Life

Es gibt 3 Beiträge mit dem Schlagwort Life.

Ich sage gar nichts


So sieht das Leben in einer Printanzeige der FAZ aus, powered by „do your thing“

Ich mache total so my thing. Hey und meinen eigenen Kopf habe ich auch, der gehört ganz allein mir, nur dass ihr alle Bescheid wisst.

Und vor allem mache ich immer das Beste aus meinem Leben in jeder Situation, ohne Rücksicht auf Mensch oder Maschine. Manche halten mich sogar für die Inkarnation des Konsum-Gotts „Me First“. In tune is das totally auch mit den moralischen und ethischen Werten des neuen Seat Arona, der zum Innovationsverweigerer und Diesel-Faker Volkswagen gehört und mich vor dem Tod retten wird.

Hinzu überzeugt mich tief im Inneren die Message des TV-Spots, weil ich schon immer Punker und Popper in einem war und „let it be“ genauso lebe wie in der Werbung, der Agentur C14torce und dem Krokodil aus Afrika.

Sei komplett austauschbar und launche neue kapitalistische Subjektivitätmodelle wie die Autoindustrie SUVs.


via Horizont

Larger look at life

I learned to play hockey in Highland Park, Illinois as a five-year old kid. It took a while until I was able to skate, handle the puck and get dressed all by myself. It was not until 1988, the Minnesota North Stars drafted the number one pick Mike Modano, when I first discovered an idol on the ice.

That year, I played a hockey tournament in West Berlin, a year before the wall fell. We played a team from Czechoslovakia, who dominated us with coordinated attacks and smoother techniques, even with simpler hockey gear, beat us on every corner of the ice.

In between games, I visited a pro shop in the now defunct rink at Jaffestrasse, and I heard about Modano for the first time. It’s where I got my first North Stars hat. It took a while until I saw Modano play on tv, it must have been in the early nineties in New York – ever since then I wanted to be like Mike. He had the same height and weight and I tried to emulate his style of play.

When Modano retired from the NHL in 2011, I was reminded how much of the game inspires my life and how important different idols and mentors are, ones who help you take a larger look at life.

Go with the Flow

wildcats-gerd-stodiek
22 as a Wildcat in 92

I hung onto the boards and made my rounds at the ice rink, kept going around in a circle until skating almost felt safer than walking. That first moment, when I hit the ice as a five year old Falcon, I was immediately hooked, determined to learn how to skate and play the game.

Hockey has been one of the greatest teachers in my life. I learned how to appreciate camaraderie, what it means to be part of a team. I learned how to accept defeat, acknowledge a stronger performance from the competition, only to learn and grow from defeat. I took my fair share of hits on the ice, coupled with a few cuts and bruises, only to get back up stronger than before. It taught me that speed can be graceful. I remember a hockey school coach who talked a lot about read and react, to anticipate a play ahead of time, taking action when it matters, being ready when the moment arrives, without thinking.

As a 14 year old in high school, I consciously experienced action without thinking for the first time, it was the strongest flow moment in my life so far. As a Wildcat, we played our biggest rival in the league, for the NY sound shore crown. The game was broadcast on local am radio, our principal was there and 800 people in the bleachers. I scored two goals as a 14 year old freshman, in the first offensive line, with two 18 year olds. We won 2 to 1.

Every stride, every pass, every shot, hit and shift was in sync with my body and mind. The radio host kept asking who this German kid is. I had potential of going further, to the bigger leagues, become a full time pro, but my path ended there, my focus as a teenager was somewhere else. I started playing again in college.

My biggest success with a team was the NCCA national championship in 1999. I had a solid year. I was on the title page of the sports section, in the local Vermont newspaper. The picture was taken right after I scored, my hands up in the sky, the headline read „The Biscuit is in the Basket.“

I played pro for two years in the 3rd division for the Beach Boys. My personal highlight was playing in front of 4.000 fans against the Berlin Capitals, in the now defunct Deutschlandhalle for a spot in the 2nd division. With the Beach Boys, I was happy to have played for the greatest coach in my career, one who gave me the opportunity to play pro.

Hockey without injuries ain’t hockey. I tore my ligaments, was blessed with around ten stitches in my face and partially lost two teeth. And a good chunk of bruises not worth mentioning. I’d say overall, I’m pretty lucky.

Albeit, it’s time to hang up my skates, I feel it, even though I was still fit to play in semi-pro leagues the past couple of years. I need to leave the game. You’ll see me playing pick up with friends or skating on the frozen ponds of this world, still feeling safer on skates than by foot.

I’ll miss the fans and former team mates, as well as the people who are the social glue of any club, who fill up the water bottles, show up to every practice and game, bring home brewed coffee and food to each ice time. And I have to thank my mom for being patient and supportive, who drove me to practice as a kid and knows how much hockey means to me.

In the meantime, I’ll continue my search for flow moments, to sync body and mind, only to get up with speed, grit and grace.