kai schwirzke

Eve, dear,

how much I'd love to give you a big, big hug these days ...

I have been thinking a lot about your reflections on the emotional impact our mere physical relation to place can evoke. Just a few thoughts, though only loosely related perhaps, I'd like to share. I have always had this strong feeling, that whenever I must leave a place I really like some stubborn part of me stays there (maybe that's why parting "hurts"), waiting to reunite with me one day. So when I come back to that place (and I do have the urge to do so) it is like returning home, an act of "completion" because a part of me is already there. Maybe, for example, that's why I felt like I had never parted from NYC when we arrived there last year jumping out of the cab and occupying two window seats in the French Roast only seconds later. Maybe that's the reason why this ghastly attack on Tuesday has moved me more than any other catastrophe so far. Like a severe, personal attack against myself. Just as you said: a physical relationship to place transcends to sheer emotional power. So far for philosophy - can you forgive me for being such a hopeless sentimentalist? 8^)

At this very moment more breaking news hit the German TV stations: A third terrorist, booked on the flight that was obviously meant to crash on the White House, lived in Bochum with his girlfriend. She had no idea what her friend was up to, she only knew that he was in the US to take flying lessons. Then contact broke off on Tuesday ... It's a bit disturbing: Hamburg is a two hours' drive away from Osnabrueck, Bochum only one hour ... And as the newswoman just said: Germany is supposed to be the operational base for all the preparations preceding that horrible bloodshed. This is, indeed, a global disaster. I hope, with all my heart, that this isn't the beginning of the end of our so arduously achieved, yet so fragile multicultural society.

Joerg's back for his regular weekend-visits to Osnabrueck. Guess what we where talking about yesterday - and will be talking about tonight ... Can you imagine: Joerg even bought a TV set! Yes, he did! Well, it's black and white only and I doubt that it will survive its warranty period, but that's what I call progress ... 8^) Let's make a bet if he decides to add a phone to his tech lab within this year ...

How are things going on in Manhattan? Did Grethe manage to get a flight back to NYC? Do you find a way to return to normality without too much pain?

Lots of love and a BIG virtual HUG,

Kai


	Eve, dear, how much I'd love to give you a big, big hug these days ... I have been thinking a lot about your reflections on the emotional impact our mere physical relation to place can evoke. Just a few thoughts, though only loosely related perhaps, I'd like to share. I have always had this strong feeling, that whenever I must leave a place I really like some stubborn part of me stays there (maybe that's why parting "hurts"), waiting to reunite with me one day. So when I come back to that place (and I do have the urge to do so) it is like returning home, an act of "completion" because a part of me is already there. Maybe, for example, that's why I felt like I had never parted from NYC when we arrived there last year jumping out of the cab and occupying two window seats in the French Roast only seconds later. Maybe that's the reason why this ghastly attack on Tuesday has moved me more than any other catastrophe so far. Like a severe, personal attack against myself. Just as you said: a physical relationship to place transcends to sheer emotional power. So far for philosophy - can you forgive me for being such a hopeless sentimentalist? 8^) At this very moment more breaking news hit the German TV stations: A third terrorist, booked on the flight that was obviously meant to crash on the White House, lived in Bochum with his girlfriend. She had no idea what her friend was up to, she only knew that he was in the US to take flying lessons. Then contact broke off on Tuesday ... It's a bit disturbing: Hamburg is a two hours' drive away from Osnabrueck, Bochum only one hour ... And as the newswoman just said: Germany is supposed to be the operational base for all the preparations preceding that horrible bloodshed. This is, indeed, a global disaster. I hope, with all my heart, that this isn't the beginning of the end of our so arduously achieved, yet so fragile multicultural society. Joerg's back for his regular weekend-visits to Osnabrueck. Guess what we where talking about yesterday - and will be talking about tonight ... Can you imagine: Joerg even bought a TV set! Yes, he did! Well, it's black and white only and I doubt that it will survive its warranty period, but that's what I call progress ... 8^) Let's make a bet if he decides to add a phone to his tech lab within this year ... How are things going on in Manhattan? Did Grethe manage to get a flight back to NYC? Do you find a way to return to normality without too much pain? Lots of love and a BIG virtual HUG, Kai
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