Slowing Down

I just watched a TED talk on slowing down... how ironic that I got this from my boss...

Tonight marks my 31st triple tour since April here at Fat Tire.  And once again, I am almost to the point I was at last year where I just want to cry.  Burn out is here.  It sucks.

Is it worth it?  I'm not sure.  People ask me about living here in Paris all the time... all I can tell them is, I don't live in Paris.  I live in the Fat Tire world.  We work ridiculous hours that no one in France can possibly understand.  How could you?  When you're used to a 35 hour work week, working 13 hours a day 9 days in a row makes no sense whatsoever.  You might as well tell them that you are from a different planet.  Does not compute.  

So, no.  I don't get to practice my French.  No, I don't get to meet many French people.  No, I don't really get to experience life here.  

Don't get me wrong.  Sometimes I do.  Thursday night, I learned all the moves to "Beat It" by the guys that have a Michael Jackson dance-a-thon every night at the Eiffel Tower.  

But... the idea of slowing down has such a magical ring to it.  I find myself walking home listening to Debussy "Claire du Lune."  I want to stop and smell the roses.  Walk in the gardens.  Take a leisurely ride through the countryside.  And on my vacations, I want to be lazy and not feel the pressure to GO and to SEE and to DO.  I want to relax and enjoy.  Have a family meal.  Enjoy a wine and movie night.  Savor life and the relationships I have.

So tonight... since I can't savor anything else... I will sip my glass of wine as I watch TED and try to forget about my hectic life and day.  I'll think about the people I love and miss at home, and the people that I've met and cherish here, and the people that I'll meet and entertain tomorrow.  

And if you will (for me), take a moment to stop what you're doing and breath - no TV, internet, radio... just enjoy the silence and stillness.  Maybe I'll have my own person "On Walden Pond" moment after all. 

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Raw Berlin

I just need more time.  That's all I can say about this city, and the staff here in Berlin.  I need more time.  

Like a year.

At least.

First, let me introduce you to the cast of characters.

Blakley: whatever you need - he's you guy!  Party? Call Blakley.  Life advice?  Definitely Blakley.  Paris, Berlin... wherever... ride bikes with Blakley.

Ingo: our fearless host.  What else can you say about this lovable German?  

Kylie: the New Yorker.  No, we don't really speak the same language, but we try to meet at the Mason-Dixon line.

Me:  I fall down a lot.  (Thanks Blakley.)  And I like to dance.  And wear neat hats.  And purple jackets.

The beginning of a great night....

Our fearless leaders (Ingo and Blakley) are maybe two of the world's most generous people.  They are happy and kind and ridiculously fun. They love their jobs and their city - they eat, sleep and breath Berlin.  

Imagine a city that is constantly changing, growing, moving and transforming before your very eyes.  Minute by minute - it is different.  It is relevant - it's history is relatable.  You ride through the city and see bombed out buildings, squatters villages, shanty towns and graffiti.  You ride past the Berlin wall crossing from the East and the West several times just to get to your destination - yet even during MY lifetime, this has not always been possible.

The Holocost Memorial.

Bike tour with Blakley in front of the Reichstag or German Parliament.

Sniper tower from the Cold War.

Berlin Wall.

Bike tours by the Berlin Wall.

A bombed out building.  Not everything has been restored from the war.

Modern Berlin - overlooking the river.

East side gallery - the longest remaining stretch of the Berlin wall.  Now filled with amazing paintings and art.  Behind these are beach bars where people hang out all night.

This is truly the city that never sleeps - as I discovered as we rode our bikes home after a night out to a beautiful sunrise and to the sound of roosters crowing "Kiki-riki" (this is what German roosters say... French roosters say "Coco-ri-co"... where did American roosters get "Cockadoodle-doo?"... but this is a separate conversation.)

Evil geniuses at work.

This building (in the middle of Museum Island) would display anything you could create with the words it provided you.... thus, "Bend Ueber...." compliments of the evil masterminds above.

Absinthe.

This is an old bombed out building (squat) that they've turned into a 5 story bar.  Complete with dance floor.  And tons of bands.

Staircase to the top.

Its art is available to everyone in full view.  Banksy said, (and yes, he's British... but this applies) 

Bus stops are far more interesting and useful places to have art than in museums. Graffiti has more chance of meaning something or changing stuff than anything indoors. Graffiti has been used to start revolutions, stop wars, and generally is the voice of people who aren't listened to. Graffiti is one of those few tools you have if you have almost nothing. And even if you don't come up with a picture to cure world poverty you can make somebody smile while they're having a piss.

This city recognizes its history - both good and bad - it doesn't wallow in it.  It is modern and ancient all at the same time.  To live in Berlin, I think, would be to be a part of history in the making.  Paris is Paris... it always will be what it is right now.  I think this is the best way to describe it: 

Paris (to quote Blakley... who I think was quoting Wolf) is beautiful, but Berlin is raw.

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Random Thoughts: TED Talks

For everyone who already knows about TED... awesome, I realize I'm a little behind on the times.  For anyone who DOESN'T know about TED... I am so glad that I get to be the person to enlighten you.  

My boss (and others) are constantly talking about this guy "ted,"  who apparently gives these great talks on all these different subjects.  Only recently did I actually google "ted talks" to figure out what was going on.

"TED" is not a guy.  It stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design.  Ideas worth spreading.  Basically the world's most intelligent and interesting people have these big conferences every year and they talk about what is up and coming in the world.  From food, politics, education, web design, art, music, technology, chinese food - anything and everything that a huge nerd like myself would be interested in.  Just watch.   I hope you get addicted too. (This is one of my new faves.)

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