a brief break from working at the louis

It is a rainy morning in Munich. I have not left the hotel and hope not to have to until it is time. Maybe in two or three hours. Working from the room now. 503

The sound of the spinning hard drive a not very pleasant reminder of the transitional nature of analogue things.
That would include me.

I have been reassembling myself in places. Sometimes more successfully than others.
The interiors are often similar and then the software, the wetware makes the difference.
I sit in some of the same seats on the same numbered flights to the same places.
The neighbor in the seat next to me is a different person.
Sometimes they will not speak at all. Sometimes they will speak too much.
The flight attendants perform the same scripts.
Taxi drivers take the same routes.

I look around in the room and it feels like an assemblage of things I like, minus the people and things I miss, plus a few objects and ideas that might not belong here.
And that could in fact include me. Maybe.
I can never be certain.

Had a calm dinner in one of the good places in town last night. And I did not feel very well yesterday, so I hoped that there would even be a seat for me.
I happened to have the entire place to myself.
The other people arrived in pairs, just when I my main task was to break the caramelized crust of the dessert.

Munich feels like a frozen crystal box at times. It sits here. Beautiful and calm and just suspended in itself. Some of the people in it playing dress-up.

The concierge and I had a conversation about this past year. Some of the staff decided to move on. Some are still here. Hopefully here to stay. At least for another year.
Johann will keep exploring the beauty of spirits from interesting places. Suzi is putting together a new wine list for the winter.
She says it is a good one this time.
And I completely trust her.

I have to get back to work now. Break is over. There are many paths that need a little bit of grooming and sweeping. Some glowing charcoals need the encouraging breeze for a brighter, warmer glow.
I like everyone I have the pleasure to work with. I like them a lot.
Met some new people but they appear to be just the people I always hoped to meet.
I will meet some people this week. And I am very much looking forward to it.
And I am not making this up.

Will be in New York for two days,
then for another six or seven in
Munich and Frankfurt.

Hope to feel better by then.
Many amazing worlds lie ahead.

I might need to steam that jacket.