Ryan profile picture

Ryan

This... is... SPARTA!!!

About Me

Just another goddamn foreigner who can't read the labels at the grocery store, I am walking, talking evidence that the Netherlands should have built a taller fence. The Dutch are falling for my disguise. At least until I get that confused look when they say... well... anything in Dutch.
Originally a west coast cat, I like to think I can get along with just about anyone unless they're a real jackass. In fact, some of the people I get along with probably think I am a jackass. But if they do, they're wrong. I don't know how to put this but I'm kind of a big deal.
Admittedly, I'm kind of a nerd, but one without social handicaps or any obvious physical deformities. I shower daily and wear clean clothes. I've never stalked anyone and I have no criminal record. I used to be tall back in the States but here in Holland I'm only average.
I am like a tree with many rings and few roots to ground me. But plants can thrive while being perfectly mobile. Just look at the Chia Pet.

My Interests

Muscle cars and hot rods (I have a '66 chevelle and a '55 chevy) , 50's nostalgia, arts (traditional and digital), animation, krav maga, comics, music, movies, good food, stiff drinks, hangovers, crepes, strawberries, irish creme lattes, Guinness, and anything made out of fleece.

I'd like to meet:

I want to meet all the bands that send me unsolicited friend requests so I can go to their shows...then lock the doors from the outside and set the place on fire. Look up the definition of the word "friend" you spamming-slinging assholes.
And yes, I AM friends with Voltron and pirate kittens. Maybe even soul mates.

Music:

The Clash is the best band ever. They're better then your favorite band unless they are your favorite band.

RIP 1952-2002
Punk rock, rockabilly, swing, rock, old stuff, new stuff and a few what-the-fucks.
Favorites include The Stray Cats, Gene Vincent, Eddie Cochran, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley, Dion and the Belmonts, Flogging Molly, Dropkick Murphys, The Cramps, The Pogues, The Killers, The Blasters, The Violent Femmes, Lee Rocker, Brian Setzer Orchestra, Weezer, The Reverend Horton Heat, Big Sandy, Bad Religion, Sex Pistols, Supersuckers, The Fuglees, Rancid, Green Day, Sublime, Esquivel, New Order, Madness, Ok Go, The Specials and Johnny Cash.
And I know it's pretty gay of me to say this, but I think I totally want to marry Sarah McLachlan. Wait... I guess there's really nothing gay about marrying a woman when you're a dude.

Movies:

After 28 years of deprivation, I finally saw "Death Race 2000" and it's everything I dreamt it would be and more.I also finally saw "Bandidas" which reaffirmed my undying love for Salma Hayek and Penelope Cruz.Also, Iron Giant, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, The Princess Bride, Men at Work, Tombstone, Love Actually, The Matrix, Amelie, Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels/Snatch, Super Troopers, Ali G in Da House, X-men 1 and 2 (but definitely not 3), 10 Things I have About You. Most movies from Kevin Smith, Pixar or the 80s.

Television:

Heroes (this show rocks so freaking hard, I wish I hadn't discovered it until the season was over and I could watch ever episode in a row), Freaks and Geeks (also incredible), Who's Line is it Anyway?, Gunslinger Girl, Robot Chicken and Korgoth the Barbarian.

Books:

Lies my Teacher Told Me: Everything your American History Book got Wrong, Freakanomics, The Da Vinci Code, Blink, '55 chevrolet shop manual. Art books, sketch books, car books, car mags and shop manuals. I usually read to learn how to do stuff.

Heroes:

Voltron, Bruce Lee, Robocop, John Basedow and these two suave motherfuckers:

My Blog

Dutch Shopping Mistake .2

Everyone here speaks english so it's no problem to comminucate verbally here.  However, english signage and labeling is another issue altogether.  Essentially, I am illeterate here and somet...
Posted by Ryan on Sat, 10 Feb 2007 08:00:00 PST

Amsterdam in Winter (Photos)

I guess other then my 6 week update and my tales of pest control, I've been pretty quiet on the blog.  I suppose that's a good sign, since I'm too busy doing other stuff to spend much time on mys...
Posted by Ryan on Sun, 04 Feb 2007 02:27:00 PST

More mousing...

My name is Ryan and this is my nemesis: Cute, isn't he?  Too bad Don Bluth forgot to draw the trail of shit following the little bastard or the diseases flowing through his little veins. &...
Posted by Ryan on Mon, 29 Jan 2007 11:15:00 PST

Dear mouse-that-lives-in-my-kitchen:

I'm gonna get you, sucka.
Posted by Ryan on Sat, 27 Jan 2007 10:25:00 PST

Dutch people can't dance...

...but their pastries are to die for. I am so tired it hurts.
Posted by Ryan on Sat, 18 Nov 2006 06:42:00 PST

Dutch commercials...

...are so much better then American ones.  I just saw an ad that was nothing but boobs popping out of women's tops, nipple and all.  And this was on the Discovery channel, which is otherwise...
Posted by Ryan on Tue, 14 Nov 2006 01:57:00 PST

The Threat-Down: Amsterdam Edition

Okay, so I'm wrapping up my first week here and it's been pretty fucking aces.  It's also been pretty damn expensive but settling in always is (so is eating out and boozing.  And let's not f...
Posted by Ryan on Mon, 06 Nov 2006 10:56:00 PST

Escape from LA

I made it out alive.  Everything is moved to Seattle, sold or recycled (I was vigilant about this even amidst my many other stresses).  My Bel Air is safely tucked away in Monrovia and now I...
Posted by Ryan on Sun, 08 Oct 2006 01:03:00 PST

"So sad to see the grieving of the people that I'm leavin'...

...and he took the road for God-knows in the morning." -The Pogues "Sally MacLellane" Tonight is my last night in LA and sitting alone in my quiet, almost empty apartment, it's finally sunk in. ...
Posted by Ryan on Mon, 02 Oct 2006 05:33:00 PST

Going away party pics

    Thanks everyone for coming!  You all rock.http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/spacerobotfrommars/album? .dir=/4142scd&.src=phIn other news, I have less then ONE WEEK before I ever...
Posted by Ryan on Tue, 26 Sep 2006 03:06:00 PST