Wednesday, May 31, 2006
You're Right...This IS Fun!
Now I see why Erica's mom enjoys hijacking her blog all the time. I finally got my turn at Lori's blog.
Mom is Here!
Mom arrived last night and I showed her around Tübingen a bit. We also had a great dinner at Neckarmüller, and then it was time to crash, so she went back to the hotel and I came here -- I was unconscious by 10:30, which has NEVER happened before here, and I slept till 10:15am!! I must have been TIRED. Anyway class starts in an hour, I run the 6-hour gauntlet, and then Mom and I are going out to dinner again. Trying a new place tonight, placed called the Forelle. Should be good.
Thursday will be spent doing who knows what, probably sightseeing in Stuttgart, and then Friday we are off on our Fantastic Road Trip. I just have to get my essay done today and then I'm good to go for the week. Gah I hate homework.
P.S. Shannon was right. The new Chili Peppers album is awesome.
Thursday will be spent doing who knows what, probably sightseeing in Stuttgart, and then Friday we are off on our Fantastic Road Trip. I just have to get my essay done today and then I'm good to go for the week. Gah I hate homework.
P.S. Shannon was right. The new Chili Peppers album is awesome.
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
Rain, Rain.....GO AWAY!!!!
It has been rainy/cloudy/overcast/wet/nasty/disgusting/irritatingly-spring-showery for a good 5 days nonstop. Today is of course no exception. I hate rain. I haaaaaate rain. (Unless I don't have to go outside and I am sitting in a cafe drinking really really good coffee and reading a book by a fire).
Last week, it was so hot I had to put on shorts. My mother is arriving here in 6 hours and the forecast has nothing but rain and even thunderstorms forecast allllllll the way through to SUNDAY. And really, it just makes me mad. Really mad. Is it really SO MUCH to ask that we get just ONE WEEK of nice weather while she's here? Why is it that whenever family comes to visit me (even in Arizona!!) the weather goes to crap? I would, JUST ONCE, like to be able to show my family where I live in bright daylight, with no clouds in the sky - or at LEAST being able to SEE the sky.
***
No sooner did I hit "Publish" on that post than the sun finally broke through the clouds - although the rain is continuing. Hmmmm. Maybe I should try this more often.
Last week, it was so hot I had to put on shorts. My mother is arriving here in 6 hours and the forecast has nothing but rain and even thunderstorms forecast allllllll the way through to SUNDAY. And really, it just makes me mad. Really mad. Is it really SO MUCH to ask that we get just ONE WEEK of nice weather while she's here? Why is it that whenever family comes to visit me (even in Arizona!!) the weather goes to crap? I would, JUST ONCE, like to be able to show my family where I live in bright daylight, with no clouds in the sky - or at LEAST being able to SEE the sky.
***
No sooner did I hit "Publish" on that post than the sun finally broke through the clouds - although the rain is continuing. Hmmmm. Maybe I should try this more often.
Monday, May 29, 2006
The Wave Continues
Well, I'm still riding the wave of homework, and I've still not caught up. Man, I am definitely going to need my Pfingstwoche vacation to get some catching up done. There's so much to do! I've been running around all day today getting stuff ready for Mom to arrive tomorrow....cleaning the room, grocery shopping, going to rowing class. Rowing was especially painful today. My hands hurt like the dickens and they're starting to blister. The worst part is that after a while the sheer rythym of rowing starts to put you to sleep....I still haven't quite gotten it, I am a total spaz in the boat. My problem is that we row too fast and I don't have the time to really concentrate on what I'm doing and get it down. But that's okay, that's why it's a class and not a competitive team.
I would also be doing laundry right now if my housemates would pay attention to the laundry plan. Twice now I've written myself in for a specific time, and what happens? Someone comes along, writes themselves in for the same time, and starts doing laundry. Sigh. Why do we even have the laundry plan in the first place if no one is going to pay attention to it?
Back to reading.
I would also be doing laundry right now if my housemates would pay attention to the laundry plan. Twice now I've written myself in for a specific time, and what happens? Someone comes along, writes themselves in for the same time, and starts doing laundry. Sigh. Why do we even have the laundry plan in the first place if no one is going to pay attention to it?
Back to reading.
Sunday, May 28, 2006
Rest and Delight
This is my month, expressed in Biblical terms. Thought that since it was such an encouragement for me to come across these tonight it might also be great for someone else to hear.
Turn Yourself to me, and have mercy on me,
For I am desolate and afflicted.
The troubles of my heart have enlarged;
Bring me out of my distresses!
Look on my afflication and my pain,
And forgive all my sins.
Consider my enemies, for they are many;
And they hate me with cruel hatred.
Keep my soul, and deliver me;
Let me not be ashamed, for I put my trust in You.
Let my integrity and uprightness preserve me,
For I wait for You.
-Psalm 25:16-21
Trust in the Lord, and do good;
Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
Delight yourself also in the Lord,
and He shall give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the Lord,
Trust also in Him,
And He shall bring it to pass.
He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light,
And your justice as the noonday.
Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him.
-Psalm 37:3-7 (emphasis mine)
The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord,
And He delights in his way.
Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down.
-Psalm 37:23-24 (emphasis mine)
I have needed to hear this over the past few weeks. It has not been a good time for me lately, and the worst part is that I'm the one to blame for it. Yet here I see written: Delight yourself in, rest in the Lord. Rest. Delight. Give it up. How much of the trouble we get ourselves into, how much of the sin we find ourselves stuck in, is due soley to our own attempts to do things ourselves? How differently would we live every day if we really believed He will solve our problems? We forget that God already has it all, and if we'd only ask He would give it to us. When I forget that He has the answers for my struggles and pain, when I try to find my own salve and comfort, it always ends in disaster and in my utter spiritual desolation. Yet here is a God who calls out for us to REST in Him. Stop running! he says. Rest.
I love that expression, "feed on His faithfulness." Feed. I get this mental image of a guy face-down in a plate of food, like a pig at a trough, just chowing down as much as he can. What a strong way to say it - yet this is what we need to do. God wants us to dive face-down in His faithfulness like a fat guy at a pie-eating contest. We have to cram as much of that knowledge of faithfulness into our proverbial stomachs as possible, because we forget it so easily! We have to survive in the knowledge that He IS faithful; that a solution IS coming; that a day is coming when He WILL wipe the tears from our eyes, and there will be no more pain. Then: Delight in Me, He says, and I will give you the very deepest desires of your heart. Can you BELIEVE that?!? Think about this for a second. The God of the whole universe is offering you here the key to everything you have ever wanted, to the very deepest desires of your heart. And how do you get these? Delight in Him. God is literally offering the world to us here and all He asks in return is that we enjoy Him!
I think this is because the deepest desire of every human heart IS to enjoy Him. Enjoy Me, He says, and the desires of your heart will be fulfilled. When we do that, when our core motivation is to enjoy God, everything else He desires for our lives falls into place. When our deepest desire is to be with Him and enjoy Him, we are willing to do anything, go anywhere, for the sake of finding that enjoyment and intimacy. And in doing that we become the men and women that He intended us to be, the men and women that Christ sacrificed himself for because He knew what we would become in that tireless pursuit of intimacy with Him - the Creation of God, fulfilling its ultimate purpose of enjoying Him.
So that's what's on my mind at this wee hour of 1am. Hope it was a blessing to you all the way it was to me.
Turn Yourself to me, and have mercy on me,
For I am desolate and afflicted.
The troubles of my heart have enlarged;
Bring me out of my distresses!
Look on my afflication and my pain,
And forgive all my sins.
Consider my enemies, for they are many;
And they hate me with cruel hatred.
Keep my soul, and deliver me;
Let me not be ashamed, for I put my trust in You.
Let my integrity and uprightness preserve me,
For I wait for You.
-Psalm 25:16-21
Trust in the Lord, and do good;
Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
Delight yourself also in the Lord,
and He shall give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the Lord,
Trust also in Him,
And He shall bring it to pass.
He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light,
And your justice as the noonday.
Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him.
-Psalm 37:3-7 (emphasis mine)
The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord,
And He delights in his way.
Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down.
-Psalm 37:23-24 (emphasis mine)
I have needed to hear this over the past few weeks. It has not been a good time for me lately, and the worst part is that I'm the one to blame for it. Yet here I see written: Delight yourself in, rest in the Lord. Rest. Delight. Give it up. How much of the trouble we get ourselves into, how much of the sin we find ourselves stuck in, is due soley to our own attempts to do things ourselves? How differently would we live every day if we really believed He will solve our problems? We forget that God already has it all, and if we'd only ask He would give it to us. When I forget that He has the answers for my struggles and pain, when I try to find my own salve and comfort, it always ends in disaster and in my utter spiritual desolation. Yet here is a God who calls out for us to REST in Him. Stop running! he says. Rest.
I love that expression, "feed on His faithfulness." Feed. I get this mental image of a guy face-down in a plate of food, like a pig at a trough, just chowing down as much as he can. What a strong way to say it - yet this is what we need to do. God wants us to dive face-down in His faithfulness like a fat guy at a pie-eating contest. We have to cram as much of that knowledge of faithfulness into our proverbial stomachs as possible, because we forget it so easily! We have to survive in the knowledge that He IS faithful; that a solution IS coming; that a day is coming when He WILL wipe the tears from our eyes, and there will be no more pain. Then: Delight in Me, He says, and I will give you the very deepest desires of your heart. Can you BELIEVE that?!? Think about this for a second. The God of the whole universe is offering you here the key to everything you have ever wanted, to the very deepest desires of your heart. And how do you get these? Delight in Him. God is literally offering the world to us here and all He asks in return is that we enjoy Him!
I think this is because the deepest desire of every human heart IS to enjoy Him. Enjoy Me, He says, and the desires of your heart will be fulfilled. When we do that, when our core motivation is to enjoy God, everything else He desires for our lives falls into place. When our deepest desire is to be with Him and enjoy Him, we are willing to do anything, go anywhere, for the sake of finding that enjoyment and intimacy. And in doing that we become the men and women that He intended us to be, the men and women that Christ sacrificed himself for because He knew what we would become in that tireless pursuit of intimacy with Him - the Creation of God, fulfilling its ultimate purpose of enjoying Him.
So that's what's on my mind at this wee hour of 1am. Hope it was a blessing to you all the way it was to me.
70 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Me
(thanks Margaret!)
1. DO YOU SNORE?
- I am told I do, yes.
2. ARE YOU A LOVER OR A FIGHTER?
- lover
3. WHAT'S YOUR WORST FEAR?
- failure
4. AS A KID, WERE YOU A LEGO MANIAC?
- oh absolutely. i loved the Aquanauts sets. I had the deep-sea lab and i used to take the sharks and pretend they were attacking the lab. it was great.
5. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF REALITY T.V.?
- isn't that kind of an oxymoron? ugh, they're all scripted anyway, it's pathetic.
6. DO YOU CHEW ON YOUR STRAWS?
- nope
7. WERE YOU A CUTE BABY?
- apparently people said, "what an.....alert...baby!"
8. IS THE SINGLE LIFE FOR YOU?
- i appear to be doomed to it
9. WHAT COLOR IS YOUR KEYBOARD?
- white
10. DO YOU SING IN THE SHOWER?
- not unless i've got music playing and there's no one for at least a county around.
11. HAVE YOU EVER BUNGEE JUMPED?
- no. i would wet myself.
12. ANY SECRET TALENTS?
- hmmm...no.
13. WHAT'S YOUR IDEAL VACATION SPOT?
- a tropical beach in the...tropics...i have never been there before.
14. IS JAY LENO FUNNY?
- even i am funnier than jay leno, let's put it that way.
15. HAVE YOU EATEN SUSHI?
- nope
16. HAVE YOU SEEN THE MOVIE "DONNIE DARKO"?
- yep. cool movie.
17. DO YOU GIVE A DARN ABOUT THE OZONE?
- meeeeeh....i think it's a bunch of hype. i don't buy the "hole" thing. all for enviro-friendly measures though. like hybrid cars and stuff. the whole global warming thing is a bunch of hooey - scientists have known for a long time that the planet goes through temperature swings, and back in the 70s they thought we were going to enter another ice age. so no, i don't care what al gore says, it's not nearly a big of a problem as it's being made out to be.
18. HOW MANY LICKS DOES IT TAKE TO GET TO THE CENTER OF
A TOOTSIE POP?
- i always hated that stupid commercial.
22. HAVE YOU EVER BEEN ON AN AIRPLANE?
- yup.
23. WHAT'S YOUR STAND ON HUNTING?
- my dad does it annually, i am not such a fan. it just doesn't appeal to me, although i have no problem with other people doing it. plus venison is good.
24. IS MARRIAGE IN YOUR FUTURE?
- geez i hope so. God's taking his jolly time on that one with me.
25. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?
- nah, not really. i am always altering it in some way.
26. WHAT ARE YOU ALLERGIC TO?
- cats
27. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU SAID, "I LOVE YOU"
- today on the phone to my mom
28. IS ELVIS STILL ALIVE?
- ugh, WHO CARES?
29. DO YOU CRY AT WEDDINGS?
- nope
30. HOW DO YOU LIKE YOUR EGGS?
- over-easy.
31. ARE BLONDES DUMB?
- that question is dumb.
32. WHERE DOES THE OTHER SOCK END UP?
- the inside of the dryer becomes not unlike a nuclear reactor and it obliterates the other sock.
33. WHAT TIME IS IT?:
- 9:40
34. DO YOU HAVE A NICKNAME?
- matt, matty
35. IS MCDONALD'S DISGUSTING?
- yeah, but it tastes soooo goood..
36. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU WERE IN A CAR?
- hmmmm... april?
37. DO YOU PREFER BATHS OR SHOWERS?
- showers
38. IS SANTA CLAUS REAL?
- haha omg that's an even dumber question.
40. ARE YOU AFRAID OF THE DARK?
- a little. i don't like to be alone in dark rooms, and i'm always moving as quickly as i can toward the light switch. i always have the feeling i should have my back to the wall lol.
41. WHAT ARE YOU ADDICTED TO?
- email, my computer, and coffee
42. CRUNCHY OR CREAMY PEANUT BUTTER?
- crunchy
43. CAN YOU CRACK YOUR NECK?
- nope
44. HAVE YOU EVER RIDEN IN AN AMBULANCE?
- no
45. HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU BRUSHED YOUR TEETH TODAY?
- 3. and it's not even bedtime yet. sweeeeet.
46. IS DRUG FREE THE WAY TO BE?
- absolutely. course that doesn't apply to painkillers and stuff. but yeah, no pot for me, thanks.
45. WHAT COLOR ARE YOUR EYES?
- hazel. i just discovered this a few weeks ago. i always thought they were brown. check it out:
49. WHENS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?
- don't remember. twas a while ago.
50. DO YOU LIKE YOUR LIFE?
- meh. it's okay, i'm not wild about it but i don't hate it either.
51. WHO'S BETTER? CAPTAIN KIRK OR CAPTAIN PICARD?
- ummmm...i don't watch star trek?
52. ARE YOU PSYCHIC?
- no
54. DO YOU PLAY ANY INSTRUMENTS?
- i am trying to learn guitar, i'm not a bad singer either
55. HAVE YOU EVER STOLEN MONEY?
- nope
56. CAN YOU SNOWBOARD?
- nope, no interest either. skiing is cool enough for me.
57. DO YOU LIKE CAMPING?
- depends on the conditions. matt cannot live without a shower and proper bathroom facitilies.
58. DO YOU SNORT WHEN YOU LAUGH?
- once in a blue moon.
59. DO YOU BELIEVE IN MAGIC?
- nope, although i would give a kidney to live in Harry Potter's world and go to Hogwarts. That would be so friggin awesome.
60. ARE DOGS A MAN'S BEST FRIEND?
- ABSOLUTELY!
61. YOU BELIEVE IN DIVORCE?
- i believe that it shouldn't even need to come to that. make the right choice the first time. i don't think "not liking" or "not getting along" is a reason to end a marriage. there are tough times and you have to work through 'em. course, in cases of abuse and adultery, i believe divorce is fine, and even sometimes a good decision.
62. CAN YOU DO THE MOONWALK?
- no, but man that would rock if i could.
63. IS IT COLD OUTSIDE TODAY?
- nah, not really. it's "fresh" though.
65.WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE?
- sweet and sour chicken at the chinese restaurant
66. DO YOU WEAR NAILPOLISH?
- nope
68. WHAT'S THE MOST ANNOYING TV COMMERCIAL?
- oh geez. HANDS DOWN those STUPID ringtone ads that they have on every 30 seconds on German television. Gaaah they are so irritating, it's half the reason i almost never watch tv. makes me mad just THINKING about them.
69. DO YOU SHOP AT ABERCROMBIE?
- not anymore. i hate that store. it damages my self-esteem. and i'm sorry, i'm not paying 60 bucks for jeans. i take my business to american eagle, gap, and old navy.
70. FAVORITE BAND AT THE MOMENT!
- Motion City Soundtrack!
1. DO YOU SNORE?
- I am told I do, yes.
2. ARE YOU A LOVER OR A FIGHTER?
- lover
3. WHAT'S YOUR WORST FEAR?
- failure
4. AS A KID, WERE YOU A LEGO MANIAC?
- oh absolutely. i loved the Aquanauts sets. I had the deep-sea lab and i used to take the sharks and pretend they were attacking the lab. it was great.
5. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF REALITY T.V.?
- isn't that kind of an oxymoron? ugh, they're all scripted anyway, it's pathetic.
6. DO YOU CHEW ON YOUR STRAWS?
- nope
7. WERE YOU A CUTE BABY?
- apparently people said, "what an.....alert...baby!"
8. IS THE SINGLE LIFE FOR YOU?
- i appear to be doomed to it
9. WHAT COLOR IS YOUR KEYBOARD?
- white
10. DO YOU SING IN THE SHOWER?
- not unless i've got music playing and there's no one for at least a county around.
11. HAVE YOU EVER BUNGEE JUMPED?
- no. i would wet myself.
12. ANY SECRET TALENTS?
- hmmm...no.
13. WHAT'S YOUR IDEAL VACATION SPOT?
- a tropical beach in the...tropics...i have never been there before.
14. IS JAY LENO FUNNY?
- even i am funnier than jay leno, let's put it that way.
15. HAVE YOU EATEN SUSHI?
- nope
16. HAVE YOU SEEN THE MOVIE "DONNIE DARKO"?
- yep. cool movie.
17. DO YOU GIVE A DARN ABOUT THE OZONE?
- meeeeeh....i think it's a bunch of hype. i don't buy the "hole" thing. all for enviro-friendly measures though. like hybrid cars and stuff. the whole global warming thing is a bunch of hooey - scientists have known for a long time that the planet goes through temperature swings, and back in the 70s they thought we were going to enter another ice age. so no, i don't care what al gore says, it's not nearly a big of a problem as it's being made out to be.
18. HOW MANY LICKS DOES IT TAKE TO GET TO THE CENTER OF
A TOOTSIE POP?
- i always hated that stupid commercial.
22. HAVE YOU EVER BEEN ON AN AIRPLANE?
- yup.
23. WHAT'S YOUR STAND ON HUNTING?
- my dad does it annually, i am not such a fan. it just doesn't appeal to me, although i have no problem with other people doing it. plus venison is good.
24. IS MARRIAGE IN YOUR FUTURE?
- geez i hope so. God's taking his jolly time on that one with me.
25. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?
- nah, not really. i am always altering it in some way.
26. WHAT ARE YOU ALLERGIC TO?
- cats
27. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU SAID, "I LOVE YOU"
- today on the phone to my mom
28. IS ELVIS STILL ALIVE?
- ugh, WHO CARES?
29. DO YOU CRY AT WEDDINGS?
- nope
30. HOW DO YOU LIKE YOUR EGGS?
- over-easy.
31. ARE BLONDES DUMB?
- that question is dumb.
32. WHERE DOES THE OTHER SOCK END UP?
- the inside of the dryer becomes not unlike a nuclear reactor and it obliterates the other sock.
33. WHAT TIME IS IT?:
- 9:40
34. DO YOU HAVE A NICKNAME?
- matt, matty
35. IS MCDONALD'S DISGUSTING?
- yeah, but it tastes soooo goood..
36. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU WERE IN A CAR?
- hmmmm... april?
37. DO YOU PREFER BATHS OR SHOWERS?
- showers
38. IS SANTA CLAUS REAL?
- haha omg that's an even dumber question.
40. ARE YOU AFRAID OF THE DARK?
- a little. i don't like to be alone in dark rooms, and i'm always moving as quickly as i can toward the light switch. i always have the feeling i should have my back to the wall lol.
41. WHAT ARE YOU ADDICTED TO?
- email, my computer, and coffee
42. CRUNCHY OR CREAMY PEANUT BUTTER?
- crunchy
43. CAN YOU CRACK YOUR NECK?
- nope
44. HAVE YOU EVER RIDEN IN AN AMBULANCE?
- no
45. HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU BRUSHED YOUR TEETH TODAY?
- 3. and it's not even bedtime yet. sweeeeet.
46. IS DRUG FREE THE WAY TO BE?
- absolutely. course that doesn't apply to painkillers and stuff. but yeah, no pot for me, thanks.
45. WHAT COLOR ARE YOUR EYES?
- hazel. i just discovered this a few weeks ago. i always thought they were brown. check it out:
49. WHENS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?
- don't remember. twas a while ago.
50. DO YOU LIKE YOUR LIFE?
- meh. it's okay, i'm not wild about it but i don't hate it either.
51. WHO'S BETTER? CAPTAIN KIRK OR CAPTAIN PICARD?
- ummmm...i don't watch star trek?
52. ARE YOU PSYCHIC?
- no
54. DO YOU PLAY ANY INSTRUMENTS?
- i am trying to learn guitar, i'm not a bad singer either
55. HAVE YOU EVER STOLEN MONEY?
- nope
56. CAN YOU SNOWBOARD?
- nope, no interest either. skiing is cool enough for me.
57. DO YOU LIKE CAMPING?
- depends on the conditions. matt cannot live without a shower and proper bathroom facitilies.
58. DO YOU SNORT WHEN YOU LAUGH?
- once in a blue moon.
59. DO YOU BELIEVE IN MAGIC?
- nope, although i would give a kidney to live in Harry Potter's world and go to Hogwarts. That would be so friggin awesome.
60. ARE DOGS A MAN'S BEST FRIEND?
- ABSOLUTELY!
61. YOU BELIEVE IN DIVORCE?
- i believe that it shouldn't even need to come to that. make the right choice the first time. i don't think "not liking" or "not getting along" is a reason to end a marriage. there are tough times and you have to work through 'em. course, in cases of abuse and adultery, i believe divorce is fine, and even sometimes a good decision.
62. CAN YOU DO THE MOONWALK?
- no, but man that would rock if i could.
63. IS IT COLD OUTSIDE TODAY?
- nah, not really. it's "fresh" though.
65.WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE?
- sweet and sour chicken at the chinese restaurant
66. DO YOU WEAR NAILPOLISH?
- nope
68. WHAT'S THE MOST ANNOYING TV COMMERCIAL?
- oh geez. HANDS DOWN those STUPID ringtone ads that they have on every 30 seconds on German television. Gaaah they are so irritating, it's half the reason i almost never watch tv. makes me mad just THINKING about them.
69. DO YOU SHOP AT ABERCROMBIE?
- not anymore. i hate that store. it damages my self-esteem. and i'm sorry, i'm not paying 60 bucks for jeans. i take my business to american eagle, gap, and old navy.
70. FAVORITE BAND AT THE MOMENT!
- Motion City Soundtrack!
Saturday, May 27, 2006
Music
I have lately been on a real 90s-bands kick (actually not lately, pretty much forever). I just love those bands of the mid to late 90s. Third Eye Blind, Vertical Horizon, The Wallflowers, Goo Goo Dolls. These are the types of bands that really embodied (started?) the "Alternative" genre of music that just has that certain sound you can't quite define. They have a hit on the radio once in a while these days, but they've largely faded from the spotlight. They're still making great music though!
Vertical Horizon's most recent CD, Go, is awesome. It's even better than their first "big" one, Everything You Want, which is hard to beat. Great guitar solos, and a unique fusion of rock with pop influences that puts you in a good mood but still manages to skirt the dreaded Pop-Masquerading-As-Rock category. If you have the means to get your hands on it, I would highly recommend it. It's one of those CDs that is just perfect to play while you're in the car on a nice day, with the windows down...
Vertical Horizon's most recent CD, Go, is awesome. It's even better than their first "big" one, Everything You Want, which is hard to beat. Great guitar solos, and a unique fusion of rock with pop influences that puts you in a good mood but still manages to skirt the dreaded Pop-Masquerading-As-Rock category. If you have the means to get your hands on it, I would highly recommend it. It's one of those CDs that is just perfect to play while you're in the car on a nice day, with the windows down...
Long Beach
Every year, my family goes to Long Beach, Washington for our summer vacation. Our family has done it since the 40s and it's a tradition that we've never gotten tired of. I always look forward to the vacation; it means a week of laying in the sun, walking along the beach, bodysurfing in the waves, and getting my fill of reading for pleasure for most of the year. I am so excited for August to roll around this year.
In way-too-early anticipation, here's the video as an encore from last year:
Long Beach Insanity
Enjoy!
In way-too-early anticipation, here's the video as an encore from last year:
Long Beach Insanity
Enjoy!
Friday, May 26, 2006
Da Vinci Bust
So when we got to the theatre we discovered the showing that I had reserved tickets for was not, in fact, the English showing. I would have been fine with seeing it in German, but most of the group was not, so we just headed back up. Now the question is whether I shall download it off our uni-server and just watch it here...or just go to bed.
Da Vinci Code
Wow, it's already Friday. Man the days go by so fast and I don't even think about updating this thing. Finally blogging is loosening its iron grip on me! I have spent the entire day reading a history book, and will continue to do so until around 10pm tonight, when we are all heading out to see The Da Vinci Code. Should be interesting to see how they decided to make that book into a movie. I was not a huge fan of the book, it was a good read, definitely a page turner, but I was irritated by how Brown was able to blur the line between fact and fiction to the point that it was nearly indistinguishable. Of course, I suppose that just means he's a talented writer and researcher.
In any case I find all the hullabaloo about the movie a bit overblown - it's a work of fiction, nothing more. Any Christian with half a brain should read the Da Vinci Code as nothing more than a bit of light reading, a mystery thriller, because that's what it is - if you're shaken up by a work of fiction asserting that Jesus was married or has a bloodline that still exists today, then you've got a problem much bigger than the assertions being made.
Although I have to say I was more than a little offended by what Ian McKellan said about the Bible in an interview on MSNBC. Course I shouldn't expect anything different from a man who rips Leviticus out of the Bibles placed by Gideons in every hotel room he stays.
Important little tidbit: the whole "Jesus surviviing the resurrection" thing is not actually a premise of the book, at least not that I remember. Which is exactly why Tom Hanks looks so confused when Lauer spits that out. Just another example of Matt Lauer's outstandingly (in)accurate reporting.
In any case I find all the hullabaloo about the movie a bit overblown - it's a work of fiction, nothing more. Any Christian with half a brain should read the Da Vinci Code as nothing more than a bit of light reading, a mystery thriller, because that's what it is - if you're shaken up by a work of fiction asserting that Jesus was married or has a bloodline that still exists today, then you've got a problem much bigger than the assertions being made.
Although I have to say I was more than a little offended by what Ian McKellan said about the Bible in an interview on MSNBC. Course I shouldn't expect anything different from a man who rips Leviticus out of the Bibles placed by Gideons in every hotel room he stays.
Important little tidbit: the whole "Jesus surviviing the resurrection" thing is not actually a premise of the book, at least not that I remember. Which is exactly why Tom Hanks looks so confused when Lauer spits that out. Just another example of Matt Lauer's outstandingly (in)accurate reporting.
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Now Remember, Kids...
...if you weren't choking back your own vomit, it wasn't a good run.
10k in 40 minutes! Woooo!
10k in 40 minutes! Woooo!
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Owwwwwww*coughcough*wwwwwwwww....
Running 8k before your sore throat and cough have completely gone away is not a good idea. But I just couldn't wait any longer - I had to ruuuuuuuunn! It felt good, although not as good as last time since I think my body is still fighting off whatever bug is laying siege to my throat and head. Still, I persist in my efforts. Vitamin C intake is still at an all-time high and I've laid off the drugs for now. I WILL win, dag nabbit!
Speaking of running, Apple has proved once again that it is the company of choice for yuppies everywhere. I gotta say, it's an awesome idea and whoever it was at Nike that came up with this is a marketing genius (and is probably sitting in a new corner office as we speak). But c'mon. If you want a device that's going to give you data on your run, go out and get a GPS thing that tracks your progress via satellite. They give you much more information than just your pace and how far you've gone. Still, for people who just want the basics and already have an iPod nano, this is a good idea.
Speaking of running, Apple has proved once again that it is the company of choice for yuppies everywhere. I gotta say, it's an awesome idea and whoever it was at Nike that came up with this is a marketing genius (and is probably sitting in a new corner office as we speak). But c'mon. If you want a device that's going to give you data on your run, go out and get a GPS thing that tracks your progress via satellite. They give you much more information than just your pace and how far you've gone. Still, for people who just want the basics and already have an iPod nano, this is a good idea.
Monday, May 22, 2006
The Excitement Builds
Next year at ASU is shaping up to be downright insanely busy and fun. I will be working on my major coursework, starting my thesis, trying to line up summer internships, maybe doing crew, and getting involved in the Barrett Mentoring Program as well as University Student Government. Just thinking about it makes me tired, but it also makes me really excited - it's funny how both in high school and in college, my junior/senior years were those when my campus involvement skyrocketed, after I'd finally found a niche. Weird how that works out.
Aaaaah what an exciting year it's going to be! So stoked. Also still very stoked about this semester in Germany - I just sat down and planned out my outside-of-class reading for American Foreign Policy so that I will be well-read by the time the final rolls around. Organization makes me feel so much better about tackling stuff like that.
Spring is so good for my mood, even if it's raining. It makes me positive when it's warm and muggy outside. Aaaahh love it.
Aaaaah what an exciting year it's going to be! So stoked. Also still very stoked about this semester in Germany - I just sat down and planned out my outside-of-class reading for American Foreign Policy so that I will be well-read by the time the final rolls around. Organization makes me feel so much better about tackling stuff like that.
Spring is so good for my mood, even if it's raining. It makes me positive when it's warm and muggy outside. Aaaahh love it.
I Just Want a Treaty!
All I want is the full text of every treaty the United States has ever made with another nation since its inception. In this information age, is that really so much to ask? Apparently so. Even the Library of Congress doesn't seem to have what I need. Ridiculous.
Rowin' in the Rain
It was bound to happen sooner or later, and sure enough, today was our first day of rowing in the rain. We were out on the Neckar and it just began to POUR. It dumped so hard and fast that, 20 minutes later, when we docked, there was a good half-inch of water in the bottom of the boat. And of course we were all soaking wet.
The best part of all this was that I've been sick the past few days, and as a result my body is chock-full not only of Vitamin C but also every medication I can get my hands on. I was foolish enough to take some Benadryl before going to rowing, so as we're out there on the river, rowing away, the increased blood flow kicked the effects into overdrive. I began to get dizzy and realized I was losing coordination in my arms. I just couldn't focus. The water all over the oars wasn't making them any easier to turn either, and I have the blisters to prove it.
Making my way back toward town afterward, sopping wet, I was shivering and my hands were numb. I was also very hungry, and I decided to treat myself to McDonald's. I haven't had a full meal there in a long time, usually when I do I'm late for class and I just grab a cheeseburger and run. It's funny, Big Macs (or, as they call them in German, Big Mäcs) still taste good even after watching Super Size Me. Although I can't imagine eating them every day for like 20 years like that one dude has done. That's just ridiculous.
Random thought: I love how Germans will "deutschify" some words, like Big Mac, with the creative use of an umlaut. If Big Mäc didn't have that umlaut over the a, Germans would be going around pronouncing them "Big Mahks." Menu becomes Menü. Odysseus becomes Ödysseus. Hilarious.
Now I am going to make a cappucino and do some homework.
The best part of all this was that I've been sick the past few days, and as a result my body is chock-full not only of Vitamin C but also every medication I can get my hands on. I was foolish enough to take some Benadryl before going to rowing, so as we're out there on the river, rowing away, the increased blood flow kicked the effects into overdrive. I began to get dizzy and realized I was losing coordination in my arms. I just couldn't focus. The water all over the oars wasn't making them any easier to turn either, and I have the blisters to prove it.
Making my way back toward town afterward, sopping wet, I was shivering and my hands were numb. I was also very hungry, and I decided to treat myself to McDonald's. I haven't had a full meal there in a long time, usually when I do I'm late for class and I just grab a cheeseburger and run. It's funny, Big Macs (or, as they call them in German, Big Mäcs) still taste good even after watching Super Size Me. Although I can't imagine eating them every day for like 20 years like that one dude has done. That's just ridiculous.
Random thought: I love how Germans will "deutschify" some words, like Big Mac, with the creative use of an umlaut. If Big Mäc didn't have that umlaut over the a, Germans would be going around pronouncing them "Big Mahks." Menu becomes Menü. Odysseus becomes Ödysseus. Hilarious.
Now I am going to make a cappucino and do some homework.
Sunday, May 21, 2006
This Random Thought Brought To You By History Research
Reading about U.S. foreign policy history, specifically the history of the Panama Canal. Did you know that we totally cheated Columbia out of Panama and the canal? We had a treaty going with Columbia that would have given us a 99-year lease on the canal, but when the Columbian senate rejected the treaty, we instigated, encouraged, supported, and protected a Panamanian independence movement. Once Panama got its independence, we made the canal deal with them instead. Sneeeaaaaaky....
Anyway I was looking up some background info on this in Wikipedia and I thought, man, I'd really like to go on a really long trip down through Central America and the Caribbean. That would be awesome. Trek down through Mexico, all the way down to Panama, then jump on a boat and spend a week or two hanging out in the Caribbean. I wonder how expensive that would be. I would think flights to Central America can't be THAT expensive.
***
Turns out flights to Central America aren't actually expensive at all. I could go from Seattle to Mexico City in the middle of the summer for a mere $225. That's one-way of course, but still. That's not bad at all.
Anyway I was looking up some background info on this in Wikipedia and I thought, man, I'd really like to go on a really long trip down through Central America and the Caribbean. That would be awesome. Trek down through Mexico, all the way down to Panama, then jump on a boat and spend a week or two hanging out in the Caribbean. I wonder how expensive that would be. I would think flights to Central America can't be THAT expensive.
***
Turns out flights to Central America aren't actually expensive at all. I could go from Seattle to Mexico City in the middle of the summer for a mere $225. That's one-way of course, but still. That's not bad at all.
Study Time
The window's open, as are my notebooks, and the breeze blowing through the window is ruffling the pages and keeping the room cool. I've got a cup of coffee next to me and an open book in front of me. I could study like this forever if only I had a longer attention span.
This week (and the weeks following it) are going to be positively FILLED with hour upon hour of studying in an attempt to keep pace (and get caught up in the first place) with my classes. I'm feelin' good about it though, just need to hammer out a daily plan and I'll get it all done.
This week (and the weeks following it) are going to be positively FILLED with hour upon hour of studying in an attempt to keep pace (and get caught up in the first place) with my classes. I'm feelin' good about it though, just need to hammer out a daily plan and I'll get it all done.
Thursday, May 18, 2006
Language is Weird
Addy: So I was thinking today about how weird it is that, no matter how long you study a foreign language, words can never have the same contextual meaning for you as they do native speakers.
Me: What do you mean?
Addy: Well, take this for example: I say the words "Red" and "Politics." What comes to your mind?
Me: Republican.
Addy: Really?
Me: Well, yeah. What were you thinking of?
Addy: Communism.
Me: What do you mean?
Addy: Well, take this for example: I say the words "Red" and "Politics." What comes to your mind?
Me: Republican.
Addy: Really?
Me: Well, yeah. What were you thinking of?
Addy: Communism.
A Nation of Immigrants?
Once again, Ann (or should I say Peter?) hit the nail right on the head. Coupled with his idiotic idea to sell our port security to a company from Dubai, this joke of an immigration policy being proposed by our president officially cements the end of my support for ol' Georgie. I am going to be SO glad when 2008 rolls around and we get to wave goodbye to Dubya.
Unless, of course, Hillary gets elected -- in that case, I'm emmigrating to Germany.
Also, check out Peter Brimelow's 1992 article Time to Rethink Immigration?
Unless, of course, Hillary gets elected -- in that case, I'm emmigrating to Germany.
Also, check out Peter Brimelow's 1992 article Time to Rethink Immigration?
Seattle Rain
Sitting here at my desk, writing an essay for my German literature class, drinking coffee, listening to Daniel Powter, and watching the rain fall outside, I'm reminded of home. I miss Seattle rain. I'd sure like to be sitting in a Starbucks right now, back home, drinking coffee and watching the Seattle rain come down. Of course, now that we're moving toward summer, Seattle dries up and the rain pretty much stops till September. Most people think it rains in Seattle all the time, when in reality New York gets more rain than we do. We're just overcast a lot.
Anyway, I just miss that. Seattle rain and Seattle summers. Still, it's wonderful to be here in Europe right now, experiencing my first European spring. I gotta say that in the springtime, this has to be one of the most beautiful places on earth. Definitely beats spring back home.
The absence of Coffee Mate here makes it darn hard to make your coffee JUST the way you like it...Coffee Mate is so rich and creamy, it makes your coffee the perfect consistency. The cream here never really meets my standards. Too much, and your coffee doesn't taste like coffee anymore, too little, and you're just drinking brown water. It's taken me 8 months, but I have - finally - mastered the coffee/cream ratio. One scoop of grounds per cup, make 3 cups, add two packets of cream and one scoop of sugar for the best acidic nectar of the gods this side of the Atlantic. Mmmmmm.
Anyway, I just miss that. Seattle rain and Seattle summers. Still, it's wonderful to be here in Europe right now, experiencing my first European spring. I gotta say that in the springtime, this has to be one of the most beautiful places on earth. Definitely beats spring back home.
The absence of Coffee Mate here makes it darn hard to make your coffee JUST the way you like it...Coffee Mate is so rich and creamy, it makes your coffee the perfect consistency. The cream here never really meets my standards. Too much, and your coffee doesn't taste like coffee anymore, too little, and you're just drinking brown water. It's taken me 8 months, but I have - finally - mastered the coffee/cream ratio. One scoop of grounds per cup, make 3 cups, add two packets of cream and one scoop of sugar for the best acidic nectar of the gods this side of the Atlantic. Mmmmmm.
Stormy Day
It's raining and thundering and blitzing out there, but oddly enough the sky is still quite light. It's the color of milk and it casts a strangely warm and eerie glow over everything as the storm moves over us. It's kind of nice. This is one of those days where I'd like to have no class, no homework, no responsibilities, and just sit here on my bed and read a book all day while looking out the window as the rain comes down.
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Sick
It's hardly surprising that, in the middle of a week as important as this one, I should fall ill. Really, I should have expected that. Yesterday it began with a scratchy throat that was obviously quickly blooming into a sore one and reaching its diabolical tentacles into my sinuses as well. Then my energy was suddenly gone, and the headache is the capstone.
So before bed I took some throat medicine, wrapped a scarf around my neck, and fell into bed around 11:30pm. I was awoken again at 2am by the loudest and most violient thunderstorm I think I've ever heard in my life. The window was open in an attempt to get some fresh air in the muggy room (it's so muggy here right now anyway it didn't do much good) and I could hear the rain coming down in buckets. There was one thunderclap that was not preceded by lightning and which was so suddenly and incredibly loud that I jumped in bed and my heart was set racing. The entire dorm shook. It was incredible.
Obviously that would have been cool any other night, but when I'm deathly tired and my head feels as if someone is squeezing it in a vise, this isn't how I want to spend my 2am hours. Finally it stopped and I drifted off into a on-and-off every-15-minutes sleep.
I awake this morning, oddly enough, with the pain in my throat strangely diminished, although I can still tell something is wrong. The headache has multiplied and is currently applying some wonderful pressure behind my eyeballs. And I'm still so tired both from whatever this is and from the lack of sleep last night that all I want to do is climb back in my bed. And wouldn't ya know it, today's my busiest class day. Lucky me.
I just need to find some headache medicine...
So before bed I took some throat medicine, wrapped a scarf around my neck, and fell into bed around 11:30pm. I was awoken again at 2am by the loudest and most violient thunderstorm I think I've ever heard in my life. The window was open in an attempt to get some fresh air in the muggy room (it's so muggy here right now anyway it didn't do much good) and I could hear the rain coming down in buckets. There was one thunderclap that was not preceded by lightning and which was so suddenly and incredibly loud that I jumped in bed and my heart was set racing. The entire dorm shook. It was incredible.
Obviously that would have been cool any other night, but when I'm deathly tired and my head feels as if someone is squeezing it in a vise, this isn't how I want to spend my 2am hours. Finally it stopped and I drifted off into a on-and-off every-15-minutes sleep.
I awake this morning, oddly enough, with the pain in my throat strangely diminished, although I can still tell something is wrong. The headache has multiplied and is currently applying some wonderful pressure behind my eyeballs. And I'm still so tired both from whatever this is and from the lack of sleep last night that all I want to do is climb back in my bed. And wouldn't ya know it, today's my busiest class day. Lucky me.
I just need to find some headache medicine...
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Rupert the iBook
For those of you who didn't know (which is pretty much everyone except Addy), the iBook now has a name. It has been christened Rupert. Yes, this is also the plant's name, but if I had thought of it for the computer first I would have named the plant something different. Besides, this little white laptop is DEFINITELY a Rupert. Definitely.
Also. As of today I am officially obsolete. It was bound to happen, I knew it would when I bought the iBook. No biggie. I like my 12'' iBook, thank you very much. And I like my tried-and-true PowerPC processor even more. I'll get an Intel Mac the next time I get a new computer, which will prolly be 3 to 4 years when they've got the bugs worked out.
Also. As of today I am officially obsolete. It was bound to happen, I knew it would when I bought the iBook. No biggie. I like my 12'' iBook, thank you very much. And I like my tried-and-true PowerPC processor even more. I'll get an Intel Mac the next time I get a new computer, which will prolly be 3 to 4 years when they've got the bugs worked out.
April Showers Bring May Fl- ....Waaaiiiiiiit....
First major thunderstorm/afternoon shower today. It POURED and Almir and I got caught outside in it, me without so much as a jacket. It was a bit weird to feel raindrops like that -- they were quite large and I can't remember the last time I've really gotten rained on. Back home in Seattle it usually 'drizzles' more than it flat-out pours like that, and of course in Arizona when it rains people prefer not to risk their lives by going outside on those torrential, monsoon downpours.
I ordered yet another book on American foreign policy at the bookstore today, bringing my total number of books on the subject to 5. Wooo! I love books. This one is entitled "Of Paradise and Power: America and Europe in the New World Order." Should be quite the read. I like what I've seen from its author (Robert Kagan) so far. Unlike most authors today, who hold up the EU as some sort of utopia and assert the U.S. is the greatest threat to world peace, Kagan takes the realist approach: Yes, Europe has enjoyed over 50 years of peace since the end of World War II and the integration of the continent -- but only because the U.S. foots its defense bill through NATO. He also points out that it is exactly America's power - and its willingness to exercise that power in defense of OTHER nations besides itself - that make it the primary target. Preach it, Kagan!
I am going to have quite the summer reading list for our annual vacation to the ocean and the 2 weeks I have in Seattle before I strike south for ASU. Excited!
I ordered yet another book on American foreign policy at the bookstore today, bringing my total number of books on the subject to 5. Wooo! I love books. This one is entitled "Of Paradise and Power: America and Europe in the New World Order." Should be quite the read. I like what I've seen from its author (Robert Kagan) so far. Unlike most authors today, who hold up the EU as some sort of utopia and assert the U.S. is the greatest threat to world peace, Kagan takes the realist approach: Yes, Europe has enjoyed over 50 years of peace since the end of World War II and the integration of the continent -- but only because the U.S. foots its defense bill through NATO. He also points out that it is exactly America's power - and its willingness to exercise that power in defense of OTHER nations besides itself - that make it the primary target. Preach it, Kagan!
I am going to have quite the summer reading list for our annual vacation to the ocean and the 2 weeks I have in Seattle before I strike south for ASU. Excited!
Monday, May 15, 2006
Aaaaahhh...
Those were, quite possibly, the most awesome 8 kilometers I've ever run in my life. Endorphines are a wonderful thing. Rowing went awesome too, we are definitely getting the rhythm down and are starting to row in sync. But bad thing: while we were setting our first boat in the water - the 53-year-old wooden legend Deutschland - one of our teammates' knee punched a hole in the keel and she now needs to be repaired because she's taking on water (the boat, not our teammate). For those of you who didn't know, crew boats are practically PAPER thin. So that sucked. She (our teammate) felt so bad, and we felt bad that she felt bad cause it was an accident.
Still, I feel so good today! In fact I feel good most days these days due to this wonderful weather and a much more manageable semester experience the second time around.
Funny story from last night. Around 2am I opened my eyes - whether I was still dreaming or not I don't know - and was certain I saw a winged/eight-legged/extremely large and imposing insect (spider from hell? huge fly?) dangling over my face, about to land on it. I yelled "Waaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh!!" and flung my arms around and the next thing I knew I had leaped out of bed and was in the bathroom swatting my hair and torso and checking in the mirror to make sure it wasn't on me. In the 0.4 seconds it took me to reach the bathroom I also somehow tore my comforter right off the bed and didn't trip over it. Amazing. I spent 10 minutes tearing my room apart to make sure the phantom insect didn't exist (I am DEATHLY afraid of spiders), but I think I might have just dreamed it and woken up at a very inopportune time.
Still, I feel so good today! In fact I feel good most days these days due to this wonderful weather and a much more manageable semester experience the second time around.
Funny story from last night. Around 2am I opened my eyes - whether I was still dreaming or not I don't know - and was certain I saw a winged/eight-legged/extremely large and imposing insect (spider from hell? huge fly?) dangling over my face, about to land on it. I yelled "Waaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh!!" and flung my arms around and the next thing I knew I had leaped out of bed and was in the bathroom swatting my hair and torso and checking in the mirror to make sure it wasn't on me. In the 0.4 seconds it took me to reach the bathroom I also somehow tore my comforter right off the bed and didn't trip over it. Amazing. I spent 10 minutes tearing my room apart to make sure the phantom insect didn't exist (I am DEATHLY afraid of spiders), but I think I might have just dreamed it and woken up at a very inopportune time.
(un)Manic Monday
Sloooow Monday mornin'. I really need to get dressed and go down into town to get my hair cut, but man -- getting your hair cut is just about the hardest thing in the world to do because there are so many other things you'd RATHER do. I hate it. Plus here I always look like a retard because I haven't quite learned all the slang & terminology for the haircutting place. Usually I just walk in there, sit down, point at my hair and go, "3 centimeters. Off."
Rowing again today at 3:30. Woooo!
Also, the man who mops the floors in our dorm is not fond of me.
Rowing again today at 3:30. Woooo!
Also, the man who mops the floors in our dorm is not fond of me.
Saturday, May 13, 2006
Hating America
While browsing through Alex's blog earlier today I found this article by Bruce Bawer. Please, for your own intellectual health, READ THIS ARTICLE. It is long but it's also incredibly intriguing and, in my opinion, incredibly accurate. Just like Alex, I found that Bawer hit the nail right on the head as far as putting into words what has been going on in my head this year.
I have continuously run into people in Germany who have made snide comments about my country and my people to my face. Some of my favorites:
"Culture? You Americans don't have a culture."
(Really? Hmmm...what are those movies you're watching? Those are ours. And how about that music video you're watching on MTV Europe? That's our music. What about those clothes you're wearing? That's our fashion. And where did you get your coffee this morning? Oh, at Starbucks! If we Americans don't have a culture, what the hell are you people importing?)
"America is a unilateral bully. You think it's perfectly okay to just invade a soverign country and bomb innocent people."
(As apposed to standing idly by waiting for the U.N. to make up its mind while those same innocent people are tortured and killed, raped by a dictator's sons in rape rooms, and massacred and buried in mass graves? Really, I'm sure most Iraqis would LOVE to have Saddam back. Oh, and we all know how incredibly effective the U.N. is at peacekeeping - it proved that in Rwanda.)
"America has no history."
(We just happen to be the oldest constitutional republic in the world, thank you very much.)
As the year has gone on, I have found that my sense of pride in my country and in my people has only increased. Negative comments by people around me for a variety of reasons have only served to strengthen my confidence that I am, in fact, a citizen of the greatest nation on the face of the earth. America isn't perfect, to be sure. But she is undoubtedly special, and there is nowhere else I'd rather be.
I have continuously run into people in Germany who have made snide comments about my country and my people to my face. Some of my favorites:
"Culture? You Americans don't have a culture."
(Really? Hmmm...what are those movies you're watching? Those are ours. And how about that music video you're watching on MTV Europe? That's our music. What about those clothes you're wearing? That's our fashion. And where did you get your coffee this morning? Oh, at Starbucks! If we Americans don't have a culture, what the hell are you people importing?)
"America is a unilateral bully. You think it's perfectly okay to just invade a soverign country and bomb innocent people."
(As apposed to standing idly by waiting for the U.N. to make up its mind while those same innocent people are tortured and killed, raped by a dictator's sons in rape rooms, and massacred and buried in mass graves? Really, I'm sure most Iraqis would LOVE to have Saddam back. Oh, and we all know how incredibly effective the U.N. is at peacekeeping - it proved that in Rwanda.)
"America has no history."
(We just happen to be the oldest constitutional republic in the world, thank you very much.)
As the year has gone on, I have found that my sense of pride in my country and in my people has only increased. Negative comments by people around me for a variety of reasons have only served to strengthen my confidence that I am, in fact, a citizen of the greatest nation on the face of the earth. America isn't perfect, to be sure. But she is undoubtedly special, and there is nowhere else I'd rather be.
Lazy Saturday
Every once in a while it's nice to have a Saturday where you sleep in, wake up nice and late, and just chill. I've been chillin' online since I woke up at 10:30 this morning. Currently watching The Shining and downloading some documentaries on Human Instinct from the BBC.
At 12:45 last night, after collapsing into bed totally exhausted, I got a call from Lori wishing me a happy birthday, which was a hoot because I didn't even realize the phone was going off until it had already stopped ringing (somehow I thought I had set the alarm by accident). After listening to the message, I rolled over and went back to sleep.
Then at 2am, the room exploded. My head! Somebody was crushing my head in a vice! Aaaaaaaaahhh the paaaaaain. But no, it was just the phone going off again. This time it was "Anonymous" which meant someone from the states was calling me. "Thiz butter be ghud," I moan as I fumble for the phone. Too tired to talk and with my massive headache, I slammed down on the Cancel button and forwarded the call to my answering machine. Two minutes later the phone beeped. A message. I rolled over again and hit the voicemail button.
"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAPPPY BIIIIIIIIIIIIIIRTHHHHHDAAAAAAY TOOOOOOOO YOOOOOOUUUUUUUU....haaaaaaapppy biiiiiirth --Amy, GET IN HERE! WE'RE SINGING TO YOUR BROTHER! -- TOOOOO YOOOOOUUUUU...haaaaaaaaaaaaaaapppy biiiiiiirthhhdaaaay deeeeeaaaar maattttheewwwwwww....haaaaaapy biiiiirrrthhdaaay toooo yoooouu!"
Suddenly, my head was exploding again.
"Hey Matt!! It's Dad and Carol and Amy! It's 2am there so you're probably asleep, but we thought, what the heck, we'll call you anyway! Finally 21!! YEAAH!" *click*
At 12:45 last night, after collapsing into bed totally exhausted, I got a call from Lori wishing me a happy birthday, which was a hoot because I didn't even realize the phone was going off until it had already stopped ringing (somehow I thought I had set the alarm by accident). After listening to the message, I rolled over and went back to sleep.
Then at 2am, the room exploded. My head! Somebody was crushing my head in a vice! Aaaaaaaaahhh the paaaaaain. But no, it was just the phone going off again. This time it was "Anonymous" which meant someone from the states was calling me. "Thiz butter be ghud," I moan as I fumble for the phone. Too tired to talk and with my massive headache, I slammed down on the Cancel button and forwarded the call to my answering machine. Two minutes later the phone beeped. A message. I rolled over again and hit the voicemail button.
"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAPPPY BIIIIIIIIIIIIIIRTHHHHHDAAAAAAY TOOOOOOOO YOOOOOOUUUUUUUU....haaaaaaapppy biiiiiirth --Amy, GET IN HERE! WE'RE SINGING TO YOUR BROTHER! -- TOOOOO YOOOOOUUUUU...haaaaaaaaaaaaaaapppy biiiiiiirthhhdaaaay deeeeeaaaar maattttheewwwwwww....haaaaaapy biiiiirrrthhdaaay toooo yoooouu!"
Suddenly, my head was exploding again.
"Hey Matt!! It's Dad and Carol and Amy! It's 2am there so you're probably asleep, but we thought, what the heck, we'll call you anyway! Finally 21!! YEAAH!" *click*
Friday, May 12, 2006
Great Day to Be Alive
Today was flat-out an awesome day. Started off with class at 9am (okay, that part sucked) but at 1pm when we were done, I headed over to Osiander's bookstore because they were (and still are) having a book sale. Hundreds of paperbacks, all € 3,00 each! I browsed for almost an hour and picked up 6 diamonds in the rough:
1. Als Feuer vom Himmel fiel: Der Bombenkrieg in Deutschland
2. Willkommen in der Wirklichkeit: Wie Deutschland den Abstieg vermeiden kann
3. Toskana Forever: Ein Reiseleiter erzählt
4. Ein Imperium verfällt: Ist die Weltmacht USA am Ende?
5. Weltmacht Amerika: Das neue Rom
6. Und Wenn Sie Nicht Gestorben Sind: Autobiographie von Ludwig Harig
I got over € 60 worth of books for the bargain price of € 18!!!! And the books I got are awesome. I went nuts and treated myself because, honestly, when else am I going to have the opportunity to expand my German-book library so cheapy and so fast? Never! I am going back tomorrow to see what else they might have left. I never have any qualms whatsoever about spending money on books -- books contain knowledge, and that, my friends, is one thing no one can ever take away from you.
After that I headed over to the bontanical garden and did some reading in the Don't Know Much About History book I bought the other day. Pretty interesting, got up to the mid-colonial period. Spent an hour doing that, then laid down in the grass and watched the warm breeze blow the blossoms off the blooming trees and let the sun warm me as I dozed in the grass. It was so wonderful, for the first time in a week, to FINALLY be able to just lay there and not worry about homework or anything I had to get done. The afternoon was mine and it was so relaxing. After about 40 minutes of that I tried to start reading again, but two little toddlers decided I looked like a good playmate. One dropped a blue inflateable ball at my side and I tossed it over a foot or two away. She just stared at me, didn't even look at the ball. I smiled at her and she just broke out into one of those little kid smiles that makes your heart melt. She was adorable. Her little sister, meanwhile, had decided that my bottle cap looked tasty, so I had to grab that from her before she swallowed it and screw it back onto the bottle. I packed up, said goodbye to their parents (who were watching, highly entertained), and headed back to the Clubhaus to get my Pfand back.
Grabbed a Döner for a late 3pm lunch and then headed toward the Neckarbrücke to catch the bus back up to WHO. The sycamores on the Neckar island are back in full bloom and Tübingen is looking just as it did when I first arrived back in August -- actually, it's looking BETTER. I was in such a good mood that I realized I was literally grinning as I walked down the street, which explains the funny looks people had been giving me.
On the bus, we passed Im Rotbad, which is a stop in the middle of a residential neighborhood and also has a sort of little field right next to it. The farmers had brought their sheep back to this little field, roped it off, and were letting them graze and relax. It was so great. In the middle of a neighborhood, there's all these sheep just hanging out. There were baby sheep (what are those called again?) and they were all just playin' around and I wanted to get off the bus and just go into the middle of the field and chill with the sheep, shepard-style. That woulda been cool.
When i got back to WHO I decided it was just too nice out not to go for a run, so even though I was way full from the Döner I went for a jog. I peaked up on the fields and got up to a really nice pace, really got "in the zone," but after that I petered off and the Döner caught up with me and I cramped. Oh well, it was still a great run!
After a quick shower, it was time for the double birthday party my friends had planned for Almir and I behind our dorm, which was a blast. We all hung out, barbequed, and drank out of a mini-keg of the finest Stuttgarter Hofbräu. Only when it got dark and a storm rolled in (complete with thunder and lightning) did we decide it was time to clean up and retreat inside. What a great time. I love just hanging out with friends like that and it really meant a lot to both Almir and I that our friends went to all the effort to put that together.
Now, totally exhausted, I sit here on my bed, computer in lap, and am ready to tip over I'm so tired and content. It is time to sleep long and hard and have a wonderful Saturday morning in about 9 hours. I think I'll have a breakfast of toast with jam and coffee...
This was what the Germans would call a "herrlicher Tag."
1. Als Feuer vom Himmel fiel: Der Bombenkrieg in Deutschland
2. Willkommen in der Wirklichkeit: Wie Deutschland den Abstieg vermeiden kann
3. Toskana Forever: Ein Reiseleiter erzählt
4. Ein Imperium verfällt: Ist die Weltmacht USA am Ende?
5. Weltmacht Amerika: Das neue Rom
6. Und Wenn Sie Nicht Gestorben Sind: Autobiographie von Ludwig Harig
I got over € 60 worth of books for the bargain price of € 18!!!! And the books I got are awesome. I went nuts and treated myself because, honestly, when else am I going to have the opportunity to expand my German-book library so cheapy and so fast? Never! I am going back tomorrow to see what else they might have left. I never have any qualms whatsoever about spending money on books -- books contain knowledge, and that, my friends, is one thing no one can ever take away from you.
After that I headed over to the bontanical garden and did some reading in the Don't Know Much About History book I bought the other day. Pretty interesting, got up to the mid-colonial period. Spent an hour doing that, then laid down in the grass and watched the warm breeze blow the blossoms off the blooming trees and let the sun warm me as I dozed in the grass. It was so wonderful, for the first time in a week, to FINALLY be able to just lay there and not worry about homework or anything I had to get done. The afternoon was mine and it was so relaxing. After about 40 minutes of that I tried to start reading again, but two little toddlers decided I looked like a good playmate. One dropped a blue inflateable ball at my side and I tossed it over a foot or two away. She just stared at me, didn't even look at the ball. I smiled at her and she just broke out into one of those little kid smiles that makes your heart melt. She was adorable. Her little sister, meanwhile, had decided that my bottle cap looked tasty, so I had to grab that from her before she swallowed it and screw it back onto the bottle. I packed up, said goodbye to their parents (who were watching, highly entertained), and headed back to the Clubhaus to get my Pfand back.
Grabbed a Döner for a late 3pm lunch and then headed toward the Neckarbrücke to catch the bus back up to WHO. The sycamores on the Neckar island are back in full bloom and Tübingen is looking just as it did when I first arrived back in August -- actually, it's looking BETTER. I was in such a good mood that I realized I was literally grinning as I walked down the street, which explains the funny looks people had been giving me.
On the bus, we passed Im Rotbad, which is a stop in the middle of a residential neighborhood and also has a sort of little field right next to it. The farmers had brought their sheep back to this little field, roped it off, and were letting them graze and relax. It was so great. In the middle of a neighborhood, there's all these sheep just hanging out. There were baby sheep (what are those called again?) and they were all just playin' around and I wanted to get off the bus and just go into the middle of the field and chill with the sheep, shepard-style. That woulda been cool.
When i got back to WHO I decided it was just too nice out not to go for a run, so even though I was way full from the Döner I went for a jog. I peaked up on the fields and got up to a really nice pace, really got "in the zone," but after that I petered off and the Döner caught up with me and I cramped. Oh well, it was still a great run!
After a quick shower, it was time for the double birthday party my friends had planned for Almir and I behind our dorm, which was a blast. We all hung out, barbequed, and drank out of a mini-keg of the finest Stuttgarter Hofbräu. Only when it got dark and a storm rolled in (complete with thunder and lightning) did we decide it was time to clean up and retreat inside. What a great time. I love just hanging out with friends like that and it really meant a lot to both Almir and I that our friends went to all the effort to put that together.
Now, totally exhausted, I sit here on my bed, computer in lap, and am ready to tip over I'm so tired and content. It is time to sleep long and hard and have a wonderful Saturday morning in about 9 hours. I think I'll have a breakfast of toast with jam and coffee...
This was what the Germans would call a "herrlicher Tag."
Thursday, May 11, 2006
Conservative Corner - 100% of Your DRV of Conservatism with Your Morning Coffee
Michelle Malkin tells it like it is on the Minutemen Project and our idiot President's lack of action (read: cooperation) with regard to Mexican illegal immigrants.
Ann also lays the smack down:
"Democrats have declared war against Republicans, and Republicans are wandering around like a bunch of ninny Neville Chamberlains, congratulating themselves on their excellent behavior. They'll have some terrific stories about their Gandhi-like passivity to share while sitting in cells at Guantanamo after Hillary is elected."
Hear, hear!
Aaaaaaaand to wrap it up, a very funny website that sells conservative t-shirts. My personal favorite:
"Rope. Tree. Journalist. Some assembly required."
Ann also lays the smack down:
"Democrats have declared war against Republicans, and Republicans are wandering around like a bunch of ninny Neville Chamberlains, congratulating themselves on their excellent behavior. They'll have some terrific stories about their Gandhi-like passivity to share while sitting in cells at Guantanamo after Hillary is elected."
Hear, hear!
Aaaaaaaand to wrap it up, a very funny website that sells conservative t-shirts. My personal favorite:
"Rope. Tree. Journalist. Some assembly required."
Presenting...the creepiest thing ever
Found this on Kyla's site. I am, to say the least, absoutely speechless. This has got to be the world's absolute worst way to lose your virginity. I mean, even if he DOES make it to 5 million (and he probably will), just imagine the conversation that would have to ensue:
Dude: So......I, uh....I hit 5 million.
Dudette: Yeah, I um....I saw that.
Dude: ...
Dudette: *starts counting the tiles in the floor*
Dude: ...Sooooooooooooooo...
Dudette: Yeah....
Dude: So, um, let's get star-
Dudette: You know, I just remembered I left the coffee maker on!
Dude: You don't drink coffee.
Dudette: Just started this morning! Bye!
Dude: So......I, uh....I hit 5 million.
Dudette: Yeah, I um....I saw that.
Dude: ...
Dudette: *starts counting the tiles in the floor*
Dude: ...Sooooooooooooooo...
Dudette: Yeah....
Dude: So, um, let's get star-
Dudette: You know, I just remembered I left the coffee maker on!
Dude: You don't drink coffee.
Dudette: Just started this morning! Bye!
Tuesday, May 9, 2006
Ethanol
This would be so completely awesome to see become a reality in our country. What's incredible about it:
1. It costs car companies nothing to make the switch to flex engines.
2. It would greatly reduce if not eliminate our dependence on Middle Eastern oil.
3. It's cheap ($1.00/gallon cheap) and eco-friendly.
So why isn't this being implemented, you wonder?
Ask the oil exec who threatens to "lower gas prices."
(Thanks, Erica!)
1. It costs car companies nothing to make the switch to flex engines.
2. It would greatly reduce if not eliminate our dependence on Middle Eastern oil.
3. It's cheap ($1.00/gallon cheap) and eco-friendly.
So why isn't this being implemented, you wonder?
Ask the oil exec who threatens to "lower gas prices."
(Thanks, Erica!)
Monday, May 8, 2006
Saturation
I haven't gotten really personal on here for a while and I think that I need to for the sake of my sanity. Plus I'm sure you're all sick of a purely event-based run-down of how things are going in Germany.
I am so unbelievably ready to leave this place it's sickening. Not because I hate it or anything like that, on the contrary I love it. But I feel as though I've gotten everything out of this place that I'm going to get. It's like suddenly there's nothing new under the sun anymore. I feel an increasing desire to retreat into solitude. Whether this is because I need time away from the people here or because I just need to get my head in order I don't know. I think that most of it is just my need for some breathing space, some time to focus on the things, the important things, that I have neglected all year long. Things like school and God. To put it simply, I want to hold up my figurative hands and yell, "TIME OUT!!!" I am exhausted, I am angry, I am sad, and worst of all I'm incredibly volatile, which my poor friends have undoubtedly noticed. I just can't seem to get a hold of myself.
This is why I am strongly considering spending my Pfingstwoche vacation completely alone. Matt needs to reboot, and to do that, he needs to get far, far away. I'm thinking hiking solo in the Alps or a short excursion to the Black Forest. Wherever I go and whatever I do, it must be alone and it must be far.
Leaving Germany will be a sad, sad time for me. But I'm also ready to leave. This stage of life is saturated and I'm ready for the next one.
I am so unbelievably ready to leave this place it's sickening. Not because I hate it or anything like that, on the contrary I love it. But I feel as though I've gotten everything out of this place that I'm going to get. It's like suddenly there's nothing new under the sun anymore. I feel an increasing desire to retreat into solitude. Whether this is because I need time away from the people here or because I just need to get my head in order I don't know. I think that most of it is just my need for some breathing space, some time to focus on the things, the important things, that I have neglected all year long. Things like school and God. To put it simply, I want to hold up my figurative hands and yell, "TIME OUT!!!" I am exhausted, I am angry, I am sad, and worst of all I'm incredibly volatile, which my poor friends have undoubtedly noticed. I just can't seem to get a hold of myself.
This is why I am strongly considering spending my Pfingstwoche vacation completely alone. Matt needs to reboot, and to do that, he needs to get far, far away. I'm thinking hiking solo in the Alps or a short excursion to the Black Forest. Wherever I go and whatever I do, it must be alone and it must be far.
Leaving Germany will be a sad, sad time for me. But I'm also ready to leave. This stage of life is saturated and I'm ready for the next one.
"Mannschaft stoßt - ab!"
Today was our first rowing class and I am already a huge fan of this sport. The people in my class are great too, a couple of them are also foreigners like myself, although they are doing their entire Studium here at the university instead of just one year like me. Everyone is friendly and it was a crack up watching us all try to learn to row.
Rowing is far, far harder than it looks. There are a million things you have to concentrate on: keep the oars near the surface as you pull, arms forward, legs bend, pull out the oar, rotate and pull it back into position, legs straight, arms bend in to follow...pull! All to the rhythm of our instructor's patient counting: Drei, zwei, eins....drei, zwei, eins....
The boat glides effortlessly across the water when everyone is in sync, but this happened only for a few moments with our beginner's boat. Rowing, I'm beginning to see, is both an intensely individual and team sport at the same time. You have to develop your own skills as an individual rower, but the team has to learn to row in unison -- you have to learn everyone's patterns and row as one. The mistakes of one can throw off the entire boat, as I found out when my instructor shouted, "Matthew, die Blätter FLACH durchs Wasser ziehen!" (Pull the oars flat through the water!) I had been pulling too deep and causing the boat to lean to the right.
I am definitely going to enjoy spending my Monday afternoons rowing on the Neckar.
Rowing is far, far harder than it looks. There are a million things you have to concentrate on: keep the oars near the surface as you pull, arms forward, legs bend, pull out the oar, rotate and pull it back into position, legs straight, arms bend in to follow...pull! All to the rhythm of our instructor's patient counting: Drei, zwei, eins....drei, zwei, eins....
The boat glides effortlessly across the water when everyone is in sync, but this happened only for a few moments with our beginner's boat. Rowing, I'm beginning to see, is both an intensely individual and team sport at the same time. You have to develop your own skills as an individual rower, but the team has to learn to row in unison -- you have to learn everyone's patterns and row as one. The mistakes of one can throw off the entire boat, as I found out when my instructor shouted, "Matthew, die Blätter FLACH durchs Wasser ziehen!" (Pull the oars flat through the water!) I had been pulling too deep and causing the boat to lean to the right.
I am definitely going to enjoy spending my Monday afternoons rowing on the Neckar.
Sunday, May 7, 2006
History is Good For You
I really love reading about history. I mean, it's not something that I do often, but when the mood strikes me and I have time, I love to sit down and learn about all the stuff I feel like I should have learned in school but didn't or couldn't. I'm indignant that I never once -- not one single time -- in tweleve years of public schooling had European History. It wasn't offered. What's worse, American History wasn't offered as a standard class -- only as an A.P. Course. I really think that the U.S. education system needs overhaul in that area (and in the area of foreign languages), but that's a different post altogether.
I'm excited this semester to be taking a course called History of American Foreign Policy in the 20th Century as well as visiting a lecture called History of the United States Since 1945. Both courses are taught by the same professor, who is a total Americophile and really interesting to listen to. So cool! I made an absolute fool of myself in the first sitting of the foreign policy class when the professor began talking about Manifest Destiny and asked me what started the whole idea of M.D. back in the 1800's: "What did President Tyler say that prompted this idea that America needed to expand?" My response was, "We had a President Tyler?"
Needless to say, the Germans in the class that day found support for the stereotype that Americans know nothing of their own history and/or are complete idiots. The history part probably isn't even a stereotype.
Anyway it was at that point that I decided I needed a full-on review of American history to prepare for this course. So I went on Amazon.de and ordered myself a copy of Don't Know Much About History: Everything You Need to Know about American History but Never Learned. While it's not a snooty, high-profile review of American history, it reads well, it's entertaining, and most importantly, it will keep my attention and give me a rough overview of the stuff I never learned. As they say, knowledge is power! [insert corny smiley face and thumbs-up here]
I am DYING for this book to arrive in the post on Monday or Tuesday. Can't wait to start reading it.
I'm excited this semester to be taking a course called History of American Foreign Policy in the 20th Century as well as visiting a lecture called History of the United States Since 1945. Both courses are taught by the same professor, who is a total Americophile and really interesting to listen to. So cool! I made an absolute fool of myself in the first sitting of the foreign policy class when the professor began talking about Manifest Destiny and asked me what started the whole idea of M.D. back in the 1800's: "What did President Tyler say that prompted this idea that America needed to expand?" My response was, "We had a President Tyler?"
Needless to say, the Germans in the class that day found support for the stereotype that Americans know nothing of their own history and/or are complete idiots. The history part probably isn't even a stereotype.
Anyway it was at that point that I decided I needed a full-on review of American history to prepare for this course. So I went on Amazon.de and ordered myself a copy of Don't Know Much About History: Everything You Need to Know about American History but Never Learned. While it's not a snooty, high-profile review of American history, it reads well, it's entertaining, and most importantly, it will keep my attention and give me a rough overview of the stuff I never learned. As they say, knowledge is power! [insert corny smiley face and thumbs-up here]
I am DYING for this book to arrive in the post on Monday or Tuesday. Can't wait to start reading it.
Music Madness
I have successfully cut over 2 gigabytes of music that I never listened to from my music library. What a feeling of accomplishment. I have also come to the realization that I desperately need to branch out and get some new music because shuffle never surprises me anymore. I'm way behind on what the good CDs of the hour are.
Friday, May 5, 2006
It's Funny...I Just Don't Care Anymore.
Folks, I am way too busy with other stuff right now to bother re-customizing this blog. I like this default template, so for now this is how it's going to stay. I may change it again, but I'm not going to take the time to put in the hours of work it would take to revamp this thing, especially when it's looking like in less than 3 months, when I go back to the States, I will probably stop blogging regularly if not entirely. So enjoy this while it lasts.
Thursday, May 4, 2006
This is Why I'm a Business Major
So, while attempting to redesign this blog, I succeeded in accidentally deleting my entire web directory on ASU's webspace. Which means I no longer have upload space until I figure out how to rebuild the directory, and it also means the old header was gone -- so I was forced to revert to an old, standard template. Hopefully soon I'll get some customization goin' here.
Go me.
Go me.
Wednesday, May 3, 2006
Zipidee doo daaaaah.....
My oh my what a wonderful day. Today, having not heard back yet from my poli sci prof on the results of my retake of the test as well as my term paper, I decided to just drop by his secretary's office and see if he had it ready. She asked for my name, flipped through a stack of Scheins, and handed it to me.
I got a 2,7. I almost peed my pants. A 2,7! That is equivalent, in our university system, to a B. After all that stress, I finally got a grade, and it's a B!!!!! AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!! IPASSEDIPASSEDIPASSEDIPASSEDIPASSEDIPASSED!!! Not only passed, but did WELL!
This means one of four things:
1. I passed the test with flying colors the second time around.
2. He REALLY liked my term paper.
3. The fact that I'm an exchange student was taken into account.
4. The fact that I tried a second time counted for something.
Then to make the day even better, the wart that I've had on my pinky for almost a year decided to just up and fall off this morning. That was cool too.
Anyway I have lecture in 30 minutes, so I have to run! Woooooooooo good day!!! And it's nice and warm here today too!
I got a 2,7. I almost peed my pants. A 2,7! That is equivalent, in our university system, to a B. After all that stress, I finally got a grade, and it's a B!!!!! AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!! IPASSEDIPASSEDIPASSEDIPASSEDIPASSEDIPASSED!!! Not only passed, but did WELL!
This means one of four things:
1. I passed the test with flying colors the second time around.
2. He REALLY liked my term paper.
3. The fact that I'm an exchange student was taken into account.
4. The fact that I tried a second time counted for something.
Then to make the day even better, the wart that I've had on my pinky for almost a year decided to just up and fall off this morning. That was cool too.
Anyway I have lecture in 30 minutes, so I have to run! Woooooooooo good day!!! And it's nice and warm here today too!
Tuesday, May 2, 2006
Monday, May 1, 2006
Maisingen
So the protest was sort of wild, not really as crazy as we would have thought, but it got bad enough that we fled the scene. Pics are on facebook. Other than that it's the Tag der Arbeit today and that means catchup day for Matt. Lots of studying to do.
I am beginning to feel ready to go home.
I am beginning to feel ready to go home.
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