June 6, 2011

Guten Tag

Perhaps it is an odd mistake. Some glitch in the tracking system, but when I checked the statistics for my blog this morning, I noticed that 21 people in the UK supposedly visited this site. Also, there have been viewers from Germany, Denmark, Australia, and Russia - with the lion's share residing in Germany. Perhaps, unwittingly, I have become the David Hasselhoff of bloggers, and though I've never been to Germany, I did study the language for four years in high school, which prepared me to say, "Vielen Dank."

I can also sing a song called "Ein neuer tag" as interpreted by the trio Peter, Sue, und, Mark and can quote various idioms including the ever-useful "Der apfel fallt nicht weit vom stamm." (for the sticklers out there, I am aware that there should be an umlaut over the a in fallt, but I have no idea how to type that in this space.)

But I digress. The point is that I began to worry after my last posting that I'd only mentioned Carlo Gebler as being Edna O'Brien's son. (His name should have an accent mark over the first e in Gebler, just to be consistent). I was so excited about the inscription his mother wrote for me, I neglected to point out that he is an extremely accomplished writer in his own right - in addition to being the original English gentleman. He taught me a great deal about story telling and gave me this important advice: "Always do exactly what you are asked and nothing more." These are invaluable words for someone with a propensity toward unneccessary elaboration...

And while I'm at it, I'd like to say that teachers have been some of my favorite people from the start: Miss Jubera, Mr. Silbor, Mrs. George; Miss Patti, Dr. Merrily Swoboda, Dr. Constance Ruzich, Mary O'Donnell. How different I would be if not for their presence in my life and always at the precise moment I needed it.

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