Prepare the power of the pain

Grief is for the geniuses

Who create beauty in their pain

Sorrow arouses several sparks

Which we blame on the insane

A heavy heart leads to creation

Complex feelings, bitter and blue

Are the ingredients for inspiration

Despair is on the artist’s menu

What happens if trouble melts away

And all of a sudden joy appears

Cheerful colours substitute the grey

Hope and light replace all fears

Will the artist continue his work at all

His feelings light and free of despair

Or will he wait till summer turns to fall

So that the pain will be able to prepare

Prepare the power of the beaten heart

Darkness shoots right into your soul

Therefore the makers of the greatest art

Are bound to burn and lose control

To help them God has created alcohol

He has invented drugs and seduction too

Those are the golden rules of rock ‘n roll

A custom for the creator - but of great value

 

Writing & Running... What else do I need?

Yeah, finally I can bring you the great news: I've been selected as 1 of the 3 Wehkamp/Glamour bloggers! What does this imply? Well, a few months ago I participated in this competition. You had to write a short motivation that had something to do with sport. The price: a sport outfit worth 200 euros and a monthly (or once in 3 weeks) blog for www.glamour.nl. Since I had been considering the idea of running a half marathon (21 kilometres or 13 miles), I thought I should just give it a try. And... I won! Extremely cool, not only the outfit of course, but also the fact that I got the chance to write for one of my favourite magazines. Moreover, I am featured in the next Glamour (on paper that is) where they introduce me and the two other girls as winners.

Awesome, right? This definitely gave me a motivation boost to start training and to start living up to it. I am doing pretty well, if I may say so myself, cause I'm already at a distance of 15 kilometres. That's what I ran today actually! And the second motivation is the way I'm going to award myself: by getting a second tattoo if I've accomplished my goal in May. Because, I almost forget, the half marathon is in May in Leiden, which is a town in the neighbourhood (sort of).

Anyway, here is the link to my first blog, in case you're Dutch. Otherwise, I'm awfully sorry, but you can't read it! I do hope I will be able to motivate you too - even if you're not Dutch - to go outside and achieve something. Whether it'll be running, spinning, swimming or boxing. If it makes you move, it's good for you. Let's gooooooo.

Patti Smith ''When Doves Cry''

Covers can mutilate the original so badly, but covers can be so good as well.
For instance this version of Prince's ''When Doves Cry'' by Patti Smith.
I think it's an amazing one. Prince - with all due respect - can be a bit exaggerative, but the more introvert version of this song by Patti is perfect for it, if you ask me. Decide yourselves!

The Way We Were

''Your girl is lovely, Hubble''. If the first thing this quote makes you think of, is Sex & the City, you're one of the many people who hasn't seen 'The Way We Were' yet. Such a shame. 'The Way We Were' is a 1973 romantic drama, starring Barbra Streisand and Paul Newman. Yes, romantic and Barbra Streisand are both things that I always thought would make me nauseous rather than inspired, but wonders will never cease. Maybe it's because I have a weak-spot for stories about passionate lovers who don't get each other in the end. Or maybe it's because Barbra Streisand and Paul Newman sparks were flying all over the screen. Fact is that 'The Way We Were' is one of few romantic films you just need to see.

The film, which is directed by Sydney Pollack, is about Katie Morosky (Streisand) and Hubbell Gardiner (Redford). They go to the same high school but there's a day and night difference between them. Katie is an idealist, quite radical Marxist Jew who protests strongly against the war. Whereas Hubble is a loose, lighthearted WASP whose friends keep making fun of Katie. Yet there's one thing about Hubble, next to his extremely good looks, that attracts Katie: he's a fantastic writer and he doesn't seem to do that much effort for it. At the same time, Hubbell finds Katie's strong belief and ambition intruiging. Unfortunately, this is not one of those high school sweathearts stories, since they lose contact after graduation and lead separate lives.

After the Second World War, they meet again in a bar. Hubbell is just back from his work as an officer in the South Pacific and tries to adjust to normal life again. Katie is working at a radio station and still very determined to make a social change. They still have feelings for each other and now really fall in love. May sound like the usual simple love story, but, as you may have expected, it isn't. Their differences aren't that easy waved aside, because Katie can't seem to feel comfortable around Hubbell's friends. They keep making jokes about political subjects, like the death of Roosevelt, and Katie is disgusted about their insensitivity.

They break up and fall in love again (sorry to sound so brief, but that's mostly what it's like) and finally deside to move to California. They do so because Hubbell is looking for a job as Hollywood screenwriter. He becomes quite succesful in this, despite Katie's frustration about the shallowness of this job. On the other hand does Hubbell's job affort them to live a luxuruous life style (imagine drinking wine and eating fish in a beach house), so it all seems to work out fine. Until McCarthyism comes up - the period of anti-communist announcements - and Katie and Hubbell are put on the Hollywood blacklist. The differences start to form a problem again, as Katie's political activism grows and Hubbell's position as writer for sitcomes is in danger. Will their love survive?

No, it won't. I feel allowed to say this, since I already told you I have a weak-spot for love stories with a tragic ending. And the title gives away most of it as well, of course. Hubbell and Katie beautifully demonstrate the way they were, which is passionate, powerful and perfect as a pair. Though their differences tore them apart eventually, it was also their differences which made the whole thing so intruiging to look at. I always found Barbra Streisand very dramatical and annoying, but it turned out my feelings were prejudices. She's amazing as the idealistic Katie; she's funny, sharp and quite charming. Robert Redford reminds me a lot of Brad Pitt. That typical handsome, rich guy, who makes you believe he's born with it, but who actually has more to offer than just good looks. Redford is enchanting in this film. We want Katie to have him, but we want to have him ourselves even more.

The story may be a bit predictable, but aren't all romantic films? I know, I know, this is not a way of making it up, but 'The Way We Were' is so captivating, that it makes no difference. The acting work is of high quality and the two lovers just match, which makes the film very realistic. No inconvenient feelings, no moments of dreadfulness, no nothing. 'The Way We Were' is a romantic film the way it should be.

Barry the Beard

Meet Barry. Who's Barry? Barry is a beard, and not a plain one. Barry is Mr. Niggles' grizzly beard, and he's not only huge, hairy and heavy, but he also serves a beautiful goal by being the mascot of an organization against skin cancer. So, to be clear right away, let's tell the story of how Barry was born. Mr. Niggles, also known as Jimmy Niggles, is an Australian guy whose dear friend Wes discovered a mole in his neck in 2009. This mole turned out to be melanoma, which is a dangerous form of skin cancer, and Wes died not long afterwards.

The tragic loss of his mate inspired Mr. Niggles and his friends to create awareness for skin cancer. They did so by growing beards, which all stand out a lot (as you won't deny!) and have an important message to tell: check your skin and know what to look for! It's a way of telling people that it's important to know the signs of skin cancer, before it's too late. Mr. Niggles and his friends started 'Beard Season', which is an organization that invites guys to grow a beard in winters and become ambassadors in the fight against melanoma. Check out their site 'This is Beard' for all the guys who already did this. So to every guy who reads my blog from time to time, a beard is not only a fashion statement or a way to attract girls (me, at least), it's also a great way to make a change. What's holding you back? Start growing those beards!

Don't Date a Girl Who Travels

Unlike all the poems and short little sketches (as my previous one about the tree house) this specific post is not very original. That is, it is written by someone else. As far as originality meaning fresh and creative, this post definitely is original. The girl who wrote it, is Adi Zarsadias and keeps a blog called Love the Search. Her post 'Don't Date a Girl Who Travels' describes everything I aspire to be as a girl, which might not be that positive when it comes to finding a boyfriend. Since that isn't my ambition for the near future anyway (remember the words written on my back!), I can only embrace this post. With Valentines Day coming closer each day, life without a significant other can be harsh. But if you're a free spirit too, young and free, and eager to travel the world and live the life described in this post, then you should embrace this post too. It's amazing, it's straight to the point and it's funny. And to all the guys who read my blog, it's some damn good advice. So what's holding you back? Read it!

Don't Date a Girl Who Travels

She's the one with the messy, unkempt hair colored by the sun. Her skin is now far from fair like it once was. Not even sun kissed. It's burnt with multiple tan lines, wounds and bites here and there. But for every flaw on her skin, she has an interesting story to tell.

Don't date a girl who travels. She is hard to please. The usual dinner-movie date at the mall will suck the life out of her. Her soul craves for new experiences and adventures. She will be unimpressed with your new car and your expensive watch. She would rather climb a rock or jump out of an airplane than hear you brag about it.

Don't date a girl who travels because she will bug you to book a flight every time there's an airline seat sale. She won't party at Republiq. And she will never pay over $100 for Avicii because she knows that one weekend of clubbing is equivalent to one week somewhere far more exciting.

Chances are, she can't hold a steady job. Or she's probably daydreaming about quitting. She doesn't want to keep working her ass off for someone else's dream. She has her own and is working towards it. She is a freelancer. She makes money from designing, writing, photography or something that requires creativity and imagination. Don't waste her time complaining about your boring job.

Don't date a girl who travels. She might have wasted her college degree and switched careers entirely. She is now a dive instructor or a yoga teacher. She's not sure when the next paycheck is coming. But she doesn't work like a robot all day, she goes out and takes what life has to offer and challenges you to do the same.

Don't date a girl who travels for she has chosen a life of uncertainty. She doesn't have a plan or a permanent address. She goes with the flow and follows her heart. She dances to the beat of her own drum. She doesn't wear a watch. Her days are ruled by the sun and the moon. When the waves are calling, life stops and she will be oblivious to everything else for a moment. But she has learned that the most important thing in life isn't surfing.

Don't date a girl who travels as she tends to speak her mind. She will never try to impress your parents or friends. She knows respect, but isn't afraid to hold a debate about global issues or social responsibility.

She will never need you. She knows how to pitch a tent and screw her own fins without your help. She cooks well and doesn't need you to pay for her meals. She is too independent and wont care whether you travel with her or not. She will forget to check in with you when she arrives at her destination. She's busy living in the present. She talks to strangers. She will meet many interesting, like-minded people from around the world who share her passion and dreams. She will be bored with you.

So never date a girl who travels unless you can keep up with her. And if you unintentionally fall in love with one, don't you dare keep her. Let her go.

Design your Dreams

'Would you prefer a land house on the country, an apartment in New York or a villa near the lake?

In other words, if you could live in any place you wanted', I was asked, 'where would that be?'

I didn't need time to think in order to give an answer, since it wasn't a difficult decision to make

'None of those would make me happy, if I could design my dream house, it would be located in a tree'

Heroin killed Hoffmann

'Because a mainer to my vein

Leads to a center in my head

And then I'm better off and dead

Because when the smack begins to flow

I really don't care anymore'

is what the late Lou Reed sang in his song 'Heroin'. Quite a dark song but perfectly fitting the drug described. While I'm writing this, I'm listening to an hour of songs which have to do something with heroin on Radio6 (my favourite jazz radio station). Too many songs for just an hour, cause heroin is the artist drug par excellence. Many jazz artists used it: Billie Holiday, Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, to name a few. It is extremely addictive and so a great deal of the users have died using it.

Not only music artists are known for using it, but also actors, including River Phoenix and Robert Downey Jr. And yesterday a name was added to the list of deads caused by heroin: Philip Seymour Hoffman was found dead in his apartment in Greenwich Village. It is not yet known if it was because of an overdose or if the heroin he used was polluted. Fact is that the police found 50 bags of heroin in Hoffman's apartment.

With the age of 46, I'm not sure if I am able to add Hoffman to the famous list of those who died young (am reading a fabulous book on this subject, if I'm allowed to express myself this way!) but he definitely will become a legend. Especially his portrayal of that other legend Truman Capote in the biopic 'Capote' will go into history as one of the best acting performances ever. I have to say that the only other film I've seen him in was 'The Big Lebowski', in which he had just a small part, but definitely a good one. Despite the fact that I don't know that much about him, I find it hard to imagine he died because of an heroin overdose. He comes across as such a sweet, innocent guy. Somewhat chubby, his hair a bit too light but never hard and cold as I imagine heroine users to look like (Miles Davis for example).

But, despite his looks (what do they say, after all?) Hoffman was a frequent user anyway. At the age of 22 he had already recovered from an alcohol and drug addiction. He probably wasn't meant to remain clean, for he relapsed in 2013 and finally, the filthy drug costed him his life in 2014. Such a shame, such a waste and such a futile dead. Let's hope heroin will once lose all of its force of attraction and will die out. The sooner, the better.