Someone once told me about a Dutch lady who killed her cat and made a purse out of it. I really don’t care about animals all like that. I don’t think they should be abused, but no one will ever catch me donating to PETA nor squirting ketchup on anyone’s chinchilla outerwear. However, when I heard about this cat purse, I was admittedly a bit disturbed. Less so from the final product, but more so from the process. Did this lady actually kill and skin and then transmogrify her former feline companion into an accoutrement? Like, ew. But because I am a seeker of truth, I knew that there had to be more to this cat purse than I was pedantically learning about. So I went to the Library of Alexandria, y’all may know it as Google, and searched for “cat purse Dutch,” which I figured would be enough to lead me to this woman. So I eventually found her, but she wasn’t really at all what I was expecting. Katinka Simonse, better known by her soi-disant pseudonym, Tinkebell, seemed to be an attractive and well-mannered young lady whose most obvious oddity was a fetish for pink similar to Cam’ron in 2004. I took the time to listen to her ethos as to why she turned her beloved cat, Pinkeltje, into a purse. As opposed to having the veterinarian euthanize her sick cat with medical indifference, Tinkebell decided to put her cat out of its misery herself. She proclaims that her cat was terrified of the veterinarian, so this was the more humane choice. Her decision to make a purse from Pinkeltje served as a statement concerning the plethora of products that are made from animals that no one seems to care about. Millions of cows are fattened up unnaturally with the intent to be lead to the slaughter as to provide food and leather for products meant to satiate Western society’s addiction for hyper-consumption; however, when one lady turns her cat into a purse, then suddenly there is an animal abuse issue at hand. It seems to me that Tinkebell is a master of highlighting contradiction within our modern society. I could spend hours highlighting her various hijinks, all of which seem to anger impulsive people that can’t be bothered with any form of thought that isn’t superficial. She has now embarked on a mission to save the world, as according to Dutch standards. She took a sick dog from Gambia and rehabilitated it, only to leave it in a pound in the Netherlands. She has furnished substandard dwellings in Guinea-Bissau with Ikea. She bestowed five gifts over the course of five days to an elderly bird merchant in Beijing, whom she deemed as unhappy, but did not engage in any communication with. As an avid reader of comic books, I have always appreciated the actions of people with an alter-ego. I am glad that I am not a reactionary. If I were, I would have immediately been turned off by Tinkebell upon learning of her cat purse. I was fortunate enough to have heard her give a lecture atThe Bookstore regarding her art. I had a great time and even got to briefly talk with the very affable lady. As a fellow firebrand, I will say this: Tinkebell knows what the fuck she’s doing. It’s the peons the world over that aren’t thinking enough moves ahead to comprehend her actions. Good show, homegirl. Keep pissing people off until they learn to question exactly why they are mad…
Yo bruh, it ain’t 1972 anymore. Dude came here looking for a better way and love amongst all people and found McDonald’s and Geert Wilders. Get with the program and lay that wack hippie swag to rest…
For whatever reason I have been featured in the press, radio and television an inordinate amount of times since moving here. It isn’t a big deal, because it isn’t like any of this stuff is paid, but it is fun. What would be most awesome is if someone would give an accolade for my website. Whatever, such is life. Here’s a blast from the past, published in the November 14th, 2009 issue of Parool’s PS van de Week magazine…
Pretty much the perfect day in Amsterdam according to the thermometer in Erasmuspark. Glad I got to enjoy it because it’s October 24th today…
…peer at the Amsterdammers in their natural habitat from the safety of canal boats. Reminiscent of safari cruises in Tanzania; white people photographing lions from the backseat of a Range Rover…
You know the weather in Amsterdam is lovely whenever this exhibitionist takes to the streets on his bike…
…eat all the spare ribs they can possibly consume for the low, low player price of €9,99…
I’ve lived here for close to three years and one aspect of Dutch culture that I have consistently noticed is that many Dutch people enjoy themed gatherings. Be it an Asian-themed house party or collectively keeping blackface face alive in the 21st century, Dutch folks like the camaraderie that comes along with everyone looking the same and doing the same thing like the Smurfs. So, last weekend I noticed an influx of Dutch people into Amsterdam-Dutch people who are obviously not Amsterdammers-all sporting nautical-themed garb. Because I’m observant, I already knew what and who it was. It was De Toppers in Concert putting on this year’s show, The Love Boat Edition. De Toppers pull out Dutch people in droves. They combine an overarching aesthetic theme with catchy sing-along pop tunes that speak directly to the small town and country Dutch populace. They honestly have one of the most faithful audiences that I have ever witnessed in life. So, let it be known, that when René Froger, Gerard Joling and Jeroen van der Boom are in your town, you will witness the Pied Pipers of the Netherlands yanking out 200,000 Dutch people per performance as if it ain’t no thing. It gets no Dutcher…
