End of the year.

The year will be over in a few hours and as in past years I would like to finish it with a quote.

This years quote is a special one.

It does reflect my "modus operandi" as I also find the biography of the man, Eric Hoffer, who said this to be interesting.

Values, fears and hopes are things deeply inside a person and trying to be oneself and realizing self defined goals for none is easy. Sometimes it seems that just very different point of views collide and things meant and things perceived differ drastically.

And sometimes not wanting to compromise ones principles lead to difficulties.

I wish all those who have been part of my last year all the best.

I wish you, that you may realise your goals.

"In a time of drastic change it is the learners who inherit the future. The learned usually find themselves equipped to live in a world that no longer exists."

Eric Hoffer

Christmas impressions

Christmas impressions

Hope Christmas time was pleasent for all. It was a relaxing time for me. A good time to read some books and just walk around the beach.

And now..

..something completely different.

The morning

The morning

The morning was arriving and I although some time ago I immediately would have joined them today I preferred to watch the familiar scene from a certain distance. Nipping slowly on my drink was a good start for a Sunday morning.

@Fabric

@Fabric

The lady was taller than me. She ordered a double Gin Tonic and a shot. After drinking the shot she turned around and walked to a man. There she stand. She began to smile, danced and after a while she looked him in the eyes and gave him a short kiss. The voice of the bartender suddenly disturbed my observation of the scene. I ordered a Whiskey-Coke and a shot of Vodka for me. The lady was too young for drinking shots alone.

Man at work

Man at work

Underneath the turntables was the crowd. On the right side there were also people dancing but he did not take notice of them since the moment, he was mixing the two songs, was critical for him. He did not care whether the kids noticed the details, he did, and that was important for him and although it seems not obvious, he took his proud out of doing this good for them.

room.three

room.three

The crowd was young and enthusiastic. A little bit too enthusiastic for my taste right now. They were all looking in the same direction and the disco lights in different colors was moving above them in circles and waves. One young lady was making a picture with her camera. She was neither smiling nor looking as she were enjoing herself like the others. She took the photo to not forget the evening.

Boogy Woogy?

Boogy Woogy

I seemed to be dressed a little bit too "posh" for this location. Nevertheless the music was housy and the over the different floors people were having a good time. Maybe the advice of the lady had been a joke?

A club´s name

The phone call woke me up in the morning. A lady told me the name of a club and hang up. She didn´t even bother to tell me her name. But I knew the voice and although I usually don´t talk too much I would have asked her how she was going.

Sushi and Coke

Sushi and Coke

As a preparation I decided to take a private "Finest Sushi" for 3.49 and a Diet Coke Lime for 0,84 pence. I was happy that I could pay with some coins I always used to have with me. Maybe it was also a bit of relief, that I still could mantain the illusion that I had some notes in my pocket. The Lime Coke would be my Caipirinha substitute, and knowing that in Rio they would give me a whole bottle of the real stuff for that price didn´t make it taste much better. But I was not in Rio, I was in the city. And I had a job to do.

The Champagne

Champagner

The Champagne was great but it was still too early to even think of getting a bottle. I made a mental note and decided to come back to consider it after my local problems had been clarified.

A walk in the park

A walk in the park

The wind was cold and although it had been a very warm winter up until now in Frankfurt and London I sensed that thinks began to change. And it was happening quicker than I thought. Here no one would give me answers. But to settle away from my day time activities and focus on my tasks it was pretty good.

Folk music

Folk music

The man was playing his music and distracted me for a while. I was thinking that maybe I should have put my coat on but then maybe it was better to get accustomed to it. Maybe he had seen something but I wanted not to disturb him....more.
This approach wasn´t really working to well. It was time to get some Sushi and visit a Bar.

Afternoon, the next day

Afternoon, the next day

Too early for dinner and already too late for espresso. The cappuccino was good; the shortbread was suspicious. Eating too much makes me tired.

In the evening.

In the evening.

It was late and I was hungry. It was too late for Falafel but it tasted great. The idea of having choosen the wrong box irritated me. The day had been long and it was time to go to bed.

"Custom" order

"Custom" order

Later in the office I looked at the manual and noted a slighty changed option. Tomorrow maybe some more milk would be good. I never have been a friend of the syrups but it´s never too late to try some new tastes.

The bitter taste of espresso..

The bitter taste of espresso..

The sugar looked strange and the taste wasn´t typical either. Maybe the espresso was too strong for me today. I hope so..

In the Lasagne?

In the Lasagne?

The food looked great but I could not really relax. Too much had been going on and my thoughts were spinning through my head.

Hidden in the dessert?

Hidden in the dessert?

The first desert that day was difficult to chose. The idea of making the wrong decision paralised me. I considered taking the fruit but settled for the cake.

Missing service?

Missing service?

After landing I noticed immediately that there was a possibility to declare the Polonium but no one would have been there to attend the guest. Was it a problem of bad customer service?
The breakfast had been gone and I was thinking were I could get some juice to satisfy my quench.

Usability issue?

Usability issue?

In the morning I noticed how the way the rules on the backside of the ticket were described were not really user friendly. The sentence was too long and the picture more an invitation than a statement which forbides something. Maybe the word "not" should have been written in capital letters or the whole phrase should have said "Don´t even think about it". It was before breakfast and I knew it was going to be a long day.

And now..

..something completely different.

"Transnationaler sozialer Raum"

Einen Artikel den ich in Telepolis über einen lesenswerter Aufsatz entdeckt habe, handelt über Transnationalisierung (Transnationalisierung von unten). Der Begriff war mir neu; es geht um die Individualvernetzung über Landesgrenzen hinweg.

Die Primärliteratur schliest mit dem Fazit:

"In kosmopolitischer Perspektive geht es auch
darum, eine ironische Distanz zur eigenen
Kultur zu entwickeln und anderen Kulturen
und Menschen mit Respekt und Toleranz
zu begegnen. Ein weltbürgerliches Bewusstsein
überwindet die nationale Grammatik,
die sich an der Leitunterscheidung zwischen
nationaler Zugehörigkeit und Nicht-Zugehörigkeit
ausrichtet, und orientiert sich trotz
Verschiedenheit an den Prinzipien der Gleichbehandlung."

Die kursive Hervorhebung stammt von mir.
Einen schönen Zweiten Advent.