Archive for category Personal
Counting down the days
Yes, yet another major event is planned in the near future: the 16th, we get the keys to our very own house.
The last few weeks have been all about frantically trying to obtain all necessary stuff to fill the rooms with, and we are nearing completion there. I’ve added a little countdown on the sidebar to your right, just to add to the tension that is growing on me. We’ve past the two-week mark the day before yesterday, and I’m really looking forward to it.
So: free coffee for those willing to help us out painting!
You know how to get in contact… 
Graduation time!
Tomorrow (Thursday 22nd of May) at noon, the time has come. After a six-year period of studying at my university, I’m about to graduate.
I’m actually kind of nervous right now, even though I should be lying in bed sleeping.
Blegh. It’s one of very few times I’m nervous about presenting, and it especially strikes me as odd, as I only go there to get a higher grade, as they wouldn’t go through all the hassle of a graduation party when it’s not certain.
Right?
Edit: 2008-05-22 @ 22:30
Guess who graduated?
Yours truly, and I have been awarded an 8 (out of 10) for the thesis. Happy!
Getting close
As of the 16th, it’s only a mere month before I can rightfully be declared a home-owner. Oh well, at least a home-co-owner since we both will own half of it.
Secondly, I will legally have a partner. It’s pretty weird to know you’re going to legally bind yourself to another person, regardless of the fact you perhaps even intended to do so in the future. It’s a first for me at least, and I’ve been busy getting my head around it for a month now. Don’t get me wrong here, I don’t feel regrets, sorrow or straightforward down about it, it’s the right thing to do (even when the house is ignored).
Committing apparently is not my strong point, although the women of the world probably have found out it’s a guy thing before me.
Back to cheerful stuff: this Saturday, we’ve made arrangements to do some redecorating and rebuilding in the house. For those who don’t already know what’s about to happen: I’m not going to tell you until you’re able to see the pictures. All I’m going to tell is this: next Wednesday final measurements will be made and hopefully the work will be conducted right after we obtain the key to the house. I’m delighted! 
It's a festive week
This week, several things have happened, which do not happen often.
Firstly, I got two separate acknowledgements that our mortgage is accepted by the institution lending us the money, and they do not see any reasons why not to let us be able to buy our house. Yay! We now own a vast amount of money.
Secondly, but not least: ’twas my birthday! 24 is the magic number, and there’s no more pie
The English Disease
Posted by Maarten in Argumentation, Personal, Spam on May 11, 2008
I know it’s kind of weird to discuss a defect of Dutch-writing people in English, but it bothered me that much I just had to mention it. So here goes. My personal rant on misspelling and general neglecting of rules in writing Dutch.
Whenever someone is ranting on a defect, there’s a website on that subject. This is also true for the wrongful use of spaces in Dutch writing. The website www.stopspatiegebruik.nl specifically targets the errors like “spatie gebruik”, “kern competentie” and “ontwerp keuze”. We Dutchies all know these should be “spatiegebruik”, “kerncompetentie”, “ontwerpkeuze” yet there are hordes of people determined to neglect it and expect anyone to know what is meant.
Thing is: you’d expect certain spelling and grammar errors in text written by people with lower education. When working with people who, without exception either are bachelors or masters, it comes as a surprise. You’d expect these people to have been able to write according to the rules at some point in their lives. Why not now?
So here you go: when you have to correct 50 or so spelling errors in the near-final (and probably 10th) revision of a document, something is wrong. Is this true in your organization (or client-organization)?
Relocation
Recetly, you might have exerienced some sluggishness and a hickup.
Timmo: sorry I lost your reply!
Due to a migration of this site to a new and improved install of the server, with more secure versions of PHP and mySQL, some mishaps occurred with the old system. A DB had to be put back from the backup, and thus I lost a few things. This new install should perform better, and have less future issues due to the ’hardened’ environment.
So, here we are. New day, new month, new install. Enjoy!
Far away from home
This week has started really early for me, as I got into my car at 05:45 this morning to go to Groningen. For those wondering how far that would be for me: pretty far!
I’ll be here for three days, and two nights. All I can say is that Groningen is a pretty city, I hope I can stroll through the town tonight to take some pictures of the scenery.
Sports in Waddinxveen
This weekend, I’ve competed in a A,B,C,D-tournament at Conquesto, Waddinxveen.
It is one of the nicer tournaments. Well organized, nice accommodation and nice people.
I”ve played single, men’s double and mixed double in the C-level, with pretty nice outcome. I lost the semi-final in the single’s competition, and the same holds for the men’s double. The mixed double (with my girlfriend) went better, we eventually placed for the final, and unluckily lost. So a second place is still pretty good!
New job, no more car
To my dreading, it has become that time in the life cycle of my car: it had to go.
No more *vroem-vroem*, or rattling, or flying low. No more noisy and loud acceleration, no more old Charade.
Too bad it had to go, it was my very first car. I now have a decent substitution for it though, yet I’m going to miss it.
*sentimental*
/me is done!
Whoa, that feels nice!
I’m (finally) done waiting for the approval for my graduation! I’ve set up an appointment to deal with all the bureaucratic hassle that has to be dealt with at the university, but I’m not going to change a single letter of my thesis anymore.
Done! yay!
*celebrates*
Update (2008-04-07): I’ve had to reschedule the appointment to Thursday April 10th. I hope this will be the final appointment!