"Chase the dreams and the dreams they will come true"

Amsterdam. To foreigners, this city is the spark of so many preconceived notions and has a reputation for being shrouded in lust and forbidden treasures. But the special cafes and red light district, while definitely very different from what the average person is used to, are things that don’t really mingle with everyday life (unless of course you want them to). The morning commute to The Black Fish office consists of fighting my way through a mini Tour De France. Cycling is the chosen form of transportation here and the tangle of bikes on the road is mind blowing. By the time I leave Amsterdam, I’ll have legs that will put Suzanne Somers and her Thigh Master to shame. I’ve been staying with a girl that I grew up with, a girl that was friends with my older brother and sister, and we calculated that it had been about 18 years since we last saw each other. As we reminisced one night, Alethia shared with me a memory of when I was five and she was seven and I showed her how to make cinnamon toast. How wild is life? Who would have thought that two little Wimer, Oregon girls would be catching up as women living as expats in Amsterdam? Another crazy situation that has unfolded during my short time here is my reunion with Seattle band, The Crying Spell. I’ve seen this band several times in Bellingham and loved them each time. The band was here in Amsterdam for a few days during their European tour and their manager, an amazing woman and now close friend, stayed with Alethia and me. I got to catch up with the guys over dinner, photograph the show and walk away with five new friends. Life is pretty sweet sometimes. And while I miss Seattle and my bands with a sickness, things are going great with The Black Fish and I’m happy to be where I am in life. I want to give a special shout out to my nephew who just turned 16: I love you heaps, Dude, and am sorry I couldn’t be there to celebrate with you. And to my mom, who turns 60 on tax day: let’s take that Alaska cruise when I get home. I love you.

The Crying Spell rocks their love for The Black Fish