
Simone de Beauvoir
Change your life today. Don’t gamble on the future, act now, without delay.
Simone de Beauvoir 1908 – 1986
Introduction to Simone de Beauvoir’s ‘The Second Sex’
Simone de Beauvoir on Art, Science, Freedom, Busyness, and Why Happiness Is Our Moral Obligation

Drawing in the garden
It wasn’t a premonition to draw more this year. But this is what i am doing. The past two days in the garden i did make drawings. With pencil, charcoal, conte carré. It is not really about the drawing itself. Not about making something beautiful. It is about looking intensely around me. Basically, i can draw anything.
It does remind me of a time a long while ago, before i went to art school. I would like to get that back. That feeling of discovery. Of looking around. Intensely. Measuring with my eyes. All the distances which are elements of what i am looking at. Being quiet within myself.
I also walked about the garden. I saw these roots with tiny green leaves popping out. Supposedly chicory. Also some tiny apples still on the trees. Four or five centimeters wide. Wonderful.
Walking
This Monday morning the sun was shining. It was cold. I got dressed, put on my shoes and coat, a warm scarf and went outside.
First i walked to the garden. Yesterday i took two empty bottles with me to fill with water. Today i brought them back and put them in the shed. I watched the birds. A great tit. Yes, a koolmeesje. The pallet was back! Yesterday i couldn’t find it.
I walked past the central station. Standing at the Christmas tree for a short time, talking to the men who were getting the lights out. Wondering where the tree was headed to. Walking through the Gouvernestraat. Looking in the shop Das Brot. Still closed. Walking through the Marqt. Two months ago it closed and moved to the Nieuwe Binnenweg. Where the old Centrum Beeldende Kunst was. Nothing remains. I talked with the man behind the cheese counter for a short while.
Walking past the shops, the Westerpaviljoen, Museum Boymans. Into the Zeeman. Just curious. Buying myself a sandwich chicken curry. Sitting on the Lijnbaan and eating it slowly. Watching the faces of the people walking by. The people eating something. The children. Walking to Amac. Hmm. I don’t want to buy my new things there. No no no. I’d rather go the an Apple store.
Walking over the Meent. It is still cold. The sun is hiding behind the clouds.
Walking back home.

A cold winter’s day







Dreams
I never was a huge Fleetwood Mac fan. I have one single in my collection. Go Your Own Way. A few weeks ago i saw Nerdwriter‘s video on how Fleetwood Mac creates this song, Dreams. I know this song. Of course. But this video made me realize how beautiful this song is. Haunting. So i am choosing this song to sing. Now. I hope you enjoy it.
Dreams
Fleetwood Mac
Now here you go again
You say you want your freedom
Well, who am I to keep you down?
It’s only right that you should
Play the way you feel it
But listen carefully to the sound
Of your loneliness
Like a heartbeat.. drives you mad
In the stillness of remembering what you had
And what you lost…
And what you had…
And what you lost
Thunder only happens when it’s raining
Players only love you when they’re playing
Say… Women… they will come and they will go
When the rain washes you clean… you’ll know, you’ll know
Now here I go again, I see the crystal visions
I keep my visions to myself
It’s only me
Who wants to wrap around your dreams and…
Have you any dreams you’d like to sell?
Dreams of loneliness…
Like a heartbeat… drives you mad…
In the stillness of remembering what you had…
And what you lost…
And what you had…
And what you lost
Thunder only happens when it’s raining
Players only love you when they’re playing
Say… Women… they will come and they will go
When the rain washes you clean… you’ll know
Thunder only happens when it’s raining
Players only love you when they’re playing
Say… Women… they will come and they will go
When the rain washes you clean… you’ll know
When the rain washes you clean… you’ll know
You’ll know
You’ll know
You’ll know

Drawings for presents
A few days ago i cleaned up the lower bit of the big closet behind my desk. I plan to do more drawing. With pencil, crayon, watercolour. Up to A3 size format. I set my old skechbooks there. I went through them. In this one there are a few important drawings. The drawing for the printed cards i still have loads of. The drawing i used for my old site as the preview page. A drawing from me standing on the world, used in homebase.
Very different drawings from now. A bit more anime style. I like em, but i don’t do drawings like these anymore. Right now, i’m happy i’m back to drawing. And photography. And video 🙂
Sketches

A new year’s walk
