Month: June 2014

A Curiosity That Was Once Familiar

N. Scott Emery, P.E.Leave a comment
My wife, my daughter and I wandered into the Curious Iguana as we explored downtown Frederick, MD this past Saturday afternoon. My response to being in the Curious Iguana, a small independent bookstore, took me off guard. I felt like I imagine a former smoker might feel walking into a smoke filled room, but in a good way. I was reminded of a past addiction and cherished the brief reminder of the happiness it used to bring.

The smell of the books and the well laid out displays put me into a state of mind that was familiar, but almost forgotten. It’s a state where time slows, a keenness of mind and spirit ensues and nothing matters except searching for just the right book. I have been in that state of mind many times before, but I don’t know that I have ever been as acutely aware of it. For the most part, the kind of bookstores I used to spend hours in has left the retail landscape and I get my books online or as eBooks. 

I like the convenience of buying books online and enjoy reading eBooks, but a day like Saturday makes me long for the days of browsing the shelves of a well-stocked book store, thumbing the pages of books that catch my eye and leaving the store with something new and unexpected to read. Searching for books in store is a process of discovery. It is like following a new road or trail and finding an undiscovered  place or view. And, it is an experience that cannot be matched by a sophisticated database or program that makes suggestions as to what I should read next. 
We left the store with a new book for my daughter’s summer reading. She began to read it as soon as we got in the car. As we drove out of town, I commented on how nice it was go to a book store. My daughter took a break from her reading and interjected, “It felt great!” Yes, indeed it felt great, and because of that, I hope that places like the Curious Iguana are with us for many years to come.

Getting Real in the Safeway Checkout Line

N. Scott Emery, P.E.Leave a comment

I was reminded this morning of why I almost never go to Safeway. As I started a busy day, I ran into Safeway for a couple of things. When I got to the checkout, there was one line open and it was backed up with folks with full carts. My immediate reaction was, “Great, now I am going to start the day off behind.” Before I left the store, my mind was changed.

As the older couple ahead of me began to check out, I noticed the cashier engaging them in conversation. She called them by name. I’ll call them the Smiths. Mr. Smith told her they’d lost a cow. The cashier said she was sorry. Mrs. Smith said it was too early in the morning to talk about that. Mrs. Smith told the cashier she was using the coupons that the cashier had given her the last time they were in. The cashier said “You saved $8.50 and here are some more coupons for next time.” Mrs. Smith responded, “You always take care of us.”

After she had paid, Mrs. Smith leaned in and quietly asked, “How is your mother?” The cashier smiled and loudly said “She is doing fine and I didn’t have to go down south after all. Thank you for asking Mrs. Smith.” Mrs. Smith said, “I am so glad to hear that. I was afraid to ask last time we were in.”

As I headed out of the store, I wasn’t thinking about running behind. I was thinking about what a good life it is when we take the time to engage with the people around us. And, I was thankful for this little reminder to keep it real and not get hung up on things that don’t really matter like being a few minutes late to a Saturday breakfast with friends.

World Cup Connections

N. Scott Emery, P.E.Leave a comment
With the 2014 World Cup beginning tomorrow, I am reminded of my own World Cup experience. Eight years ago I spent the better part of June in Germany for work, which coincided with the 2006 World Cup. All of Germany had World Cup fever. Just being in Germany at the same time as the World Cup was a great experience, but my experience did not end there.
It was nearly impossible not to be drawn into the excitement. Every restaurant, bar, beer hall and hotel lobby had a brand new HDTV tuned to the action. On the day the Brits were in Nuremberg to play Trinidad and Tobago, I happened to be in town. The British fans overran the city. By mid-morning, Nuremberg’s historic Hauptmarkt was packed with Brits in pre-match, drunken revelry. It was later reported that there were more Brits outside Nuremberg’s Frankenstadion than there were in the stadium for the match. I was told that there was an official list of British hooligans whose passports were confiscated to keep them from showing up in Germany for the Cup and raising too much hell. Those Brits are serious about their football.
I actually got to attend the World Cup knockout stage match between Portugal and the Netherlands in Nuremburg. When we got inside the stadium and to our seats, I was overwhelmed by the dynamic, energized feel of the stadium fueled by screaming groups of orange clad Dutch and burgundy clad Portuguese fans scattered around Frankenstadion. As I surveyed the stadium, I also noticed heavy duty fences between the sections of the stadium. I asked one of my German colleagues about the fences. He explained to me that the fences keep the visitor and home team fans separated from one another to keep riots from breaking out during hotly contested matches. I scanned our section again, noting groups of orange and burgundy clad fans sitting side by side.
The match was intense and was later nicknamed The Battle of Nuremberg. Portugal won 1-0, but not before a record number of red and yellow cards were issued. Late in the match, Portugal pushed the ball out of bounds to allow an injured Dutch player to get off the pitch. When the Netherlands brought the ball back in bounds, they kept the ball instead of passing it back to Portugal as is expected in a case like this. This sent the tension level in the stadium through the roof and because it was the World Cup those fences were not separating the fans of the two teams. It got a bit scary and I took note of the shortest route to the exit. In the end, I suppose I can thank Budweiser for being the exclusive World Cup beer vendor which kept the drinking down and the fans’ tempers just in check.
While going to a World Cup elimination match was an incredible experience, my favorite World Cup experience came when I spent a weekend in Southern Bavaria’s Füssen. After a day exploring Schloss Neuschwanstein and Schloss Hohenschwangua, I went to the hotel bar for a beer and to take in some World Cup action on the HDTV. It was a small place and I ended up at a table with a mixed group of locals and tourist. I managed to make conversation with the folks at the table using the little bit of German I knew and giving them a chance to practice their English. The US was playing Italy. And, as I recall, it seemed like everyone was cheering for the USA. It was really a fun night with the US playing the Italians to a 1-1 draw.

As I look back on that night, I realize that this is what the World Cup gives us. There we sat; a group of strangers, having a few beers, communicating as best we could through language barriers, collectively cheering for team USA. And, just for a couple hours, we connected with one another. So, now it begins again as it does once every four years. For a few weeks, people around the world will focus their attention on Brazil and the World Cup. The level of play will be superb, the competition will be fierce and the end result will be a true world champion. And, many times over in bars, coffee shops, and restaurants around the world, strangers will gather to watch and cheer. And, just maybe, they too will connect.