Post 4.

Public libraries have been indispensable to my lifestyle for a few years now. In post-university Sheffield I spent almost as much time in the central library as I did at work. When studying in Amsterdam the spectacular central public library provided a welcome alternative to my desk. Norwich Millennium Library offered the internet and was a place of refuge when on a break from work. Now, once again, Amsterdam library guarantees shelter, internet, English periodicals and people to peep at. The library here is always busy. Most of the seats are currently taken with students beavering toward the end of term. The other seats are usually occupied by retired or presumably unemployed men. I feel a certain solidarity with the old blokes; they too have a lot of time on their hands and perhaps realise that the pub isn’t always the best place to while away the daylight hours. I also feel a connection to the students because I know of their toils and I expect that on appearances they assume I’m one of them. It feels good to be amongst these studious types, and particularly to be an impostor in both camps. At the moment I don’t fancy being a student again, and I certainly don’t want to be an old man. I suppose that I must admit to wilful unemployment, but that carries no stigma for an Englishman temporarily in Holland. When in the library I get to enjoy all of its benefits without the pressures of time.

Yesterday I read The Independent’s post-election coverage. I now understand more of what’s going on in London, but only vaguely (I actually wrote this post yesterday and the situation has now changed, but anyway…) Actual politics and governance has always passed me by. Thanks to the West Wing, I have more knowledge of the American administration than of the Houses of Parliament. To some extent I take no pride in my own disengagement. However, having read about some of the finer details of current politics, I can see that maintaining a decent knowledge of UK politics would take diligence tied with a genuine interest. I lack both of these things. If this is my fault, the blame for my lack of basic political knowledge can be laid at the feet of the National Curriculum. Why weren’t my classmates and I taught about politics at school? Why weren’t we taught about the fundamental ideological differences between left and right, or the history of UK government? Being educated on politics doesn’t have to be political. I suppose that’s it’s now my responsibility to catch up with this deficit in learning. I’ve added it to the list.

I joined the WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities in Organic Farming) organisation yesterday. WWOOF bring together organic farmers and volunteers who want to spend some time on a farm. I’ve known about this for years, but was reluctant to get involved. Why work for free when farmers usually pay workers for their labour? I thought ‘WWOOFing’ to be ridiculous middle-class tourism that probably gives the farming community a good laugh. I still think this, but I no longer think it ridiculous to volunteer one’s time. I’ve had my fill of city-living, due to many factors of differing complexity (which will have to be a future subject as I’m not in the mood to discuss them now). I’ve chosen to pursue the WWOOF route because I want to test the satisfaction that can be had from a day’s tough physical work. It’s been a long time since I was last physically stretched. I hope that by living in the countryside, away from the desk, pub and supermarket, I’ll naturally get fit and healthy and hopefully stop relying on a lot of the things that surround here me in the city. In this respect, WWOOFING is also a good way to avoid spending precious money. Volunteers are provided with accommodation and organic food from the farm. Other benefits obviously include the opportunity to meet new people who share some common interest or intention. I’ve sent a couple of messages to farmers in the North of the Netherlands, not too far from Amsterdam (nowhere in the Netherlands is really that far from Amsterdam). I’m thinking of modifying Eddy into a kind of touring bike. This is probably a bad idea, as touring bikes are usually chosen for their lack of weight. However, the Netherlands is flat, Eddy is dependable, and a proper touring bike costs a ton of money. “He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother…”