Last night, late, I went to go hear punk music in this little dodgy club somewhere in Oud West. Or at least I think that's what that kind of music is called. That's what Allie tells me. A friend of Allie's is touring with the band so I went along to meet him and hang out for the night. I always thought I didn't like punk music even though I'd never listened to it before. But the music was surprisingly good. A good feel to it.  The drummer was fabulous and the lead singer had a really interesting voice. I kept forgetting where I was... one minute I'd be back in Columbus at Little Brothers, it had that same musty dank feel but then I'd get a whiff of pot or hear dutch spoken or glimpse the cool lights over the bar, or see people kissing on the cheek... then I'd be yanked back to Amsterdam to the little club on Amstelveensweg or however you spell that. 

And in the process I figured out that I love to do new crazy things as long as there's a familiar part to it, like going with someone I know or speaking a language I can understand. And I love when things overlap, like getting to hang out with Allie, meet a crazy guitarist who kept saying the word "coy," exploring the city more, being in a "dutch" environment. Check check check.

Earlier that afternoon the same thing happened, I met up with some girls from my language class to watch a dutch film, eat yummy dessert, practice language, and in the process had some fascinating conversations about whether two male partners make good parents and what age is appropriate for kid's to have sex, which lead in to personal belief systems, and on and on. I know..... crazy fun, you couldn't have picked a better movie to draw from. I loved it and felt so happy and in the groove because I was doing what I get so much fulfillment and joy from: loving people, talking about purpose, meaning and life issue, practicing this complicated but fascinating new language, and making lovely new friends and just sitting in a room relaxing and being human together. 

Next week I start an art class on Monday nights. I'm so thrilled. I've been so purposeless in my art making lately. Just blah, you know what I mean? So, now knowing that I love "the overlap," I signed up for a painting class, in dutch at CRE, this art collective kind of thing that's a part of Universiteit van Amsterdam , and which you happen to get a massive student discount from since I'm a student at the VU. So I'm hoping I can do the same, make friends, speak only dutch, and rediscover the artist in me that has just been a bit squashed down lately.