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Thursday, February 22, 2007

FHV, bubbles and Vie on Grunberg




Did my last big presentation at FHV today. Was good fun. I always feel a bit weird, because I like the presentation so much myself, it's like reading a fairy-tale to a kid: daddy just goes on and on, while all the kids are fast asleep already. Luckily no one fell asleep this time, and I managed to restrain myself. A record for me, talking through 45 years and 59 sheets in 75 minutes. So much to learn from just keeping up with the spirit of the times. And the fun part is: everybody recognizes his own youth in my presentation, because it deals with every generation starting with teenagers in the sixties, working it's way up to the here and now.
Had a small unexpected speech from Mary, head of strategy at FHV (she's going on holiday tomorrow and we will not see eachother until september) and got a little wanderer's knapsack, attached to a wooden stick the 'company dog' dragged in, filled with licorice. And a Delft Blue coffee jug I will take with me to Vancouver.
After all that I rushed myself to Bubbles and Wines, a great bar downtown Amsterdam. Had drinks with Vie. Met her at the 'GVR Slagzinnencommissie' (catch phrase committee, where we decide whether advertisers can claim a certain slogan). Fell in love with her immediately. So did she with me. She has such a high energy level, I can't help getting more and more excited. I once called her a snob, though, for which I am eternally sorry. She's definitely no snob. But she has that tone sometimes talking about things and people: "we're not lowering ourselves to that level, are we..?" and dismiss things with a flick of the wrist. It's just forward energy. Best way to describe her. Just forward energy, no time or energy to be wasted on stupidity. Talked about my book again, the way I write things: just starting and seeing where the story takes me. And my small insecurities in that: shouldn't I have more structure, really? Again, a dismissive flick of her wrist: 'honey: one advice. Take the last Grunberg with you on the plane. Read it. No structure at all. No story either. Just irritating rubbish. And the critics love that. Read his book on the plane, and you'll know you'll do much better. You won't be able to help it..'

Thank you Vie.

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