Franz Kafka
A tisket, a tasket, a trip turnover basket. I am no longer going to Spain. That trip was totally scraped today. Am I upset ? Not in the least. Where am I going now ? Austria and Prague. Am I excited ? Yes. Why ? Because of Franz Kafka.
I am a pretty avid reader. I’m definitely a biblioholic. For those of you who have no idea what a biblioholic is, it means one who is a lover of their books. Some people can read a book and give it away or turn it in for a fraction off their new book. I can NOT do that. A book holds way too many memories for me. In the majority of my books, I write when I start reading it, when I finished it, where I was and who gave it to me if I didn’t purchase it for myself. I think the greatest gift anyone can give me is a book. When people ask me "what do you want for so and so?" I always tell them to buy me their favorite book and for them to sign it.
Do I have that many books in my house right now ? No. Why ? Well, Hurricane Katrina is to thank for me losing my books this last time. I’ve replaced a lot of them. I’ve had friends give me copies that they knew I loved. They will come back. It is fun getting them all over again.
Back to my trip and Kafka. In Prague, a place I’ve never been, I might be staying in a hotel across the street from where Kafka lived and wrote. Do you hear the pitter-patter of my heartbeat ? Do you know that I got beyond excited when I found out that tidbit ? Does that make me completely weird ? Want to know what one of my souvenoirs will be from Prague ? I will buy a copy of The Metamorphosis there. That will be a highlight of my trip. I think I’ve loved Kafka because of his style of writing. The famed "German" style. Yet another reason to be proud of my German heritage.
For some reason, I feel very relieved not to be going to Spain. I do not know why. I just didn’t feel comfortable with it. I keep trying to figure out why I feel so comfortable going to Austria and Prague. Maybe it is because I will be flying into Austria and staying in Vienna for the first two nights. This will be my 4th time in Vienna. (I was there once when T was two years old and he lost his favorite lovey. His Elmo. I had to go out shopping to find something that he would sleep with while there. He picked up this little stuffed, fleece lamb and to this day it sleeps on the end of his bed.) I will take a train from Austria - thank the good lord it is not a sleeper train - and ride to Prague. I’m very comfortable with all of that. Again, I’m thinking it is because it is something that I am already used to. Ah, the control freak in me just keeps raising its ugly head.
I’m very excited about this trip. Instead of short-sleeved shirts and capris I’m trading them for long-sleeved shirts and pants with a jacket. The high is supposed to be 60 while there. It is going to be so nice. A break from the heat here.
So, this week I’m off to a little opera, Mozart, Kafka, castles and rum balls (chocolate). I am truly looking forward to it.
