Are these his socks?

Are these socks handmade?

really beautiful present!
do you know if he knit them hisself?

Beata

Haha. That's what we expect from a proper monk.

coen

you 're a bit "unheimlich"!
diana d, that once was my name here...
and now you tell me it's your exgirlfriends' name. strange
i'm going to have a late breakfast now
have a nice day, everyone else too!
how did you like "de heilige antonio"? till now i haven't read that many books from arnon (4) but they are all great!

socks

@ Beata
hisself = himself
a late breakfast ? Let's call it brunch.
I'm always having brunch. Have a nice meal as well, thanks...

I guess this good father noticed some bad holes in Arnon's socks.
Or he noticed there was only one pair.
I wonder what presents he will give next...

They look itchy.

Beata, Diana

Wow. This means Diana D. was another Diana. But that means in fact you are the same person. My feeling was quite right you have a lot in common. This also means that my exgirlfriend is not reading this blog. But it's even more interesting because you use the same name and you are going to Berlin too. When you are in Berlin I'll mail your story and adres to this other Diana D.
Why did you change your name from Diana D. into Beata B ?
And what is your real name? Maybe not even Diana or Beata. Maybe you are a man. Maybe we got something in common. Well, let's see if someone else will notice this.
At least we are both unheimlich.

Beata,

Oh yeah. I liked all Grunberg books including De heilige Antonio.
Did I tell you before I've read it?

Dominika

Yes.

Sasja

Absolutely.

Coen

Perhaps Diana D / Beata B / Juliane B / and C. Van Der Meer are all one and the same person?!

bertweter (Opapa)

As far as I know I don't have a split personality. But if I have without my knowledge, you should consider yourself a lucky grandfather who has several granddaughters for the price of just one.

Bert H.

I don't exclude any possibility.

Or maybe not only are we all the same person, but we are characters created by Arnon himself so there would be more comments to his blog...? You know, since he's the Redeemer=god=someone our little cult revolves around. Such a cosmic scheme.

Split personalities etc

[Coen
Perhaps Diana D / Beata B / Juliane B / and C. Van Der Meer are all one and the same person?! ]

@ Dominika S
I'm so sorry, I forgot all about you !
You belong in this little list as well !
And what you say is quite right, and quite relevant.

I think we can exclude Juliane B.
She's getting really angry at these suggestions we are making.
On the other hand, ... if I'm getting three (3 !!) granddaughters for the price of one, I'll start reconsidering the whole thing....
Dear Juliane, you may start calling me "Your Uncle" as well...

How the hell did we get from socks to split personalities?

Did this good father of a monk notice that Arnon was wearing two different socks?
You all know this well-known joke, I guess: "Hey, you're wearing two different socks!" - "Yeah, that's funny, I've got another pair of those at home!"

This joke might go for our personalities as well?
(I've got another one at home...)

(Split) personalities...

I also forgot to include 'jeanette p. & Sandy G. !

So we might have this nice little list:
Diana D / Beata B / [Juliane B] / C. Van Der Meer / jeanette p. / Sandy G.
And 'Dominika S' should perhaps be included?

What do you think Coen?
As Alice might say: 'Things are getting curiouser & curiouser'....

Uncle Bert, have you been having a tea party with Mary, Joe and Anna again?

Juliane B

I'm sorry, I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about.
Not the faintest...

'Mary, Joe and Anna' ??
Who are they?
These three 'granddaughters' you were talking about ? :
Can't be: one is called 'Joe'...

Please explain....
I don't know any Mary, Joe or Anna.
That is to say: within my immediate surroundings, acquaintances, relatives etc...

Arnon/Sander I sometimes wonder: how powerful a tool it would be to capture the non-posted comments. The ones written, but cancelled. The true colours.

bertweter

Aww, you're so innocent. You seemed to be getting a bit too excited about that conspiracy theory of yours so I suspected just the teeniest bit of drug consumption on your part. (*cough* marijuana *cough*)

Bert,

Why restrict yourself to a list of women only?

Bert

I would like to state that this is the only name i am using here. It might not be my real name, but i do not have a spilt personality. Thank you.

Juliane & jeanette

@ Juliane
[Aww, you're so innocent. (...) ,... the teeniest bit of drug consumption on your part. (*cough* marijuana *cough*) ]
Sorry if I'm 'innocent': don't do marijuana either. (At least not regularly).
This just means I don't happen to be part of your little in-crowd?
That's it, isn't it?
Not understanding what the hell you are talking about to me?
Why not stop talking to me altogether then?

@ jeanette
[Why restrict yourself to a list of women only? ]
Because it all started with Diana D & Beata B.
I don't have any reason yet to expand this 'conspiracy theory' to include men as well.

Never mind, you two, you both take things on this blog much too seriously....

C. Van Der Meer

That's OK, I'll remove you from this little list.

Bert

It is quite a list. Must say that i was quite suprised to see myself, or the name i gave myself on it. But i am also glad to see it go. Can i ask you your age? I think you are about twice the age i am. I find it heartwaming that i could be the mind behind so many people. Maybe i should try it. Maybe i am Bert.

bert

Goodness, Mr Hesper, you're easily inflammable. I didn't mean to affront you, I was merely joking.

bert

a late breakfast is not the same as a brunch!

coen

i changed from diana to beata cause i had to fill in my name again and that was not for the first time...
i don't like to tell my real name, absolutely not. i'm not a man, if you want to believe me... what could we have in common?

Bret,

thanks for responding and sharing your thoughts,
and yes, I´m taking this site far far too seriously....
playing is such a waste of time, isn´t it?

Me....

@ C. Van Der Meer
You might be me. I'm 59. Guess I'm indeed twice your age.

@ Juliane
Oh yes, I'm quite easily inflammable...
Certainly by someone like you...
Remember, I'm always joking and jesting here as well.

@ Beata
A late breakfast after 12:00/noon could always be called a brunch, couldn't it ?!
What exactly would be the difference?
I would really like to know.

Bert

Even more than twice my age. Hello to my old me, hello old chap!

jeanette

Please rest assured: playing isn't a waste of time.
Play as much as you possibly can.
On this site or wherever you want to.

bert

brunch = breakfast and lunch, a combination of both
cold stuff and hot stuff
i had a late simple breakfast that's all!

C. Van Der Meer

Jesus! You are a real young one ('jonkie'), aren't you?
Bright, little young snapper,...

Bert

23, yes indeed a bit young, but as words on a screen i could easily be a 36 year old female or a 59 year old male.

beata

Whatever you ate after 12:00 o'clock: it's called brunch.

Bert,

It isn't?
Please elaborate.

C. Van Der Meer

["I could easily be a 36 year old female or a 59 year old male."]
Are you serious? You are really that 'sensitive' / 'open-minded' etc.?
I find this very hard to believe...

bert

unverbesserlich! oberlehrerhaft!
war das letzte mal, dass ich auf irgendwas eingegangen bin...

jeanette

[It isn't?
Please elaborate]

Dear jeanette, all playing, whenever and wherever is always OK.
Remember, life itself is a game, etc etc.
So, please, play as much as you can, wherever and whenever.
Play any game you like, and get all the satisfaction you might need from playing...

beata b

Please forgive me if you feel offended...

Bert

Although it is weird to write such stuff about ones own. I am highly sensitive, i've ruined friendships with it. One man -with whom i was and still am deeply in love- once told me that we were two highly sensitive people and that just isn't going to work. And for the open mind bit, well try me, i am, i am really open minded.

beata b

Please have a look at any good dictionary:
'brunch = a 'portmanteau word / a combination of 'breakfast' and 'lunch'.
WHAT you have for breakfast or lunch doesn't matter!

Please don't be so supercilious!
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/brunch
================================

C. Van Der Meer

I think I could love you as well.
You seem very open-minded indeed.
I'll give you some real warm socks !
To start our relationship....

Bert

If it's after 12, let's call it "lunch".
Brunch is invented by restaurants to charge ridiculous amounts of money for some French toast and lukewarm mimosa.
My former fiancée claimed to have brought "brunch" to New York.

Arnon

Still, whatever happened in your own life....
This word 'brunch' is older than you are.
I first heard of it in the sixties. (I made a list of all the portmanteau words in English I could find).
And the word 'brunch' was one of them.
40 and more years ago.
Perhaps not in New York...
But certainly in London and elsewhere in England.

Arnon

Of course, you are quite right to shun restaurants that offer some 'brunch' at ridiculous prices.
The ultimate solution to this problem: have brunch at home, prepare it yourself.

Bert

My former fiancée would have been older than you are now. Unfortunately she passed away in 2005.
And yes, she claimed to have imported brunch straight from Paris to New York.
Don't be a jester, I never eat at home.

Arnon, Bert

The purpose of a jester is to tell the truth in a humorous way.

The word brunch goes back to around 1900. Apparently first in London, but soon after in New York.

Arnon aren't you afraid you'll become disconnected from your readers who do mostly eat at home?

Carlos

I don't discriminate against people who eat at home.

New Oxford describes "jester" as a professional joker.

From time to time I’d like to remind my good old friend Bert that his jokes are running thin.

You should have known Bert when he was still compiling lists of portmanteau words.
He knew jokes with one, two, three and even four portmanteau words.
And he could crack these jokes on command. I used to say: “Bert, crack a joke with two portmanteau words.”
Five minutes later: “Bert, and now a joke with a sick rabbit and three portmanteau words.”
And off he would go.
He was the best

Beata,

I mean, if you use two names, (wich I thought were different people, of whom I had the feeling that they have a lot in common) and later you reveal that these different names have the same owner, thát means to me that they have éverything in common.

Beata,

It's okay if you don't tell your real name and I believe that you are not a man. Maybe you can mastermind a nice name for your daughter. What's her name?

Bert H.

As I told you before I don't exclude any possibility.

sick rabbit

@ Arnon / Carlos
Arnon, thank you for calling me the best way back when.
Way back when, I was to some people... How do you know?
Ah, the good old days, filled with portmanteau words being dished out all the time...

On the word 'brunch' I wasn't joking.
On 'jester':
" jester noun
1. fool, clown, harlequin, zany, madcap, prankster, buffoon, pantaloon, mummer (a chap dressed as a court jester)
2. humorist, comic, wit, comedian, wag, joker, dag (N.Z. informal), quipster, joculator or (fem.) joculatrix (he is the class jester writ large)"
And yes, a 'professional clown employed by a king or nobleman...'

Perhaps I'm more of a fool than a professional joker.
I am certainly no professional, that's for sure.
And if the jokes were thin, yes, they might well have been, not intended to be jokes...

I agree, your late fiancée could easily have introduced brunch to New York restaurants.
But I was discussing the word itself.
A sick rabbit and three portmanteau words? Can't remember.
Something about a workaholic rabbit having brunch in a motel?

Only a fool in jest

From:
http://www.press.uchicago.edu/Misc/Chicago/640914.html

"Of at least equal importance with his entertainer's cap was the jester's function as adviser and critic. This is what distinguishes him from a pure entertainer who would juggle batons, swallow swords, or strum on a lute or a clown who would play the fool simply to amuse people. The jester everywhere employed the same techniques to carry out this delicate role, and it would take an obtuse king or emperor not to realize what he was driving at, since 'other court functionaries cooked up the king's facts for him before delivery; the jester delivered them raw.'"

But aren't most satirical comedians today's society's jesters? I think God has a special place for jesters. Perhaps God is a jester himself. And if God was only joking and he doesn't exist, perhaps we should reinvent him as the Great Jester in the Sky.

Arnon

I wasn't accusing you of being a snob. It was a serious question.

Since your books deal with the travails of fairly "normal" everyday people, I would think it would be important to share their daily toils and experiences.

Recently I watched Michael Haneke's "Caché" a second time. I was struck by the importance of the meal scenes. In the end, this is the last shared ritual the husband and wife have together. The importance of the meal in the urban social unit should not be underestimated.

Carlos

Are you inviting me for dinner?

Carlos II

Of course, God is the Big Jester.
Some theologians believe that it was the devil who created the world. The devil may be a jester as well.

Bert,

'all playing, whenever and wherever is always OK'

You actually believe this yourself?

(Could be the first rule of your new religion perhaps..)

Beata

If you leave this blog again for a while I wish you a good move and all the best for you and your daughter.

coen

i'm not leaving this blog, i just don't know what to say...

Beata,

Haha, okay I understand.
Did you start reading De heilige Antonio?

coen

i already finished it.
i guess, it's grunbergs style, his way of writing, i like so much.
i'm not sure if it's so much about the content... it's easy to read and addictive, you don't want to stop, he keeps it "spannend".
what's your favourite one?
and what are you reading at the moment?
we could call my daughter lucy

Beata,

Yes, I like it too.
There is no favourite altough I've read Gstaad (Marek van der Jagt) twice. I like them all. I could read Tirza a second time. Onze oom is very interesting, like a new invented style (wich starts already a bit in Tirza). I could read de joodse messias for the second time. But I think if I start reading any of his books again I couldnt stop.
At the moment I read several books.: Kamermeisjes en Soldaten (Arnon Grunberg), Gehakte Hagedis (Isabella Tree), Dorp in Vlaanderen (Louis Paul Boon), Pnin ( Vladimir Nabokov) and Die Ursache ( in German by Thomas Bernhard) I don't read much so it will take a while to finish them and I wonder wich one I will finish first. Maybe I should change my way of reading (one by one).
Say hello to Lucy. What music do you prefer?

coen

i can't read several books at the same time... maybe i could, but i don't like!
there is no particular music i prefer, i like a lot and from all styles...
but i'm not the one who always listens to music, i love silence

Beata,

When are you going to move?
Where do you live now?

coen ... who else will also check that day again...? it was friday, the 13th... a gift from father

hey! there's a message again! thought you 'ld stop talking...
hello stranger!
we hope to move in january, i'm livin' in amsterdam.
you in maastricht, right? i like the dome in aachen...
greetings

Beata

december 4 I'll be in Amsterdam.
Would you like to visit the dome in aachen?
Maybe we can meet each other...

not now!

Beata

Are you in the bijlmerbajes at the moment ;)

coen

no! do you have the idea that i'm in prison?

Beata

Why not?

[ Comment removed ]

Beata

If you were in prison I would visit you and bring you some Limburgse vlaai. A couple of days later I would visit you again and tell you that the visit had inspired me and how I use it in my book of stories. The third time I bring flowers. Red roses. But you are not in prison I guess. Tell me more about you please.

coen

limburgse vlaai, book of stories, red roses!
isn't that a bit too heavy honey?
more about me... okay
mein sternzeichen ist "fische"
and yours?
i really enjoyed "boer zoekt vrouw"
what about you?
i'm very much in the mood to explore a new city!
changes!

Beata

You are right. it sounds a bit heavy but It was just a friendly gesture.
Fische aha. I am lowe. I don't know many fische.
I never look television. Only the films I record. So I see a lot of films.
Barcelona is a nice city.
Do you have dreams?

coen

of course it was a friendly gesture!
are you interessted in/do you like astrology?
very healthy not to look tv! congratulations
yes barcelona is nice!
... i only have been there once for 4 days or something...
do you know cadaques, the little town where dali lived?
i love it! it's very beautiful and peaceful
the city i like to go most is new york! have you been there?
of course i have dreams, do you mean the ones in the night or the ones during the day?
which one was your last film?

Coen/Beata

You WATCH television and films.
(And you LOOK at the sky and at other people's faces...)
@ Beata
What about living in Rotterdam, here with me?

Beata

i em not realy interessted in Astrologie. Jost for fon and the misterie.
I like Sagggittariusses.
I have never been in New York. Sounds very good.
Cadaques, I'll remember it.
Dreams for the future, maybe just for the day I mean.
The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (2005) was the last film I looked. Goood one !!!
I like talking to you this way.
You can also tell me your dreams at night. That's my interest.

coen

mie too! jost for fon.
when i was 15/16 i took it a little serious, now i sometimes wonder...
dreams for the future... i have a lot! and i'm fantasizing nearly the whole day, i love that!
great movie! we planned to record it, but forgot it unfortunately.
yes, it's a nice communication! (u like that song by the dire straits?)
well, my nightmares... i don't remember a dream that often and if i remember one it's mostly a weired one... about persons and things that happened in my past, so if i would tell them to you you would need a lot of background-information... too much for that talk. i'd like to do much more with my (night)dreams, but i'm a quite lazy girl
how about your dreams?

Beata

Dire straits? you mean private investigations?
private communications hihi
I like dreams. Sometimes I have dreams about making music, soccer, sex, dark cafes, dreams,
Do you have pets?

Pssst.... Beata are you still there ...?

coen

yes, i am present coen!
we were in berlin,
it was stressy and the appartments we saw were not nice or too loud or "erdgeschoss"... but we'll have to make a choice and then find something really nice when we're there. and there are very beautiful appartments in berlin!
i don't have pets, it doesn't seem right to me to lock an animal inside. do you have some?

Beata

Glad to hear from you.
I hope you find a nice appartment. Maybe one day I'll visit you and your family.
I don't have pets. I travel to much.
I play with an opera singer tonight. Now we are rehearsing and I like it a lot.
Hope to keep in touch. grtz

coen

why the question about pets?
are you a professional musician?
i would love to play the trombone or the trumpet...
where and why are you travelling?
as you already know, i love to travel,
there's a small, beautiful island in thailand...
japan would be great or korea
what's your favourite destination?
how old are you?
how was your gig?

Beata

Thank you for all your questions.
About the pets was just a making conversation question to keep in touch.
I am professional.
Trumpet, great! I once bought a trumpet as a birthdaypresent for my ex. She left it when she went to Berlin but I save it for her.
For music I travel , all over the world. Sometimes for hollidays.
I know you like to travel too.
Japan, very interesting.
I like Mexico a lot. I have never been in the mountains of Maroc but I am invited and I love to go there. On a donkey going up. Seems to be like time stood still. Could be 2000 years ago I've been told.
I am 44 years old.
Thank you for asking, the gig was great. I played with my trio(Henry Schuler and Rene van Engeland) together with Rauf Berman (opera), Lollo Meier (gypsy swing) and Veronique Jean (jazz) on a Russian wedding party. And there were three applications that I had to sing. So I had to make a setlist to fit all the songs and styles in a certain schedule. I am not actually a singer but with sincerity I survived. Everybody was very content. I am happy because it was a lot of preparation for me. Now I feel free. But sunday I play with Jazz Department and famous Ben van den Dungen. No preparation but exiting. That's the good part of it.
Japan would be great for a vacation. I still have dreams....you know.

coen

thank you for all your answers! i like our conversation! a lot
i once started playing the trumpet but only a few weeks, i was too lazy, too busy with other things... jammer
yes, mexico is great! i've travelled there for 3 months in 1996/97, it was gorgeous. i saw the most bizarre places, for example batopilas down in the copper canyon. which parts of mexico do you know?
a russian wedding party... lots of icecold wodka?
ask me a question! tot snel

Beata

A was in Mexico-city twice in 2007 and 2008 to play on a mondial festival. First as Planet T second with the dreamstealers.
The first one I made a report
http://coenvandam.web-log.nl/coen_van_dam/2007/10/planet_t_in_mex.html
and an interview
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gxaqgwc-q8w
and a video from the second time
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lz65e01HaYk&feature=related
I went to Teotihuacán , the piramides of the sun and the moon. I like the crazy city very much but I also like nature in Mexico.
What's your favourite drink Beata? I like tequila, not because I've been to Mexico. It tastes like a very good whiskey to me. I prefer the 100 % agave. tot snel weer !

and

Beata

To complete my story, today I was at a friends birthdayparty. He was in Mexico several times. He served a very old tequila. That was great!!!!
Than he had a very old single malt whiskey. Tequila won !!! Everybody agreed. Tequila is a very fine drink. Drink it like a good whiskey or cognac, it's not just a toy with salt and lemon.
Do you like nordic walking?

Beata,

we talked about my ex Diana. Today was her birthday. I would like to wish her a very good year and lots of love but she prefers no contact. Would you send her an e mail or be just righteous and keep quiet?

coen

what means righteous?
i will not send her an e-mail. if she doesn't want contact, you should respect that. how long is it ago? you are suffering!?
about my favourite drink...
it's -orangina -white wine -water -tea -bubbles and much more
i actually like nordic walking, i once did it with my aunt in the woods and fields in germany, but i thought, not possible in the vondelpark

Beata

the righteous I mean is "braaf"
You are right. She can send me an email if she wants contact.
It's three years ago. I am not suffering but I have these passionate moments, when I think of her. It fills my body with a lot of energy and warmth. I can handle it. Maybe it's not interesting to bother you with my ex but that's still a bit because in the beginning I thought you were my ex. Let's forget about her. She's worth it but for you it doesn't make sense.
If I were stuck on an island I would choose fresh water ;)
Next time when I'm in Amsterdam I go nordic walking in the Vondelpark. People may cry out at me, call me names. As long as no-one hits me I'm okay. I practised in front of the mirror yelling at myself.
Why are you moving to Berlin? Does you or your man get a job there?

coen

if you want you can go on telling me this and that about diana, it doesn't bother me.
so you 're a nordic walker?
we are ready for a change, i like to talk german again, berlin is big, exciting, new for me, and and and
but i will miss amsterdam, that's for sure
it's a beautiful city!
have you ever lived in maastricht?

Beata

I am a nordic walker.
You will miss Amsterdam for sure. How long you've lived in Amsterdam?
I live Maastricht. Nice city.
What kind of work does your husband do? I mean, if you move to Berlin with a little baby you must have a job. Or maybe you are the breadwinner. What's your job?

i lived in amsterdam for 4 and a half year.
oh no, i'm not the "breadwinner" (first time i hear that word), at the moment i don't earn anything, no good feeling... i could have started working again 3 months after the birth of lucy, but i think a baby at that age needs his mother. most of the time! so i lost my job, but the circumstances were not ideal, so that's okay.
my boyfriend already has work and i will find some when we are there.

Beata

Merry christmas and a happy newyear !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BOOM !!!!!
X

merry kissmas...
merry XXXXXXmas...
merry me...mais pas pour toujours.
mais oui ..... mais ca c'est trop lourd?
au secours, mon amour... fou...
foei...
boei...tifoel, boeitifoel..
be you T... full....

coen

schoenes wortspiel!
mit oder ohne tequila?
right now i'm at my grandparents house with sweet lucy
it's a bit too long now but in amsterdam we live in chinatown and that's definetly too much for a baby with "oud & nieuw"
how was your kissmas? did you kiss some one with hot desire?
guten rutsch!