Date: Tuesday, January 11, 2000 14:47
Subject: more pictures, etc.
The holidays are over, Annette is back from (another) quick trip to Chicago, the cat is in fine fettle, the house is quiet. Time to settle down to work (I have this job, you see). Life resumes at its normal pace.
Annette's six-interview AHA blitz went reasonably well. She should know by the end of the week if she's made any short lists. Subjectively, she thinks that she'll make the finals at maybe two or three schools. There's a reasonable chance of a real job for next fall, though nothing is certain. We may still be in Berlin, one year from now. (Life could be worse...)
I spent the last two nights at the Berlin 6-Day, professional bike racing at the new velodrome. I won't bore people by explaining, other than to say that I've waited seventeen years to see one of these things, and it was worth it. An amazing experience. After attending all five days of the World Championships back in October, I've seen more world-class track racing in the past few months than I did through my entire career.
Right, nothing further to say. Annette is recovering from the trip - she slept almost twelve hours last night. We'll be going to a lecture this afternoon, then meeting friends in a cafe afterwards. Otherwise, plans call for a quiet week: back to training now that I'm over my week-long flu/cold thing; the usual bureaucratic chores; working on various projects, remunerative or otherwise; getting on with life.
Regards,
Scott
PS Okay, now the pictures... various scenes from the past week.
Annette and Vita, reunited on Monday afternoon. One has jet lag, the other doesn't need an excuse.
The Brandenburger Tor on a wintry afternoon.
Rooftops in the sunshine - views from our window at different times of the day.
Looking through the tunnel into our courtyard.
Laundry Day! This is what happens when you do three loads, including linens, without a dryer.
The front door of the Altes Museum, by night, slightly filtered in Photoshop. I stopped on the way home from the races Sunday night to see one of the 20th century German art exhibits. The museum was open late for the last day of the exhibition.
The Berliner Dom, by night, taken from the Lustgarten in front of the Altes Museum. Digital cameras can do this, though a tripod and a longer exposure would have helped.
Pictures from the Berlin 6-Day. Digital cameras - okay, inexpensive digital cameras - aren't much use for high-speed action photography. But you at least get a sense of the thing.
Riders getting set for the start of the "stayer" race, in which each competitor rides in the draft of a big motorcycle. The motors can be seen coming around the banking. An esoteric but thrilling event in which the speeds exceed 75 km/h.
Action in a "Derny" race, again motorpaced, but with the riders behind small motorized bicycles. The speeds are lower than behind the big motors, but the action is quicker. gain, a style of racing unknown outside of Europe. The key to victory is to have a really fat old guy with a big handlebar mustache riding the Derny - you get better draft.
Action in the main races, with all 18 teams (2 riders per team) on the track.
Fiedler, the sprinter, building speed for a flying lap. Along with the Madison races and the motorpaced events, there was a sprint tournament.
The rider's cabins, where the mechanics work and the riders rest between races. Lots of expensive hardware.
Date: Thursday, January 13, 2000 20:10
Subject: more cat news
Annette and I were at Karstadt today buying cat food and we actually saw the video for the "Revolutionary Cat Spa" - an endless loop of cats writhing, rubbing, chewing and rolling on this weird rubber mat thing.
It was, in fact, pure Kitty Porn.
Regards,
Scott
