some months ago, I met this guy from new york city at the europa in vienna. so, what do YOU do, I asked him, having talked about my occupations to a sufficient extent already. I'm an alchemist, he said, and he meant it. he also said that he was already being bored with all the gold, and that it doesn't sell on the stock exchange as high as it used to. of course I offered to share his burden and after some hours of delightful chitter-chatter, he left. but before going away he gave me a caramel as a present, because, he said, if you think about it, everything is gold.