Back in Berlin: Don't Forget to Vote!

Dear long-suffering blog readers who've told me they wish my occasional blog would...occasionally have an occasion...and to new readers, too,

I am back in Berlin after a great concert here about two weeks ago at the Lichtburgforum, presented by the Juedische Gemeinde, with the Jewish Music and Poetry Project.  I promise to post soon and to catch everyone up, at least somewhat.

But in the meantime this is just a quick post to say, run, do not walk--safely, of course--and VOTE today, preferably for the candidate of my choice, i.e., Obama, but no matter what, please, vote!

The world is watching with a decent amount of anxiety to see what we do, whether the shenanigans of voter registration will affect the legitimacy of the count, whether the electronic balloting in Ohio will be honest and fair, and most of all, perhaps, if the shadow of Sandy that still hangs over the Northeast will cast a pall on the overall ability of people to get to the polls and cast their vote.

So, even if it seems super-daunting this time around, if you haven't already voted, please,make that extra effort, folks, get out there and vote.  (And for those who are wondering, I cast my vote via absentee ballot from the U.S. Consulate in Munich.)

What I'm reading: various books on Kindle for the Sharp Writ Book Awards (there are some excellent ones this year!).  What I'm working on: the Marshallin's monologue (Rosenkavalier)--except bin ich ein bisschen erkaeltet, also singe ich nicht fuer ein Paar tage.... Total pain...
What I'm listening to: Ravel's Sheherazade, which I recently heard live by the Berlin Staatskapelle (along with a wonderful performance of Beethoven's 8th and Berlioz' Romeo and Juliet), in an illuminating Regine Crespin historical recording:  Here's to you, Christina!

Happy Inauguration Day!

On a cold, snowy day in Munich--although it actually stopped snowing a few hours ago--I am watching the online video feed for today's inauguration. I have two sites running, one with British commentary (EuroNews on Joost) and one with American (Fox on Hulu). I've added The New York Times as well. It makes for a tri-strand antiphonal celebration that echoes (the Times feed is the first and loudest), but is nonetheless comprehensible.

It's moments like these that make us all into news junkies.

I can't remember feeling this excited and pleased at an inauguration in my adult lifetime. The "man on the street" in Germany, i.e., the taxi drivers whom I talk to--is a bit concerned that Obama will turn out to be same-old, same-old: they've watched Obama's cabinet choices and are not seeing the breath of fresh air and change that they'd thought they'd get. At least one cabbie wonders whether Obama will end up having tricked everyone. As for me, I'm hoping Obama's bringing experienced folks in to help get his own people up to speed.

Time will tell. But the world watches and waits, hoping for a turning point.

And it is more than time that we had a president who broke the barrier of prejudice. May all future elections be blind to color, creed, sex, orientation, race.

In lighter news, I've been woefully delinquent in posting here: I will come back over the next few days to fill in my recent travels to Berlin, Livorno, Trent, and Munich, as well as more about books and music, etc.

But in the meantime, happy inauguration to everyone: may today's ceremony augur well for all!