User:Thijshijsijsjss/Notes on SI24

<-- Previous trimester's notes

Transport

Motorways and tramlines

Starting and then stopping

Taking off and landing

Next trimester's notes -->

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 surrounding nature.

[TODO Duiven fotootje?]

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!

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.

[TODO: struin foto's]

Week 2

Monday: lists at Zuidplein, heavy weather

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 Zuidpleing
* wifi
* sanitary facilities

Not free facilities at
Centrale Bieb Rotterdam
* ...

<-- Centrale Bieb

Zuidplein bieb -->

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