Homeward

Well, that time is here again. I will be leaving the Shelter City in Amsterdam. I am heading home. I have done this before, and like then I do not know what I will be doing at home. Hopefully I will find something productive to occupy my time because it was not fun at all this summer with nothing to do. But one fun thing though, I will be going to a hockey game on Friday. Well, as long as I find transport there. But it will be a great time, I have missed seeing and hearing the games of the Dallas Stars..... Also, it is dollar hot dog night so I will finally be able to afford something to eat at the game.

But, as I think of leaving here I have felt a bit sad. It is true that I do not want to leave but what can I do? I am starting to feel ok with leaving now. I think that I took my own advice and it is working for me. The goodby dinner for me tonight was great. A lot of folks showed and we had a really good time as well as some good food. I am not sure if I will return, but I do know that I want to come back.

Thought

Well, lately I have been quite busy with work. This of course creates the need to have some time not at work. This need can be real pressing at times. Yesterday was just one of those times and it just happened that I had the day off, PTL. So after some needed rest, I headed out to Amstelveen. I was interested in the COBRA Museum. This is a pretty good place though they do have a lot of building for the amount of work that is available for viewing. The main (only) exhibit was about a Dutch painter, Corneille. I really enjoyed his work. I feel that he captured this land and life well. His drawings almost look abstract, but for a change I can see something in them. So I have also had some time to think lately. I am not sure of any conclusions that I have come to nor any that I need to come to. But I do feel that I have ruminated my mind a bit. I look forward to more. Amstelveen is also a cool place. They have a nice, seemingly new, square. There is a nice mall that is of course crafted into multiple buildings. I may venture back if the time comes my way.

What's Going on Lately

Lately things have been very busy with me. I cannot quite pin down where I spend my hours, but I feel that it is at the hostel doing work. We are still quite full so that lends to that sort of a feeling. But I have been feeling like my time here is nearing an end. However, that is just not true. I am halfway through my time, yet I feel myself counting the days.

At any rate, I had another day off the other day. I went for a bike ride. The weather was a tad on the cool side for that but I did not let that spoil my unwinding. The wind, however, put a damper on things. I catch a lot of it as I ride my bike.

Let's Go

So again I had some time on my hands. This time it did not feel like a burden but rather a reprieve. I was in need of some time off and away. So I decided to go to that great city of Rotterdam that I so like. I had been wanting to see some museums that they have there. My museum card got me into most of the ones that I was interested in. So I went down to have a good and relaxing time.

I rather enjoyed my time there. I wish that I had more time there. It took me longer than expected to scope out the museums. They were quite extraordinary. I enjoyed the Maritiem Museum, it gave a great history of the city as well as of artfully displaying maritime matters. I also enjoyed the Fotomuseum though I did not have enough time to explore it fully. The photos of the city are great, some of them largely panoramic. Also, they had some jazz photos with of course the jazz lightly playing. The Boijmans museum was excellent. They have a little bit of just about every style of painting and artworks. I enjoyed Willink's work, it just looks so real. I just wanted to reach out and touch the cuff of his coat in his self portrait. I also like how he added himself into the Pompei painting.

More stuff that I did in Rotterdam is just to hang out. I enjoy that but also it is nice to do so by the water. It is so nice and peaceful there; life seems so serene. Also I just walked around a bit. I still enjoy doing that in Rotterdam though I have seen a lot of the inner triangle and I enjoy the architecture. I was able to venture out a bit from that. But my time there seemed short. I hope that I will have some ability to return.

Fotographie

Well, wondering what to do. I decided, after some research and planning, that I would purchase a museum card. This is an investment for me since I do not get it for the discount price that most folks around here do. But I figured that the cost will force me to utilize it to its proper fulfillment.

Today I went to the photo museum in Amsterdam, Fotografiemuseum Amsterdam. I like photos quite a bit so it seemed like a good first choice for usage of my crisp new museum card. They have an American photo exhibit there that will be departing soon. I had to check it out; Mitch Epstein. It features different photos that are taken from a couple of collections. Some show the photographers political endeavorings. But if you do not even take that into account you can see the pictures for their intrinsic beauty. The other photos and a short movie showcase the photographers parents. But this is to showcase the situation of the American dream. It is in a downfall; quite true.

There was another exhibit that is pretty cool. There are similiar scenes that were shot in three cities. They showcase the similarities of folks across the world in our lives. It is good and laid out well. Also, another out there exhibit of American youth. The room is laid out in darkness with speakers at each photo stand pelting out a decent tune. Somehow the youth of America has changed. I am no longer counted in that part. Somehow, I am no longer so young. How did this happen?

Here We Are Again

Well, I made it again to the Shelter in Amsterdam again. I have already seen some friendly faces and the like. I also have discovered that my watch did not work when I went to set it. That's all of my watches that are not functioning. Though I am glad to be here, I still long to be in Estonia again this summer. Always my heart is torn between the two places. But this summer they are doing three times the work in Estonia so I feel there as I pray for my friends.

What I Hope..

Well, I hope to go and come and live to come and go again.
Also I hope that it does not rain while I am not here. Neither here nor there.
Sunshine, is always nice; except for those times when it is not.
Good time.

more hope..

At any rate, I will see what befalls me when I get to Amsterdam again.

Word on the Street is..

Well, as usual nothing much is going on. Yet somehow I seem to keep busy and tired. So, still doing pretty much nothing but not for long. I thankfully soon will be back in Amsterdam. I am looking forward to this and have been since last year about this time.

And around here, we have had a few sunny days. Hopefully that will continue but the rain still seems to loom overhead. The rivers are high and cannot hold much more.

New Post

I have not posted in a bit so I though that I would add a new post. I have not been doing a whole lot but have been trying to. I am currently back home but moving around a bit between places. I will be back in Fort Worth later this week and then back home. I have been trying to find a job. Also I have been trying to stay cool and dry. It has been hot but still the rain keeps at it.