Tue, 19 Jul 2005
Train ponderings ...
Brain Protocol:
- If there is someone in your compartment with a pipe in his air tube it is rude to make loud comments about him. However it is *just as* rude, to turn to your boyfriend, move close to his ear, cover your mouth with your hand and wisper to him, while (....) staring at said person.
- I need a command line dictionary on my notebook.
- xmahjongg is great! But why does menu file it under Kartenspiele ("card games")?
- Text messages wishing me a save/nice/fun journey make me happy :)
- The Summer Special ticket makes you take ridiculous detours but you save money
- IC trains are so much better than ICEs. They may be slower, but the seats are just as comfortable, you don't have to pay extra fees, there are more power couplings, X20 sized folding tables in the back of every seat and they don't keep them at such ridiculously low temperatures as the ICEs.
- The battery of my mobile phone lasts a few days in standby but only 20 second when actually doing a phone call.
- You cannot recharge your mobile's account within 20 seconds.
- German book translators: Please DO NOT translate deadlock with "tödliche Umarmung"!
- 12:22 Just as boredom and tiredness start turning into deep dispair this wonderful woman enters the compartment, carrying a single cup of coffee on a tray. She stops at every seat asking: "Coffee?" but nobody wants one. I do!! She gives me the cup, I give her some money. I wonder whether she'll go get another cup and finish her round but she doesn't return.
I think I believe in angels now ... - ...
- I want an mp3 player
- Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof brings up memories of a horrible night in lovely company
- ...
- I seriously need to overthink my money_saved/travel_time ratio!!!
Posted at: 15:53 in /english/debian/events/apacheCon
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I repent, I utterly repent! I shall never, never ever mock Murphy (He, who is the only power there is) again!
I left my house in time to get my train to Hannover and headed to the station through the pouring rain. Luckily, being the daughter of an ex-army member and having gone through several holidays that rather resembled a survival camp than a family holiday, I know how to properly pack a trecking backpack so that the weight is evenly distributed and everything sensitive/important is stored close to the padded back so it cannot be reached by blows or rain.
So, when I finally arrived at the station, my jeans and my chucks were rather wet, but overall I was quite fine.
EXCEPT!
Fsck ...
I'd forgotten one piece of luggage which was still sitting in my room, next to the door. Argh!
Time from my house to the station: about 10 min
Time left: 12 min!
After spending about 15 seconds pondering what would suck more, sprinting back, or going without that piece of luggage I went for the sprint back option.
So, here is how you do it: Turn on your heels, pace back home (*pant pant*), drop big trecking backpack and messenger bag at the bottom of the staircase, sprint up four floors (this was the moment when I think I heared a squishing sound that I assumed was some important muscle of my heart giving up), grab that §$%&*§*# box, hurry down four floors (almost tripping because my legs start acting up), readjust rain coat, big trecking backpack, messenger bag and §$%&*§*# box, check watch, realise you got about five minutes left, leave about 12 seconds for excessive cursing, then run all the way back to the station, hear your train being announced, see it coming in, hurry up the stairs to the tracks, jump into train just as doors close, stop at the first available seat, drop off §$%&*§*# box, messenger bag, big trecking backpack and raincoat, drop into seat and faint without further comment.
Things I learned from this:
- Leaving early, is a good idea, leaving earlier is better
- DO CHECK your luggage when leaving the house
- I seriously need to do something about my fitness!
- You can store an amazing amount of water in a pair of chucks, jeans and a baseball cap.
- Train seats take some time to absorbe all this but will eventually do so.
- My heart can make squishing sounds
- ... so can my lungs
- Murphy is the only power there is and I shall NEVER EVER make fun of him again!!
Posted at: 10:47 in /english/debian/events/apacheCon
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FSCK #2 This shall be a lesson to me :-/
Just looked out of the window. It's not raining, it's f***ing pouring!
Murphy vs. Meike 1:1 ...
Posted at: 08:32 in /english/debian/events/apacheCon
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FSCK! Just finished packing for my trip to this year's ApacheCon. Just to be sure I checked my train times again ... Jep, train leaves at 10:00 but - argh! - not in Hildesheim, but in Hannover (This is the moment when I remeber thinking it would be much easier to travel from Hannover since it is the bigger city and I can easily get there with my student ticket). However, getting to Hannover with sufficient time to change trains etc. will cost me another hour. fsck!
Luckily I am totally paranoid when it comes to plane/train/bus times so I actually got up so early that leaving ~1hr earlier won't be a problem.
HA!
Meike vs. Murphy 1:0 !!
Besides that I am really looking forward to Stuttgart. After miserably watching everyone else having loads of fun in HEL it feels good to be on the road again. I just hope the weather won't let us down, forecasts are mixed.
Right, time to run. Next post from Stuttgart :)
Posted at: 08:03 in /english/debian/events/apacheCon
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