Marching Right Along.doc

I'm amazed by how quickly time is passing. It may be that the six hour difference adds to the feeling of a quickened clock, since whenever I catch someone at home I'm usually getting ready for bed while they are looking forward to dinner, but I also think it just comes with an extremely busy schedule. March is rolling right along and reading week plus the visit from friends at the end of the month will all but signal its conclusion!

Speaking of Reading Week, I've book myself in. I'm heading out of the city on a Eurolines bus on March 19 at 11:30pm and will awake to find myself in Berlin where I'll spend three nights. With Berlin being called the "NYC of Europe" I want to give myself adequate time to see some of the major sites. While I won't be able to see everything in three days, it'll give me time to see locations properly. From Berlin, I then head to Prague for three nights and then take a direct route back home to Amsterdam. Eurolines offered a "mini-pass" for these two cities at an incredible price. I'm on the road for seven days, but the decision to spend three days in each city means I can do the visits justice. Any suggestions on what to see? I think Courtney is going to be accompanying me on the travels - she has signed up for Berlin at least. While I'm the type that can chart my own path through a city, I'll be great to have a travel buddy.

I found out a really neat fact about the Theatre Studies department at the University of Amsterdam I think relevant to share - it certainly trumps any unique stories about any other department of which I've been a part (sorry to the three others). The building we study in is located on an old street in the centre of the city called Nieuwe Doelenstraat. Doelen translates to militia and hence a lot of the buildings on the street were the home of Amsterdam units of the military. The Theatre Studies department is housed in one of the largest buildings on the street (right in the centre) where there use to hang portraits of the militia as an archive of their successes and history. It just so happens that Rembrandt's The Night Watch is one of the paintings that hung on the wall. For those unaware, it is the artist's most famous work and arguably one of the ten most famous pieces of art in the World. I don't exactly know which area of the building housed the Rembrandt (I think this is still debated), but it's neat to study in a building with so much history and character.

Going back to this question of why time is ticking away so fast, I think it has to do with the amount of socializing we've been doing: Wednesday was one such night when we went directly from the conclusion of our six o'clock class to the pub where we carried the discussion in the classroom to a discussion over beers (the hallmark of graduate education); Thursday, Courtney and I saw Revolutionary Road - an honest look at Western monogamy that was superbly acted; Friday we spent six hours in a seminar on Theatre and Globalization and then spent the evening in our little haunt near the Theatre Studies department; and last night we went to a really cool club called Studio 80 which hosts a once-a-month only student alternative/indie music night. Admittedly, last night's festivities (where we stayed out until 3am) were more charged than our pub outings but it's great to see everyone so keen to socialize. A full evening schedule has meant that I'm back to the type of routine I loved in Toronto where the days were planned out fully to maximize time in the evening.

Today is a beautiful sunny Sunday which must unfortunately be spent reading and prepping for the upcoming week. However, I have my wall window open with the curtains swaying in the breeze; let the sun shine in. This "almost-balcony" is going to be gorgeous in the spring. Weather update: it's usually around 8 degrees during the day and buds have started to form on trees and bushes. I hope you're having an equally enjoyable Sunday.

Doc's Prescription of the Day: Time is the topic of the day. I see you've sprung forward and lost an hour of sleep. We haven't had to do that here. Make sure when you bitch and complaint about the hour lost that you remember the greater good - it means spring is within reach.