Happenings

Let's see...
Survived the New Year. More than survived it - enjoyed every minute. I had the perfect amount to drink, just the right number of oliebollen (not too much, but enough to feel satisfied), played games (in Dutch!), carried on normal adult conversations (in Dutch!), kissed at midnight (in...French?), watched the boys blow up fire works, watched the (once again, very drunk) neighbors start a fire in the middle of the street, smoked a cigar, and danced all night long. It was good. The best New Years I've had here.
Next morning. News: Saddam is dead. Strange. He's been the bad guy for as long as I can remember. And now it, at least the part where he is concerned, is over.
You can watch it on youtube.
Who would want to see that?
I suppose I do not hate him enough to derive pleasure from watching him hang. The reaction here was, of course, a mixture of disgust and joy. Some are happy to know he's dead, others think this all was a horrible display. I do not feel much of either joy or disgust. As terrible as this sounds, I am too far away for him and what he's done to have an affect on me further than momentary horror. Theoretically, I suppose I think he got what he deserved. For some people, and in very few extreme cases, I think death should be their just penalty. Though, I must admit, I still cannot help but wonder who can actually be close up for those moments and live with themselves? I can support it easily from a distance but could I make the decision? Who could? Then again...I've never lost my family to a massacre or been raped and tortured...
Tomorrow I am taking the theory test for my driver's ed. Wednesday, my second driving lesson.
I found out that since I've had a license for four years already, when I get mine here, I can drive under influence of greater amounts of alcohol than the others in my class.
Luuk and I have decided to talk to a wedding planner. They are all forty year old women that love to plan other people's festive occasions. Entertaining, I promise!
On to studying traffic signs.
What a life.
Cheers.