Apparently celebrating New Year’s Eve is a big thing in Holland. It’s a big thing everywhere, of course, but here it’s a big family thing. Even little kids get to stay up to usher in the clock. That’s probably more of a reaction to events than anything, seeing as the Dutch like nothing more than to let off millions of loud fireworks on the street outside their individual homes.

I was unaware of the family element until the good wife informed me that it was going to be a big deal for her family that the two of us are now here on NYE. I cautiously inquired as to what this meant, and I was duly horrified to discover that there was an expectation that I present myself at a family gathering to usher in the new year.

This is after two full days of family Christmas gatherings, not to mention the new year’s day family afternoon tea that the good wife is hosting at our house for all of the relatives. To hear that I was required on top of all this to present myself to a long and drawn out evening with the same people that I would then be seeing the very next day gave me cause for concern.

For the truth is, dear readers, that I have never cared for NYE.

Continue reading “I have never liked New Year’s Eve.” →

 

It’s the end of the year and none of us have got nothing. Double negative, bitches. I haven’t done any reading this week and I don’t have any links. All I have is a Darth Vadar recruitment poster. Did you all know that vader is Dutch for father? He was one subtle dude that George Lucas.

This week I’ve been to numerous family gatherings and sociable occasions where I did my best to come off as worldly and wise but probably just came off as surly and opinionated. So, no difference there.

Without links what can this possibly be? Why would you have any reason to click below the line? Because, dear readers, I have decided to dedicate this edition to the best of the hawt chicks of this year, in my own very humble opinion. So in no particularly order, I give you the best hawt chicks of the Friday hawt chicks & links for 2017. Yeah, baby. You know you want it.

Continue reading “Friday links & hawt chicks – The hawt chicks edition.” →

The one where I discuss the importance of social connections and a sense of place.

Also, I mock Star Wars fans and their belated realisation that their beloved series legacy has been trashed. You got the movie that you deserve.

A piece over at Men of the West on the return of the traditional study.

The Man Cave needs to die. What is it besides a place for never-has-beens to hide from adulthood and to relive and revel in the achievements of their betters?

The man-cave was a banishment, a place for men to escape their wives but only if they had first been given permission to do so by her. Typically, the man-cave would be grudgingly relegated to the lowliest part of the house. She would only give you that bit because even she couldn’t envisage wanting to spend time down in the basement or out the back in the rickety shed.

Continue reading “The rebirth of the study.” →

A very merry Christmas to all of my readers. I sincerely hope that your Christmas is safe and merry, and that you got something nice under the tree.

Last night we went with the good wife’s family to the local Catholic church. It was very nice, but I was unpleasantly surprised to note that the altar boys were in fact altar girls. Not to mention the fact that some woman did a lot of the readings in between the priest taking what I can only presume were regular breaks for Dutch courage.

Today the good wife and I travel to another part of Holland where we will celebrate with her uncle’s family. Then tomorrow we host a Christmas dinner for her family. And then on Wednesday I will probably spend the entire day on the couch reading a good book.

Best Wishes,

Adam.