 October 2K9 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Saturday 31/10/2009 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx You're Lucky I'm Not French! Unedited mobile phone cam shot of a snail that got dangerously close to being rolled over and crushed to shreds by my beloved Bikey, luckily we saw it before it came to the worst...and luckily neither Bikey nor me are French, so we refrained from snapping it off the ground and making it part of our nutritious plan, lol. You know how they say, "To save one life is as if you have saved the world", so I continue my crusade to save one life at a time, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem compared to the vastness of the Universe... 
This is an overview of the lifes I've saved in the last years and hopefully there'll be many more to come, AmsterS@m to the rescue, haha :))) 
Unedited shot of a girl reading a good book. Taken with my Panasonic DMC-FZ8. 
Reading is good for you, it enhances your knowledge and allows you to experience things that you couldn't, shouldn't or wouldn't do in real life. It's one of my favorite hobbies and this shot nicely hints at another one of my most liked pasttimes, hanging out on the Interwebs and playing with my own site, www.amstersam.com, my Flickr, my Facebook, my Twitter, my Blogger, my Tumblr, my Hyves, my MySpace, my YouTube and all those other cool sites that help me waste away whole days without realizing it. I think it's great to live in the 21st century and to have all these virtual ways to stay in touch with friends, family and strangers that you would otherwise see only on rare occasions. Harness the power of the Interwebs, stay in touch, stay funky, stay gold! 
Funky Friday Fun Unedited mobile phone cam shot of the lights in a bar in the best city in the world. 
Last night I went out and had a seriously good time, even the lovely Miss Zeee came all the way from Switzerland to celebrate one of those (in)famous funky Fridays with the best people in the world, it was so much fun and I've met so many lovely folks that I would all adopt and keep close to my heart, mind and soul if I had the financial means to do so...but then again, they all got jobs so that should not really keep me from doing a 'Brangelina' on them, if only my Penthouse apartment wasn't so space-challenged, hehe. Thank you all for the perfect evening, we have to do that again very soon :))) 
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Friday 30/10/2009 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Downtown Sin City Unedited mobile phone cam photo of a biker, buildings and tourists on the Dam square in Amsterdam, reflected in a puddle. No editing, no tricks, no Photoshop :) 
I like the Dam square but I almost never go there, it's usually filled to the brim with tourists shooting pictures of each other standing in front of the Royal palace or the Giant Schlong or waiting in line at Madam Tussauds or letting the Thank God It's Fridaaaaaay :D 
Saturday November 7th you can see lots of my wicked reflections on a BIG screen during the Museumnacht at the Stadsarchief at the Vijzelstraat 32, 1017 HL Amsterdam, from 19:00 - 02:00! 
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Thursday 29/10/2009 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx AmsterS@m Goes Museum Saturday November 7th you can see lots of my wicked reflections on a BIG screen during the Museumnacht at the Stadsarchief at the Vijzelstraat 32, 1017 HL Amsterdam, from 19:00 - 02:00! 
I ♥ Bikey Unedited mobile phone cam photo of my beloved Bikey, reflected in a puddle in Amsterdam. No editing, no tricks, no Photoshop, as always! I totally heart my good old Bikey, she's the best bike in the world! Every day I appreciate the easy going way with which she moves me around in the best city in the world, unimpressed by traffic jams, stoned tourists stumbling in the streets and red traffic lights, we're just rollin', rollin', rollin'...I pitty the fool that can not go everywhere by bike, it must be a horrible feeling having to force yourself into a tiny, stinky car or a smelly, noisy tram/train with hundreds of other lost souls to get wherever people go these days :)) 
Bikey is a Dutch bike and has not only a big, comfy steering wheel, but also a nice fluffy saddle and the ability to roll for hundreds of meters without too much effort, I often outbike people on 'fast' bikes, while leaning back, puffing on a ciggie and laughing at those I leave behind in my dust...suckers, hahaha. Nah, just kidding, if you're on a bike, you're OK in my book! We're soooo close to the weekend now, I feel all relaxed and happy already :) 
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Wednesday 28/10/2009 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx The Big Easy Unedited photo of a biker, reflected in a puddle in Amsterdam. Shot with my Panasonic DMC-FZ8, no editing, no tricks, no Photoshop. So, now it's Wednesday already, the weekend is approaching with giant steps and I can feel a sense of easiness and lightness slowly covering the best city in the world, everybody seems to breathe easier and look happier, there are more smiles and most of us have regained their believe that in the end everything's gonna be alright...and that's just the way it should be :)) 
I wish there was a drug that would instill that typical 'Thank God It's Friday!' feeling in the hearts and minds of me&my fellow Amsterdammers, so that we could at all times face the challenges that life sometimes presents to us with a shrug, a smile and a healthy, happy 'What, me worry?!' attitude, instead of getting upset about little things, often forgetting that if you look at the big picture you'll realize that things are actually pretty good for most of us, we got homes, we got jobs, we got loved ones, we got bikes and Doner Kebab on almost every street corner. Let me know if you ever invent a drug like that, I'll buy some kilos and add them to the Amsterdam water supply chain, to ease things a bit up, lol ;-P Almost weekend! 
AmsterS@m In The Museum On the 7th of November from 19.00 - 02.00, the Amsterdam City Archives will show some of my wicked reflections during the Museumnacht!
Amsterdam City Archives Vijzelstraat 32 1017 HL Amsterdam
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Tuesday 27/10/2009 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Caught In The Grind Unedited photo of a car, buildings and bikers, reflected in a puddle in Amsterdam. Shot with my Panasonic DMC-FZ8, no editing, no tricks, no Photoshop :) 
Mymymy, what a crappy Monday that was, tons of work&stress, lots of BS from people that should know better and fakery all around, I really wonder how some people manage to look at themselves in the mirror without feeling the urge to slap themselves silly...maybe I should give them a helping hand?! Sometimes I wish I was on a deserted Island, far away from this whole work-thing, only accompanied by some wicked Vixens to crack open the occasional coconut for lunch, massage my cramped up shoulders and whisper into my ears what a cool dude I am and how nobody does things as wicked as I do, lol ;-P 
Do you think that's a dream that can come true and that I more than deserve it for entertaining you with my puddle reflections day in&day out with utter disregard for the dangers of water splattering all over me&mobie, often risking my life to get the best angle only to be almost hit by passing cars, bikers or trucks?! Send me money, checks, Paypal me some serious cash and I will make sure to mention your name in many meaningful ways to whoever will listen, my gratitude will be eternal, seriously, hahaha :D 
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Monday 26/10/2009 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx kroY weN ♥ I Unedited photo of a biker with a 'New York' bag, reflected in a puddle in Amsterdam. Shot with my Panasonic DMC-FZ8, no editing, no tricks, no Photoshop :) 
Yesterday I was the 'Artist in Residency' again at the ABC Treehouse for the AMS * NYC * AMS exhibition and again I've met some Flickr friends, that I only knew from the Interwebs, in real life and as always, they turned out to be lovely, cool, friendly, wicked people. You know who you are and I very much appreciated meeting all of you for the first time in the offline world a.k.a. Reality 1.0...let's do that again very soon :) 
Have a nice day, almost weekend ;-D
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Sunday 25/10/2009 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Searching 4 The S@mster Unedited photo of a biker, reflected in a puddle in Amsterdam. Shot with my Panasonic cam, no editing, no tricks, no Photoshop. Today I will be the 'Artist in Residency' again at the AMS * NYC * AMS exhibition, come and visit me there, it's always fun to hang out, there's free coffee, free entry, my wicked reflections and me&my friends :)) 
In this photo you can almost see the Treehouse, it's just a little ahead, towards the church and then to the right, into the 2nd of the 2 little alleys, the Voetboogstraat, you can't miss it...be there or be square! P.s. It's all happening at the 'ABC Treehouse', not to be confused with the 'ABC Bookstore'! More info below. 
On October the 4th a new Art exhibition started at the 'ABC Treehouse' in Amsterdam, featuring 10 of my wicked puddle reflections. The theme is "AMS * NYC * AMS an artistic look at a 400 year affair". Exhibition and Special Events, 4 October – 29 November 2009. At the ABC Treehouse, Voetboogstraat 11, 1012XK Amsterdam (the link goes to Google Maps). Public viewing hours: Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Time 13h00 to 18h00. Free admission. 
I am currently participating in 2 Photo contests, the West Prize 2009 and the Metro Global Photo Challenge, please vote for me so that I can quit my dayjob and focus on hunching over puddles, thank you! One of the photos that I've entered for the Metro Global Photo Challenge was also printed in the Metro Newspaper, check it out here :) 
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Saturday 24/10/2009 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Going To The Treehouse Unedited photo of some happy grownups and their not so happy (grand)children, reflected in a puddle in Amsterdam. Shot with my Panasonic DMC-FZ8, no editing, no tricks, no Photoshop :) 
These good folks are probably on their way to the ABC Treehouse to watch my wicked reflection shots in real life, the grownups look all happy to finally get a chance to see my photos as big size prints instead of only on their PC monitors, while the kid clearly is holding a grudge against me, thinking to her self "Why do we have to waste our valuable weekend 'I-should-sit-in-a-sandbox-with-all-the-other-boys&girls-time' looking at the childish puddle play of that AmsterS@m dude, I could take better pictures than him and I'm just a kid!" and she's right! To make up to her and to give everybody who always wanted to know who the guy hiding behind his mobile phone is a fair chance to find out, I will be present tomorrow, Sunday the 25th of October, at the ABC Treehouse again as the 'Artist in Residency', more details, including a link to Google maps, below :) P.s. The exhibition is in the 'ABC Treehouse' and NOT in the 'ABC Bookstore' as most people that tried to unmask my mysterious identity in the last weeks have assumed and then found out that they missed my actual location by just 100 meters ;-P 
On October the 4th a new Art exhibition started at the 'ABC Treehouse' in Amsterdam, featuring 10 of my wicked puddle reflections :D 
The theme is "AMS * NYC * AMS an artistic look at a 400 year affair". Exhibition and Special Events, 4 October – 29 November 2009. At the ABC Treehouse, Voetboogstraat 11, 1012XK Amsterdam (the link goes to Google Maps). Public viewing hours: Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Time 13h00 to 18h00. Free admission. 
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Friday 23/10/2009 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Keeping The Balance Unedited shot of the restaurant 'De Waag' on the Nieuwmarkt in Amsterdam, reflected in a puddle. Shot with my Panasonic DMC-FZ8, no editing, no tricks, no Photoshop :) 
I like the area around the Nieuwmarkt, it's just around the corner from the world-famous Red Light District and our very own Chinatown, there are regular markets on the square with delicious (overprized!) healthy food and manymanymany bars, coffeeshops and restaurants surrounding the big open space, including my favorite Thai restaurant, a tinytiny place with 3 tables and an always smiling staff that makes such excellent, spicy-hot food that I wish I could live above the place and enjoy their meals every day :-P 
On New Years Eve, there are usually big Fireworks going on that often resemble war scenes with people running for their lifes while being bombarded with rockets, firecrackers and any burning object that is suitable for being thrown in the air by drunk folks, it's fun to watch if you manage to find a safe'ish spot. Which reminds me, in 8 weeks it's Christmas again, don't forget to start looking for nice presents for your loved ones already, so you don't have to do it in December together with the rest of the world population, hehe :) Thank God it's Friday :))))
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Thursday 22/10/2009 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx The Royal Carnival Unedited shot of a Fair outside the Royal palace on the Dam square in Amsterdam, reflected in a puddle. Shot with my Panasonic DMC-FZ8, no editing whatsoever, no tricks, no Photoshop :) 
I like this one, it's got lots of stuff going on, there are colors, there's movement, there are people, bikes (sort of) and it makes my head go 'Wiiiiuuu Wiiiuuu Wiiiuuu' (not really, it does that most of the time by itself anyway!)...whenever I see a Carnival, or Fair like this one, I want to be a little boy again for just a moment, to marvel at the rides and all the sticky food stuff, like I used to. On the other hand, I much prefer being a grown up (by age, not mental maturity!) because I do what I want, when I want, eat only things I really like (sorry Mum, hehe ;) and spend the money I make on fun things (not that paying the bills is so much fun, now that I think about it). In general I'd say life is good, life is fun and everybody should make the most out of their abilities, skills and the cards fate has dealt them, even if it's not always as easy as I make it sound here. To help you achieve a balanced state of happiness, watch my latest video, it's not a reflection movie, but it's fun anyway :) I went for a bike ride through Downtown Amsterdam, from the Rokin to the Dam square and just held my camera up, trying to capture the spirit of an average day in the best city in the world. It's all a bit shaky, but I hope you enjoy the ride anyway...and no, I was not in danger of hitting other people or things, it just looks a bit dangerous but I'm a very experienced, safe biker, lol :D
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Wednesday 21/10/2009 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx The Nitnoc Unedited shot of a guy on a bike, reflected in a puddle in Amsterdam. No editing at all, no tricks, no Photoshop. This is actually one of the very few shots that I managed to snap with my 'real cam' last weekend where the biker is clearly visible, almost as good as if I had taken this picture with my beloved mobile phone :) 
I really don't know how other people can take proper shots with all these big cameras, there are so many buttons, wheels, bells&whistles to finetune that there's no time left to actually take a picture, all the time you have to change settings, play with the focus, adjust things and check the light, so that when you're ready to shoot, the objects of your (lens)desire have long moved on to continue their lifes elsewhere and you need to start all over again, hahaha. I'm a mobile phone guy and I hope it stays that way, it just makes things so much more wicked&fun :) Almost weekend, yay!
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Tuesday 20/10/2009 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Welcome To My Wicked World! Unedited shot of a girl entering my wicked puddle world, reflected in a puddle in Amsterdam. No editing at all, no tricks, no Photoshop. I really like how the girl seems to step into the puddle, ready, willing and able to enter my wicked world...or maybe she's just suicidal, trying to drown herself in this shallow wet spot, lol. I've used my real cam last weekend and got some nice pictures out of it, even though I had serious problems getting used to the way my Panasonic DMC-FZ8 captures the people and the bikes swooshing by the puddles, the cam is just too fast for me and I prefer my Mobile to shoot my photos :) 
Here are some more shots from last Sunday, at the AMS * NYC * AMS exhibition in the 'ABC Treehouse' :) 
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Monday 19/10/2009 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx At The Treehouse Yesterday I was the 'Artist in Residency' at the 'ABC Treehouse' again and it was fun meeting lots of nice people, taking pictures of each other and exchanging funny witty quips while slurping the complementary coffee and looking at the people walking by the gallery. Mr. T shot a nice group portrait of the two of us and Mr. L took some wicked crazy Fish-eye pictures of me and my wicked reflections hanging on the wall (the reflections, not me!), while the lovely Miss F took pictures of all of that going on, I can't wait for the guys&girls to send them to me, it's nice to get some photos of moi that I didn't take myself :) 
I will be at the Treehouse again next Sunday, (scroll down to my last post for all the details including a link to Google maps with the address and everything, the exhibition is NOT inside the actual ABC Bookstore in the Spuiplein but on the other side of the square, in the Voetboogstraat!), come and hang out with me, it's fun, it's free and it's good for you! 
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Sunday 18/10/2009 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Meet&Greet With AmsterS@m Unedited puddle reflection of a biker and a tourist bus in Amsterdam, shot with my Panasonic DMC-FZ8. No Photoshop, no editing at all, no magic tricks, just some wicked puddle play. Today I am the 'Artist in Residency' at the AMS * NYC * AMS exhibition, come and visit me there, it's a rare chance to meet this wicked Reflectah in person, live&direct, as I am usually a bit shy, hehe :)) 
On October the 4th a new Art exhibition started at the 'ABC Treehouse' in Amsterdam, featuring 10 of my wicked puddle reflections. The theme is "AMS * NYC * AMS an artistic look at a 400 year affair". Exhibition and Special Events, 4 October – 29 November 2009. At the ABC Treehouse, Voetboogstraat 11, 1012XK Amsterdam (the link goes to Google Maps). Public viewing hours: Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Time 13h00 to 18h00. Free admission. 
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Friday 16/10/2009 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Puddle Galore Unedited mobile phone cam shot of a bunch of tourists in front of the Magna Plaza, reflected in a puddle in Amsterdam. No editing at all, no tricks, no Photoshop. I was peacefully taking some wicked reflection pictures when this gang of tourists walked into the shot, laughing, giggling and trying to figure out what I was doing sitting next to a wet patch...once they realized that I was actually shooting them, making them an immortal part of the insane 'AmsterS@m World Domination Plan' by puddle play, they got all cocky and I had to drown them in the puddle to avoid them spreading my wicked secret all over them Interwebs, lol. That's what happens when you cross my wet path, it's just business, nothing personal, mhuahahaha! Thank God it's Friday, yay :D 
On October the 4th a new Art exhibition started at the 'ABC Treehouse' in Amsterdam, featuring 10 of my wicked puddle reflections :D 
The theme is "AMS * NYC * AMS an artistic look at a 400 year affair". Exhibition and Special Events, 4 October – 29 November 2009. At the ABC Treehouse, Voetboogstraat 11, 1012XK Amsterdam (the link goes to Google Maps). Public viewing hours: Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Time 13h00 to 18h00. Free admission.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Wednesday 14/10/2009 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx A Dime A Doutzen We have these giant posters featuring Dutch Supermodel Doutzen Kroes hanging around lately, so I took some wicked puddle pictures of them, as always shot with a mobile phone, no editing, no magic tricks, no Photoshop used :) 
Doutzen isn't the only one looking good in the best city in the world, we also got the 'Artiphants' running all over town as well :) 
And let's not forget about the regular guy in the street... 
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Sunday 11/10/2009 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx AmsterS@m In Residency Yesterday I was the 'Artist in Residency' at the AMS * NYC * AMS exhibition and I've met several of my Flickr friends in real life, some of them for the first time ever, and as always when the Interwebs meets analog reality, it was a great experience. For some strange reason it seems that Flickreroes are a bunch of the loveliest, nicest people around, maybe we should start our own country, it would be a great place to live, everybody gets along, everybody likes each other AND we could shoot great pictures of each other all day long, haha. It was very good meeting you guys, you know who you are, hope to c u again soon :) 
On October the 4th a new Art exhibition started at the 'ABC Treehouse' in Amsterdam, featuring 10 of my wicked puddle reflections.The theme is "AMS * NYC * AMS an artistic look at a 400 year affair". Exhibition and Special Events, 4 October – 29 November 2009. At the ABC Treehouse, Voetboogstraat 11, 1012XK Amsterdam (the link goes to Google Maps). Public viewing hours: Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Time 13h00 to 18h00. Free admission. My photos are up for sale during the exhibition, buy them, it's good for you, thank you :D 
O'Reilly Factor vs. Reality This is something that keeps cracking me up every time I watch it, a Rightwing-Nutcase from the US is claiming (probably without ever having set foot on the ground of the best city in the world) that Amsterdam is a cesspool (it used to be, but a very lovely one ;) but it seems that everybody else disagrees with him...losing touch with reality can be so funny, mhuahaha ;-D Naturally there are some appropriate video responses to this Madman spewing his venom all over us innocent, good folks of 'Wicked City', or otherwise this wouldn't be the Interwebs as we know and love it :))
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Friday 09/10/2009 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Eg A Ssam Unedited mobile phone cam shot of a lady getting cash at the ATM, reflected in a puddle in Amsterdam. No editing at all, no tricks, no Photoshop. This lady had no idea what I was doing, she kept turning around while getting some cash (to pay somebody to Eg a Ssam?! for a Massage?!) and I believe that she is smiling at me or maybe it's her 'I'm going to call the cops now' face, she might have been afraid that I'm going to rob her or something similar sinister...and to be honest, catching her in a puddle and putting her on the Interwebs might be just as bad, but at least I left her with all her money still in her wallet, hehe ;-) 
On October the 4th a new Art exhibition started at the 'ABC Treehouse' in Amsterdam, featuring 10 of my wicked puddle reflections. The theme is "AMS * NYC * AMS an artistic look at a 400 year affair". Exhibition and Special Events, 4 October – 29 November 2009. At the ABC Treehouse, Voetboogstraat 11, 1012XK Amsterdam (the link goes to Google Maps). Public viewing hours: Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Time 13h00 to 18h00. Free admission. 
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Thursday 08/10/2009 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx InS@mniac For a week now I wake up every night around 4 AM and can't sleep anymore, could be the moon, could be that I'm getting old and don't need that much sleep anymore, but whatever the reason, it gives me plenty of extra quality time to update this site and my Flickr stream and all that, lol ;-D 
Another great thing about all this extra time is that I can remind you even more often to come and visit my photo exhibition at the ABC Treehouse :D 
On October the 4th a new Art exhibition started at the 'ABC Treehouse' in Amsterdam, featuring 10 of my wicked puddle reflections :D 
The theme is "AMS * NYC * AMS an artistic look at a 400 year affair". Exhibition and Special Events, 4 October – 29 November 2009. At the ABC Treehouse, Voetboogstraat 11, 1012XK Amsterdam (the link goes to Google Maps). Public viewing hours: Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Time 13h00 to 18h00. Free admission. 
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Tuesday 06/10/2009 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Exhibition Man S@m On October the 4th a new Art exhibition started at the 'ABC Treehouse' in Amsterdam, featuring 10 of my wicked puddle reflections :D
The theme is "AMS * NYC * AMS an artistic look at a 400 year affair". Exhibition and Special Events, 4 October – 29 November 2009. At the ABC Treehouse, Voetboogstraat 11, 1012XK Amsterdam (the link goes to Google Maps) 
When I'm not busy implementing my insane 'World Domination' plan, I shoot wicked reflections of myself as well, here are my latest ones :) 
Friday Night In Amsterdam Last Friday I went out with a bunch of people and we got seriously drunk, it was all fun&laughs until they kicked us out of the bar because they were closing :D 
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Thursday 01/10/2009 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx AmsterS@m The Exhibition! 
Next weekend, Sunday the 4th of October, a new Art exhibition will start at the 'ABC Treehouse' in Amsterdam, featuring for the first time ever in public, 10 very wicked puddle reflections shot by me, AmsterS@m the wicked Reflectah, yay :D 
Here is more information about the exhibition: The theme is "AMS * NYC * AMS an artistic look at a 400 year affair. Exhibition and Special Events, 4 October – 29 November 2009. " At the ABC Treehouse, Voetboogstraat 11, 1012XK Amsterdam" (the link goes to Google Maps!) 
Come one, come all, bring your best friends and your checkbook, the photos are for sale (I've learned after agreeing to be part of this whole thing) and this could be your last chance to get a real 'AmsterS@m' for an affordable price, once I'm famous even I won't be able to pay for my pictures anymore, hahaha ;-D 
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