Morning Stories

“Oh boy! Cott the crap!” That’s how I used to understand the word boycott, at least when I heard it from an English-speaking mouth. And even clearer understanding dawns when the thing called a boycott actually takes effect.

“You’re not normal.” At first, it was meant as a mild insult. But what’s actually offensive about someone living outside the norm?

Sometimes it takes a while to get going. And when you finally do, a new sign appears on the long road of life’s journey: “Shift into reverse.”

Good grief – how inspiring were the boyhood years, when cowboys and Indians populated the black-and-white, tiny little television screen. When Colts were constantly smoking, the Bonanza Ranch hosted the first men's group home, and the giant John Wayne was busy cleaning up the Wild West. Good grief – how discoloured and yellowed this romance appears today. Isn't it?

The word “trust” belongs in the top tier. Not just as a sound, but as an expectation — a fundamental condition. Trust is the glue. The mortar. The invisible thread that holds a society together. And that’s why people are so careful about how — or whether — they give it. Or avoid it altogether.

Oh no—not again. A sentence that, in just two words, unites two languages. «Stau» is a dense German word for traffic jam; «big» is the large word in English. No, this isn’t a critique of the author—i.e., me—but merely an observation that, by the end of this sentence, turns to dust. Sorry.

Either it was a one-time thing, a two-time thing, or maybe it happened several times—but “former” just sounds sad. Because that means it’s over, gone, vanished, extinguished. No—ended. Was that really the idea all along? When someone, in a moment of careless inspiration—probably over a beer—blew this notion into the void and then into law?

Anyone who can count to ten has probably already got one foot in Zen Buddhism. After all, Zen is the heart of this philosophy of stillness. When a circle of people — yes, even round people — settles into a certain posture, they do one thing above all: focus on their breathing. In… Out… In… Out… So far, so breath-fresh.

Staying flexible when the rest of the content ages — that’s the challenge. Anyone over fifty who hears their bones crack and lets out a small groan when standing knows the value of Flex. But Flex is never satisfied with just one action. Flex is so flexible it switches on automatically — almost reflexively — whenever needed. Flex in the reflex, so to speak.

This feathered creature is barely known to the public. How could it be? The animal — or is it a bird? — is even more elusive than the thing in Loch Ness or the monster in the Yeti mountains. And indeed, it is precisely among such accumulations of rocks, valleys, and remote terrain that the Valley Duck nests and survives. That is, if it hasn’t flown off in search of food.

Walls are, by nature, rather unsympathetic boundaries. Those who build them rarely engage in open conversations. And when our thoughts keep running into walls, frustration quickly sets in.

The breakup didn’t go well. Zoom Out — that would be the proper term, at least according to any reasonably written lexicon.

“Be Quem.” An ancient Latin expression once shouted across Roman courtyards filled with warlords, feudal politicians, and pleasure-seekers of all kinds. Literally translated: “Help yourself.”

A day never has enough minutes to stay silent in thought and remembrance. To offer someone the quiet, respectful tribute they deserve. Silence is sometimes louder than any speech — or any scream.

My subconscious must have been busy last night. I fell asleep with The Boss — and woke up because of - the boss.

Tennessee Williams could never have imagined how famous his portrait of a 1930s family would become. Yet it did. The Glass Menagerie captures the fragile beauty — and the quiet despair — of an American family.

Do babies still feel comfortable when they realize, right after birth: “Ouch — I’ve landed in the women’s group”? The gender ranked at the lower end?

There’s something about a Tracht. Something special — both in meaning and in memory. It’s tradition you can wear.

“Don’t play with the mucky pups. Don’t sing their songs. Go to the Upper Town. Be like your brothers.”

In bright, glittering letters, her T-shirt read RESIST. The shirt — and the woman wearing it — celebrated resistance. Ah yes… but resistance against what, exactly?

The first thing that stands out are the first four letters: M U S K. Those four characters of the linguistic universe have gained global weight.

The Ghostbusters film series remains a fascinating example of how a clever mix of humour, horror, and special effects can create a lasting and beloved piece of pop culture.

His face revealed nothing. No sign of tension, no flicker of doubt. The patient — the world — waited in silence for the diagnosis.

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” That’s one of those classic questions adults ask children — often right in the middle of a sandcastle project. Most kids freeze when they hear it.

Strictly speaking, the plural would be correct. There isn’t just one house where the mad rewrite the fate and story of humankind.