Watching Gerry At Euan's Place

I had a meeting at 5 at the Gulbenkian with Euan and Clement and because I don't have any classes after Tuesday and there werent any other interesting screenings from film courses to attend, on a day like that my day actually kind of really starts at 3, when i go out and do soemthing, instead of being at home in my room. On days like those I wish I slept until something like 12 o'clock, but that is still something that is quite impossible for me to achieve. I can't help but already wake up around 10. It's pretty much my maximum. But yeah, so at 3 I went to the library. I like to just study for two hours before I have a meeting. So that's what I did and then around 5 I met up with Euan and Clement. WWe set a new date to shoot as Tom wasn't able to shoot the film this weekend. Rose was and we were as well, so it reallyw as too bad we couldnt do it this weekend. We still got the camera booked so this Sunday we'll probably go out and do some test shots, experience a bit. Hopefully the weather will be good, today it looks a bit dark and it has been raining. So I'm hoping all of the weekend won't end up being like this. After the meeting I went back home, changed clothes and then went to the sports centre at 6 to go to the circuits class again. I'm in love with it. It's great an like I'm part of this big experiment when I'm there. It must really look strange all these boys and girls running around like crazy doing all these different excercises. It has a bit of that boot camp feel to it, but not as bad as those times at the boxing class. But again, what I like most is that the group is so big, so you don't feel like being constantly watched all the time or something. I have to say that also for someone who hasnt run for so long and really do sports I'm doing really well. I do this whole thing without stopping in between, without drinking some water. It's bad, but I do have to say that it kind of makes me feel good that the longer we're busy the more people start to take a break or you see them standing heavily breathing at the sideline. I bet a lot of these people have been running and for a long time, longer than me. So to see them all take breaks, makes me proud about myself. I can do this without having to stop. And you also have to take into account that the day before I was at this pure abs class, so my stomach was hurting me. And I knew at one point you had to do some sit-ups, so i was already thinking before coming, how am i going to do that. But once I was there and had run again and already did some exercises before, I could do them again, the 'pain' was gone, so it wasnt a problem. But I really enjoy it. I will try to go on Monday as well even though i have this screening. But it depends, if Ill go back to the Netherlands to attend my brother's graduation ceremony, I wont be able to maybe go to the seminar the next day so going to the screening isnt of very much use then either. And Ive already seen the film ones, it's 8 Femmes. I dont really like it either. I find it a bit too kitsch maybe, too many colours. And the big climatic ending is predicatble. It was just like that film Gosford Park. I saw that ending coming long before the end which actually had a lot to do with the film's casting. Of some of the bigger name actors I was just convinced they would have a bigger role than this, so that's why i knew that actor was supposed to be that one person etc. Well, after the circuits training I went back home to take a shower, grabbed somethign to eat and then went to the campus shop where I met up with Euan and Clement again to go to Euan's place to watch Gerry by Gus Van Sant together. Euan lives in town with three other housemates. He lives really nearby and the house he lives in is so nice and big! Wow, I was really impressed. I especially loved the big open kitchen and it seems they have high ceilings as well or at least it appears they do. And his room as well, it's so nice. He has a lot of posters and pictures on the wall, which gives it a lot of character. A room with so many things could appear messy soemtimes, but his isn't at all. It's just really nice done, with a lot of atmosphere and warmth to it. I wish I had a room like that. Very beautiful. We watched almost all of Gerry, parts of Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind and parts of the DVD from the group Sigur Ros who make really great music. Really nice. Euan was making some duck in the oven which he had not eaten in a very long time. He also pepared some mashed potatoes and carrots. Because I dont eat meat I just had some carrots and potatoe. Euan told he also is like 80 or 90% vegetarian, but also not because he is really against animal cruelty or anything. He just doesn't eat it a lot. But now and then he just really likes to eat some and also because when you don't eat meat your body stops making these substances which are needed to make it able for your body to digest the meat, so he just soemtimes eat a bit of red meat just to not have his body completely end the producing of those things that are needed. We also watched this short film, which was made very well and listened to some music. Around 11.30 Clement and I walked back home again to Parkwood and now it's a brand new day. There's this dinner/party I might go to tonight, but I'm not sure yet. At the Gulbenkian they'll play I'm Not There tonight, I'm soooo excited. I can't wait to see it, Ive heard many wonderful things about it and I love Bob Dylan. Right now Im gonna watch the final episode of this game programma Wie Is De Mol? ! I'm so excited. The moll is going to be revealed. Enjoy your day and the weekend, Cheerio!

I Feel It Now

I forgot Alice was in London all day yesterday to meet up with the boyfriend of a friend who was travelling from the US back to Italy and decided to make a stop in London to meet up with Alice. So at first when I was at the step class I was thinking, where's Alice? 'Cause Alice's never late. Always on time. Well only once you were late, but we'll for get about that one. Again I was surprised. Just like with the salsa. This step class was actually pretty fun and also quite a good work-out. After a while you start to get really warm. You just ahve to walk up and down this small platform thing and after a while we used these small weights as well. It was nice. It's something like 25 minutes. Afterwards there was the pure abs class which I did as well. Aurelie who came to the salsa class as well on Tuesday, it was her first time with the Latin American Society, was also doing the pure abs class and she reminded me about Alice being in London. The pure abs class was pretty tough. And yesterday afterwards you didn't quite feel anything, but now this morning you feel it in your stomach. It hurts. After the abs class I went home and took a shower and then around 3 I went to the library and at 5 I went to the drawing class. This time we didn't have a model. Something went wrong. But it was fine because we got to draw these portraits instead. First we copied two other paintings and then afterwards we drew each other. I drew Inid who was sitting next to me. She's from Belgium and she has the job at the Gulbenkian that i wanted to have! So she can see films for free. My drawing of her was one of the best I did so far and I really liked her drawing of me as well, it looked very cartoon like. Clement who went back to Paris was there as well and he told me the exam was very difficult. It was for this MA he maybe wanted to do next academic year, even though he of course prefers going to one of the film schools he really wants to go to. After the drawing I went back to the library. I was at level 3 and after a while I received an email from Marion asking me if I was still at the library. I said yes, so she decided to come over and join me as she prefers to work together instead of alone. Jan happened to be there as well, which was funny 'cause I don't think I've ever really met him in the library working. But I knew he was there regularly at times, because when we met up to speak about the trip to Italy he had been working at the library already all evening. We ended up staying until 10. Jan left a bit earlier and after marion finished her presentation for today the two of us left as well. Today I'm meeting up with Euan and Clement to speak about our film. There have been some minor problems. We wanted to shoot this weekend, but Tom or actor isn't available this weekend or the next, so we have to look for other days to shoot. After the meeting I will try to go to the circuits class again and tonight we plan to watch Gerry by Gus Van Sant at Euan's place to get some inspiration. Enjoy your day everyone. I might be back home in The Netherlands next week ;)

Numero 2, 3, I'm Starting To Improve!

I slept way better than yesterday and when I woke up around 10.30 I still felt tired and I know I could've fallen back to sleep easily which already happened when I opened my eyes around 8 and 9. Because I'm going to join Alice in the sports centre today I had no chocie then to get out of bed as the classes start at 12. Yesterday evening I went to the salsa class. I at first felt a bit bad because there was also this film playing at the Gulbenkian XXY at 6.50 and Clement asked me if I wanted to join him, but I had already promised to go to salsa. It was the only time they will show the film however. It's part of this Latin American film festival. But I would not have wanted to miss the slasa, because like the first time it was again really cool. It's so funny trying to get all the steps right. This time the intermediate class went much better. The first time they showed three different turns, numero 2, 3 and 4. At the beginners class they only taught us numero 1. So the other three they didn't not really explain and went through so fast that it was difficult to catch up. But this time we repeated numero 2 and 3 and now I understand both. During the afternoon I was at the library where I spend something like 2 and a half hours, just working. Then I walked back home after 5 and when passing Marion's house she called me from her window. She was going to her bellydancing class for the first time. She was hoping everything would be ok and the people would be nice. First she wanted to go to the intermediate class but later decided maybe it would be better to first check out the beginner's class. But she emeailed me about it afterwards and said everything went okay. So I'm glad. Today I also have the drawing class at 5 and afterwards i´ll probably go to the library for something like 2 hours. Just for my daily working session. Enjoy your day everyone! And papa, happy birthday! ;)

Forget About The Boxing, Forget About The Swimming, I'm Going To The Circuits Class! ;p

You're no longer able to sleep, so what do you do? In my case you listen to some music. Yesterday We Are Scientists new album Brain Thurst Mastery leaked and it's as good as the other two records I have of them. I'm going to see them live April 24th and I plan to mabe stay one night in a hotel, no a too one expensive though. Yesterday I realized I didn't have anything for this week, no screening, no seminar, nada. I guess maybe that's why I woke up this early. Normally I have a seminar at 9.30. But not this week, I guess my mind/body thinks differently. So here I am, only 7.53 am. I went into town yesterday, really quickly. Took the bus, went to Tesco and took the bus back. It was a nice day to walk but I felt sleepy. When I arrived back home I should have got back to bed, but once you turn on your computer time goes by fast. I had to go buy some muesli, which was one of the reasins I could no longer wait to do my shopping on Wednesday like I did last week and the week before. At 6 I wanted to join Heidi at the library, cause she said she would be there from 6 to 9. But just around 5.40 Farhad knocked on my door telling me I should come with him to this cardio class, which they call 'circuits', because you have to run around and go through all these excercises. He already tried to convince Patricia to come with him, but she ended up not going as she had to prepare dinner with a friend. It was going to be Farhad's first time and because I hadn't been swimming or do anything else since the week before last week, I decided to change clothes and come with him. Vesna came with us as well. She had already been going to this class a couple of times. I didn't know about it and last week when walking to the laser game place, when walking passed the sports center I wondered who were all those people running in the main hall. A door stood open and you could look inside. But it turns out they were from this class. And so I went and I have to say it's really good. It's kind of what they do at boxing class on Thursday. There they first run as a warm-up and then end by doing all these little excercices. Like run to one point do some sit-up, run back. Run back again do some star jumps, run back again. Well this class combines the two. First you run round the hall and then you split up in groups and go from one exercise to another and in between you run one round after every exercise. You had to do this rowing excercise, star jumps, push ups etc. What like most is that it's a very big group. So you don't feel like you're doing it all alone. But at the same time you can choose you're own tempo all by yourself. So you really do it for you. This Thursday there will be anopther class, it's something like 50 minutes. I will definitely go again. Next Monday I won't be sure if i'm able to go as I will have my screening again. About the swimming, I'll probably end up going again maybe this week, maybe the next, but I'll definitely reconsider getting a membership. After I took a shower and everything, ate, and went to the library. Yes, I wasn't too exhausted. I felt really good, so I went to level 3 and stayed from something like 7.45 to 10 pm. Heidi and Marion were there as well and Heidi told me that before she has the problems with her leg she also used to go to this class during the autumn term. I had no idea. I thought this was a new class, but apparently not. Marion who had been at the library already from some minutes before 3 in the afternoon had enough after a while and she and Heidi left. I stayed and read two more text. I worked really well, so I'm happy. I think tonight there will be a salsa class again, so I'm going to dance and see how much I remembered from last class. It will only be my second class as last week there wasn't a class for some reason. Marion who is going to bellydance, which is on Thursday, didn't have a class either. I guess all the dancing societies skipped one week. So now this Thursday Marion will probably make her debut. It's fun everyone dancing and doing things. That's what I really like about being here. You can easily try new things and join these societies. And with the Gulbenkian and a sports center just around the corner it's perfect! Well enjoy this day as I'm going to finish my breakfast. I have to return a book, someone reserved it, so I'll be at the library again at one point. today. See ya!

Don't Trust Me?

I forgot, I have a nother reading week this week. Tamar my co-ordinator/seminar leader is having a conference, so I don't have a screening nor a seminar. Because I don't have any other courses, I'm free all week. Lucky me! :) Well, I need to work on my long essay anyway. But actually I already kind of finished. At least I so far did everything I needed to do, apart from writing the conclusion. I did all the analyses, an intorduction, wrote about these theories, explained them etc. And I already have more than enough words. But it's just stupid that here at Kent they only want me to write 6000 words and even the 10000 from the UvA are nothing. I find it to be ridiculous. But if that's all they want then so be it. Yesterdat I was at the library from something like 3.30 in the afternoon. Apparently level 3 is the new level 4. Heidi now always sits there so we kind of moved down one level. I think Clement prefers level 3 as well. I stayed til closing time, but Marion was really tired and wanted to eat soemthing so she left early together with Heidi. I later onw ent home as well and had dinner and around 8.30 i went to the cinema to watch Charlie Wilson's War. On the way to the Gulbenkian i ran into Alice who had watched Stellet Licht and thought it was the most boring film ever! :p I guess our tastes really differ. Maybe you should watch Gerry, Alice. I'm sure you'll love that one! No, but really. I know some people will go see that film and think what is this?! But I love it. It's brilliant. The way the film is build up. Every detail is so beautiful. Reygadas just dares to do it. I love his work. So now Alice won't trust me anymore. She's rather listen to Marion who had difficulty getting into the first 20 minutes of the film but finally got into it and I guess liked it. But I went out of the cinema being overwhelmed and thinking it was amazing, so yeah, that's still a big difference I guess. Well, Charlie Wilson's War. That one didn't quite work. It had some funny moments, but never truly felt like a comedy. Because it's based on a true story, you can't keep wondering is this really how it went. It seems too much like a parody at times, making it feel a bit unrealistic. The film never really grabbed me. Also, it's not a film which provides many beautiful and interesting shots as does Stellet Licht, it very much depends on its story than aesthetics. It's okay, but I found it to be a bit disspointing. However, I never had really big expectations anyway. But today I will probably be at the library from 6 to 9 as well, just as Heidi plans to do. I have nothing this week, so I can paln everything myself. I like working during the evening and I'm sure it will be less crowded than during the afternoon. Have a nice week!

Distracted

I have just woken up. I really slept like a baby. I was tired last evening before I went to see Stellet Licht (Silent Light) with Marion, but during the film I was completely in it. And once back home I was tired again, making it easy for me to immediately fall asleep. During the afternoon I joined Heidi and Marion at level 3 of the library. Marion was very distracted, so was I. I guess it was because the night before we already worked hard, so it would not be a big deal if we wouldn't work hard right there, at that moment. I guess because of working hard the night before we would feel less guilty if know we didn't work. Alice was at level 4 and came by after a while for a break and then later on left her stuff with us to go for a walk of fresh air. Penelope later cam to the library as well. And Dennis came to use the computer to look for a flight for Italy. I guess the internet connection at Marion's place still doesn't work, which is very strange. At my place it always works perfectly as you mgiht have noticed. I'm still here evryday typing. ;) Around 40 past 6, when the libraryw as about to close we walked home. Alice was feeling tired so she wasn't sure if she would join us for the film. We would meet up at 8.30 at the bench which is right where the path to Parkwood splits up into two parts. After eating dinner I went to the bench and waited there for Marion to show up and maybe Alice. Alice didn't come so it was just the two of us. The filmw as amazing. However, at the end I had to go to the bathroom so badly. And I mean really badly. I guess I never learn. Before I drank a full teapot of tea, but I finished it at 8 so I thought that would provide me with enought time to get it all out before watching the film :) But NO. I was wrong. I almost had a Reprise deja vu. When i saw that film I left the cinema and missed the ending. It could not happen to me this time, so I stayed put and fortunately I pulled through. The film is extraodrinary. If you've seen Carlos Reygadas' Japón you probably know what I mean. The angles he chooses, his slow gentle zooms, his long takes. It's amazing. This film has so many great moments. It reminded me a lot of Reprise but also Gerry. It's amazing and I feel very firtunate to have been able to see it on the big scren. Andrew, a friend of Farhad who is already back in the US, was right. This film was just as amazing as Japón and maybe even more beautiful. I loved every bit. If you get the chance to see it, go. You might not be into the film immediately, though I was, but eventually you will be as Marion experienced. Today I will probably go to the library again at one point. But first I will do a bit of surfing on the net and listen to the Fleet Foxes, this band of whom I decided to download their album to give it a try. Your Protector is so far the most beautiful song. I'll play it again right now. The sun is shining, a blue sky. No rainy Sunday.

Doing Your Laundry Together Is Way More Fun Than Doing It By Yourself

Thanks to Marion I had a lovely Friday afternoon + evening. At first I went to the library to work on my essay. I was at level 4. The evening before Marion asked if I needed to do some laundry. I said yes, because I'm in my second week, which means laundry time! So she asked if I wanted to do our laundry together, because it's much more fun than doing it all by yourself. Last time I went we met each other at the laundrette and then stayed talking while waiting for our clothes to be washed. So around 4.45 Marion who was at level 3 with Heidi came to level 4 to tell me she was going to wait downstairs with Heidi. So I packed my things and went downstairs as well. On the stairs I met Nicholas whom i had not seen for quite a while. He told me everything was goin alright and asked if there were any good films I was planning to see at the Gulbenkian. I said I wanted to see Silent Light (Stellet Licht) by Carlos Reygadas. I asked if he had seen Japón and he did, which was really cool since I haven't met anyone yet who had seen that film, besides Andrew, a friend of Farhad, but he already went back to the US. But I walked back to Parkwood with Heidi and Marion. I got all my stuff at home and then went to Marion's place. Just recently I realized I didn't have a linnen basket to put in all my dirty clothes. So far i'd always used plastic bags to put everything in and then I would take all these bags to the laundrette. But Wednesday i bought a basket for 4 pounds at Wilkinson. Almost all my dirty clothes fit into the basket so i just took that one with me and some clothes in my bag. It was quite heavy, but not as heavy when I walked back later on with all the clothes being wet. but Marion and I went to the laundrette, put all our clothes in the machine and then we went back to her place. She told me she was going to cook for the both us, which was really kind. And later on when having taken our clothes from the laundrette we could have a cup of hot chocolate. Dennis was in the kitchen as well and he's always fun to talk with. This time he was even more crazy than usual. :) He was going to cook, which surprised me because according to Sandra he never cooks but always goes out eating at places like MC Donalds. But he doesn't look fat at all, so of course she is wondering where all the food goes. But he was preparing pasta for which you don't have to be the greatest cook, but still, he was at least using some pans and not just preparing some microwave meal. But after a while something started to smell, which was his little pan with boiling water. He threw it away later on, which was definitely a good idea since the inside of the pan didn't look very good anymore. But ity was only 2 pounds, so no big deal. He then used another pan and he managed to eat all the pasta, whichw as good, because Marion told me he often throws food away! He forgets to put it in the refrigerator soemtimes or just doesn't feel like eating it anymore and then he throws it down the garbage bin! Really bad. He could give it to me, I woudl eat it. Marion made some rice, risotto rice, but no risotto. She just uses the rice. :) And some springrolls in the oven. When we finished our meal we walked back to the laundrette. I don't know what happened but the whole afternoon it had been storming. It was very windy and last night it also rained. Stormy weather indeed. Once we got out clothes we went back to her kitchen to drink some hot chocolate and then I helped her dry her dishes. At first I didn't plan to go back to the library as I was feeling tired, but all of a sudden I was feeling very awake again and because Marion said she wnated to do a working session i agreed to go to the library as well. So at the 4th floor we met in the computerroom and went to work. Me on my essay and she on her presentation. I'm really glad I went to the library last night, because I have been very productive and the energy and atmosphere were really good. Gone were all the annoying people who only keep talking and gone was the crowdedness. Only the die hards were left. It's not very often that it's crowded on Fridays. It's the best day to go and work, just like Saturday and Sunday. But Friday especially is nice, because a lot of people go back to their parents' place. And it's a Friday and who works until late at night on a Friday when the next day it's the start of the weekend which should mean you have all day to study if you needed to. But I can study no matter what day it is. And especially this semester, because I only have one seminar on Tuesday it's like it's my weekend all the other days. Marion has some days off as well and told me people asked hor how she could work during the weekend when everyone goes out to party on thsoe days or do nothing all day, just relax. But she told me that's already what i do on Wednesday. There's no difference between the weekend anymore and the days you have no classes. And it's the same for me. And every week it now happens that when it's Friday I already think it's Saturday, because it feels like a Saturday, because I can do whatever I want. Make my own plans without having any obligations like going to a lecture or seminar. So from Tuesday basically my weekend starts. But we stayed until around 22.30. Marion had to wake up early today to go into town for her groceries with Heidi. i;m really happy for Alice by the way, because she has bee having trouble with her two British housemates ever since she came to Parkwood and now one of them finally has to leave ang go live somewhere else. He switches places with another person and that person will become Alice's new hosuemate. Hopefully he or she is much nicer, more talakative and interested in other cultures and doesn't go party every single night and clean his/her own dishes! Also, I don't know if you have already left Clement but good luck on your test to go to that film school you want to go to. Hopefully you manage to get in this time! Well, everyone have a nice weekend. Ciao!