love from theo

by Theo Bakana

Yes guys, woohoo, it's weekend again. And what a weekend it is. For me, a very special weekend, this is my first weekend as an ex-Amayzer. And that sounds harsher than it is, of course, but as my father always says: there is a time to come and a time to go, and my time to go has now come. Do you still get it? I'm going to spread my wings, not that I have any, but still, and on to the next adventure. That's why I'm approaching this What To Do This Weekend just a little differently. Are you reading along, May?
Because this one is actually for you.
I remember it like it was yesterday how you, together with Jort Kelder, popped the cork off the bottle of champagne. Something like that was the first sentence of my application letter that I wrote for the internship vacancy in social media that was available at the time. So also a fitting start for this very-quick-but-then-in-another-capacity letter, something like: the circle is complete again.
Because yes, it has almost been two years since I, as a loyal reader, got to come in for an interview, took the wrong metro which almost made me late but luckily there was Mr. Taxi Driver who (just back from his vacation in Thailand) saved me from this disappointment. The first conversation with Lies and Jet was: what would I like to do, what I thought of social media, and in the meantime, I had to recover from the idea that they didn't know me at all. I had the feeling that I knew them; by faithfully devouring Amayzine every day for a year, I knew the love for avocado and diet cola like no other. Anyway, I got to do an assignment and what turned out…
It wasn't quite as hoped.

But lo and behold! An email from you, asking if I wanted to come in for an interview again. OF COURSE! And so we met for the first time. You told me about the plans with Amayzine and how I could work there as an intern, complimented me on my Nike sneakers (which I indeed bought for the interview). You still had to discuss a few last things and would get back to me about whether it was all possible.
Not long after, an email popped into my inbox asking if I wanted to come back again because a new position would be created. So we had to make sure it was all good. ‘If I wanted to make the trip to the Amayzine HQ again, hopefully with the continuation that this would become a daily routine,’ something like that was the gist of the sentence, formulated in a way that only you can.
I got to join in, on the first day I was looking for goodie bags for the first party that would follow; Amayzine's two-year anniversary. After that, our foodies from FavorFlav took to the skies, followed by a grand Look of the Year Awards in the small hall of the Concertgebouw (by now I can dream the route), there was a preview in the Rijksmuseum, various trend lectures, shoots on location, Franska.nl was launched, a magazine came out, and there were so many other things I got to work on and learn from.
Dear May, what I actually want to say is: thank you. For the opportunity you gave me and the position that was created. You showed me how to move professionally in this ‘crazy beautiful profession’, that hard work is rewarded, that you are actually never tired (or at least not in situations where performance is required). That there is always just a little more to be gained than I would initially think, that things can have a very different message by formulating them in a new way, and that it is important to be serious, but that the wink should sometimes take precedence. No is not an answer; there is always something possible. May, how I should run in heels I will never understand and probably will never have to do, but for the rest: a thousand thanks.
There is now a new adventure at the door, but I will miss you and the editorial team immensely. I find it a comforting thought that it is good this way and that I know we are just a message, email, or call away from each other. So Elk, get that little boat ready and Simone, I really want to try that HIGH45 once. Kiekster, we may have been a diesel, but let's keep that going at full speed. Lilian, snore, I will really come to Zoetje once, and Adeline, that housewarming was at your place, right?
Furthermore, it would not have been possible without the endless enthusiasm of my dearest diagonal neighbor Annick. And Daniëlle of course, because of you I dare to show my teeth more. And mister Van der H., a thousand thanks for the opportunities, possibilities, for letting me help with the most beautiful productions and your inspiring view on things.
Dear Amayzers, I will miss you immensely. But fortunately, this is not a goodbye but a ‘we'll call’.
Oh yes oh yes, be a little nice to the moms this weekend, you guys.