Today I had to go to Amsterdam. I also had to write a #Blogmas post. This is what happened.

At home I was talking, or, you know, complaining to my mother how her profile name on Facebook isn't 100% correct. "It's 'van den Broek' not 'Broek'", I said to her agitated. She sort of agreed with me and said I could change it if I wanted it to (not that I know how, but that's another story). However, she added, not having all your details 100% correctly spelled out is also a way to protect you from The Internet. *dramatic music* Or rather, naturally, bad people on the internet. With not having everything exactly matching up you are a little bit more safe. I thought about it and replied that it would be rather oblivious to think that The Internet *dramatic music* hasn't already accumulated most if not all of my personal data. All its missing is the actual me (yes, I'm looking at you Google). She reluctantly agreed with me and I showed her this funny tweet I saw yesterday.


This tweet really speaks to my imagination. I can already picture my own gentle FBI agent Roger, sitting in his office with multiple screens lighting up his face, checking whether the between 5 or 10 people he monitors have logged on yet and, if so, what they are doing. This picture made me realise 1) although thought up as a 'gentle' soul, Roger sounds like a creepy kind of guy and 2) how personal not only your internet behaviour is, but also where/how that behaviour is taking place. [I'm for instance currently typing out the words written on the train journey earlier this day. Sitting in my bed, hoping I can type fast enough as it is now already 23:40 and I've got some words to go still......]. Even for those boring people like me whose internet behaviour, although ends with a thousand open tabs, is actually as exciting as... well... poor Roger's FBI agent job (at least give him a cool badge).

I picture Roger as the Roger of 101 Dalmatians. Although admittedly I picture everything as part of 101 Dalmatians. A few weeks ago we were watching The Hours in class, which is a somewhat complicated film to explain, but think Virginia Woolf, Mrs Dalloway and Meryl Streep (important to add: it's based on a same-named novel by Michael Cunningham). Anyway, one of the supporting cast members was Roger. No truly! The actor playing alongside Streep in this very serious rol in a drama was Roger. Every time he appeared on screen all I could see was dots like Cruella. And while all the other students were having deep conversations about how Woolf's concept of 'the angel in the house' (also long to explain but basically the idea of the perfect woman who sacrifices herself to serve her family. Sort of), I was marvelling over and sharing my knowledge with the poor student sitting next to me. "Oh my", she replied, "you're right. That is that guy from 101 Dalmatians".

[Now I spiralled into talking about the so called culture of personality that we live, according to John Green, live in and how this concept influences the way we experience an extra layer of something or someone within a performance (although the actor who plays Roger is not Roger, because I associate him immediately as Roger I reinforce that memory onto the experience of the movie). I can't remember where I read this, but it's argued that this is also the reason why certain actors are asked to act certain parts as they not only create a new performance but inadvertently represent their own previous work and also (media) personality that adds to the experience of that what is performed anew, so to speak. Basically: Everything is connected. Like The Internet. *dramatic music* However, unfortunately, I don't have enough time to write all this because it's now 23:54 and I need to post this baby before 00:00!!! The pressure. The stress. The tears. (although, honestly, you're not missing much.]

[Oh no! Internet is failing me: 23:57]

[Picture won't load! Boohoo! I go try to publish it now before it's too late 23:59]

[Sweaty, shaking hands, but I've made it! Just added a picture I'd taken today while it was absolutely pooring outside and honestly I was absolutely drenched afterwards and I still had to go into a meeting. All wet. The things I do for you! 00:03]

[Forgot the add the tweet, didn't I? Also internet is still playing up and I decided to just add the whole 'whatever' to it (the 'pin this post' thinga-majing, which no one ever uses, but still, it looks professional. Like I care. Which I do, but not that very much at this very moment... 00:11]

[Also added some links to the things I mentioned above (Wikipedia, nothing fancy. But it will clear a lot of things up, hopefully. A bit. 00:13]

[I think that you by now will understand and agree that this whole Blogmas thing isn't going as I wanted or imagined it to go. Although I wouldn't say that if I had everything already prepared in August (which apparently every sensible blogger has done) it would be better, but I think or I wanted my Blogmas to be more. To be smart and thoughtful and funny and magical yet realistic yet questioning the reality to that realistic theatre. It would contain different views and opinions on Christmas itself and how somebody celebrates it, or how somebody (me) who 'doesn't get it' tries to get it or helps those 'blinded' by Christmas bling to think of it in a different light. And perhaps, maybe all these things will still come. If I have the time, when I have the time, but yeah... It can be rather frustrating. BUT also somewhat rewarding as I'm very unprepared and need to get up and over myself with posting things I had imagined different or, you know, not existent like this post. May I confide you into a little secret: yesterdays post was actually a disgarded post living in the long list of drafts and only saw the light of day because it was 'needed'. And I'm fine with it being out there, but it isn't what I wanted it to be, but I guess this Blogmas isn't here for being what I wanted to be but for making the best of it. A bit of fun. A bit of lightheart. Or whatever. 00:21].

[I can't add the 'pin this post' picture because THE INTERNET is being bad. Bad, bad, bad. It's probably Google trying to teach me a lesson. Never talk bad about them.I'm sorry Google. Please give me back my internet. 00:24]

[Oh great, now everything has stopped working. Just great. 00:25]

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