The last days brought real November weather. It’s cold, foggy in the morning, wet in the evening. In Middlefranconia, as I was told by a friendly person, it already froze over and country roads became a bit dangerous, especially around the Altmühlsee (Ger.). Not what I wanted to hear. No news from the bookmines so far.
Colourful dots move through the greyish brownish vineyards. They come up the valley on the paved way next to the creek, take a sharp bent to the right, and go up a gradient climbing out of the small valley; first it’s steep, then follows a long straight continuously leading upwards. I am used to walk these paths, but in the opposite direction. It’s the first Wengertslauf (Weinbergrennen), and at 14:00 they started the main event, they’ll run 7,4 kilometers. Respect, I couldn’t do this.
Instead I rummaged through my appartement and cleaned the room I sleep in. Books needed to be put back into the shelves, I should go to the library and return some. Maybe I’ll iron some shirts … normally I am not bad at waiting, but this time it gets a bit to my nerves. Regarding the business this was a bad year; a lot of regular customers had no jobs to give out. F.e. a lady in Munich now travels to Franconian archives – the large ones at least – by herself, as she says she can not afford to have me doing it like it was good practice over the last years. A publishing house we used to work for, one that really still had a human corrector, now changed their workflow, after the Lektor retired. We used to jump in when he was on vacancy or there was real much to read – now they do not need this kind of quality control anymore. And so on.
The runners seem to have finished, the piste workers in shock orange are gone. Time for the runners to shower, in half an hour they will receive their certificates, photos will appear in the local newspaper tomorrow, online this evening latest, another socially enhancing community experience, well done.
63 mago 
A rather grey mood engulfed me as I read of the impending inclement weather as it envelopes your particular area of Germanic heaven. And then, without warning, like the continuous filthy smog that cloaks the entirety that is the hole known in the UK as Reading, it lifted. The changing of the seasons is beautiful if one knows exactly where to look. Tree leaves, bird plumage, the frothing and roiling of flooded hilltop streams. Everything about the changes of the seasons has a beauty far more beholding than any mistress a man can ever know.
Running however, well, that isn’t so beautiful. It is a pastime usually linked to the removal of a large flat screen Panasonic from an open window in any country throughout the world. Me personally, I prefer to stroll through life, or at the very least drive comfortably through the changing seasons in the comfort of a nice leather-clad 4×4.
Och well, time I went out on the piste myself.
As a constant seeker after hedonistic pleasures, I have been assured countless times that running releases some sort of pleasure-chemical; well, if it does, it must be a fairly mild one. I enjoy physical activity and when on my bike, like to push myself faster up hills. Running though, feels as though I am banging my brain around in my head with each juddering step I bang down on the pavement.
I’m sorry to hear of the lack of work, Herr Mago. I am in the same situation–dribs and drabs, not the steady work of yesteryear.
Very descriptive. I can clearly picture the green and brown vineyard-clad Franconian hills and the colorful runners and dayglow orange-vested workers. Thank you.
This is my favorite season of the year, with the killer heat of the Summer a memory. We had the first frost of the season earlier this week, although it is warmer now (81f/27c).
PS: Like Looby, I had always heard of the “endorphin rush” from running. Half a lifetime ago, I used to run in 5k and 10k races and never, ever got it. It was always hard work for me. Must have been doing it wrong.
After weeks of warm temperaturas and spring-like days, winter has arrived to South Sandwich as well. Cold temperatures, snow has already shown in the north and hard rain. Brave guys those athletes that dare run in spite of the cold. I’ve also known about the benefitial effects of sports not just for the body but for the mind, and in the past I was told to cycle -under medical prescription- to increase my poor serotonin levels (here in the concrete jungle, people seldom make some exercise). I had to stop my enthusiastic sportive purposes though, because of the amount of calories burnt (I need them, there’s not enough fat in my 46Kg/7,3 stone body). Now I just walk.
I’m very sorry to hear about the work shortage. Who would think this would happen north of South Sandwich? Least of all in Germany! Down here everybody has a friend or a relative about to lose or just losing their jobs. They call it crisis and they are fooling us saying how much macro figures are improving and that next year we’ll do much better. But nobody believes in these promises. At least, not yet.
I really hope this trend changes for you soon, dear Mago. From the bottom of my heart.
And last, but not least, just a little question: you mention a publishing house “that still had a human corrector”. Do you mean a proof-reader? Human? What, if not? A machine?
Yes, it is getting a bit grey and chilly here as well. I’m sorry to here about the work situation and I hope something comes your way… maybe it’s time to write your own version of history?
Sx
The friend I stayed with a couple of weeks ago is a keen runner, he takes groups out to run uphill. I couldn’t walk some of the hills without stopping to catch my breath. Though I was better by the third day. I hope work picks up soon, dear Mago
Sorry about the slow year for work. I haven’t had any paid work for the last 6 months either. I hope things improve soon for you. I like Scarlet’s suggestion – time to write your own version of history?
Some years ago I decided not to run anymore Chef.
And now even the drips and draps become a bit rare, Looby.
Frost and 27° C – you live in a strange climate, dear Herbst LX. I think this “endorphin rush” was invented by Nike and such to sell more shoes …
Here is much talk about the “positive figures” and all that, dear Leni, but the steady growth of hard core unemployment and the modern slavery called “Zeitarbeit” is not mentioned so often. Maybe parts of the industry prosper, arts and science do not so much.
The publishers had the luxury of a proofreader, a Korrektor, or Lektor: A human being who did nothing else but correct texts before they went out into print or web. Old fashioned, nicht wahr? Now this does the autocorrect function of word, or whatever system they use. You can see this when you read a printed newspaper for example, or modern books, even in serious scientific series: They very often get out / are printed in a stage of manuscript … one wishes sometimes that somebody would take at least a little bit of care and treat a text with respect – and the writer, and the reader; but a corrector costs, and if you can avoid costs, they will be avoided. I’ll never forget what a pr-honcho once said to me when I mentioned that a photographer should be contracted: We do not need a photographer, we have a digital camera now. Exactly: Orthography is for machines, style is an accident.
Thank you, MsScarlet, maybe I’ll write historic kitsch.
Thank you Z – since I quit smoking (ahem, kind of …) its better with breathing, but you will not see me running up a hill. There IS work, the only question is when. It’s my fault, I look at something like a mesmerised rabbit …
Welcome back LGS ! Wait for the release of my uber-kitsch-novel, it will melt down the last remaining glaciers ! :)