Supposedly Fun Things: The Heineken Experience

It's Heineken's world, and we just lived in it for an afternoon

Like many an Amsterdam resident, having never been to the Heineken Experience was a point of pride for me: Oh, I've never been to that overpriced tourist trap, I'd say with an ever-so-slightly upturned lip.

But then I went, and I have to say, I'm glad I did.

Amsterdam smalltown moments

Amsterdam is a big small town, people say. And they're be right.

Everytime I meet someone, I usually find out that they worked somewhere I worked, or know a friend of a friend, or something along those lines.

For example, at our housewarming party I had the chance to meet Chiara's boss for the second time - it turned out we had chatted at our landlord's housewarming party a couple of weeks earlier, and had no idea that I was married to his newest employee.

A filmmaker I've been making plans to meet with (who is already a friend of a friend), has just informed me that his girlfriend knows me from the Storytelling Nights.

And so on. There are many of those types of stories. It's one of the things I love most about living in Amsterdam - the easy transference of friendship and goodwill and familiarity. It just flows like the canals all around the city.

But by far the best smalltown moment I had here was yesterday.

I was cycling home after a day of filming in Belgium. It had been a long day, but I needed to stop at the Albert Heijn on the way home to get some dinner. While I was locking my bike up and listening to The Champs podcast, I became vaguely aware of a voice calling my name.

"Millar!"

And then again:

"Millar!"

I looked up, and there was my mom. My mother! She was doing the recycling outside the supermarket. It's probably been twenty years since I bumped into my mom at the supermarket. And so we went in for a shop together.

And I know that probably won't happen all that often - as my folks are only visiting for a couple of weeks, so I made sure to really savour the surprise of spontaneous grocery shopping with my mom, because it may be a while before it happens again.

Imagine a night of storytelling

Storytelling is something I didn't know I loved, until I moved back to Amsterdam. Now, I've been really getting into it - and reaizing I've actually been into it for a long time.

Historical Excursions in Modern Rome

A monument all the more affecting due to the effects of time

Rome is a city full of history. In some ways, it practically invented history. It is full of ancient monuments and powerfully traditional ways of life; it is, as they would say here, molto impressionante.

Certainly for me as a former tour guide, resident and casual scholar of Roman history, it's had a lasting impact on me. I suppose also marrying a Roman means I couldn't escape the effects of the city, even if I wanted to. Which of course I don't.

Biking to Muiden

Muiden's pretty great: there's a bridge that turns around to let boats pass and everything

Last Sunday afternoon was sunny. So we set out for a mild adventure. We're not really outdoorsy people, but we do like fresh air and sunshine. And neither of us hate exercise. So we cycled to Muiden in spring, even though it's more famous in winter.

Embracing your mistakes

I make lots of mistakes; I'm more of a guess-and-tester than a methodical pre-planner, so dealing with errors and oversights was something I just had to come to grips with. And I have, more or less. In fact, I've come to understand that making mistakes can be as good, or better, than not making them.

That can be true in real life, but it's especially true in improv.

When I started improvising I made a lot of mistakes. Everybody does. At first that would frustrate me, because I wanted to do it 'better' - and not make any mistakes. But when I started understanding how mistakes work, and the good that can come from them - on stage at least - I changed. I got better by embracing my mistakes.

And I've also gotten better at applying those onstage insights to real life.

Yeah, I'm Liking it Raw

I just did my first show at Boom Chicago last night. My first prime time show in their new space at the Rozen Theatre. And though I ended up just rehearsing during the day and then getting up there that night to do the show, it was great - a little raw - but tonnes of fun.

And last weekend I was in Brussels teaching workshops and then, on the Sunday night, debuting The Republic with Rod ben Zeev. And that show, a two person single narrative longform, could hardly be more different from last night's show.

Trying vs. Doing (is work its own reward?)

I've recently gone freelance, and I'm now 'self-employed'. Or,as I like to joke (to mask the frustration of gaps between gigs): 'self-unemployed'.

Basically, I'm trying to turn the things I love to do (perform, teach and write stuff ) into my job. In a new city where I don't speak (or write) the language. It's complicated, messy, and stressful. But what other option do I have? None.

So there's nothing in it but to do it. And I'm trying. But maybe - I've been thinking lately - that is the problem. Too much effort.