glitter is the herpes of arts and crafts

you can never get rid of it!

I'm watching Rihanna discuss her "Te Amo" single and how she really wanted to "change the sound of radio" with her latest album and how it's about her and who she is blah blah blah. Don't get me wrong, I can't help but like some of her songs but I hate when artists who are clearly keen on selling their sexuality, not that talented, and who probably wouldn't be as successful if they weren't hot- try and front like their music is so moving and deep! Just say you wanted to make an album people could dance and sing along to, that would make you more millions.

I'm in a really pessimistic mood today and if not for Damaly coming tomorrow, I'd be throwing back countless shots of tequila and contemplating arson. I think it'll make me feel better to pack a bag for Amsterdam tomorrow and go to bed, get this day over with. Let's hope my next post will be much more lighthearted. Actually, I need to suck it up and stop being so dramatic because I've got quite a lot to be happy about.. DAMALY WILL BE HERE FOR 2 WEEKS!!!!

I'll pick her up at the airport with Lizzy at noon and then we'll spend the day and night being sexy in Amsterdam and getting into all kinds of trouble. Next week, Damaly and I will spend a few days in Berlin, Germany before spending the weekend with Mic in Prague! We're all super excited and I know such good times will be had!

didn't you notice the bag was too light? & you said "you have no friends."

Get familiar with The King of Queens.

Felt fantastic today and feeling even better now that I'm enjoying a glass of wine after this hectic week! I'm so excited it's the weekend and that I'm another day closer to being reunited with DAMALY! I really cannot wait for her to get here. Haven't seen her since April so we've got lots of catching up to do and havoc to wreak.

I hate when people try to copy me. I'm not saying that I'm the most original person since Jesus Christ but I don't like when people take my ideas/sayings/thoughts and try and pass them off as theirs. I know people who suddenly have an interest in things after I mentioned/started them and it's wack. Maybe I'm being completely too full of myself and that maybe people just share my interests and goals. But I can't help but think that some people just wanna steal my shine and make themselves more appealing, when really they're dead inside or just have hidden agendas. I suppose I should be flattered that people wanna be like Wheezy. I'd wanna be like me too, I'm great.

Speaking of having great ideas that people would want to copy, a good friend of mine started his own company with a group of friends, selling electric transport bikes, designed for families with young kids. I'm sure it'll be a big hit here as one of the main modes of transportation is by bike. It's a greener way to travel and kids look unbelievably adorable sitting in them and watching the world whiz by around them. Check out his website: www.urbanarrow.com

Tomorrow I'll help Lizzy move, along with Mic and our friend Nic- then we'll take Amsterdam by storm. That's pretty much all I have to say for now but I had to post because I'm in such a good mood! I can't wait for D to get here, and I think I'll organize a big Thanksgiving dinner with all my friends out here which will make me extremely happy. Then, before I know I know, it'll be Christmas time and I'll be HOME!!!!! Love this time of year!!

yours truly, Jens Lekman

I'm really tired so this will be a short post but I've been OBSESSED with Jens Lekman's "Nights Fall Over Kortedala" album! He's a Swedish dude but I like his sound and style.. hope you all enjoy too!



I'll make this quick:
-a little over 2 weeks until Damaly's arrival!
-Amsterdam this weekend with Lizzy!
-Mic and Margo are doing great!
-I MISS YOU ALL!

I don't want clever conversation

I really am the absolute WORST with this blog thing! I always intend to update it regularly but then I get sidetracked by basically everything else going on in my daily life.

Things are going well here, although I'm not looking forward to winter here at all. It's started to get a little colder and rainier and things will only go down from here. I will surely miss the comfort of cars when I'm biking in pouring rain and freezing temperatures.

In other news, Margo has gotten so big and is naughtier than ever. She's always climbing the curtains, the walls, people, etc. and running all over the place. I can't get much done with her around (she's sitting in my lap right now, playing with her tail) because she's surprisingly attached to us. She loves to be near us when we're home, often falling asleep on us.. I even woke up once with her sleeping on my back! She's fascinated by the computer and TV and has a habit of coming to sit right in front of us, blocking our view. She loves to play and be petted and she's really the sweetest kitten in the world. Happy almost 3 months to her!

Now on to the best thing going on in my life right now: DAMALY COMES NOVEMBER 4TH!!! I'm beyond excited. I live for her visit and I'm excited for her to meet everyone. She'll be here for 2 weeks and there's so much I wanna do and show her. Last time she came to Holland, she wasn't able to stay long and it wasn't he best experience so I'll definitely make up for that. She, Mic and I will go to PRAGUE from the 12-15th which I'm sure will be super fun and exciting! I think we'll also go to BERLIN just the two of us from the 8th-11th for some sisterly bonding and serious troublemaking. I've heard nothing but rave reviews about Berlin so I'd really love to go and leave our mark on such a sexy city!

Besides being extremely happy romantically and having great friends, being able to travel is one of the best parts of living here. I have such a lengthly list of countries and cities I'd love to visit and it feels amazing to cross places off my list. Mic will have a lot of vacation time this year so we'll be able to take several long weekends and also a couple big trips. We've explored Africa together, and though there are other places we'd love to see like Egypt, Tanzania, Zimbabwe (I love saying that haha) and South Africa, we're both very much intrigued by Asia. I spent 2 weeks in China when I was 18 but Mic has never been. We'd both really love to go to Japan and maybe do a 2 week trip through Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia.. maybe even throw in the Philippines. It'd also be cool to do 2 weeks going through Tibet, Nepal and India.. the possibilities are endless and it seems that everyday there are new places I want to add to my list. While I've been fortunate enough to see several places in Europe, there are still lots of places I'd still love to visit: Vienna, Poland, Istanbul, Greece, Budapest, Geneva, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark. Also, I still have lots to see in Italy and Sicily. I think Mic and I will explore Tuscany and Sienna sometime in the near future.

There's so much I want to do before I die besides seeing as much of this great big world as possible. I still have yet to skydive, I wanna go in a hot air balloon, climb a mountain and do a deep sea dive. I want to start an orphanage, a scholarship fund, a mentoring program and eventually become a UN ambassador. I want 2 kids of my own and houseful of foster/adopted children. There's so much wrong with this world of ours but at the time of my death, I wanna know that I did everything I could to change it even if it's one person at a time. I'm reading a collection of stories about the various ways AIDS affects people in Africa and the number of orphaned children breaks my heart. The earthquake in Haiti is still fresh in my mind and there are lots of children and adults in need of "luxuries" like food/water, clothing and shelter. I really have to find a way to help directly this year. First step, running the Rotterdam Marathon in April, with proceeds going to the Ronald McDonald Children's Fund!

song of the day

Call me, beep me if you wanna reach me!

I've always loved gmail but I love it even more because now it allows me to call your cell phones/have you call me for free! Message me your numbers because I don't have any of them and my number is:

(203) 548-0433. 

It's obviously not international so you won't be charged anything.. just remember that I have to be online to get the call (I'm on all the time so that should work) and that I'm 6 hours ahead so don't expect to reach me at 9PM your time when your minutes are free! You don't have to be online or have internet, just whip out your cell phones and dial. Love you guys and special thanks to Keeks for putting me on to this!!
In other news, I've posted some pictures from Kenya on Facebook. They're all pictures from Severin Sea Lodge where we stayed so they don't depict a realistic view of life in Kenya. But I'll get into more of that next time. Margo Delilah has been sleeping on me for the past hour and I still have a lot to do. Later gators :-)

Margo.. POLO!

Get what I did there? It's a play on the Marco Polo game you play in the pool.. I'm so clever!

We're back from Kenya and I'm sad about it! I'm not too happy to be back in cold, cloudy Rotterdam with the neighbors above us being louder than a herd of elephants (I really know what that sounds like now!). It was the most humbling and moving experience that I've had in life so far. We did so many things, including going on safari, snorkeling, diving, holding reptiles, sailing, etc. It was such an unbelievable time and I miss being able to spend my entire day with Mic. I will elaborate on Kenya in a later post because I haven't uploaded pictures and it's something I want to do correctly and take my time.

I now have someone else to spend my day with: we got a new kitten! We're still deciding her name- I like Margo, Mic likes Delilah- but she's the cutest, naughtiest kitten in the world! She slept her entire first day and was so awake her first night. She loves to explore and at this very moment she's chasing her tail and biting it. She's obsessed with my hands and the yellow nail polish I'm wearing, as well as our computer. She wants to be near me all the time and if I leave the room and shut the door behind me she cries! It's the cutest sound. She's about 9 weeks old and extremely clever, quick and strong for such a tiny creature. I am absolutely smitten with her! She's sitting above my shoulder on the couch and earlier she fell asleep in my arms. She's a huge spaz, running all over the place, squeezing herself into various crevices and licking her privates like you wouldn't believe.

I'll try and upload Kenya pics and a post sometime this weekend! Miss and love you all!

Express Yourself, yea do it.

I spent the past few hours reading all my entries from the beginning and I'm still overwhelmed by all that's transpired in the last two years. I remember how I began, rambling as only Wheezy can, about a new and exciting chapter in my life by venturing to Europe. Never in a million years did I think I'd still be here, living the life I'm currently living. Sometimes it all feels like it was all a dream: all the people I met, the places I visited, the bullshit I've encountered, and the resulting changes to my character and sentiments on life. It was astonishing to go through the documented evolution of Darline, particularly the deeper entries, and to remember how I felt during those times. The lighthearted entries, coupled with my albums on Facebook, brought a smile to my face and warm feelings to my chest as I relived the crazy moments in my head. To this day, I am bewildered that I survived those countless shots of tequila, dangerous bike rides home, involuntarily taking bus tours of different cities at 3 AM and basically surviving the pandemonium that was my life for so many years. I'm thrilled that things have slowed down and that my experiences taught me so much about the person I am and want to be, as well as helped me to eliminate bad habits and negative people from this little life of mine. I will always be in a state of development and I can't wait to see where else this life will take me. I know it's taking em to KENYA in about two weeks and that's damn good enough for me.

I also wanted to hear back from you! Do I bore you with my babble? Are you tired of reading about how great my life is or wandering where in the world is Darline San Diego? If so, post a comment or message me about a topic you'd like discussed or just wanna see how I feel about it or if you want some honest advice (I will always tell it like it is). You can post anonymously if you like and it can be serious topics or snow peas, I really don't give a shit. 

in a while crocodiles!

 

i'm a little bit of everything all rolled into one

I completely forgot to discuss my trip to Ibiza a few months ago, which is unacceptable because it was such an amazing place I'd love to visit again. Not only were we surrounded by bustling nightlife, amazing lounges, and beautiful beaches but the landscape was so green and peaceful! We were expecting everything to be completely modern with buildings everywhere but there was so much land and pine trees and fresh air, it was gorgeous! We rented a car so we got to see a lot of the island. Words will certainly not do Ibiza justice so I'll try with some pictures but honestly, I don't think that's possible either. I can't figure out how to not make this look like a jumble of pictures & words so deal with it!

My friend Kettia visited from Philadelphia this past weekend which was refreshing. It was nice to have someone to explore Rotterdam with & catch up. It's always Mic & the guys when we go out which is always fun but I've missed my family & friends back home and it was good to have a bit of that here.. I want it all the time!


We went to places I'd never been in Rotterdam and explored the nightlife which was a pleasant surprise.
I wore heels and soon remembered why it is I don't do that as often anymore especially since I've been making an effort to drink less. I was on my feet dancing all night (judging from the sweat, I think I lost about 10 pounds), we were out very late and the added effort of biking just makes it too much to wear heels all the time.


We leave for Kenya in a little less than 3 weeks and I'm so excited! We got our vaccinations last week so hopefully I won't come back with yellow fever, hepatitis, or malaria. I can't believe it's almost September and that I've already been here for 5 months. Time is seriously flying by. We're also on the market for a new kitten which would make me very happy! While I'd really like a puppy, they are way too much work.. they need a lot of attention and we wanna travel all the time so it'd be a huge inconvenience. I have been having the strongest cravings for all kinds of food.. sushi, falafels, my favorite dish of rice and legume my mother makes, brownies and ice cream, and shrimp eggrolls. Mic also made me the most amzing salmon, green pea and rucola risotto the other night and I'm feigning for that too! That's a sign that I need to have dinner so see ya next time!

come home, we need you in Stamford son!

I don't really have all that much to say but I've been told my posts are too sporadic and that I need to "get it together" so here we are. I've also been told that I need to come home and if I could leave Monday, I really would! Stamford needs me and I need Stamford!

Earlier as I walked to the supermarket nearby, 50 euros in various denominations fell out of my pocket. I realized I didn't have the cash when I got to Albert Heijn, but figured I'd left it at home somewhere. When I got back, I couldn't find it at all and thought I was losing my mind! A few hours later, on my way to get my bike from the shop, I find both 20s, and both 5s scattered about all down our street and the park across from us! I was shocked when I discovered the first 20 and couldn't believe my luck in finding all the rest. I hope this is a sign of future good fortune.

ALOE BLACC= my current musical OBSESSION. I've been listening to the album for the past few weeks and I love it wholeheartedly. Peep the song & video for "I Need a Dollar" and a bit of "So Hard":


In other news, I picked up our visas for Kenyeezy yesterday and soon we'll get shots.  Mosquitoes have always found me irresistible but hopefully I'll be malaria and yellow fever free upon our return. It'll be grand to get away for a while and see a new part of this great big world. I can't believe we'll be there in less than a month!!! It'll be September when we're back and by then Lizzy will be back too, woo hoo!

Kettia arrived this morning! We had breakfast and lunch and she is now taking a nap. Perhaps later we'll have dinner in one of the many neighborhood parks on one of the canals and relax. Tomorrow we'll spend the day in the city center and exploring good old Rotterdam as a warm-up to Amsterdam this weekend! Maybe I'll finally get around to doing some touristy things like seeing Anne Frank house. But chances are we'll probably just meander about, making new friends, memories, and having strange encounters.

These next few weeks will be really good for my spirit. My recent high level of homesickness has left me feeling bamboozled because being here makes me happy and I'm getting to experience and see things that I've always wanted to. But being able to see friendly familiar faces and people I genuinely care for and love will be a welcome gift. Not to mention being able to get away with my Micky Mozzarella, seeing wild animals in their natural habitats and exploring a different culture. LIFE DOES NOT SUCK.

i naenda Kenya!

That's Swahili for I'M GOING TO KENYA!!!!! Mic and I leave for Mombasa, Kenya on the 23rd of August and we're both extremely excited! I never thought of Kenya as much of a vacation destination, but apparently the beaches on the Southern coast are very beautiful. We'll be staying in our own bungalow at Severin Sea Lodge, getting our inebriation on, on account of our all-inclusive package. We'll do some of the offered excursions accompanied by a few days of safari life! We are both beyond excited! It will be my first time to Africa and continent #4 that I've been on, so as you can imagine, I'm pumped!

These next few weeks will be very busy for me. We'll be scrambling around getting vaccinations and visas and I'm expecting visitors! My good friend, Kettia, who I haven't seen since high school will visit me next week! I'll pick her up on Wednesday morning and I'm very excited to see her! It'll be nice to see a friendly familiar face and catch up on our lives over the years. About a week later, Mayra comes to Holland! Mic and I visited her and her now husband a few months ago in Spain and it'll be fantastic to hear about the changes in her life and hang out on familiar territory since I initially met her here. Then it's on to KENYA!

I can't complain about life right now. I'm happy and healthy (if you disregard the alcohol we drink on the weekends, which is actually lessening so that's better for me). Mic is great and we're getting more and more settled in our life together. He still drives me crazy sometimes but I wouldn't have it any other way. The weather has been amazing which really does wonders for my mood and we just concluded the climactic 3rd season of The Wire which was great. The only thing that would make life even better is if we were living  elsewhere. I'm feeling a bit stagnant and could do without some Dutch rules and regulations.

I miss my family and friends very much and wish I could add their names to my list of visitors this month. My dad and sister Sabine, are currently in Haiti visiting family members and I wish I could've gone. It'd be great if I could make it there within the next year but unfortunately, it's a lot easier said than done. Hopefully I'll be able to see my hometown loves around September/October but I also need to make my way back home sooner than later. I am dying to have shrimp and broccoli with white rice from my favorite Chinese restaurant in Stamford and happy hour at Kona. While we're on the subject of things I want, I've been dying to go to a wedding (I love reasons to get all dressed up and open bars). Lots of couples in Holland never marry so my chances are slim here, meaning you broads at home need to step your game up!! D, I'm tryna be a maid of honor so get it together!

Instead of spending my time doing productive things like working on my book, I spend it reading gossip blogs, researching more places to visit, reading news articles and browsing funny videos. This one has been cracking me up.. Enjoy!

dropped you like a bar of soap, whooooops!

I couldn't think of a post title so I went with the last thing I heard that made me laugh. Martin will forever be one of my favorite shows.

Anyway, things on my end are going pretty well. I'm still very happy with my life here while simultaneously missing my family and friends back in the 203. I really need you all to get your money game right and book tickets out here ASAP before I have to come home and knock heads!

I've become more domesticated than I ever imagined. I'm cooking, cleaning and the other day I even trimmed the massive bush outside our front window. The latter wasn't my idea; apparently our bush was "impeding the path of crippled people trying to walk by".  Granted it was a huge bush but hand to God, there was still a mile of sidewalk. We had a neighbor tell us that other neighbors complained to him, a letter was sent and eventually people from the town hall showed up. I kid you not. I initially wanted to keep it as big as possible out of spite but I'll probably plant some beautiful flowers next week. I've gone completely soft.

Mic and I are also obsessed with The Wire. We watch it everyday after work and stay up later than is wise because it's more entertaining than Lindsay Lohan acting for her LIFE during her hearing, and that's hard to beat. It was our anniversary and his birthday this past weekend which was fun and sexy. We kept it relatively quiet, celebrating alone which we both enjoyed.

What else is there to discuss.. um, the World Cup is full of surprises. Everyone is expecting me to support Holland but I'm not into bandwagoning.. I haven't supported their team from the beginning and I won't start now. None of my favorites are in the final so I really don't care who wins but I just can't bring myself to cheer Holland.. I think Spain has worked harder for their victories and has impressed me with their skills and playing style in previous games. & on a more personal note, those rat bastards knocked out my beloved Brazil so fuck em.

I recently read an article about the US Justice Department suing Arizona over their immigration law and a few weeks ago, one on the backlash in Fremont, Nebraska over the passing of their controversial immigration law prohibiting employers from hiring illegal immigrants and stopping landlords from renting to them. Um, perhaps I'm missing something here but how are these laws unfair?! I can see how people can spin the Arizona law as racist and discriminatory but if you're legally in this country, what is the real harm? We carry ID everyday so we're able to identify ourselves when needed. We have to show ID to get into clubs, buy cigarettes and alcohol, we have to present a valid driver's license when pulled over and we're even issued school IDs. There are a lot of things we can't partake in without identifying ourselves, and essentially being citizens/legal so why should illegals be allowed to partake in American freedoms? Why should they be allowed to work tax free or rent property if illegal immigration is against the law? Extending these privileges makes absolutely no sense to me.

To be clear, I'm not against immigration. My parents are immigrants and I was not born a US citizen. My parents had to endure the process of naturalizing our family and the same can be said for many immigrants. What I am against is people not going through the proper channels. I know it will raise the argument of how "tough" it is to become a citizen but the rules should be the same for everyone; no special advantages because of proximities to the US border, purposely overstaying a visa, etc.

But back to me. The book is coming along very slowly on account of me coming up with another idea which I'm also slowly but surely working on. Mic is away this weekend so I've been trying to use the extra time to get some writing done but we bought some new wine and shot glasses I wanted to test out and well.. I'm more drunk right now than productive. Writing this entry has just brought back so many college memories because I wrote countless papers while getting my drink on in preparation for Nickel Night at Huskies. Good times man.. good times. Until next time, lovebugs and solve this if you like: 

it's hotter than Satan's toenails!

I have the best and funniest sister in the universe. Talking to her always makes my day and she's always there for me. Ever since she's mentioned visiting, I've been consumed with the things I wanna do with her and show her. Last time she came to Amsterdam, I remember crying with her at the airport when she arrived and feeling suicidal when she left. This time, she's planning to stay longer and I know we're going to get into all kinds of debacles and sexiness no matter where we go. I'm very excited for her to meet Mic! I'm sure they'll get along and I'm also sure that she will find a way to embarrass the both of us, but I've always loved her consistency. I love her so much that I sleep with this picture of her beside my bed.. I'm not even kidding. 

D and I like to do new things together. I'll never forget the time we randomly decided to get our tongues pierced. She made me go first, which was a smart move on her part because had she gone first, I almost assuredly would've chickened out. Then, to celebrate my college graduation, D and I went out and got tattoos. It was her second one and she took it like a champ. I decided I wanted mine on my ankle which hurt so much, I was cursing the man and the next 4 generations of his family. I asked D to stay with me for moral support but I guess getting chicken was her top priority.. bitch!

I've been toying with the idea of a second (third & fourth) tattoo and I've finally decided on the location! I think it'd be a meaningful experience if D and I got more when she's here, so start thinking D! No matter what, I want to do something monumental and something we'll never forget. Since visiting Asia with her is out of the question on account of her IBS (just kidding, but she does have a weak stomach haha) the hassle of getting visas in some countries, I'd really love to see Auschwitz or go see the pyramids in Egypt. Either way, I'm pumped for her to be here!

thoroughly thought through

What a gluttonous weekend.. I stuffed myself with sushi, moussaka and alcohol- good times. Mic's good friend, Fabio, is visiting from Verona so we've been showing him around Rotterdam and Amsterdam. With Mic trying to solicit the services of the ladies in the RLD for him and us reliving the wonderful times we had when he played host to us last October, I think he's having a great time. Of course we all wish the weather was a bit nicer (it's June 12th and the heat still come on in the trams!) but we're making the most of it.


World Cup pandemonium is in full swing and I'm so jealous of my friend Colin who's in South Africa witnessing it firsthand. Holland plays its first game tomorrow and I'm sure the country will officially shut down as everyone is glued to their TV screens come 2 PM tomorrow. With Holland being a favorite, I'd say things are gonna be interesting. 
Mic & Fabs are out catching up and I should be re-arranging my closet (I put out my Summer clothes prematurely) but I'm downloading movies and taking silly pictures of myself.. I swear, whoever ever invented built-in cameras didn't want me to get anything accomplished in life.

My sister is planning to visit and though she's not sure when, for how long, and absolutely nothing is definite, I am beyond excited. The goal is for her to stay 2 weeks which would be like the best thing since my discovery of Wok to Walk. I wouldn't care if we spent the entire time sitting on the couch, cuddling and watching movies- I just wanna see her stupid face and be able to talk to her whenever I want. We're hoping to be able to travel a bit, which would be nice, particularly to Berlin, Prague and Auschwitz in Poland which I really wanna visit. 

The sun did make a cameo yesterday while we enjoyed coffee at the Rotterdam harbor and we saw something else to add to our list of things to do:

how cool does that look?!?!

Anyway, I need to get to the supermarket before it closes... ciaoooooooo

I get by with a little help from my friends*

This past week was a tough one. I was feeling unusually homesick and my body was being ravaged by a cold. I really just wanted some of my mother's tea and have my grandmother pine over me. It really got me thinking and I realized how much, exactly, I missed being home!

Don't get me wrong, I am so happy here. I love being here with my love and seeing him everyday. I love the freedom of being able to do whatever we want and all that one experiences living abroad. But I can't deny that I miss my family and friends. It also didn't help that I've been slow on making new friends (I blame this on my family & true friends in the States, who have spoiled me and make it so that I don't even wanna look for new ones!) But that is changing, as I'm getting out there and meeting new people.

But anyway, I just wanted to thank everyone for the kindness they showed me, particularly this weekend when I really needed it. It feels good to know that I'm loved and missed because I love and miss you all so much! I wish there was a way to have everyone I hold dear to my heart in one place (preferably in Spain or Italy, anywhere where it doesn't rain EVERYDAY or snow). I LOVE YOU GUYS & I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOU ALL SOON!!!