Miracle

Today, I would like you to listen to the title song of a dutch movie. It's in dutch cinemas at the moment though I haven't seen it as the plot did not look very appealing to me. 

In contrast to that is the title song which I like very much and which I purchased on iTunes. It's called "Miracle" and is sung by no less than famous dutch singer Ilse DeLange and can be found on her album "Incredible". I did not find a video of the song though there is a youtube version where you at least can listen to the song (which is what I want you to, after all). ;-)

Someone put a lock on this old door

It's been beaten up and used and more

It's been kicked a hundred thousand times

Keeping all the memories behind

If you read the lines between the paint

Look beyond the cracks that store away

It's hidden in the windows of the walls

Right behind the eyes that saw it all

Given all the facts of circumstance

I did not believe that a romance

Would show itself in all this dark and blue

That's the only place I ever knew

You put me outside my safety-zone

Outside all the lines that made my home

To find out that no one really lives

Without giving what it is you give

A miracle looking in my life

A mirror-ball showing me all these faces

A miracle looking in my life, after all

A miracle looking in my life

A mirror-ball showing me all these faces

A miracle

I've been living underneath my skin

Everything I felt I kept it in

It carried all the words without a sound

It got me, it almost got too loud

But now that my arms are holding on

To someone as sacred as a song

To the one who wants to be my own

I have found that blood can come from stone

A miracle looking in my life

A mirror-ball showing me all these faces

A miracle looking in my life, after all

A miracle looking in my life

A mirror-ball showing me all these faces

A miracle

A miracle looking in my life

A mirror-ball showing me all these faces

A miracle looking in my life, after all

A miracle looking in my life

A mirror-ball showing me all these faces

A miracle looking in my life, after all

A miracle looking in my life

A mirror-ball showing me all these faces

A miracle

Someone put a lock on this old door

It's been beaten up and used and more

It's been kicked a hundred thousand times

It's keeping all the memories behind

I hope you like it as much as I do, I think it's really beautiful. As mentioned before elsewhere here, I'm a big fan of soundtracks, I just love these kind of songs and music. Yeah, I agree, it's a typical song for me to like, kind of romantic... after all, I'm hopelessly romantic and always a dreamer... a tender hug and kiss for you.

Ciao - a movie.

Today I came across a trailer of a gay movie that fascinated me the moment I read the story. I can't wait to see it. Here's the synopsis from the official site of the movie:

A man dies very unexpectedly and leaves behind two men: Jeff, his best friend, and Andrea, an Italian he’s been corresponding with online. Jeff informs Andrea of Mark’s passing; Andrea writes back to express his shock and sympathies. On a whim, they continue their correspondence and a rapport grows between them. They eventually meet, where they extend their e-mail exchanges into more personal and intimate conversations. They talk about their respective countries, their jobs, their families, their lives. Mostly, they talk about Mark. What began as a tragedy that linked two strangers from different ends of the world becomes a deeply realized friendship that may change their lives forever. 

There is a group on facebook about the movie: CIAO movie | Facebook

and an official movie site: http://www.ciaomovie.com

Have a brilliant weekend everyone, hugs.

Lounge visit

As usual, the story I have to tell today is probably not very interesting for most of you - because it's airline related and I'm the only geek around here about that... ;-) Still, I feel like sharing it with somebody. So maybe I should start it with "Dear diary..." hahaha, just kidding.

What I want to share is about something work related (somehow) I experienced a few days ago. I had the chance to visit the VIP lounge of the airport of Amsterdam. I was lucky enough that the lounge was completely unoccupied and I got a personal tour. Unfortunately I cannot show you any own photos but I have included some photos from the promotional folder so you have a better idea of what I am talking about. 

I had to go all the way to the newest part of the terminal in Amsterdam airport, find my way through a giant crowd of Hajj passengers that were checking in and being accompanied by an even bigger group of families and friends and in the very last corner is a side entrance of which the sign says it leads to the press centre. When I am about to ring the door bell it miraculously opens and of course I'm impressed already... ;-) I entered, climbed up some stairs and entered a different world, so much quieter and calm than the hustle and bustle of the "ordinary" terminal. One floor higher, in a completely different surrounding than the "ordinary" terminal downstairs you find the lounge of the famous and important people where they rest and wait before their flight takes off. The facility is provided by the airport and is only available to the so called "very important" people from governments/embassies and such, though it's not meant for the rich and famous so you would most probably not bump into famous pop or movie stars ;-) Though from what I heard that might change in the future and become a little more commercial.

The whole occupied space seemed very large to me; though to my surprise it felt less luxurious than I had expected it. If you have ever walked into lobbies of luxury hotels then you somehow get the look and feel of the lounge.
The overall design is very modern, with dutch accents but trying to avoid typical dutch icons like tulips and cheese... ;-) Even more surprising to me was the Royal Lounge, the lounge that is used by the dutch Royal Family during their stay at the airport.

I felt it is very modest, in a very modern design in white, blue and orange tones. A little cabinet holds the toys for the children, a few "family" photos try to give it a little more "personal" touch. The couches you see on the photo are standard and can be bought in stores I have been told but have been modified for better, slightly more comfortable seating (as they are very  [too?] low). But there were no immense luxuries that you might expect in the Royal lounge. Other space of the VIP lounge is used for a bar or other lounge rooms,

all in modern designs with more or less subdued colors or here and there a colorful accent like you see here in the bar. There is even a shower room which is a pleasant walk-in shower room, yet not overly luxurious, again something you will find in First Class lounges of airlines. Finally, the lounge even offers a pleasant waiting room for the drivers of the limousines of the VIPS where they can wait in a pleasant and comfortable (yet a little hidden and windowless) space for their next duties, including free coffees and soups... ;-) Last but not least, a sober not to big room is used for press conferences at the airport. I liked its design, a light, white walled room with black chairs (only one in a special "cow" design) on a carpet that was made from a photo that shows an airview of the landscape on approach to the airport while the ceiling shows the blue sky above the airport.

All in all, I think one can compare this lounge a little bit with the First Class Terminal that my employer offers at its hub in Frankfurt. Though I have never seen it personally I think one can compare the features and design and concept of the terminal with that of the smaller VIP lounge in Amsterdam. 

The funny thing was to learn that many features designed by the architect do look great from a designer's point of view but are terrible to work with from an employee's point of view :-D 

We have the same problem at our ticket counter which looks great but has some serious design issues - but that of course is another post yet to be written. ;-) 

I am very thankful to have been able to see the lounge, as it's truly something very special only few people will ever see. Hopefully I could give you a little impression on my imaginary walk around this lounge.

A very important hug.

Sorry, my friend.

Nooo, I haven't done any bad things to him. I didn't hurt him. But what I do though is being like a limpet, at least sometimes. I am aware of that. I use him as my little straw to hold on to while being in a maelstrom of emotions. I feel very attached to him, I trust him and I know he understands me a lot. But I always forget one thing, that he has his own life with lots of friends, a boyfriend, family, his hobbies and his own problems as well and that he cannot always be there for me even though he wants to. 

But I know I don't leave him space to breath, I come too close too often. That is one of my bad characteristics, to try to claim people. So I guess I will have to learn to keep some distance. I don't always have to speak to him when I see him online or contact him in other ways. Let's see if I will manage. I know I'm not good in these things.

I am sorry, my friend, I apologize.

Life of a moth.

What can I say? Not much I guess. When being asked what I did this weekend I answered "the usual", meaning I worked and did nothing. 

I feel not bad, there's just that emptiness inside. There are some things that I really look forward to in the coming months. So, there are little highlights on the horizon. But on the short term? Even then: I look forward to Christmas, not the holiday but something that is more important to me than that but hopefully will take place around that time.

I'm the kinda guy that people like, it's nice to have me over for a coffee, or maybe have a dinner with but not the kind you would call. You just don't think of someone like me, I guess. Hey, it's nice if I call and ask you out, ask for a date to meet, yeah. But most would never think of calling me. Maybe I'm not entertaining enough, not funny enough, not intelligent enough to have a good talk. I don't know, it's a guess, a very wild one. I developped that theory from facebook. I noticed. I look at some people and they constantly are busy, get comments and have nice, sometimes even funny "chats" with their friends. I never belong there, for a multitude of reasons. I understand those reasons. Unfortunately for me, I seem unable to build this myself. I just can't and I don't know why?

I compare myself with a moth, circling around the light. The light is another friend. Lots of moths circle around that light. I'm just a moth, not the light where other moths circle around me. ;-) A funny picture maybe, but kind of true. On facebook I keep on commenting on other people's comments, status or whatever and if I'm "lucky" I do get a reply. It doesn't happen very often though that someone reacts on something I do. I regularly get those invitations for some kind of app, yeah sure. But frankly, many of the few friends I have do have much more friends and therefore get much more attention by more different people (I guess). I wonder if that's deep and satisfying but at least it's some kind of attention... I still refuse to believe in those mass friendships, I still try to build "real" friendships, if that's possible at all? Same on flickr, if I don't comment regularly on others' streams or post very "provocative" photos, very few really care it seems.  Though I feel it costs me way too much energy for little or nothing in return. I have no clue if I do something wrong or what I should do different - maybe there isn't anything I can do more or different, maybe that's just the way it is? Maybe I have to accept that people just like to have me in the background, not too overly present, as a kind of human decoration in their lives? 

I find it hard to "just" be the moth, I envy the "lights", the guys who have that natural popularity. I should be used to it by now, it was never different in my life. So, I should not complain, go back to my chat and wait another minute or three before it's this moth's turn again for an answer... Don't get me wrong, I do understand, I always have, always will, that's how I am.

That's - I guess - the life of a moth.

P.S.: my comments are made in general and don't have any reference to a particular person; it's meant as a general observation of how I feel and I really do not refer to  anybody in particular.