Too Much Hot Chocolate, Part II: Today, a Lack of.

Part Two: Amsterdam!
Reflect on your Amsterdam research interests/preliminary questions(s).

Today, we will be consuming a Seattle favorite: Jones Soda! The rain makes it difficult to go out for good hot chocolate.

In regards to what I want to study while in Amsterdam:





I have no idea.

This is not totally true. I have a lot of half formed ideas that I need to explore further but feel like I don't have the context yet to put them fully together.

Some general options:
Prostitution
Third places
Bike culture
Judaism
Environmentalism
Hemp
Advertising
Sports

Note: It's probably okay not to read past this point, I will now be rambling on in a stream of consciousness fashion until I figure out what I am doing.

Prostitution: One of the things Amsterdam is famous for, also falls in well with the Womens Studies bit.
Question: I don't know how to approach this one, but I think it would be an interesting topic of study...

Third places: Sitting in a cafe in the early evening while looking out over the water seems to be what people expect in Amsterdam.
Question: Where do people gather in Amsterdam? Who gathers where (How do people choose where to go? Culture? Sexuality?)? What do they talk about? How does this vary from place to place? Interviews with owners as to how who/how many people gather has changed over time; how does the internet and new ways of communicating play into use of these third places?

Bike culture: Our readings so far have murderers pedaling up to the their targets on bikes. Our culture, in contrast, would be more likely to accept a driveby (or someone wielding Catcher in the Rye). The bike thing would be slightly ridiculous. Yet in Amsterdam bikes seem rather important.
Question: I can't think of anything that doesn't include public transportation, and that strikes me a terrible place to go.

Judaism: Also a large part of our readings.
Question: Again, no idea. Also seems interesting, however.

Environmentalism: A sweeping movement in the U.S.
Question: Environmentally friendly ways of life overseas: a comparison? Views/knowledge of environmental issues in a progressive city.

Hemp: Legalization of marijuana is also something Amsterdam is known for.
Question: How has this affected hemp use? Is hemp popular in the culture?

Advertising: Just something I am interested in.
Question: With the Womens Studies thing too, I think it would be interesting to look at how portrayal of women in ads is done in Amsterdam. That would also connect to how women are looked at in the culture overall, which would be interesting...

Sports: Honestly, I just want an excuse to go to a soccer game.
Question: I could also do something about women and sports... but seriously, a soccer game is imperative.

Right now I could do any of these happily, although some seem more developed than others. I think I am mostly interested in joining up with somebody who has a similar interest but is far more passionate about the one thing and not as scattered as I am.

If you are that person, send me a postcard, or something of the like.