slave of my agenda

Recently, I tried to make an appointment with a dear friend I haven't seen in a while. It went something like this:

Me: “Hmm I’m in New York next week and the week after I actually have something planned every evening. How about the week after that?”
She: “Yeah, I’m free on Tuesday and Thursday.”
Me: “Oh shit yeah no I already have something planned then.”
She: “How about the Monday after that?”
Me: “That week I’ll probably be in Paris so I need to keep that free. But the weekend after could work?”
She: “Omg then I can too!”
Me: “HOORAY! Friday, March 20 it is.”

March 20 for crying out loud, that’s over a month away. How on earth did I become such a slave to my agenda?! Do you see that nice iCal calendar above? That’s mine. I write all my appointments in there because if I don’t, I forget everything. Personal, work, deadlines – everything has its own color and I find it wonderfully organized, but secretly it’s totally maddening. If I want to have a glass of wine with someone, it has to be arranged at least a week in advance because otherwise I’m already “full.”.

There are also people who don’t use agendas and always make plans last minute and spontaneously. “Hey Lies what are you doing tonight do you want to go to this and that party?” That doesn’t work for me. And it goes even further, because even if I have a night without an appointment, I’ll put in my agenda that I’m going to chill on the couch that evening, “19:00 – 22:00 binge-watching series on the couch.” Seriously.

This week I found out that I’m not the only one in this. In fact, it seems to be somewhat of a cultural phenomenon. Do you know the site Stuff Dutch People Like? That site describes typical Dutch phenomena, seen through the eyes of Canadian Colleen Geske who has been living in Europe since 2004 and was surprised by some things that the Dutch do. Biking, eating herring and croquettes, that we find everything “cozy,” that we can endlessly discuss the weather, love to make jokes about Germans or Belgians, AND that we plan everything to the point of exhaustion.“Spontaneity is not a strong point for Dutch people. Sure, they might like the “concept” or “idea” of spontaneity but they certainly have a hard time putting it into practice. In the lowlands the concept of “popping by” a friend's house when in the neighborhood just doesn’t exist.”

So, on closer inspection, I can’t help it, it’s in my Dutch DNA. If anyone recognizes themselves in this and wants to talk about it, I have time on Wednesday or Sunday evening in the third week of April.