Chapter 6 - today is the first day of "new normal"

“The future starts now”, “today is the first day…” and “every new day starts in the dark”.

I was looking around for a picture for a new post and found an oldie but goodie with the well known picture of a book store in Hong Kong. Obviously, as someone who was born in Birmingham/GB, I found the name worthy of some mirth. Then I looked around to find out what the name actually could mean (I don´t speak any cantonese or mandarin) and, as far as I could tell, it means a store selling books about the unusual, paranormal or mystery which are themes which seem rather interesting and somehow fitting at the moment. Times feel unusual and mysterious so I decided to use it despite the slightly silly anglo-saxon take one could have on it.

Where do I start? There is so much going on at the moment that it seems very difficult to know where to start. World news and my take on it via twitter moves so fast that I can´t keep up with any more than the corner points. My little world here is insanely busy with the kids sort of going back to school but not really, work has settled down at a new normal level for the time being. Parts of me want a return to some sort of stability, other parts miss the peace and quiet of lockdown. Our local corona cases are all slowly recovering.

Various parallel projects update:

Ubuntu Touch – currently on ice as kids needed a replacement phone so I switched it back to Android.
Tune ECU project – I have procured an Asus Zenfone max with a massive battery via Ebay for data aquisition “on the go” and the OBD2 adapter and got TuneECU installed. Just need some decent weather to get the bike out.
Project Politics: last Sunday was an election day here for local and regional government. The final results should be out tomorrow but am feeling quietly confident about the local election (I should make it in). I´m a bit too far down the list in the regional election by only a few places so I shall do a bit of manoevring and emailing later to see what can be done. Am now also involved in the state and federal workgroups on health (also work and social issues).
My oldest daughter decided that my political presence in social media is utterly inadequate so I now have an in-house “social media manageress”.
I cleared a fallen tree the weekend before last and stowed the firewood parts but haven´t got round to planting any tomatoes yet. Definitely have to get moving here. The garden is a mess after the winter and recent storms.
I have to gather a few ideas about short trips on the bike with the kids and a tent. They are all keen, I´m keen, but the virus is not playing ball and I would really like to nip over the border into France with them.
Project “Economy for the common good” is moving slowly forward at work and even more slowly in the German/International workgroup but is, at least, moving. I sometimes have patience issues when working with larger groups of people. As life goes by, I find it ever more amazing that a large group of people managed to get a handful of people onto the moon, I have to remind myself of this regularly when working with larger groups of people.
My history project (in German) is making slow progress. (Materials/references link, text link). We are still about halfway through the “14” series by Arte but it is still a “thing” (as my older daughter might say) so am quietly confident that we might make it to the 1930´s by Christmas.

I decided to start a new chapter because I have a feeling that my political project is moving out into a new zone and also because a new chapter gives a good and positive feeling and a new perspective without anything tangible actually having to be different. I shall report back soon when final results are in and places confirmed. Until then…