In exactly thirty hours, forty-seven minutes, and nineteen seconds, Berlin's equivalent of NYC's giant Time Square New Year's Ball will reach its final resting place at the bottom of the Brandenburg Gate (probably), and the entire CET area will welcome the dawning moments of twenty-16. Some will use these moments to longingly reflect upon the "year that was", others will be (unconsciously) thankful for the chemically-based physiologically inflicted effects of alcohol imbibement that will allow them to not reflect back on whatever ills afflicted them during the sixteenth year of the millennium, and most of the rest of us, if we take those moments to look back (all assuming that we're still awake by this point in the evening), will more than likely partake in a mixture of both: we'll smile for the good and hopefully laugh for the bad, as there was no doubt a fair share coming from both camps.
Here at GWMD, in our first annual Year in Review, would like to first apologize to the jilted reader who has been without novel content for what is now going on three months. We have our excuses, of course. The weather here in Central Europe has been like nothing we've ever seen before. Sun all the time, and hitting record highs every time we turned around. Why, one of our senior editors was out looking for a Döner shop just the other day (December 26th) in nothing more than jeans and a T-shirt. "What a time to be alive," he whispered to himself in awe (moments later he was heard cursing, however, when the fourth Döner shop that he came across was also closed for some reason). There were reports that Santa Claus was all but unrecognizable this year as well, sporting a trimmed goatee and a white tank-top. And the good weather wasn't confined only to the winter; in early November, when Helga arrived, God sent down warm healing sun rays, and set the Munich Fall air to a comfortable twenty degrees celsius. In summer, it was hot, and that's what you want in summer. So, theme number one for 2016: great weather. Let's hope this one lasts.
Theme number two: the end of youth. Well, it's been a good run hasn't it? Even just one generation ago (maybe two) we would have had to let this ship sail nearly fifteen years ago, so at least there's that. But the sad truth is that we're here now. There's no more room for spontaneity. Want to do something fun for yourself? Too bad. Fee like sleeping in one day? Ha! How about a fun vacation? Just for the weekend? Are you serious, pal? Good luck! I'm the only one home; and I really have to just go to the bathroom. That's all. No? Oh, ok. I guess I'll just hold it.
Theme number three: cycling. Notwithstanding the previous theme, that is, up until about November, it was a great cycling year over at GWMD headquarters. By late August, the strength, conditioning, weight, everything was really clicking. The Watts were being pushed out like you wouldn't believe, and the functional threshold power, just Wow! But then, disaster struck! It turns out all that cycling can be bad for your hands, wrists, fingers, and joints. Especially if there's too much pressure on the ulnar nerve due to bike setup, frame size/style, etc. Solution?
[...]
A new bike! Things aren't confirmed yet, as this sort of thing falls into the category of "major event" over here at GWMD. But as a potential preview of things that may be to come...
Pretty sweet, eh? But she comes at a price, and remember theme #2? So, we'll still have to wait and see.
Interview with the author
Q:
A: Well I was first turned on to this bike when the Oscar Farinetti conglomerate Eataly opened their first German location in the Schranenhalle here in Munich. Within the Italian food marketplace, there is also a Bianchi bike shop. We looked around in there and I thought "wow! These are some bikes!"
Q:
A: At first I was all hot for the Oltre XR1. I would have heeded the guy's advice to simply mortgage my house and then affording one would be no problem. But, sadly, I have no house to mortgage. The Sempre Pro is like the still pretty cute friend that you at least have a chance with.
Q:
A: No I never thought about that. Good question though.
