I think I've reminded myself about the following movie several times, perhaps even also on this blog. Yet I keep forgetting its title!
So here you go Ron: Before the rain.
One of the most amazing movies I've ever seen. If you ever see it available anywhere then don't hesitate to rent/buy/steal it!
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Monday, November 26, 2007
some fun links
hibernation?
Sooo what have I been up to?
Besides watching a gazillion movies, working, playing soccer and the usual action that is.
I went on a trip to Arizona to kill two birds with one stone as the English saying goes.
First off a gig with Suffocation, Immolation and Skinless was to take place on November 8 in Tucson and since my ginger love Tom lives in Phoenix it seemed a great combination for this trip.
I booked rather early flight so on the 8th I got up at 5am and sort of miscalculated the time I would need since it froze that morning. So I had to scrape the ice from my windows asap and drive to the airport in record time. Fortunately all that went well and since I didn't have any luggage to check in I got my boarding pass quickly and the layover in Houston wasn't too bad.
Airport food mostly sucks but what's new?
After arriving at the Phoenix airport Tom was all set to take me to the house he rents with his fiancee Rhonda and we chilled out a bit. Then we took off for Tucson and hooked up with some friends of Tom Dave, the head of the Tucson mansion, made some pretty good burgers and after chilling out some more we drove to the venue called The Rock.
Suspense.
When we got there all the lights were off, no tour busses and almost no people around. When we walked up to the entrance there was a note saying "Tonight's show has been cancelled due to technical difficulties". That was all.
So after getting over the initial amazement we just headed back to Phoenix.
Slept in a bit and the next day we went to some pancake place for breakfast which had the following menu option: CLICK ME!
We checked out some CD stores, where I obviously bought some albums, and went to a liquor store. At first I couldn't find any palinka and it wasn't until I looked in the bottom shelves and behind the first line of bottles that I saw THIS.
Since I knew I was going to drink having good food in my system was the next step and we went to a tasty Mexican place where we loaded up on some fine food.
Before heading out to the British Open bar we had some shots and I refused to drink anything with alcohol they had in the bar haha. Kept saying we should go back to Tom's place (which was within walking distance) and take some more shots. Eventually one friend offered to drive us and I got seriously drunk but not completely wasted. Good times as the pics proof:
http://s10.photobucket.com/albums/a137/Saldiac/AZ%20trip/
They're in a rather random order but photobucket messed up during uploading and I didn't feel like removing all the pics and re-uploading them again haha.
I also met another Dutchie who's one of Tom's friends. I think his name was Peter, though it also could have been Pieter. Same pronunciation and I wasn't sober so....
I contacted Ticketmaster the next day to try and get a refund for the cancelled gig as I had pre-paid/ordered tickets online. The response informed me that they had to wait for the official word from the promotor. I contacted the bands too and they told me they were at the venue and read the same message and that was it. So rather fucked up for all involved!
We got breakfast at Subway, visited another CD store and went to World Plus where we bought some Tim Tams and Dutch "stroopwafels" (caramel bites). In the afternoon we visited a "Belgian" fest. For a good laugh check out what "genuine" Belgian dishes they served: yeah right!
At least the beers were actual Belgium beers haha.
Later on we went to the British Open bar again where I shot some pool and won a few times but also got crushed several times by these AZ dudes.
Since I had to get up at 5am (again!) I went to bed around 10pm after which Tom and his clan went back to the pub to get more wasted. The next morning I missed my cab since it left at 5:27am instead of 5:30am which was the agreed on time. After calling the main office they sent his ass back to pick me up hehe.
Stand out things about AZ? Cacti, lots of them. Strip malls everywhere. I would get lost within 2 minutes cause it all looks alike: big lanes with shitloads of cars and even more strip malls.
A personal stand out thing was the leaky air mattress I was sleeping on. I woke up several times per night when the mattress was empty again and I had to blow it up again. Thankfully using some fancy automatic button thing. The last night I gave in and slept on the couch though hehe.
The flight back via Detroit went fine with just 30 minutes delay on the entire itinerary. After landing in Pittsburgh I drove straight to the soccer field so I could catch about 45 minutes of the soccer game :-)
Besides watching a gazillion movies, working, playing soccer and the usual action that is.
I went on a trip to Arizona to kill two birds with one stone as the English saying goes.
First off a gig with Suffocation, Immolation and Skinless was to take place on November 8 in Tucson and since my ginger love Tom lives in Phoenix it seemed a great combination for this trip.
I booked rather early flight so on the 8th I got up at 5am and sort of miscalculated the time I would need since it froze that morning. So I had to scrape the ice from my windows asap and drive to the airport in record time. Fortunately all that went well and since I didn't have any luggage to check in I got my boarding pass quickly and the layover in Houston wasn't too bad.
Airport food mostly sucks but what's new?
After arriving at the Phoenix airport Tom was all set to take me to the house he rents with his fiancee Rhonda and we chilled out a bit. Then we took off for Tucson and hooked up with some friends of Tom Dave, the head of the Tucson mansion, made some pretty good burgers and after chilling out some more we drove to the venue called The Rock.
Suspense.
When we got there all the lights were off, no tour busses and almost no people around. When we walked up to the entrance there was a note saying "Tonight's show has been cancelled due to technical difficulties". That was all.
So after getting over the initial amazement we just headed back to Phoenix.
Slept in a bit and the next day we went to some pancake place for breakfast which had the following menu option: CLICK ME!
We checked out some CD stores, where I obviously bought some albums, and went to a liquor store. At first I couldn't find any palinka and it wasn't until I looked in the bottom shelves and behind the first line of bottles that I saw THIS.
Since I knew I was going to drink having good food in my system was the next step and we went to a tasty Mexican place where we loaded up on some fine food.
Before heading out to the British Open bar we had some shots and I refused to drink anything with alcohol they had in the bar haha. Kept saying we should go back to Tom's place (which was within walking distance) and take some more shots. Eventually one friend offered to drive us and I got seriously drunk but not completely wasted. Good times as the pics proof:
http://s10.photobucket.com/albums/a137/Saldiac/AZ%20trip/
They're in a rather random order but photobucket messed up during uploading and I didn't feel like removing all the pics and re-uploading them again haha.
I also met another Dutchie who's one of Tom's friends. I think his name was Peter, though it also could have been Pieter. Same pronunciation and I wasn't sober so....
I contacted Ticketmaster the next day to try and get a refund for the cancelled gig as I had pre-paid/ordered tickets online. The response informed me that they had to wait for the official word from the promotor. I contacted the bands too and they told me they were at the venue and read the same message and that was it. So rather fucked up for all involved!
We got breakfast at Subway, visited another CD store and went to World Plus where we bought some Tim Tams and Dutch "stroopwafels" (caramel bites). In the afternoon we visited a "Belgian" fest. For a good laugh check out what "genuine" Belgian dishes they served: yeah right!
At least the beers were actual Belgium beers haha.
Later on we went to the British Open bar again where I shot some pool and won a few times but also got crushed several times by these AZ dudes.
Since I had to get up at 5am (again!) I went to bed around 10pm after which Tom and his clan went back to the pub to get more wasted. The next morning I missed my cab since it left at 5:27am instead of 5:30am which was the agreed on time. After calling the main office they sent his ass back to pick me up hehe.
Stand out things about AZ? Cacti, lots of them. Strip malls everywhere. I would get lost within 2 minutes cause it all looks alike: big lanes with shitloads of cars and even more strip malls.
A personal stand out thing was the leaky air mattress I was sleeping on. I woke up several times per night when the mattress was empty again and I had to blow it up again. Thankfully using some fancy automatic button thing. The last night I gave in and slept on the couch though hehe.
The flight back via Detroit went fine with just 30 minutes delay on the entire itinerary. After landing in Pittsburgh I drove straight to the soccer field so I could catch about 45 minutes of the soccer game :-)
Friday, October 12, 2007
Murphy's Law
So how was my trip back to Pittsburgh?
Well everything went fine until I got through customs at JFK airport.
I knew I had a 12 hour lay over so I wanted to hand my checked baggage, which one has to recollect on the 1st stop in the US, to Delta Airlines. But the representative said they couldn't process it until the next morning.
So then I looked for storage places within the 9 terminals at the airport. Was sent to terminal 4 for storage. Once I found the place I was told they didn't open until 7:30am while my flight was to leave at 8:35am.
I decided to go for a 1 night at the Holiday Inn.
Fast forward to the next morning: after the hotel's shuttle bus dropped me off at the airport I dropped off my luggage and since I already had my boarding pass since checking in in Amsterdam went through security just fine.
The plane arrived at our gate a bit late and we boarded slightly later than scheduled but okay. We taxi to the runway and then the captain informs us he's having problems with the wheel and he'd prefer to have a working whell and thus we return to the gate and deplane. Maintenance is looking at the problem and trying to figure out a way to fix it.
I tried reaching Brad who would pick my up at the Pittsburgh airport and who had my house keys. Couldn't get through to him so left a voicemail. Note that I had to use a pay phone since my Dutch cell phone apparently doesn't work in the US.
Meanwhile the airline informs us there's another flight to Pittsburgh at 11:05am. So everyone goes to gate 24 to try to get a seat on that flight. Once I get there the queue is long and I hear someone say they're only putting people on standby but not officially on a seat until the original 8:35am flight is cancelled.
I go back to gate 11 where the original flight was to leave from. After hearing my story they give me boarding passes for both flights since the original flight was set to leave at 11am.
Obviously I opt for the 11:05am flight and we board a bit late but again, okay.
We get to the runway and guess what?
Yup, this captain also reports some mechnical problem to us so we go back to gate 25. Fortunately maintenance is able to fix the problem this time around and we are finally able to take off.
Mind that the airline didn't want to transfer my luggage from the original flight to the actual flight that got me to Pittsburgh. I obviously knew my checked baggage would be lost upon arrival.
So I walk straight to the lost luggage office and file a report. Then I bought a drink so I'd get some quarters so I could try calling Brad again. Still not answering.
There's not much else I can do so I hop on the airport shuttle that would take me to CMU. Would since the bus breaks down like 10 minutes after leaving the airport. We wait until the next one comes and hop onto that one.
Once I get to CMU I can't get into my office since I don't have the keys on me (they're at my house) so I bug one of my colleagues so I can use his phone. Finally get through to Brad who picks me up and kindly helps me to get some groceries since my car is still at Vincent and Steffi's place.
Around 8 pm I call the Delta lost baggage service since they haven't delivered it yet. They inform me it should arrive between 8 and 10 pm or else the next morning. I ask for a phone number of the driver who will make the drop off but they tell me they don't have it. I bitch about other airlines who did give me the driver's number and tell her that they can leave my baggage on my porch even when I'm not awake.
Fortunately around 10:15 pm my baggage is delivered and nothing's missing like in Budapest.
Today I heard that Steffi was driving my car to the Waterfront for a nice work up but got a flat tire. Right now Vincent and her are trying to replace it with the spare tire. Haven't heard from them yet so I'll wait and see if they manage. If not then I'll just have the car towed to my regular garage and have them fix it.
Entertaining the neighbors with my music. I'm sure they missed it after 6.5 weeks of absence haha!
Well everything went fine until I got through customs at JFK airport.
I knew I had a 12 hour lay over so I wanted to hand my checked baggage, which one has to recollect on the 1st stop in the US, to Delta Airlines. But the representative said they couldn't process it until the next morning.
So then I looked for storage places within the 9 terminals at the airport. Was sent to terminal 4 for storage. Once I found the place I was told they didn't open until 7:30am while my flight was to leave at 8:35am.
I decided to go for a 1 night at the Holiday Inn.
Fast forward to the next morning: after the hotel's shuttle bus dropped me off at the airport I dropped off my luggage and since I already had my boarding pass since checking in in Amsterdam went through security just fine.
The plane arrived at our gate a bit late and we boarded slightly later than scheduled but okay. We taxi to the runway and then the captain informs us he's having problems with the wheel and he'd prefer to have a working whell and thus we return to the gate and deplane. Maintenance is looking at the problem and trying to figure out a way to fix it.
I tried reaching Brad who would pick my up at the Pittsburgh airport and who had my house keys. Couldn't get through to him so left a voicemail. Note that I had to use a pay phone since my Dutch cell phone apparently doesn't work in the US.
Meanwhile the airline informs us there's another flight to Pittsburgh at 11:05am. So everyone goes to gate 24 to try to get a seat on that flight. Once I get there the queue is long and I hear someone say they're only putting people on standby but not officially on a seat until the original 8:35am flight is cancelled.
I go back to gate 11 where the original flight was to leave from. After hearing my story they give me boarding passes for both flights since the original flight was set to leave at 11am.
Obviously I opt for the 11:05am flight and we board a bit late but again, okay.
We get to the runway and guess what?
Yup, this captain also reports some mechnical problem to us so we go back to gate 25. Fortunately maintenance is able to fix the problem this time around and we are finally able to take off.
Mind that the airline didn't want to transfer my luggage from the original flight to the actual flight that got me to Pittsburgh. I obviously knew my checked baggage would be lost upon arrival.
So I walk straight to the lost luggage office and file a report. Then I bought a drink so I'd get some quarters so I could try calling Brad again. Still not answering.
There's not much else I can do so I hop on the airport shuttle that would take me to CMU. Would since the bus breaks down like 10 minutes after leaving the airport. We wait until the next one comes and hop onto that one.
Once I get to CMU I can't get into my office since I don't have the keys on me (they're at my house) so I bug one of my colleagues so I can use his phone. Finally get through to Brad who picks me up and kindly helps me to get some groceries since my car is still at Vincent and Steffi's place.
Around 8 pm I call the Delta lost baggage service since they haven't delivered it yet. They inform me it should arrive between 8 and 10 pm or else the next morning. I ask for a phone number of the driver who will make the drop off but they tell me they don't have it. I bitch about other airlines who did give me the driver's number and tell her that they can leave my baggage on my porch even when I'm not awake.
Fortunately around 10:15 pm my baggage is delivered and nothing's missing like in Budapest.
Today I heard that Steffi was driving my car to the Waterfront for a nice work up but got a flat tire. Right now Vincent and her are trying to replace it with the spare tire. Haven't heard from them yet so I'll wait and see if they manage. If not then I'll just have the car towed to my regular garage and have them fix it.
Entertaining the neighbors with my music. I'm sure they missed it after 6.5 weeks of absence haha!
final Europe post
So on Friday I went to the Alchemist CD release party with Tim and Muuk at the new Dynamo cafe in Eindhoven. Apparently the band had some customs problems at the airport so they arrived late and started the gig later. No problem of course, it's Friday night!
Since the venue is very small I decided to put some tissue paper in my ears and I was quite right to do so since the sound was very loud.
Overall they played an hour with a good set and emphasizing on their new "Tripsis" album. They also played the one song I was hoping for: Jeff Wayne's "Eve of the war". Too bad they messed it up a bit. Ah well, still a very good warm up gig from this great Aussie band.
The ProgPower Europe festival was taking place on Saturday and Sunday so my final days in Europe were spent gloriously. On Saturday Bas joined me and we ran into Mattias Norén almost right away. Mattias is the guy who designed the artwork for my dissertation.
Also met a whole bunch of other Swedes of which 3 are from Örebro! Funny how small the world sometimes turns out to be since I was in Örebro just recently for the CD release party of The Project Hate!
The atmosphere at the ProgPower festival is a unique one. There's a wide variety in nationalities and everybody's so relaxed and keen on having a great time. Additionally the amount of visitors isn't too high so there's a high amount of visitors who know each other from previous editions of the festival.
Even I also ran into some more guys I know: VM colleague Filip and two of his friends and just before Orphaned Land started I saw Bram and his Israeli girlfriend. Funny how you don't see someone for years and then suddenly run into him/her.
I said 'even' since this is only my 3rd visit to the ProgPower festival in their 9 year existence :-)
Alchemist headlined the first day and this performance was superior in every possible way to the Eindhoven gig! Again "Eve of the war" was played and this time without glitches! Love this band!
On Sunday I drove to Baarlo alone but quickly hooked up with those crazy Swedes who love to have a good time and do silly things when being drunk hehe.
Jon Oliva's Pain headlined on this 2nd day of the festival and played a whole bunch of Savatage classics and some of his new solo material. Kick ass performance!
Afterwards the after party started and the DJ played all kinds of music, not just metal. The beer flowed and the DJ played Andre Hazes, Metallica, German Schlagermusic etc.
Eventually around 3:15am I decided to go home cause I still had to drive and the weather forecast had predicted mist banks.
I shot some pics but they're not that good. I was too keen on enjoying the gigs instead of on making great pics. Anyway, you can find them HERE.
I spend Monday mostly in bed trying to catch up on sleep and once I finally got up I packed my bags, collected all newly purchased CDs etcetera. You know the drill, doing the usual stuff one does when having to travel.
Since the venue is very small I decided to put some tissue paper in my ears and I was quite right to do so since the sound was very loud.
Overall they played an hour with a good set and emphasizing on their new "Tripsis" album. They also played the one song I was hoping for: Jeff Wayne's "Eve of the war". Too bad they messed it up a bit. Ah well, still a very good warm up gig from this great Aussie band.
The ProgPower Europe festival was taking place on Saturday and Sunday so my final days in Europe were spent gloriously. On Saturday Bas joined me and we ran into Mattias Norén almost right away. Mattias is the guy who designed the artwork for my dissertation.
Also met a whole bunch of other Swedes of which 3 are from Örebro! Funny how small the world sometimes turns out to be since I was in Örebro just recently for the CD release party of The Project Hate!
The atmosphere at the ProgPower festival is a unique one. There's a wide variety in nationalities and everybody's so relaxed and keen on having a great time. Additionally the amount of visitors isn't too high so there's a high amount of visitors who know each other from previous editions of the festival.
Even I also ran into some more guys I know: VM colleague Filip and two of his friends and just before Orphaned Land started I saw Bram and his Israeli girlfriend. Funny how you don't see someone for years and then suddenly run into him/her.
I said 'even' since this is only my 3rd visit to the ProgPower festival in their 9 year existence :-)
Alchemist headlined the first day and this performance was superior in every possible way to the Eindhoven gig! Again "Eve of the war" was played and this time without glitches! Love this band!
On Sunday I drove to Baarlo alone but quickly hooked up with those crazy Swedes who love to have a good time and do silly things when being drunk hehe.
Jon Oliva's Pain headlined on this 2nd day of the festival and played a whole bunch of Savatage classics and some of his new solo material. Kick ass performance!
Afterwards the after party started and the DJ played all kinds of music, not just metal. The beer flowed and the DJ played Andre Hazes, Metallica, German Schlagermusic etc.
Eventually around 3:15am I decided to go home cause I still had to drive and the weather forecast had predicted mist banks.
I shot some pics but they're not that good. I was too keen on enjoying the gigs instead of on making great pics. Anyway, you can find them HERE.
I spend Monday mostly in bed trying to catch up on sleep and once I finally got up I packed my bags, collected all newly purchased CDs etcetera. You know the drill, doing the usual stuff one does when having to travel.
Monday, October 08, 2007
last night on the old continent
Been like 4 weeks since my last post :-)
I did a bit of work, got my new Dutch driver license, got an actually working new Dutch bank card, just can't do online banking at the moment with my Dutch bank. "They're working on it"...
On September 21 to September 23 I went to Örebro to visit the CD release party of The Project Hate. I travelled via Munich where Schorsch and Sabine (whom I know from the Global Domination forum) joined me. They had already rented a car so I accepted their offer to join them so I wouldn't have to figure out how to get to Örebro.
The hotel Skomamaren was fine and their weekend price of 65 euro per night pretty sweet. We also got to meet Kenth Philipson who is the head poncho of TPH and the GD forum. Always interesting to meet people in real life after getting to know them a little bit online hehe.
On Sunday we went to visit the Entombed cross at Skogskyrkogarden and drove through Stockholm for some sight seeing. Obviously I shot some PICS during this weekend, and Schorsch and Sabine's pics can be found HERE (release party) and HERE (Entombed cross).
The following week was the first week I actually joined both soccer sessions at my old soccer club on Tuesday and Friday night. On Thursday I visited Ed again for a movie night during which we watched "Adam's apples" and "Ichi the killer".
On Sunday September 30 I went to A-dam to hook up with Steven and Loes and see their new apartment. Drove a bicycle for the first time in Amsterdam, felt like whistling the "Turks fruit" theme haha.
Went to A-dam again on Wednesday October 3 to visit Alexander and go see Keith Caputo's gig at the Melkweg. Glad I did 'cause the gig was superb! Gotta love Keith who has a lot of charisma and a golden voice. Can't wait for his 3rd solo album to be released.
There's more to tell about my last days in the Netherlands but I'll wait with those until I get back to Pittsburgh.
Flying to JFK tomorrow night 6:20 pm (Dutch time) and arriving at 8:15pm (US time). After a 12 hour overlay I'll catch the flight to Pittsburgh at 8:25am on Wednesday.
Looking forward to all the angry companies whose bills I haven't paid during my absence haha.
Over and out for now...
I did a bit of work, got my new Dutch driver license, got an actually working new Dutch bank card, just can't do online banking at the moment with my Dutch bank. "They're working on it"...
On September 21 to September 23 I went to Örebro to visit the CD release party of The Project Hate. I travelled via Munich where Schorsch and Sabine (whom I know from the Global Domination forum) joined me. They had already rented a car so I accepted their offer to join them so I wouldn't have to figure out how to get to Örebro.
The hotel Skomamaren was fine and their weekend price of 65 euro per night pretty sweet. We also got to meet Kenth Philipson who is the head poncho of TPH and the GD forum. Always interesting to meet people in real life after getting to know them a little bit online hehe.
On Sunday we went to visit the Entombed cross at Skogskyrkogarden and drove through Stockholm for some sight seeing. Obviously I shot some PICS during this weekend, and Schorsch and Sabine's pics can be found HERE (release party) and HERE (Entombed cross).
The following week was the first week I actually joined both soccer sessions at my old soccer club on Tuesday and Friday night. On Thursday I visited Ed again for a movie night during which we watched "Adam's apples" and "Ichi the killer".
On Sunday September 30 I went to A-dam to hook up with Steven and Loes and see their new apartment. Drove a bicycle for the first time in Amsterdam, felt like whistling the "Turks fruit" theme haha.
Went to A-dam again on Wednesday October 3 to visit Alexander and go see Keith Caputo's gig at the Melkweg. Glad I did 'cause the gig was superb! Gotta love Keith who has a lot of charisma and a golden voice. Can't wait for his 3rd solo album to be released.
There's more to tell about my last days in the Netherlands but I'll wait with those until I get back to Pittsburgh.
Flying to JFK tomorrow night 6:20 pm (Dutch time) and arriving at 8:15pm (US time). After a 12 hour overlay I'll catch the flight to Pittsburgh at 8:25am on Wednesday.
Looking forward to all the angry companies whose bills I haven't paid during my absence haha.
Over and out for now...
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