Inge Thinks...

Mister handsome

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Crazy faces

Under my umbrella-ella-ella-ella

Summer kisses

Smiles : )

I will always love you, Josh ♥

Today it’s all upside down, the roles are reversed – today, I’m the teacher. And I will only teach you one thing, today. Yet, this is the most important rule that you will learn in your entire life. It is called: ‘The Importance of the Holidays’, or ‘Why students need some time away from school, and not spend their entire vacation studying.’

Have you ever experienced that wonderful feeling of freedom? That feeling that you get when it’s Friday and you’re finally done with checking that last test, just opened the door to a warm and cozy house or that feeling when you’re sitting down at the couch watching a movie. That feeling – you wouldn’t want to miss for the world – right? Of course, we understand that this feeling can’t be permanent, but that feeling – it’s wonderful.

The holidays, used to give me this feeling as well. When I was younger and when I was still in primary school, I used to love it when the holidays arrived. This meant running around with my friends, spending entire days behind the computer and watching tons and tons of movies. At the age of 10, holidays were the personification of freedom.

But then things started to change. Highschool. Holidays were no longer a time to relax, have fun and do absolutely nothing at all.. No, vacation was the ultimate opportunity to catch up on all your homework, to finally finish that gigantic paper and to catch up on all the sleep you’ve missed out on. You didn’t go relaxing or watching movies, you spent hours on that history paper or learning for that math test. Where did these days of glory go? Melancholic you look back at these wonderful days – wishing you were 10 again.

But no – those days will never return. As long as you’re a student, your holidays will always be the ultimate way to catch up. And that’s not the fault of those students, dear teachers, no, that’s YOUR fault. Dear rectors, con rectors and directors – it’s your fault. You tell us that we need to learn to plan our work, that we need hand things in on time. But you are the ones that decide WHEN we have to hand in all that stuff. You are the ones that put every test, every paper and every presentation in the two weeks after the holidays.

You are the cause that I spend my free time working on math, in stead of having fun with my friends. You are the cause that I get up early to finish my history paper, whilst I actually should catch up on all the sleep that I missed when I was studying for that geography test. You are the cause that tons of students end up overworked and stressed – you are the cause of those burnouts that tend to occur more and more amongst teenagers.

Yes – feel bad. Please do! While you spend your holidays having fun with your wife or husband, watching sweet movies and having a great day in the forest. Just think of us for a bit. And then – next time you ‘plan’ a test, or a date to hand in a report – please think of us. We used to have a life, too.

But I’m not letting that get me down. I’ll just work my ass of for a couple of days, but I will have my vacation. I’m not letting it ruin by all these mountains of homework – I’m not. So I’m sorry if I fail my math test or don’t hand in my geography paper in time – but I have rights too. And today, I’m claiming the right on peace, rest, fun and free time. I’m claiming the right on a vacation, the way it should be.

Tonight I love you deeper than I ever did. The sparkling lights that shine in your eyes are reflecting the lakes of creativity and innovation that hide between the curls that fly over your head. Those curls that bend in ways that seem to defy the rules of gravity and yet curve with a beauty that was unknown before you came into this world. They, in the cutest form you’ve ever seen, align your cheeks that turn red like apples near the end of August.

You smile when I tell you this and for a moment the sounds of busses and talking people fade and all that’s left in this world is you. Your smile makes the world stop turning whilst your freckles jump up and down on your blushing cheeks. For me, this is heaven. This is where the stars laugh at each other, thinking about how everything turned out exactly how it should be. This is where I don’t care for the tiniest bit about busses, people, time nor school – the world consists entirely out of you and me.

Yet this feeling is almost frightening – it’s so intense! I have never felt it this strong as tonight. Your ‘I love you’ has never touched me deeper than it did tonight. The feeling of parting has never made my heart bleed more than it did tonight. But parting is not what I want to think about right now. I turn my eyes and thoughts back towards you and within a period of time that is so short that it seems an illusion, you are all that I think about.

You and your magic capture me and I search in vain for words that help me to express this magic. My head that usually works fast enough can’t come up with anything better than ‘I love you’ and I know that these three words won’t ever come close enough to express what I feel about you. Not the most beautiful of flowers, the best music piece ever played nor the most gorgeous painting would ever be enough to explain that feeling.

I kiss you on your cheek and sigh deeply at this splendid feeling of perfectness that surrounds me like a soft cloud. Could I ever be more in love than I am now? Could I ever love anyone more? Tonight I love you more than I ever did – yet I know that when I will see you again, I will love you even more. So much more. I will always love you.

Hello everyone!
I’m really sorry for the massive amount of no-blogs lately.. Prepare for the worst but yet most common excuse ever: I’ve been so busy. Good-busy though, but still busy. So therefore a little update on things that have been part of my life last week.

Well first, of course, Joshua. I’ve spent another lovely Joshua&Inge afternoon together with him, enjoying the sunshine on a bench outside whilst eating lovely sandwiches. Our recent addiction is the song ‘Hallelujah’ by.. well, Jeff Buckley, Leonard Cohen and tons of other artists. We heard somebody sing it a while back and we loved it straight away! So ‘I heard there was a secret chord..’ has been heard quite a lot around us, this past week.

Next to that I’ve been really busy studying maths. You all know that I’m seriously considering going to The Roosevelt Academy next year, but they require a level of maths that I don’t have. So basically I have to catch up on two years of math in ONE year, and next to that keep up with my normal maths homework! That is, of course, crazy, but also surprisingly fun! I’ve discovered that maths is actually quite calming, once you understand what it’s all about it is just like solving puzzles. My biggest mainstay are the cool maths and sciences students that help me with the work.

Last week was also surprisingly cold and autumn-ish! The cold part was fine with me: with a little layer of extra clothes and some mittens and scarfs that shouldn’t be a problem – it’s the autumn part that I didn’t like. We had days which were very cold but also had gorgeous blue skies that lit up the leaves in the most incredible hues which made my mouth drop open. But these days were in strong contrast with the other days that consisted of horrible rain, hard winds that blow leaves into your face and dark, grey skies. I love the first autumn, but the second – ew.

I spent the rest of the time studying Chinese history, writing songs for my music class, finding stuff about authors for my literature list and tons of other school stuff like that. Seriously dude, senior year is tough! I also spent a lovely evening at the band, rehearsing for our next enormous show that will be somewhere in .. February, I think? I tried to make some cool photos (I failed), reorganized my music collection (goodbye Switchfoot, hellooo 10 versions of Hallelujah!) and watched the new episodes of Bones (hilarious!) and Gossip Girl (oohh, I’m so addicted!).

Yet all this business is good business. It’s all the result of amazing blessings that I received and I’m still more than grateful for that. But there’s a time for being busy and there’s a time for resting – I’m glad that the last time arrived. Until next week I’ll be enjoying the fall-holidays, jeej! The kick of was great today: I spent it with my mum at the read&listen festival in Ede, watching tons of cool artists (including the incredible Sons of Korah!) and buying cool books. Tonight will be on the couch, watching a movie with my family and I’ll spend tomorrow at Joshua.

Hello holidays!

I’m actually scared about it, really scared. I woke up this morning from a strange dream that was filled with me making choices about my future school and study, and it felt as if my head would explode. I mean, there’s so much to choose and so much I’d love to do: but what is right?

Option 1: The Roosevelt Academy. This is such a great school! It’s all in English and I can study tons of subjects there that I’d really love to study like mythology and rhetorics. But on the other hand: I think I’m not good enough for the school. I guess it’s filled with people that do everything so easily whilst I have to study só hard to get good grades.

Option 2: Arthistory. This is the study that really holds my interest. I’m very interested in history as well as in arts, so it should be perfect. It would be a study that I’d really love and I would be very much in the right place. On the other hand: what’s the job perspective? I mean, I’d love to work in a museum.. but not my entire life? I’d love to give tours though!

And there’s so much more that holds my interest! But next to all the thinking about universities, I also need to save time for photography, the boyfriend, schoolwork, church, family and só many other things! Really, my head might someday explode!

So I’ve never been asked why I take that many selfies, but I’m sure a whole lot of you guys would love to know. This blog is to clarify this fact: I don’t love my own face, I don’t like looking at myself in the mirror the entire day and I’m not a narcissist. Not. Then why do I take that many pictures of myself, is what you ask. Well, like the rest of the things that I don’t or don’t do, this unusual amount of self portraits has a philosophy. I do happen to think about things, but you might have noticed that (:

I find it important that a photographer is an all-round photographer. That means that I don’t just shoot buildings or flowers, but that I also should be capable of taking good pictures of the people around me. But where buildings and grass will always be patiently awaiting your visit, good models are hard to find. And when you find one, it’s still not easy. You want to keep on practicing so therefore you take tons of shots. Models, on the other hand, have had enough after about 50 shots and then start finding it creepy when you come that close with a camera.

So basically you will never be able to get good practice when you don’t have tons of models waiting in line. But there’s one model that will always be patient and understanding – you. You are your own best model. You can wait, you can do exactly what you want and you will never get tired of that camera in your face. So you can practice everything on yourself infinitely!

But some say that after five photos of yourself you have seen enough – you need diversity and variety. And that’s how every selfportrait turns into another challenge. You are forced to come up with different ideas, colours, techniques, light and perspectives. And that’s another reason why selfportraits are such a good way of practicing your portrait skills: you have to be innovative and refreshing. You have to find that other way of light, that different perspective or composition – you are forced to.

And I find that challenge quite interesting. I love trying to be original and new. I love showing different sides of me, I love discovering new techniques and perspectives. So therefore one of my biggest passions is making photos of me, myself and I. I spent the afternoon with guitars, keyboards and christmaslights – seeking for some new inspiration. They turned out cool, but it’s this one that I liked the most. No, the perspective isn’t really original but I fell for the colours, that warm feeling that you don’t see that often. So, it’s new and different from the other selfies that I’ve made.

So if you’re an amateur photographer like me and dying to get some good potrait-practice: try yourself. Try to be innovative, new and inspiring – I want to see your smiles! (:

I. Hate. Rain.

Seriously, I do. I’ve had enough of it even after 2 minutes in the rain. Sure, I understand that it’s necessary for all kinds of stuff, but honestly: why does it always rain when I have to go outside? I got home from the bus: wet. When I finally got a bit warmer, I had to go out. And, of course – it’s raining. Result? Inge is, once more, cold and wet. Then I left the evening and of course had to cycle home through the horrible rain.

I just hate it! I mean, rain wouldn’t be so horrible if it was warm and you were walking in your bikini. But when you wear clothes and it rains, I hate it. The whole wet, cold, unpleasant feeling – ew.

Tomorrow’s weather forecast? Rain.

Today was Joshua and Inge day. It’s that one day in the week where I, when school’s out, don’t have to say goodbye to the one person I love the most in this world. No, because today is Joshua and Inge-day. And it doesn’t matter how we spend that afternoon, because we will spend it together.

The sweet prospect of an afternoon with my love makes the rest of my day as boring as a grey sky. Nothing seems to be interesting or captivating when it’s Joshua and Inge-day. My mind doesn’t seem to work as long as it isn’t focusing on that afternoon. Glorious images of curly hair and kisses flow through my mind as the teacher goes on about surrealism. My eyes move outside to the leaves in the air that turn into blurry spots as I stop focusing on them. The blurry spots turn into the cutest freckles that this earth possesses and within the tiniest bit of a second the freckles seem to have found their owner. Joshua smiles, draws a heart on the piece of paper that lies on my table and I dream on.

Surrealism, word formation, Romeo&Juliet, freemasons or oxymorons – I don’t care about it, I don’t mind. Because today it’s Joshua and Inge-day.

Well, here it is! After a start that actually wasn’t a real start I hereby welcome you at my new blog! As you can see, it’s still in the process of becoming the coolest blog ever, but for now it’ll have to do. This blog was created in wonderful collaboration with my nerdie boyfriend, Josh. So if you like the design: all the kudos go to my very own personal webdesigner! I, on the other hand, still have loads of trouble with understanding Wordpress and all this website stuff.

The one that’s doing all the talking is me: Inge. I guess everyone who is reading my blog will probably know who I am, but if you don’t: hello! My name is Inge, I’m seventeen years old and I blog. At the moment I’m very busy studying tons of useless subjects at my senior year in high school. Haha, kidding. I enjoy most of the subjects that I get, but all my hate goes out to things like French and maths. On the other hand: I fill my time with interesting stuff like history, geography, music, art history and English.

VWO6 (=senior year) is a busy year and that’s why there’s not much time for other stuff. Yet I refuse to spend my entire life studying and therefore I fill my time with some other things. I work at the local supermarket, sing in a band, am a teacher at the Bible club, spend tons of time on the internet, make photos and love my boyfriend. And well – if you’re interested in all these aspects of my life, read ze blog, hihi! I will try to keep it updated (:

For now: I’ll start studying Chinese history and French words! Goodnight! Lots of love,

your Inge

Yesterday, I was at my amazing boyfriend’s church. It was a beautiful sermon and the songs were really amazing. But one of the things that struck me most that service was a song that was played during the Lord’s Supper. The song is called Broken and Beautiful, written by Brian Doerksen. You can listen to it here. (music fans: official chords here!) I love this song because it really gave me a different and fresh view on the Lord’s Supper. It’s different, but yet exactly what I feel.

As we break this bread, as we drink this cup – Lord we remember
how you gave your life, on a brutal cross – Lord we remember.
This is the way you’ve chosen to save, this is the way you make all things new.

Broken and beautiful – extravagant love, prodigal grace.
Broken and beautiful – God’s perfect justice, mercy’s embrace.

Next to it’s poetic beauty this is also a song that makes you look at God’s grace in a different way. At least, that’s what it did to me. The one thing that just jumped out was the part where he sings ‘This is the way, You’ve chosen to save. This is the way, You make all things new.’ Did you ever think about the way that God chose to save our lives? I mean, He could have easily started a war against the devil and He would have won. He could have easily let us take the blame ourselves. God could have done so many things, but he chose this way.

He chose the way where somebody else took the blame for us. But who would, willingly, take that blame? Who would give up his life for the lives of other people? People that keep on making the same mistakes over and over again? Exactly. No-one would. The only one that would willingly choose that way was God Himself – Jesus.

And yet Jesus didn’t choose a way of war, or fear. Jesus didn’t choose a way of laws or commandments, no, Jesus chose the way of love. The way to make everything new was through His never failing, unconditional and divine love. He chose a way of love, a beautiful love. Yet this love had to be broken to be beautiful. Jesus broke on a cross one day, so that you would never have to break. Undescribable extravagant love – that’s the way He chose.

This song changed my way of thinking – I know now what to remember. I will remember the way that God chose to save, the way He chose to make me new. God’s perfect justice, mercy’s embrace – broken and beautiful.