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dwarves
As a child I once had a small collection of gnomes that I displayed in the garden of my parents' weekend home. These dwarfs seem to have found a lover besides me, because one day they all disappeared.
And dwarfs still inspire one or two people today, be it that they play a prominent role in Hollywood ham or just appear at the carnival. And also in my professional life there were quite a few combat dwarves, most of whom were treated with deserved respect. In the end, however, dwarfism became the politically desired standard and dwarves only distinguished themselves solely because of their size; mostly they weren't even nice to look at anymore.
And so there is something to it that we are increasingly talking about dwarfs in public, most recently about a flying dwarf. In the meantime, it's mostly only political or even party midgets who make the race with us.
Maybe it's time we looked out for giants. The Rübezahl should still be available. And since the Giant Mountains are in the EU, entering the country shouldn't be a problem.
Study
It's done, I finished correcting the exams yesterday. The grades will be communicated later by the examination office of the university. And I learned a lot again this time — Detlef Stern didn't promise me too much.
Now I'm already planning for the coming semester and I'll probably make some adjustments after all, because my interest was aroused. I have booked 15 rounds of lectures in total, with one of these rounds Thomas Michl has pledged its support. This allows me to increase my own range a bit and even look a little beyond the end of my original area of expertise. And this in the spirit of the university, which advertises itself as "interdisciplinary", "cross-sectional" and "special knowledge".
After that it should Detlef Stern quite difficult to win me over for another round. But even here I like to be surprised.
Stammtische
Like yesterday, today I meet like-minded people for monthly get-togethers, which I regularly attend. Another regulars' table is currently weakening a bit and I've now distanced myself from my oldest regulars' table, which I attended when I was a teenager - it is interesting that I am still kept up to date by its participants.
Regulars' tables are probably an archetypal "German" idiosyncrasy, and I'm wondering whether it's really really easy to break away from regulars' tables that you used to attend regularly. Probably only if you later throw the interests that originally led to the visit to the regulars' table completely overboard. With the acquaintances or even friendships that have developed, it will probably be a little more difficult.
In any case, regular meetings would be a very good area for observation and research. The first question that comes to mind is whether the regulars' tables are really as "bad" as some fellow citizens like to make them out to be? I suspect that this assessment is shared by those fellow citizens who do not belong to a single regulars' table.
Who knows, maybe this would be a pretty good topic for a study in case there aren't any already?
In the German language there is the phrase "Stammtisch level".
This is always meant in a derogatory way. Even without my own experience in this genre, I can imagine that drinking and bawling men are meant.
As always, there is another point of view. Let's take the educated middle class, for example, because there the regulars' tables are definitely something attractive - especially for women.
Regulars' tables - a very good area for observation and research, probably also for long-past and faded memories. It is said that the long-term memory works better again with the onset of senility. I can actually rest easy about that.
I'll find out where she knew you from. 😉
There may also be perspectives in devotion to the past. The advice of the songwriter "Look ahead, no sailor may look back" seems more productive to me...