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Monday, April 10th, 2006
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2:06 am - Lovely Things
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Someone's away message:
i might be an anatomically incorrect barbie girl in an AU world...
or i might just be exhausted from a week/end in NYC, etc. with the family. another crazy week ensues!
p.s. i adore new love interests! even though i hate the term "love interests". i don't like admiration to be associated with financial investment. but either way, i've got one.
Je suis cette interet d'amour. :)
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| Tuesday, November 1st, 2005
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10:31 pm - One day...
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A letter I found in my research.
25 October 1907, Harmony Twichell to Charles Ives
Dear--
I never wrote a love letter adn I don't know
how. If I don't mail this today you won't get mail until Monday, and I
can't wait that long to have you see in my writing what you've seen
these perfect days in my face--that I love you, and love you, and love
you and no number of times of saying it can ever tell it. But believe it and that I am yours always and utterly--every bit of me.
Isn't that a beautiful? I'm glad I know one person who would send that
to his significant other in a heartbeat (You know who you are. Feel
free to rip the letter, I don't think Ives would mind. He's dead
anyway Although you do speak with her on the phone every single
day, so it's not like you've communicated this sentiment already.
But...whatever, anyway.....).
current mood: A little better
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9:35 pm - Bike
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My bike got stolen today. I left it unlocked, foolishly, outside Ewell b/w 530 and 830. Away it went. Funny thing is, that there was another person's bike unlocked, off the rack and all alone, waiting for the taking, but apparently my bike was nicer (It was certainly bigger, I suppose). Really, it's all my own fault. Didn't lock it up. Didn't register it, which means the police will have a harder time finding it. :Sigh: You live and learn, I Just didn't really need this, though I guess no one really needs to have their bike stolen. It could be worse I suppose. By the way, if anyone at WM sees a
Reddish purple, thin-tires, high handlebars, thin framed bike with "Specialized" and "Crossroads" on the frame, call me (703-407-4329) or email me (mlklei@wm.edu. A reward will be provided upon return of the bike. Any information leading to it would be fantastic. Really.
Alright, now to do this paper. Hopefully I can put this behind me quickly so I can get to work.
current mood:  sad
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| Sunday, October 23rd, 2005
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9:02 pm - Cunning Lingustics.
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The following is an exercise in the (art?) of lingustic analysis of the English Language.
Has it ever occured to anyone that, in the English language. The words "G-d" and "Devil" are only one letter away from their central attributive adjectives, "Good" and "evil." If I were an English major, I would say that we should observe carefully that one adds an O to make good from G-d and one subtracts a D from Devil to make evil. We can interpret this as the fact that the word "G-d" is inherent in the word "good," and it is only an expression of awe, "O," that completes our understanding of the nature of goodness--as a function of the deity and of our awe at him/her. On the other hand, we see that evil is inhrent to the word "devil," but not the reverse. In other words, but the devil is not necessary for evil to exist, implying that the potential for evil is always within us independent of the Devil, though he may test us to actualize it.
Thus, a comparison of these four words of the English language yields an subconscious assertion of the inherentness of G-d's goodness, as well as the potential for evil in mankind independent of exterior forces.
Maybe I should have been an English major. The things is, this is all BS. I might be able to get away with it in a Shakespearean context (where people might have noticed these things) and a Talmudic context. If they can get away with a gezeira shava, this can't be far behind.
Coolness. BS, but fun.
current mood: extremely pensive
current music: tap tap tap tap tap (library)
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8:25 pm - An academic question, or food for thought.
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What is salvation? Please be thorough.
current mood:  pensive
current music: Daily Grind music
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(comment on this)
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| Tuesday, September 13th, 2005
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10:09 pm - Fruminality - Philosophers looking for fun, look here
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Blah. I hate having issues. Example, I always feel very threatened of beign wrong in my loosely formed conceptions about G-d, especially when talking to Orthodox people. I feel weird that I sometimes can't articulate my opinions properly, or that they might be wrong. Issues of debate today (and this weekend to come):
#1
If: The Torah was divinely revealed at Sinai to Moses, who told it to the people Israel, and it was passed down until it was first written down. The Oral Law grew out of this law, which was also passed down until it was written down in 200 AD.
Then: We should not call into question the torah/mishnah interpretations of the famous scholars of generations before ours (i.e. pre-1945), in particular earlier Rabbis/ the Ta'naaim (the first Rabbis around the time the oral law was written down) because of their closer proximity to the oral law and tradition as it was given at Sinai. I.e. As they were closer to the way of Torah at it was given, they are better authorities.
This makes sense to me, but then again it doesn't. Couldn't Chazal be wrong? I really think they could, but on the other hand we are indeed much farther away from the Torah as it was given, and our opinions are likely to be farther from the mark. But....it just doesn't sit well with me. Someone who is more articulate feel free to attack this proposition.
#2 - The Problem of Evil
Reasons that bad things happen to people that were proposed this evening.
1) PAST - They're actually deserving of it, you just have imperfect information
2) PRESENT - The bad may have resulted in some good.
3) FUTURE - If that person hadn't suffered, something bad would have happened in the future.
Again, these are all BS sounding, I just forget the classical philosophical proofs against them. Or the non classical ones. Whatever, I hate how I know things are BS but I can't articulate why. There's just something odd about saying that Hurrican Katrina was brought upon the city by G-d.
And also that "you need bad to recognize the good" is also crappy, but I don't recall nor am I in a state to rip it apart.
I guess I just have to chill out and not tie my self-concept to whether i'm write or not, which I'm defintely doing a better job at doing
Anyone is welcome to disagree/agree with any side of any aforementioned arguments.
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| Saturday, August 20th, 2005
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2:38 pm - German is Everywhere
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German is everywhere:
-3-4 Music major folks in German 101, Plus Sarah Frook speaks German
-2 M2E residents find Germanic love: -Matt, my apt mate, with his Swiss GF ("Swiss Miss"), also taking GER 101
-Justin, tall person no. 2 of M2E, has an Austrian GF, who I met in Wien
I guess that's not a ton..but it's like 6-7 people with the German connection...just strange..
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| Thursday, August 11th, 2005
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12:54 pm - Decisions.
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I think I want to go into Opera. I just got done with a meeting with the Dean of the Cantorial School. We talked, he's a really nice guy, with deep, sallow, accepting eyes like Anthony Hopkins. I watched a video called "The Cantorate: A Life of Meaning." And it all made sense in the logical part of my brain, because I get the best of both worlds.
But part of me, needs that attention, craves it, and love to be on stage. It's very much where I come alive. And where I get the external validation that I, unfortunately, at this point in my life, really want/"need."
This is all very scary to me. I think I have to let myself be ok with wanting to go into performance and opera. I can come back to the cantorate at any point. I really wish I wanted to go into the cantorate, or that I was sure in either direction. I know that being an opera singer is unfeasible if I want to be Shomer Shabbat, or Shomer anything. If I could just have a small outlet for it, it would be fine. A local opera company, something like that. I just love it in a way I don't know that I love being Jewish yet. But I know that being Jewish and deepening my relationship with G-d is something I want to grow into, and that I want to continue to make meaningful. And I'm not sure (Although there is no reason to rule it out) that I have the constitution for all the moving about that goes with opera, or the poverty/instability of money.
Ack. I wish this were simple. Of course life isn't, nor should it be.
I have to realize that I CAN do whatever I want. If I practice enough, I CAN do Opera, can become a star, can decide not to, CAN become reliable and consistent with my voice, and CAN get enough money through that job, and CAN make it an enjoyable job at that.
To be honest, I should try it out next summer, granting (hehe) that I get the Fellowship/job and can go to Vienna. There's some summer stock, and a minor role/chorus role might be fun to test the waters.
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| Wednesday, August 10th, 2005
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10:08 am - DISCLAIMER
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The notes at the end of the last posting are not additional thoughts, but notes that I took during my conversation with Benny that I forgot to delete.
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| Tuesday, August 9th, 2005
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11:52 pm - KRAZY day (Lots of losing things, and spiritual challenges)
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So it started out normal and in order. Got up, davenned, practiced, prepared to leave, left and got breakfast, went to the seminary, worked, practiced, etc etc. Then:
1) Left one of my seminary pens at the breakfast place. Not a big deal
2) Went to see Glenngarry Glenross at 8pm. Alan Alda, some other good guys. Great show, but forgot to bring my student ID so paid 25 dollars more for a ticket.
3)Lost my week pass to the metro. Miffed about htat. Will cost me another 10 bucks to cover the rest of the week.
4) Walking towards 1st avenue, the front of my hand accidentally collides with that of a large, 6'4'' African American man. I turn around to see if everything was ok, he stoops down and picks up his glasses, which had apparently fallen off of him, and were cracked. The thoughts going through my head are a) we're in a dark place b)this guy could rip me apart c)I feel really sorry about breaking his glasses. I apologize profusely, and ask how much they cost. Beginning to cry, he says $120. I lie, saying "I don't have $120." This was one of the only nights in entire my life where I had over $120 in my pocket. I give him $40. He's exceedingly grateful, says that most people wouldn't care at all. Asks me my name, I get his, but have unfortunately forgotten it. He gives me a big hug, and tells me to never change who I am.
I don't know why G-d did this to me, assuming G-d did. It's so weird that I should actually have $120 when he asked...and my sympathy for him/guilt for myself was overwhelming. On one level, I didn't know if he was homeless and if this was an act to get money out of me. But when a man like that tears up..and he didn't look homeless. No, this was just a poor guy whose glasses I broke by accident. In retrospect, I wish I had given him the $120. I'm on grant money anyway, it's not like it's money I would have originally had. And I'm not spending all of it anyway, even if I did give it all to him. I just think it's tragic that getting $120 is not a problem for me, but, especially with impared vision, getting another $80 for him will be exceedingly difficult. Yeah, I really should have given him the money. But there was somethign significant in the fact that I recognized him as a human being. May I reflect on this guy when I think that I have problems. And there are tons of people far worse off than him. Oy.
THEN, after losing my pen and metro pass, forgetting my studnet ID at home, and breaking this guy's glasses while lying and only paying for a 1/3 of their value, I have the distinct pleasure of finally, after months, chatting with Cantor Benjamin (call me Benny) Warschawski.
Only 28, this guy's already a big macher in, at the very least, the Orthodox cantorial world, singing with Yitzchak Helfgot, Mizrachi, etc. He's also a rising star in the opera world, singing lots of big italianate tenor roles. He never went to school for either, but just continued his vocal training, won regional met opera council auditions, and made his debuts in his early/mid twenties. He's got orthodox background, was born in Switzerland (And impressed with my German :), and is an interesting character.
I asked him about lots of stuff, including getting a job in the performance world, his preference in terms of cantorial vs. operatic music, my own concerns regarding the two jobs/lifestyles/makin money. He gave me a wonderful though bittersweet but very real picture of Opera and Hazzanut: Generally today, people want folk/congregational music from cantors, which really can cause your chops to suffer (Which I TOTALLY believe). And if you're serious about music making (Which I am), the standards will probably not be where you want them to be. However, the money is solid. In the opera world, the standards are higher, but you will, AS IN ANNY JOB, be challenged and there will be problems you have to deal with. You're gone and you're home, but if family is a priority you will make time for it.
And, especially in opera, don't be led by money, and don't do things just for the money. Be aware of it, and let it be a compass, because when you're in an entertainment job, you will be throwing money away travelling and with down time where you're not working. You need like 7 grand a month, with expenses rising as you have a wife, kids. And it takes a while to get to the point where you can take in 3-5 grand for a recital. He recommended using your talents and get a portable side job (ex: he edits music for music publishing companies b/c he taught himself finale. In retrospect, he would have loved to get a degree in computers, like maybe as an email IT guy, so that he could get money on the side.
He also doesn't believe in going to grad school if you dont have to--what's the point if you can train yourself? And if you have a grasp of music theory and languages, and a good work ethic, there's no reason you can't just start working and getting roles. At least that's what he did. And to be a cantor, he just learned what he needed to learn, called up the CCA (orthodox), where the admissions guy had already seen him perform so he paid his $75 and got the title of cantor. In the conservative movement, the CA is REALLY TIGHT about giving out jobs, so it might be worth it go go thru them, or if you can do the 5 years outside thing (Which is hard with the CA hassling you) then do it. (AGAIN, this is all his stuff. I think it's interesting and good to think about, though i dont necessarily agree with allll of it).
Towards the end, we even got into a friendly Machlochet (argument) about the role of the hazzan..and also the rabbi. His point was that congregations want folk music now, but the problem is bigger for rabbis because they find that their job "isn't much." (i think this miiight apply more to the Orthodox mvt, at least visa vi his epxerience, esp. b/c we disagree on how often Rabbis serves as spiritual mentors to people, but read on). Halakhikly, a congregation needs a mikveh, and a Shaliach Tzibbur (messenger for the congregation--i.e. currently a CANTOR) LONG before it get's a Rav (Rabbi). Rabbis are thus very territorial and very nasty to cantors who open their mouths(other than for singing) and perform other duties sometimes, because they (Rabbis) are tring to stake a claim in giving their job meaning. Because no one (i.e. Jewish community) wants a real leader, they want a camp counselor/director to hold their hand and make them feel 'at home'(to borrow from David Wolpe, whose article rings remarkably relevant here.) This point I agree with him on in some respects. And as Rabbi Wolpe said, we have to at some point start telling people what to do. I mean, they're Rabbis.
This all gave me A) a great angle for my research. and B) an even better perspective on my vocational future. When I go in to see Hazzan Rosenblum, I'm going to tell him that I'm serious about making good music, and I want to know if there's an outlet for that in the Cantorate. Because the other parts of it are attractive, I just need that. I'm a showman, and I know what good music sounds like, and I like making it. That needs to be part of my job, no matter what the other aspects are.
Our conversation got cut off by my phone battery dying, but it was GREAT and I am very grateful for all of the information and advice he imparted to me. And who knows, B'ezrat HaShem "Benny" and I will hang out sometime.
Oy. Tired. Bed.
if you're good you can do it on the side
no need to waste 5 years to get a job
nobody wants a real leader, they want a camp counselor director
for hazzanim, the congregations want folk music.
worse for rabbis--their job isnt much
no longer taking care of big halakhic problems. Not a tons of mitzvahdic substance.
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| Wednesday, June 22nd, 2005
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11:22 am - Long Overdue Posting
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Ach so. It's been a while, and my mind is once again in a state where a mental dump onto the internet serves well to organize my thoughts.
This summer, I have three (four) primary pursuits, most of which are Judaism-related.
1) Learning Repetoire. This October, I am the high holiday cantor at Temple Rodef Shalom in Hampton, VA, and thus have a good bit of music to learn (Services for Erev(night before) Rosh Hashanah, Rosh Hashanah days I and II, Kol Nidre, Yom Kippur, and maybe Ne'eilah. Fortunately, the workload for this shul is slightly less than at your average, showy hazzanut-filled service, although I do get my time to shine for two prayers (Kol Nidre, Hineni--the cantor's prayer). Anyway, it should be a cool experience and I hope to, by the end, have a better idea of whether I'd like to pursue a job as a cantor or not. To be honest, my gut tells me that once I get the confidence and technique to do opera, I would enjoy it immensely, but I'm not sure that an international travelling career is what I want because I want a family. Of course, one should never rule out doing the travel thing for a few years and then settling down (Thanks for helping me keep my options open, Anne). But we'll see.
2) Lishma (www.ramah.org/lishma)--Starting Sunday. It's a 4 week study program (in Ojai, CA) where we learn Jewish law, ethics, Torah, spirituality, etc. It's apparently geared towards possible rabbinical students, but it works for me. There are people from a lot of different backgrounds there, most of whom (from the introductions they've put on the program's Yahoo Group) seem like they will be extremely interesting people to study/live with. I'm doing this to get a better feeling of my own place w/ regards to the Jewish tradition, as well as to gain a background in Halakhah and Torah more appropriate to a possible cantorial student.
3) Monroe Project--So I came home from Vienna and I thought to myself: Hmmm, I have 2 grand that I need to use for some sort of project. However, most travel options are unavailable to me because my summer is cut in two by my 4-week stay at Lishma. So, I figured: I preparing for my first job as a cantor, I'm going to be stuyding Torah for 4 weeks, why not just tie it all in? So I'm writing a paper on the contemporary role(s) of the American Hazzan(Cantor), something I've been curious about. I'm going up to JTS between Aug 3/4 and12th, and then going to my grandmother's house. But while I'm there, I will spend my time singing/conducting research ath te Seminary's Library. And maybe use some of my grant money to see a show/opera or two 0:). Anyway, it should turn out fine, it just kinda stinks that my resources in the DC area are so limited. But eh.
4) Figuring out my future (Grad Schools? Vienna again?). Since I'm not sure whether I want to go straight to grad school and then just do opera, or go to cantorial school, or go to vienna for a bit to study w/ Paulette and then do one of the two (or both??), I've got a lot of sorting out to do. I think I'm going to try to engineer the Vienna option -- I will probably need a year of training before entering a grad school program. But we'll see how this year goes. In any case, Paulette is a god-send, and I know that working with her will continue to improve my singing (and me as a person, I believe). The question is finding the means and then the way in which I will continue professionally after the fact. So for now, I have to research grad schools, scholarships, and programs/jobs in Vienna. Fortunately, I have a lot of contacts (As long as I call them, grr).
Blah, alright, long day. But that is the State of Affairs, so to speak. Hoorah.
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| Thursday, May 19th, 2005
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10:20 am - Good Times
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Yesterday: Jews final done. A on Paper
8-930 closest box to the stage for Britten WAR REQUIEM with Quasthoff, Schade, and Seiji Ozawa. Could see the whites of the performers eyes, totally amazing.
1045-130 STAR WARS PREMIERE at English Cinema Haydn
And in about 5 Hours -- DONE WITH CLASSES AT IES VIENNA!
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| Friday, April 8th, 2005
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8:54 am - PICTURES
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| Wednesday, March 30th, 2005
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11:02 am - Italy Summary - Part 2
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Ok, let's see if I can pick this up again:
After the serbian movie dubbed in Italian (called 'Life is a miracle'), which we left 4/5 of the way thru, we experienced such things as:
--Took a night train to Palermo where we had to sleep in the uncomfortably warm and cramped top bunks, and where we were locked in for most of the night
--A small child with an oversized backpack trying to pickpocket me in a cafe but Ryan calling out my name and thus averting a minor disaster
--Me translating Italian for two cute Finnish girls to the non-English speaking/Sicilian receptionist.
--A long conversation with Dez, a black cockney vacationing office worker from London with aspirations of becoming a teacher who discusse with me a few of the finer points of cockney slang. (Ex: Harry Marvin, The Old Trouble and Strife, and "Give us a butcher's")
--The best pizza of my entire life, margherita with bufala mozzarella, accompanied by half a liter of gentle, bitterless red wine
--A very interesting Jazz/Blues club where Vincenzo Palermo and his band played Brazilian music
--A day full of shopping at old markets in Palermo
--Trying to bargain with merchants but only succeeding on something that I didn't want
--A random spotting of the Bishop of the Palermo Diocese on Holy Thursday
--A random drunk Sicilian coming up to Ryan and I and telling us to bring American girls to the Cathedral on Saturday, as well as mentioning something about the United States, United Nations, and Kofi Annan.
--Having our Rome Hostel be 15 minutes by commuter train from the city, and our dorm have no heat and include no blankets.
--Meeting up with Laura and Caitlin at the Colloseum
--Eating the best Tiramisu of my life
--Going to synagogue on an island in the middle of the Tiber and getting both Kohain AND Levi aliyot. Also meeting Larry Kay of Potomac, MD, a 14 year resident of Rome, at services.
--Seeing the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Popolo Plaza, and other famous things
--Getting EXTREMELY ALOCHOLIC long drinks from the Australian Bartender at the hostel.
--Having a Quebecois named Anthony accidentally bust in while i was davenning.
--Finding a small frog in the shower
--Calling my parents after a White Russian
--Going to Easter Mass at the Vatican, which had great music, Seeing the Pope, being indecently close to those around me, taking 1/2 hour to get out of the vatican, which included jumping a fence.
--Seeing St. Peter's Basilica
--Meeting the Fox News field reporter guy for Italy
--Buying Pope John Paul II bottle openers
--Staying in Rome Fiumicino Airport for 9 1/2 hours before our flight.
Phew, that's kind of it, there are lots of more details of course, but you can ask in person for those. Pictures should be up soon, I need a new website b/c there are soo many. 350 or so, plus Ryan's. Check back later for more news.
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| Tuesday, March 29th, 2005
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7:58 pm - Italy - The Very Short Version-- PART 1
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Im back. Friday night the 18th to Monday morning the 28th, so give or take 9-10 days of vacation. SO much happened, good and bad, pleasant and unpleasant, beautiful and ugly, refreshing and tiring. I cannot hope to give any sort of exhaustive summary, one would have to approach me or email me personally for the nitty gritty, but the high/lowlights of htis trip include but are not limited to:
-Random drunk foreign kids throwing us a map our first night in Rome
-Me sleeping through people having sex in our dorm-style hostel room.
-Musical beggars on the Circumvesuviana Commuter train
-A long first Saturday night in Sorrento, which included watery pizza, introduction to Peroni (Italys national beer), watching a Scotland-England rugby match on TV at the English Inn with a cadre of grey-haired Brits and asking them about the finer points of the sport while buzzed, Paying too much for beer, Going to an American Bar and meeting Chris Parker of Phoenix´s 'The New Mix' 96.9, Ryan getting rather drunk and starting to annoy the Italians next to us who were asking him for money by claiming, in German, that one was the god Appollo and that he needed an offering, Ryan subsequently doing a druken rendition of a song he didnt know the words to, Ryan having a scary adventure at a Pirate Bar where people were giving him dirty looks and bad vibes for some reason, us retiring to an empty club called Mathilde, where, after Ryan waved to him and his hoes as he went to the bathroom, a 16 year old punk intimated to me that he would shoot Ryan if he ordered a drink at the bar..., us subsequently leaving said establishment, going home to make a phone call, and running into the punk again, Ryan wanting to slug him and me freaking out, us getting into a big fight, eventually working it out, and going to sleep.
-Enjoying a long and scenic bus ride along the Amalfi coast, while simultaneously becoming very nautious from the constant sharp turns of said busride.
-Seeing a giant goblin head on the wall randomly in Amalfi
-Spending lots of time in Pompeii, though all of the famous erotic art and brothels were closed.
-Doing a photojournal of the (guardian?) dogs of Pompeii
-Going to a beatuiful amateur choral concert in Sorrento
-Damn good gelato
-Funny sounding German speakers living in our hostel in Sorrento
-A full day in Naples, including a closed national museum, a crappy as hell Aquarium, dirty and unsafe streets, a long climb up to a castle at the top of the city, which contained not only an amazing view and a substantial anime exhibit.
-Watching a serbian movie dubbed in Italian
Ok....the center is closing in 5 minutes. This will be continued later, i.e. tomorrow.
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| Friday, March 18th, 2005
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6:06 pm - Must resist urge to kill..someone
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Well, I'm in this computer lab because my partner in crime forgot his passport and is meeting me soon at an appopriate metro stop so we can go catch our 8pm flight. I'm leaving to meet him now, pray for me that we actually make it.
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| Thursday, March 17th, 2005
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3:24 pm - Long Overdue Update
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Yes, I am in fact still alive. It's around 3:30 and Spring has finally come to Vienna. Punxatawnee Phil (or Puntigamer Phil, I suppose, in Austria) clearly must have seen his shadow this year, as we had snow up until last week. Now the sun is out and the streets of Vienna are starting to bloom with tourists and citizens alike, finally using public benches, sitting outside cafes, talking, drinking, and enjoying the weather. It's also an opportunity for political activists for or against Austria or Turkey being or not being in the EU to emerge and pester pedestrians. I've been told by most Viennese that I know that this year's extended snow season was more snow than Vienna has had in the past 30 or so years. I guess when global warming precipitates more preciptitation. Anyway, midterms are finally over, for better or for worse. They went pretty well, on the whole. Tomorrow, I'm off for a long spring vacation in Italy - 3 1/2 days in Naples, Sorrento, and the Amalfi COast, 1 1/2 days in Palermo, and 3 1/2 days in Rome. It should be a wee bit expensive, but I was able to get some good deals on hostels and the experience itself should be fabulous. I'm particularly looking forward to Palermo, I don't think there'd be any other time in my life when I'd be able to visit it.
Personally, I'm feeling very good. I've bonded very well with my suitemates and am opening up very well to most other people at last. I've got a good handle on what I need to do to improve my voice, although I can only hope that my voice teacher will be able to help me soon. Her husband had been in a coma for a long time, and passed away last week. She's the most loving person that I've ever met, and I can only home that Hashem sends her comfort in her time of need. I have a feeling that she'll want to come teach again, just because giving to others is such an intergral part of her nature. But we will see.
Anyway, I'm off. Peter Grimes tonite, then St Patties Day festivities of sorts. Then Friday, a few final preparations and out of here on an 8pm flight! Expect a long report on my return. Tschuss!
current mood: accomplished
current music: Listening to Wednesday's PMQs
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| Thursday, February 10th, 2005
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9:39 pm - Berlin Report 3 - Jewish Museum Continued
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Back. Long day again here in Berlin, involving sleeping on the bus, more touring, and entirely too much tasty food. But that aside, the continuation of yesterday's episode: The Holocaust Tower in thew Jewish Museum. One doesn't know exactly what to expect at first: At the end of the Hallway of Shoah, an uphill hallway, with small exhibits, is a Museum Attendant in front of a large, wide black door with a wide handle. Upon request, he will open it for you, and let you in, closing it firmly behind you.
The tower is at first absolute emotional desolation. You are alone in darkness, enclosed in four, long angular wars. The cold chills your blood. There is no light, save an open slit at the top of the hollow tower, approximately twenty five feet above. The concrete walls are bruised, by what you do not know, but you see blotched discolorations through the darkness. They could be blood, clawmarks from desperate prisoners, or simply a natural part of the wall. In truth, it does not matter. The only facts are: You are cold. You can barely see. There is nothing around you but concrete wall. Whatever hope or happiness was in your heart has been sucked out, and the only truth is despair and loneliness.
After your eyes begin to adjust to the light, you pay attention more to your surroundings, in particular, the small slit 25 feet up which light comes through. You can hear cars go bye outside, occasionally a few students yelling and joking around. But you are isolated from that world, it is just as distant as if it were being broadcast to you over radio. These two sets of feelings were the daily fare of Holocaust victims: Despair and loneliness, isolation from normal life.
Anyway, I really appreciated it. It was very powerful, and I'm always a sucker for emotional stuff. I left the tower and continued on to the gift shop, where I picked up a book on the development of Jewish Liturgy. Although the book was written in the 20s and is from an outsider perspective, it's still very good. After the museum, I came home, went and got some awesome falafel with a group, and chilled out for most of the evening. Got some dark beer too. A lot of people chilled/ got sloshed. Not so much sloshed for me, though I had an OK dark beer.I bought myself a variety so I don't pay through the nose in bars.
Now, TODAY: Got up early, showered, breakfast, davenning, went to Potsdam. In Potsdam, got a tour of Frederick the Great's palace of Sans Souci where Voltaire chilled out amongst other people, walked down into town for some tasty lunch, then walked more and more through the crappy rainy weather to the bus, whereupon we went for a further bus tour (i.e. Matt sleeping on the Bus) on our way to the Potsdam Hotel (and Schloss Celciliadorf or something. IE where the Big Three (Stalin, Churchill/Atlee, and Truman met). It was cool, I got a secret picture of the room where they all sat. I slept for the bus ride home, and then we decided to go out to an international used book store a couple U Bahn stops away. This was an awesome place, I got a book on analyzing Schumann's Liederkreis and on the development of the modern conductor and his ethos/mythology. The guys at the bookstore were American/English and were really cool. They recommended us a great mediterranean restaurant for dinner, where we all talked and looked over the treasures we had procured from the store. Then we came home, and I'll most likely be going out to a dance club tonite (FINALLY).
Ah, so Berlin is cool. Lots of stuff happened in previous days, not ready to update just yet, but things are pretty well, and I'm very excited about the days to come. Cheers to everyone, feel free to drop me an email. Expect new pictures on the site by TUES.
current mood: accomplished
current music: CRAZY short movies going on in the hostel
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| Wednesday, February 9th, 2005
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10:27 pm - Berlin Report 2
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Ok, well I'm talking online and I only have 14 minutes left utnil I have to buy more online time, but I'll talk about today in Berlin. We visited the Checkpoint Charlie Museum where you can find former checkpoint between the American entrance to East/Soviet Berlin. It was a long museum, with lots of moving pictures. People did sooo much to try to get out of Berlin, from bribes to hiding in car seats (IN the seats) to balloons, zipwire machines, etc. And the jubilation when the wall fell down was amazing, there was a film where they showed clips and played Beethoven's 9th. But the whole thing inspired so much art evocative of pain and suffering and liberation. It was kinda draining, but I'm glad I saw it. Afterwards we walked over to Topography of Terror, which an open-air exhibition inside the only remants of the Gestapo Headquarters. It just talked about the administration and court stuff that went on in the building. Not too riveting, but seeing the wall was cool. After that, and a brief lunch, we walked over and went to the Jewish Museum. This museum, for one, had friggin wild architecture. The building looked like a lightning bolt in pain, and was done in a verrry abstract/serialist style. Same guy who's been preapproved for the new 2 towers apparently. The museum covered most aspects of Jewish culture and history, explaining and documenting both thoroughly through the oddly architected building. Of note is the Garden of Exile, which was a series of 49 pillars in a cube, but the ground was at an angle, so you felt like you were going straight because of all the right angles, but you were at an angle the whole time. Very disorienting, very symbolic. Apparently there's Jerusalem soil under it and lots of other symbolic things that the architect thought up. Particularly harrowing were both Holocaust things. One was the Memory Void, an angular room open to sunlight with roughly molded metal faces, crying out in pain, absolutely covering the floor. The observer was encouraged as part of the experience to walk through the room, on the faces. It was very moving, I had some private time just sitting there and thinking about it. I have video footage too. And then there wast he Holocaust Tower. I only have 2 min left online, I don't have the space to do it justice here. I'll be back later
current mood:  blah
current music: More Punk/Hip Hop at the Hostel
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| Tuesday, February 8th, 2005
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3:20 pm - Report from Berlin
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Holy crap, talk about fast paced. Well, I know it's been a good long while since my last update, but I will seee what I can do. Last week we finished our German intensive period, which I am happy for, as I am eager to tackle my real classes. They may be VERY HARD, as I hear that Morten Solvik is very demanding and I have him for two classes, but we will see. There are always other options. Unfortunately our German Teacher during the intensive period can not continue on because of her schedule, and we will have either Frau Summesberger or another teacher for the regular semester. It's a pity, Elisabeth was a great teacher, rarely spoke in English, and was very approachable. We went out to lunch with her on the last day of class, and once a week in the previous 2 weeks. She was very chill, my best wishes to her.
Anyway, so now I've been on our interterm IES-organized Deutschland trip for a few days. I feel like we've done a ton already, but I'm really excited about our week here. We left on Saturday AM for Dresden, passing through Prague on the way. We stopped in Prague for 2 hours. Brian and I got a great view of the town. We walked around, had lunch, peered into all the kitschy little marionette shops. The soundscape was great, between wedding bells and street performers and country western singers (singing in czech). I really should go back. They also have Russian military surplus, so I might be able to find something for a reasonable price. We went over the Charles Bridge, which was filled with artisans and performers and especially toursists. Prague also, like much of Central Europe is dominated architecturally by CHURCHES. Everywhere, big ones, small ones, some as big as your head. Same for Dresden, same for Weimar, and similar here in Berlin (Yes, in Berlin till Sunday). After Prague we watched Pulp Fiction with German subtitles on our way into Dresden. We got in, unpacked our stuff, and then I went wandering for like an hour and a half around Dresden in the freezing cold looking for a bar. We were un/fortunate and found nothing good in the direction we went, just a looong line of closed Artisan shops and expensive restaurants. We finally returned to the Biergarten where I got a pint and some nachos to share. Quality time, though followed by a 20 minute case of the hiccups. Anyway, went home, had a Thanksgivin' dinner that couldn't be beat and didn't get up until the next mornin' when we went on a long bus tour of Dresden, featuring but not limited to the Old City of Dresden, the Gallery, the Pillnitz Gardens (Summer Palace of some governor guy, contained a really old Japonica plant and beautiful gardens/architecture). The tour guide's voice was very soothing, he always talked about 'My home town' of Dresden. He grew up here in the 70s, during the Communist times. We had lunch at this really kitschy medieval/beer hall themed restaurant called the Sophienkellner. I got fish and chips, and I learned only AFTERWARDS that it was catfish, so mea culpa and I will be sure to be extra careful in the future. Afterwards we had a break, and no programming. It was then I did one of the more hardcore excursions of my life--after chilling, listening to some music, and doing some situps, myself and many other IES students went to a sports bar at 9:15 and stayed up there to watch the Super Bowl, which lasted in Dresden from 12:30 am to 4:15 am. 7 hours and 20 euros and a pretty decent game later, we emerged. It was a great experience, although tiring. The next day, after 2 hours of sleep, we left to tour weimar. I slept like a baby on the bus. The tour of Weimar was pretty cool, it was a dinky little town with lots of history, and we had another big traditional lunch before leaving for Berlin. There's so much more to say, but I'm all onlined out for the moment. Will update later. Btw, tonite is Mardi Gras/Fasching in Berlin, so I should DEFINITELY have some stories. :)
current mood: A bit drained,
current music: Punk Rock from the Hostel
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