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Vienna 1971—A Student Journal
A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.

Day 91 — Feiertag, Austrian Rotary
01-November-1971 (Mon.)


TRANSCRIPT

Another feiertag [holiday]. But I had to use some of the day to practice—not too much, though. Spent part of the day figuring my expenses. I’m going to run out of money too fast. I also wrote letters (one in German to my Rotarian contacts).

To relax, went to Magic Flute again. Mozart is very delightful.


REFLECTIONS

All Saints Day. Today is a holiday in Austria and other countries, All Saints Day, a Christian holiday that celebrates all saints and others in heaven. It follows “The Eve of All Hallows”—Halloween, which is the day before. Did you dress up this year? Halloween costumes only, please.

This Day in 996. Did you know that if you search on the “day” in Wikipedia (November 1), you get a whole list of events, births, deaths, and holidays. By pure coincidence, the first event for November 1 is:

“In 996, Emperor Otto III issues a deed to Gottschalk, Bishop of Friesing, which is the oldest known document using the name Ostarrichi (Austria in Old High German.)”

Pretty coincidental. The first document that mentions Austria as a territory. Wikipedia, we love you.

Running out of money? I suppose that I am spending money faster than I want. Remember, the U.S. dollar was devalued by Nixon back in August. I do have a book of my finances where I list everything I buy. I think that I’m being fairly frugal. I’m either eating at a student cafeteria or at home. I’m not going out to restaurants. I do go to a lot of standing-room concerts and operas—remember that is about $1. Well, worth it. We’ll see how things pan out.

Austrian Rotary Clubs. I finally write some letters to my contacts in the Austrian Rotary Clubs. Rotary Clubs International has Rotary Clubs worldwide. Rotarians are small business owners and professionals in a community—a place to meet, exchange ideas, do business. The real-world version of Web 2.0 social networks, decades before the Internet. I write in German, and hope that I may get to meet some Austrian Rotarians and express my thanks.

Magic Flute. Magical Mozart, once again. ay 053: Mozart's magical opera">Here is a link to that first post on the Magic Flute. I think this performance was at the Staatsoper.

John

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Tags: holiday, Wikipedia, Rotary Clubs, finances, Mozart, Magic Flute