Interests and Hobbies

Special links:

Reinhold Kloos

My Interests and Hobbies

Hello everybody again!

Music

Before I came to London for my studies, I lived a long time in Frankfurt, the financial metropolis of Europe (ECB). Here, I was member of the German-American Community Choir, founded by the American Army in Germany. A special event of this choir is the “Singing Christmas Tree”, an American way of celebrating Christmas. It is the only event of this kind in Europe. In London, I have contact to the London Concert Choir.

Teamwork and Social Skills

I was always active in youth groups or parishes. In my hometown Warstein, I was a member of Kolping. Here and later in the St.Gallus parish in Franfurt, I was in the teams of group leaders. Thus, I really felt honoured as I got the opportunity to become the representative of Ph.Students at my department here in London.

At City University, I am a co-founder of the Society of Research Students. We want to overcome the isolation of a postgraduate study for Master or Doctor of Philosophy. Our mission is to create a university wide research student community. We meet us regularly, exchange information, and organise common events. Every research student can join us and propose his/her own ideas for an event. Here is a Web-Page for further information: http://www.city.ac.uk/researchstudies/currentstudent.htm.

I organised several events in the past time. A report of one such event, the tour to the biggest tidal mill in UK can be find with the following link: Three Mills Tour – 12th June 2003.

I am officially volunteering as a tourist guide at the House Mill, a first grade heritage place. The House Mill is the biggest tidal mill in the UK and demonstrates the development of milling over the centuries. Further information can be found at http://home.freeuk.com/david.charters/threemills/contents.htm

Sports

As sports, I like to cycle (London Cycling Campaign), to swim and to dance. I am member of the Square Dance Club Bernemer Squeezers of Frankfurt. There are many clubs of Square Dancing around the world. Thus, for some people, it is a hobby to travel from Club to Club. In Germany, I liked jogging as a hobby. Several times, I took part at the New Year run (Silvesterlauf) from Werl to Soest (15 km, more the 4000 runner) near my former hometown Warstein in North Rhine – Westphalia. Badminton was long time my preferred sport at City University.

Literature, Humor, and History

Finally, I like literature and history. England and London is full of historic places and it is exciting to see all the different places where people lived and how they lived. Especially London St. John's Gate, which is next to our University found my interest. I am in contact with its historical organization of St. John’s Ambulance and St. John’s knights. It is a pity that latest wars proofed that the ideas of crusades are not completely out of fashion.

There are a lot of connections between the British and German history. Often people also asked me about German literature or comedy. Yes, Germans have humour! A special category of this German humour and combined with German history is “Kabarett”, especially “Political Kabarett”. That Germans like to love about there stereotypes, proved the artist “Loriot”. The picture above is from a book cover of him. I like further children literature, because it is obviously a lot more difficult to write a good children book than a book for adults: Otfried Preussler (Krabat or Sartanic Mill), Janosch, Erich Kästner (Emil and the Detectives), and Michael Ende (Never-ending Story, Momo) are some examples of famous German authors in this genre.

The oldest and most famous book directly written for children is “Struwwelpeter” or “Shockheaded Peter” written by Heinrich Hoffmann. A very good translation was made by Mark Twain. In London, is even a “junk opera” dealing with the stories of this book. At the first glance, you may think the stories are nasty, but soon it becomes obvious, that they are really against violence, snobbism, and racism.

Wilhelm Busch wrote another famous children book called “Max and Moritz”. This story can be see as one starting point of comics. A very nice web page with other examples of German Literature of the 19^th Century together with English translations, I do not want to forget here, either.

Certainly, I do not only like German literature. The English literature is also full of very good examples for children books. “Winnie-The-Pooh” is one of my favourites. Please, do not hesitate to contact me if your interest are similar or you have any comments.

Some last words …

I want to finish this short introduction to my interests and hobbies with a quotation of the second book of “Winnie-The-Pooh”, “The House at Pooh Corner”. For a student, especially a Ph.D.-student, the university is often the “enchanted place”, the playground for his/her research, where he/she says “Pooh”, sometimes. Nevertheless, there will come the day, when they have to leave this place and to go into the world…

Then, suddenly again, Christopher, who was still looking at the world with his chin in his hands, called out “Pooh!” “Yes!” said Pooh. “When I’m – when – Pooh!” “Yes, Christopher Robin?” “I’m not going to do Nothing any more.” “Never again?” “Well, not so much. They don’t let you.”
Pooh waited for him to go on, but he was silent again. “Yes, Christopher Robin?” said Pooh helpfully. “Pooh, when I’m – you know- when I’m not doing Nothing, will you come here sometimes?” “Just Me?” “Yes, Pooh.” “Will you be here, too?” “Yes, Pooh, I will be really. I promise I will be, Pooh.” “That’s good, “ said Pooh. “Pooh, promise you won’t forget about me, ever. Not even when I ‘m a hundred.” Pooh thought for a little. “How old shall I be then?” “Ninety-Nine” Pooh nodded “I promise.” he said. Still with his eyes on the world Christopher Robin put out a hand and felt for Pooh’s paw. “Pooh, “ said Christopher Robin earnestly, “if I – if I not quite –“ he stopped and tried again – “Pooh, whatever happens, you will understand, won’t you?” “Understand what?” “Oh, nothing.” He laughed and jumped to his feet. “Come on!”
”Where?” said Pooh. “Anywhere,” said Christopher Robin.

So they went off together. But wherever they go, and whatever happens to them on the way, in that enchanted place on the top of the Forest a little boy and his Bear will always be playing.

Please note: I have no control of the contents presented at the given links. Thus, I am not responsible for any possibly illegal stuff shown there!