The past couple of weeks have been very enlightening for me on the espresso preparation front.
You'd think that in all my barista years that I would have a pretty good grasp of how everything works, and certainly I would be familiar with my machine.
I stand corrected.
Two years ago when I really upgraded myself to a high quality espresso machine, I knew from the get go that I wanted a Siebträger (portafilter), as I prefer to be involved in the whole activity, rather than getting a fully automatic machine. I did my own research as well as seek guidance from a friend who is particularly enthusiastic about espresso.
I got my machine and have been absolutely thrilled. My buddy gave me some suggestions on products to clean and backflush my machine, and for the most part I have done my regular maintenance. And, save for a few minor incidents, my espresso shots have been pretty darn good.
The other week, however, I started noticing some leakage around the brew head, and this was a little concerning. Normally this means that the espresso machine needs to be serviced, and with products like mine, that service is better performed by an authorized repair center. At the time I purchased my machine, I elected to purchase online, as my local espresso machine retailer did not offer products from the specific manufacturer that I wanted. That also meant that they offered no service for that manufacturer.
I checked the official (Italian) website of my manufacturer but was unable to get much information about service in Germany. A few additional searches also resulted in diddly squat.
"A little concerning" in my definition is pretty simple. On a scale from "mildly curious" to "holy shit panic," a little concerning slots in at level 2 or 2,5. In other words, not a big deal. For clarification, my dishwasher that currently takes 14-15 hours to complete it's wash cycle is at level 3,5 ("damned annoying but manageable - wait til it takes 20 hours")
Of course I mentioned my situation at the kiosk one Monday, and Mono (who not only has an espresso machine but is also capable of taking the thing apart and putting it back together; he knows how stuff works) asked me about the last time that I had descaled (entkalkt) my machine.
"Nie."
There is no direct German expression that is equivalent to "you don't know beans," but if there was, Mono would have used it, as it was certainly an appropriate time to do so. Ironically, beans are a critical part of espresso (for obvious reasons), but I will come back to that in a minute.
I grew up drinking tap water, and never really thought much about water until just before a family trip to Mexico when I was about 14 years old. My mother was particularly concerned for us, and for the whole trip made sure that we only drank bottled water. Bottled water was not really a big thing back in the 80s, at least not in Texas. It wasn't until my sister moved to Spain (a decade later) that I got more accustomed to buying drinking water, and by habit, I continued purchasing bottled mineral water for the next 15 years.
Upon my arrival in Germany, I was regularly buying crates of drinking water at the supermarket, and stayed very strict on crunching up the empty plastic containers for recycling. In fact, I had built up a little stack of empty crates in my kitchen, prompting my German teacher to ask me where the empty plastic bottles were.
It was during that lesson (which started with her saying, "you don't know beans") that I learned about Pfand in Germany. I had never lived anywhere that had container-deposit legislation, so in fairness, it was not something I immediately noticed, even when I saw fellow German shoppers lugging empty crates of bottles back to the store. I somehow assumed that those were glass containers, and since I was using plastic, I just continued putting my empty plastic bottles in the yellow container, just as I had done in Spain.
My German teacher set me straight, and since that time, I pay attention to the Pfand. That said, I actually have progressed further, and while I still purchase bottled water (for drinking) from time to time, I tend to re-use the plastic bottles with water from my tap, as the drinking water in Frankfurt is really good (and clean).
True, I have always been aware of the difference between soft and hard water, and yes, Frankfurt water is considered hard. But it has taken me a little longer to grap the full significance of what this means for an espresso machine. Fortunately, Mono patiently took the time to explain how best to entkalk my machine, and that more than likely, I would certainly see an improvement in how my machine would operate after the process.
The very next day, I went to my local Drogerie and purchased a natural product for descaling machines. I had hoped for a product specifically designed for espresso machines, but in the end, the process works about the same, even with a standard descaling product.
Such products use citric acid to get the lime off of the components. (Sorry for stating the obvious) The process worked really well, and would have been an exceptional experience had it not been for the fact that I did not rinse my machine quite sufficiently, which meant that my next espresso was a bit lemony (not to be confused with orangey from the other week), but that quickly went away as I flushed more water through the brewing filter.
My espresso machine was working better than before, but I was still noticing a bit of leakage. During my "here's how you descale your machine, you dipshit," discussion with Mono, he mentioned that he did filter his water for use in his machine, so as to minimize the build up of lime and stuff in the machine. I had never really considered doing this, but gave it some consideration over the next couple of days.
Since March, I avoided going to a lot of speciality shops, not because I did not want to support the economy, but more in the interest of safety, etc. So, I have been using some espresso bean purchased from my local supermarkt instead of going to my beloved Rösterei. But, having a freshly descaled machine prompted me to go out and get proper coffee bean again, so last week I returned to Wacker's, where the friendly woman greeted me excitedly, knowing that I was not the only customer to have gone through a lock-down for the previous months. Furthermore, she immediately knew which type of bean I wanted (since I buy about 1 kilo every 10 days), and kind of giggled and gushed as she said, "hey, the beans are just freshly roasted and delivered! They are still warm."
The roasting company is local, and deliver to their little shops, of which there are 3 or 4 around Frankfurt, including the one in my neighborhood.
It was a nice little experience, and I returned home, eagerly anticipating my next espresso. Quick pause to state that I am still satisfied with the beans that I purchased from my bio-markt, but as good as those beans are, they just cannot compare to a local roaster.
During those few days between descaling and new bean buying, I did order a more professional descaling product, which arrived the same day as my trip to my roaster. I had purchased the product on the reputation of the brand alone; all my other espresso maintenance product comes from the same manufacturer; they know what they are doing. However, the instructions for the descaling process were a little vague, so (as you do), I did a quick search to see if anyone was using the same product to descale the same espresso machine. Strangely enough, I only found one video experience, shared only a few days prior. I found this unusual because the manufacturer of my espresso machine is pretty widely known, and the cleaning products are almost industry standard. Why only one experience?
Well, I watched the video, and could easily connect with guy who made the video; he did so because he, too, found the instructions a little vague. His video was informative, and I figured I would know what to do the next time I needed to descale.
Meanwhile, I realized that as a little "bonus," my espresso machine manufacturer had included a little water filter with the complete unit, indicating it was a really good idea to use to improve the quality of my espressos. I installed the little filer as instructed, and got ready to use new bean, fresh water, and a freshly descaled machine for a brilliant espresso.
And it was great.
I almost made a homemade commerical, then wisely reconsidered as I noticed my next shots were all over the place. Or, perhaps better expressed, not even really coming out of the filter.
I had forgotten about how my guatemalan beans behave in my grinder, and furthermore, had not recognized just how all the changes I had made to the machine were all factoring together. On top of that, we have had the warmest temps so far this year, combined with extra high humidity.
Again, I understand how all these factors come into play, and while I DO know my beans, I know that you have to be prepared to tweak a little during grinding, shot pulling, etc.
But, I got there in the end, and even with the weather being somewhat uncomfortable, my coffees are quite the delight.
Filtering my coffee water (in the interest of the machine as well as the flavor of the espresso) seems like a long term plan for me, so I opened up the user's manual to find the product code for their special water filters. They have one for 35 liters and one for 70 liters, and I really just wanted to do the finanical calculations on how much the water treatment would cost over the course of a year.
My rating scale momentarily triggered a 7,5 as I read the statement in the user's manual: do NOT under any circumstances, use a descaling product in your espresso machine. How the hell I overlooked that sentence when I first bought the machine (or over the past couple of weeks) I do not know, but as I continued to enjoy my espresso and immediately placed an order for some water filters, I took a moment to reflect. It's not as if my machine was going to suddenly explode, or fall apart, or something really really horrible just because I descaled it.
I made a mental note to inform my youtube buddy (who clearly did not read his owner's manual, either) then considered the power of public service messages. Indeed, the manufacturer should know better than anyone else on how their product should perform. In the interest of marketing, they will throw out the DANGER - PANIC - VERBOTEN kind of messages that immediately capture the attention.
Consider the messages that the flight attendants said for the better part of 2 decades: don't use your mobile telephone during the flight, as it could interfere with the aircraft equipment, which hinted strongly that any malfunction of the aircraft could result in a very unfortunate situation.
I have been a little dismayed over the years to see how casual people adhere to this message during flights, though I do recognize that the message is not nearly as strong as it was 20 years ago. That being said, I still avoid using my mobile on any flight, full stop. I see no point in creating further risk just for the hell of it, and to be honest, I still take it as seriously as lighting a cigarette while filling up the gas tank: why would you do it?
At any rate, I think a one time descale on my machine will be okay, especially if I continue filtering my water in the future. In the event that my machine craps out or attacks me or something, I will be sure to provide an update via this blog.
keep the faith
bryan
Sunday, June 28, 2020
Friday, June 19, 2020
The Fury and Disappointment Leads to Hope
Earlier in the week, I was dusting off some music that I hadn't played in quite a while, including several pieces by Joe Jackson, who remains my all time favorite pianist. It has been over a year since I have recorded any arrangements where I play and sing; it seemed like an appropriate time to do so again.
To be clear, I have several JJ things in my repertoire, most of which I have been playing around with for the past thirty years. I have found Jackson's works always challenging for two main reasons. First, my voice is somewhat better suited for other stuff; it's not just my face that reminds someone of Tom Waits. Second, playing and singing at the same time is not that easy. Jackson's arrangments are pretty technical, probably because he is not merely a pianist, but rather a composer who can incorporate a lot of different genres into a song based on a simple little melody. Check out his latest album and you will hear what I mean.
As I did a bit of internet research on various versions of songs, I came across a fair amount of comments. I couldn't help but take a few moments and read a few of them. Although many (if not most) were very positive, I still came across statements that riled me. Okay, I might agree to some exent that he is an underrated performer; such a remark can be considered positive. I was more irriated when reading comments where Jackson is compared to other artists.
I never like reading the comment "poor man's xxx," when used to describe something, particularly when it comes to music. I feel that such statements are rather negative, despite the intention of the person who made the remark. I seem to be fan of a lot of groups/musicians who get categorized in this way; the Alarm (poor man's U2), Richard Butler (poor man's David Bowie), or in the case of JJ, a poor man's Elton John. The self-centered part of me takes offense as I wonder why I like so much music that isn't widely embraced like the super famous artists mentioned, but the realistic part of me quickly remembers that I don't really like music for the masses, anyway.
I have to be careful, here, because I regularly make my own comparisons, as we all do. Hell, I just acknowledged my resemblance to Tom Waits, and 14 years ago I had to sheepishly explain that I was the one who told my nephew that Actimel is actually Jägermeister for kids. Making comparisons can quickly lead to expectations that can result in disappointment. (I will come back to this point in a minute.)
On the music front, I think of the band the Smiths. In school, as I regularly discussed music with anyone and everyone, I found it significant that everyone tended to agree: the Smiths were just so unique that one couldn't compare them to other groups. At the time, your music exposure came from a lot of interaction with other listeners, and your horizons could quickly be broadened in a 5 minute conversation. "If you like this band, then you will love these guys, etc."
The Smiths held a rather wide appeal with lots of different people. I remember wearing my beloved Queen is Dead t-shirt to school, and was in deep conversation with a guy wearing Ropers and a western shirt (it was Texas, of course) about how much we liked the new album. A friend of mine who regularly wore his mohawk in liberty spikes walked by in the hallway, pausing just a brief moment to state that he liked Meat is Murder better. Later that morning in my science class, the cheerleader who sat next to me (alphabetically, not by her choice) turned to me and told me how much she liked the album, also. Quite cool that so many different people simply could say, "we like the music just because."
Years later, my friend Erik told me about the popularity of the Smiths with the Spanish speaking communities, particularly Chicanos. I was fascinated by this, because I wasn't aware that the music was still influencing so many listeners. It shouldn't have come as such a surprise, as I already had an album by a Spanish artist (the lead singer of Duncan Dhu) who had done a wonderful cover of a Smith's song. But, that guy is just a little older than me, so that made sense. What Erik was explaining had to do with listeners from the next generation, a good 15-20 years younger. How cool is now?
Switching topics. Indeed, how cool is now?
Well, if you keep up with current events, things are not particularly cool. There are lot of things going on that I find very distressing, and it's easy to become enraged as I watch yet another viral video of how someone behaves towards another individual or group of individuals.
It's disappointing, and if I allow it, I might become even more cynical. But thankfully, despite my similarity to Eeyore, I am more like Curious George. (Sure, why not bring stuffed animals into this post?)
To some extent, I am finding that I am disappointed in myself, particularly when it comes to accepting who I am because of my gender and the color of my skin. As I think about things and educate myself, I realize that as open as I am, in heart, and mind, and in character, it has not been enough. So, I read more, I discuss more, and I acknowledge my biases as I seek to understand what I can do as a white male to take more ownership, so I can understand all sides more clearly.
It's a positive thing, and what's even more encouraging is that during a conversation with my father this past week, I learned that he is doing the exact same thing. We talked about his time at college in Texas in the early 60s, and likewise his time in the military, where he met and served with people from vastly different backgrounds. As a child, my sister and I were taught about the importance of equality, diversity, and tolerance. But, she and I were not really informed about the experiences my parents had during the previous generation.
That wasn't enough.
I wrote an essay condemning racism during my first year of university, and as I reread that paper this morning (yes, thanks to McKee, a lot of my archived work has survived and is stored in a little box in my German flat) and saw the comments from the professor, who gave me an A for such an "excellent, genuinely felt and expressed work,"
That wasn't enough.
I don't have all the answers, but I am asking questions.
And learning.
And hoping.
keep the faith
bryan
To be clear, I have several JJ things in my repertoire, most of which I have been playing around with for the past thirty years. I have found Jackson's works always challenging for two main reasons. First, my voice is somewhat better suited for other stuff; it's not just my face that reminds someone of Tom Waits. Second, playing and singing at the same time is not that easy. Jackson's arrangments are pretty technical, probably because he is not merely a pianist, but rather a composer who can incorporate a lot of different genres into a song based on a simple little melody. Check out his latest album and you will hear what I mean.
As I did a bit of internet research on various versions of songs, I came across a fair amount of comments. I couldn't help but take a few moments and read a few of them. Although many (if not most) were very positive, I still came across statements that riled me. Okay, I might agree to some exent that he is an underrated performer; such a remark can be considered positive. I was more irriated when reading comments where Jackson is compared to other artists.
I never like reading the comment "poor man's xxx," when used to describe something, particularly when it comes to music. I feel that such statements are rather negative, despite the intention of the person who made the remark. I seem to be fan of a lot of groups/musicians who get categorized in this way; the Alarm (poor man's U2), Richard Butler (poor man's David Bowie), or in the case of JJ, a poor man's Elton John. The self-centered part of me takes offense as I wonder why I like so much music that isn't widely embraced like the super famous artists mentioned, but the realistic part of me quickly remembers that I don't really like music for the masses, anyway.
I have to be careful, here, because I regularly make my own comparisons, as we all do. Hell, I just acknowledged my resemblance to Tom Waits, and 14 years ago I had to sheepishly explain that I was the one who told my nephew that Actimel is actually Jägermeister for kids. Making comparisons can quickly lead to expectations that can result in disappointment. (I will come back to this point in a minute.)
On the music front, I think of the band the Smiths. In school, as I regularly discussed music with anyone and everyone, I found it significant that everyone tended to agree: the Smiths were just so unique that one couldn't compare them to other groups. At the time, your music exposure came from a lot of interaction with other listeners, and your horizons could quickly be broadened in a 5 minute conversation. "If you like this band, then you will love these guys, etc."
The Smiths held a rather wide appeal with lots of different people. I remember wearing my beloved Queen is Dead t-shirt to school, and was in deep conversation with a guy wearing Ropers and a western shirt (it was Texas, of course) about how much we liked the new album. A friend of mine who regularly wore his mohawk in liberty spikes walked by in the hallway, pausing just a brief moment to state that he liked Meat is Murder better. Later that morning in my science class, the cheerleader who sat next to me (alphabetically, not by her choice) turned to me and told me how much she liked the album, also. Quite cool that so many different people simply could say, "we like the music just because."
Years later, my friend Erik told me about the popularity of the Smiths with the Spanish speaking communities, particularly Chicanos. I was fascinated by this, because I wasn't aware that the music was still influencing so many listeners. It shouldn't have come as such a surprise, as I already had an album by a Spanish artist (the lead singer of Duncan Dhu) who had done a wonderful cover of a Smith's song. But, that guy is just a little older than me, so that made sense. What Erik was explaining had to do with listeners from the next generation, a good 15-20 years younger. How cool is now?
Switching topics. Indeed, how cool is now?
Well, if you keep up with current events, things are not particularly cool. There are lot of things going on that I find very distressing, and it's easy to become enraged as I watch yet another viral video of how someone behaves towards another individual or group of individuals.
It's disappointing, and if I allow it, I might become even more cynical. But thankfully, despite my similarity to Eeyore, I am more like Curious George. (Sure, why not bring stuffed animals into this post?)
To some extent, I am finding that I am disappointed in myself, particularly when it comes to accepting who I am because of my gender and the color of my skin. As I think about things and educate myself, I realize that as open as I am, in heart, and mind, and in character, it has not been enough. So, I read more, I discuss more, and I acknowledge my biases as I seek to understand what I can do as a white male to take more ownership, so I can understand all sides more clearly.
It's a positive thing, and what's even more encouraging is that during a conversation with my father this past week, I learned that he is doing the exact same thing. We talked about his time at college in Texas in the early 60s, and likewise his time in the military, where he met and served with people from vastly different backgrounds. As a child, my sister and I were taught about the importance of equality, diversity, and tolerance. But, she and I were not really informed about the experiences my parents had during the previous generation.
That wasn't enough.
I wrote an essay condemning racism during my first year of university, and as I reread that paper this morning (yes, thanks to McKee, a lot of my archived work has survived and is stored in a little box in my German flat) and saw the comments from the professor, who gave me an A for such an "excellent, genuinely felt and expressed work,"
That wasn't enough.
I don't have all the answers, but I am asking questions.
And learning.
And hoping.
keep the faith
bryan
Tuesday, June 09, 2020
Insanity's Circus Rides Again
It's funny. As much as I enjoy writing and expressing my thoughts, I do notice that when things get particularly nutty, I seem to sort of dry up and stop posting the latest updates in the life of, erm, Bryan. Part of it maybe has to do with the "if you can't say something nice, then don't say anything at all," thought process that I have. Part of it is also that I do not want to use this blog to write editorials; it's not that I don't have loads of material and opinion, but rather that I prefer to keep some of that stuff a little closer to me, a little more private, despite the front row glimpse I tend to offer about my personal life through my posts over the years.
Furthermore, when things start to get really distressing, the tone of my posts typically tends to become more dark and cynical, and I much prefer to try to bring out the more humorous side of things. And sometimes that just really isn't possible.
I think that explains why I have not put up a post in a few weeks.
But, I woke up this morning thinking about all of this, and once again find myself typing away at the keyboard,
The day after my last post, I met up with the guys for our first Kiosk Abend in almost 10 weeks. It was a great evening, and we were all delighted (relieved) to be out and about sharing our stories of being cooped up at home the previous weeks. All of us were cautious, and curious. It may sound strange that I considered that to be a highlight of the evening, but we were all taking our first steps back out into our new normal society, at least for that week.
The following Monday, we all met up again, and I noticed immediately that we were all feeling a little more relaxed. And, it was rather comforting to see more and more people on the street (most of them behaving themselves) as life was starting to "open" back up.
Outside of Mondays and trips to the store and little walks around the block, I was still keeping close to home. I had a few things I was trying to get sorted out with my mobile telephone contract, and I was still waiting on some stuff for the Arbeitsamt.
During that week, I happened to watch a charming little movie about a French woman who won a speed typing contest. Sure, it was a romantic comedy, and the actress was a little combination of Audrey Hepburn, Audrey Tautou, and Grace Kelly all together. Just writing that sentence brings a smile to my face.
Seeing the movie had provided me some blog material, and I took the next couple of days to collect my thoughts. The film is about a young secretary in the 1950s who starts competing in speed typing competitions, and goes on to (sorry spoiler alert) fall in love with her boss. I loved the film. As light and charming as it was, I was thinking about the stereotypes of the roles of women during the 50s (til present day), and how so many of them were secretaries. My mother was a secretary, herself.
However, as a guy who learned to type at a really early age, I found myself wondering how I would have fared in the speed typing competition. From the get go in typing class in 7th grade, I was typing a good 30 words per minute FASTER than my other peers. On a manual typewriter (like the one the girl used in the film), this was pretty darn good. At the time, I did not realize that my piano playing was giving me an extra edge. It wasn't until I got to college that I truly noticed the advantage; I tended to wait until the very last minute before typing up my papers, and can remember multiple times in the computer labs (where our school had computers for students to use) machine gunning away, banging out 10 page papers in a handful of minutes. Other students were noticeably startled when I would enter the lab and start pounding on the keyboard.
As most readers are aware, I never went on to win any sort of speed typing competition (I didn't know that they had those), but still, I topped out at about the same speed that most executive secretaries were hitting, and I always thought that was neat.
A nice French romantic comedy is always a big help in keeping the spirits high, but a couple of days later as I read some news reports the world suddenly became a lot more bleak. I almost felt guilty about my enjoyment of the film, during a time when the world was suddenly boiling over.
So, my thoughts have been a little dark over the past couple of weeks as I have prayed and cried and reflected on the recent events. I looked on with distress at the actions and words of so many different people, in various cities in the states, including my hometown. I became angry as I tried to understand something that is simply not so easy to understand.
Again, I in no way intend this piece to be a commentary on how things are going in the world, and I do not discount the significance of the impact that this is having on our society, even as I am constantly saying to myself, "what the fuck????" and not just because my dishwasher takes 14 hours to cycle through a wash.
I went to the pub the next Saturday afternoon, my first visit back in 3 months, and took a lot of comfort greeting friends and acquaintences, many of whom were also venturing back out for the first time. As we traded experiences and stories, "wtf" was used regularly, particularly when current events came into the conversation.
Later that evening I had a quick video call with my nephew, who was on a graduation-farewell tour, driving around to visit some family friends before he returns to Spain later this week. I have been thinking about him a whole lot in recent weeks, as his 5 year experience in the states comes to an end. When we were on the brink of turning 18, I think most of us were in a constant state of bewilderment, and the words "what the fuck???" seemed to be uttered with great frequence. At least, that was the way I felt. My nephew is going through that experience now, with the unfortunate bonus of living through a worldwide pandemic and racial tensions which are reaching absurd proportions.
If he hasn't already said it, I am sure within a few days he, too, will be regularly asking "¿qué cojones?" but at least he will be able to do it in multiple languages.
And I think that is what we are all needing right now. A bit of continued solidarity and understanding in our efforts to find peace in the world, on whatever scale.
Last evening, I had a pleasant experience at the dentist, partly because the check-up went really well, but more importantly,because my Zahnärtztin was so postive, despite the troubling times. She went out of her way to ask me about my health, the health of my family, then went on to ask me about my work situation. As I explained that I was currently looking for new opportunities, she responded with the postive affirmation that she was quite sure that I would be okay. And this coming from a woman who I've only seen once or twice per year over the past decade. Yes, she is a very nice person, but despite feeling flattered that she cares about me, I know that she cares about everyone just as much.
It was a nice reminder that the world isn't a completely shitty place.
So that experience helped me feel like scribbling a few thoughts down again this morning, and I am happy to report that this piece took me only 8 minutes to type.
We are definitely living in some crazy times, so it's certainly fitting for me to not forget what it's all about.
keep the faith
bryan
Furthermore, when things start to get really distressing, the tone of my posts typically tends to become more dark and cynical, and I much prefer to try to bring out the more humorous side of things. And sometimes that just really isn't possible.
I think that explains why I have not put up a post in a few weeks.
But, I woke up this morning thinking about all of this, and once again find myself typing away at the keyboard,
The day after my last post, I met up with the guys for our first Kiosk Abend in almost 10 weeks. It was a great evening, and we were all delighted (relieved) to be out and about sharing our stories of being cooped up at home the previous weeks. All of us were cautious, and curious. It may sound strange that I considered that to be a highlight of the evening, but we were all taking our first steps back out into our new normal society, at least for that week.
The following Monday, we all met up again, and I noticed immediately that we were all feeling a little more relaxed. And, it was rather comforting to see more and more people on the street (most of them behaving themselves) as life was starting to "open" back up.
Outside of Mondays and trips to the store and little walks around the block, I was still keeping close to home. I had a few things I was trying to get sorted out with my mobile telephone contract, and I was still waiting on some stuff for the Arbeitsamt.
During that week, I happened to watch a charming little movie about a French woman who won a speed typing contest. Sure, it was a romantic comedy, and the actress was a little combination of Audrey Hepburn, Audrey Tautou, and Grace Kelly all together. Just writing that sentence brings a smile to my face.
Seeing the movie had provided me some blog material, and I took the next couple of days to collect my thoughts. The film is about a young secretary in the 1950s who starts competing in speed typing competitions, and goes on to (sorry spoiler alert) fall in love with her boss. I loved the film. As light and charming as it was, I was thinking about the stereotypes of the roles of women during the 50s (til present day), and how so many of them were secretaries. My mother was a secretary, herself.
However, as a guy who learned to type at a really early age, I found myself wondering how I would have fared in the speed typing competition. From the get go in typing class in 7th grade, I was typing a good 30 words per minute FASTER than my other peers. On a manual typewriter (like the one the girl used in the film), this was pretty darn good. At the time, I did not realize that my piano playing was giving me an extra edge. It wasn't until I got to college that I truly noticed the advantage; I tended to wait until the very last minute before typing up my papers, and can remember multiple times in the computer labs (where our school had computers for students to use) machine gunning away, banging out 10 page papers in a handful of minutes. Other students were noticeably startled when I would enter the lab and start pounding on the keyboard.
As most readers are aware, I never went on to win any sort of speed typing competition (I didn't know that they had those), but still, I topped out at about the same speed that most executive secretaries were hitting, and I always thought that was neat.
A nice French romantic comedy is always a big help in keeping the spirits high, but a couple of days later as I read some news reports the world suddenly became a lot more bleak. I almost felt guilty about my enjoyment of the film, during a time when the world was suddenly boiling over.
So, my thoughts have been a little dark over the past couple of weeks as I have prayed and cried and reflected on the recent events. I looked on with distress at the actions and words of so many different people, in various cities in the states, including my hometown. I became angry as I tried to understand something that is simply not so easy to understand.
Again, I in no way intend this piece to be a commentary on how things are going in the world, and I do not discount the significance of the impact that this is having on our society, even as I am constantly saying to myself, "what the fuck????" and not just because my dishwasher takes 14 hours to cycle through a wash.
I went to the pub the next Saturday afternoon, my first visit back in 3 months, and took a lot of comfort greeting friends and acquaintences, many of whom were also venturing back out for the first time. As we traded experiences and stories, "wtf" was used regularly, particularly when current events came into the conversation.
Later that evening I had a quick video call with my nephew, who was on a graduation-farewell tour, driving around to visit some family friends before he returns to Spain later this week. I have been thinking about him a whole lot in recent weeks, as his 5 year experience in the states comes to an end. When we were on the brink of turning 18, I think most of us were in a constant state of bewilderment, and the words "what the fuck???" seemed to be uttered with great frequence. At least, that was the way I felt. My nephew is going through that experience now, with the unfortunate bonus of living through a worldwide pandemic and racial tensions which are reaching absurd proportions.
If he hasn't already said it, I am sure within a few days he, too, will be regularly asking "¿qué cojones?" but at least he will be able to do it in multiple languages.
And I think that is what we are all needing right now. A bit of continued solidarity and understanding in our efforts to find peace in the world, on whatever scale.
Last evening, I had a pleasant experience at the dentist, partly because the check-up went really well, but more importantly,because my Zahnärtztin was so postive, despite the troubling times. She went out of her way to ask me about my health, the health of my family, then went on to ask me about my work situation. As I explained that I was currently looking for new opportunities, she responded with the postive affirmation that she was quite sure that I would be okay. And this coming from a woman who I've only seen once or twice per year over the past decade. Yes, she is a very nice person, but despite feeling flattered that she cares about me, I know that she cares about everyone just as much.
It was a nice reminder that the world isn't a completely shitty place.
So that experience helped me feel like scribbling a few thoughts down again this morning, and I am happy to report that this piece took me only 8 minutes to type.
We are definitely living in some crazy times, so it's certainly fitting for me to not forget what it's all about.
keep the faith
bryan
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