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My life in Vienna
• 22 January 2005
Working, working and working more. Plenty of things to do for my official job,
being a Senior Network Architect but also took on some customer projects, which I really like
to do. Working with customers, solving problems and helping out were the tasks in some of my previous
jobs at BT and it's still highly enjoyable. Last week I've even configured a router remotely, something
I had not done for years but it went very smoothly so all were happy :o)
My spare time were spent doing cultural things like theatre, musical, cabaret, movies and museums
and working on a new and very interesting webdesign and -programming project. Last year I learned
MySQL and PHP and developed a simple Content Management System but in order to save some time,
I'll take a professional CMS as basis for the project this time. The learning curve is steep though
so have spent many hours reading the books.
So there was not a lot of time to read a normal book over the past weeks, not that it withheld
me from buying books though...
Last week we visited the musical Elisabeth. Had seen it in Scheveningen / The Netherlands already
a few years ago but this version is a little different. The best thing was that Maya Hakvoort was
playing Elisabeth. She's just great, at the beginning she plays the little Elisabeth, sings, acts
and _is_ a little girl. Maya really plays every stage of Elisabeth's life perfectly, she's really
getting older, the way she sings, her voice, her movements, it's just amazing how she does it.
We have also visited Alfred Dorfer, a famous Austrian comedian. We saw him in a very small theatre
and it was as if he only performed for half an hour, but it was well over two hours. Amazing.
Also recommended is the IMAX 'Australia' movie, great how they filmed it and of course I still
have special feelings for Australia. Maybe, one day, I might go there again but well, not during
normal holidays, what's 5 weeks of holiday a year anyway? (definitely not enough).
Enter again the sweet forest
Enter the hot dream
Come with us
Everything is broken up and dances.
The Doors - Ghost Song
• 27 February 2005
Too busy to do anything besides work, work and work. Haven't taken any pictures for
ages and the last roll of film is still waiting in the box with the dark-room things,
waiting to be developed. My new camera is already old and still hasn't been used.
Work is going well though, just had my annual performance review, get more bonus than
expected and it seems people are happy with me, always a good sign. :o)
The sky fell underneath a blanket
The sun sank as the miles went by
Sit back with your head on the pillow
When you remember it makes you cry
Ghost cars on the freeway
Like friends that you thought you had
One by one they are disappearing
Crowded House - in the lowlands
• 23 March 2005
Finally got some inspiration taking pictures again but well, we were in Venezia for a weekend. The weather
was great, there were not so many tourist yet and the people were still relaxed after the winter. In the two
days we were there, we've been walking around a lot and even found a few hours to visit the beach.
We were very lucky and got some 29 euro tickets so even though we booked beds, the trip was still
inexpensive. Also took some medium format Velvia with me and as usual, the slides look so much more
interesting than the negs. It's just so cool to look at 6x6 slides against the light. Time to
develop my black and white pictures too!
Then, a few days later, we went to Christina to take blood samples of 800 cows. Was hard, but great
work. Driving around, visiting the farmers, trying to organise everything as soon as possible and
do the administration for an entire day is rough but it was worth it, nice to do something different
than strategic planning. Had a day off as well and I used it to cycle to the old paper mill in the
area. It did look great, as I knew but it proved impossible to take any great pictures so I just
left and took pictures of some funny signs instead.
The first week of April I'll be back in cow-country to vaccinate cows before they are allowed to go
outside. Less stress than taking blood samples so it will just be for fun.
Einsamkeit und Abscheu, Zwang und Ungeduld
Mehren dir Trübsinn und Tränen
Sitze nieder, so sag ich dir
Des Leides schwellenden Strom,
Den zweischneidigen Schmerz.
Die Edda - Skirnirs Fahrt
• 30 April 2005
Lang leve de Koningin, Hiep Hiep Hiep, Hoera!
Yes, another year that I have missed our national day, Koninginnedag.
This time I was in the Netherland mid April and might again pay a visit mid May and
therefore missing the 30th of April. Maybe it works out next year.
Visiting cows again was great and as I have too many nice books already, I decided
not to go to the bookshop. Well, my "boss" decided to drop me off in front of the
bookshop and wanted to pick me up an hour later. What could I do but go inside.
Unfortunately they had just received some boxes of very old books which were all
very interesting. What could I do but buy them?
Work has been quite busy lately. Took so much work on me that there's always something
to do but it's great to be able to help out and to do so many different things.
Developing new products, develop strategies and see if they work out, helping to
connect customers and stream-line procedures, meeting with customers and providers
and keeping everyone happy in the mean time. Sometimes there are not enough hours in
a day and not enough days in a week but that's the way I work best.
Weather is getting warmer again so it's possible to sit outside, in front of a
cafe again. Already went back to the places I used to go to and it's nice to be
recognised. Seems like I've been living here for years already, well, it's been
6-and-a-half years since I arrive in Wien. And then to think about what I've done
and what has happened in the mean time, crazy!
Je vader blijft je vader
Zo eigen en vertrouwd
Je wilt hem niet graag missen
Omdat je van hem houdt
Maar eens komt dan de dag
Dat je hem moet laten gaan
Je verstand zegt dat het goed is
Maar in je ogen blinkt een traan
• 26 May 2005
The past month went by very quickly, especially the five day trip to Amsterdam was
nearly over before it had started. Had a RIPE training course, met some very nice
people and of course also took some days off to cycle around town, visiting Harry
to buy some books, buying presents, enjoying the cafes and for some sight-seeing by
bike. Carla, thanks for hosting me!
The weekend after we first had a very nice cooking-event. The idea is to invite different
people from many cultures (including Austrians of course) to the event and everyone should
bring some food, or cook dinner on location. This time there were about 60 people and
there was plenty of food. We had just started with the main course but had to leave in
a hurry to catch the last train to Wien. Next time we should organise things differently.
We had a great time, many nice people, great food and especially my thing: many dishes
and just a little bit of everything. Just like "our" famous rijst-tafel, which is actually
indonesian - which was of course part of our small country, but that's another story.
Then a few days later we went to Maya Hakvoort's second solo performance. She's a well
know Dutch musical star who actually became famous in Austria. She's got a great voice
and seems to be a very nice person as well. For the moment she's only on stage with her
solo programm when she has time for it, first time was at new years eve in one of the
musical theatres, this time she was playing in a small cabaret theater, which proved
to be exactly the right thing for her show.
After quiet times as far as photography is concerned, I have taken some pictures in Amsterdam and
now that the evening weather is excellent again, I've been walking around Wien, enjoying the evening
and taking some pictures along the way.
And now for something happy (not for the goats though):
And spotteth twice they the camels before the third hour, and so, the Midianites
went forth to Ram Gilead in Kadesh Bilgemath, by Shor Ethra Regalion, to the house
of Gash-Bil-Bethuel-Bazda, he who brought the butter dish to Balshazar and the tent
peg to the house of Rashomon, and there slew they the goats, yea, and placed they
the bits in little pots.
Here endeth the lesson.
Monthy Python - The Meaning of Life: Part Two: Growth and Learning
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My life in Vienna