The Alice in Amsterdam Experiment — A Very Curious & Cautionary Journey
“Imagination is the only weapon in the war against reality.”
What a long, strange trip it has been. I feel that in my bones. I actually get it now.
For a recap, I went to the Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE 2025) to seek truths I’d been questioning since my trauma there in February–March of this year, where I was missing for four or five days with fentanyl in my system. This traumatic experience resulted in Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (CTPSD), and it has been a living nightmare. However, it hasn’t been something I can’t overcome — my mentality is a pretty powerful thing.
On this trip, I did exactly what I planned — I unleashed the Pokémon Amsterdam Easter Egg Hunt experiment, which turned into the Alice in Amsterdam Experiment. Despite the hardships, I completed my mission, and I am proud of the results. And, before diving into my long, oddly tangled, half full story… I want to give everyone the quick, eye-opening metrics I received for the I Choose You Amsterdam #GottaCatchEmAll blog > tangible card sharing > digital activation campaign.
The Alice in Amsterdam Experiment At a Glance
Zero ad spend. The investment was a 20+ year Pokémon card collection, likely valued over $10K. Did the monetary value of the cards matter? Not to me — I cared about seeing how I could captivate people's attention, and giving away valuable cards to do so was a highly effective strategy. It sparked a lot of joy! I’m so happy about this.
Here is what I received from my Alice in Amsterdam Experiment (plus campaign):
130,000+ views
53 countries
6 continents
All of this was sparked by 750 Pokémon cards dropped across Amsterdam, Cologne, Frankfurt, and now Berlin (thanks to a friend, Jay, who took some for me this week!). Each card carried a QR-code that led curious hands straight to my socials or to my CoolStoryBro.blog writing about the intent of these experiments in a “campaign”.
Real-World → Digital Impact:
162 scans → 453 site visits → 253 full reads (avg. 11:56).
Note: While the scan numbers may be small, the focused engagement is massive for a small fish in the big internet pond. That’s nearly 12 entire minutes dedicated to the Pokémon hunt.
Results:
Instagram: 78K views | +975% link taps | 15 countries
Facebook: 24K views | +367% reach | 20 countries
TikTok: 25K views | 38% completion | 16 countries
YouTube: 50% retention | 20 countries
LinkedIn: +94% impressions | industry exec traction (Live Nation, AEG, MrBeast) | 13 countries
CoolStoryBro.blog: +2,000% traffic | avg. 11:56 read time | 24 countries
Total countries reached: 53
Bottom line:
Real people. In real life. With real curiosity that led to real, focused engagement. No ads. Just a cherished product of mine, kept in good condition, being passed out to spark genuine human curiosity and connection. And, a cute Pokemon easter egg hunt that exhausted me physically and mentally, yet scaled globally. I am proud of myself. And, I couldn’t have done it without my dad. I am so lucky to have a dad like him.
[Access my Alice in Amsterdam Experiment Results Here.]
Alice in Amsterdam Experiment: From Dark Trauma to Colorful Nostalgic Release
Let’s dive back into my Amsterdam/ADE story because it is one that is not of linear progression.
I have an amazing father who encouraged me to go to ADE for myself, for my visions, to find answers to my trauma questions, and because I’ve come so far in the global networking world. It started as a trip about closure and evolved into a trip of finding the meaning of life. So, together we went, blindly ready to take whatever was thrown at us.
Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, I had this idea spark from the thought of, “How do I get people to keep my business cards?” My weird (awesome), neurodivergent brain immediately went to Pokémon cards. I thought, “Well, if the cards have value AND my business card, they are more likely to keep it.” Not only keep it but put it on a mantle somewhere because it’s cute and unique.
That is how the I Choose You Amsterdam #GottaCatchEmAll idea, blog, and social media campaign came to be. I kept digging into how to execute this and found amazing resolutions to put my idea into real motion:
Rare – Super Rare and/or Shiny: Put in hard sleeves with a business card that had the QR code plus my personal information on it.
Commons – Uncommon: Slap a QR-code sticker on the back of the Pokémon card, then put the card in a soft sleeve.
Energies: I had written little notes on these, but due to weight issues, I didn’t bring them, so it’s irrelevant but worth noting (it was HEAVY to travel by plane, train, and walking with these things!).
CoolStoryBro stickers: Circular stickers with a black and white checkered background, a bright orange teapot, cheeky phrases on it, and the same QR code.
Fidget spinners: LED fidget spinners to hand out to people at random at raves and teach them how to use them; the case had the CoolStoryBro QR-code sticker on it.
So, I got my massive collection of Pokémon cards that I’ve been building myself since 1998 and started going through the mass amounts of extras I have with my children. I grabbed cards as old as a true First Edition from 1998, and a lot are from the 2012–2014 range. I also ordered two big boxes of Japanese and English packs for my children and me to open up together, separating the rares/shinies from the regulars. It was an incredible bonding experience and also a great lesson about giving away things we love to brighten someone else’s day.
My children are aged four (Sophie, my girl) and six (Soren, my boy), so they didn’t quite understand the depth of what we were doing. But, they knew I was going to give them out, and they didn’t argue with me about it. HOWEVER, I allowed them to grab whatever cards they wanted (I’m mama—of course, they can have as many as they want). Then, the QR-code sticker slapping, business card inserting, and Pokémon sleeve protecting was all me for a few days right before traveling to Amsterdam for ADE.
Alice in Amsterdam: Down the Rabbit Hole We Go
“Oh my fur and whiskers! I’m late, I’m late, I’m late! Hello, goodbye — I’m late, I’m late, I’m late!”
The Gauntlet Run: Getting to Amsterdam
Arriving in Amsterdam was a really strange experience. I traveled alone from Denver to London Heathrow to catch a Eurostar train, but my flight sat too long on the tarmac, causing me to miss my expensive connection. I was rerouted to go through Belgium. In Belgium, I made a classic American mistake: I saw a train sign that simply said “Amsterdam,” thinking, oh, this must be it. I got on the wrong Dutch train and had to pay extra for my comfortable ticket (whoops!). I did all of this while lugging the extremely heavy supply of Pokémon cards. Putting this experiment into action demanded a huge amount of physical energy.
ADE Activated & Scrambling
I finally arrived, met up with a friend, got the blog written out and posted everywhere, and was juggling a potential job discussion with a friend in the States while kickstarting my ADE schedule. I started strategically leaving the cards on outdoor café tables, at official ADE events, in my hotel, and giving them directly to panel hosts or networking connections. I was constantly testing where I could leave them and if it was ethically correct, as I genuinely care about the environment and was sensitive to the cards being considered "litter."
I was in Amsterdam for ADE, juggling so much. I don’t know how anyone survives an event like this. Real talk: ADE is a marathon. As the days blended, everyone's full self emerged — some for the best, some for the worst. While some disappointments were understandable, I faced a few tough revelations about people I knew.
I had originally hoped a few of my best friends would help pass out the common Pokémon cards, but nothing came to fruition. That’s okay. I don’t blame them; they have their own lives, dreams, and boundaries. What I was doing in Amsterdam and the EU was, admittedly, a bit spicy.
The Hard Truths of ADE 2025
I honestly don’t even know what to say about ADE because I don’t really have anything nice to say from my perspective.
Note: This perception could be purely circumstantial to me, my situation, and me investigating for answers to the questions that arose due to memories of my previous trauma from Feb–March 2025.
The hard truth is that I found all my answers and most of these revelations weren’t pretty. They felt devastating, in fact. My rose-tinted glasses shattered for the second time in Amsterdam:
I saw some of my friends for who they truly are.
I saw industry leaders lying about their unethical use of AI and other modes of tracking.
I witnessed people stealing backpacks, sunglasses, and pick-pocketing constantly.
I was reminded how much of a surveillance state Amsterdam is (I call it “the eye,” because it is everywhere).
I saw men becoming more aggressive toward women (unwanted advances, rape, human trafficking—whatever the motivation, it’s not okay).
The crowd was predominantly male in both the professional and party worlds. It’s looking pretty grim for women professionals in 2025.
I felt like the entire vibe was off because it was too corporate, separating the elite from those trying to break in. There was no soul. A lack of heartbeat.
Event Chaos and Security Concerns
ADE panels were hard to get into. People were reportedly tear-gas bombed at multiple separate warehouse raves after waiting in line for over an hour because security wasn’t letting people in. This is a quick diversion tactic I experience at Global Dance Festival at Red Rocks in 2008. But, at ADE, I can’t say their motive was the same; perhaps it’s something worse.
Everyone, including myself, was having a hard time prioritizing what to do. ADE was boasting over 3,000 events. I felt like I was looking at the Cheesecake Factory menu on mega-steroids and about to have a heart attack from all the options.
Nothing stood out in the sea of mass.
I didn’t like that. Everything felt so controlled and hype-driven that people lost themselves. Bad behavior was happening everywhere. I even had moments where I felt selfish for putting myself first, using the excuse of avoiding FOMO, and choosing not to share a cab back with the few women I met. I regretted this personally and have thought about it a lot since. We choose our alliances faintly, but are our alliances choosing us? Getting caught up in that clique-y confusion is weird and seems immature, but I know I have personally noted that I will be better.
The Night the City Shut Down
My personal payback came when I went out of a bad-vibed show alone to get public transportation and my dumbass forgot the trains/trams shut down early (hmmm, by design?). I asked the police for help and received nothing. I asked a friend for help and got drama. Finally, I got help once two amazing and beautiful Dutch girls found me on a bench after I had fallen down a 5–6 ft window hole (in the ground) where I hit my head and smashed my arthritic foot (long story). They got me a taxi with another woman and tracked the taxi for me. I was so grateful. This is what women looking out for other women looks like, knowing the streets are not safe in Amsterdam past a certain time of night for single women.
Moments of Pure Connection Lives On
Despite the overwhelming negativity, corporate control, and bad behavior, there were profound moments of extreme joy and genuine connection that gave me hope and illuminated even during the city's darkness moments:
My Dad: The Ultimate Renegade Support. The fact that my father — at his old age — was there with me, doing this renegade experiment and supporting me every step of the way, filled me with intense gratitude. His presence was an anchor of unconditional love and validation, proving that the most important alliances were the ones built on family and our love and support for one another.
Friends Who Choose You. I had good friends who were completely okay with burying the hatchet regarding my trauma and moving forward. We acknowledged the past, kept our boundaries intact, and proved that our friendships were still just as strong. These moments of grace and acceptance were profoundly healing.
Sparks in the Crowd. There were pockets of absolute goodness in the sea of darkness, particularly within the nightlife itself. I experienced this vividly at a small Drum and Bass (DnB) rave. I passed out the LED fidget spinners to Europeans and taught them all how to use them. By the end of the night, the room was literally and figuratively a bit brighter with American flare, as small pockets of colorful light spun everywhere.
The Women Who Danced First. What touched me most was the group of women who danced right up front — an uncommon sight in the typically male-dominated DnB world. They were the real ones, owning their space and radiating energy. Seeing them felt like a victory for resilience and inclusivity. I loved it.
Big ups to the drum n bass babes in the front <3
These moments are the reason I feel compelled to do something about the darkness I witnessed. The genuine curiosity sparked by the Pokémon cards, the human connection of the fidget spinners, and the visible strength of women reclaiming their space prove that real, organic souls still exist.
The Larger Surveillance State
I have a lot of stark opinions about Amsterdam. To be honest, I don't think it’s even safe to say. I’m still mulling it over. But I can say this: I have seen a lot of darkness in the mass media. There is a whole lot of greed, control, and inexcusable behavior — possibly even at the disposal of a person who says anything that isn't conformity + going along with the music and tech narrative as it always has been… for decades.
Through my experience with the police, the UMC (“hospital”), and the government (plus a lot of investors who don’t exist on the internet), I do feel like Amsterdam isn’t being completely transparent about their surveillance. And, I think the EU internet websites are clunky and highly controlled by the government. It’s basically The Handmaid’s Tale, and the city/country/European Union is taking major steps backward from being the Cannabis and Prostitution capital of the world to some sort of dictatorship of reversing its wrongs. It’s odd.
Why I Loved Executing the Alice in Amsterdam Experiment
“I knew who I was this morning, but I’ve changed a few times since then.”
Despite the heavy emotional toll of returning to Amsterdam, the Alice in Amsterdam Experiment was an overwhelming personal and creative triumph. What I loved about it most was seeing my deeply personal, slightly weird idea prove a powerful truth about human nature. And, also, I was right about the idea in the first place. Yay, me!
1. Zero Ad Spend, 100% Genuine Connection
In an era dominated by targeted ads, opaque algorithms, and buying attention, the experiment proved that organic curiosity via a tangible product still wins. I personally reached 53 countries and 6 continents without spending a single dollar on promotion. The value wasn't forced upon anyone; it was discovered. It was a true, clean, analog-to-digital bridge built solely on the spark of a cherished childhood product and the irresistible mystery of a QR-code. This is genuine, grassroots scaling and is the ultimate testament to the concept's integrity.
2. The Power of Vulnerability (11:56 Minutes)
The most jaw-dropping metric was the average read time on my blog: 11 minutes and 56 seconds. Think about this for a second — in a world where attention spans are measured in seconds, people chose to dedicate nearly 12 full minutes to reading about my trauma, my CTPSD, and the philosophy behind the hunt. They didn't just scan the code; they chose to absorb the entire human context. The Pokémon card was the bait but the vulnerability was the reward. It proved that sharing something I once valued and was ready to let go led to results of deep, focused engagement from my viewers.
3. Rewriting the Narrative of Amsterdam
Every time I placed a card in the street, a café, or an ADE venue, I was reclaiming a piece of the city that had previously been associated with darkness and fear. The experiment allowed me to transform sites of trauma into locations of creation and connection in the most Stacy way possible. The city was no longer just the backdrop for my nightmare; it became the stage for my most successful, globally recognized project. The joy of the drop directly countered the memory of the past.
4. Spreading Joy is Contagious
I loved the immediate, visceral reaction from the people who found the cards. It was a tangible, unexpected gift that instantly brightened their day. Whether it was a rare holographic card rewarding a keen eye or the small burst of light from a fidget spinner at a rave, the experiment injected simple, pure happiness into the hyper-corporate, occasionally aggressive towards women environment of ADE. It was a silent rebellion built on nostalgia, generosity, and pure play.
5. Proof of Concept for a New Digital Future
The experiment successfully showed that we don't need to conform to the manipulative systems. I have seen some shit, first-hand, in the entertainment and content creation industry. But, I put my blinders on to the ones who were lurking and executed this experiment despite the odds. This Pokemon hunt is evidence that if the story is human, the product is valuable, and the curiosity is authentic, you can bypass the traditional gatekeepers and the surveillance systems while achieving global reach.
[Access my Alice in Amsterdam Experiment Results Here.]
“Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end: then stop.”
How I Really, Truly Feel: Great
I’m immensely proud of what I accomplished. A handful of Pokémon cards, a backpack, and a firewalled internet connection built a global experiment that reached fifty-three countries with real-time digital action. That’s not luck; it’s proof of concept. It is definitive evidence that story, emotion, and curiosity still travel farther than money ever will. Authenticity still wins in the digital void.
Now, I am passing this work forward — the data, the method, and the spirit — to academics, creators, and technologists who still believe art and analytics can coexist in this murky, AI-infested world. I am continuing to work on a few AI-tools because I think the next chapter of culture depends on people like us building systems that actually can feel somewhat human without feeling invasive.
I Am SPENT—Literally
Truth is, I am almost out of my savings. I have poured everything I had into the music, content creation, and entertainment industries — time, money, emotion, and faith. After this ADE, it’s time to figure out my next professional move. The music world has made it clear that they don’t appreciate a non-conformist brain like mine, even though they know, as well as I do, that I am correct on many aspects. No tears though and like, please, I’m never exiting music and you all know I’ll always be there like the ghost in the machine I am. But today, I am walking away from this experiment with real, actionable evidence, and I still have hope. I did it. And, it worked just like I knew it would.
The System’s Gaze and the Big Question
And, yes, I am aware my phone and accounts feel watched, throttled, and shadowbanned. I say things that push, challenge, or burn. I tell my truth. Maybe that makes me a target in systems built to keep voices polite. But, hey, I’m not backing down from that. Not now.
Throughout ADE and my travels, I noticed unsettling patterns — cameras, tracking, a quiet unease in spaces like the Adam Tower or other conglomerate-sponsored venues (and don’t get me started on corporate structures). I don't know if others have felt the same, especially women or foreigners traveling alone. But, I think it’s worth asking:
Maybe what happened to me isn’t isolated; maybe it’s part of the larger question this whole project of self-exploration and experiment has been circling: Who really controls the signal... and who gets silenced when they start tracing it?
“When I get home, I shall write a book about this place… if I ever do get home.”
The Story Evolves
Either way, this story isn’t over. It’s just evolving:
From a backpack experiment into a research project.
From a horrific trauma that got built into a case study and finding the real meaning of life.
From my relentless truth-seeking obsession that turned into a general world-view collective of awareness of the media as it is, where it’s headed, and I still hold hopes for sparking more conversations about getting this shit regulated.
Tell it real, tell it raw, tell it anyway.
Love, Stacy
