Posts Tagged Reinhard Mey
Sunday Column (139)
Posted by Volker in personal, Sunday Column on October 30, 2011
Hey-ho,
Now a full summary of what happened over the last 10 days. We were in Germany for a week, driving over there in our “beast“. Of course we are back in time for Halloween of course 
Firstly, we drove the whole way over: the garage said that the journey should be safe and we arrived in Detmold (my home town) in good time and with two well behaved boys. Actually, we managed to get there quicker than anticipated, with only one break on the main land.
We also did some shopping. Winter clothing for Colin: a new jacket and trousers. I got an autobiography of Ben Becker: a German actor and singer I admire. Colin got some more toys, and Jen got some kitchen toys. The joys. We didn’t get much for Rohan though but maybe next time. He instead got more cuddles than ever from Oma & Opa, and to be honest from almost anyone he met.
I visited my old school teacher who is now the principal of my old secondary school. It was an enjoyable two hours chatting about life, teachers, working hours, differences of cultures and general chit chat. I really enjoyed it and was glad he took his time, as this helped me to link back to my school days. Thank you. It is interesting to reflect on school life “from the other side” 
Also, as he lived abroad before, he could understand my thoughts about the fatherland and I recommended him to have a look for articles about Germany I wrote on here.
On Saturday we had a family reunion. Oma, or Ur-Oma, was there (she is now 91 years old) and most of the family from both my mum’s and my dad’s side. It was fantastic. Good chats, catch ups and I realised how important family actually is for me. It is good to see that most members of our family decided to have kids, to live a “normal” life and things are like they have been for generations. Of course everyone is an individual: different views about the virus Colin had, about kids leaving to play versus being supervised, extra food (or treats) to spoil the kids or just giving them what is being served. Different attitudes, ways and stages in life. But underlying there is a familiarity in the family. A “looking back” or “looking up” and admiration to Ur-Oma or grandparents in general who were the enablers, rich or poor, for a great big family and future for us and generations to come.
I never thought that I felt that way. Even just staying with my parents in Detmold, I realised how important Oma & Opa are for Colin & Rohan. For me to have 5 minutes to myself, for my wife to have a proper lie in, and for the kids of course to be spoilt. And Oma & Opa loved it too. Every minute of it. Meeting them for the first time in their own home. I believe we need to see them more often there. Family is great!
Sunday saw the reunion with one of my two oldest and closest friends. One who I met not short of 20 years ago in a holiday in Tuscany. The other one from high school who I shared a lot of memories with. Again, every day in Germany was like closing a chapter. Seeing someone and enjoying time with them. Talking about the old times, evaluating what one still shares after so many years. That is fantastic. It is like opening a book, reading the history in it, then closing the book and moving on. I don’t mistake that with “saying good bye”. It is moving on: more like opening a new chapter, a new book, and writing a new piece of history, the future. I guess I am all grown up now, the “Detmold Stories” are closed. They are the past.
On my list of things I want to do before I die, a Reinhard Mey Concert has been quite high up in the list for many years. So over a year ago, I got two tickets to see him in Bielefeld. Finally on Monday I went. Originally I wanted to go with a friend but he couldn’t come due to work commitments, hence I took my mum who truly enjoyed the evening.
Reinhard Mey is a German song writer/singer and I love his lyrics. Cynic yet pushy for a better Germany, a fairer place for everyone. He is coming up for 70 years old but his social commitments are still strong: he donated the evenings’ income to a local charity for disabled people: Bethel. He sang old and new songs, and some which I have listened to for over 20 years.
I loved it. I loved it because it took me back to a Germany I know, a Germany I identify with. Reinhard is my parents’ age and has similar views. He just expresses them differently. And he is right. He uses German sayings to critically examining the current state of politics and society. A very enjoyable evening, finding more closure with my Germany.
Regarding the list of things I want to do, whilst never really put in writing, I think going to visit Tibet and Lhasa as well as visiting the vine yards in South America are on the list; also, I would like to do something big for charity, e.g. making a sustainable difference. I am confident I pick that up in a later post at some point:-)
Tuesday we went to the local market in Detmold, then met a friend for lunch and another one in the evening. Quite a busy day. Colin and Rohan (and Daddy of course) had a cold with a cough and a slight temperature. The boys were sick too and gave us some worries. We took them to the doctor to get them checked out on Wednesday. Not being insured, or only through the European Union, costs you a small fortune for medications abroad. The joys.
But we got over it and spend another nice family day in Detmold with Oma and Opa before we drove back to Beckenham on Thursday. Again, only one stop but I needed to have a shut eye. The illness, the days in Germany made me tired, and I was glad that Jen took over to drive in the UK. Maybe flying is the easier option, we shall see.
Once home we had a nice take away, bottle of wine, nice shower….just good to be back home. The cats were waiting too.
That sums up most of my week. With both boys still being sick and me suffering from man flu, the weekend was quiet. Relaxing, trying to get fit and making plans for November. I don’t believe November is already here.
Have a good one.
Best wishes,
Volker
PS: If you haven’t seen it on Twitter, Ocado managed to properly piss me off on Friday. They called me 20 minutes after the delivery slot was due, then couldn’t deliver at times convenient for me. I believe after what we went through this was the straw that broke the camel’s back. We will try Tescos again and of course Waitrose.
Sunday Column (84)
Posted by Volker in personal, Sunday Column on October 10, 2010
This week was from totally stressed out to absolute happy. I had a start in the week that I don’t want to wish anyone to have. With me almost cracking up on Tuesday. However, things improved, and I had a fantastic end to the week. Now I am sitting here at the weekend and reflect.
Whilst there isn’t much to talk about, my thoughts at the moment are mixed between: what is happening next, what should we do, where should we live and where should we go. I have been discussing that for a while now, and will discuss it for a while.
More friends, including our Vietnamese friends that visited this weekend, might move to London. This is a hub.
I am very happy in my job and also don’t want to change anything at the moment. But, looking at the future, rather than having the motivation to “move away from London”, I want to see alternatives, something “I want to move towards to”. And, maybe not in this priority, is QUALITY LIFE, healthcare, school, house, and recreational value whilst obtaining a good job. After speaking to my wife this week and her thoughts, then to someone in Singapore….maybe Asia won’t be the best alternative. It is still early, and I don’t expect anything to happen until 2014, if ever.
And if there was something I could change, it would have to be that I had more time with my boy. Reinhard Mey wrote a nice song, “Dad’s good night song”: it is about not being able to come home earlier, because you got hold up in a meeting. How was your day? I saw your pictures, and got an email about the drawing you made. Whilst sitting in this boring conference call I was thinking how I could repair your toy, and I was wondering what we could do at the weekend.
Before I leave you with the German lyrics, I want to say that children make you think about the greater goals in life. About what is really important. Those things that you love and value. I have another blog post about that coming up this week.
Enjoy, and have a fabulous week,
Volker
Vaters Nachtlied
Es tut mir leid, ich konnte halt nicht früher kommen,
War das eine Verhandlung, Mann oh Mann, bis kurz nach acht!
Na, hast du Benno Bär und Fritz Fuchs mit ins Bett genommen
Und Krümelmonster auch? Ich habe viel an dich gedacht.
War‘n die Großeltern da, ist das ein schöner Tag gewesen?
Und hast du deine Mutter wieder um ein Eis erpreßt?
Und ich? Ach, ich hab‘ erst mal den Börsenbericht gelesen,
Und dabei überlegt, wie sich dein Schlauchboot kleben läßt.
Dann gab Herr Doktor Schulze-Wüstenfeld ein Arbeitsessen,
Ich bin von einer Pobacke auf die and‘re gerutscht.
Es gab „Pikantes Hirschragout“, wie gern hätt‘ ich stattdessen
Eine Bratwurst mit dir geteilt und Lakritze gelutscht.
Dann hab‘ ich glatt vergessen, über einen Witz zu lachen,
Den Herr Senator Kühn für unbeschreiblich komisch hält,
Ich war wohl in Gedanken grad‘ beim Eierpampemachen,
Derweil hat man mich gleich in den Kontrollausschuß gewählt.
Es stimmt ja, seit ich da bin, stimmen nicht nur die Bilanzen,
Die Wachstumsraten sind verdoppelt, und der Index steigt.
Heut‘ wär‘ der Tag gewesen, uns‘ren Kürbis auszupflanzen,
Und dann hätt‘ ich dir gern, wie man Radieschen sät, gezeigt.
Vielleicht ist mir heut‘ mein allergrößter Coup gelungen,
Vielleicht der Großauftrag, von dem die ganze Firma träumt,
Ganz sicher aber, hab‘ ich heute nicht mit dir gesungen
Und einen Tag, der niemals wiederkommt, mit dir versäumt.
Another nice song, “Abends an Deinem Bett” – in the evening at your bedside:
Sunday Column (83)
Posted by Volker in personal, Sunday Column on October 3, 2010
Now, as every week, this week passed quickly. I don’t remember actually that a week didn’t pass quickly this year. I guess it is a good thing. Particularly, this week wasn’t too stressful. I found anyway. I was well prepared for month end at work, and it all went well. Happy days, we are striving, and we got a new starter for the 1st of November, whoop whoop!
We got a new window for Colin’s room on Monday. Finally the house is in the shape we like it to be, although there is something we are not happy with the kitchen floor. I will call the guy next week. So there are always things that seem to be unfinished, but we are making progress. That is a good thing.
I felt a bit poorly all week, meaning I have got some kind of cold. Thursday it was that bad that I left work early, e.g. at 6 pm 
I went to bed before 9 and slept very long – hopefully that sorted me. Still not sure, something is going around. I see a specialist for my knee problems next week too, so maybe I am just getting old
Today is the 3rd of October, the reunification. I wrote an article last year about my personal view of the reunification. I think I closed my history with Germany a bit, and when I speak to my German colleagues it is easier for me to explain things in English than in German. It is weird how you adopt a culture, language and way of life. However, I guess there are some things that I can never get rid of.
Colin. Yesterday I spend the whole day with him. I really enjoyed my time with him. My wife went to London to go shopping. A friend came over as well and we had a good catch up.
Colin is growing up more and more. I took him to the swings in the rain, and he seemed to love it. He fell a few times but that is what kids do, trying to walk in their wellies Shame, poor wee man got a few bruises from bumping into things, and running into things, falling off things. We try to tell him not to climb on things and take it easy, but he wouldn’t listen. He is so sweet though and so much joy to be around.
I closed the week with a great day with the family. And, on Saturday night I booked tickets for Reinhard Mey. He is a singer I have enjoyed listening to for more than 20 years. And, I finally going to go and see him live in 2011, on the 24th of October. I cannot wait, and hope it will fit into my busy schedule then. We shall see, I can always give them back
The Reinhard Mey concert is one of those things where I was told by Goetz Alsmann, that it is something a German should do before they die. Reinhard is a great part of German history. He is getting on though, e.g. his texts have changed over the years, but I am confident that I will love his concert. This concert, alongside the concert of Peter Maffay which I plan for 2012, are on the list of things that I want to do before I die.
You have a good week, enjoy what you have.
Love and Happiness,
Volker
What a lucky man I am
Hi,
Just thought this morning what a lucky man I am.
Reinhard Mey had a song related to this which translates similar to the following. Thought this is worth sharing.
Also, today is my Granddad’s birthday. That is if he was still alive, 102 he had been.
Here are the lyrics, Google translated and a bit refined. Surely you get the idea
The last holiday evening in the sunny country, a last meal
together with the family in the restaurant: bread crumbs, half-full glasses,
red wine stains on tablecloths. Aten, drunk and, we
talked and laughed a lot, the last, but this time really last glass
brought, paintings and drawing on the tablecloth and the change in the tray already
in front of me. On the table next to us, only the grey haired couple from Texas,
these golf pants and “hair dryer hair cut”, of course! Throughout the evening, they looked over to us,
They pay and he stands next to me, bends down to me and says softly to me in a low voice:
“What a lucky man you are! ”
I want to say something, and I’m looking for the word, but they have gone with a smile.
I am sitting back in the chair
I look at the table with the large young man who gave me a smile, and I see
flashes in his eyes, dark humour and absurdity,
which seem like pranks and all my sadness of the world simultaneously.
Joker, do-gooder – a bit like I was – and I see myself
in him again, once a young fool. Yesterday I saw him still in me but
put in his seat today, [...] “What a lucky man you are!”
[..]
Since the woman is at my side, which steers the ark with me, to me a
warm soul and gives me her wisdom, which I love and each
smallest word and every emotion I like, the friend, the accomplice, with me
together as “pitch and sulphur”, two against the whole world with which I
can pass through any life’s storm and every normal day. And I
sit here, still silent, even strange – there is a
Complete stranger at your table and makes you realize: you have everything you
wanted, everything in the world, how much unimportant stuff you often look at and worry about,
Look at it differently! Sometimes you need a stranger who puts a
mirror in front of you: “What a lucky man you are!”
Es war ein gutes Jahr
After writing about my Germany the other day, I remembered that there is this song from Reinhard Mey I like and think it fits into that category.
Reinhard Mey, who I adore, is a German songwriter. He once wrote the song “I think it was a good year”. Of course my full year review is still to come.
Der Rauhreif legt sich vor mein Fenster,
Kandiert die letzten Blätter weiß.
Der Wind von Norden jagt Gespenster
Aus Nebelschwaden übers Eis,
Die in den Büschen hängen bleiben,
An Zweigen, wie Kristall so klar.
Ich hauche Blumen auf die Scheiben
Und denk‘, es war ein gutes Jahr!
The frost lies in front of my window, Crystallized the last leaves white. The wind from the north, chasing ghosts, From fog over the ice, They remain stuck in the bushes, On branches, as clear as crystal.
I breathe flowers on the windows, And remember, it was a good year!
Sind ein paar Hoffnungen zerronnen?
War dies und jenes Lug und Trug?
Hab‘ nichts verloren, nichts gewonnen,
So macht mich auch kein Schaden klug.
So bleib ich Narr unter den Toren,
Hab‘ ein paar Illusionen mehr,
Hab‘ nichts gewonnen, nichts verloren,
Und meine Taschen bleiben leer,
Are a few vanished hopes?, Was this and that lying and deceit?, Have nothing lost, nothing gained,
So makes me no damage wise. So I’ll stay a fool among fools, Have a few more illusions, Have nothing gained, nothing lost, And my pockets stay empty
Nichts bleibt von Bildern, die zerrinnen.
Nur eines seh‘ ich noch vor mir,
Als läg‘ ein Schnee auf meinen Sinnen
Mit tiefen Fußstapfen von dir!
Mir bleibt noch im Kamin ein Feuer
Und ein paar Flaschen junger Wein.
Mehr Reichtum wär‘ mir nicht geheuer
Und brächte Sorgen obendrein.
Nothing remains of images that fade away. Only one thing I see in front of me, As if ‘a snow upon my senses, With the deep footprints of you! I still have a fire in the fireplace, And a couple of bottles of young wine. More wealth would give me the creeps And bringing concerns on top.
Du kommst, den Arm um mich zu legen,
Streichst mit den Fingern durch mein Haar:
„Denk‘ dran, ein Holzscheit nachzulegen …
Ich glaub‘, es war ein gutes Jahr!“
You come to put his arm around me, Run your fingers through my hair: “Remember to put a piece of wood on the fire…I think, it was a good year! “
Thanks to Google Translate I hope you get the gist of it
Ueber den Wolken – classic
This is a classic I found on YouTube – unbelievable 34 years old
And, if you start looking for more….better don’t. From 1979 with lovely glasses and announced by “Dieter Thomas Heck”…
Turntables and Vinyls
As a proud owner of vinyls and a Sony Turntable I was searching for a brush for vinyls yesterday.
The best place (value for money) and with most accessories available for vinyl fans was “Hard to Find Records“.
vinyl brush
Above is the brush for only £5.95 surely a bargain compared to other brushes. It should arrive before the weekend. Btw, most of the music I like on vinyls are either Reinhard Mey from the 70ies or other classical music, e.g. the Pastorale from Beethoven, see link below.
Reinhard Mey
Dieses ist mehr fuer die deutsche Fraktion – for the Germans mainly.
My confession: Since I was about 10 years old I copied tapes from my auntie or bought cassettes (if anyone remembers what they look like) or nowadays I transfer my CDs to MP3 for my phone. Yes, I still do not have an ipod and I am not sure if my phone just does the same job for me.
Reinhard Mey is a German “Liedermacher” – text writer, chansonist, folklore musician? Not sure if you can or would like to translate it. His songs, mey favourite ones are from the 70ies and 80ies, covering everyday life and life like it used to be in the good old days. Songs like “Musik von Hand gemacht” / “music made by hand” – meaning not using electronical guitars and any additional help, are showing that sometimes the good old fashioned way of making music and relating back to the basics are the way forward.
Not many people understand that for me, listening to Reinhard Mey, makes me feel relaxed and taken to another world of my own. A world where I can think of the good old times, no stress, no blackberry, no tube, no overcrowding.
My love goes that far that I bought my most favourite albums on Vinyl, getting the right feel for the music.
You might think I am mad, and maybe I am, but, even Volker is a fan of something – passion for Ballueder
Have a good day.
Welcome to my world!
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