i didn´t know mushrooms are - besides other things - symbols of endless growth and permanent renewal (c) 2024

* album by pearl jam/ soundtrack of the documentary PJ20 (2011)

twenty* :: the residents of vienna´s 7th

During the phase when it came to my mind that I had spent 2 decades in Vienna’s 7th (I have never lived longer than that at any place before AND I had never thought I could live longer than 3 years or so at ANY place) and had already spent months in a mix of shiver and sweat attacks because of that fact, I met the (former, just resigned after 18 years, for a reorientation as he said) head of that district (the one who wanted to abolish all traffic signs and who’d search for his bicycle - after regular party nights - via Facebook) on the street. I felt I could talk to him about that too huge thing, maybe he could understand. I told him, that - yes, incredible, yes, unbelievably long time - I had moved here 2 decades ago, so that - yes, incredible, yes, frightening indeed - i had been living here already for 20 years. It took me a lot of courage to finally talk about that too huge subject, how could one stay at one place for that long ?

He looked at me and said: well, what can I say - I ́ve been living here since 1957.

I then went home and thought: ok, 1957 is definitely long ago. That’s still 20th century, that’s even long before I was even born.

I was glad I had only moved here in 21st century. So what´s 20 years ? Let´s say it´s something, not nothing. 20 years is about you (see also: choices/ what the greeks say).