Photo | Alexia van der Meijden
Nederlands
Well, if you know me very well, there might be fewer. But I always enjoy reading ‘fun facts’ about people I know. So, how many can you tick off?
1. I use botox in my jaws against teeth grinding. I have tried everything but unfortunately, nothing seems to stop it permanently. After such a botox treatment, you really cannot laugh properly for a few weeks. If you try anyway, you will get a sour insincere smile. It is therefore better to skip photos for a while.
2. I have severe needle phobia which is the worst when they have to take blood. A needle in a vein is the worst for my brain. Ironically, I can handle an anesthetic in my gums. But I would rather present to a huge group of people than have my blood taken.
3. I am afraid that I will never be able to buy a house because of the absurd housing market in the Netherlands. That sometimes makes me feel like a loser, since even with a good job and successful business, I can’t buy a house by myself.
4. I am extremely loyal. I don’t think it’s easy to find someone more loyal than me. If you are in my heart, I will fight for you to the point I’d have to give my life.
5. I still buy Kindersurprise chocolate eggs and sometimes the Maxi bars. No shame in my game.
6. I often dream that I have to balance on something very thin and unstable that is at a high altitude. The dream starts when I realize that I am at such a high altitude and still have to hold on and proceed many meters on that thing. Then I come to the conclusion that I can never handle that, I panic and fall down, knowing I will die. In my fall, I accept my fate and then feel calm. Very annoying how that scenario keeps popping up.
7. I can cry when I see a homeless person on TV or on the street. I feel pain for him and it gets worse when I see other people walking by pretending he doesn’t exist. We could all be that person, how sad would you feel?
8. I think a lot. A photo on a cereal box is enough for the train of thought to get started. This has always been the case. I just wonder a lot and want to understand the people and world around me.
9. I studied and finished communication management, intercultural communication and Arabic. I don’t regret these choices as they have brought me great jobs, but if I were to be fourteen again and had to choose an exam profile in high school again, I would definitely have chosen a technical profile. This keeps (almost) all your options open, in contrast to the society profiles. As a high school student I didn’t realize that and chose a fun combo taught by the most relaxed teachers. Had I known the implications for the future, I would never have chosen a society profile. Beta subjects cost me more effort than alpha subjects, but if I pay enough attention, I can manage just fine. And this is how it works with everything: I am convinced that you can learn anything if you are willing to put in enough effort.
10. I really enjoy surprising people. Especially in these miserable times, I often think about how I can add a little magic to the lives of the people I love. That could be a spontaneous crazy surprise activity, a yummy treat or just a simple card saying ‘I’m thinking of you’. Simply because I sincerely believe that a smile is good for your well-being. And a smile is contagious: when you smile, I smile too. Just try it out on the street for a day. You will be surprised how many people will smile back at you.
Love, Bridget