I’ve been sitting in a cosy café, on a brown leather sofa, ordering coffee derivatives all day. I can’t describe how grateful I am for the free Wifi they provide. A fuse blew in my flat last night and I’ve been forced to shower in the dark and to plug the kettle into one of the remaining functioning sockets in my bedroom. When the water boils, it looks like my carpet is breathing. At least I haven’t been deprived of my last remaining comfort: a cup of tea in my Chinese mug which comes with a lid and in-built filter.
Today is a public holiday in Germany. Berliners are supposed to be celebrating national unity but I suspect they are all sleeping. The streets are eerily empty. It took me ages to find a coffee shop open. Even Starbucks has closed its doors. My plight seems all then more acute today of all days, given that a personal wall has been erected between me and the outside world.
I can do without lolcats and Youtube and even breaking news. But I find it deeply distressing to be without contact to family and friends. Katekatharina.com lives and breathes off a web of readers Googling things like “Armpit hair.” I’m yet to encounter a person who stumbles across me in real life with the same enquiry. When you begin blogging, you write to a void, but over time that develops into a small and precious collection of loyal readers who are kind enough to read your twitterings as soon as they’re posted.
I have now sat through an entire shift here. The waitress who served me my iced latté and more recently my cappuccino, has been replaced by a blonde lady with an impressive pony tail and crinkly scarf. I am relieved because the new staff do not know for how long I’ve been here (though I suspect the waitress from before may have warned them of my infinite presence). They are tactful and haven’t asked me once to re-order. I’m going to show my gratitude by ordering a third beverage shortly.
Katekatharina in a similarly stressful situation some months ago (that time I couldn’t open a tin of tomatoes bit the sense of helpless incapacity was similar)
Anyway, on a happier note, I was delighted to find out that I’ve been chosen as a finalist in the Blog Awards Ireland. I’m terribly sorry not to be able to attend the ceremony. I wonder if the organisers would consider streaming it online.. They’d have one avid viewer in west Berlin for sure. Check out the wonderful bloggers in my category here: The Style Account, Wise Words, Nialler9 and Iblogfashion.
When I next get online, I will tell you about the old man for whom I called an ambulance last night. I might even tell you a little about my new job. In the meantime, do send me a text. It’s my last remaining way to instantly communicate.
Kate Ferguson 
Ooooh, power outages… I’ve yet to recover emotionally from my similar trauma of a summer ago. It is indeed like the stress of being unable to open tins, jars, or bottles, only stretched out over a longer period of torture, and with the added worry that the fridge and freezer’s perishables are perishing. May your fuse reignite soon.
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You understand completely, deshipley! 🙂 It really does feel like a violent wrench from society! I am going to take a moment to give thanks for a functioning fuse every day from when power is restored. Thanks for your good wishes for my fuse!!
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Congratulations on being a finalist!!! Well-done! 🙂 Hope things are going well in Berlin – first thing I wanted to do was to text you but unfortunately I do not have your number but still – remember there is someone in London thinking of you 😀
I like coffee shops too. Especially the not so full ones – they are very relaxing, in fact with good music – it is a soothing environment, of course second after the countryside 🙂
DId you get a chance to read about my Irish night out ? Was thinking you would have enjoyed it!
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Thank you Clariice! It’s so nice of you to say that you’re thinking of me. It really means a lot. I love that blogging enables you to contact, read about, support and be supported by kind strangers. We live in a wonderful world. I just read your teaser for your Irish night out. I’m intrigued to find out more! Dying for part now!
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Ha, I been going 16 months and I still write to a void (or don’t write as the case may be) but I’m doing my dissertation at the moment on the dreaded Troubles in Northern Ireland!! so blogging is the last of my worries. I’m not writing about the Troubles as much as writing fiction confronting the period. Geez-o, lots of fun. Well done regards your blog nomination! Fingers crossed!
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Oh dear, that’s heavy alright. Have you read much fiction set during The Troubles? Well Done for writing fiction. In general. I would absolutely love to be able to. Hope you’ll let me read some more of your stories soon.
And thanks! It would be so so so so so amazing to win *sigh* but really delighted to have got so far! 🙂
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You poor powerless and de-tached being! Thank goodness for connected coffee shops.
Hope the home will be attached to the outside world soon.
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Bewunderer, I am back! I am so, so grateful 🙂 Its horrid being unconnected!
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Congrats on being a finalist for the blog awards, that is so exciting! And I sympathize with the feeling of being disconnected from the net I just love blogging and reading blogs and when I can’t do it I feel like my day is totally backwards!
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