Thursday, June 29, 2006

time for another blog?

pancakes in Arcen

movers on the way..


Wednesday, June 28, 2006

een meer dagen...

sand through and hour glass.... so goes my time here.

I don't feel as if I am leaving. Last night went to a BBQ with colleagues from Cleveland, Julie, Donna, John and Steve. Rob and his wife hosted. Later in the everning we(davor my friend from Denmark) met colleagues for some beers in Eindhoven. Daan came as well. And then Steve strolls down the street and we had a gathering.

I will miss the ease of social interaction in public space for sure. Public space, where is that in the US?
This ptolemic is coming to a close and will need to find another avenue to express. ?

Monday, June 26, 2006

interesting read, old, but interesting..

http://www.hrw.org/press/2002/08/aspa080302.htm

up front planning? or ?

Friday, June 23, 2006

Eindhoven is GREAT!!

Eindhoven, a small industrial town, a combination of 5 small villages, in Brabant the south of Holland is amazing. One would never think this on first impression. It is industrial, functional, very engineered. Nothing from the old past of europe for it was heavily destroyed in the war. It is a modern industrial city that was born out of Philips Lighting.

Tonight and this entire weekend is fiest del sol in the city. Beer booths are set up all thoughout the city center and the people were in a very festive spirit. Not much different than any other friday, just that live music was also played at each outdoor beer location as well. So, from my apartment you wander roughly 50 meters, stop for a drink, listen to some music. Finish your beer, wander another 50 meters or so and repeat. Do this about 5 times and you indeed cross the entire city center and find your way to the bar district, or street, called Stratumseind.

The atmosphere is like nothing I have ever, ever experienced as a young adult. I mean, I have been going out and partying in clubs and bars for like, 10 years now, and nothing I have ever experienced moves me quite like what I experience here.

Those who know me well, know that I enjoy every place I go. I love life, and love to meet old friends and maybe meet new ones, anywhere. But, man..... If you could only see what I have been seeing for these last few weeks of good weather here in the town. Wow!

Yeah, I have been around in the states and even in other parts of europe and mexico. But here, it suits me. Suits me well. I hope that anyone who enjoys stuff like I do, I hope that they too can experience this one day, whereever they are and whatever they are choosing to do, when you "click" somewhere. You know what I mean? Just click! Go with you "gut" feeling and just roll with it and see where it takes you. Whatever you do I hope you do it with heart and are able to connect with your environment and feel completely alive, not contrived and veneer, but true to your spirit, whatever that is....

Wow!!

here is a pic from work colleagues, mark and bjoern. I won't say anything else other than, mentos and cola....


c town be prepared....you are not ready...

Wednesday, June 21, 2006

meandering paths

Holland vs. Serbia a Public Viewing in PSV Eindhoven Stadion

Ahhhh, evening moonlight in Eindhoven, just before I head out to the pubs about 22 hr.

This is my commute from work. The road is under constrution so I road my bike down the middle the other day. This road connect Oirschot to Eindhoven and runs right near Medical Systems in Best.

Thursday, June 15, 2006

soccer or football

Using the wikapedia thing, I found out that soccer is actually an english word. The english came up with it, but then they changed back to football. Figures, hang the em' out to dry.. So soccer, I am going to call it that, because it is the english word for the game called in romance language speaking europe called football, among many other languages as well, it is known as football, but english, well, we call it soccer. Anyway, I watched a match last night, in an Irish pub in Eindhoven and it was awesome!!! Germany vs. Poland, wow!! What a match, 0 0 until the 90 minute when Germany finally jammed in a goal! Wow, what tension building the entire game, I could feel it all the way in Eindhoven.
Soccer, more specifically the world championship or the (cup) is great way to see different styles of play. For example, the Germans, they finish the job. They may "fart" around but in the end they "make" it right, and get it done. The Dutch team, well from what I have seen, they play just enough to go ahead, then let 'em bleed. The Serbs played the Dutch very well, but lacked passion to put them in the victory column for that match. Brasil vs Croatia, locals said it was a "boring" game, but as an american, protected by major media outlets in the states from the sport of just funny europeans running around after a round ball, I had litle expectations for the match. I thought it was great. The Brasilian team is methodical, and slow moving like syrup in cold weather, some how they turn on the speed in short bursts when needed, but despite this slow tactical play, they always seemed to remain in control of the ball. The Croats are no push over team either, they play a style in my opinion similar to the Germans, but lack the final "get it done" approach. It was all very interesting to watch. And for me, a student of culture and history, I love to draw social conclusions based on the play of the teams. It is exciting actually to watch the enthusiam as each national team play for it's position on the world stage. Yeah, it is only soccer, a silly game, but consider the passion, energy and time spent on tailgating at a Browns game, it is the same, but with this, supporters not only want their team to win, but when their country wins, they get recognized world wide. Pretty cool. One thing about the Dutch fans, whenever they national team plays, the fans in attendance for the Dutch all wear ORANGE, ORANJE... It is great, to see a see of orange. I mean every supporter, wears orange. I was pulling for Serbia on Sunday at the game, so I wore my vote for pedro shirt... it was clean.
What can I say? I like 220volts, radio commercials that say, ".nl" all the time, fietspads, student night thursdays at tomas, dark beer, passenger trains, people whistling at work, the Centrum, tradition, cheesy european 80's music(don't get me started on this one) a bar conversation one time...and I like my bike!

anyway.. I will enjoy seeing you all and catching up and discussing the passing of time in our lives.
cheers

oh, one pic, from Haarlem up "north of the rivers".. that is the term the folks from Brabant and Limburg refer to those in the north of the country.

Saturday, June 10, 2006

World Cup Begins

pinkpop, 2006
An advertisement for arms control






First match of World Championship, Germany vs. Costa Rica, Germany won. This was in Dusseldorf in an industrial park somewhere in the large city, no exactly sure where, but this is called a Public Viewing. It is a fun way to watch the match!



Ok, so we didn't always pay attention to the game, here steve and I enjoying the atmosphere.

Sunday, June 04, 2006

PINKPOP!!!!!!

http://www.pinkpop.nl/page.php?pagID=219

Sweetness!! I am going to this tomorrow!!
Pics to come!
The original festival of europe 36 years and it gets it name from Pentecost, Pinksteren in Dutch Pentecost is the 50th day after easter.

So they have a music festival and it isn't Christian Rock either!
Check the line up!!!!!!

Went to Harlem today. Heel goed weer vandag.

Friday, June 02, 2006

Indonesia earthquake

An extended family member of mine, somehow we are related, is living in Indonesia right now. I have been getting these email updates fowarded to me recently with the current earthquake events that have been occurring there. I am copying her email into the text here and will attempt to upload some of the photos as well. I think relief/humanitarian effort in financial support often gets channeled through large not for profits or just large organizations and a percentage of the donation goes to adminstrative costs. Well, it seems my relative has ad hoc started a relief fund for the earthquake victims in that she is actually living there as a student and has access to withdraw via ATM funds from her bank account and provide needed funds to assist in the locals in these first crucial days after the natural disaster. Have a look at her email below. Regards Jim

Dear Friends,

As I've described in earlier e-mails, the recent earthquake in Indonesia was centered in the city of Yogakarta, which I've lived in for the past year. The residents are still in a desperate state of need. Help is coming, but tends to be very disorganized and not always goes directly to the needy. People are hungry, homeless, sleeping out in the rain, many without tents or blankets, and basically need help. If there's anyone who wants to help by sending a donation, which could be as little as five dollars (believe me, money goes a long way here - five bucks can feed a family for about a week), I will be working with friends and organizations in Yogya and be giving the supplies that we buy directly to those in need.

I promise that if you do send money I will be very specific with the people that I give it to, mainly focusing on using it directly for the villages in need, from buying food to feeding hungry children and families, plastic coverings and tarps to help protect people from the rain, helping people who've lost everything to get out of Yogya and stay with their families somewhere else, and of course, working to help rebuild the thousands of homes that have been demolished. Half of my friends don't have a place to live in addition to the thousands of others that are homeless. I have a huge network of friends and organization workers in Yogya, and not one penny of any donation money will be wasted.

My mother has access to my bank account, so those that are interested and able to can send a check written to me, Emily White, to my mother's home. She will put it directly into my account. My mother will be keeping track and keeping me up-to-date on every donation. From here I can access banks in Yogya (and don't worry, there are ATMs still available), take the money out, and put it directly where it's needed. Please address your envelope to:

Diane McWilliams
Emilia White Relief Fund
912 Wright Street
Santa Rosa, CA 95404

Thank you so much for your understanding, and any help you are able to provide. It's a sad thing that's happened but, hopefully, in the end people will come together, help each other, and see beauty in all forms of life, even if at the moment it feels like the end of the world. Lots of love to you all, take good care. Love always, Emilia

Thursday, June 01, 2006

I bought a bike!

I bought a bike today. Check it out http://www.dahon.com/intl/boardwalkd3.htm

I went on my first ride this evening to a colleagues home for dinner. What a smooth ride. It is indeed a mindset to take on such a task in the US, because of the greater distances, but I am going to do it. The commute that is, by bus and bike. It folds so no need to bother fellow passengers with a bike. Just hop off the bus or train, and on your way. Personal independence. Yeah, when it rains, sure, it may suck, but that is what rain slicks are for. The only bad thing is the routes you pick. Because no long distance commute paths exist in the Cleveland you have to be sort of a maverick to take on the road rage of fellow clevelanders commuting in the 1 ton SUV's. The sidewalks typically suck royally so that is not an option. I am a bit nervous about the whole operation because I know how cleveland drivers are, in that a cyclist actually becomes a target for their bumper. Philistines i tell you.

So, we will see. I am determined now, but I know the dead reality of the petrol nation, so it is going to be a serious challenge for me. Do you think I am up for it? Commuting to work by bus and bike? What is it from DTC or C Heights, 15miles or 7 miles? 22km or 11km...?? The distance from Eindhoven to Best where I work now is 12 km one way. And that is very do able by bike. So, what is double the distance, just another 60 minutes onto the commute? And you feel good doing it!! Blood flowing, wind in my "eyebrows"..... nice!!

If I use the bus in conjunction it will be less. Even though the bus sucks royally in c-land. It is like a game of Zelda to figure on when the next bus will arrive or finding the proper stopping point.

I guess I will have to get a big sign on me, please don't hit me, I am biking to work!!

Ask yourself this, what concrete contractor got paid to install all the shitty shifting sidewalk plates in Northeast Ohio? If they just put assphault down instead of concrete it could be a multi-use lane, bikes and pedestrians. And it wouldn't shift and would be smooth easier to maintain... etc. etc... I hope I am not being to european here.... oh, wait, I probably am... sorry.that will cost tax dollars... oops. speaking of which. Bush just helped usher in a new tax penalty for all US citizens living abroad. The government wants money to build the gadson wall of arizona!! Nice move! Not!

I just want to live free from driving four metal walls everywhere I go. I think this is a recurring theme, check the beginning of this blog to find out.... Did you know The phrase Drive Thru does not exist in the Dutch or German language. I wonder if other languages have this ingenious word phrase and not just the cognate form either.

Anyway, I am positive about it nonetheless. ON another note: I just made a deal with some colleagues here in Eindhoven, that if they send me Frites Sauce if I will send them nuts from Trader Joes. Flock shipping and exporting is established.



out people.