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Barcelona, Spain

30 June 2023

I do not think I fear death.

Of course. I do not want to die. Not yet.

But when I do, what would I know about it? Nothing. (or so I believe)

What I fear more, I guess, is realising at some point that you are living a life you have come to regret.

They say to live in the here-and-now. And I try.

But I do look back. More than I look ahead.

At decisions that could have shaped my life to a whole nother end.

Do I have regrets? No. I do not think I do.

But I am just so curious what it could have turned into.

If I were a cat, I would simply live 9 different lives. Give all options a try. But obviously, that is a lie. (Cats do not live 9 lives)

You only get to do it once, so how to live it to a successful end?

For starters, do not look back. Only ahead.

Leave it to others to reflect on the life you have had. 

Who might that be?

I do not intend to spend it alone. And there are only a few friends. So I probably will have to start a family.

Not that I am in a rush. Nor that I am ready yet. 

But I come to realise, it is something you just got to do.

Without regret.

Sander

--

Paris, France

23 June 2023

The best thing about France?

La route du Soleil.

With as few stops as possible, straight down to Spain.

That is what my uncle used to say.

I cannot deny. It influenced me.

First my uncle and then that teacher in secondary school.

Unannounced written exams. I failed many times.

I never liked doing homework. Particularly French.

Perhaps as a punishment I now date a Parisian girl.

The good thing about it is that she is Asian. So a mix in the end. Not 100%.

Though a proud French national - no surprise there. Forcing me to learn and appreciate her people.

Fine. I can play along.

As a matter of fact. I can impress.

Aznavour, Brel, Piaf, Dalida.. Just to name a few.

Best selling French-singer Stromae, however, is cast to the side. (Belgium. Not the same, they say.)

Yet with emphasis on French Canadian, they do like to claim Céline Dion!

I think that is cheating.

Then again. Cheating is how I ultimately passed my French class.

So voilà.

But if I was asked. My numéro un. 

Manau. La Tribu de Dana.

Happy Friday!

Sander

--

Lisbon, Portugal

16 June 2023

My parents took a three-week holiday.

Out of the blue.

They needed a break.

From what?

Retirement.

It made me think.. 

What would I do with so many empty days?

If I stay here in Portugal, I could tie a couple of speakers to the back of a bicycle. Cycle around the neighborhood playing music out loud.

There is a guy here in Campo de Ourique doing exactly that. He is quite popular. Does not sound too bad.

If I end up in Bangkok, who knows, I could build a food stall and take to the streets at night. Selling little sticks of saté with peanut butter sauce.

While I mind the BBQ, the wife can take the orders. Mango sticky rice on the side.

But if I move to Spain, I will have to open a bar and serve small but ice cold glasses of beer. Little cañas. And patxaran!

It would not have much. The bare minimum. But it will be great.

Doors and windows of the place wide open

Enjoying old Spanish music. 

All day.

Happy Friday!

Sander

--

Lisbon, Portugal

9 June 2023

I usually mind my own business.

What does it really matter what I say?

I better keep my mouth shut. And my thoughts to myself.

But that does not mean I do not care.

In fact, I care a lot.

So much so that I truly feel someone else's pain when they are hurt.

That is called empathy.

But doing nothing with that feeling does not sit well with me.

Therefore this week I decided to speak up.

To take action!

You see, there is this dude on Instagram.

A photographer.

I have been loyally following his account for many years.

Recently he has been going through a rough patch.

Not that he advertised it.

But judging from his Stories I could just tell.

He was feeling sad.

So Wednesday morning I sent him a message. A word or two.

To let him know that I know what he is going through.

I have been there myself. Many others have too.

He does not know me at all.

So what does he care about what I have to say? Right?

But I did it anyway.

A small offer of compassion.

Happy Friday!

Sander

--

Lisbon, Portugal

2 June 2023

Culture changes.

Music does too.

What was cool and okay back in the day does not always seem to be today.

Plenty of examples to think of.

Rightfully so #metoo.

There are also things that raise some eyebrows.

Sensitivity readers to name a few.

Yet who always seem to get a pass are rappers in this modern day.

Maybe because their music, or music in general, gets labeled as an art form and therefore avoids the sensitivity police in some way.

But truthfully speaking, if anything is true. Compared to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?

You could argue their lyrics are more troublesome. Would you not agree?

Maybe I am also a sensitive person.

Because I do like rap music and my favorite crew does not need sensitivity readers too.

Their lyrics are void of explicit language. That time and age of rap was probably the best.

If you did not know them yet.

Have a listen to A Tribe Called Quest.

Happy Friday!

Sander

--

Lisbon, Portugal

26 May 2023

The debate which was not a debate has been settled.

But outside of which Bond movie was the best, there is one other question you could ask.

What is the best song?

You can find differences and similarities once you start to compare.

Take the most recent three.

Adele, Sam Smith and Billie Eilish.

Do you not think they fit in the same category?

Like Daniel himself. Modern. More vulnerable.

Then there were periods of reinvention.

Like Madonna. Easily the worst of all.

Or Duran Duran. A different style all together.

Ultimately, of course, It all comes down to taste. I prefer the originals and what I call traditional.

Number one. A Welsh lady.

Shirley Bassy.

The first to provide the vocals for a theme song. And the only one to do so more than once.

Or what about a Welsh man?

Sir Tom Jones.

Again. Do you hear the similarities?

That is the classic Bond sound.

So when it was time for a new era. With stories no longer based on the writing of Ian Fleming.

Hollywood sought a star.

To inspire feelings of nostalgia to the original classics.

Tina Turner.

Was hers the best?

Happy Friday!

Sander

--

Manila, the Philippines

19 May 2023

OFWs.

The Philippines' greatest export.

It's hard working people.

No less than twelve million of them are scattered across the world. In over a hundred nations.

One in ten Filipinos live and work abroad. Or ten percent of the population.

Among them domestic workers, nurses, construction crew..

All looking to make a better living. For themselves and their extended families.

Sending worth 10% of GDP in remittances back home.

A significant amount.

But nobody can top the money made abroad by this one individual.

Cashing in roughly a 100M on a single night.

A great boxer. A smart businessman. A lesser politician.

And a terrible singer.

Who recorded the worst walkout song in boxing history.

Manny Pacquiao. PacMan.

If it would have been me, I would rather have my walkout song be

Led Zeppelin.

Happy Friday!

Sander

--

Coron, the Philippines

12 May 2023

It must have been destiny.

He could not sing nor was a great dancer either.

He mostly jumped around, yet he did so on a worldwide stage.

A phenomenon.

Selling over 100 million records in the process.

Big business for the record company. But not for Bobby Farrell, who was left hardly making a dime.

All he got instead was fame. And the name.

The name of the band whose music you can still hear playing. All over the world. In the most unusual of places.

Like a random little doctor's office. In South East Asia.

Where on an old TV off of a DVD all of his greatest hits would play.

The best waiting room experience I ever had to this day.

That was back in 2010.

On December 30, the same year, in a hotel in Saint Petersburg they found the man known to the world as Boney M.

Exactly 94 years before.

In the same city on the same day.

His alter ego, Rasputin, passed away.

Like I said.

Destiny.

It was meant to be.

Happy Friday!

Sander

--

Lisbon, Portugal

28 April 2023

I met a man who suffers from a severe case of chronophobia.

The passing of time really gets to him.

Consequently, he has gone into lengths to make whatever time he has left his most productive.

Maximize productivity.

But does it cure his condition?

It happens most often in seniors who start to feel the time is near.

They fall back to religion. Go to church. Pray.

Better be safe than sorry.

I cannot deny I do not have a minor case of it myself.

Not the superstitiousness. But the fear.

And I blame my mother for it.

We talk often. And she explains her view on approaching older age.

She does not look forward to it. Nor does she feel like it. So she rather keeps busy. With all kinds of things.

Productive.

She hates what lies ahead. So she ensures she enjoys today.

And I am told to do the same.

Perhaps that is why I am of the category that struggles to plan long-term ahead.

Instead, I look back.

To the music my mom liked as a teenager.

When she was not thinking that far ahead.

Happy Friday!

Sander

--

Lisbon, Portugal

21 April 2023

A group of skaters got together.

I noticed them, because they looked well in their 30s. A bit odd.

Opposite of them, at the children's playground, a group of parents were minding their kids.

Roughly the same age.

A funny contrast, I thought.

Then I wondered, what group would I rather join?

Is there a subculture I identify with? I do not want it to be CrossFitters.

Or at least, not that alone.

They do have a strong identity. And rightfully so, get mocked for their stereotypes.

I neither want to be a skater. Or Punk, or Goth.. None of it.

Because I never really liked the music they were into either.

I am too kind to be a Gangster. And could not care less about psychedelics to be a Hippie.

Though both of their music I like.

Maybe I could have dreads? The hair seems long enough.

I will join the Rastafari.

Open up a beach bar in a nice and sunny place. And play reggae music.

All day.

That could work.

Yah man!

Happy Friday!

Sander

--

Barcelona, Spain

14 April 2023

The Easter break was a nice long weekend for most. A great opportunity to clear the mind and reset.

Alternatively, you can binge-watch Love Is Blind.

It has the exact same effect.

At first, you feel a bit stupid. It is uncomfortable to watch. Cringy. And ultimately regrettable hours spent.

But your brain will be empty. Guaranteed.

Not that you need one to begin with. Not sure you still have one after either.

Running 4 seasons. Number 5 is confirmed. The show is a hit!

The premise is as follows.

Singles date each other in pods. They cannot see one another. They just talk. And their talk is terrible.

After just a few days, the idea is that the men propose to a woman they have fallen blindly in love with.

Only then they actually meet. Oh.. and a clock starts counting down.

37 days until the wedding.

That is when the drama starts and the show becomes unbearable.

Why? Why do they do it? What makes someone choose to participate?

Robin S had the answer. There certainly is a better way.

Bumble.

Happy Friday!

Sander

--

Barcelona, Spain

7 April 2023

A small group of Crusader came down from the Caucasus. They had heard their country was at war and were ready to fight.

The battle was swiftly won.

By the opposing army..

The Knights' swords were no match to the machine guns. It was WWI. The year was 1914.

Mountains are mysterious. Desolate. Inhospitable.

These Templar Knights had lived for centuries cut off from the rest of the world.

Brave men though.

That is how I thought of those that climb Mount Everest as well.

Until a guy ruined that idea by landing a helicopter on top the summit in 2005.

Yet I remain astonished by the beauty of massive mountain ranges.

The longest of which is the Andes. 

From Ecuador down to Chile, a varying yet familiar sound can be heard.

The drums and flutes of the Andean people.

In this case a small group of Bolivians from a poor little town called Potosí.

Brave men in their own right.

They venture deep inside the mountain to mine what is left of the silver ore that once made Potisí the richest place on earth.

Round about the time of the Crusaders, coincidently.

I joined them underground. In 2011. Chewing coca leaves and blowing dynamite.

A small piece of rock with sparkling silver remains a proud little souvenir.

Happy Easter,

Sander

--

Lisbon, Portugal

31 March 2023

When disaster strikes and you are lost, perhaps buried in the rubble, they come searching for you.

In case you suffer from fear of flying and you feel severely stressed, they may accompany you.

Impaired vision or completely blind? To help you live independently, they will guide you.

If you are feeling sad, they pick up on you. Everytime you come home, they are glad to see you.

Before mankind endeavoured into Space, just to ensure it was okay, they went ahead.

To help the streets stay safe from crime or drugs, in a variety of ways, they serve to protect.

The physical and mental health benefits are abundant. It is no debate, they are a man's best friend.

Still, calling them a friend, even if the best, does not do justice. To me, they are family too.

And for 15 years she was and always will be. Now no longer with us, they go to heaven.

To be among relatives of different types and pedigrees. Up there, they continue to live their happy lives.

One could imagine, with the Dogfather on a throne.

But Nina would be Queen! Superseding all her peers, she was.. is the best.

A special breed on her own.

Happy Friday!

Sander

--

Lisbon, Portugal

24 March 2023

Are you passionate about what you do?

Many say you should be. If you are not, stop doing what you do. Do something else. Something you like.

Chase your dreams and follow your passion.

I think it is silly advice.

You better do something you are good at. Or try getting good at something useful instead. Start with that.

Do not blindly follow a passion, rather take passion with you in what you choose to do.

Indeed, it is important that you like what you do. But if you learn to do something well, over time you will enjoy it too.

Okay, it sounds overly simplistic, but the opposite I argue sounds too good to be true.

Think about it.

Did you try to find your soulmate in life? The One of your dreams? And did you ultimately succeed?

Or..

Did you get better at holding down a relationship.. over time.. not with that perfect soulmate, but someone else really great?

And you learned to love them more deeply and better each day.

Not to say it was not there from the start, but passion followed along the way.

Happy Friday!

Sander

--

Lisbon, Portugal

17 March 2023

I am a big fan of Pitbull.

For someone not that talented, he has had many hits.

Also, you got to give it to him, he is good with names. Mr. Worldwide? I am kind of jealous.

He is a marketing genius that used featured artists to expand his audience far beyond the '305'.

Yet where Pitbull boosted his profile collaborating with bigger names, similar big names have now taken a page out of the Pitbull playbook.

What do I mean? Well..

Take Pitbull's advice, get money twice. A billion is the new million.

And there are over a billion people in Africa.

Not too surprising therefore to see big boys like Bieber seeking collabs with artists in its hottest new music scene..

Afrobeats.

Danceful. Colourful. Beautiful.

The way Pitbull sees it though?

'Everytime I reach a new audience, it means I am doing something right.'

It is 10 percent talent, 90 percent business.

Happy Friday!

Mr. Todo Mundo

--

Banjul, Gambia

10 March 2023

Today I have something different. Something new.

How often does that happen? 

A discovery. Previously unknown. To me at least.

It was in Lisbon. Last year. At the Sardines Festival in Alfama. A guy on stage with a band. Funky stuff.

But he played a weird looking instrument. I had never seen or heard it before. But it looked cool. And it sounded great.

It was the Kora.

A magical instrument. Home to West Africa. Mali, Senegal, Gambia.. that general area.

Difficult to explain. A mix of a guitar, a harp, a bouzouki? A special sound. 

It gives me goosebumps. But judge for yourself.

And when you do, there is no one better to listen to than one of the masters of the Kora..

Gambia native. Sona Jobarteh.

Happy Friday!

Sander

--

Dakar, Senegal

3 March 2023

I am on a mission.

Africa has been underrepresented. And that needs to change. Starting with Senegal.

I have big shoes to fill. I am not the first to try and boost the country’s popularity.

There have been a few. Not the least either.

The latest? Akon.

He is said to be willing to spend a fortune building Akon City, though others believe he is rather looking to make a fortune by funding it with his own cryptocurrency. The Akoin.

I will not judge. Any publicity is good publicity, I would say. 

Besides that, he had quite a few hits.

Before him there was Youssou N'Dour. Unlikely to ring any bells.

Then again, how many former Ministers of Tourism, let alone in Africa, do you even know?

But I bet you actually do. After today. Because Youssou too has a hit to his name.

And while he did not stay in office for that long.

Still..

It (was) not a second.

Or 7 Seconds (before he went) away.

Happy Friday!

Sander

--

's-Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands

24 February 2023

All that fuss about AI lately..

I am not a fan of it. I am worried.

One step closer to being automated away. All of us. Made obsolete. Because it would be more efficient that way.

Research validates my concern. I looked up the probability.

willrobotstakemyjob.com

I got 30%. Not great.

And that was before LLM like Bard and ChatGPT. Imagine..

I tried to ignore it at first. To forget about it. Telling myself that that future is still far far away.

But ultimately, I could not resist.

Alright. They can have my sales job. That is okay. But I have to know.

Will the robots have full reign?

So I had both of them take a crack at it, but I can comfortably say..

Likelihood of automation?

BraboFM.

0%

Happy Friday!

Sander

--

Oeteldonk, the Netherlands

17 February 2023

I am ready for the carnaval!

No, not the one in Brazil.

Forget about Rio for a sec. I know that is what first came to mind.

But there will be no parades of colourfully dressed women dancing in the streets.

Unfortunately, it will be cold! Dry if I am lucky.

Otherwise, I will be inside standing shoulder to shoulder in a dark, loud and crowded place.

No samba.

But a little oompah-like band will play.

Sold?

Probably not. It is a hard sell. Difficult to explain.

My carnaval is a local tradition. 

Time spend with family. Every year, although I might have missed a few, ever since I was as little as a year old.

My parents just took me with. To the city. In the busy streets. Into bars.

Nobody thought that was weird either. It was the 80s after all.

One of my earliest memories of the time, funny enough, is the Lambada.

Still no Samba. But close enough.

So while I celebrate my kind of carnaval, which might not appeal as much..

I invite you to close your eyes, perhaps move your hips and feet a wee little bit.. 

..and go ahead and picture yourself in Rio instead.

Happy Friday!

Sander

--

Barcelona, Spain

10 February 2023

2012. Guatemala.

A memory clear as day.

Front seat in a taxi. The driver gives me a nudge, when a song starts to play.

I had to pay attention. That much I understood.

He pointed to the radio. I have to listen.

Then his finger points upwards, indicating that what comes next must be good.

José José.

40 y 20.

An emotional song. About a love once had.

Too short of a story, really. But one he will never forget.

An important chapter in his life. Albeit brief. Perhaps just a single page.

A love affair. Controversial though it was. His romance with a woman half his age.

For all the acceptance of who we love and choose to date, the age-gap taboo stubbornly remains.

Certainly the case back then. And arguably still today. For those in such relationships we even give names.

It was not his first love. And women he would have plenty.

But the first to be his wife.

Yet in real life.

She was 40, while he was only 20.

Happy Valentine!

Sander

--

Munich, Germany

3 February 2023 

For all the fun we make of our neighbours, there is much to admire about zee Germans.

Among which their contributions to music.

First, the triple-B. Beethoven, Bach and Brahms. Undeniably, among the greatest composers that ever lived.

And though divisive as it may be, I personally am a big fan of Deutsche Schlagers.

Yet spare me 99 Luftballons. I do not care much for the Neue Deutsche Welle. Give me Modern Talking instead.

But there is so much more.

Kraftwerk, pioneers of electronic music. Lou Bega with Mambo No. 5!

Not to mention Rammstein and Scooter. What else did I forget?

But nein..

Of all the great choices, I rather bring attention to a lesser known today.

James Last. Der Hansi.

Crowned by his critics as the King of elevator music. 

No. He never came anywhere close to the triple-B.

Yet with a little help from Hollywood perhaps, this piece can claim classic stature nonetheless.

Schönen Freitag!

Sander

--

Ellmau, Austria

27 January 2023

I would trade two weeks of summer holiday for one week of winter sports.

That is the proper ratio. 2:1

Forced to sit out the last two years, I feel back at home in the Kitzbüheler Alpen.

Snow conditions are perfect. So I look forward to long days on the pistes.

First Weizenbier before noon. Warm up at midday with a bowl of Frittatensuppe. Probably followed by Currywurst mit pommes.

And just before hitting the last valley run home.. Glühwein oder Jägertee.

It's tradition.

As a nostalgic, I choose to ski. Obviously.

Similarly, I would claim that Tyrol is the best place to be.

No other place offers what they (and we) would call Gemeutlichkeit (or gezelligheid).

And most certainly there is no better place for the après-ski.

Judge for yourself.

But this you cannot beat!

Happy Friday!

Sander

--

Lisbon, Portugal

20 January 2023

Did you set yourself a New Year's resolution?

If you did, statistically speaking there is a 33% chance you have abandoned yours already.

Still going strong?

Let's wait and see. Only 33% make it past January.

I am a skeptic. But I do hope you make it.

Because failure to succeed is what is keeping most people from setting themselves a resolution the following year.

Yet, you are twice as likely to adopt or change old habits if you do set a goal at the start of the year.

And I am all for change!

If you are like me and most other people, that change often involves living a healthier life. Lose weight. Exercise.

Second would be to get rich.

Not sure I can help you save or make more money. But I do have a song.

One to get you pumped. To help you keep it up!

Happy Friday!

Sander

--