Music

The meaning of life

It only took me a week of being in Vienna to find my means of transportation to the sublime – at the beautiful Konzerthaus Wien.

I’m sure this won’t be the last time my blog contains musical chapters, but here is my first. For a mere five Euros, I was privileged to attend this morning a concert rehearsal by Concerto Copenhagen, the premier period instruments ensemble of Scandinavia, led by its director, Lars Ulrik Mortensen. The program was one piece: Georg Friedrich Händel’s oratorio, Il Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno (The Triumph of Time and Truth). You can read below a brief description I found online.

While I do love Baroque music, I claim no particular knowledge of, or even affinity for, vocal music, but today’s experience was truly transcendental. Mortensen’s kinetic energy was riveting as he pulled, pushed, swayed and cajoled the musicians into brilliant playing and moving interpretation.

I often feel a deficit of musical appreciation, because my training does not include extensive theory or expertise. I miss a million subtleties, nuances and compositional genius because of this. And I certainly cannot objectively critique a performance. But on a morning like this, I just drank up the sheer beauty of the sounds and knew that music must be the only meaningful thing in this world (aside, of course, from love!).

The soprano’s voice (my favorite) was like clear, glistening spring water, rippling and rushing in a stream. The first violinist’s technical skill and dynamics were a marvel. And since this was a rehearsal, I was able to observe the amazing work that goes into making really, really good music. Yet how the director could know the work so completely, and hear so well each note played and sung, so that he could articulate his desired improvements … that kind of gift is so beyond me, I simply have no words.

I managed to record a few excerpts (this was the first time I’d ever used the video feature on my camera), but unfortunately I couldn't upload them to the blog. Instead, try clicking on these links:

http://www.youtube.com/v/13d1vuhJHpI?hl=en&fs=1 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9md7BDKvs0 

But if all that weren’t enough, after an hour and a half, the orchestra took a break, and we (the guests with the women’s group I joined) were treated to complimentary Viennese coffee and cake. Does it get any better? Well, yes it does. While I enjoyed this treat, I watched out the window to see the locals enjoy ice skating in a rink right next door.  Wunderschön. Then it was back for another hour of delicious music!

For an mini-clip, click here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPHrrifTypg

As I headed down the stairs to leave, I heard a cacophony of music, and realized that during the rehearsal a market of sorts had been set up in the lobby for vendors of Baroque instruments, predominantly recorders of all shapes and sizes. What a sight! 

Then home on the Ubahn to walk Scout (the weather was actually balmy today), and a late lunch (or early dinner) of knockwurst and salad.

And that was my day today.

-----------------------

Il Trionfo del Temp e del Disinganno

There are 5 characterizations: Beauty, Time, Deceit, Pleasure, and Counsel or Truth. Beauty, admiring herself in a mirror, wishes she could arrest the passage of Time, whereupon Pleasure promises that her charms shall never fade. Counsel advises Beauty to follow Truth, warning that youth does not last. At this, Pleasure initiates a trial: Who shall give the victory, Pleasure, Beauty, Time or Counsel? In the midst of the arguments, Deceit intervenes. It's quite entertaining and not difficult to follow, and the music is delightful as Handel can be most of the time.

Welcome to my Neighborhood

A quick photo essay

Vienna is divided into 23 districts, all of which surround the Innere Stadt (inner city), or first district – its business, cultural and tourist center. Once a walled city, Vienna’s first district is now literally encircled by a boulevard called “The Ring.” I live in the ninth district, also known as Alsergrund, to the northwest of the Ring, and between it and a larger beltway, called the Gürtel (you can probably figure that one out yourself!). FYI - the famous Danube River, known in German as the Donau, runs along the northeast of the city.

If you would like to know a little more about the area and what can be found here, click this link:  Alsergrund

Meanwhile, here are few quick shots of my neighborhood to help set the scene. It may  look a bit dreary, I know, because of the cloudy weather, but what can ya do? I don't feel dreary ;-)  By the way, you can enlarge any of the images just by clicking on them. Hit the back button on your browser to return to the blog page.

Stepping out my front door,
looking to the right

Stepping out my front door,
looking to the left

View out my window, looking northwest
as a train goes by

A scene on Nussdorferstrasse, the district's main thoroughfare,
which runs parallel to my street, two blocks over

Another shot on Nussdorferstrasse,
featuring my favorite pastry shop, Aida, where you can buy
cakes named after artists like Klimt and Schiele

A tram zigzags down Nussdorferstrasse

Look how close I am!

My Ubahn (subway) station, designed by the Austrian architect, Otto Wagner, in the Jugendstil (Art Nouveau) style.
The trains run every few minutes, and even though they're only two blocks from my apartment, I barely hear them.

You Dirty Dog!

Scout on the streets of Vienna

Never, and I do mean never, has Scout been so dirty.

How, you must be wondering (as I did), is that possible in one of the most cleanliness-obsessed societies in the world?

Well, honestly, it’s not the Viennese’s fault. There’s been a lot of snow this winter, and it is a city, with cars and other pollutants. Even though most of the snow is gone right now, dirt pebbles (thank goodness, not salt) are used for traction. Now, as you all have seen, Scout has long, flowing locks of fur in a lovely light shade of blonde, and she stands not all that far off the ground. So every time I walk her, she returns home wet and black underneath. A fair amount of towel drying removes the worst, but she is now a few Clairol shades darker – at least until I bathe her, which right now seems absolutely pointless.

My only solution, so far, has been to give her a significant haircut! So, gone are those cute wisps that hung airily from her legs and all along her underbelly, and yes, the fluffy pantaloons on her derriere. It doesn’t entirely eliminate the problem, but it surely reduces the cleanup time!

And, although it pains me to say it, I think I’ve already found my next political cause:  getting citizens to clean up after their canine charges. I didn’t anticipate this at all, since during my last visit, when I stayed in the third district, and walked all over the first (the main downtown area), I seldom encountered a problem.

So far, I love everything about this ninth district (more in my next post) – except that I really do have to watch where I’m going. It’s not everywhere, but prevalent enough to make you have to be cautious. The strange thing is:  there are doggie bag dispensers on almost every block and places to drop them. What gives?

And honestly, Scout is not impressed either! Her first few days here were all about prancing prissily through the rare patches of dirt to find a place to do her business. (Is this TMI?) I’ll never know the real reason – it might have been nerves, jet lag, or something else entirely – but it took nearly 24 hours and several very long walks to persuade her that, “No, this is not Teaneck, or even Portland, and you’re just going to have to get used to doing it the way Viennese dogs do it – on pavement!”

Well, day four, and I’m happy to report that she’s gotten the picture. All is well in that department! We still go on long walks – there’s so much to see (and smell!) – but not every time. I think she’s even getting to recognize where we live, and pays special attention when we pass by the front door.

Indoors, things are quite fine. Not as much floor space as before, but the outdoor walks make up for that. She knows where her bowls are (duh! What dog doesn’t?), and she has taken her place at night by the foot of my bed. Even though she’d grown attached to her crate, it really would take up too much space in the apartment, and, lucky for me, there is storage space available in the basement. So I just put down the blankets she had been lying on in the crate, and this appears to suit her quite well.

Schlaft gut, Scout!

Hallo von Wien!

And so it begins.

Yes, I am here, and I don’t quite believe it. I have been trying for days just to figure out how to explain how I feel, how to describe this momentous occasion in my life, but the truth is – it just feels normal. So it must be right. Right?

And so, putting profundity aside for now, I’ll simply fill you in a bit about my trip here. It was essentially without incident, and I like the way my son described my departure:

“That's one small step for Mom...one giant leap for Momkind.”

The day I left was actually a bit surreal - almost too mundane for what was about to happen. Although I always get a bit anxious before air travel (worse, the older I get!), it was all systems go on Thursday morning. I was packed, ready, and strangely calm. My only real concern was about how the trip would go for Scout.

The young man who checked me in at Austrian Airlines was really sweet. He said, “Bad news. You have to pay for your dog, and you have to pay for the extra bag.” I was prepared, and said, “I know.” So he referred me to the lady whom I would pay for Scout, and he told her that the dog was medium-sized (which was really a downgrade from the online weight guidelines, according to which Scout was a Large). So her ticket ending up costing only $215, rather than the $400 I was expecting. Then, I think he simply forgot to charge me for the extra bag – and, he never even weighed them. So that was a good beginning, ja?

Scout was clearly suspicious about what was going on at the airport. She didn’t put up too much of a fuss going into her crate, but it was very hard for me to hand her over to strangers, knowing that she was confused, scared, and whining for me. But I had to hurry … the security check-in snake line went on forever, and was moving slowly. I finally boarded – barely 20 minutes before the scheduled departure; then we sat for about an hour and a half on the runway. Amazingly, we made up the time, and arrived only half an hour late.

And what a sweet arrival it was. My bags came quickly, even though it was another anxious 20 minutes or so until Scout was brought out. She was clearly a bit distressed, but quite happy to see me. Then we proceeded through the gate and met our wonderful landlady and her son. Such a comfort to see her familiar face, and not to have to even think about how to get to the apartment.

The apartment was just as I had remembered it, and she told and showed me everything I needed to know. It’s now day three, and I feel completely at home here.

Scout and I have taken several long walks around the neighborhood and started getting to know our surroundings. I also did a little grocery shopping to pick up a few items. Other than that, I have been mostly unpacking, organizing, writing e-mails, Skyping, planning, and studying maps and language. In other words, I’ve been ‘nesting’ in my new home. It’s a completely different experience than coming to a place to visit or tour. I’m staying here to live, and I feel no time pressure to run out to do or see things.

For better or worse, the rainy weather that bade me farewell in NJ was here to meet me in Vienna. But it doesn’t faze me and, as I said at the beginning, it can be considered good luck, and perhaps an auspicious beginning. Very auspicious, in fact, because the forecast is for rain and/or snow until the 15^th!

So I guess all in all, it was an easy birth. The baby giraffe is already standing and making her way in the world, this new world. (I promise – that does it for the giraffe metaphor!)

Specific plans are already developing for this week, and I will let you know how things go. Until then, here are some photos of my new digs. More to come.

Old world on the outside ... 

The front door of my apartment building.
Come on in.

Climb the stone steps up one mere flight to the first floor.
Good thing too, because the lift is not yet working!

Apartment 6.
No doorbell .. just knock!

New world on the inside ...

A quick peek at my küche

Trying to get the hang of news
auf Deutsch!

Labor Pains

Mama giraffe is in transition

My due date is fast approaching, and I believe I am already in the transition stage of labor – that most intense period when contractions are the strongest and most rapid, and the urge to push is overwhelming.

Expecting

I have known for over a year that this day was coming, and I have known for several months that the actual date would be January 6^th. But when people ask me if I am excited or nervous, I really can’t say. It feels just like it does when you’re having your first child:  you know that on a specific day, your life will change forever in ways that you can’t even imagine, and yet you are itching with anticipation and filled with curiosity about what this new life will look like.

And like an expectant mother in the throes of nesting, I am maniacally trying to tie up all the final details of my departure. There’s a lot left to do in these last three days, believe it or not, but the list is definitely dwindling.

My biggest disappointments in all the preparations I made are (1) that I didn’t get to spend as much time as I’d hoped to studying German, and (2) that my nine boxes will not be waiting for me in Vienna as planned. Invoicing disputes, the holiday season, U.S. customs (in general, not specifically about me) and the storms along the west coast of Europe have conspired to delay my shipment, which for all I know could be still rolling along on the bounding sea. The latest communiqué from the shipping company projected delivery to my apartment about a week after I arrive. Keep your fingers (and toes) crossed please.

One area of better-than-expected accomplishment, however, is how well Scout has adapted to her travel crate. You may remember my earlier attempts to acquaint her with it (see photos in my post “Pet Prep”) while we were still in Teaneck.

Not long after Thanksgiving here in Maine, I reintroduced her to it, and found after a few short days that she was wandering in of her own accord. I think it helped that I rather slyly positioned it right in front of her favorite window, and she had no choice but to venture in so that she could peer out into the world. But she soon seemed to appreciate its coziness, and began to take naps in it.

Then I brought out and let her sniff the cover for a while, and finally wing-nutted it into place on top. Lo and behold, she liked it even more. Now it’s like her own personal bedroom (with a canopy bed, if you will), and she spends quite a bit of time each day and at night sleeping there. (She’s in it now as I write this.)

And while this over-anxious pet owner still worries about how the experience of the flight will upset Scout, I take some comfort in knowing that at least she will feel like she is in her own place (even if it is noisy, somewhat cold and very lonely).

And now, dear readers, it’s time for the giraffe to give one last push, and to say ...

Gute Nacht, auf wiedersehen, und nächstes Mal schreibe ich von Wien!

[Good night, so long, and next time I’ll write from Vienna!]

Identity Crisis

Yikes! I’m a Mainer!

It was just a matter of practicality. The question was: Did I need a U.S. address in order to continue functioning as a U.S. citizen?

For the most part, I could get by without one. But when I was asked if I intended to vote in the future, my answer was a resounding ‘Yes!’ – and for this I do need an official place of residence. I may be completely exasperated, disenchanted, even furious with the politics in this country and the way things are going, but I’m too opinionated and stubborn to let my voice go unheard.

The interesting thing is that now my voice will be part of the Maine demographic, and not lost in the sea of Democrats voting in NJ. 

The other tipping point was that my NJ driver’s license was due to expire early next year, and without a NJ address, I would not be able to renew it. So off I went this week to the BMV (Bureau of Motor Vehicles) with the necessary documents to get my Maine license.

And this, my friends, is what makes living in Maine worthwhile. The entire process took less than 10 minutes. No waiting in lines. A brief, simple form to fill out. A super friendly clerk to explain everything. Even a fairly decent photo! Does it get any better than that?

And in other car-related news, I sold my Honda this week! My intention was to sell it, but not turn it over until just before I leave for Vienna. It’s the one – and only – thing Portland has in common with LA: you need a car. So I went back to Craig’s List to post my ad.

Bye-bye sweet baby Honda

Did you know that, unlike NY or NJ, where CL has several regional divisions, the only one for the city of Portland is the one in Oregon? The entire state of Maine is its own region, and there are no smaller ones!

Anyway, the good Karma was still floating around out there, and after several other inquiries, a very nice couple (actual hunters!) from Auburn (about 45 minutes north) responded to my listing, and really loved the car. After a brief visual inspection, a peek under the hood and a 20-minute road test, we struck a deal. And since they really didn’t want to wait until January to take the car, they paid a price that covers the cost for me to rent a car until I leave. Sweet!

Hello chintzy Chevy

Just hope my rental (an uh-uh-ugly) Chevy HHR rides well in the snow, which has just begun to blow down. Great night for my hearty beef stew,  now simmering on the stove. Yummm!

The Maine Thing

Life in the Pine Tree State

One month down, one more to go. This is the longest I have lived anywhere besides Teaneck since moving there from Queens in 1981. So, what is Portland like, and how do I like living here?  A few impressions:

1. The people are way too nice.

And I don’t mean in a sugary, superficial way. They’re just really friendly, and courteous to a fault – especially at intersections. It’s refreshing for a girl who was New York born-and-bred.

2. The people are way too hearty.

They stereotypically like rugged outdoor sports, chopping wood and sailing the open sea. And I know I’ve come to hate the cold much more as I’ve gotten older, but really … shorts in below-freezing weather? What are these Mainers made of?

3. The people are relatively few in number.

The city’s population is 64,000, with the greater Portland area coming in at 230,000. This may account in large part for #1 above, but it is striking to me how sparsely populated this area is compared to where I’ve lived before. Even shopping in downtown Freeport on Black Friday was a casual and uncrowded experience with no flared tempers or aggressive bargain hunters. Snap!

 4. The city is not too big, not too small, but just right.

It’s a perfect Goldilocks setting. Nothing is more than a few minutes away in downtown, or maybe at most a 10-minute drive on the highway. Its pace is slower than the big city, yet it has a vibrant and eclectic cultural scene with concerts, museums and restaurants to suit every taste. I could work for the bureau of tourism, except …

5. It’s too damn cold!

Not that that’s a surprise, of course, but it’s a bone-chilling, windy and sometimes damp cold that penetrates deeply and takes some doing to undo. If I lived here permanently, I would have to buy a whole new wardrobe – for both indoors and out – just to survive. As it is, I did buy a new long-ish down parka with furry hood that promises to protect in 0° to 20°F. And it does! Good thing too, because …

6. Portland is further north than NYC

And, as it turns out, Vienna is further north still! OW! While NYC is at 40°N latitude, Portland is at 43°. Vienna sits at a whopping 48°! I did know, honestly I did, that I wasn’t moving there for the climate, but this might present a bit of a challenge. Especially when I have to start hearing weather reports in Celsius, where freezing (32°F) is called 0°, and this morning’s temperature in Portland would be equivalent to a shocking -15°!

7. I like Pete’s Place

My brother has a really cool two-storey loft apartment with eye-appealing angles and surfaces, including a spiral staircase. It’s both cozy and spacious at the same time, and because we are such agreeable people  ‘-)  we’ve been having no trouble living together this past month. (Can’t say what he’ll be thinking after another month, though!) I’ve visited him often over the 25+ years that he’s lived in Maine, but this is the first time that I’ve actually had to learn the geography and get myself around, and I’ve quite enjoyed it.

All in all, the Portland experience has been just great, and a perfect interlude on my journey to Vienna. I never really expected I’d be idle for these two months, but it is surprising how many, many tasks and details I still must attend to before I leave. Fortunately, my list-making skills were well honed before leaving Teaneck, and they are definitely serving me well these days.

And while thankfully it’s a far, far cry from homelessness, there is a strange sense of not really having a home. I no longer have an address in New Jersey, my stay here in Portland is temporary, and my residence in Vienna is still only a future destination. It gives me the sense of being in a canoe, paddling my way down a river and navigating the rapids – knowing that there’s a waterfall to traverse and calmer waters  ahead, but they’re still out of reach.