Pace Robert Frost ("Reflection on The Road Not Taken")
In 1968 I contemplated becoming a German -- a Prussian even. The great marker of the Prussian is precise punctuality. And I have that. Joe does too so we often have some very precise arrangements between us which we both appreciate. And Joe has a very military (and hence Prussian) attitude to food (refueling) too, which I also had at his age. And I would certainly have been happy to wear a Pickelhaube, long gone though that now is. And I am in fact a former army man anyway. Prussians are particularly known as soldiers -- not that I was a good one.
And Germany's rich cultural life would have suited me down to the ground.
In 1968 I had just completed an honours degree which included German II and in that year we did get some of our lectures in German -- about such world significant figures as Brockes (forgive the sarcasm) so my German was a lot better at that stage than it is now -- over 40 years later. And I did take out in Sydney at that stage a German lady of elevated station back in German society.
So I thought of becoming a German and moving into a good position with her in German society. But being rather lazy, it seemed like too much trouble and Sydney women presented many interesting possibilities too. I even took for a short while an interest in a very shapely lady called Diane Rosenbloom -- with limited success. It occurred to me only afterwards that Rosenbloom is an irrefragably Ashkenazi name so, not being Jewish, my chances with her had been minimal anyway. She was a nice lady so I imagine that she entered shortly thereafter into a community-sanctioned marriage.
But what if I had realized then that I could possibly meet Ingeborg Hallstein in Germany? Would I have decided differently? I might have. I have just finished watching for the umpteenth time a 1971 recording of the wonderful Strauss II operetta Wiener Blut -- featuring as Graefin the beautiful coloratura soprano Ingeborg Hallstein, whom I see as the ultimate lady. I was 25 in 1968 and she would have been 32. That sort of age gap has never been a problem for me so what if I had gone to Germany and encountered her long, beautiful and wise face before me there?
I think I might have had a a chance with her. I have always said that I get on with only about 1% of the world's women but that is one heck of a lot of ladies. And the 1% ALWAYS includes classical music lovers -- which is my great delight too. And that 1% is also pretty coterminous with the top 1% in IQ.
And most high IQ ladies are not at all comfortable with men who are dumber than them. They have to be very good-natured to put up with it at all. Though some wise ones do. So being in the top stratum myself, the very best women are accessible to me
So I have no doubt that Hallstein chose in her life men as musical as she is. But although I am no good even as a bathroom singer, I would still, I think, have had a chance with her. IQ plus my devotion to classsical music might have won the day. A smart lady who sees my mocking blue eyes upon her knows immediately what company she has and regards it as at least interesting
And I did anyway many years later meet a Brisbane person who was also an ultimate lady. I had just married at the time but I knew an ultimate lady when I met one so a change of loyalties was rapidly accomplished. Definitely Wiener Blut!
In 1968 I contemplated becoming a German -- a Prussian even. The great marker of the Prussian is precise punctuality. And I have that. Joe does too so we often have some very precise arrangements between us which we both appreciate. And Joe has a very military (and hence Prussian) attitude to food (refueling) too, which I also had at his age. And I would certainly have been happy to wear a Pickelhaube, long gone though that now is. And I am in fact a former army man anyway. Prussians are particularly known as soldiers -- not that I was a good one.
And Germany's rich cultural life would have suited me down to the ground.
In 1968 I had just completed an honours degree which included German II and in that year we did get some of our lectures in German -- about such world significant figures as Brockes (forgive the sarcasm) so my German was a lot better at that stage than it is now -- over 40 years later. And I did take out in Sydney at that stage a German lady of elevated station back in German society.
So I thought of becoming a German and moving into a good position with her in German society. But being rather lazy, it seemed like too much trouble and Sydney women presented many interesting possibilities too. I even took for a short while an interest in a very shapely lady called Diane Rosenbloom -- with limited success. It occurred to me only afterwards that Rosenbloom is an irrefragably Ashkenazi name so, not being Jewish, my chances with her had been minimal anyway. She was a nice lady so I imagine that she entered shortly thereafter into a community-sanctioned marriage.
But what if I had realized then that I could possibly meet Ingeborg Hallstein in Germany? Would I have decided differently? I might have. I have just finished watching for the umpteenth time a 1971 recording of the wonderful Strauss II operetta Wiener Blut -- featuring as Graefin the beautiful coloratura soprano Ingeborg Hallstein, whom I see as the ultimate lady. I was 25 in 1968 and she would have been 32. That sort of age gap has never been a problem for me so what if I had gone to Germany and encountered her long, beautiful and wise face before me there?
I think I might have had a a chance with her. I have always said that I get on with only about 1% of the world's women but that is one heck of a lot of ladies. And the 1% ALWAYS includes classical music lovers -- which is my great delight too. And that 1% is also pretty coterminous with the top 1% in IQ.
And most high IQ ladies are not at all comfortable with men who are dumber than them. They have to be very good-natured to put up with it at all. Though some wise ones do. So being in the top stratum myself, the very best women are accessible to me
So I have no doubt that Hallstein chose in her life men as musical as she is. But although I am no good even as a bathroom singer, I would still, I think, have had a chance with her. IQ plus my devotion to classsical music might have won the day. A smart lady who sees my mocking blue eyes upon her knows immediately what company she has and regards it as at least interesting
And I did anyway many years later meet a Brisbane person who was also an ultimate lady. I had just married at the time but I knew an ultimate lady when I met one so a change of loyalties was rapidly accomplished. Definitely Wiener Blut!
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