March 22nd 2026年3月22日

✔️ Cables

What? You don’t still use a cable to listen to music do you?

Yes, in fact I do, and I’m glad I have an older iphone that still has the socket. According to a recent reputable newspaper, (one which is not beholden to shareholders) people are getting fed up with Bluetooth, on top of losing their airpods or buds, either because they are so loseable, or because they don’ t fit into your ears. As for myself, I can hardly open this smooth pebble-shaped container…….

And even if I succeeded, I would need to carry a pair of tweezers with me to extract the wretched buds Then one would fall on the floor, probably the floor of a train carriage, straight into a pool of fetid beer…….

Airpods….buds…..bluetooth 🔵yellowtooth 🟡blacktooth ⚫……damn them all. Give me a cable anytime. It’s connectivity. And it’s what people are yearning for.

✔️ It’s physical

Ever pulled a pair of trousers 👖 out of the washing machine and discovered something in one of the pockets? Happened to me last week……It’s from the Onsen in Kita Hoshikawa . And because it is a physical photo on a piece of card I can hold it in my hand. I stop and think about sliding into that hot water…..connectivity. So much deeper than an image on my monitor.

✔️ Just the ticket.

A friend of mine once showed me a fine dinner jacket which he had inherited from his grandfather. He had found a real tailor in Dublin who adjusted it to his size. And he had discovered something in one of the pockets – a modest little ticket – almost like an old bus ticket 🎟️.

On it ROH was printed in strong capitals. It took me a moment to realize what this meant. His grandfather had been to the ROYAL OPERA HOUSE 🏛️and had left a little momento behind.

Now would you keep the QR code of a concert ticket today ? – no chance, it was on your phone and got deleted soon afterwards.

✔️ Discs

And what’s this? apparently there is a resurgent demand for DVDs 💿 Another backlash it seems. This time against streaming. Is that film on Netflix? or Amazon Prime or where? So you find it eventually. Is your subscription up to date?….Oh, what…I thought I had cancelled that one……

You settle down eventually to your film. In a crucial moment of high drama your internet connection does a wobbly (even though you are paying good money for it) and the film starts buffering……don’t tell me that has never happened to you!

I find there is something very satisfying about picking a DVD or book (not a kindle) off the shelf and settling down at your own pace to enjoy it…..

It’s a physical experience. You are in charge.

✔️ Connecting Cities

After years of under- investment, DB (Deutsche Bahn) are finally getting around to upgrading their tracks and signals etc. But they haven’t got enough people to drive the trains. Isn’t that bizarre? 🧑🏼‍✈️. So we here in Germany are all trying to be very patient, and hoping that in a few years time things will be better. I saw these two ICE (that means Inter City Express by the way – no relation to Donald’s thugs) pull up in Frankfurt last week. They looked rather impressive. Sadly neither of them stopped in Langen…….(😐)

✔️ Hold on to your seats...

……we have a short disconnect…….

✔️ Ah, that’s better.

Now will everyone just slow down for a minute…..? Thank you. She’s just walking. He’s talking on his phone whilst hugging the Bröttchen 🥖 and he’s performing a graceful right swerve….🚴🏼‍♂️

✔️ Connect a violinmaker with his ‘cello

….. and the musical niveau is of course due to the instrument, not the player….😄

Leise flehen meine Lieder
Durch die Nacht zu dir,
In den stillen Hain hernieder,
Liebchen, komm zu mir

(My songs call out gently
Through the night as they beseech you;
Come down here into the quiet grove of trees,
Beloved, come to me!)

Yes, it’s Schubert’s Serenade isn’t it? Thank you Sabine …😊

✔️ Meditating on the Universe….

…….the Universe being Frankfurt am Main naturally….

✔️ Time to get the tiles on

…..before the April showers…..🌧️

Such cool nonchalence, standing on a roof 3 floors up and lobbing the things around……

I’m sure I suggested red ones, not black ones. Come on guys…this is after all The View from the Towers ..!..😆

As a consolation, the gods provided some colour around the next corner….

and elsewhere……

As always, thank you for your interest, and if you know anyone who might be interested in this blog then do forward it on.

Wie immer vielen Dank für euer Interesse. Wenn ihr jemanden kennt, der an diesem Blog interessiert sein könnte, schickt ihn gerne weiter.

読んでくれてありがとう

See you……. matane!

Nigel 💥

nigelwruddock@gmail.com.

https://www.instagram.com/nigelruddock/

THE END

終わり