This past week finished up a lot better than it started, but at a price.
On Monday evening, we resumed our Kioskabends, and while it was nice to see Papri (the Kiosk owner) again after her 3 week holiday, it was ridiculously cold. Standing around outside became less and less comfortable. It did not help much when passersby, mostly friends and Kumpels, made remarks like, "Guys, it's cold as shit outside, what the hell are you thinking?"
No one wanted to be the first to admit that we are all feeling too cold, but after an hour and a half, we elected to finish our evening in the warmth of the pub. However, because I saw a couple of friends there, I ended up staying out a wee bit later than a normal Monday night.
My father had flown to Wisconsin to visit my aunt and uncle for the week. He had been hoping for snow, and he was delighted to find half a meter accumulation upon his arrival, and another half meter on Tuesday. We did a video call on Tuesday afternoon and I explained that we were having pretty chilly weather in Frankfurt, too, but I certainly understood that it was MUCH colder where he was. When it gets to minus 23 degrees CELSIUS...
Throughout the next couple of days, my dad regularly posted photos of him playing in the snow, and I got a kick out of it. Those of us that have less experience with winter weather tend to like those brief moments, especially since we know it will be brief.
I spent most of my week staying cozy. On Thursday, Frankfurt had about 20 minutes of snow, and I enjoyed watching the big flakes come down from my balcony, cup of coffee in hand. That afternoon, I was delighted to get an email from a composer that I had written to earlier in the month. During one of my little concerts for my grandmother over the holidays, she commented on how much she liked a particular piece. She mentioned it multiple times afterwards, so I felt inclined to let the composer know. His response was very gracious and it was a good feeling, so I spent quite a bit of time Thursday and Friday afternoon at the piano (in my cozy living room).
Friday evening, I ventured over to the pub with plans to watch the Arsenal FA cup match. I was feeling a bit somber as I reflected on my parents wedding anniversary, but the company and the coziness of the pub was comforting. It got extremely cozy as the pub filled up with more guests than usual on Friday evening (which, to be fair, tend to be pretty full, anyway). However, Germany were playing in the semi-final of the Handball World Cup, and this is a pretty big deal in Europe. This year, the tournament was being held in Germany, but regardless of that, people were out to view the game and root the team on.
The problem was, there were already two football matches being shown at the pub. This reduced the amount of screens available to show the Handball, which did not go over so well with all the folks who arrived to find a pretty packed pub. Midway through the first half of the game, it started snowing heavily outside, which knocked out the satellite feed for the Handball. The pub has about three different satellite boxes so as to be able to access and show various sporting events, particularly football from Britain, and a lot of the Irish sports. The pub is not a sports bar, per se, but is definitely a place that people go to watch their games, myself included. When a technical issue disrupts things, people start to get excited. Fortunately, the outage was rather brief, and before too long, all matches were being shown as planned.
Despite the crowded pub, I had a place at the bar with a couple of friends. This was a big match for Arsenal, but we all had low expectations. The game was interesting until the second half, then we realized we would be crashing out of the cup. Meanwhile, the group of fans that were watching the other football match had to live with a draw. And, Germany ended up losing their Handball match.
Result? Most of the fans were all disappointed with the results, but being Friday night at the pub, the mood stayed pretty lively. Maybe it was the fact that there was a little snow on the ground and we were all snugged up inside the warm pub. Maybe it was just one of those great Friday nights where the crowd is in form. Most likely, the alcohol helped.
In short, I really tied one on. I completely lost track of time. A friend tried 3 times to go home, and 3 times ordered another beer, instead. It was already late, but rather than go home with the knowledge that I had already had 2 or 3 too many, I encountered a few more friends and yep, ordered another beer, myself.
Looking back, it was a really good night. No, I shouldn't have gone to the after hours bar for "another," but I am glad I went, just the same. As I was getting into bed (erm, lying down on the couch) I noticed that it was going 4h30 am, and as my eyes closed, I thought to myself, "Ouch. Tomorrow is going to be tough."
And indeed it was.
Yesterday, I hardly left the sofa. I reminded myself that I was no longer 23 years old and I would just have to suffer through the hangover. Late in the afternoon, I rallied briefly and had a catch up call with my father before crawling back onto the couch to watch another film or two.
During the evening, I started feeling a little better, and knew another nights sleep would set me right. I did not beat myself up to bad. After all, I rarely go on frantic pub sessions these days, and the previous evening had really been enjoyable; the perfect mix of friends and acquaintances and good conversation. This is precisely what makes pub time so great.
So, maybe I did have to pay a bit of a price for a good evening, but it was worth it. And the memory will tide me over until the next time.
see you out there
bryan
Sunday, January 27, 2019
Saturday, January 19, 2019
Puddles, Puppies, Pals, and Piano - A Week of Happy Thoughts
Earlier in the week I read a blog post by Pete Townshend, who wrote about his dislike for the winter months; he can't wait for the days to get longer (and lighter outside).
I am aware that a lot of people tend to feel a bit down during the winter months, and I guess I have similar feelings from time to time. Once the Christmas season has passed and everyone has finished wishing everybody a happy new year, people just wait for winter to finish. Too many cold, grey days can start to get on one's nerves and emotions.
True, it can get a little bleak at times, but I really like the contrast of extreme temperatures. There is nothing quite like sitting with a cup of coffee in a cozy living room, especially after having just been outside in chilly weather. One of the things I like about my neighborhood is seeing everyone simply going about their business despite the cold, even little kids.
It was a bit rainy last weekend, and was trying hard to snow, but in the end it was just more wet than white and fluffy. One early evening, either Friday or Saturday, I was standing outside the pub collecting my thoughts when a little boy, no more than 2 or 3 years old, came whizzing by on his little riding toy. Okay, maybe whizzing is a generous description; let's just say that he passed by with relative speed for his age.
He was riding a little toy that immediately reminded me of the Fisher Price Mobile Explorer that I had at his age. I absolutely loved that thing, and raced around (as fast as my legs would propel me) everywhere on it. This little guy was doing much the same thing, obviously out and about with his mother, who was walking a few steps behind him. The rain had subsided, but it was still cold and wet. Said little one was having a little conversation with himself, and I could hear his mother gently guiding him.
Suddenly, he saw a small puddle, so abruptly stopped his motion, got off and ran to the puddle, then did a little dance. He was wearing very small rain boots and was well bundled up. And happy to be splashing in the puddle.
The mother kind of glanced at me as she headed over to her son, probably wondering why I had such a big smile on my face. I was simultaneously having a very happy thought about my childhood and as well, feeling a lot of hope and happiness for the future generations. It is always nice to see little kids enjoying themselves just for the sake of it. The mother obviously felt the same way; she allowed him his little moment, and then he was ready to get back on his toy and ride on home.
During one of my next moments outside, I saw another similar scene, this time without any riding toy. Across the street was a somewhat larger puddle, but another little boy was walking home with his parents, and made a beeline for it as soon as he noticed it. Again, he was properly dressed in rain boots and warm overcoat, and did a remarkably similar dance to the other little boy from earlier. And the smile was just as big.
Those little warm moments were enough to get my week off to a good start, and things continued in a good way when I encountered a little video of some golden retriever puppies all playing together. In a puddle.
If we have little happy moments like this, then winter seems like a really nice time, and not so dark and cold at all.
On the piano front, I had a really good week working on some new material, but also practicing some old favorites. Recently I have been reading a book about effortless mastery, and one of the key points is to think "every note that I play is the most brilliant sound I have ever heard. There are no WRONG notes."
Although the book is geared towards playing and performing music, I am recognizing a deeper meaning that affects other aspects of life. It certainly helps on the self-esteem front.
We did not have any more rain at the end of the week, but it is still really cold. I finished up my work week last evening, then headed over to the pub for a few quiet pints. I was glad to see a friend who had been ill the past week or two. We caught up on events (or lack of them) and it was a pleasant start to the weekend. Although I probably had one too many beers (note - there is a prize for the reader who knows how many times I have written such a sentence in this blog) I went home and decided to watch a movie.
It might seem a little odd that it has taken me so long to get around to watching The Intouchables, especially since I am huge fan of French film, and even more recently, a fan of the composer who contributed much of the music to the soundtrack.
Well, the film was definitely worth the wait. Sure, it is a feel good movie, and that has only added to the happy thought collection of my week. I struggled ever so slightly with the original version (French dialog) along with the German subtitles. I will certainly watch it again very soon, likely with less beer.
So, if this past week is any indication as to how winter is going to be, then I would say hey, let's have winter for several more months.
bundle up if you have to, but see you out there
bryan
I am aware that a lot of people tend to feel a bit down during the winter months, and I guess I have similar feelings from time to time. Once the Christmas season has passed and everyone has finished wishing everybody a happy new year, people just wait for winter to finish. Too many cold, grey days can start to get on one's nerves and emotions.
True, it can get a little bleak at times, but I really like the contrast of extreme temperatures. There is nothing quite like sitting with a cup of coffee in a cozy living room, especially after having just been outside in chilly weather. One of the things I like about my neighborhood is seeing everyone simply going about their business despite the cold, even little kids.
It was a bit rainy last weekend, and was trying hard to snow, but in the end it was just more wet than white and fluffy. One early evening, either Friday or Saturday, I was standing outside the pub collecting my thoughts when a little boy, no more than 2 or 3 years old, came whizzing by on his little riding toy. Okay, maybe whizzing is a generous description; let's just say that he passed by with relative speed for his age.
He was riding a little toy that immediately reminded me of the Fisher Price Mobile Explorer that I had at his age. I absolutely loved that thing, and raced around (as fast as my legs would propel me) everywhere on it. This little guy was doing much the same thing, obviously out and about with his mother, who was walking a few steps behind him. The rain had subsided, but it was still cold and wet. Said little one was having a little conversation with himself, and I could hear his mother gently guiding him.
Suddenly, he saw a small puddle, so abruptly stopped his motion, got off and ran to the puddle, then did a little dance. He was wearing very small rain boots and was well bundled up. And happy to be splashing in the puddle.
The mother kind of glanced at me as she headed over to her son, probably wondering why I had such a big smile on my face. I was simultaneously having a very happy thought about my childhood and as well, feeling a lot of hope and happiness for the future generations. It is always nice to see little kids enjoying themselves just for the sake of it. The mother obviously felt the same way; she allowed him his little moment, and then he was ready to get back on his toy and ride on home.
During one of my next moments outside, I saw another similar scene, this time without any riding toy. Across the street was a somewhat larger puddle, but another little boy was walking home with his parents, and made a beeline for it as soon as he noticed it. Again, he was properly dressed in rain boots and warm overcoat, and did a remarkably similar dance to the other little boy from earlier. And the smile was just as big.
Those little warm moments were enough to get my week off to a good start, and things continued in a good way when I encountered a little video of some golden retriever puppies all playing together. In a puddle.
If we have little happy moments like this, then winter seems like a really nice time, and not so dark and cold at all.
On the piano front, I had a really good week working on some new material, but also practicing some old favorites. Recently I have been reading a book about effortless mastery, and one of the key points is to think "every note that I play is the most brilliant sound I have ever heard. There are no WRONG notes."
Although the book is geared towards playing and performing music, I am recognizing a deeper meaning that affects other aspects of life. It certainly helps on the self-esteem front.
We did not have any more rain at the end of the week, but it is still really cold. I finished up my work week last evening, then headed over to the pub for a few quiet pints. I was glad to see a friend who had been ill the past week or two. We caught up on events (or lack of them) and it was a pleasant start to the weekend. Although I probably had one too many beers (note - there is a prize for the reader who knows how many times I have written such a sentence in this blog) I went home and decided to watch a movie.
It might seem a little odd that it has taken me so long to get around to watching The Intouchables, especially since I am huge fan of French film, and even more recently, a fan of the composer who contributed much of the music to the soundtrack.
Well, the film was definitely worth the wait. Sure, it is a feel good movie, and that has only added to the happy thought collection of my week. I struggled ever so slightly with the original version (French dialog) along with the German subtitles. I will certainly watch it again very soon, likely with less beer.
So, if this past week is any indication as to how winter is going to be, then I would say hey, let's have winter for several more months.
bundle up if you have to, but see you out there
bryan
Friday, January 11, 2019
Chuggabugs, Big Ger, and Another Gem from Ian
About 18 years ago, my father and I were discussing what we were reading at the moment, and he told me about the book he was just finishing; The Falls, by Ian Rankin.
Trading books and discussing authors was nothing new in our family, as all of us are avid readers. But, this particular story grabbed me immediately, and I was delighted not only to read another great book, but also to discover that there were several more books about the main character, a detective based in Edinburgh. In fact, this was the 12th book involving John Rebus.
At the time, my father was still traveling on business, so tended to pick up whatever struck his fancy at the airport news shop. The Falls was his first experience with the author, so he was excited to know that there were more books to read. My sister in Spain jumped quickly on board; she, too, was always on the lookout for a new good read.
This little discovery might seem insignificant, but over the next months as I back tracked and started reading the books in order, I realized just how strong the writing was. To me, it was true literature, and it was quite a good feeling to find another author putting out quality material. All too often in recent years I had been let down. With this series, that is not the case.
I was personally trying to find an opportunity to move abroad during this period, so was really trying hard not to get in a habit of collecting stuff that would not be so easy to move. This included books and CDs. I allowed myself to be selective, and fortunately assembled my little collection of the first 12 John Rebus novels. It was not long before Chris got into the spirit, and I was happy to loan him stuff from my Rankin library as he got caught up in the series.
Over the next several years, a few more books came out and we tended to include this as one of many discussion topics during our weekly Wednesday evenings at the Monk. Pablo even got a bit intrigued, which was initially surprising. He reads a lot, also, but often was more inclined to read periodicals as opposed to novels.
When I left Dallas for Spain, I left behind my little library of Ian Rankin. There was no way I was going to give that up. Instead, it would have to remain in storage until the time came when I had sufficient space for my books. Of course, this did not stop me buying a few of the books translated into Spanish; what better way to continue improving my Spanish learning than by reading books from a favorite author?
Meanwhile, the little fan base that I had started back in Dallas continued. In early 2007, I got a message from Chris indicating that he had met Ian Rankin at a book signing. Sure, I was a bit envious, but receiving an autographed book a couple of months later with a personal "keep up the missionary work!" message meant the world to me. I was still not sure if I was in Germany to stay, but I certainly realized that I needed to get all the books back on my shelves. Rather than pay to ship my books from the states, I ended up visiting my local English language bookshop in Frankfurt to get a second set of the novels.
Over the past decade, I have eagerly read (and re-read, as it were) the works of Ian Rankin. In fact, I am proud to say that this is the first author where I have read the works not only in English, but also Spanish AND German. Several friends here are also fans, and a couple have even visited Edinburgh and peeked in the Oxford Bar. I am always glad when I see one of the books sitting on the shelf in the little neighborhood public library bookcase that sits out on the street in front of my flat.
Last month, I received a message from Chris indicating that he had already ordered his copy of the latest John Rebus. I made a mental note to check at the local bookshop during my visit to the states, and sure enough, after my inquiry at the Barnes and Nobel desk, I was informed that the new novel would not be available for another couple of weeks. This explained why Chris had to pre-order his copy.
As I was leaving Dallas to return home, last Thursday, Pablo sent me a quick message of new years greeting, along with confirmation that he had just received his copy of the book. The following day, Chris sent me a similar message, showing me that his copy had just arrived.
30 seconds later, I had ordered my own copy, which arrived this past Monday. Like always, I tried to savor the moment before launching in to the read. That pretty much meant I lasted until Tuesday morning before starting. It came as no surprise that it is another page-turner. Thoroughly enjoyable to read, and it has helped get my 2019 off to a good start.
There are few things better than reading a good book. Thanks, Mr Rankin.
see you out there
bryan
Trading books and discussing authors was nothing new in our family, as all of us are avid readers. But, this particular story grabbed me immediately, and I was delighted not only to read another great book, but also to discover that there were several more books about the main character, a detective based in Edinburgh. In fact, this was the 12th book involving John Rebus.
At the time, my father was still traveling on business, so tended to pick up whatever struck his fancy at the airport news shop. The Falls was his first experience with the author, so he was excited to know that there were more books to read. My sister in Spain jumped quickly on board; she, too, was always on the lookout for a new good read.
This little discovery might seem insignificant, but over the next months as I back tracked and started reading the books in order, I realized just how strong the writing was. To me, it was true literature, and it was quite a good feeling to find another author putting out quality material. All too often in recent years I had been let down. With this series, that is not the case.
I was personally trying to find an opportunity to move abroad during this period, so was really trying hard not to get in a habit of collecting stuff that would not be so easy to move. This included books and CDs. I allowed myself to be selective, and fortunately assembled my little collection of the first 12 John Rebus novels. It was not long before Chris got into the spirit, and I was happy to loan him stuff from my Rankin library as he got caught up in the series.
Over the next several years, a few more books came out and we tended to include this as one of many discussion topics during our weekly Wednesday evenings at the Monk. Pablo even got a bit intrigued, which was initially surprising. He reads a lot, also, but often was more inclined to read periodicals as opposed to novels.
When I left Dallas for Spain, I left behind my little library of Ian Rankin. There was no way I was going to give that up. Instead, it would have to remain in storage until the time came when I had sufficient space for my books. Of course, this did not stop me buying a few of the books translated into Spanish; what better way to continue improving my Spanish learning than by reading books from a favorite author?
Meanwhile, the little fan base that I had started back in Dallas continued. In early 2007, I got a message from Chris indicating that he had met Ian Rankin at a book signing. Sure, I was a bit envious, but receiving an autographed book a couple of months later with a personal "keep up the missionary work!" message meant the world to me. I was still not sure if I was in Germany to stay, but I certainly realized that I needed to get all the books back on my shelves. Rather than pay to ship my books from the states, I ended up visiting my local English language bookshop in Frankfurt to get a second set of the novels.
Over the past decade, I have eagerly read (and re-read, as it were) the works of Ian Rankin. In fact, I am proud to say that this is the first author where I have read the works not only in English, but also Spanish AND German. Several friends here are also fans, and a couple have even visited Edinburgh and peeked in the Oxford Bar. I am always glad when I see one of the books sitting on the shelf in the little neighborhood public library bookcase that sits out on the street in front of my flat.
Last month, I received a message from Chris indicating that he had already ordered his copy of the latest John Rebus. I made a mental note to check at the local bookshop during my visit to the states, and sure enough, after my inquiry at the Barnes and Nobel desk, I was informed that the new novel would not be available for another couple of weeks. This explained why Chris had to pre-order his copy.
As I was leaving Dallas to return home, last Thursday, Pablo sent me a quick message of new years greeting, along with confirmation that he had just received his copy of the book. The following day, Chris sent me a similar message, showing me that his copy had just arrived.
30 seconds later, I had ordered my own copy, which arrived this past Monday. Like always, I tried to savor the moment before launching in to the read. That pretty much meant I lasted until Tuesday morning before starting. It came as no surprise that it is another page-turner. Thoroughly enjoyable to read, and it has helped get my 2019 off to a good start.
There are few things better than reading a good book. Thanks, Mr Rankin.
see you out there
bryan
Saturday, January 05, 2019
"I just flew in from Dallas and boy, are my arms tired!"
Nope, that joke never gets old for me, but saying it in German takes a little away from the goofy humor.
My stateside visit over Christmas was really good; it meant a lot to me to spend time with family and friends. As expected, the trip was emotional, but all the better to be together with everyone to share in memories, take time to reflect, cry a little, and laugh a lot. The time flew by, and unlike other visits (which were always enjoyable, too, I must stress), I was somewhat sorry when the time came for me to board my flight back to Frankfurt.
I like how the spirit of the season allows me to dismiss minor annoyances with a chuckle. For example, immediately upon my arrival in Dallas when I switched on my mobile, I received a nice text message from Lufthansa informing me that my luggage was delayed, and would not be on the baggage carousel. In fact, I was not really too hacked when I was forced to wait until Sunday before they finally delivered my suitcase. Hey, it's Christmas.
A couple of days later, I was in Target intending to buy some long johns. I was only slightly dismayed when I discovered that they were out of stock of my size. I was not thrilled at the thought of having to visit more stores, as I do not like to shop too much. Fortunately, my sister was with me, and she, as always, rallied quickly to find a solution. In this case, it was to grab a store employee, who promptly put in an online order for me. Quick, convenient, and sort of a new concept for me. I do not like shopping, as I just said, but despite the ease of buying things online, I am fearful that we will eventually stop having brick and mortar stores.
My father and I did have to visit a couple of department stores to complete the Christmas shopping. Otherwise, there would not have been anything under the tree for me from my dad or my grandmother. Dad and I share a similar indifference to shopping, aka browsing. Unlike my sister and grandmother, who can spend hours just looking, we prefer to get in, find our item, and get out.
I initially had thought I could find a couple of sweaters in Macy's, but when we walked into the store and felt like we were visiting a place that had just been hit by a tornado, I felt discouraged. I did manage to find one sweater that I kind of liked, but was so put off by the condition of the store, that we elected to walk to the next department store in the mall. Well, the contrast was amazing. Sure, it was Nordstrom, after all, but the garments were well displayed, the staff were friendly, and I found a super sweater; probably the nicest sweater I would ever have. Yes, it had a matching price, but hey, it's Christmas.
After we made the purchase, we returned to Macy's to pick up the second sweater (that I had already found), and true to form, we had a less than pleasant experience with the sales person, who looked and acted like they had just been at a skate park. It was really no surprise to find that the security tag had not been removed from the sweater when I "opened" the gift on Christmas day. Before I completely thrash said department store, I will concede that my quick visit to another location on Boxing day to have them remove the tag was friendly and pleasant. Hey, it's Christmas.
My last post was actually one of the gifts that I gave my father for Christmas. The week before Christmas, we had some good father and son time taking care of some unplanned household problems. First, the sink in my bathroom started leaking. It took three trips to the hardware store and a handful of swear words, but we eventually got the problem fixed. And yes, I got to hold the light for my dad while he played with the pipes under the sink.
Neither one of us was ecstatic when we discovered that the water heater wasn't working, particularly since we noticed this on Christmas Eve. Fortunately, my dad recognized the complexity of the task and called the repairmen, and by lunchtime, Geronimo and Jose had replaced the entire unit. True to his sense of humor, my father put on a Santa hat and took a selfie in front of the new heater. "Merry Christmas to me," he joked, only slightly wincing at the hefty sum he just paid.
A couple of days later, Chris and I shared a laugh about the recent incidents as he acknowledged my post. Who would have guessed that a few weeks after writing about doing projects with dad, I would actually get to do them again?
And, when my father came and gave me a big hug after reading my story that I gave him, it pretty much made my Christmas complete. I wasn't expecting him to tell me that it was one of the best presents he had ever received. That means a lot to me.
The whole visit was special, and there are too many highlights to mention. My grandmother's new place has a grand piano in the lobby, and I was lucky to get to play for her (and the staff, and other residents and guests) several times. I was truly touched when the staff gushed with appreciation, and it certainly helped with my self esteem.
All in all, it was a great way to end a pretty tough 2018. We had our emotional farewells, and as always, I experienced my let down as I returned to my home in Frankfurt. Fortunately I have had a quiet couple of days getting back into my routine, and it always helps to meet up with friends my first couple of nights back. I am still feeling a bit jet lagged, and I have a few friends still to catch up with, but I am glad to be back in Germany.
On Monday, the plumber will come to fix my leaky kitchen faucet, and I am quite sure that there will be many more little challenges (maybe big ones, too) in 2019.
But I am ready for them, and particularly ready to realize my potential. Bring it on.
See you out there
bryan
My stateside visit over Christmas was really good; it meant a lot to me to spend time with family and friends. As expected, the trip was emotional, but all the better to be together with everyone to share in memories, take time to reflect, cry a little, and laugh a lot. The time flew by, and unlike other visits (which were always enjoyable, too, I must stress), I was somewhat sorry when the time came for me to board my flight back to Frankfurt.
I like how the spirit of the season allows me to dismiss minor annoyances with a chuckle. For example, immediately upon my arrival in Dallas when I switched on my mobile, I received a nice text message from Lufthansa informing me that my luggage was delayed, and would not be on the baggage carousel. In fact, I was not really too hacked when I was forced to wait until Sunday before they finally delivered my suitcase. Hey, it's Christmas.
A couple of days later, I was in Target intending to buy some long johns. I was only slightly dismayed when I discovered that they were out of stock of my size. I was not thrilled at the thought of having to visit more stores, as I do not like to shop too much. Fortunately, my sister was with me, and she, as always, rallied quickly to find a solution. In this case, it was to grab a store employee, who promptly put in an online order for me. Quick, convenient, and sort of a new concept for me. I do not like shopping, as I just said, but despite the ease of buying things online, I am fearful that we will eventually stop having brick and mortar stores.
My father and I did have to visit a couple of department stores to complete the Christmas shopping. Otherwise, there would not have been anything under the tree for me from my dad or my grandmother. Dad and I share a similar indifference to shopping, aka browsing. Unlike my sister and grandmother, who can spend hours just looking, we prefer to get in, find our item, and get out.
I initially had thought I could find a couple of sweaters in Macy's, but when we walked into the store and felt like we were visiting a place that had just been hit by a tornado, I felt discouraged. I did manage to find one sweater that I kind of liked, but was so put off by the condition of the store, that we elected to walk to the next department store in the mall. Well, the contrast was amazing. Sure, it was Nordstrom, after all, but the garments were well displayed, the staff were friendly, and I found a super sweater; probably the nicest sweater I would ever have. Yes, it had a matching price, but hey, it's Christmas.
After we made the purchase, we returned to Macy's to pick up the second sweater (that I had already found), and true to form, we had a less than pleasant experience with the sales person, who looked and acted like they had just been at a skate park. It was really no surprise to find that the security tag had not been removed from the sweater when I "opened" the gift on Christmas day. Before I completely thrash said department store, I will concede that my quick visit to another location on Boxing day to have them remove the tag was friendly and pleasant. Hey, it's Christmas.
My last post was actually one of the gifts that I gave my father for Christmas. The week before Christmas, we had some good father and son time taking care of some unplanned household problems. First, the sink in my bathroom started leaking. It took three trips to the hardware store and a handful of swear words, but we eventually got the problem fixed. And yes, I got to hold the light for my dad while he played with the pipes under the sink.
Neither one of us was ecstatic when we discovered that the water heater wasn't working, particularly since we noticed this on Christmas Eve. Fortunately, my dad recognized the complexity of the task and called the repairmen, and by lunchtime, Geronimo and Jose had replaced the entire unit. True to his sense of humor, my father put on a Santa hat and took a selfie in front of the new heater. "Merry Christmas to me," he joked, only slightly wincing at the hefty sum he just paid.
A couple of days later, Chris and I shared a laugh about the recent incidents as he acknowledged my post. Who would have guessed that a few weeks after writing about doing projects with dad, I would actually get to do them again?
And, when my father came and gave me a big hug after reading my story that I gave him, it pretty much made my Christmas complete. I wasn't expecting him to tell me that it was one of the best presents he had ever received. That means a lot to me.
The whole visit was special, and there are too many highlights to mention. My grandmother's new place has a grand piano in the lobby, and I was lucky to get to play for her (and the staff, and other residents and guests) several times. I was truly touched when the staff gushed with appreciation, and it certainly helped with my self esteem.
All in all, it was a great way to end a pretty tough 2018. We had our emotional farewells, and as always, I experienced my let down as I returned to my home in Frankfurt. Fortunately I have had a quiet couple of days getting back into my routine, and it always helps to meet up with friends my first couple of nights back. I am still feeling a bit jet lagged, and I have a few friends still to catch up with, but I am glad to be back in Germany.
On Monday, the plumber will come to fix my leaky kitchen faucet, and I am quite sure that there will be many more little challenges (maybe big ones, too) in 2019.
But I am ready for them, and particularly ready to realize my potential. Bring it on.
See you out there
bryan
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