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Welcome, dear friends of science and hello, you SciFoxes. Today I'll tell you the story
about me getting into chemistry and answer the question: "How to be a nerd in the last
century -- before the internet was available to everyone". Well, in middle school I was
indeed a rather average student: My highest grades were A (Behavior) and B (Math and Physics).
Chemistry has fascinated me since I attended an open house presentation of chemical experiments.
Unfortunately, the attempt to perform similar experiments using household chemicals such
as soap, vinegar, sugar and baking powder, was not very successful. So what I lacked
was obviously my own proper chemistry lab. Today´s source of information is the internet,
back then it was the public library to me. I was a regular guest and read books on any
topic I was interested in. I received confirmation in 1973 and my sponsor, (my grandpa) gave
me 100 Deutsche marks (about $ 30). Next day I rode the bike to town and bought me the
best chemistry set that I could get -- "Kosmos C1". I still have the instruction book and
some chemicals of this set. I set a chemistry corner in our basement and got me a lot of
chemicals in a special shop in my home town. Some chemicals I asked my aunt to buy me because
even at that time they were not allowed to be sold to minors. For example I did experiments
with concentrated sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, red phosphorus and other
substances that were not completely safe, and are not as readily available today. All
these substances were stored in carefully ink-labeled bottles. I accurately logged all
my chemical experiments, because the instruction book told me so: "Scientists record everything".
And so did I very beautifully with typewriter. Even then -- at the age of 13 - I also signed
the protocols by hand. My pride and joy and most valuable laboratory equipment were a
burette and a retort, which my aunt had given me for Christmas. Many of the chemicals I
still have today, and interestingly I have noted not only the chemical formula, but also
the price on the vials. But I had other hobbies, I photographed with a SLR - I shot Super 8
movies, I built model airplanes and radio receivers. Also, I had an aquarium with guppies
and I listened every week to the charts on FM radio, recording my favorite tracks on
cassette tape and doing a lot of statistics. Maybe I will present details about my other
hobbies in due time here. Well, 2 years later I decided to take the chemistry course in
high school and another 3 years later I began to study chemistry. Today I try to share the
fascination of science with young researchers. (SciFox says:) Bye.