Impressions of people who make up Amsterdam — Artefacts of Affection ~ The closeness between them, witnessed from up close, is so powerful it pushes me away. I’m going to sleep in the guest bedroom, I say. Their house is a jungle of plants to whom they talk. On the shelves, bottles of their drinks. Bubbly sourdough under a tablecloth. …

Impressions of people who make up Amsterdam — Spectrum ~ Who wears overalls to a date? I learn the answer quickly: zillenials. Back on the dance floor, I had a hunch of the age difference. But it didn’t matter, we were vibing. I mention the overalls, say that to me they are a sign of a different generation, whose…

Impressions of people who make up Amsterdam — Sweat story Sweat is the essence of humankind. It’s true: we are 70% water. Practically cucumbers with anxiety, as they say. Of course that’s a joke, because people have their unique personalities, whereas every cucumber is essentially the same, but you get the point. Her and I, we get the point a…

Amor fati — 1. This time, it’s going to work out. This time, you’re going to invest and you will be rewarded by a happily ever after. (At the passport control, when the border officer asks you “how long are you going to stay here?”, you blatantly reply “maybe forever!”). This place you have chosen, you didn’t end up here. It’s pretty and popular, has good jobs and earnings and things to do — and it wants…

After 8 years of living in London, I came to Amsterdam. 8 months later, I’ve settled in — Don’t approach me when I’m in the middle of cooking, or I’ll fall apart. When things are simmering and smelling nice, you can come and I’ll gladly lift the lid to show you, even if the kitchen is still a mess. My flatmate knows that. So, who’s coming?, she asks…

Dan Savage says “There’s no The One, there’s 0.73 that you round up to the one, and that’s about the best you can do”. I say, you can do surprisingly well with 0.25s — The companion Our names are in a contract for a flat. That’s about as much as we have in common, for the start. I bring all the kitchen stuff. She brings a record player. I come back in the evenings and think, I don’t want to see anyone or talk to anyone…

You’re not allowed not to. — A collection of stories about the superego, with a commentary on Žižek’s commentary on Lacan. You don’t realise how much London demands of you until you leave it. I didn’t understand what my friend meant at that time. It seemed silly and exaggerated, and somehow it hinted that I didn’t…

How and why does big tech create a bubble of entitlement? — Organic chocolate bars (sea salt & thyme, orange), lentil crisps (chilli & lime, tomato & basil), dried seaweed (sriracha, wasabi, salt), low carb protein bars, peanut butter and dark chocolate bites, milk chocolate covered marshmallows, raspberry meringue, roasted cashews and unsalted pistachios. It is my last day at work, and…

Days in pain have taught me more about being a human than years of pain-free living. It happens extremely rarely, but when it does, it’s tragic: some people are born insensitive to pain. Newborns with this condition (called congenital analgesia) don’t scream when they have a colic or an infection…