(B) Ernst Schmiederer - A Great New World

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Photo - Ernst Schmiederer - by Nigel A JAMES

Ernst Schmiederer - A Great New World

Ernst Schmiederer is a well known Austrian journalist who writes for the German newspaper “Die Zeit”. And, his column about foreigners living in Austria and Austrians living abroad is very well read. And, the reason is simple. It's his interest in people. And, it is because of this interest in people that Ernst Schmiederer started his latest project in 2011. And, he called it “We in Vienna - Reports from New Austria”.

And, this project is all about how New Austria is. And, New Austria is the people who now live in Austria, and, in particular the young. And, the aim of the project is to collect and share as many autobiographies as possible. And, in meetings held in colleges and schools, Ernst Schmiederer and his team have so-far collected more than 1200 such stories.

And, the stories these autobiographies tell are as amazing and diverse as the places and circumstances these youngsters have come from.

Some tell of great dangers, some tell of sadness, and many are moving in a very deep way. Life for many New Austrian youngsters has not only been very unkind, but full of terrible suffering, too. But, these autobiographies have two very positive sides, too.

Firstly, they are a tremendous platform for the releasing of feelings. And, secondly, these autobiographies provide a valuable message for the people who read them. And, that is, there is nothing to fear. It's feelings that connect. People are people – there are no differences at all. And, “We in Vienna - Reports from New Austria” is Ernst Schmiederer's wonderful contribution to modern Austrian life.

And, Ernst Schmiederer has given us another valuable picture as well. And, this is a picture of a wonderful future that is already with us. It's the differences that make life exciting. And, sooner or later, the differences will all become one! And, this is a wonderful thing.

Vocabulary

amazing - erstaunlich

circumstances - Umstände

contribution - Beitrag

diverse - diverse

features (feature/featured/featured) - schildert

provide (provide/provided/provided) - liefern

quality - Eigenschaft

releasing - Befreiung

resulted - Resultat

tremendous - enorm

valuable - wertvoll

well known – sehr bekannt

THE BOOK – WIR.BERICHTEN AUS DEM NEUEN OESTERREICH

Full info - Links – www.wirberichten.at - or, Google Ernst Schmiederer

Ernst Schmiederer - by Nigel A JAMES

(B+) Paris Maderna - Colour and Risks! Two wheels and a future!

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Picture - A Day Out for Two - by Nigel A JAMES

Paris Maderna

In those days, Paris Maderna was a colourful character. He was young, and not so much an inventor but a reinventor of things that had already been invented. And, when I got to know him he was busy reinventing the bike. And, his idea was not only brilliant, but rather unusual as well.

Paris Maderna's new bike looked more like a bed with three wheels than a bike. And, to ride it, one had to lie in it, not sit in it, and the pedals were up at the front and coupled to the front single wheel. And, riding it, Paris Maderna promised, was not only simple, but comfortable, too. And, I will never forget the day that I saw it in action.

To begin with, Paris Maderna explained how it worked. To steer to the right, one had to lean to the right, and vice-versa for left. There was no other way. The bike had neither a steering wheel nor handlebars and to stop, one had to stop pedaling. It was all very simple. And, then with a smile and a grin he lowered himself into his bike and got ready for action.

And soon he was moving at speed. And then, at just the right distance from the fast approaching concrete wall, Paris Maderna leaned to the right. Nothing. The bike kept on going. Paris Maderna then leaned to the left. Again nothing. And then, with one last desperate effort, Paris Maderna leaned again to the right. And, the bike started turning. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. But, too late. The wall had been quicker than Paris Maderna, and the sound of the crash told it all. All we had to do was help Paris Maderna out of the wreckage.

But, of course, Paris Maderna didn't give up. And, very soon he was back on the road with another idea. And, it was good so. Thanks to inventors and reinventors like Paris Maderna, we have the colours of choice that provide for the shades of our comforts. The new age of cycling will surely arrive, and the peddling will all have been done by Paris Maderna!

Long live inventors!

Vocabulary

age - Zeitalter

approaching - annähend

comforts – Bequemlichkeiten

concrete wall – Betonmauer

desperate - verzweifelt

distance - Entfernung

handlebars - Lenkstange

inventor – Erfinder

leaned – (lean/leaned/leaned) - lehnen

neither nor – weder noch

pedalling – treten

relief - Erleichterung

shades - Schattierungen

sigh - Seufzen

steering - lenken

vice-versa – Gegenteil

(B) Birds of a Feather - Old Farmer Linney and a A Small Pinch of Salt

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Picture - Old Farmer Linney's Farm House - by Nigel A JAMES

Birds of a Feather

Saying wise things is something old farmers know how to do. And, old farmer Linney was one of the best. And, the story he told me one early spring morning is something I've never forgotten.

I was walking to work when I met him. Old farmer Linney was taking a rest on his stick. The result of a very bad stroke. His moving was still very much impaired. He wanted to smile, but his disfigured face wouldn't allow it. His eyes, however, had lost none of their spirit. Old farmer Linney, I knew, was happy to see me.

Then, leaning on a gate, old farmer Linney used his stick to point at a tree which was not far away. The crows were busy with their nests. Old farmer Linney told me the coming winter was going to be hard. Very much snow and freezing cold temperatures. Possibly, the hardest on record. The crows were building their nests low down in the tree. A very bad sign. We spoke a while longer, then, as I went on my way down the lane, I looked back. Old farmer Linney was still there where I'd left him. Was he gathering strength or waiting for someone else to come by? Old farmer Linney was a man who loved not only chatting, but company, too.

There were not many people out drinking that night. The pub was almost empty and the conversation was slow. Then, I thought of old farmer Linney, the birds, the nests, and the weather to come. And, wanting to show-off and sound clever, I repeated old farmer Linney's words as if they were mine. Everyone listened. Then, everyone laughed. They were all farmers.

Didn't I know that crows use the very same nests year after year? And, not even crows can forecast good or bad weather. And, in any case, the year had barely begun. Then, I laughed as well.

I had been taken in by old farmer Linney. His eyes were not smiling for nothing, and, I wondered what his next story was going to be. Talking to old farmer Linney was always good fun. He had very much to tell and I enjoyed listening. All that was needed was a small pinch of salt.

Birds of a feather do indeed flock together.

Birds of a feather. John Linney and an early spring meeting.

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(B+) - How Bad Can Bad Be - Some thoughts that everyone thinks! - You, too?

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Photo - Near The Top -  by Aranka Acs

How Bad Can Bad Be? - Some short thoughts of guilt – by Nigel A. JAMES

John Lewis sat in the waiting room. Nervous. He was back once again at the beginning of a very long nightmare. A time of complications, lows, and humility, and, to some extent - still going on. Now, he had dared to come back. He'd had to. Complications had won. His cowardliness which had always got the better of him had suddenly gone. John sat and waited. He was alone. But, his feelings were still just as cowardly as ever. John Lewis was dreading the coming encounter. Would he be thrown out? Would he be scolded in public? Would he be scorned for what he had done? John Lewis was scared.

John Lewis tried to divert his attention. Trying to pretend that all was perfectly normal. The waiting room was just as it was 10 years before. There was only one new addition. A picture of the world – or – as John saw it – the destruction of a perfectly good map of the world. Grotesque. This was not at all John Lewis's taste. Maybe, this picture had been bought out of kindness. Help for a young struggling artist. Maybe! Contemplation. But, no help at all. John's waiting continued. He still felt the same. Back to the moment. Could it be that they might have forgotten him? Maybe, 10 years ago was too far in the past? John wasn't convinced. He had done something wrong. People have very long memories. His waiting continued.

From time-to-time people passed by. All hidden by masks and all very busy. Hurrying. Why was he being ignored? Not even a smile or a nod? Then, John Lewis slowed his thoughts down to a trot. What if? So what? Again and again, what if? Now, he was no longer able to think of new answers for his imaginary questions. And, he had even run out of questions. His imagination was dry. John Lewis was tired of it all. What if? John Lewis was about to find out.

The doctor passed by. He gave John a friendly greeting. The doctor, John believed, hadn't even recognized him. If he had, then things would have been different. Of this, John was convinced.

Another 20 minutes of waiting. John Lewis had to wait. No choice. Then came a nurse. she very politely asked John Lewis to go with her. They reached the surgery. No doctor. The nurse was friendly enough. Small talk. The weather and plans for the summer. Then, in walked the doctor. The moment of truth had arrived. The doctor seemed to be pleased to see John Lewis again. John Lewis started to apologize. With a firm wave of his hand, the doctor cut John Lewis short. It had all been too long ago. And, it had been nothing more than a book-keeping diversion. His money had come and John Lewis had suffered. That's how life was, and is, and always will be.

And, John Lewis was highly relieved. His worrying had all been for nothing. And, this is nothing unusual. Most people spend very much of their time worrying about imaginary hows and whys and what-ifs. All problems are people. Talking's the name of the game. It helps and works every time. Not knowing is the worst thing of all!

John Lewis sat where he was. Nervous. He was back once again at the beginning of a very long nightmare. A nightmare that should never have been! But, relief is a very nice thing. And, John Lewis went happily home!

(B) - Peter Rosegger - A great Austrian writer with wonderful tales from the mountains - Als ich noch der Waldbauernbub war

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Photo - An Austrian Mountain Boy

Peter Rosegger and The Kramer-Thresel – Growing up in the mountains of Austria

Highlights are things people look forward to. And, these moments of magic nearly always involve other people. People who are special to us. And, in his book, *When I was still a Forest Farmer's Son, Peter Rosegger, the Austrian author, thinks kindly back to old Kramer-Thresel. She was a very kind lady. Her visits were moments of magic.

Old Kramer-Thresel called twice a year. Winter and spring. She was a one-woman mobile market stand. And, she carried on her back a kind of chest of drawers in the form of a rucksack. And, this was a pack of surprises. And, arriving at the Rosseger's farmhouse, Old Kramer-Thresel would unpack her wares and arrange them nicely on the old kitchen table. The children's eyes then opened wide with delight. This was the moment that had been a long time in coming.

There were mouth-organs, tobacco pipes, pocket knives, buttons of every imaginable size, brightly painted wooden spoons, small wooden horses on wheels, toy soldiers in colourful uniforms, and, many more things as well. Something for everyone. And, because each boy and girl had promised to be good, the rewards were not long in coming. Each child was given a gift of their very own choice. And, they were happy and joyful.

And, everyone else was happy as well. Then, after a fine meal of sausage and bread, the old Kramer-Thresel went on her way. Into the freshness of green in the spring, and, into the snow and the winds in the winter. And, as she waved goodbye, everyone knew she'd be coming back again. And, the waiting began once again.

Of course, things have changed. Peter Rosegger was born in 1843 and died in 1918. In, “When I was still a Forest Farmer's Son”, Peter Rosegger describes his childhood in the mountains of Austria, His book is a must for everyone interested in Austrian history and life..

Highlights are things people look forward to. And, these moments of magic nearly always involve other people. People who are special to us. And, this is still very true.

Peter Rosegger and The Kramer-Thresel – A very special childhood in the mountains of Austria.

Peter Rosegger.

*German title – Als ich noch der Waldbauernbub war – Peter Rosegger.

Published by Heyne – Buch

Peter Rosegger and The Kramer-Thresel – Growing up in the mountains of Austria

Vocabulary

mouth-organs – Mundharmonika - szájharmonikára - suuelin

tobacco pipes – Tabakpfeife - pipa - tupakkapiippu

pocket knives , Taschenmesser - zsebkés - linkkuveitsi

buttons – Kopfe - gombok - nupit

brightly painted wooden spoons - bunt bemalte Holzlöffel - fényesen festett fából - kirkkaasti maalatut puiset lusikat

small wooden horses on wheels - kleine Holzpferde auf Rädern - kicsi, fából készült lovak a kerekeken - pienet puiset hevoset pyörillä

toy soldiers in colourful uniforms - Spielzeugsoldaten in bunten Uniformen - játék Soldiers in colourful uniforms - lelu sotilaat värikäs univormut -

An Austrian farmer's boy

Posted 17th December 2017 by Diarikom

(B) - A Collector of Time - Andrew J. Roberts has no seconds to spare!

Photo - Time on Their Hands - by Nigel A. JAMES
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Collecting Time

Time is something that never stops still. Sometimes it crawls and sometimes it races. But, for Andrew J. Roberts, time is a wonderful hobby. His collection of clocks is the finest I've seen.

In his collection, which numbers almost 1000, Andrew J. Roberts has many interesting chronometers. He has grandfather clocks, grandmother clocks, mantelpiece clocks, kitchen clocks, and many other fascinating clocks from all over the world. And, all together, they're worth a small fortune. But, Andrew J. Roberts's favourite time keeping device has neither hands nor a digital display. Andrew J. Roberts's favourite timekeeping device is something he couldn't do without. It's an egg-timer. An hourglass from Egypt with Saharian sand.

When Andrew J. Roberts moved into his very first house, his granny was the first to come calling. And, being a sensible woman, the egg-timer was the present she gave him. And, Andrew J. Roberts found it easy to use. He soon got the hang of it. No winding up and no batteries to change. All very simple. Just a flick of the wrist, that's all. And, after 35 years, this wonderful very old device still keeps perfect time. And, thanks to advanced Egyptian technology, Andrew J. Roberts's soft boiled eggs are always delicious. Never too hard and never too soft. Just perfect.

Andrew J. Roberts is a collector of clocks. He has much time on his hands. But, most people say he has a bit of a tick! He gets wound up very quickly. Just like his clocks. But, just like his egg timer,

Andrew J. Roberts keeps perfect time. He never comes late. And, just like his eggs, he's neither too soft nor too hard. Just right for cracking. And, a pinch of salt is all that is needed.

And, do you have a tick, too? Do you collect stamps?

Collecting's a wonderful way of passing one's time. Just ask Andrew J. Roberts, he has time on his hands and, of course, on his walls. And, time never stands still.  It's just slow when you want it to hurry, and fast when you're late for your train.

Andrew J. Roberts.  He collects clocks.

Time on Their Hands - by Nigel A. JAMES

PS.  Have you listened to TRAM49?

Tram 49 has another new story. A caller from space! A house-warming party and a very big surprise!

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