On the train

Entschuldigung, ist hier noch frei? ... Is this seat free? Oh sorry for waking you up, I didn't see you were sleeping. ... So - you're not Austrian? Ah. But your English is really good... Ah, Australia's really great. I love the landscape. Amazing scenery. So you're from Sydney then? Oh. Never heard of it. Is that in the outback?

Well , you know, I grew up around here. Yeah. Parents are separated, but that's ok. We've got this house in the area of B. We'll come by B., I can show it to you. It's fine, but I don't like living in Austria very much. Kinda boring. You know, my parents are actually Italian. Yeah, they came to Austria 'bout twenty years ago.

So... you know any Austrian words? Because, you know, there's German German and there's Austrian German. Austrian German is like "Do hauts da in Beidl aufd Seitn" or "Fick dich ins Knie" and stuff like that. Actually I don't like Austrian German. Educated, serious people like me - ha ha! - speak German German, "Hochdeutsch", you know. But seriously - you know any Austrian words? Er... there's for example "anbandln", like, you know - men and women getting in contact. Yeah. Oh, and there's "Feuerwerfer", like flame thrower. And there's "Schnitzel" - a piece of meat. Yeah. But, you know, I don't like speaking Austrian German.

So - have you met THE Austrian guy? Ha ha, not me. You know, I've told you, my parents are from Italy. No. I mean - you know - loud guys, drinking beer, blurping, farting, eating Schnitzel and a "Eitrige", and saying things like "Schnitzel" and "ficken" all the time. No, really, you don't want to meet them. Kinda rude and swearing all the time. Actually disgusting, really.

I'm M., by the way - that's Italian. What's your name? Anne? Anne. That's a good name, Anne. You know what, Anne? I think I'll remember your name. No. I'm sure I'll remember it. ANNE.

So, where you're going, Anne? I just came back from Amsterdam. Travelling all on your own, Anne? Ok - wow! So you're kinda trying to find yourself, right? Yeah. I'm like that, too. I've been thinking of going to China.

See? I'm studying English. I'm just coming from my English class. This is the list of vocabulary we're supposed to learn until next week. "To grab the opportunity", "to seize the moment". Ha ha, funny. Quite a long list, actually, but I don't mind. I like learning. Yeah. I want to open my horizon, you know. Actually I'm quite ambitious, I always want to be the best.

You know, when I look into your eyes, you look really energetic. Determined and full of passion. You know what you want - like me. Just like me. I can see that in your eyes. I can see you look for success. I believe that you can see that in the eyes of people. I can see when they're born for something great, at least that they're not a complete failure. Ha ha.

Yeah, I'm not so fond of people here, you know. They're kinda boring and narrow-minded. You know what - today I was told I'm a Nazi. No, seriously. I mean, that's their problem, not mine. You know, I was talking to that girl... no, not in the English class... er... it was in the break. She told me her brother's name is Blunznschnitzel, I don't know, some Austrian name. She even said, well, that's a typical Upper Austrian name, haha, and I said, yeah, like Hitler. Ha ha. So yeah, this fucking bitch tells me I'm a Nazi. No, really. So I told her she's retarded. And, you know, she's like: Whaaat? Why am I retarded? So she didn't even realise she was insulted. Well, not exactly insulted, I mean, it was self-defense, right? Stupid bitch can't take a joke. No, seriously. I always have to deal with fucking shit like that. No wonder I don't like it here...

So, there's the final station - W.M. You enjoyed my company? You liked talking with me a little? Because I liked it! You know what, I can give you my e-mail address. I know, one day we'll meet again. I just know, this is our destiny. And maybe I'm on the platform and you're on the train, and the train's leaving, and you know what? You'll pull the emergency break. Yeah. You pull it for me. I really believe in fate, and I have already seen this picture in my mind.

Are you on facebook? Oh, I see, you're right - internet might be difficult there. nevertheless. We'll meet again. And remember to pull the emergency break, right?  

Resurrection

Hey. It's been awhile. Quite awhile. More than one year, I know... But recently I've started to think of writing again - maybe because I miss it, maybe because I've always considered it as a defining feature of me... But maybe also because one of my friends has recently started a blog too and I've remembered how much fun it is and how good it feels to put things down in words.

Due to fortunate circumstances, my Sunday isn't as busy as it usually is and I've quickly finished my preparations for next week (however, I'm still ignoring that large pile of homework which still looks at me reproachfully). It was really a maginficent day - the sun was shining and it was somehow warm, so my boyfriend and I decided to take a loooong stroll through the city, enjoying the spring-like atmosphere. People, dogs and pigeons were gathering on the spots where the sunbeams could sqeeze through the buildings - everyone was desperate to catch a little dose of light and warmth. I've taken this picture at Burggarten, where the Palmenhaus was overly crowded today. As there weren't enough seats provided by the café outside, people would take advantage of the art déco facade and literally sat on the decorations on the wall or on windowsills.

The sun was typical of winter - very low and bright. Our mole eyes have to adjust to its radiance, as it pierces through the blindness and numbness caused by winter. A gush of wind that blows away the protective layer of dust, calling us to leave it behind, calling us to awake - to live.

...and makes your heart beat faster!!!

Honestly, I would've never thought I might turn into a coffee aficionado, but it manages to make me more focused on work and even performs the impossible task to drag me out of my shell on my turtle days.

For me, drinking coffee is something deeply social, whether you're meeting someone over a cuppa or taking pentative sips in a café while brooding over some translations or written works of my students. I absolutely loathe the idea of brewing coffee at my home. If I can't spend lots of time away, then I still try to grab a cup from our local coffee bar to take it with me. As for coffee, I feel the urge to leave the flat and go out - but I have already written a separate entry on my obsession with coffee houses...

Right now, I'm enjoying the last drops and the milk foam of my soy latte and try to turn the remaining caffeine in my blood into something useful and productive (apart from blogging, of course!). So then, good night - hope you had a nice changing of the year!

Oh my. It's nearly the end of the year and my last post is from - what - August??? Shame, shame on me for being so dreadfully negligent of my blog!

Well, I guess Christmas wishes are no longer appropriate, so here's to the old year - we've jumped from the stratosphere (I still love the pun "Baumgartner Höhe" which sadly only Viennese people or people from Lower Austria understand) and we've survived doomsday! Can this even be topped in 2013?

Anyway, I hope you've all had nice holidays. I've spent most of the time in the kitchen - on those days, people usually expect special meals prepared in the most laborious fashion you can imagine. If things went wrong, there wouldn't even be any backup, as most restaurants are closed on the 24th. So you just hope for the best and if everything goes according to plan, you can at least call it your personal Christmas miracle... But I shouldn't complain so much, this year went really well.

Here's a little heart- (and body-)warming image of our fireplace. Fortunately, it has been rather mild lately, no snow and temperatures always above zero. Just perfect for me :-) As nice and cozy a fireplace might be, it still doesn't beat a boyfriend, so today I've packed my things and travelled to my honey to spend some time with him and his lovely family and, most importantly, to let him warm my icy hands and feet...

If I don't manage to write another entry before New Year's Eve (chances for that are relatively low, I suppose, as I'm easily freezing... ;-)), I'd like to wish everyone of you a HAPPY, SUCCESSFUL, and BLISSFUL 2013!

So - it's been quite some time since my last update... Life's been busy and most time in the evenings I hardly manage to creep under the shower and then straight to bed. Nevertheless I do write - I compose whole blog updates in my head when I'm walking on the streets, waiting for the bus, washing the dishes, but due to some procrastinative talent of mine they never actually make it to paper or even the laptop.

Actually there's something I really need to get off my chest... It's the lack of basic civility and respect in certain local areas and professions and, of course, human individuals. Mind you, I won't speak of these things having deteriorated over the course of time, because honestly I think they didn't and former times have in this respect not been any better. Therefore I won't blame the younger generation, as I've observed this phenomenon in the last few weeks only among people between 40 and 60 (which doesn't mean there aren't any rude young people, too).

Some people in certain fields of the tertiary sector still haven't realised that they should provide a service and, in consequence, act accordingly. They are paid to help, not to nurture prejudice and treat people with suspicion. You couldn't even say that they are having a bad day, as their behaviour is standard and can be felt and observed most of the time you have to deal with them. Still - suppose they just were in bad mood (which would be 90% of their working time then!), it's childish and unprofessional to show it that obviously and let it out on others.

I could rant for hours about that, but I guess I've covered the main things without going into too much detail. Sorry that my first posting after three months of absence isn't more positive.  

I've had a pretty weird dream last night. Well, honestly speaking, I always do, but this one was different - it was not so much centered about surreal plot pieces but rather heavily visual instead. In fact, I've seen several places and rooms of my childhood, teenage and early twen years, all covered in red ivy, something like this:

Funnily, most of those places were indoors, and I was wondering how those thick ivy branches could spread their way all across the walls and the floor and ceiling and why nobody has noticed them earlier. But then, I realised it doesn't matter and went to the door. I turned around for the last time, had a good, final look at everything, smiled, said good night and switched off the lights.

I somehow know that something is about to change. It's hard to pinpoint it and it's rather a vague feeling than real knowledge. See, I'm often a close observer without actually knowing it. I unconsciously take in little details that weave patterns in my brain and then, after some time a picture emerges and I wonder where it came from and try to follow all the little threads back to their origin. Which is, as you probably can imagine,  in many cases an impossible task.

It's the same with this dream and I know that the basic idea is not that entirely new - I can trace back many of the threads. But there are still some missing and pose a riddle, a mystery to me.

All I can say is I feel that a whole era is going to end, and I'm a little sentimental about that.

This picture was taken at the annual town festival yesterday. I remember the last years when we used to wear knitted cardigans and cuddled up in the tents, hoping they would support the rain water gushing from the sky... Not this year! It was one of the hottest days and evenings in Northern Austria I can even remember. 28°C shortly past 10 p.m. was truly a record! As far as I can tell, the festival was a success, it was really hard to get a seat.

As usual, here in Vienna it's much hotter - I won't complain, though. It's summer and I clearly prefer this kind of weather to rain and chilly temperatures. Besides, summer holidays have started - finally!!! - and I'm planning to have a drink somewhere on the banks of the Danube and enjoy the summer feeling (and maybe get my clothes stained, like last year :-))

The great things about holidays are 1) living according to your preferred rhythm, 2) as a consequence: sleeping long, and 3) doing things you didn't have time for so far. No 3 also entails a few unpleasant things, such as, for instance, check-ups with the doctors and that juggernaut of thesis, but also a few wonderful pastime activities, such as playing Gray Matter (I'm already in love with it, but didn't expect otherwise) and trying to shorten my reading list. And I'm definitely going to drop by at that great festival at Rathausplatz where they play lovely classical music while you're having a food rush... My boyfriend and I love it!

What are your plans for summer?