[Travelling Blackbird]

Sunday evening is my one evening off in the week, so I always try to do something with it. Either friends come over here, or I go visit someone. Last night, I'd planned to go to my friend Mike's for dinner and board games. I noticed it was raining and sounded a little windy, but I wasn't going to let that put me off going out: I knew if I stayed home, I'd end up feeling maudlin.

On my way out, I passed two police officers who were talking to one of my neighbours about something. The three of them stared at me as I passed, but they didn't actually say anything. Even when I got outside and saw these two guys all bundled up, heads down, trying to duct tape plastic sheeting over the broken back window of their car, and then noticed the scattered smashed stone and glass all over the street, I didn't register that maybe the weather was worse than I thought.

I found out at the corner though, where my street widens out and really lets the wind have its way.

I was pushed right back around the corner and spun!

Call it Irish stubbornness or a determination not to spend the evening alone or plain old stupidity: I didn't give up! I kept on trying to get to the railway station. Rolling against the wind was like going up a steep hill. There were tree branches everywhere that I had to go around, and if I didn't get around them properly, they went right into my wheels and stopped the chair. I passed cars with smashed windows, smashed tiles on the road, and a beer garden wall that had been uprooted from the concrete. Did I think "Oh, I should go home"? No! See, apparently I'm the kind of person Darwin awards were made for.

I got about halfway to the station. Normally a seven-minute roll, but this was more like 20. I paused. And then something clipped the side of my head and swung around to hit me in the shoulder. Fortunately, I had my hood up and a thick jacket on, and ended up with nothing worse than a couple of bruises. It was a branch, about three feet long.

That's when I gave up.

When I got home, I found out that the trains were all cancelled anyway, and so it would've been all for nothing. But that's not the point: seriously, how dumb was I being? It was a huge storm, the evidence was all there, and I still kept going. I got lucky and got home.

How's everyone else in north-western Europe doing with the stormy weather?

[dangerousdave]

Wouldn't call it dumb - just Irish

But my brotherinlaw would also have had a can in his hand

This post has been edited by dangerousdave: 01 March 2010 - 11:50 AM

[McTavish]

Hi T.B. We would not even be that stupid in Ireland. Hope you had a few bevvies when you got home.

[Travelling Blackbird]

dangerousdave, on Mar 1 2010, 12:47 PM, said:

Wouldn't call it dumb - just Irish

But my brotherinlaw would also have had a can in his hand

Never got the hang of one-handed rolling...

McTavish, on Mar 1 2010, 01:57 PM, said:

Hi T.B. We would not even be that stupid in Ireland. Hope you had a few bevvies when you got home.

Unfortunately, the bevvies were all at my mate's house... I'd nothing in!

Maybe I've gotten dumber since leaving Ireland. It's been 16 years...

[qbounce]

You would think the police might actually speak to you as you rolled by with a word of warning. I don't know, call it common courtesy?

Anyway, sounds like the trip back home was much faster!

[Ratticis]

Could call it a display of your determination not to let any adversity stand in your way . . . Or just stubborness

[E-DOG]

Oh my goodness you could call it all kinds of things.
We know yer not dumb. So scratch that one.
The Irish are of course stubborn. But not to the point of self destruction.
So that ain't it.

Thus far I've read 3 psychology texts, googled the crap out of various sites, talked to 2 shrinks I know, an AA guru with 30 years sober and lost a shitload of sleep over this thing. I'll be damned if ya don't have me stumped, but I'll keep working on it.

[edlee]

It may well be a genetic defect,,,, Have your parents been known to play out in the rain??? Any evidence of weather related instability among your siblings??

Get over to Edog's place as quickly as you can,, he has the porcine stem cells, the genetic splicing tools,, ( a box cutter, two bowls, and a roll of duct tape) that I feel certain, will help you stay indoors for some time.

Or,,,, you may just be meteorologically challenged,,,, not all that unusal, actually.
ed

[Travelling Blackbird]

qbounce, on Mar 1 2010, 11:24 PM, said:

You would think the police might actually speak to you as you rolled by with a word of warning. I don't know, call it common courtesy?

Anyway, sounds like the trip back home was much faster!

Well, as they say back home, the wind was at my back...

On the one hand, yes, you'd think the police officers might have said something, since it was clearly dangerous to be out. On the other hand, they didn't assume I couldn't handle myself or make a decision for myself: isn't that one of the things that bugs most of us, when people assume we can't cope? I guess they figured I'd watched the news and had decided to go out anyway.

Ratticis, on Mar 2 2010, 03:54 AM, said:

Could call it a display of your determination not to let any adversity stand in your way . . . Or just stubborness

I like the way you put that! I must remember that euphemism for stubborn... ;)

E-DOG, on Mar 2 2010, 04:46 AM, said:

Oh my goodness you could call it all kinds of things.
We know yer not dumb. So scratch that one.
The Irish are of course stubborn. But not to the point of self destruction.
So that ain't it.

Thus far I've read 3 psychology texts, googled the crap out of various sites, talked to 2 shrinks I know, an AA guru with 30 years sober and lost a shitload of sleep over this thing. I'll be damned if ya don't have me stumped, but I'll keep working on it.

Well, now on top of feeling dumb for what I did, I've got to feel guilty for making you lose sleep. Tarnation!

edlee, on Mar 2 2010, 05:41 AM, said:

It may well be a genetic defect,,,, Have your parents been known to play out in the rain??? Any evidence of weather related instability among your siblings??

Get over to Edog's place as quickly as you can,, he has the porcine stem cells, the genetic splicing tools,, ( a box cutter, two bowls, and a roll of duct tape) that I feel certain, will help you stay indoors for some time.

Or,,,, you may just be meteorologically challenged,,,, not all that unusal, actually.
ed

Meteorologically challenged.

My family's Irish, so playing out in the rain is a required activity. 200 days of rain per year and all that...

Will I let E-Dog perform genetic experiments on me? Or duct tape my chair to a radiator to make sure I don't go out in bad weather again? Hmmm... it seems just like the level of drastic action I've proven myself capable of taking!

[jenny407]

A stubborn Irishman - in Germany in the storm ... What a coincidence! In fact, I got into the storm near Frankfurt with my husband because I absolutely wanted to go to a museum. However, no chair involved, just a car on the A3 motorway - no problems, really. Still felt strange when we realized later what a storm it had actually been.

And why did the police not talk to you? I guess because German police rarely talk to strangers when they seem sober and well-behaved. They just assume everybody knows what they are doing and nobody wants any advice. Sorry ... We went on a wonderful holiday to Ireland last summer and were (all 4 of us) very surprised at the way people would be really helpful to us - just like that, in the middle of the city. Well, we're back here now ...

[Travelling Blackbird]

jenny407, on Mar 2 2010, 11:01 PM, said:

A stubborn Irishman - in Germany in the storm ... What a coincidence! In fact, I got into the storm near Frankfurt with my husband because I absolutely wanted to go to a museum. However, no chair involved, just a car on the A3 motorway - no problems, really. Still felt strange when we realized later what a storm it had actually been.

And why did the police not talk to you? I guess because German police rarely talk to strangers when they seem sober and well-behaved. They just assume everybody knows what they are doing and nobody wants any advice. Sorry ... We went on a wonderful holiday to Ireland last summer and were (all 4 of us) very surprised at the way people would be really helpful to us - just like that, in the middle of the city. Well, we're back here now ...

Guten Abend!

I think there were quite a few people who didn't realize what they were getting into that evening. Glad you made it home without any accident or incident!

It's interesting with Germans and talking to people in public. As soon as I try to do something like get onto the train through the door that's not marked with a wheelchair symbol, or cross the road on a red pedestrian light (even if nothing's coming), or use an escalator, there's a dozen people coming up to tell me that I'm doing something wrong. However, when there's no actual rule about it...

Where are you from yourself? What part of Ireland did you visit last year?

Ich mag meine Leben hier in Deutschland. Ehrlich gesagt, finde ich Leben einfacher hier als in Irland.
(I like my life here in Germany. To be honest, I find it easier to live here than in Ireland).

[jenny407]

Hallo TB!

Danke für die Antwort! (Thanks for the answer!)
Well, in fact, the storm was really worse than we had thought, but we were lucky - always a bit too early or too late to get hurt. There had been the warnings on TV and the radio - but then we had been warned about meteorological catastrophes all this icy winter, right? When we were on our way to Frankfurt, we saw the other lane blocked by fallen trees (police, traffic jams). At Frankfurt Airport - no planes starting, just one landing. In Frankfurt - no buses or tram. Some vans seriously shaking from the wind. My husband later told our children: "Well, seemed your mother absolutely wanted to go to the museum ..." (German stubbornness, that?) (It was a very interesting exhibition of Georges Seurat.)

On a more serious note: I'm truly sorry you might have got really hurt, and the police and your neighbour didn't warn you. I was being a bit satirical about German behaviour - of course, I know some very friendly, open people. My husband (with a little bit of Russian temperament) keeps offering help and (even sometimes unwanted) advice to strangers all the time. Still, there is this said tendency that you mentioned... So sorry!

What do you like about life in Germany? I live near Aschaffenburg (near Frankfurt), in the north of Bavaria. In fact, I like living here. My place is a small village with beautiful landscape (river Main, a lake, forest, fields), lots of opportunities (clubs, sports ...) and very nice people. Frankfurt, Darmstadt and Würzburg are not far and offer culture and shopping.

In Ireland, we went round the south: Dublin, Ring of Beara, Limerick, Bantry, Blarney, cliffs of Moher ... (spelling right?) Fantastic landscape, great stories, and VERY open people. Really a great country! For Christmas, my children made a wonderful calendar about our trip for me. Of course, when you live somewhere, it's often different. Some Irish told us they had a lot of economic problems then.

Do you work as a teacher of English?

Alles Gute! (Best wishes!)

Jenny

This post has been edited by jenny407: 03 March 2010 - 07:34 AM

[Travelling Blackbird]

jenny407, on Mar 3 2010, 08:32 AM, said:

Hallo TB!

Danke für die Antwort! (Thanks for the answer!)
Well, in fact, the storm was really worse than we had thought, but we were lucky - always a bit too early or too late to get hurt. There had been the warnings on TV and the radio - but then we had been warned about meteorological catastrophes all this icy winter, right? When we were on our way to Frankfurt, we saw the other lane blocked by fallen trees (police, traffic jams). At Frankfurt Airport - no planes starting, just one landing. In Frankfurt - no buses or tram. Some vans seriously shaking from the wind. My husband later told our children: "Well, seemed your mother absolutely wanted to go to the museum ..." (German stubbornness, that?) (It was a very interesting exhibition of Georges Seurat.)

Sounds like a worthwhile exhibition. How long will it run for?

Glad you got there and back with no problems.

The German meteorological office makes too many warnings, so people don't take them seriously anymore. I never listen to them even!

jenny407, on Mar 3 2010, 08:32 AM, said:

What do you like about life in Germany?

I like the level of independence I can have here despite the wheelchair. I like the pace of life. I like the comprehensive public transport, the standard of health care, the quality of the food and drink, the beer, the quality of the opera houses and orchestras. I like living in a city where I get to use five languages on a daily basis. I like the big parks. I like the lack of hills. I find the people generally well educated and helpful.

I'm like the new German tourist board...

jenny407, on Mar 3 2010, 08:32 AM, said:

In Ireland, we went round the south: Dublin, Ring of Beara, Limerick, Bantry, Blarney, cliffs of Moher ... (spelling right?)

Cliffs of Moher indeed. Lovely trip. Will you ever do the north ring?

jenny407, on Mar 3 2010, 08:32 AM, said:

Do you work as a teacher of English?

I'm trying! I've been in and out of work over the past two years, and I'm just working on building up a new client base now so that I can get back to earning properly.

How about yourself?

[jenny407]

Hi Derek,

The exhibition of Seurat was in fact great. (Do you happen to know this painter? French impressionist - pointillist. You do sketching, so perhaps you're an expert?) It is in the Schirrn Museum (centre of Frankfurt, near the Römer), and it will run till May 2010. (There was in fact no hurry to go in the storm.) Really well done, with exhibits from all over the world, BUT: rather a smaller exhibition, as Seurat died young and did not paint so many pictures. So it is not "ein tagfüllendes Programm" (programme for a whole day). If you go, plan something else to do. Do you know Frankfurt? I find it an interesting city - full of contrasts, ugly and beautiful, rich and poor side by side. Perhaps you might want to go to the Museumsuferfest in August or September each year. (The exhibition will be finished by then, however.) Do not go along the river - much too crowded - but to the gardens / parks behind the museums. No entrance fee, and there are several live bands playing. One garden is all hippie atmosphere, the next is jazz, another is pop / rock. In the evenings especially, it's lovely. People eat, drink, listen, dance, relax. On the last evening, there's fireworks (but always too late for us).

<Sorry - a bit a long answer. I get carried away about going to nice places ...>
Please - go work for the German tourist board!! That sounded really captivating.
The north of Ireland: Yes, we would like to go there some day. People tell us it's very beautiful, too. Still mostly we stick to the continent (often France, sometimes Italy ...) for the summer holidays because my husband likes to have his own car with him. (He is a car enthusiast and sells Toyota - yes, I know, the recalls ...) Still, after going along the narrow winded roads on the Irish coast, our wonderful, brandnew black Audi rented car all scratched, he was happy it was NOT our car. We others found the roads romantic and the view breathtaking.

Good luck with your job, then! I am in fact a teacher of English and French (and very little Spanish) at a girls' school. I love my job, except for the paperwork. Mostly (this year, too) my pupils are a real pleasure. (Sometimes, I moan a lot about the paperwork - "Korrekturen, Protokolle" - and sometimes I complain about nasty pupils. But not at the moment.) One of my colleagues and a friend of mine is in a wheelchair. He teaches Maths and Physics, and he is looking forward to retirement in two years. He is a very good teacher, and I think he likes his job, but some classes are difficult, and he also complains a lot about the paperwork. Is that another German specialty? The paperwork or the compaints? I don't know.

I worry now a bit: This answer is so long and: it is obviously off the topic. I apologize!
Have a nice day, Derek.
Jenny

This post has been edited by jenny407: 04 March 2010 - 02:41 PM

[Travelling Blackbird]

Jenny, I PM'd you to continue the discussion of Germany and Ireland's relative merits!

And to continue the weather theme... it's snowing. What the @#$%! It's snowing! AGAIN!

[jenny407]

Derek, Thank you. I'll PM back. Yes - snowing .... Time for another metereological warning, don't you think? DON'T leave the house, don't!!
Jenny