Chuu's Monoblog

[chuuthebadguy-blog]

Back to School Chronicles week 4&5: Boredom Blog

So I am sitting in class right now doing what I do best(nothing in particular!). So I am back after some rough weeks and the first thing I have noticed,.... is that I haven't really missed a beat when I think about it. Here I was, paranoid about me falling behind and,....nope pretty much the same as it was two weeks ago.

This week I thought I'd write about a little concern I have with some things I notice. It's getting more and more obvious how much time we are actually wasting. Now don't get me wrong here, I am not complaining about this, just concerned.

We have in total twelve hours of a specific subject where we do nothing more than work on our homework. Weird huh? We get what I think is not enough teaching (although to be fair it's enough for me), and more do it yourself stuff. There are good things about this system that I actually understand why they are going about it. The bad thing is that the students including myself are feeling like these classes aren't really necessary to progress. More and more students are starting to cut this class when they know there isn't a lecture. Quite frankly, I don't blame them.

It's horrible to cut class but it's just so much fun. Problem of mine is the fact that I have been chronically cutting class since high school. It's a great feeling to not give a damn. Now that I am actually trying to go to class, I start seeing more and more reasons why I actually should cut class once in a while. This class is pure boredom! We do nothing (which inspired me to write a blog about this, go figure)!

Why should I stay in this class when I am not being taught? Why should I stay here while others are doing exactly what I am doing (not working on homework). Chances are, that most people in class already have the homework done (like myself) and pretend not to have done it just to keep this boring class from actually being exciting. We could use more lectures, since we are all pretty hungry for information in this class.

I am surrounded by smart kids. No doubt about it. Only thing I fear is that at a certain point, their motivation won't be high enough to finish this course. The "do nothing" feeling in class is also starting to affect other classes as well. I haven't been to Dutch class in a while but from what I hear they haven't really learned anything yet (did I mention that Dutch is my next class). They aren't even interested in the class.

There is something that has gone wrong I think. I sense a level of frustration that can only go away if these people are challenged more often.

[chuuthebadguy-blog]

Back to School Chronicles week 2&3: Not so much happened. I did learn something though,....

First things, first. I haven't written anything for the blog because quite frankly, I didn't feel like it and I barely had time. I barely had any classes to attend in the last two week due to sickness and there wasn't much to say honestly. However I did learn something for one of my classes. I have to research this supermarket for one of my assignments and I ended up wanting to share my thoughts on it. It's rather interesting. The reason why I write it here is because it has educational purposes.

I am also very interested in how the Lidl (the chain in question), operates and what the effects are. Few of the names that will be used in this blog are Dutch supermarket names that are in direct competition to the Lidl.

A few years ago I remember telling my fiancé that the Lidl will be growing faster than any other supermarket/discounter in The Netherlands. Fast forward to the present,....it's exactly what is happening.

As mentioned I am currently doing some research on the Lidl for school. I thus have to seek information on their organisational structure. These Germans have a tight lockdown on their organisation. It's actually quite the challenge to find information on how they operate. However, their performance for the last few years are well known and thus I spawn the following:

The Lidl are growing fast! 15% growth in their market share the last period proves this. I have noticed something a few years back that started to become more common. I have noticed that wherever you find a Albert Heijn,... you'll find a Lidl closeby! I asked myself this simple question: why?

I am not educated on this matter but I do have a perspective I could share. Times are rough financially. People have started (finally!) to realize that it's not the brands that matter. It's the price! The mentality towards shopping at discounters are changing rapidly and the fact that Lidl products are beating it's competition in tests,....pulls customers.

There are other little things that are a factor. Shopping at the Lidl (my experience at least), is more pleasant than at it's competitors!. I do not need everything to be stacked neatly in order to buy. Lidl's formula of just adding the box and letting it's customers take it, feels easy. By doing this the Lidl also cuts workforces as they do not need much staff to operate a store.

The most important thing is that you get good quality for the price you pay. Lidl guarantees this and backs it up every single time. When your prices are that low and you are in the media every time winning, it's a no brainer that people were slowly but surely becoming aware.

The Lidl are really doing great. So great in fact that it's competitors are forced to adapt their prices (win for the consumer), just to keep up. Albert Heijn for example are going so far as to adapt some of the Lidl ideas into their supermarkts right now. Notice some unpacked boxes these days in the AH, it's quite funny when you think about it.

Bottomline is that the Lidl are doing something right. I know for a fact that their employees aren't always the happiest (as my fiancé works there and I have been through it myself), but at least they get a fair wage. There are things that the Lidl are also adding to their repetoir and if this continues, in about 10 years, the Albert Heijn is really going to have a run for it's money!

Well now that I got that over with (with a bunch of non interesting stuff), I can continue on how my week will go on from now on. I don't think I will try to do this blog every sunday as I mentioned before. I actually am quite busy and have little time to actually write (unfortunately). I will write when I feel something has to be shared (or complained about). Until next time (when I feel like it).

[chuuthebadguy-blog]

Back to School Chronicles week 1: A surprisingly good vibe!

Ok so I haven't been writing for a while (sorry) because I was too busy turning my life around. I promised at the beginning of this year that I would get into school. Guess what?! I did! It wasn't the first choice, but I managed to get into a school that I am content with, so the career building has started. I will write about my recent experiences to close out The Monoblog later but for now, I want to start something new. I present to you; Back to School Chronicles! It all started when my fiancé and I where biking through a nearby town. We saw this ad near a busstop about last minute school options. After some debate (due to some issues), we've decided to attend the following day. 

So I got there accompanied with Mouse (my fiancé) to check out if I could still be accepted. This was a long shot considering my age. With some luck (and sales skills) I managed to score an intake and after I explained my situation (with a heavy dose of motivation), I lucked out again and got accepted the following day. I was so excited like you wouldn't believe! So I am doing International Business Studies at a community college now. Yeah, it's not quite english teacher but I failed to get into a higher form of education so I ended up here. Reason I chose this is because I already started this some time ago. It was something I didn't finish because of the horrible management at the previous school (honest,..it wasn't I). This one however, after experiencing it for the first week, feels legit! I also very much enjoyed the minimum amount of information I got last time. So much so, that I wanted to learn more of it. I can already tell that the way things are handled now are so much better than last time (benefits of going to a better school). I actually doubt no teacher this time around in their capabilities to teach. Only time will tell though (strong pessimist in the force there is..).

I decided to blog my experiences at school as I go along with my courses. The reason I thought of this is because I just so happen to be the oldest student in class. Here I am, 29 years old, sitting amongst teenagers....yeah.....These coming years are going to be something interesting hahaha.

Anyways,...I hope to document some crazy stories with my new class. They just so happen to be a very cool bunch of people. As usual in my stories I will use aliases to describe their characters going along (only with their consent of course). This blog will no doubt provide some interesting point of views as I analyze myself in this setting for the coming 3 years (ugh here we go).

My class I couldn't be happier with (yeah, no kidding!). Going in at first I thought that I wouldn't quite fit in due to my age. Fortunately I managed to do just fine. My classmates aren't too rowdy either (relaxed). I can appreciate this going forward. I always say that going to school is like going to work so take it seriously (MESSAGE!). I have decided to be an open book to them. I am of course in a different stage in my life. I understand certain things on a completely different level. I intend to positively use this experience to help my classmates (if they choose to use this). My perspective on things might enlighten some or spark some interesting discussions (maybe enlightning me, so I look forward to these).

My teachers are pretty much all cool. Except for one! Somehow our Dutch teacher didn't fit well with me. I don't doubt her teaching skills at all though. Maybe it's just me but I didn't have much fun in her class. I could also sense the irritation of some in class. This is a first impression though and I don't plan on letting it bother me going forward. I might be wrong in my first assessment so I'll give her a second chance. The rest of the staff though, I couldn't support more! There is one specific one I totally enjoy. This guy senses very accurately the moment the class starts losing focus and uses it for short breaks. The freedom he provides in class is respected and attention is well given. I also dig our social studies teacher. She sparked up interesting discussions that made the class fun. 

All in all this is was the introduction to "Back to School Chronicles". I hope to have a succesful finish to this blog (which means in 3 years with me and my diploma in hand). Until next week (that's sunday folks!) when I blog about my coming week.

[chuuthebadguy-blog]

The Monoblog: Why you don't want to be me!

I have been through a lot. I've had a miserable high school life. I almost died in a car crash. I've been to rehab. I've lost friends and I never got to properly say goodbye to my deceased grandfather. All of this doesn't compare with me myself and I. I'm a guy who is respected a lot by my friends. While I envy most of them, I sometimes think that they feel my potential capabilities are enough to earn their respect. Truly though this bothers me. I love my friends, don't get me wrong here. The problem I have is the fact that out of all of them I have amounted to be the least of them all! I'm turning 29 next month and I still don't have a diploma at all! It's a damn shame! While I am very intelligent, I am also the dumbest person ever! I am very critical of myself because I need to be. I am an adult by now with problems so severe, I am forced to deal with them or fail at life. My thought processes haunt me every day. They aren't normal either. I just can't help or even stop them from happening all at once. I lack sleep, I'm short fused and worse of all, no one seems to understand it at all. I have this problem that I consciously think all the time. It's weird to explain. It's like my brain is telling me a story within a story every time I think about stuff. The problem with this is that the peace of my mind is never there. I haven't been able to control this phenomenon without cannabis and quite honestly it's been driving me insane for years (extra so these past few months out of rehab). It's no fun being able to analytically dissect every thing I put my mind to, even if it is for a fraction of a second. What I am writing about now I haven't told anyone except my friend Gutierrez (a fascinating individual that deserves a monoblog on his own). The reason I call myself dumb is because I know I am smart. I haven't done anything but destroy myself in the past 10 years in fear of my own self. I was convinced that I had to limit myself or else things would get crazy out of hand. It's also one of the reasons why I started smoking cannabis so early in my adulthood. Honestly sometimes it gets so bad that I am not there anymore. It's like I have created this persona to function for me while me myself takes a rest inside a dark place in my mind.  Now that I am no longer smoking like I used to, my thought processes are unlimited and thus I'm literally restless all the time. I guarantee you that it's no fun when every thing hits you like a ton a bricks. One of the positive things that this curse provided for me is to self analyse and do something about it. Trust me when I say I have but here is the tricky thing about my situation. I can't find a job that I would like to keep. It's not like I never do my best or anything like that. I just so happen to have such a low tolerance for people that I end up self destructing EVERY SINGLE TIME. It's a vicious loop I have to deal with that I can't seem to shake off (no matter how hard I try). My resume looks horrible because of this and if it wasn't for my will to progress, I would have probably been homeless by now. It's a struggle that I have created myself because of myself and I seem to drag other people down with me that are around me. I influence people in the worse way possible. Sad thing is, I don't even intend to do so. One thing is clear though. The start of getting out of this loop is to study. I have made my clear choice at least come September. I need to do my best in order to get back into school and finish my education before it's too late. Trust me when I say you do not want to be that 30 year old sitting in class, full of teenagers, chasing the exact same dream you knew years ago you wanted. I have survived for the past decade on false ideals and I have almost destroyed my chances for my own future. I may have many great stories to tell but my issues may never go way. I'm still the irritated man who over thinks EVERY THING and hates the dumbing down process around me.  I hope this year will be the turning point for me. I have the support of many great people in my life and I will not disappoint. I do need more help for my state of mind though. This is getting ridiculous and honestly, I'm sick of it! It just sucks to be me!  

[chuuthebadguy-blog]

The Monoblog: A pseudo introduction to Chucky!

I've mentioned that Hadasa is my best(est) friend ever. She always will be and enough said. I do have a friend I spend more time with. He is the only male friend that I have that falls into the "best friends" category. Chucky! I've been writing these short story blogs as cleanly as I possibly can. It took a while for me to even begin to write this one because honestly, every time I think about Chucky, I just want to murder the guy (not literally...duh!). What are friends for right ? Chucky is one of those friends I can always trust but have to keep an eye on. If it's in his benefit to screw you over, he'll do it! I don't blame him, I'm the same in that regard! He and I share so many bad habits it's no wonder he and I clicked rather quickly. Dasterdly mutual respect! Chucky and I met back in high school. I was in the 3rd grade and he just came in the 1st grade starting second tremester. He transferred from an high school on Aruba where I happened to be just the year before that (a school I definitely am going to write about sooner or later). WE HATE THAT SCHOOL. He didn't speak papiamento yet but since dutch is the main language every Aruban knows, it wasn't a problem. My dutch was always fluent in speech so for a little while that was how we communicated. He did learn papiamento VERY quickly though.  It wasn't until after a certain event he and I started hanging out more and more. I have a little brother who was in class with him. Chucky is the type of person that once he knows he irritates you, he won't stop. He was annoying my brother and even after all the warnings didn't stop. Long story short, he got his arse kicked. After that happened, he actually was cool with my brother. Chucky recognized there I think that sometimes you just have to back off.  He also has something that is very weird. By now it's normal to us his friends but what he has is not normal at all! He barely eats anything that isn't french fries! His eating pattern has improved a bit over the years but even so it's still horrible. I personally think he is unbelievable! His diet contains of bread and cheese, cheese pizzas and french fries. There are some other things he learned to eat over the years (noticeably fried) but those 3 are his primary source of food. What makes this unbelievable yet true is that this dude is HEALTHY! COMPLETELY HEALTHY! He's a mutant I tell you! The only man I know of that lost weight eating french fries! Talk about an awesome super stupid super power ha ha. He and I have been through a lot. I could probably write a book on our adventures alone. We fought, we laughed, we had each other's backs and we also shared a near death experience together. This guy is my brother from another mother and throughout our friendship I've always helped him out whenever I could. Even when we are severely pissed off at each other, we just shake it off and let it slide. We recognize that our egos clashing doesn't make any sense so the only sense is to drop the issue. Unless it's serious, we won't talk about it. Chucky is also very talented in graphic design. He is a self-taught photoshop genius, straight up! The problem I have with it is that he doesn't want to progress professionally with it. Waste of talent I must say but he did say something to me a few years back that stuck with me. Honestly, it changed to course of my life by making the correct decisions for myself. He said: "I love to do graphic designing as a hobby, the second I think it feels like a job I wouldn't do it anymore". He was right! I have been a sales person for so long and I love to talk to people and sell them great deals but, it's a job I didn't particularly enjoyed because it felt like a job. I have recently applied for school again and made my career choice based on what he said. It's funny that I wrote this story in this way because there is truly a lot more I can tell about him that is very interesting and fun to read. I just can't as his friend do that because even he agrees that it wouldn't be reader friendly. We really were a bunch of bad apples :). If I ever decide to actually write about my adventures with Chucky, I promise that  I won't hold back. This monoblog is meant for everyone and his story through my perspective is not.

[chuuthebadguy-blog]

The Monoblog: The Aruban Pride

Before I start my long overdue blog, I will quote two things from Wikipedia about Aruban history that are relevant:

In 1636, Aruba was acquired by the Netherlands and remained under their control for nearly two centuries. In 1986, Aruba seceded from the Netherlands Antilles and became a separate, autonomous member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, under the Dutch crown.

I have been very vague in my blogs with where I am from. I have continuously mentioned “the island” over and over in my previous blogs. No more! In case you haven’t noticed with the introduction to this piece, I’m from the small awesome Island of Aruba! Arubans are a special race of people. We dominate languages like no other on this planet. We are very relaxed people (some would call us flat out lazy). We love the beach and above all WE LOVE BEING ARUBAN! We take pride in it actually! There is a reason why I quoted those two lines from Wikipedia to start of this blog. Technically speaking I was born on the Island as an Antillian (a smudge on my heritage because I am born before ’86, thanks mom and dad!). In 1986 when Aruba seceded from the Netherlands Antilles, it marked the greatest and proudest moment of Aruba’s history. We could now call ourselves Arubans proudly! (trust me when I say we take that one to heart). I’ve mentioned in my previous blogs that I currently live in the Netherlands. One of the benefits of being Aruban is the fact that we are Dutch by nationality (which makes us European). The Netherlands is a fine place to live when you are seeking education and experience for work and stuff (until I take my arse back home to relax). There is one thing that irritates the living hell out of me here though; I am still considered an Antillian here. We as Aruban HATE that! (if you as an Aruban doesn’t, you should!). Ask any Aruban regardless of their age if they are Antillian and they WILL correct you! For the past 27 years we have proudly defended our new and eternal status of Aruban! The whole point of seceding was to be able to call ourselves that! I actually think that after all of these years, calling an Aruban an Antillian is turning out to be quite offensive (or at least I feel that way and I know I’m not the only one). It hurts my pride every time I have to fill out government forms where I am forced to fill in Netherlands Antilles on my place of birth instead of Aruba! I love where I come from and I love that I am free. Calling an Aruban Antillian is like calling a black guy the ”N” word (it’s that same feeling I tell ya). Now there are proud people from Curacao that proudly call themselves Antillians and there is nothing wrong with that. We as Arubans choose NOT to call ourselves that and we expect to be respected that way. All we ask is to call us Arubans! Nothing much to ask considering we have that right! It’s a pride thing! If you as a person are proud of something, you cherish it for the rest of your life. I am a proud Aruban and I will always correct people when they incorrectly label me as an Antillian. To close out this monoblog I must add something else to this. To be Aruban you don’t have to be born on Aruba! Being Aruban is also a way of life! Many of my foreign (technicality) friends are Arubans. They live on the Island, they adore the Island and they will defend the Island proudly. Our culture is easily embraced by anyone who cares to learn them and live by them. We are amazing like that!

[chuuthebadguy-blog]

The Monoblog: The lost art of journalism

Let me start by saying that I am no journalist by any means. I am a person that cares for freedom of speech in every sense of the word. I feel so strongly about the issue that I actually ENJOY living in The Netherlands where journalism actually seems to mean something. Trust me, that is saying something! (me living here I mean). What I have an issue with is how slowly but surely though, we here are being influenced by the crap that is coming out of the USA! Except for the radio stations here (which I truly hold at high standards), TV has become,.....meh! No thanks to the USA. Since when was it ok to lower the standard to the likes of Fox "news"? Since when was it ok for CNN to be crap news? Since when was it ok for the only legit news out there, (The Young Turks to a certain extent) not being taken seriously? Not only that but it's RIDICULOUS that Jon Stewart's and Stephen Colbert's satire are considered more credible as news than ANY of them combined! I have some American friends and family that I care about a lot. Ms Weathers, Ms Hanson, Ms Williams and my family in Florida. It pains me to know how much they are being lied to every day. It pains me to know how much they are being screwed! My opinion might come over as strong to them when I criticize their political stances (either it be left of right), but that is only because what all of them truly want (in context), is to be able to have what we have here! We here in The Netherlands are slowly but surely becoming more American in terms of media. While here, anything can be mentioned on air (profanity included), there was a certain level of intellect that goes into whatever the Dutch say on their respective shows (this still holds true for radio though). True journalism has devolved into a satiric form in order to have people pay more attention to it. This is WRONG. I care about keeping people informed. I care about people being educated. What I DON'T care about is being fed crap after crap and the unwillingness to call out a lie when lied to on national television. It's no laughing matter at all! Where are the journalists? Where are the people that truly cared about speaking the truth? Why has the art of journalism been destroyed? I will tell you why! People let it happen. No longer are you interested in what is happening around the world. No longer does it matter for you to be educated and informed well enough to be able to make your own decisions. The second the news became propaganda for politics, journalism was lost! I have mentioned The Young Turks earlier. I can seriously say that they are BY FAR the most legit source of news America can have at the moment. They are what journalists should be. They can do better I think by giving us less stories that aren't relevant though. They're strong on their political hour (when Cenk is hosting) but rather weak on their second hour I think. However! Their second hour is STILL more informative than any hour on Fox, MSNBC, CNN and the rest of the crap you can find on TV! I haven't been able to watch them on TV. All of my opinions come from their online show which I root to become better.  People need to stop taking what the media feeds them. This has been said over and over but it cannot be stressed enough! WAKE UP people. Stop being the idiots that you are thought to be. The longer this goes on, the longer they are right (and thus win)! Journalism is becoming instinct and it's a damn shame! You know what is truly sad for the USA? HBO's The Newsroom (an incredible show I must add) has more facts built into their fiction than most of the news has! 

[chuuthebadguy-blog]

The Monoblog: How I met the love of my life!

I've been on a writing spree lately! There is just so much I want to tell the world that I couldn't contain myself. My last piece of the day will be a story on how I've met my fiance. If you have read my material starting with the kick the habit series and a few monoblogs , there are a couple of mentions on the start of my relationship. So without further a do here goes. September 16th 2006!  I will always remember that day like it was yesterday. It was the day that I (and a few others), organized the first anime convention on the island. This is also the day that changed me forever. Included in the schedule was a Yugioh card tournament. Many players from the island came to play and everyone was having fun. I remember specifically putting up a sign to be responsible for their own stuff. Back then I was a real jerk. I never really cared for anyone but my friends. When it came to women I was respectful but a jerk nonetheless. Love was seriously something I couldn't believe in. And then it happened. Someone decided to steal at the event. This girl walked up to me saying that there was a thief in the room because her sealed card was stolen. My heart stood still. I've never felt anything like it! She was the prettiest being I have ever laid my eyes on. Those eyes that stared at me were awesome to say the least. Suddenly this urge to "protect" came upon me and I was pissed! (all of this and I haven't said a word to her).

I gathered everyone at the event into the main room. I was so angry that anyone would do anything wrong to this girl. I played it off like I was angry because of what happened to my event. I actually threatened to stop the event without refund if there wasn't a solution. Sure enough, it came quick (the solution that is) and the event continued. I was actually praised for that move! I haven't seen her after that moment. I was busy hosting the event and barely had time to do anything else. After the event I started going out frequently in hopes that she would be in the clubs somewhere. She was nowhere to be found. A couple of months later the gang and I went on a camping trip and my car broke down. Lady luck was there with me that day. We were buying stuff for barbecue at   a supermarket and there she was! She ended up convincing her mom to give us a lift to the camping site. I couldn't say a word to her! For the first time in my entire life, I WAS SHY!!! I've noticed that she was also staring back at me and smiling in the car. Problem was, she was also too shy to say anything to me! Needless to say I failed that day! I continued to go out after that to find her again but I haven't seen her since. Until..... February 2009. It was carnaval season and my friend and I were at the lightning parade. A night parade that happens twice in that season. We were walking around and I spot her from afar! I immediately made my way to her but to my disappointment I saw her with a friend of mine. To my eyes they looked like they were on a date so I kind of felt crushed at that moment. I noticed she enjoyed my presence though so I knew we had a connection. Again though, no word was said due to shyness again. As I walked away, I realized two things. One she looked back at me when I also did the same thing and two, the guy she was with wasn't holding her hands. So I concluded they couldn't be on a date! The very next night was the second of the night parades on the island. Lady luck shone upon me again that day. They say 3 times a charm well.... it took me 4 ok!(bite me). The difference this time around was that I was drinking. Not drunk but I was working my way to it. There she was again. I remember my friend standing next to me and told him this: "dude you see that girl over there? without saying a word i'll just extend my hand and she'll be mine"  My friend said there was no way I was THAT good! He walked up to her (again with that same friend of ours with her) and invited them to stand with us. We just so happen to have a prime spot that day so there was no way they would refuse the offer. The first thing I did (without saying a word) was extend my hand to her. She took it! My friend looked at me like I was a BOSS! It felt really comfortable holding her and dancing. By this time of course I introduced myself properly (she already knew my name and I knew hers as well through friends). We were inseparable. We danced for like 5 hours straight! I was love struck! That night after dropping my friend off I got to talk to her till 6 am in the morning. We kissed, we talked and it felt like we were always together! It was by far the most comfortable moment two strangers could have. It was as if we already knew each other.  After that we were together pretty much. All of my friends were in shock (that I actually had a girlfriend) except for Maria who was really happy for me.  There are some small events that happened in between but our relationship went official on February 27th 2009. I have been with her ever since!

[chuuthebadguy-blog]

The Monoblog: Brother of Honour!

I'm a lucky guy! Three of my four closest friends are female. I already wrote about Hadasa and Maria. Now it's time to write about Catherine.  Catherine was always an oddball. She was and still is probably the only friend I have that can keep up with me in terms of point of views. We have always looked outside of the box. I seriously have to say that at one point, I saw myself in her. Hadasa and Catherine were once best friends back in the day. I got to know Catherine during the times they were close. Catherine was an odd one at times. Not odd in a bad way. I think most people misunderstood her completely. Personally, I enjoyed her presence. She is very outspoken, never backed down and straight up says it like it is. WIN! I like! She didn't hang out with us as often. I never truly considered her as a full member of the clique but she was always a welcome sight (an honorary member so to speak). The reason I never considered her as part of the clique was because she was on a completely different level than the rest of them. She was like me. I always had this impression that just like me, she held herself back to fit in. While I succeeded immediately to fit in. I think she took a bit to be comfortable because I remember the group being a bit put off by her religion. We are all atheists (still are) and she was what seem to be a strict Jehovah's witness. Not that we had any problem with that. I remember though that at the time we weren't as open minded (we were teenagers) as we should have been. So rumours about her ran rampant. Not even started by us. By people who also hung out with Catherine. Catherine is an incredibly intelligent individual. I don't say this often about people I know. I didn't even say this about Hadasa. Catherine is just too smart for her own good. So smart that she has this narcissistic aura about her. Me being a narcissist by default couldn't help but to love the self confidence boasting out of her. I've always enjoyed her presence. Too bad she was absolutely not my type. Going forward. Catherine's relationship with me was always based out of respect. At one point I organized an Anime convention on the island. Truth be told, wasn't it for her organized ethics, we wouldn't have gotten far. Our organization (the clique all grown up by then) didn't agree with me when I appointed her to vice-president. Truth be told, she was more than qualified and I have never regretted that move. Everyone else hated it though but they didn't see what I saw. This all came after the group elected me to lead the project. I did just that. I lead them and I needed the help of someone who could see eye to eye with me. Working with Catherine in our common goal was one of the greatest experiences for me. She taught me indirectly what I lacked. I hoped she learned some tips and tricks from me as well. Another thing I have to credit her for: If it wasn't for her organized ethics, I probably wouldn't have met the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes upon. The woman that 3 years later became my girlfriend who's now my fiance (a story I will definitely write about). The relationship between Catherine and I was always based on casual one ups manship. She would almost always debate me in anything. Even when we agreed on something I always found a point where we could disagree just for the sport of debate. She is always a good sport. I enjoy that! Catherine didn't have many good friends. At least that is the impression I got. At one point we started hanging out more and more and she got into this relationship. It was more serious than it seemed but things were moving way too quickly. She came to me for advice. I continued to do what I do best. No kiddie gloves, no holds barred, kicked her arse with logical sense! She got asked for hand in marriage after dating like 2-3 weeks or so. She was considering taking the offer. For someone who is so intelligent, I was actually disappointed that she even considered it to be honest. She heard this straight up from me. She eventually accepted the marriage proposal. This I wasn't in favour of at the time because it was too soon. The guy she married I didn't have ANY problem with. Heck, he is a good friend of mine (we should totally go fishing again Tom :P). I just thought it was too soon. One thing I couldn't deny was the fact that I saw Catherine was truly in love with him.  This story is called Brother of Honour. Catherine you see, had no female friends. NONE! I was the closest friend she had at the time. She knew everyone opposed the marriage and she knew I was one of them. I did however accept the honour of being part of one of the most unconventional marriages ever (I always have my friend's back). She didn't have a maid of honour so she asked a guy, ME to be what she recently dubbed as "brother of honour". What made this all amazing was that Tom's best friend, the best man of that wedding later became one of my smoking buddies :). In the end Catherine proved everyone wrong. Her marriage worked out. She has two kids by now and is doing great! Even if I opposed it at the time they went for it, I am still glad I accepted to witness her marriage. It was indeed an honour and I will always cherish it. Catherine, you rule! Do what you do best and continue to shut people up!  

[chuuthebadguy-blog]

The Monoblog: Hadasa! My best friend for life!

I've been using aliases for the names in my stories lately. For this particular one I use Hadasa. I have been appreciating my close friends lately more and more. I have been doing this lately because it's therapeutic to me. I like to write stories about my friends because I have awesome friends! Today I would like to tell a story on my best(est) friend ever. Hadasa! Loosely paraphrased, Chris Rock once said that men can't have platonic friends. Normally I would agree but what Hadasa and I have is a relationship that resembles more like being siblings. It's funny because at the very start of our friendship it was the complete opposite! I actually think she hated my guts! I remember back in high school there was this open study space used for anything but studying. I just came in and started hanging out with my newly made friends. I don't quite remember how or when but at a certain point Hadasa walked in and everyone seemed quite comfortable around her. You have to keep in mind that we were a bunch of geeks so having a chick around was pretty amazing as part of the group. I do remember me not being accepted by her yet though. I think it's safe to say we had some friction there. Long story short, there was one guy in there that everyone respected/looked up to. I have earned this man's respect and Hadasa had no choice but to respect me as well. As of that moment, we were cool. No more friction! It wasn't until years later when we talked about it, she said to me that she just didn't know me at the time and was uncomfortable with me "invading her clique". I left the Island a couple of years later. I still had contact with everyone including her. I was rather excited to hear that Hadasa was coming to The Netherlands. I offered my help if she needed anything. She took the offer and asked me to help her with some stuff. At the time I was just being friendly and helped her with her new apartment. Little did I know how quickly we started trusting each other with stories about ourselves. Before I go any further I have to mention that I was never someone to listen to other peoples advice. I wasn't ever someone that could be "controlled". Not my parents, not my friends, no one. Enter HADASA! My polar opposite that turned my world upside down! For the first time in my life I was forced to listen. Hadasa has this gift that you cannot deny. She is simply not hate-able! This statement had to be made because we ARE polar opposites! In any other universe, she and I would definitely not have been friends, let alone best friends. She would sometimes say ridiculous things contradicting my opinions/views and I wouldn't explode like I usually do. She made me listen! The more I gave in and listened to her, the more I started to understand what it meant to compromise and be reasonable. Funny thing is I think she had the same effect coming from me. She has always praised me for my loyalty and intellect. She was always the one who dared to criticize me when I did something incorrectly. She was always there when I needed her most. No one has earned more respect from me than her. In turn I have promised myself to never EVER betray her because simply put, I already became the older brother in a sense. All this praise and not once did I have any romantic feelings for her. THIS WAS GREAT! Going out was always fun. I would do what I do (which is trying to score), and she would have fun dancing as well. Her boyfriend (a man that still is by the way) almost never wanted to come along and have fun with us. I was the one always there going out with her. At a certain point it became a training regiment for keeping us in shape. The synergy between Hadasa and I was amazing on the dance floor. Without actually doing any dirty dancing (seriously, we kept it totally clean), we would wipe the floor with ANYONE who dared to challenge us. We were awesome. I still remember these days as one of the best times of my life. Hadasa is also one of the VERY few who got to know the real me. She would be able to know what I was up to just by my behavior. I think she was also the first one to notice that I had issues. I wasn't completely open to her about these issues but she noticed. She just knew something was up. I couldn't hide anything anymore! At a certain point I fell into a depression. She was the one who scolded me and told me to return to our home island because The Netherlands at the time really didn't do me well. I thank her today still for talking some sense into me. It would have gone seriously wrong hadn't she talked to me. I wouldn't have listened to anyone else. So I left! We've always kept contact. While I was back on the island she came for vacation. I swear my parents and grandparents all thought Hadasa and I had something going on. Of course I was happy that she was back but I consider her like a sister for crying out loud. She be family! It was hilarious to me that my mother was pushing for me to "go for it" if you know what I mean ha ha. Truth is I would never date Hadasa. She is just too awesome of a friend to screw it up and I quite frankly can't see her in any other way than just friends. It was also during this period in time that Hadasa was responsible for introducing me to the first black chick I ever felt feelings for. Somehow I knew Hadasa knew I was into thick black chicks all along. Funny thing is I've never dated one before. So fast forward a couple of years later again. Because of my new relationship I have decided to do what she had to see to believe. I came back to The Netherlands. Things have changed but the core of our friendship remained the same. This is not to say we aren't still best friends. To me she will always be my best friend because she always has defended me when needed. Always has encouraged me when she had to. ALWAYS scolded me when I was out of line ha ha. She is still the goody two shoes all of my friends care for and it's no understatement to say, that she is the glue that holds us all together.  It's been almost thirteen years since we've been friends. Sometimes you just have to appreciate what you have. True friends you can count on are very rare in this day and age. Hadasa I can count on and there isn't anyone who deserves more praise for what she has meant to me. Hadasa, I know you will read this. I hope we remain great friends. I will always have your back as I've felt you've always had mine!  

[chuuthebadguy-blog]

The Monoblog: Friend zoned for the best!

I'm a guy that has been friend zoned by a dear friend of mine, Maria! Don't get ahead of yourselves here and be all pitiful of me and stuff. Truth is, this is a rare case when it actually worked out for the best! Huh? I know there are many guys out there that has been friend zoned. It's not a good feeling I can tell you that! Thing is with Maria it was different.  I have always liked her (honestly still do), and truth be told she is the kind of person that wouldn't care for someone when she realizes that he is crushing on her. My case was different because by the time I confessed my feelings, she thought I was kidding. That hurt a bit I must admit and I was afraid that she would drop me like a ton of bricks. That didn't happen because we were incredibly good friends! We still are! I was always there for her when she needed me. Not as a guy who was trying to get into her panties but as a friend. She realized how valuable my friendship is and told me with all honesty that she didn't see me as boyfriend material because I am too good to her. It struck me as odd because most women would love to have a guy like me (she admitted this herself) but we went out as friends so long that she just couldn't cross that barrier to date me. The cool thing about this situation is that I at least (unlike many guys who have been friend zoned) got to kiss her twice. We both realized that this wasn't for us and we have remained good friends ever since.  She is always there for me and am always there for her. I can honestly say, she is one of my best friends ever. Not only does she still hang out with me, but she is also VERY supportive of my fiance as well. Usually with most women I know that friend zoned me, they would be jealous of the fact that I have a relationship. Maria was truly happy when she saw me with my fiance the first time. Not happy in a way that she was relieved that I wouldn't be chasing her anymore, but genuinely happy as a friend should be. I cannot lie, it still hurts thinking about the fact that she friend zoned me. Truth be told, I would have never given up trying to get her because she is just that awesome! Beautiful doesn't even begin to describe how she looks like and that personality is one that any guy would love to have by his side. If my relationship ever goes wrong (which I doubt it will), I wouldn't want any other girlfriend except for her. She know this, my fiance knows this and none seem to care about my thoughts on the matter. I'm a lucky guy I tell you. My fiance knows I am loyal to her and understands that I am only human (not jealous at all!). No one truly gets over their crushes they truly care about. I am no different. I still care about Maria but just as a friend (kind of contradicting I know). I would do anything for her still and she is one that doesn't take advantage of that.  Right now I understand that she and I were never meant to be and I am just fine with that. In the end it turned out for the best. I have my woman I love and I never lost a friend. Maria you will always be awesome. Thank you for still being my friend!  

[chuuthebadguy-blog]

The Monoblog: Nonsensical Dutch Healthcare System

Here in The Netherlands there is one particular issue that is driving me insane. The healthcare system. I've had numerous debates in which I've always felt I came out on top because the arguments made against mine didn't make any sense.  Now the thing that angers me here is the fact that we are obligated to pay into healthcare. That is the thing that strikes me as odd. I understand that healthcare is expensive but the thing about The Netherlands is that the obligation feels like a tax/debt. It isn't a small one either! I'm talking about an average of 120 euros a month you HAVE to pay or you will receive a fine for about 400-500 euros above it. It just doesn't feel right to me. Specially with the fact that not everything is covered. The dentist for example! You have to buy extra coverage for that to be covered 75-80% of your dental bills.You do have to keep in mind that 100 euros is mandatory and the 20 is optional. The catch is however that if you don't pay the extra coverage costs you basically get nothing much for your healthcare! There is another thing that strikes me as odd. The first 350 euros is ON YOUR OWN! So we pay healthcare cost and above it we have to contribute to the cause ? Isn't that ridiculous? As far as I know hospitals and such are private entities and so if you are a business/corporation and cannot work without forcing people to pay into it, shouldn't it be fully government owned then, or at least partially? Why is healthcare supposedly so expensive in the first place? It's nonsense! My dentist charges me 80 euros for a picture! By some skewed law dentists are also allowed to charge the customer/patient 10% extra for a bonus that is paid out of YOUR premium! Again, NONSENSE! The way I see it we should not be obligated to pay into a system. You should be wise enough to have a premium. Another point is that because it feels like such a heavy burden to pay into it, people with lower incomes are actually strangled. Imagine 2 people living together that can barely meet their payments. Healthcare is the first thing they wish to cut until they can afford it. It's not everyday you go to a doctor. These people would be actually better off paying 100 euros (exaggerated price to make a point) per doctor visit than to pay 120 a month for something they barely use. That is on average an extra 240 euros a month that could be used to pay the bills. This will mean that their debts would be paid easier and more comfortably and thus at a certain point they can decide on a premium because it's always wise to have one. It's not like people will feel good not having insurance, it's something people want and need! The option to breathe should be there. People will buy their insurance I guarantee that! Another thing I see wrong with our system here is the fact that people who ask for it get a government subsidy monthly on their bank account to help pay for healthcare (based on income). This system doesn't make any sense to me because if we are receiving tax payer money for this, why not just lower the cost of the premium based on the level of income then? I actually would love to pay a higher tax on my income to pay for this. Funny that where I come from we have FREE healthcare that works just as well as here based on higher taxes. Those numbers DO NOT EXCEED 120 EUROS monthly in comparison. So why can it work there and not here?  Most people get me wrong here and say that the system won't work with what I have in mind. These people are all WRONG. No matter what their opinion may be, there is no excuse for a democratic society to be obligated by law to pay for a business to run! This a democracy. Yes we have a social structure but this is a part of business that should not have anything to do with a social community unless it's 100% government owned!   Everyone should have the right to have healthcare. I am also in favour for those who have more to be able to pay more (if they wish) for a better service for their money. When people hear me say that, they automatically assume that I mean that rich people will have more rights in terms of healthcare. Like I said, it should be optional. I am sure the rich are glad paying a normal fee for a normal service. I also know that those who want to can afford private doctors and thus strain the whole system less with waiting periods etc.  Doctors shouldn't be paid by taxes (which to be fair is an impression I have). Doctors are usually business owners that are assigned customers by region (in this system). It is ridiculous to think that I pay for someone who uses healthcare more than I do! Buy your OWN!  "But Chuu, what if someone who hasn't got insurance ends up in the hospital?" This question is laughable to me. I already said it is your personal responsibility to have insurance and thus the cost WILL end up on that person. Now here is the thing. This person without a premium (in our current system) would have had to pay into a system anyways. It already feels like I am paying a debt that I don't owe! In this case he can just pay back in installments. Funny that this would actually be CHEAPER in the long run than to be obligated to pay into a system (for life) he would have got to use once in this case! So I stand by my point. I should not pay for someone else because quite frankly there aren't so many people that are in this category anyways! (compared to the rest of this country) It's ironic, i'm as left as I can reasonable be in my political views but when it comes to this I am as right as I can possibly be. Not everything should be privatized but once they already are, we shouldn't be responsible for it. I like my taxes to go to schools for better education instead to some sick person I could care less about. I care more about my peoples education than they're irresponsibility! I know this will probably spawn mixed feelings if enough people read this. Just remember that I only care about peoples freedoms and this particular thing of our society is definitely not our own free choice!  

[chuuthebadguy-blog]

The Monoblog: No Taco Bell in The Netherlands!

Everyone has their soft spot for a certain fast-food restaurant. Either it be McDonald's (which I hate), Wendy's, Burger King you name it! Mine is Taco Bell! My love for Taco Bell can be considered a borderline obsession. I have gone so far to convince my friends for a trip to Madrid using Taco Bell as leverage! Yes my friends and I flew to Spain to have Taco Bell! It was one of the best 4 days of my life eating Taco Bell in Europe! This was almost 2 years ago! So this brings me to 2013! Why don't we have Taco Bell in The Netherlands yet? I can't understand it! It's actually mind boggling to me that this is nowhere to be found. While there are rumors going around about the possible opening, these rumors started YEARS ago and are nowhere near being true as far as i'm concerned. It is rather stupid that a country such as The Netherlands doesn't have this gem of a place (with their awesome steak burritos ...drooooool). I can tolerate not having a Wendy's but I am going crazy here with no Taco Bell. Here is the funny thing. Where I come from there are 3 Taco Bells on that little island. THREE! The island itself is Dutch but on the mainland there is NONE. There has been an increase in demand for a Taco Bell in the last few years. I have spoken to MANY about this and they are all just as hungry for it as I am. People take vacations with Taco Bell in mind and this is no joke!  So why isn't there any here? I mean we got Pizza Hut and KFC (both yum brands). In the states KFC and Taco Bell are often under one roof! So I don't get it! My theory is that the prices Taco Bell will run on will be too low for the competition to accept. We have this taco place called Taco Mundo as an alternative but the place really sucks. It charges close to 3,50 euros for ONE decent taco while at Taco Bell I paid 4,80 euros for a whole steak burrito value meal in Madrid (that's with fries and a free refillable drink people).  There needs to be a change in this PRONTO! I suggest to share this blog to everyone who loves Taco Bell and at least try to get the attention of Yum Brands to expand a bit quicker. There are people hungry for this stuff waiting to spend their money! YO QUIERO TACO BELL.... In Nederland!  

[chuuthebadguy-blog]

The Monoblog: A new year means a new beginning

So in case you haven't noticed, 2013 arrived and that means the world is still in tact. Unlike what the Mayans predicted ha ha. Anyways a new year means new beginnings to me. I have made two new years resolutions. First one, make my fiance happier than she already is. She has been there for me through my tough times and it's time for me to step up and give her all she needs to progress. My second resolution is to play more Magic the Gathering competitively. No longer will I hold my self back because I trust my skill and I believe I can win. But that isn't what I want to talk about. What I want to talk about is that you, the reader, should also set a goal this year and just achieve it! If you read my Kick the Habit series, you would know that I have had a tough 2012 and that I am still recovering of the damage I have done to myself. I recommend to look into your own problems and fix them come year. I am entering this year with a positive mindset. I have my stuff in order, I am applying for a new school and I actually got myself a part-time job. Things can't go wrong if I keep this up. Keep in mind it's only been 2 days into the new year but my new year started mid December. Everyone deserves to start anew and what I have learned through my mistakes is that it's never really too late to wake up. I am a lucky guy. I am smart enough to realize what I have done. I have an amazing woman by my side who deserves more than I was able to give (thus she is going to get everything of me possible this year and onward). Best of all I got amazing friends who support my decisions going forward. I want to wish everyone that read this the very best for you and your loved ones. If you are doing what I have been doing for the past 10 years (which is nothing productive), think about your situation and analyze yourself. It's easier said than done but what I'm trying to say is: "It's never too late to start anew, might as well make a new year a reason to right?"  For now this is what I wanted to say. There will be more things I would want to write about. Some blogs will be longer than the other. Just look forward to it and I see you next time :D

[chuuthebadguy-blog]

Kick the Habit: Positively discharged!

It's been a while since I wrote something on my blog and honestly I wasn't planning to either. Was it not for the excitement of my mother in law about these blogs and the writing style of mine that she enjoys so much I wouldn't have but here goes! It's been a couple of weeks but I have been discharged with a positive evaluation from my therapy. I didn't even have to go through the whole thing. It took them about 2 weeks to find out that I wasn't buying their crap and that my therapy should have been something different. Sure being an addict was part of the problem but the main problem remained unaddressed. I am way too aware of my problem to have to tolerate other people that aren't aware of their problem. I am not going to discuss my problem here but it was clear to me that I was more than ready to go on and just do what I had to do. Basically that detox program wasn't really helping and specially when I got the same things back in rehab. Right now I am very content with my life. I found a part time job. I am clean and I feel fit. I am cautious of my own actions and most importantly I am taking the right steps towards a full recovery. I am not going to beat around the bush folks. It's HARD to stay clean and it's a great pain to deal with it but it's doable and that is all that matters!  This will end the Kick the Habit series and I will be posting up some thoughts and other stuff I find interesting to blog about. I name the following series "The Monoblog" because of my writing style. Happy New Year everybody! See you next time!  

[chuuthebadguy-blog]

Kick the Habit: The hypocrisy of Rehab

So this week I started with my program outside of the clinic. Due to some lack of communication from our local public transport I was unable to reach on my first day. The second day I didn't miss and it was....interesting.

I didn't know what to expect. By now I am clean for a couple of weeks and I am handling things rather well. I am avoiding all chances I have to get cravings and that for now is the way to go.

So I arrive at the scene and made my way to class. I've met the new group I have to share sessions with and they all look like pleasant people. Unfortunately I received news that a program got cancelled (a memo only I didn't know of) and we got out early.

There isn't much to talk about though. It was more of the same like grip on addiction. We got to share how we felt, how we dealt with situations. It was the same old stuff really. There is one thing I do want to talk about though.

I was asked to stop drinking as well! I refused of course because I don't have a drinking problem at all! I have a cannabis problem and it's what I intend to correct. I never signed up to quit drinking as well. Thing is I don't go overboard with booze so I thought and still do think it's ridiculous  What bothered me the most is the fact that drinking is not ok but smoking is no problem! What kind of hypocrisy is this? I had to think about it and come up with an answer for tomorrow. I have already made my mind. There is NO WAY I am going to make a promise I cannot keep. I was warned that I could put my therapy in jeopardy but I will definitely stop their crap in their tracks.

You see I am of the opinion that tobacco is just as bad as an addiction (maybe worse). Their reasoning for asking me to stop drinking as well (keep in mind I don't abuse at all), is that addicts often find a substitute for their addiction. There is some truth in what they are saying but for most (if not all) cannabis smokers their substitute is cigarettes. This issue isn't addressed at all! This is exactly what I will tell them tomorrow and if they kick me out of therapy for defending my principle then they will have to respect my request for alternative sessions. I do not want to stop my therapy but I don't want to lie either to stay in. I am very vocal with my opinions and they are going to hear the hard truth when confronted.

I haven't addressed this before but now that I think about it this smoking tobacco thing was also allowed back at the clinic. Why? Is it ok to be killing yourself with cigarettes but not ok to drink a beer or two with your friends? Isn't this supposed to be rehab? Why aren't people looking down on cigarette smokers. I know why! Because here almost everyone you meet, smokes! 

HYPOCRITES!!!

[chuuthebadguy-blog]

The Monoblog: Coolest Mother in Law EVER!

I remember the first time I've met the woman who will soon be my mother in law. Scariest experience ever!

They call her Pit bull (a term she herself endorses). Holy crap where they right! The very first day I walked in her house, it was on carnival eve on my home island. I remember those days like it was yesterday because it was the very start of a relationship between her daughter and I. Thing is she looked intimidating but truly she wasn't (i'll get to that later). 

I was just a bit weirded out at first because I was pretty much forced by my girlfriend (not at the time) to stay because the very next day the party started at 4 am (and after that the real parade started). She didn't want me to drive all the way to the other side of island and she was well prepared for the situation. It was that morning I got to experience the very first interrogation of "The Pit bull".

She literally asked me if I was sleeping with her daughter. I remember saying "not yet". It was the truth, my intention was TOTALLY to do her daughter but I was being a gentleman (cough) so aside from actually sleeping next to her that night I didn't actually have sex. Anyways, Pit bull ended up gaining some information out of me (which I gladly gave since I knew I was going to have to deal with her sooner than later) while feeding me the greasiest most awesome food (at 3am) ever!

Fast forward a few weeks later. Her daughter and I got official right before she left back to Holland (she was on vacation). Because of my new relationship I have decided to move to The Netherlands because she lived there obviously. This meant that I had to deal with Pit bull for the rest of my stay on the island. I wanted to be social, I wanted her to know me. I already knew I was in love with her daughter and I wasn't going to let her go no matter what (a promise I still hold true today).

Then it came....her first bite. The warning I have never forgotten and that she occasionally reminds me of. She said and I quote :  "Chuu, if you ever obstruct my daughter's education or do anything to let her down, I will swim to Holland to get you if I have to". 'That was going to be a challenge' I thought to myself because Pit bull is HUGE! Oh did I mention she is literally a big momma ?

The more she talked to me, the more she realized how serious I was about her daughter. The trust wasn't completely there (I was working on it though) but she saw something in me (my intelligence) that she endorsed. I think I received her blessing though which was enough for me at the time. Now to prove my worth!

Three years have passed since then. My fiance by now had to go back to the island for her final internship. I was out of the job (AGAIN) and I tagged along to my home island to seek work and to get a peace of mind. Here is the scary part of this equation....I had to live with my mother in law.

The more we saw each other, the more we started hanging out. Pit bull had so much in common with me with her bad habits (awesome i tell ya). She is a pro in getting what she wants. I have no clue how she does it but this woman is awesome in gaining her anything. She's got connections like you wouldn't believe. It didn't matter if it was a junkie on the street or a minister in parliament, she knew everyone. Pit bull had all the connections. She is just fun to be around.

After a month living in the same house we became friends. No longer was I paranoid being around her. The whole mother in law stigma was long gone. To me the Pit bull was nothing more than a puppy (a rather large one). I started talking to my fiance about her mothers weight problem out of concern. I mean hey, if you are having a great time with your mother in law, you don't want her croaking early on you do you? It took a while but she started paying attention to it. I hope she still does so. By this time I love her too much and I would be happy when she loses all that weight. "If you ever read this Pit bull (which I KNOW you will), LOSE IT! YOU CAN  DO IT!"

Pitbull also has this amazing/horrible talent to consume alcohol like a boss. White Label Whiskey. That's her thing. I do think she was a borderline alcoholic though. I mean no one works a bottle like that and asks for more. Drunk? NO WAY! She's a boss when it comes to not getting drunk easily. Last I checked, it took 2 full bottles to knock her out. Me?, I was doing my beers. I'm a beer guy. One of the fun things with drinking with Pit bull is feeding time. Here is where things started to get interesting.

You see I can EAT! (yes it had to be capital letters). This woman feeds me. I believe she enjoyed watching me eat (more like amazed from the amount). She would buy me Chinese food, leave food in the fridge she came home with after a night out (and not expect it to survive). I think she was so impressed by my consumption she started eating less haha. Another thing she did for me is buy me my favourite beer. She hates the beer but it's cheap and I love it. I think because of this fact that I was her cheap date every single time hahaha.

When my fiance left back to Holland to defend her thesis, I stayed on the island for another month. Pit bull and I decided to travel together to the Netherlands for her graduation (more like she booked the flight on the same day I had to leave). The last month alone with Pit bull was awesome. You see my fiance kind of kept us in check. With her gone we were more relaxed. We had the best conversation ever. It was at this point I let her know how awesome she really is and she let me know what she thought of me. 

So we arrive in the Netherlands and she got to see where we live. Impressed is an understatement for the reaction she got of my home. It's nothing to brag about but she loved it. I made sure her stay was comfortable and she took full advantage of her stay at my place. She did visit her family more than she got to stay at my place but the next time she's here, we will hog her all to ourselves! 

I still talk to her every chance I get. She endorsed the idea of me writing about her so I did. My future mother in law is awesome and I am lucky to have her become part of my family in the future. I had to work hard to meet her expectations and honestly she can expect WAY more from me!