My friend and I reunite after 18 months. I missed him dearly, but once we sit down for ramen we can both tell it’s like we were there yesterday. I talk about him often. He’s the person who was so discombobulated by Dutch white innocence, that he felt more comfortable going back to the Middle East to live in the closet. He’s doing better now. No more crack, and the spinning class is surprisingly inclusive. He …

Knowing I’m at home in Amsterdam is getting on the tram, seeing the same conductor as a few hours ago, spotting various people whose faces I know. A city as a village, but in a non-insular way.

The split personality trend was… a moment!

Covid

It’s curious to see my response to a bout of Covid is not much different from what it was in early 2020. Despite a negative test, symptoms tell me everything I need to know. I have to remind myself every day this week that, given the regulations, I’m not obliged to quarantine. Nevertheless, Anja and I are both barely able to walk the dog. I work half days, and spend my afternoons in bed with hot water …

• I’m making an attempt this week to make my weeknotes more of a personal record rather than a performance of how exciting my week is. What I’ve written answers the question I might ask myself seven years from now: what was life like this week?
• I went on the road for on-site research on Tuesday, and was delighted by the particular nursing home that we visited. It seems many Dutch healthcare organizations have understood that …

Yesterday at the Climate March, someone shouted “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free”. It was an unfortunate thing. A clean example of the climate changing instantaneously among 85,000 activists.

I was there for four reasons:

1. My definition of God is “science is indescribably beautiful and we must respect her”
2. I can’t think of a more regrettable waste of tax money than having to spend …

On my way to my first climate justice march, and wondering, with embarrassment: are religious and financial reasons why I’m walking today? 🤔😂