Heidelberg Rooftop

We sat on the edge of the rooftop, letting our legs dangle freely so that our feet tapped lightly against the side of the twelve-story student building.  Facing east we could see the old city nestled at the base of the two mountains that straddled the River Neckar.  If I loved Heidelberg up to that point, I fell in love thereafter.  We could see the Heidelberg castle on the hillside, hovering just above the rest of the city.  We could make out the dark outlines of where the Neckar was snaking through the valley, underneath the old bridge where the reflection of the city's lights off the water's surface was at its strongest, and out toward Mannheim.  If ever time actually stood still for me, it was here.  I had just met her, but it seemed like in that morsel of interminable time we had become friends, a connection so resolute.  I had been nervous talking with her, as beautiful as she was.  Following that night, however, it became so simple.  I was in the best place in my life, in the best city, with amazing people.  I could do nothing but smile as I tried, hopelessly, to fall asleep finally realizing how lucky I was. 

Updates

How did I know the motivation and spontaneity of almost six months ago wouldn't last? Because that's just me.  But better late than never, right? Let's just say l was busy.  Although not entirely believable, if at all, we'll roll with it on this one.  

Just a couple of quick updates:

A new addition to my family just last week- Jessica: a 2014 Subaru impreza. My baby! First new car, and I'm loving every minute of it.

I've recently begun reading the series by Dan Brown.  "Angels and Demons" was great, "The Da Vinci Code" was better, and I'm about halfway through "The Lost Symbol", another very good, gripping read. 

Now that I've been able to exhale after a weeks worth of new car excitement, I now have the pleasure of holding my breath once again as I discover the displeasure of a car loan.  Fear, I've come to know, can dangerously rule ones life.  It can hold you back, cause you to make decisions without any thought to future well being.  It can even withhold your decisions, making it near impossible to live and love life.  

I had to get over a hump; a small, speed bump in a life long path of rocky, potholed, curvy, dangerous roads.  This small obstacle was difficult to face.  Payments, responsibility, and more responsibility.  But what I have been failing to realize is what comes as a result.  After the fear and responsibility comes a definite satisfaction.  The satisfaction that I really can do whatever I want.  It's weird (and cliche) how I can look back on all of the motivational speeches we've heard growing up, all the teachers trying to play life saver to the impressionable pupils.  They said that we could be whoever we want to be; dream big, and go for it.  It makes more sense to me that those catchy phrases should have had the reality of responsibility and accountability within, for very few teenagers are attentive enough to engage in anything other than the first few seconds of a speech in a high school auditorium.  Nonetheless, learning through experience is the only fool proof in life.  And that, I can say for certain,  I have done.  

What happens next in my life, who knows.  But will fear dictate my actions? Jessica doesn't think so.  

Literature

I'm back sooner than I expected;  spontaneity, I think, is crucial for this new motivation to write down some of what is clogging my brain.

Some of the most relaxing and enriching times, for me, come with a good book.  Reading has a way of calming the nerves, yet engaging the mind.  When I speak with others about books, the word that is most used is an overwhelming favorite, 'boring'.  And I always have a chuckle.  I have to admit, some books take much more concentration and effort to read than others; many of the required reading assignments throughout high school come to mind.  However, I wish that people would make the distinction between 'reading' and what is actually being read.  For if it were simply the activity of reading that caused this boredom, text messaging would not be replacing phone calls as the primary means of communication.

It makes me incredibly sad that within this technology-driven world, books are steadily dying off.  Fortunately, technology has also produced kindles, nooks, and others alike in order to preserve the most important product of mankind and civilization; the written word.  I am certainly not immune to these modern amenities.  I use Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and many other social media programs.  I have also challenged my own love for books by using a kindle.

But I always go back to a book.  I can shut out technology and simply enjoy.  In recent years I have come to own more than 50 books, yet it never seems like I have enough.  It makes for a rather quirky dream of mine to continue to buy as many books as I am able to read, and incorporate them in my future home as the beginnings to a library.  Yes, I will own a house that will have sufficient space to build a library.  My kids will have the most popular home in the neighborhood, right?

Rich

Daybreak

Hi there.  Since I have quite a few things bouncing about in my head, I'll begin this blog with a quick word; a dawn to this neat, new day.  

"Blogging" isn't an entirely new concept for me, although my experience with the process is juvenile at best.  Just over three years ago, in fact, I created a blog that would enable me to document my experiences and travels during my semester of study in Germany.  That proved to be a fruitless endeavor for this often forgetful, 'I'll-do-it-later' student with a whole new country, culture and language to worry about.  That blog began and ended with just one post; a rather short day, don't you think?  Well, I have made it my goal to make this new day an enduring one.  I'll wait for later, sooner.  

Bis bald,

Rich