PPS - YouTube rocks & allows me to watch clips and episodes of MST3K while I fall asleep.