A Typical Dutch Black Friday…
Today I witnessed the Dutch version of a Black Friday…
Now, if you’re not from the States you perhaps don’t know what Black Friday is over there? I didn’t till 2 days ago. It’s the Friday after Thanksgiving and it marks the start of the holiday selling frenzy.
With a long weekend ahead, many Americans take advantage of their free Friday to begin their Christmas shoppings. And it’s called ‘black’ because especially the smaller shopkeepers suddenly see their books transforming from ‘red’ (loss) to ‘black’ (profit).
So today is Black Friday for the U.S.
Our Friday over here in Holland was pretty black to. But with a very different meaning. Actually it was white. Very white. Desasterously so…
Did you know Holland has a history of truly remarkable admirals? In the days of De Ruyter and Tromp, the Brits turned pale at the mere site of any red, white and blue flag flying at the horizon…
A little nation in the north-west of Europe, bravely sailing the seven seas and winning battles even against the great Spanish Armada.
Something went wrong though at some point…
I don’t know what it was - I was definitely not around to watch - but at some point I guess everyone was so content and full of themselves, that we decided to stick to what we got.
We stopped growing and evolving. Basically we became big, fat and lazy. Occupied with feasting of our colonial properties. Reminiscing heroic deeds of the past but no longer alert when a good idea would come along…
Then when World War II came along, we seriously thought we had one of the best cavalries of the continent. Sending out our soldiers on their ‘iron horses’ (read bikes) against the tanks of the German army. I mean really - what were those generals thinking?!
You’d think the cruel 5 day defeat would teach us a lesson?
Sorry…
This nation still has to wake up!
And today it dawned on me again: when things turn black over here - or rather white - we’re totally not ready to deal with it…
As I’m writing you this email, it’s 2 AM in the morning. And there are thousands of people stranded in 82 kilometers of traffic jams right now. They’re cold, they’re hungry, they’re thirsty. And hopefully they’ll live through the night…
Most of them within a 10 km radius of where I live.
You see, we had a blizzard today. A storm of white snow surged the lands and caused total and utter chaos all day long. I know somebody who’s been sitting in his car since 10 AM this morning and still hasn’t arrived home by now…
Well, moving the snow off the road takes a really long time when your using hand shovels…
Why did it all turn into chaos?
- Everyone ignored the warnings about NOT going on the roads.
- Nobody is educated in what to take with you in your car when there’s a chance you get stuck in the winter.
- We simply don’t have the equipment to deal with heavy snow…
Okay, I will instantly admit: blizzards are extremely rare over here. We usually get about as much snow a year as was falling per hour today…
But that’s no excuse. We did have blizzards in the past. And each time they happen, everyone is devastated. Yet when the next one comes along, it’s the same chaos scanario all over again!
Why don’t we THICK-SKULLED CHEESE HEADS ever LEARN?!
Sorry for the rant…
What I’m trying to say here is please, please, please go along with your times. And if something truly awesome comes along:
… jump the band wagon …
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If you’re really quick, you may be just in time to make the special conference call. That’s the only reason I’m still up…
Have a great weekend!