Ambient Techno is my Friend.

The New World, Not Yet

I've packed, I've relocated. I've fought with tears, I've overcome my negative thoughts.

After 8 hours on the train, I'm visiting my father and his family for a few days. This is a short stop on my way to Berlin where Markus will be so kind to share his flat with me until I found one for myself.

I'm quite aware of the lack of information about my plans here. So I'll do a quick introduction to the oh so simple idea: get my (pardon) ass up in a city I have some support in, but not enough to be able to slack (like in a certain city that has been called Vindobona at some point). And I'll stay for a year.

Because this sounds rather radical, there's a need for more context: I've been trying to move out since I was 15. Back then, I had all the information I needed to get independent from my parents, I even looked at a flat that seemed alright for my needs. But after I presented everything to my mother, the communication problems we had were far intense worse than before.

After that, all the flat-sharing plans I started since I was 17, such as the one with Karin or Philipp (and Clemens and Matthias), failed at several attempts. When I first started this journal/blog over a year ago, I even mentioned specific plans on moving. Embarrassing that it hasn't happened until now…

With this past, don't you think 20 is a good age to finally move out?

After discussing my situation with Tina, who told me about her Seattle/San Francisco dilemma, I remembered I don't have to stay in Vienna.

After 2 minutes of thinking a little further, Berlin seemed to be the perfect place to go. I have a friend who lets me use his quite limited space for a month or two, the overall cost of living is quite low, while the pay the same as in Vienna. Now, the only issue would be finding a job, I'll take almost anything just to survive, as long as it's not too frustrating.

Yes, what you've may noticed is right, this entry does have a strange and rather unemotional feel to it. And I think you've guessed right if you thought of sub-conscious self-protection.

Playing With Annika

One of the uncountable reasons why I want kids.

Thanks to Philipp for taping it!

Beware of Internet Memes

Constant repetition of songs, phrases, words or even seemingly random letters do not only have an impact on your social life, they may also magically bring you into situations akin to the described ones.

No, I'm definitely not talking about Buttsecks. I'm talking about Nigga stole my bike. Yes, correct, my recent habit of getting around the city with (what is actually not even) my bike, came to a sudden halt. My bike was stolen and my face resembles ':('.

And still, I find this amusing: Nigga Stole Carnegie Hall. Internet meme's are dangerous.

Guilty

Brought to you by the imaginary Viennese Blog Communications Initiative, for more interlinking and collective awareness of entries.

Kronos Quartet are playing at the Konzerthaus in two days (as I've mentioned elsewhere). I'm incredibly excited. More than I am usually when it comes to concerts, and that says something. And it's not because TH wants to kill me.

Just like The Reformed Faction (of Soviet France) did it in November, Kronos Quartet do it now: they play exactly what I crave for these days. Even if I only know two of the pieces they will play, I consider them deeply emotional. Although one would now think ah melancholic, not exclusively so. I experience Steve Reich's Triple Quartet as very demanding. Demanding in terms of how much you let yourself go within the boundaries provided by the constant flow of energy throughout the music. It's puzzling.

I'm glad I'm going on my own.

Argh, comments were broken for a few days, fixed them now. Show me your love!

"All Will Not Be Revealed"

A weekend of strong emotions, unique experiences and new found loves.

On the 30th of April, I was part of a performance at the Donaufestival, arranged as well as executed by Andreas Constantinou and Uniform (Wajid Yaseen and Alice Kemp). It's about time that I publicly write about it.

If you read the Viennese Metroblog, you may remember that Uniform was looking for dancers. Since I felt that their music is very head-based, with the tendency to crawl down to your guts, I though that the performance will be choreographed and rather sophisticated. A good reason to join for me…

The first performance-related question of our meeting was How comfortable are you with being naked? My answer, Fine.

The whole choreography was put together in two days with about 12 hours of rehearsals overall. We've used, but not strictly enforced, Butoh, a dancing style dealing with unconventional imagery. 8 of us were placed on platforms right in the middle of the crowd, the other two on stage. 3 of us were completely naked, one of them me, only protected by the white colour we were covered with from head to toe.

Andreas' and Wajid's vision was to play with power and sculptures – we built up both, to destroy them, break apart and bleed into the crowd to interact with them. The outcome was grotesque, at some points scary, powerful and filled with contrast.

That it worked so well still surprises me when I'm watching the tapes (thanks a lot to Christina, Karin and Stefan). And even though we hardly knew each other, there was a kind of familiarity in the group that I haven't come across before.

The experience and its intensity was unusual and extreme – not only for some of the performers and musicians, but also parts of the crowd struggled with what they've had been confronted with. For me personally, there was a lot I needed to work up afterwards.

But … all will not be revealed.

All photos by Clemens Lippl. Thank you.