User:Thijshijsijsjss/Notes on SI24
Transport
Motorways and tramlines
Starting and then stopping
Taking off and landing
Pre-SI
Compared to last transition from one SI to the next, when we had a month long break in between and started slowly with a week of workshops, we are jumping straight in this time. We did have our assessments in the one week between SI23's launch and SI24's kickoff. Naturally, this assessment was an invitation for ourselves to reflect upon these two trimesters. Before we're knees deep in the final one of the first year, I'd like to take a moment to write down some of these reflections, and maybe some associated goals or things to keep in mind.
My assessment page can be found / played / performed here -->
I went into this year encouraging myself to explore the playground I had found myself in to its full extent. All things considered, I think this encouragement is working well for me. In last SI, it helped me set the goal of working on tangible things more. However, with the third trimester transitioning into more individual(ly tailored) research and work, I think it will be important for me to try to be decisive in what to do. It goes hand in hand with the advise / feedback / encouragement I got at the assessment: I can be selective.
There's a pitfall of wanting for the sake of wanting (to do something). I don't want to find myself in it. But this will be a challenge. I know this 'wanting' is a slow process for me, and to be 'decisive', I will need to allow myself the space for this slow process to simmer and then, know when to strike when the iron is hot.
Week 1
SI kickoff
Monday we kicked off Special Issue 24 with Martino, Michael and XPUB1. In sharing our stories on loitering growing up, I felt nostalgic for Duiven and it's watery, fit-for-biking, inviting-to-get-lost-in surrounding nature.
In the prototyping class we got the chance to explore micro-controllers (Arduino IDE, ESP32 microcontroller). I have some deeply burried Arduino experience, and while the coding work wasn't mind-blowing, it was good to go through some setup steps again and feel the energy to play amidst the excitement of others. I sense this is one of these things where some people delve into their own projects (that might ultimately merge with the SI). I am conscious of this now, and am presented with the opportunity to do the same. On the other hand, recall the tutors' words from the assessment:
Feel encouraged to be selective!
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Section that may or may not be renamed
Wednesday: PTMoMNBM, rapid prototype, personal reader
Weekend pilgrimage
My weekend turned out to be unexpectedly packed: bellen met Tim in Shenzhen, Mats op bezoek, naar Kaat, naar Steven, naar Duiven. After a week of reminiscing the spaces I got to know these people, I felt a comfort seeing them / going there. It was a very intense comfort: a lot of walking and talking with lots of attempts to vocalize my inner world. It turned out to be quite 'centering' and nurturing. I know I have difficulty acknowledging and embracing this feeling, and even moreso to retain it once the weekend is over. I have lost sight and agency over this 'center', and had forgotten it was within reach to pursue it (in)actively.
The walking and talking was very much a loitering activity. Also, with Steven I discussed the desire to be bored with someone, to exist with a person in a space just like I exist with my cat. This is, again, a desire for loitering. Maybe, I can find solace in loitering alone, too.
Self-assigned homework: struinen in Rotterdam
I loved wandering through Utrecht, it is a perfect city for struinen. The river banks of the Singel, de steigers and werfkelders. The wobbly streets with kinderkopjes. The air and sound and wind and sky and parks. While wandering, I have yet to connect with Rotterdam like I did with Utrecht.
My new room connects to a balcony that looks over a 'balcony agglomeration'. I find these little backyard-park-patchworks quite charming, pocket dimensions of urban tranquility. But I myself don't feel tranquil at all in this new place yet, too much newness can be dissonant in and of itself. I need to adapt to the city, with its established patterns and rules. Old and new, resonant and dissonant are all combined in this photo for me.
Week 2
Monday: lists at Zuidplein, heavy weather. I quite like this constrained writing (similar to how I liked writing this text), both as a way of producing as well as a way of observing.
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Tuesday: I made the decision (last minute, but still: a decision) to not go to school today. The centered feeling from last weekend was immediately lost on Monday. I want to feel agency over this feeling, and exercise the muscle to create the space for myself to feel this. Also, with this decision I am being selective!
I decided to explore the library near Zuidplein instead, working through Genki II, doing some wikiing, catching up on some work and running some errands later in the day.
Free facilities at Centrale Bieb Rotterdam * ... Not free facilities at Centrale Bieb Rotterdam * wifi * sanitary facilities
Free facilities at Bieb Zuidplein * wifi * sanitary facilities Not free facilities at Bieb Zuidplein * ...
Week 3
Monday: eixogen city game, GPS, phychogeography, generative walks
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Tuesday: evil dashboard
Wednesday: Lídia fell victim to the Methods curse.
Weekend pilgrimage pt2: Utrecht
I made my way to Utrecht for the occasion of my friend Meta's birthday party. It was the first time being in Utrecht since my move 2 months ago. I miss the city very, I have connected with Utrecht in ways I have not experienced with other places. Being here again was curious. Already in 2 months -- by almost all metrics a short period --, I found the city to have changed, and in this feeling, found myself to be changed. In what ways, I cannot put my finger on yet.
I worked my way through Hoog Catharijne (the infrastructure demands it -- and H.C. is not a place for loitering, you're constantly drifting with the continuous stream of people), to Neude (the library, my North Star, still there, quiet and unchanged), through the Oudegracht to Plaatboef, to my favorite spots by the Singel's water. Listening to LONG SEASON (98.12.28 Live -- I am not living a studio recording anymore). Utrecht is long season.
After the party, I went for an an evening walk. The sun was setting. 夕暮れ時を二人で走ってゆく。風を呼んで君を呼んで。I walked the Singel again, to LHC (Slachtstraat, muse, I will visit you next time), to Vaartsche rijn, to my old house. 思い出すことはなんだい? It was different. If I could see myself reflected in this place before, but now it has changed, my reflection sure must be different, too.
May break
Brussels Bricolage Trip
Pen Plotting Party at OSP
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Bijna bestaand boekenhof
| week | name | date |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Pad of the Monday | 2024-04-08 |
| Pad of the Tuesday | 2024-04-09 | |
| Pad of the Wednesday | 2024-04-10 | |
| Week 2 | Monday lists pad | 2024-04-15 |
| Pad of the Wednesday | 2024-04-17 | |
| Week 3 | Pad of the Monday | 2024-04-22 |
| Pad with Tuesday microcontroller code | 2024-04-23 |