Twelve days until Christmas

Dear Bloggers,


It is twelve days before Christmas and maybe a good moment to write down some of my thoughts. Well, not because it's twelve days before Christmas, but it's a good moment! It's Saturday, and finally it is getting a bit cold outside and it is nice and toasty inside. The Christmas tree has been put up today and it gives that special atmosphere in the house.

So far I haven't mentioned anything about what I did for a living, so anyone visiting my blog would have no clue about who I am and whether anything I say here is relevant to anything. So to give you a clue - I'm Dutch, I live in small village in Friesland, The Netherlands; I worked for a company that provides a ferry service between The Netherlands and The United Kingdom and is headquartered in Copenhagen; my job was receptionist on board. Due to the fact that my body couldn't handle the long days anymore and gave up on me, I ended up being home. So I ought to know a bit about communicating which might well reflect itself in this blog as it develops.

But let's get back to thoughts of today. The Christmas shopping is all done, preparations for the holiday period are well underway, and my wife and family are happy. That's a good start. One of the great things about living in The Netherlands compared to the UK and USA is that Christmas is far less commercialized. Of course all the shops at this time are chock full of shoppers, but at least all that started in the beginning of this month, rather than in July or August. A more relaxed perspective. Here, the big day in December is the 5th when Sinterklaas and his helpers make their appearance and kids get their gifts. The importance of the 25th is far more religious than commercial. And that makes it a lot less stressful at least that is what I think.

This holiday season will give me a good opportunity to think about some things related to my status as I will be unemployed and I already started looking for a new job, I did re-school myself last summer for a new profession, I got all my driving licence and all other legal documents to be a bus driver. Until today I have not been successful to find a job although I applied for several vacancies. As there are not that many jobs here in the North and they can even pick from experienced people who are unemployed it is hard to get something.

There is no reason to let your head hang down as there will be coming better times. Although for me it is time to get a job and pick up my life again. I have been home long enough and I have been working always. Unfortunately I have to learn to do things step by step now and not as how I did it before just jump into a job and do it. I have always kept the thought that my limits are not my boundries. And I can tell you that it is more important to know yourself and know what you can then to know what you can not. All the things I want for the future became more and more important. My past was great, but there is no reason to look back all the time and muse about how great things were. No it is time to look straight forward and see how things are. So lots of work to do in thinking and making plenty of new plans for 2010.
 
 

The Old Sailor,