interpreting in real estate transactions

In the Netherlands it is mandatory to have an interpreter present when real estate is purchased and one of the parties has no or little understanding of the Dutch language.
This has become one of my specialisms, both because I truly find it interesting and important that individuals get the right information and understand what they are signing and because it provides me with the kind of assignment that I can easily combine with single motherhood.

Usually the contact between the person(s) purchasing real estate and myself is very positive. I often meet them in the waiting-room, try to make them feel at ease...

People are not always happy about the need for an interpreter, though, as this comes with a cost. Not so long ago there was someone who had strongly objected to the presence of an interpreter. The notary had explained that this was mandatory, that the absence of an interpreter could render the deed (and the transaction!)invalid and that the aim of having a professional translate every word was to protect the client. None of this had helped. I put my two cents in by telling the man in question: "and really, this is not the kind of assignment that makes me much richer" (a bit of a silly remark). His answer made me smile "well, it does make me a little bit poorer."

Leonard Cohen

When I feel the blues coming on (and God knows that happens on a regular basis) I try to beat them by wearing something colourful, by taking a long hot bath, by reading poetry or by visiting friends who are good for my soul.

Music helps too. When gentle melancholy is welcome I listen to Leonard Cohen. I love his lyrics. And his attitude:
"This being human is a guest-house. Each day a new arrival. Even if they are a crowd of sorrows, treat every guest with respect."

happiness

Happiness...will we ever stop looking for it? Trying to unravel its mysteries?

It's a fascinating subject. Always has been, always will be.

I recommend taking a look at Gretchen Rubin's site:


There are many things I'd like to mention here on the very subject of happiness but that would mean spending too much time on the computer and would ultimately be detrimental to...my own happiness. So I am leaving it here for to-day. Live and learn, live and learn...

Anna Johnson Three Black Skirts

In this day and age it's hard to admit but I absolutely adore books. Though my friends -notably the younger ones- are reading less than they used to and constantly refer to the Internet I am enjoying books even more than I did in the past. I was a bit of a snob in my young years and started reading Proust when I was twelve. Admittedly there are worse things a twelve year-old can get up to but growing older has considerably broadened my taste. In times of restlessness I used to read glossy magazines. I still do sometimes but do not always find satisfaction when doing so. In my case the solution turned out to be poetry. At the moment I am reading Paroles, by Jacques Prévert. Over the years I have also grown to love 'how to-books'. They have a bad reputation and I think that's plain silly. Nobody likes to be told what to do and that might explain it but these books are generally not meant to dictate one way of life (or cooking method or accounting principles or time management rules) but are meant to help.

I particularly like Anna Johnson's books. Both in 'Three black skirts' and in 'The Yummy Mummy Manifesto' the tone is light. She does not pretend that she knows everything -quite to the contrary, she is funny, realistic and modest-and there is no moralistic tone in anything she writes. Her writing is funny and to the point. I find it easy to relate to her writing and this, in turn, helps to put in practice some of her pointers. She is witty and practical and, what I like above all, determined to be positive about things. Both her books have wonderful illustrations (the drawings are from Anna herself) and to me that's important.

So...if you can get hold of 'three black skirts'....by all means do!
And of course the Yummy Mummy Manifesto is recommended. I've found it's also a nice gift for mothers to be or young mothers.

And now I am going to tear myself away from the computer (which tends to take up too much of my time and energy) and do things that Anna might do on a Sunday afternoon, such as potter about in the house, take a long hot bath with aromatic oil, take a walk in the snow. Life is too short to waste it.

Back on track

Yes, I know, I've been gone. Long. Too long perhaps,but then again...that demon life had caught me in its spell, to quote the Stones...

Lately, all my time and energy were required for taking care of my son Thomas, earning a living and keeping in touch with a small group of friends and relatives I love dearly...all the extra's had to go, including sports and updating my site(s) and blog(s).

But I am back now. With new energy and lots of ideas. For instance...I'd like to spend more time writing about the combination of raising adolescents and having one's own (home) business. Thomas is now twelve, he goes to secondary school. On the one hand, combining work and motherhood is easier than it was when he was smaller. The perks: he can be alone at home for a few hours if I have an assignment that takes me away from home. Moreover, he understands that I have to make money (which used to be a bit of an 'abstract' concept for him, but has now become tangible).
However, his school days are -if anything-shorter than they used to be when he was in primary school. More unpredictable, too, as lessons are prone to be cancelled at the last minute. This means that I now find myself sometimes struggling to concentrate on a legal text while attempting to shut out the noise of my son and his friends covering Nirvana-songs. Not an easy thing to do, I can tell you. And when I go to the kitchen, looking for some comfort food, I often find that only the wrapping is left...a bit distressing.

And I am quite lucky, as I can do most of my work at home and only have one adolescent to deal with. How do other parents cope? Any advice, handy hints? In that case, they are most welcome at my e-mailaddress vertaalslag@planet.nl

A reminder of the sites I have:
www.businessanddiapers.com (English), connected to this blog
www.thuiswerkmamas.nl (Dutch), also with its own blog
www.vertaalslag.net (in Dutch, French and English).

De V van...

Op de thuiswerkmamas-site worden in de rubriek 'Werken' tal van V's genoemd waar je als ondernemer mee te maken krijgt volgens Karen Romme en Astrid Jansen:
De V van vrijheid. De V van voldoening. De V van verantwoordelijkheid. De V van variatie. De V van de villa in Frankrijk. De V van voelen. De v van vertrouwen.

Op die villa in Frankrijk na (allicht voorbehouden aan financieel wat succesvollere ondernemers) herken ik daar veel in. Jammer genoeg kamp ik in mijn privé-leven met een andere, tamelijk hardnekkige V, de V van verslaving. Jaren geleden kon ik geen maat houden met drank (one is too many, a thousand are not enough..). Gelukkig wist ik van die verslaving af te komen, gemotiveerd door de zorg voor mijn zoon Thomas. Hij heeft het recht op een moeder die zichzelf in de hand kan houden of op zn minst op een moeder zonder kater. Nu ben ik verslaafd aan ...zonnebloempitten. Vrienden glimlachen hier dikwijls om en zeggen vergoeilijkend 'ach, hoeveel kwaad kan dat?'. Lief natuurlijk maar ze hebben, vrees ik, ongelijk. Wat Martin Bril over alcohol zei beaam ik volledig: 'de alcohol is niet erg, het is de verslaving die erg is.'
Wel is verslaving een onderwerp dat me intrigeert. Niet alleen bij mezelf uiteraard, maar ook bij anderen. Het maakt onvoorstelbaar veel stuk. En waar komt het vandaan? Is het, zoals men wel leest, iets dat in je genen zit en waarvoor de een veel meer aanleg heeft dan de ander? Of is het gebrek aan eigenliefde, gebrek aan een gezonde identiteit? De ene uitleg lijkt me weinig compatibel met de andere (of zou gebrek aan eigenliefde ook al biologisch bepaald zijn? Dat kan ik me nauwelijks voorstellen...) maar toch lijken ze me allebei even plausibel. Ingewikkeld. De Amerikaanse schrijver Scott Fitzgerald meent dat echt intelligente mensen in staat zijn om twee aan elkaar tegen gestelde gedachten tegelijkertijd ruimte te geven. Oei, een echt intelligent mens ben ik dus ook al niet. Een mens zou van minder een identiteitsstoornis krijgen.

Mom of the month

There is a new mom of the month on the www.businessanddiapers.com site.
Her name is Marja Kluivers, she is a single mom, her daughter Jada is five years old. Marja combines work as a bank employee and her own web-based fashion business.