Yesterday was the 20th of March. The Spring has begun and it is busy at school, in the city and life seems to have become livelier. All this is accompanied by a soundtrack of singing birds and the subtle sound of a sometimes cool breeze. The first picture is an artwork made by “De Nieuwe Universiteit”. The occupation is still going well and the UvA and city council still find themselves in a compromising position.

The worst part about the UvA’s response for me is their insistence on procedures and their own bureaucratic methods. This is an educational organisation that has consciously chosen to become profit oriented. It has largely ignored its own students and reacted to feedback and criticism from students and teachers like an over the top bureaucrat. If anything the “College van Bestuur” has responded to the first protests, from Spinhuis to Bungehuis like unsympathetic and litigation seeking money collectors.

The coming week for me will be the quiet before the storm with some project deadlines. The two weeks after will be dedicated to exams and re-sits. This weekend is mostly dedicated to the project and a big portfolio assignment. It is a good thing that I have at least a good book to read. Right now I am reading Kurt Vonnegut‘s “Cats Cradle.” It is a peculiar book and when you can appreciate Vonnegut’s style and storytelling it is great book.

There is more to enjoy these days. Every once in a while when the weather is good enough the camera comes along. Fifteen to twenty minutes, enough light and a compact lens are enough to make some pictures. The more you photograph the more you look at your environment with a different perspective. Sometimes you see something that no one notices and you simply want to make a picture of it. Sometimes the seemingly ordinary is not so ordinary…