• A perfectly blue, cloudless sky

    A seldom empty Amsterdam sky. I forgot how sweet the city is right after work.

  • A drug store window poster for baby milk contains curiosities

    If geitenmelk comes from goats, does peutermelk come from toddlers?

  • A man in a beanie sits in a beam of sunlight at a table and enjoys a cinnamon bun

    I want to have his attitude and energy when I grow up

  • A glass of water and a cappuccino sit on a wooden table at a coffee place

    A recent rediscovery has been 4850, a little cafe behind the hospital. It used to be Michelin-awarded fine dining, now’s it a coffee place and wine bar. During the week, they close at 3, but on Fridays, they’re open until 6. The team working there have such a great dynamic, and it’s fun to crack jokes with them. Perfect way to start the weekend.

  • The tram smells like perfume, coffee, and eggs. Amsterdam is cold, but the morning sun turns everything a beautiful orange. I have seven more days of antibiotics to go. I never thought I’d say it, but I can’t wait to go to the beach and sit in the sun.

  • 2,500 days sober

    Today, I have a track record of 2,500 days of alcohol-free hydration. In May I will celebrate 7 years of sobriety, but since I’m greeted by a day counter whenever I look at my phone, I couldn’t resist a moment of reflection.

    2024 was a year of experimentation. I decided to go for the mocktail option during a handful of date nights, and even drank alcohol-free wine at church.

    In a moment of company-wide celebration I tasted …

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  • A beautiful morning sky over the Amstel River in Amsterdam, as seen from a tram on a bridge.

    The 2025 Lenten season and I are off to a beautiful start. I’m trying something new this year: I don’t want to focus on a habit I want to quit, co-opting Lent to dive into productivity/diet/whatever culture. Instead, I’m looking forward to identify a few of my common thinking traps, and learn how I can move beyond them to what I consider the less circumstantial, more profound beliefs I have about life. A gorgeous morning sky is making it all quite the treat.