Dutch Yaoi Fans

@Mac, haha use pepperspray XD Did you know that thing is illegal in Holland, if you use that in public, you are commiting a crime. And stalking is a crime too, imagine you and the stalker together in prison, because you used pepperspray on him :S

@Maskelle, oh is that so? I don't think it's culture bound. It has more to do with the situational context than with a specific culture. In Asia (= China) doing business is much more personal than here in Europe. You have to be very close, almost informally close, with your trading partner. Drining beer together, showing each other their houses, and so on. You have to be accepted in their 'network'. So the distance is actually smaller in Asia huh...... And it's true that looking someone straight in the eye can be interpreted as offensive, but it has more to do with the unwritten rules about social positions. In Holland you can be amical with your employer, don't think about that in Asia.... You should be respectful towards him/her. As you know in Japan you have different words to express, You and I.... In Germany you use the polite version of you (Sie) much more often than in Holland..... What i want to say is that, if two people are of equal social positions (like two classmates), those 'distance' rules you are talking about usually do not apply

omg that would defeat the whole point of using said pepperspray
but if he's really annoying you can always use your knee ^^ *grin*
still though, as innocent as I was back then (yes people, I've been innocent...sort off, get over it! :P) the guy scared the crap out of me! :P he was at least twice my age and huge! and my insecurity was still burning hot back then so yeah... at least I can laugh at myself now :P

and hip hip hurray for me! I survived my chemistry test! it went better than expected... though that isn't saying much lol

congratz. And that is everyone's fear. It isn't completely legal because it was it was in self defence, for one and secondly there is this illusion that the cops know everything. That is bullshit. The only thing we base are fears upon is the idea we might end up with in a cell with a guy named 'bubba' who says: 'your my little puppy now!'

@erian, oh now you have to wait for you marks huh.....

@Mac, haha talking about the 'illusion of the omnipresent cops', the all seeing eye, the big brother of the state... reminds me of something I read about the Panoptic Gaze.... power works in both ways: for the one in power and for the one who 'voluntarily' creates the illusion to be interpellated by the oppressor. In other words we actually make our own lives more limited because we believe that the cops can drag you out of your house and throw you in prison anytime if you commit a criminal act (a bit exaggurated...) That's exactly the psychology behind how camera's in public can reduce crime XD It's depressing to realise that we are restricting outselves huh

Oh and, about self defence... Remember the story of the woman who drove over a guy on a motorbike who shole her purse? The thief died, and she had to go to jail or pay a high fine >_> There was such a rouse in the media about it, even Prins Bernard said he would pay the fine of the lady..... self defense, bah

@ Link

Yeah, surveillance camera's are almost never watched 'on the fly'; authorities only look up the images AFTER something's happened. But it still works in reducing crime, just as you said because of the feeling people get by the possibility of being watched.

And well, we Dutchies are one of the, if not THE most impolite society in the world. We always brag about everything, almost never use the polite form (U) anymore. Not that is bad, but foreigners are often shocked about the impoliteness here. Even Belgians are waaaay politer than we are, LOL

And total strangers in the train can be fun, only you might feel very 'opgelaten' on the moment itself. I even have these people I met on the train, but talk to them regularly; I call them my "train-friends" I had a couple of Down-syndrome people last week in the train btw. They always start talking about everything, I think it's funny in a way . I was reading my book, which was written in English (I don't like Dutch books), and this guy could actually read the summary on the back of the book! I was like "OMFG, I didn't expect a Downer to be able to read English xD"

Completely different subject:
@ Mac
No, I didn't already have a boyfriend. I guess you were talking about that Chinese guy? Well, we broke up only a few days after the first Utrecht-meeting. But that wasn't real love anyway. We both wanted a boyfriend too badly - and that isn't a good base for a relationship

[gay rant mode]This time, it does really feel as real love We met by accident: this guy I had on MSN added his whole list to a group conversation. Normally, I close those immediatly (msn is freaking annoying with a group, IRC is way better ) But I didn't this time, and I got talking to one of the conversation "members". And from one thing comes another So now my head isn't anywhere near Earth.
I went to him again yesterday, and well, now it's official... he's become my boyfriend

*sigh*
*brain departs to Nijmegen* [/gay rant mode]


Oh by the way; I thought we'd already settled on May 30th? I don't want to be annoying or anything, but it might come in handy for a lot of people to know the exact date (whatever that's gonna be) a few weeks/a month in advance. People make plannings you know . And btw, maybe a shopping sunday ('koopzondag') might be an idea? I don't know if the manga-store is open on those days as well, but that might come in handy for people who have to work on saturdays

@MC Denno: o gods! I fell of my chair laughing at "you're my little puppy now" XD that be the time I'd most resemble an anime character lol going >>
@sander: aaaw congrats! *huggels* lol now I've got the song "Can you feel the Love tonight?" stuck in my head XD

:P well glad I could brighten up your day.

And no I don't always refer to one of the main philosophers that has sprung from our European soil. Sometimes I construct an argument in such a way I can make a joke at the end. It is often referred to as the 'comedians construct'

O.o I'm gone for one weekend and I already miss two pages *starts reading*

@ Sander: Wow, congratulations..!! That's soooo nice for you *jumps in the air*

oh, and a total change of subject: What lovely weather it is! I am enjoying the sun so much... (a bit... too much! *hears her books calling for her*)

@Kreatio: safety and peace, fellow victim of the disaster that is called books!
@MC Denno: oooh! you like Philosophy? *bounce*
(yes people I'm a terrible nerd :P I'm actually going to a 'proefstudeerdag' of Philosphy in Nijmegen this Friday XD)