Enjoy the long weekend for those of you in the States

Today is a day off for many people in Germany.  When holidays fall on a Thursday, which seems to be quite often here, the Friday is known as a "bridge" day and that day is also a day off.  That is the case today for Carsten.  However, I still had my class today, which seemed to drag on forever!!  I am home from class and Carsten is out, as some networking event, so now I have some free time to do a bit of cleaning before the weekend.  I prefer to have my weekends free of that kind of work.  Since I am doing well in my class, both of my teacher's give me extra homework to do.  Today I got a lot of extra homework.  I don't have to do it, but I might as well learn as much as possible while I am here.  But I don't think I will do much of that, if any today.  No, today I think I will relax a bit after I am done cleaning.  I have no plans for the weekend as of yet, but whatever happens, know that I will write down every detail, no matter how boring, here for everyone to read :)

Happy Memorial Day weekend to everyone in the US!!!

A beautiful day...mostly

Today in Germany is the public known as Vatertag or Father's Day, which is a Christian holiday celebrating Jesus Christ.  Below is an excerpt from Wikipedia describing how the day is celebrated in Germany.

Germany

In Germany Father's Day is celebrated differently from other parts of the world.  There are two terms and/or events of an older origin that while similar in name, have entirely different meanings. Vatertag, is always celebrated on Ascension Day (the Thursday forty days after Easter), which is a federal holiday. Regionally, it is also called men's day, Männertag, or gentlemen's day, Herrentag. It is tradition to do a males-only hiking tour with one or more smaller wagons, Bollerwagen, pulled by manpower. In the wagons are wine or beer (according to region) and traditional regional food, Hausmannskost, which could be Saumagen, Liverwurst, Blutwurst (Blood Sausage), vegetables, eggs, etc. Many men will use this holiday to get very drunk, to the point of having gangs of drunk people roaming the streets, causing much embarrassment to the German people who don't participate, and giving the holiday a very bad name in Germany.  Police and emergency services are in high alert during the day, and some left-wing and feminist groups have asked for the banning of the holiday.

So, how did we celebrate?  Well, we went for a bike ride hat was about 60km.  We rode from Freiburg to Breisach, which is on the border of Germany and France.  For those of you unfamiliar with the conversion of kilometers to miles, that is approximately 37 miles.  The weather was great, not too hot and a mild wind.  A little over halfway through our route we stopped for a triple ice cream cone (I got one scoop Mango and two scoops lemon) and a sprite.  After eating and drinking we walked a bit along the river Rhine.  The wind began to pick up, so we decided to begin the trip back home.  After about three minutes of riding the rain came down and was constant the entire way home, except for the last two kilometers when the rain suddenly stopped!  Even with the rain, the ride was relaxing.  I actually found the rain to be a bit cleansing in a sense.  

Upon arriving home I did some laundry and then made dinner.  That evening we sat out on our balcony, played some Uno and then had a beer as the rain came back.  Since our balcony is covered we can sit out there without getting wet.  Then I finished the book I was reading, Kennedy's Brain, by Henning Mankell.  Not his best book but also not a total piece of crap either.

A Free Day

Today is a holiday here in Germany and thus everything is basically closed.  So, I have a totally free day.  All my homework is done, I don't feel like leaning and though it rained very early this morning, the weather has now improved.  I am not yet sure what I will do with my day but I am sure I will write about it later.  

A Super Fun Day

Today instead of having my regular school day, my class was invited to join another class from the same school (a more advanced class) to take a bus trip to Straßburg, France.  It was a fun-filled day there.  After the 1.25 hour bus trip, we arrived at the Parliament Building.  This was a once in a lifetime chance for me to be inside the building where all the important meetings take place.  Click here to see some pictures from my visit.  The building had signs all over that said no camera and no pictures, but I figure; hey, they allowed my camera through security so it's not my fault if the camera happened to go off a couple times :)

After two hours in the building were we had a tour and then met with Dr. So-and-so who gave us a lecture (all in German) over how politics work there.  When I could understand what he was saying, it was all pretty interesting.  Anyway, after all this, we took a quick walk to the lake front for a boat tour.  I understood it was to be 17 minutes, but it was in fact 70 minutes.  It was a beautiful, hot and sunny day here and as such I got a little burnt while on the tour.  I did not take any pictures form the tour as I had been to Straßburg in 2004 with Carsten and have pictures from then.  Plus, my hope is that Alica will come in August for a visit and my mom in September and then I would go then with both of them and have more pictures.  

I made new friend from the other class while on this trip.  No one from my class spoke to me, but this one woman named Lisa who is from Taiwan spent the day with me.  On the way back to bus after to boat tour, we stopped for a quick beer, which after being in the sun tasted so good!!

I made it home shortly after 5pm and Carsten arrived home from work about 6:25pm and then we were off to have dinner with his extended family.  It was all the same people as from Monday night, minus Carsten's mom since she is back at home now.  It was another great evening with his family, filled with conversation and yummy food.  Oh, and of course German beer!  I was even able to talk some with them, which made me feel quite proud of my progress in my class.

But now it is the end of the day and I am pooped.  Goodnight all!

The visit is officially over

I am home from class and his mom is all packed and already on the train headed for home.  It was a great visit and although I was anxious about the cleanliness of the apartment, I think it was justified considering her regular comments about cat hair and her own cleaning of the apartment.  Aside form the cleaning, the only other stressful part of the visit was Carsten and his mom's constant bickering.  I didn't always know what was being said, but the tone was clear.  The mood becomes heavy and not that pleasant, but since they are German, they seem to just move on to the next topic to bicker over.  Anyway, all that is done and now I can do my normal cleaning, wash the bedding, etc. and prepare for the rest of the week.

Speaking of the rest of the week, tomorrow I am going to Straßburg, France with some of the students from my class.  We are visiting the Parliament and taking a boat tour.   I have to bee to the pick-up spot by 7:55am and will return around 5pm.  At 7pm Carsten and I are meeting up with several of his family members again for dinner and possibly a bowling type game.  Thursday is a holiday here and thus we have no school or work.  However, on Friday I have class though Carsten has another free day.  

Meeting the extended family

Tonight was a family gathering at Carsten's cousin's home.  What this meant for me was meeting several of Carsten's extended family.  I was able to meet Carsten's mom's twin brother and his wife.  Also, Carsten's mom's sister was there with her husband.  Their three remaining siblings have already passed away.  Carsten's cousin was there (obviously since it was her house) as well as her husband and their three daughters.  I was quite happy that I was better able to understand what they were saying and in the end this made for a much better time for me.  Even though I still can't speak the language too well, I am able to follow conversations and laugh at appropriate times.  

After dinner and visiting out on the terrace, the three of us came home for our final evening together.  Carsten spent much of the time on the phone with his sister and/or in front of the computer, which meant more alone time for his mom and me.  After all the thinking and trying to keep up with the German being spoken at and around me all day and night I was exhausted and thus was the first one to go to bed.

The visit ends tomorrow

Today we were all up early.  Carsten's mom went to the bakery to buy fresh rolls for breakfast.  She also did some more cleaning; which is really starting to irritate me, but I am trying to remind myself she is wanting to be helpful and not hurt my feelings.  I had class this morning and Carsten had work.  My understanding is that his mom is going to the city centre to do some shopping.  When I got home from class she was not here, so I assume she is still there.  My plan for today is to fold the laundry, take care of the trash and as I type the a cat is throwing up, so I guess I will be doing some more cleaning as well :)  I should probably do some homework, but I don't really feel like it.  I did get my test back today that I took on Friday and I had only two wrong, so that made me happy!!  Tonight the three of us are going to Carsten's cousins for dinner and to visit for a bit.  His mom leaves tomorrow and will be gone when I get back from class, so this will be our last stretch of time together for a while.  

A relaxing evening

Carsten and his mom returned from their family reunion around 7pm.  We made a light dinner and spent much of the night watching a German crime series.  His mom went to bed around 9:30pm and Carsten and I stayed up to watch the finale of the show A Double Shot at Love.  That is quite a trashtastic show; however, it can be fun to watch and see how desperate some people are.  Oh well, now it is bed time and school tomorrow.  It is a short week though as Thursday is a holiday here.  Carsten has off both Thursday and Friday, while I only have Thursday off.  

A late night out

Carsten and I made it home at 5am today.  It was definitely too late to stay out especially with his mom here for a visit, but we had a nice time and his mom was able to entertain herself just fine.  We went to the Waldsee, which is a bar we have gone to a few times.  It seems to be hit or miss in terms of how good the music is and last night was a good night.  The night started out with watching the Eurovision Song Contest.  Germany did not fair too well, with Norway having the winning song.  However, the performance I thought was best was from the Ukraine.  To check it out, click here.  After the contest, it became a big dance party; which ended in too much champagne being consumed.  As always, click here to hear the song that got me out on the dance floor.  I think this might have been the same song that got me out dancing the last time as well?!?

So today Carsten and I slept in, while his mom was up cleaning the apartment.  I knew it wouldn't be clean enough for her!  This afternoon they went to a family reunion and I stayed home to have some alone time, which is much needed right now.

Back from our walk

The walk was fantastic.  The weather has been sensational all day and that made the walk today even better.  It was a bit of a long walk, a few hours or so, but well worth it.  Now that we are back, we are making dinner, which looks like it will be something yummy!!  Some fresh meat, potatoes, kohlrabi and fresh strawberries for dessert.  After dinner, Carsten and I are going out dancing, which means another late night!!  I will post tomorrow all about the night, which will involve seeing the European Song Contest.

The second full day...so far

This morning we were all up pretty early.  Carsten's mom left to go to the bakery and decided to also go to the hair salon.  This was unexpected and took longer that one might have thought.  The plan was to go and see Carsten's mom's brother play tennis at 11am; however, he phoned at 9:20 to say his match was moved up to 10am.  Carsten's mom returned home right around 10am and we still needed to eat breakfast!  So, we ate some breakfast and then ran a couple errands and finally made it to the tennis court.  We saw him finish his singles match and was also able to watch his doubles match.  He is in his late 60's and still has quite the stamina.  Now, we are home and changing clothes to get ready for a walk.  See you soon!! 

First full is day over

Today was the first full day that Carsten's mom was here.  She and Carsten spent the morning in the city centre shopping.  I met them around 1pm and then we grabbed a bite to eat.  We did some more shopping, window shopping mostly, and then stopped for coffee and cake.  They brought the tram/bus home and I rode my bike.  Thankfully I made it home about 10 minutes before it really stated to rain, I only had sprinkles for my trip.  Once Carsten and his mom arrived home we had tea and another piece of cake.  We spent much of the night watching German "Krimis," the likes of CSI, Law & Order, etc.  The weather here has been pretty crapping, so we are hoping for an improvement in that department for tomorrow, as it would make the visit more enjoyable.  

Finished my exam and ready for the weekend

My exam this morning was scheduled to take 2 hours; however, I finished it in 70 minutes.  I think I did pretty well, though I know of at least one mistake I made.  I know I passed and I guess that is all the really matters.  I have another major exam in three weeks, but for now I can let that go and just enjoy my weekend.  Speaking of that, I am off now to the city centre to meet up with Carsten and his mom, who have been shopping much of the morning.  

All went well

Everything went quite smooth with regards to picking up Carsten's mom from the train station.  My bus trip was good, though I forgot to stamp my fare card, thus I rode for free.  I found his mom right away as she stepped off the train and then we took the bus back home.  I gave her a tour of the apartment and the building and then we decided to walk to Carsten's work and surprise him since he was getting done at 5pm.  In the end, this didn't work.  He in fact worked until 7pm, thus causing his mom and I to wander around outside his work for a couple of hours.  We had a nice visit and were able to spend some time together just chatting about this; well, I guess as well as I can chat in German :)  Once we arrived back home I made dinner for the three of us and then we watched some TV.  All-in-all a very good evening.

One of the great things about me having anxiety about this visit is that I was able to push out the fact that I have a big exam tomorrow at school.  I think it should go fine, but normally I would still be quite anxious; however my anxiety about the test is minimal compared to my anxiety about everything going well with this visit.

Nearly time to go

My bus should arrive in about 30 minutes to take me to the train station where I will pick up Carsten's mom.  I am still anxious, but I know that once we are back home it will dissipate.  I am not a fan of riding buses anyway, and since this is my first time here in Freiburg taking a bus I hope I don't get lost or anything.  Oh, and as for the apartment; when I arrived back home today from school cat hair was floating all over the place.  So, basically the five hour cleaning spree yesterday was for nothing.  I did another quick run through, as well as make the bed and do another load of laundry, so hopefully it will look nice enough.  I am so anxious I can't even eat; now you know how serious this anxiety is.  Probably a code orange!!

The Film Festival is over

Tonight Carsten and I saw the final film in the festival.  I had no real desire to see the film, thought it was nice to be there for the end of the festival.  Carsten talked about live music for the end and in fact it was there.  However, it was basically about 10 college aged people who look from "flower children" from the 60's.  The sang one song, California Dreaming, by the Mamas and Papas.  But, wouldn't you know they sounded like a cat in heat who was just ran over by a car and left for dead.  Yes, it really was that bad!  As for the film, I contemplated giving it a 4 or a 3.  In the end I gave it a three.  When I asked Carsten what he had given the film he said a 1.  I was so shocked.  A 1; I mean what was he thinking.  He gave Milk a 1 and this film was no where close to being as good.  Okay, so we disagreed on the rating.  All I know is I was right and he was feeling generous :)

5:30pm and I'm done

Since I last posted I have been cleaning, and that is about all I have done.  It took me roughly 5 hours, but I think I have everything basically clean, or as clean as it is going to get.  So, let's review what I have done in that amount of time:

1.  Shampooed the rug in the living room

2.  Washed the smaller rugs throughout the apartment

3.  Vacuumed the floors

4.  Mopped the floors

5.  Dusted (even moved the TV stand to clean behind there)

6.  Wiped out the washing machine after the rugs were done

7.  Cleaned the windows inside and out

8.  Cleaned the window banisters on the outside

9.  Wiped down the kitchen, scrubbed the sink

10.  Cleaned the bathroom, including scrubbing the shower and getting rid of the soap scum

I think that is everything I did.  Boy am I tired.  I have about 25 minutes before I need to start preparing dinner for tonight.  I hope you are all having a productive day as well!!

So much anxiety

For those of you who don't know, Carsten's mom is coming tomorrow for a visit.  And since finding out that she might be coming and then when I found out for sure she was coming and when, my anxiety has been through the roof.  Now, I know you are thinking that I like her a lot and she likes me a lot so what is the problem.  Well, here is the issue.  I am really anal about things being clean and in there place.  Carsten's mom on the other hand is a million times worse than me.  Since I am not working I see learning German and maintaining the house as my full-time job.  So, if when she gets here she makes a negative comment about the place (dust, cat hair, etc.) I know I will take it personally.  In my head this doesn't make sense but I still think this is how I will respond.  That being said, I am going to clean the crap out of our apartment today.  I have a list of things to do and I have about five hours before I need to start making dinner, so I should have time to get most of it, if not all of it done.  

After dinner Carsten and I are going to the final film of the festival.  The name of the film is Were The World Mine.  To read more about the film and to see the trailer, click here.  I have zero desire to see this film; however, Carsten is all about this movie and since he tends to get what he wants, we are going.  In the end it isn't that big of a deal.  It is nice to go to the final film of the festival, especially since we went to so many of the other films.  Wishing me luck on my cleaning and I will post my thoughts on the film later.  

A relaxing evening

It was nice not to go to the film festival today, as much as I love movies, it was nice to just stay home.  Plus, it is 6 kilometers there and then 6 back, which isn't really a lot, but since I ride my bike everywhere even little jaunts add up.  So, what did I do with my free time you wonder?  Well, not much.  I watched some Scooby Doo, took a little nap, did some homework and then some minor cleaning.  Tomorrow is the big cleaning.  

Happy Birthday Amy

Today is the birthday of my Wonder Twin, Amy.  We actually met on her birthday in 1999.  It was my first day of work in Winslow, AZ and she worked there as well.  She has always said I was the best birthday present that year.  Of course, I could have been the only thing she received...or she's just trying to be nice :)  Amy and I quit the job at the same time and decided to move to Chicago together.  Needless to say, the rumor mill was working overtime with that information.  But here we are, 10 years later (and not a day older), with her living in Kansas and me in Germany.  My how things change.  Happy Birthday Amy; have a super day today!!!  Just make sure to stay away from any small ponies ;)

Very moving!

Tonight Carsten and I saw the movie Milk at the film festival.  I have been wanting to see this movie for some time, but due to when it was released in the US and my moving abroad, I was unable to see the film in the theater.  And it is my understanding that it's showing tonight was the first time it was shown in it original format (in English), here in Freiburg.  Anyway, all I can say is WOW!!!  If you have not seen this movie, go and rent it now!  The acting was superb and I think Sean Penn completely deserved his Academy Award.  Everyone was good in the film and I especially loved when they showed actual footage.  I was tearful through most of the film, okay, I cried the entire time.  It was interesting to see the challenges Harvey Milk faced in the 70's and compare it to what is happening now in the US with Gay Marriages.  It becomes shocking at how after all these years equality is still such an issue in the US, a country that is suppose to be based on freedom and all men being created equal.  I feel very fortunate to be living someplace where I can chose to have a civil union or not.

Today's showing at the film festival

Tonight Carsten and I have two film choices for the festival.  However, we knew from the beginning what we wanted see tonight.  The choices are:

Burn The Bridges

Milk

We are choosing to see Milk and we can't wait.  I am sure we will both enjoy it and give it a high rating; based on everything I have read and seen about the film.  Tomorrow night I believe we are taking the night off from the festival and will go back on Wednesday night for the end of the festival.

Happy Birthday Laura

Today is the birthday of my special lady friend, Laura.  She and I have known one another for many, many years now, or as she likes to say; "I knew you when you were straight."  Coincidentally, Laura was in my dream last night.  This happens from time to time and it seems to happen with Laura more than anyone else I know.  However, last night's dream was different.  Where as Laura currently lives in Phoenix, in my dream she was living in Madison and working at the same place she and I worked at in the 90's.  In addition, she had the same (last) boss that we had when I left the place.  This is important since we had a few bosses during our time there and the last boss was part of the reason I left the agency.  Anyway, I was living in Germany in my dream and had gone back to Madison to live and work for two months as my student loan company was harassing me for money and I didn't know where else to go for work.  So, Laura and I worked together again as we had done before.  

By the way, this picture is from October 2007 when Carsten and I went there for my birthday.  This picture is taken on one of the rides at the State Fair and Laura was kind enough to pose as if she was scared silly.  Oh, and as for my hair, that heat flattens out my curls like it is nobody's business.

Happy Birthday John!

Today is my cousin John's birthday.  I would guess he is turning 39, but I could be off since I still tell people I am 24, thus causing me to lose track not only of my real age but the real age of everyone else.  Anyway, he and I are a lot alike.  I mean, he made a career out of the Marine's and I look great in my camouflage shorts :)  Happy Birthday John!!

Another weekend comes to a close

As another weekend ends and a new work week begins (or school in my case) I can't believe how quickly these two days go by.  Sure I saw a lot of movies, but what else was really accomplished.  Okay, that isn't really fair as I got to talk with a lot of loved ones this weekend.  I hope everyone had as much fun this weekend as I did.

Now for the movie reviews.  tonight we saw one short film that was suppose to play last night but for whatever reason did not work.  It was called Mirror Mirror and was an excellent short film.  Carsten and I both enjoyed it, though we took different meanings away from the film.  We saw two other films tonight, with Casten and I not caring so much for the one and both of us really liking the last film.  This last film was more of a documentary on the topic of circumcision.  This is a fascinating topic for me.  In 2003-4 during my Internship year, I did some research on this topic with another Intern.  We both have similar views on the topic; however, it was more personal for him as his wife was pregnant with twin boys and he needed to make a decision about what to do.  This film was called The Quest for the Missing Piece.  If you have any interest in circumcision or how other countries, specifically the Jewish community, address this issue, then this is a film for you to see.

The Film Festival continues

The film festival is showing several movies today, though we are not sure which, if any, we will go see today.  If we should go, here are our choices:

Les Chansons D'Amor

Reine Geschmacksache

Lucky Blue

The Quest For The Missing Piece

Chuecatown

If we should decide to go, I think we would like see Lucky Blue and The Quest... as they are being shown as a double feature, since both movies are short.  It helps that both of these are either in English or with English subtitles!!!

Happy Anniversary

Today is the anniversary for me and Carsten.  It was 7 years ago today that we started dating.  A lot has happened in those years, much of the time we lived apart, with him in Germany and me in Chicago.  And now, here we both are living in Germany.  If someone would have told me back in 2002 that this is where I would be seven years later I would have thought them crazy.  But clearly they would have been right.  Anyway, here's to many more years together.  Love you!!!

Happy Mother's Day

Today is Mother's Day, at least in the US.  So, for those of you there or for those of you elsewhere who "celebrate" today, enjoy!!  I would like to take this opportunity to thank my mom.  She has been wonderful and supportive over the years and if it wasn't for her and my father having the courage to copulate, I wouldn't be here today to say Happy Mother's Day :)  I love you!!!

Yeah; we stayed dry

Somehow we managed to stay dry and avoid all rain.  Clearly Carsten was thinking when he suggested we leave early to go to the theater so that the storm can pass through while we were there.  Anyway, tonight we saw a collection of short films from various countries.  Overall, they were fantastic.  Of the 12 or so shown, I only disliked one and really, really disliked one other one.  In the end I gave it a rating of 2.  I must admit this film festival is quite fun.  Thankfully I love watching movies or I would likely be insanely bored!

Another film at the festival

Today started out as a nice day.  The water meter man came this morning at 8:45 and then Carsten headed off to the meat market and bakery.  After breakfast, we went to the city centre to do some shopping, which took up most of the day.  The weather was great; however, as I am typing this a thunderstorm is approaching and the weather is taking a turn for the worse.  To make matters worse, Carsten and I are leaving soon for the film festival, which means we will likely get soaked on our bikes.  Anyway, tonight the film options were:

Breakfast with Scot, which we saw last night

A book reading with the author Michael Flotho

Les Chansons D'Amour (a French film)

Die Kurzfassung (a collection of short films)

We already reserved tickets last night for the collection of short films.  We decided, if any of them are bad at least they are over with in about 10 minutes :)

A Great Film

Tonight we did in fact see Breakfast with Scot.  We thought of possibly staying for the second film as well, Ander, but due to the seriousness of the film I did not feel as though I wanted to be weighted down by that.  In the end, we both really enjoyed the movie we saw.  Carsten gave it a 3 and I gave it a 2.  I thought the child who acted in the film did a fantastic job and the main actor is someone I have enjoyed in TV shows and also really liked his performance here.  Though the film was mostly a comedy, it did have some poignant moments.  The film dealt with many issues and I believe that anyone, gay or straight, with kids or without, would enjoy this film.  

They're baaaack!

Well, my allergies came back today in full force.  I was okay when I woke up and then by 9:30am they were running wild.  I had a hard time making it through my class and had thought of just leaving and going home, but that just isn't my style.  So, now I plan to rest so I have energy for the film festival tonight; priorities you know!!  Hey, I was going to clean today and I even put that off (for now) so I must be ill.

Our film choices for tonight are: 

Breakfast with Scot

Ander

The Idol

Of these three, we are definitely seeing Breakfast with Scot and possibly also Ander.  Breakfast comes from Canada, while Ander is a Spanish film with English subtitles.  The Idol, on the other hand, is basically porn.  And porn from the 70's at that.  Anyway, once we get back I will write another review about how the movies were and how we rated them.  Just another way for me to try and stay connected with people :)

We're back and the reviews are in

Okay, again we saw the film Mr. Right tonight.  My earlier posts have more information on the film.  Anyway, we were asked to rate it on a 6 point scale; 1 is the best and 6 is the worst.  Coincidentally, Carsten and I both rated the movie a 3.  It wasn't spectacular, nor the biggest piece of crap I have seen.  It really played into all the usual stereotypes, which can be funny but also over-done.  The acting was okay, but also not great.  My favorite character was an Indian woman who had some great one-liners, which meant she wasn't in the film too much, since then she wouldn't have one-liners but real dialogue.  So, that's my mini review of Mr. Right; let's see what film we see tomorrow!

A Sunny Day

The weather today is quite nice here in Freiburg.  After several days of wind, clouds and cold we have a nice sunny day with warmer temperatures.  After class today I took my bike and rode to the city centre to buy some pasta.  One of the stores there was having a big sale on pasta noodles, so I bought a lot of pasta.  Guess what's for dinner tonight?  You guessed it, Spaghetti!

Tonight Carsten and I will go to our first film of the film festival.  Our choices are Mr. Right from England, Strella from Greece and Antarctica from Israel.  Since language is an issue, we are planing to see Mr. Right, though I think Strella sounds more interesting.  Strella and Antarctica both have subtitles, but in German, so I am now sure how much I could really understand.  Oh well; Mr. Right it is.  Here is a summary I found on-line for the movie:  

Louise, mightily annoyed, has lost her boyfriend when he turns gay. Again. She turns for solace to her coterie of gay friends, three hip couples living in London's trendy gay village, Soho. Harry wants to ditch his job producing TV home improvement shows and travel the world with aspiring actor boyfriend Alex. Hunky ex rugby player William's nine-year-old daughter is intent on sabotaging his relationship with TV soap star Lawrence. Then there's Tom, a successful but insecure artist who turns a blind eye to the transgressions of boyfriend Lars, a sexy but narcissistic muscle-clad toyboy. In this funky, urban romantic comedy tensions reach breaking point when truths are revealed at an awkward dinner party. Wittily scripted and well acted, this film is less about finding Mr. Right than it is about losing him - but there are unexpected endings for all, and even Louise is ready to take another chance...

So, stay tuned to see what we thought of the film.  

It's Hump Day!

All is good this Wednesday.  My Tuesday was pretty low-key and today is shaping up to be the same.  Yesterday I was unable to reach my dad by telephone, but I was able to call my grandma to say hi.  She does love to hear my voice so :)  

My class continues to be going fine, though I do get a bit bored at times.  I have been given extra worksheets to do, as I finish all the homework and in-class assignments too quickly.  Other than that no changes there.

My sinuses continue to be a pain, but they are improving with each passing day, so that is a relief.  I don't know what they put in the medication tablets and nose spray, but seriously it does something to me.  I feel all foggy in the head, more than usual that is.

So, today in Freiburg begins the 25. Schwule Filmwoche.  Basically it is the 25th annual GLBT Film Festival here in Freiburg.  Carsten and I have picked out 5-6 films we plan to see in the next week, so stay tuned to see which movies we see and what we thought of them.  Although the brochure I attached to this post is in German, not all of the films are.  I am really looking forward to a week of new movies.  Throw in a little dancing and this would be heaven!

Happy Birthday Hailey

This picture is a few years old now, but since I love dancing so much it just seems appropriate that I should put up a picture of Hailey dancing.  For those of you who don't know, Hailey is the daughter of my friend, and ex-fiance, Courtney.  They live in Wisconsin and have a cute dog named Buddy.  I was able to spend some quality time with them this past past summer before moving to Germany and I am so glad that happened. I miss you guys!!!  Love you :)

Happy Cinco de Mayo

Happy Cinco de Mayo!!  This day always makes me think of my friend Amy.  I think of her at other times, but always more often on this day.  It was Cinco de Mayo 2000 and we were living in Arizona.  We were approaching the end of our time working in Winslow and living in Flagstaff.  In addition to preparing to begin our new life in Chicago, Amy was in the cusp of a birthday.  So, it only made sense that after work we should go out and celebrate the holiday and all the exciting stuff happening in our lives.  Needless to say, we celebrated live it was nobody's business.  In the end, we both had a great time and I think it is safe to say it is a Cinco de Mayo neither one of us will soon forget :)

Another week begins

I woke up this morning still not feeling 100%, bit I am also no worse than I was on Sunday.  Class went fine and then I came home and took a nap.  Every little thing seems to wear me out lately!  Once I woke up I did some cleaning around the apartment and then at 6pm met Carsten at his work.  We rode our bikes to the city centre and grabbed a bit to eat at Subway.  It is my first time eating at an American restaurant since living in Germany.  Afterward, we went and saw the movie Gran Torino.  If you have not seen this film, you must rent it and watch it immediately.  I was shocked at how funny it was at times and then how depressing at others.  This is reportedly Clint Eastwood's final film and he goes out on a high if that is true.  He is amazing in this movie; saying so much with his face or noises from his mouth, not even using words.  And when he does use words, much of what he says is not politically correct, but clearly fits with the film.  I was shocked at how much I liked the film and would really like to see it again!

Feeling a bit better

I woke up this morning and was able to breathe better, which is a good sign that the medication is working.  I am not 100% better, but well on my way.  I had decided that I would stay in-doors all day today hoping it might help, which in fact it did, though for much of the day the weather was quite nice.  I had a very low-key day filled with reading, napping and watching a movie on DVD.  I finished the book I was reading called Commonwealth by Joey Goebel.  I liked the book, except for the last three pages, and though I felt the author at times was quite  condescending toward middle America, he did have a point about what he was saying.  I started reading another book right away, since it is one of my favorite past-times.  Now I am reading Kennedy's Brain by Henning Mankell.  I am only on chapter 5 and am already really enjoying the book.  Henning is a wonderful author who really knows how to write and get his readers interested in the characters.  The DVD I watched was a movie I own and have seen so many times I was able to quote much of the film; however, it always lifts my spirits.  The film, don't judge me, was Addams Family Values.  I forgot how many famous people are in the film, or have become famous since staring in the movie.  

I need a plunger for my sinuses!

I woke up today feeling even worse than yesterday.  After breakfast Carsten and I walked to the pharmacy and then to the meat market.  These two stops are not related :)  Anyway, once I got back home I took the medicine and then Carsten and I headed off by bike to the city centre.  We walked around, did some shopping, ate an ice cream and just enjoyed being outside with all the people.  Since the weather was great it seemed everyone was outside.  We came back home and then had coffee and cake, which seems to be quite typical here in Germany,but that is a topic for another post.  Anyway, after that I had to lay down and my sinuses and my head in general was just too much for me to handle.  I finally got out of bed around 7pm feeling a bit better.  We then ate dinner and watch the movie Death Race.  I had wanted to see this movie in the theater, but never made it.  After horror films, action movies are my next favorite genre of film.  And this film was in deed action packed.  Plus, Joan Allen was in it and she doesn't make a bad movie, even that one she did with Kevin Costner was pretty good :)  Once the movie was over we decided to walk the movie back to the store.  In hindsight, not the best idea.  The walk was good, but it exhausted me and caused my sinuses to really act up again.  Once back home I just relaxed for a half-hour before going off to dreamland.  Tomorrow, no out door activities!  

May Day

No, I am not sending out an S.O.S.  Today is May Day here in Germany, an official public holiday.  As such, no school, no work, no nothing.  We have had pretty crummy weather this whole week, with clouds, cooler temperatures and rain.  However, Carsten said May 1st would have beautiful weather.  According to him, May 1st is his fathers birthday and has always been a beautiful day.  Well, Carsten was right!  The weather today is amazing.  Sunny and warm, but not too hot.  Now, the down-side of today is that my allergies are in high gear and kicking my butt at the moment.  Anyway, since we had a bonus free today we decided to go for a bike ride and to a nearby zoo.  Because, when you are suffering from allergies that just makes sense :)  Anyway, the name of the place is Mundenhof.  I was there once before back in 2005 when I had come to visit Carsten.  Not much has changed since then.  One of the neat things was a horse show that was happening, so we sat down and watched some of it.  To see pictures from the horse show and the rest of our time at the zoo, click here.  After the zoo we took a small bike tour around Frieburg.  The weather was just so perfect, though my sinuses were really having a difficult time by this point.  Once we finally made it back home, I basically just laid in bed or on the couch.  I didn't start getting allergies until 2000 when I moved to Chicago and every year since they have become progressively worse.  I had hoped that with this move to a cleaner place things might improve, but that does not seem to be the case.

SO.MUCH.FUN.

Well, last night Carsten and I did go out dancing.  It was an event sponsored by one of the universities here in Freiburg.  Actually, the event is nearly identical to the 10% dances the University of Madison has.  I used to have so much fun at those and now this is my second time at the event here and it is just as fun.  The night was spent just smiling and dancing...how much better does it get.  Oh, and the beers were cheap!  The song that initially got me out on the dance floor was by Moby.  Click here to hear the song and see the video.  So many of the songs brought back memories from going out with specific people or from certain times in my life.   For example, when I heard this song, it reminded me of when I lived in Madison and would take the bus down to Chicago to visit my bestie Alica.  What I think made the music so fantastic was that they had such variety.  In the US, clubs seems to stick with certain genres of music.  But last night we had rock songs from the 70's, disco type songs, pop, trance, 80's, 90's, just everything (but rap and country).  Most songs were in English, with only a few in German.  Some were just fun to dance to for the comedic idea of dancing to such a song, such as this classic.  Oh how I wish this event was every weekend, but then maybe I wouldn't appreciate it as much!

No school tomorrow

Today is my last day of class for this week.  Tomorrow is May 1st, also known as May Day.  It is our Labor Day here in Germany and thus many places are closed, such as my school.  Coincidentally, one of the universities here in Freiburg is having a dance.  Carsten has mentioned wanting to go and since last Saturday was a bust (and he doesn't have to work tomorrow), I am guessing we will in fact head out to shake our money-makers.

Low-key afternoon

Well, after watching a couple episodes of Scooby Doo, I decided to do some learning.  I have a computer program (thanks Gary) that enables me to do various learning exercises.  One of the great things is that it has a portion that monitors how I say things.  I think this is really important because even if I know what I am saying I might not be saying it correctly and thus could be misunderstood.  So, I spent roughly 3.5 hours working with this program.  Oh, it also monitors your progress from each time you use it.  It should that I improved by 38% since I last used it in the latter part of 2008.  

Once Carsten got home it was making dinner, doing dishes and watching some TV.  Carsten spent over 1.5 hours on the phone with his sister, so I was able to watch whatever I wanted to.  I chose Little Britain.  If you don't know what this is, I would highly suggest you check it out.

Feeling a bit blind-sided

This morning after about 40 minutes into my class the other teacher came in and told me I would need to leave the class now to take an exam.  Though on the exam it stated I had 30 minutes to complete the test, I was in fact only given 20 minutes before it was taken away from me.  Needless to say, I did not finish the test.  However, later in the morning this teacher came back into the classroom and told me I did "excellent" on the exam.  I have no idea what the test was for, only that it started out easy and then became quite hard as I progressed through it.  Ugh, I hate tests anyway and then to just have it sprung on me doesn't feel too good.  I can't do anything about it, so I guess I need to just let it go and move on with the day.  Maybe an episode or two of Scooby Doo would make me feel better :)

Such a lack of energy

I can't seem to get motivated today.  Maybe it is the rain and clouds, but whatever it is it has been glued to the couch.  After class, I came home and surfed the Internet.  What did people do before the Internet?  Anyway, I watched some episodes of Scooby Doo, did some homework and feel asleep on the couch.  Oh how I have missed naps :)  Anyway, that was a bulk of my day.  After dinner, Carsten and I watched the DVD Eagle Eye.  Although I enjoyed the film and was mostly entertained, I did find it a bit long.  Billy Bob Thornton was fantastic, as he always is!  But the rest of the cast was basically replaceable with anyone else.  The general theme of the plot was about data mining.  The book I recently read, The Broken Window, was also about data mining and was much more entertaining.  

A rainy Monday

The weather is dismal today which is clearly impacting my mood as well.  All went well at my class this morning.  The classes here are taught by two teachers.  One works two days in the class while the other works three.  So, for last week Wednesday, Thursday and Friday I had the teacher that also taught at my last school.  That means today and tomorrow I have the teacher the is new to me.  I had some angst going into the class, not knowing her teaching style, etc; but all seemed to be just fine.  She is quite friendly and seems to have been teaching for some time.  She informed me that I work too fast, though I had made no mistakes in my work.  The person who sits next to seems to have dyslexia and is really struggling, so I am helping him out.  

After class I came home and ate something, since I don't typically eat before class, and then did some cleaning.  I was on my hands and knees scrubbing our rug in the living room.  It doesn't look great, but it does look better.  Why Carsten bought a cream colored rug is beyond me!

A day to rest

I basically did nothing today, which was exactly what I wanted to do.  It is nice to have those days with no obligations, just sitting back and doing nothing.  So, my day involved getting up and reading some before making breakfast.  Then I did a load of laundry and cleaned the bathroom.  I read some more and then in the early evening Carsten went to meet a friend of his and I watched the movie The Cell.  I have seen it so many times, and I forgot just how many famous people are in this film.  Visually the film is quite remarkable, but the actor (especially Jennifer Lopez) feels a bit forced much of the time.  Much later in the night I was able to connect with my friend Laura, after not talking for way too long.  Why do some people got to be so hard to reach :)

Happy Birthday Carley

Today is my cousin Carley's birthday.  She is celebrating with her family in Baraboo and is likely having a great day.  Though I am not there to share in this special day with you, know that I am thinking about you and wishing you the happiest of birthdays!!

Oh what a day!

Today started out like many Saturdays.  Got up, ate some breakfast, took a shower, all the usual. Then Carsten and I decided to ride our bikes to the City Centre to walk around and go to the Farmer's Market that takes place everyday.  I love this market since all the food is so fresh and it supports the area farmers, which in this region seems to be a lot.  Anyway, we bought some lettuce, radishes, parsley and some homemade honey.  We also did some shopping in the City Centre, including buying the books for the next level of my schooling.  The thinking behind this is that I can work ahead and occupy my time more while looking for a job and going to class.  We spent about 4 hours there shopping and walking around and then headed back to the apartment.  The round trip s roughly 9 km by bike.  After a quick stop at home we decided to go for a little bike ride.  Carsten had bought a map at the store where we bought my school books and so off we headed.  The weather was perfect, not too hot and not too cold.  We rode for about 3.5 hours and approximately 35-40 km.  Back at home we rested a bit, ate some dinner and then I called a couple people.  Carsten was itching to go dancing and though I would much rather have stayed home and watched a movie, I didn't seem to have much say in this decision.  So, we got ready and rode our bikes back to the City Centre (another 9 km round-trip).  I found the location to be small, pretentious and way too hot (temperature wise).  The music was really not to my liking.  I danced to one song and then they only played about 2 minutes worth of the song before it was mixed into some other song that I have never heard of.  As always, to hear the song that first got me out on the dance floor, click here.  Carsten saw a couple of his friends and even ran into a co-worker.  We finally made it home around 3:30am.  In the end, I think the whole night was a waste of time and money, but isn't that really what a lot of life is about?!?

Happy Birthday Richard

Today is Richard's birthday and I am going to guess he is between 60 and 62 years old, though honestly I have no clue really as to how old he is.  Not quite as old as dirt but also too young to retire.  Did you hear me...you CAN'T retire yet!  Listening to him talk you would think he didn't want to work anymore, all this talk of retiring he does.  So says the person currently not working :)  Anyway, happy birthday and do something fun today!

End of the week...finally

I thought this week would never end.  It hasn't been all that rough or anything, it's just that weekends are more fun!!  In my class today I realized I am a bit out of place.  Aside from the obvious, my youth and beauty, sense of humor and humility, I have lived in Germany the least amount of time.  Where as I have been here for roughly 6 months, everyone else varies from 1-2 years to 10 years.  They all speak much better than me, but I can write and understand more.  I know, I know, be patient and the ability to speak will come too.  

On a separate note, I have ran everyday this week and am really trying to get in better shape.  I ran everyday but one while at Carsten's mom's place and since being back I ran everyday but one as well.  It doesn't appear that I have lost any weight, except maybe in the face.  However, my legs are smokin' hot right now.  In case anyone was curious :)

Day 2 and going strong; or at least going!

So in class today I realized that one student is already driving me crazy with how rude she is.  Now, we all know I am not one to judge, but...she actually told two different students on two separate occasions to shut up.  I may have thought that I might even say something, but I would hope I would have at least tried to be polite.  Anyway, other than that all was good.  My teacher (from my last school who also works here) asked me how I felt in the class and then later the other teacher came into the class and asked how I felt there.  In the end I told them both it was "okay."  I am not feeling too challenged right now in the class, but I am hoping that will change soon.  I know it won't be the same speed as my last class, but something a bit more would be great.  Ugh, why do I have to be such a nerd all the time?

1st Day of my Integrationkurs

With my new course and school beginning today, my schedule is also different.  Previously I had class in the afternoon; however, my new class is in the morning.  I think this will be good for a couple of reasons.  The first, my day will feel more productive as I will be forced to wake and get stuff done.  Also, if and when I find a job, I think it will be easier to work around my morning class versus afternoon.  On the downside, since I don't always sleep well at night, having an afternoon class was at times better, as I could sleep better once Carsten left for work.  No more of that!  Something else that is different with my new class is that I no longer have a test every Friday.  As much as I dislike tests, I do think these were helpful in terms of monitoring my progress.  My last class was an intensive class meaning it went fast and had a lot of homework.  My new class is the complete opposite.  It goes quite slow and today I actually did all the homework that is to last until April 30th.  This program is significantly less expensive than my last class, which is a good thing considering the cost of our furniture.  So, these are my initial thoughts on my new class.

Last day of freedom, so to speak

Tomorrow I begin with my new school, so in a way today was my last free day.  What did I do today?  Well, I did a lot of laundry, read some, did the dishes, played with the cats, went running and applied for a job.  I have applied for a few jobs since living in Germany, but nothing has come of it, kind of like apply for jobs in the US.  Thankfully Carsten is independently wealthy (wink, wink!) and can support both of us!!  Tonight I will watch Paris Hilton's My New BFF and Rock of Love...quality TV at it's best :)

Laugh out loud funny!

Every time I see this I laugh out loud.  I am hoping no one takes offense to it, as it is meant to be humorous.  Considering all the issues in the world it is nice to be able to just sit back and laugh at something.  May you enjoy it and find it as funny as I do :)

Cleaning the apartment

It has been said by many people that I am anal and clean too often.  Just because I have been known to clean out the inside of a washing machine does not mean I am anal, per se.  And so what if I vacuum twice per week and wipe down the bathroom almost everyday, that's just who I am!  Anyway, today I did a lot of cleaning in the apartment.  Call it spring cleaning, call it boredom, call it too much cat hair everywhere, call it what you like.  In the end, the apartment was clean and I was pooped.  Who knew it took so much energy cleaning the inside and outside of all the windows, window sills and banisters in front of the windows.  Anyway, after all that I had some energy left and decided to go running.  The weather here has been amazing for over a week.  After living in Chicago for so many years it is nice to see spring again :)  I finished my last book and am not reading a new book called Commonwealth by Joey Goebel.  Carsten just finished it and seemed to really like it.  It is not a murder mystery, which is what I like, or an autobiography, my other favorite.  Instead, it is a look at Middle America.  I have only read the first chapter and already it reminds me of my hometown, Barbaboo, WI.

As promised...photos

If you are interested in seeing some of the pictures from my time in Niederbeisheim, then look no further.  Well, a little bit further as you will have to click on some links, but that is all.

So, for pictures from Point Alpha, click here.

To see some from Fulda, click here.

And to see me attempting to play Badminton, click here.

The weekend is basically over

So, after getting home late on Friday night/Saturday morning, one would think I would sleep in.  Well, that didn't really happen.  I got up and went running while Carsten ran to the grocery store to get some food.  We had nothing in the house to eat since we were gone for so long.  Afterward, we hoped on our bikes and went to a couple stores to look at mattresses.  We also did some more grocery shopping to hopefully have enough food for the week, but let's face it, we all know that isn't the case.  I mean we had only our backpacks and were on our bikes...how much food can we possibly have carried home?  I say three days worth.  Once we made it back home, I laid down for a bit and then did some more reading of my book.  So close to being done.  I am glad Carsten has more books by this author...he really knows how to write.

Saturday night Carsten and I went out dancing.  We went to the same place we went on Valentine's Day.  However, the music was no where near as good as it was then.  That being said I still shook my money maker.  And as always, I am posting the song that got me out on the dance floor.  Click here to find out what it was.  We danced, had some champagne and then rode our bikes home.  We finally made it at 4am.  

Today has been a day of relaxing.  I got up, did some reading and watched some TV.  After breakfast I cleaned up the kitchen, go cleaned up and then went to the computer.  I checked my emails and followed up on what has happened in the world while I was without the Internet.  Tonight Carsten and I will watch a German crime series, eat dinner and relax.  He has to return to work tomorrow and I will clean and do laundry.  On Wednesday I begin my Integration Course, so I have two more days of being home before I hit the books.  

I'm back y'all!

Well, after a week away I am back and ready to report on my time in Nieberbeisheim (the village where Carsten's mom lives).  It was a very relaxing time, though also a lot of work since his mother doesn't speak any English.  On the upside, I think I did pretty well communicating with her in German and she was very supportive and helpful with me and the language.  So, here is an overview of the week:

Friday, April 10:

Carsten and I left early in the morning, hoping to beat some of the holiday traffic.  We did pretty well the first few hours but then things turned bad from there.  The trip should take about 4.5 hours; however, it took more like 6.  We hit a traffic jam shortly after Frankfurt that just ever let up.  To make matters worse, Lela was really struggling with the heat and time in the car.  In the end, she was sick (from both ends - making a mess in the carrier and back seat).  Once we arrived, both cats had a bath and were cleaned up and before long they were as good as new.  The rest of the day was filled with food, coffee and cake and a walk.  During the walk I found a path for me to run, which was great since I brought along my running clothes.  

Saturday, April 11:

This morning I woke up early and went for a run on the path I had found the day before.  It was challenging, but also great to run in the brisk morning weather.  Carsten and I had hair appointments today.  My new look is good, though I am no longer blonde.  I had my hair cut so short that all my blonde locks are now gone; but I am sure they will be back before too long :)  Later in the day Carsten, his mom and I went and did some shopping.  We had a very pleasant afternoon window shopping and walking around Bad Hersfeld.  That night Carsten's step-father came over and we all had dinner and watched some television together.

Sunday, April 12:

It was Easter, which means even more food!  I began the day with another run and today I improved my time by 5 minutes.  In he late morning/early afternoon Carsten's mom and I played badminton, which Carsten and his step-father each read books on the terrace.  It was a lot of fun and being out in the warm sun helped me get some much needed color.  You can only be pasty-white for so many months before people start calling you Casper!  During the middle afternoon the four of us went on a nice walk and I found a new running path for me to take.  This one is a bot longer with more hills, but I think I am up to the challenge.  The Easter meal was fantastic and as usual I ate too much food.    That night I was able to phone my mom and brother for a brief phone conversation.  Oh and the book I am reading is so good...soon I will finish it and need to find something else to read.

Monday, April 13:

Today is a holiday in Germany, which means limited things are open, but that doesn't mean you can't still find fun things to do.  I woke up early and went for a run on the new path I found the day before.  The first hill nearly kicked my butt, but I made it.  I am speaking very limited English on this trip and during my runs is really my only real break from speaking or listening to German; oh, also when I am reading my book.  Anyway, Carsten's step-father made plans for us to take a little trip today.  In plain words it means an "historical field trip."  He is big on history and educating people on facts he deems important.  So, today we went to Point Alpha.  It was a long drive, or at least longer than I had anticipated and the pay off wasn't all the great; however, it was still interesting none-the-less.  The German culture and history is really quite fascinating and learning it here is much different than learning it in the US or in school.  After Point Alpha, we drove to Fulda.  It was a really great afternoon; I think we all enjoyed ourselves.  We walked around the town, went into a old church, ate coffee and cake, had ice cream, and sat in a park for a bit.  That night we relaxed after dinner, yes we had even more food, and watched some television.  German crime series seems to be quite popular right now.

Tuesday, April 14:

Another early morning run and again I made better time than yesterday.  Lovin' it!!  So, the rest of the day was doing some shopping, food of course, and then looking at furniture.  We were able to find the items we have purchased to show Carsten's mom, who appears to have approved of our choices :)  It was a fun day of doing not much of anything.  Later in the day I finished my book The Broken Window by Jeffery Deaver.  If you like murder, mystery and technology then this is a book for you.  Since we have had amazing weather every day so far we have spent a lot of time on the terrace or in the yard.  Today Carsten mowed the lawn and I helped Carsten's mom with the gardening.  No, not picking weeds.  I brought up some huge plants/trees from the basement, did some digging and planting and even some minor sawing.  It was fun and something different.  I mean, it is not everyday I get to saw and dig in dirt.  Oh, and Zoe is loving being able to be outside walking around.  Lela on the other hand doesn't do so well outside.  That night Carsten's sister and her boyfriend came over later in the night on their way back from a vacation in Italy.

Wednesday, April 15:

Tax Day!!!  After another early morning run (for those of you reading all of this, yes I have ran everyday so far), I came back home, got cleaned up and we had another little day of shopping and hanging out.  Today we went to Kassel for our shopping excursion.  It was fun, but a bit exhausting.  I mean, seriously how many times can we look at furniture.  I mean, it is was CDs I would be fine, but enough furniture already :)  Today I also started reading a new book and will likely finish it within a week.  It is another murder mystery type book.  This one is Before the Frost by Henning Mankell.  We also did more work in the garden after our shopping trip, but no where near the amount of work we did before.  This is really making me want a house and a garden of my own.  But then again, it is kind of nice to have it to do now for fun rather than "have to do it" or else the yard looks like crap!  Plus, I think Carsten's mom likes having the help.

Thursday, April 16:

Day 6 of my early morning runs.  I am feeling really good about all the running and am hoping all this work is helping to keep some of the calories from all the food I have eaten this week away from my mid-section.  Carsten had to get up early this morning and take the car in for an appointment.  He had to go to Kassel for the appointment and was able to see his sister for the day, as she lives there.  The original plan was for Carsten to take the car and his mom to go swimming, shopping and have her own day.  This was exactly what I wanted as I was needing some space from all the "German" that was around me.  However, she didn't want me to be alone so she stayed home.  So, we spent the morning and early afternoon talking and sitting out on the terrace.  Then I started doing some German learning with one of my workbooks while she baked a couple of cakes.  It was not as relaxing of a day as I had hoped, but it was still pretty good.  Carsten made it back later than expected and we ate.   Shocking I know!!  

Friday, April 17:

Today is our last day here.  We decided to leave a day early to avoid some of the weekend traffic.  I decided not to run this morning to give my knees a break.  So, the day was spent (can you guess it??) eating and shopping.  The weather was drizzling all day, but really, since we had summer weather all week it was fine.  After the shopping I did some reading and then loaded the car.  After a yummy supper we said our good-byes and hit the road shortly after 8pm.  We made it home at about 12:35am.

And that is my vacation.  Three words can sum it up:  running, eating, shopping.  In the end, a perfect trip!  Oh, and I do have some pictures.  Not as many as I would hope, but some.  I will be adding those in the next couple of days.  

Entry 200

Well, this is my 200th blog entry.  I can't believe I have written that much on here.  This really has become a great outlet for me and a terrific way to stay connected with friends and family.  Thank you all for reading about my life, even if it is a bit boring at times.

On that note, this will be my last entry for the next 10 days, as Carsten and I are leaving way too early tomorrow morning to go to his mom's place.  I will not have Internet access, which is why no entries will be made on here.  However, I hope to take some pictures and will have lots to share when I get back.  

Be kind to yourself and those around you..much love!!!!

Early to Rise

Today I got up and out of bed early, or at least earlier than usual.  I made Carsten breakfast (Frühstück) of coffee, toast, yogurt and a kiwi.  I got him off to work and now the day is mine.  We are going to his mom's place for a vacation and though we were planning on leaving tonight, we have decided to leave tomorrow morning.  So, today I will clean the cat litter, pack our clothes, clean the apartment (so it is clean when we return) and pick out music for our 5 hour car ride.  I am looking forward to being at his mom's place, as the cats like it there a lot and it means I don't have to cook and clean.  We are hoping for a lot of relaxing, quiet time while we are there.

The picture her eon the right is from a tree right outside my bedroom window.  I have been watching this tree and waiting for it to bloom, which it finally did on Tuesday.  I think it is really quite beautiful and it has a wonderful fragrance.  I decided to share its beauty :)

A New Day

After laying low for the past couple of days, today was the day I wiped the tears away, stopped feeling sorry for myself because I couldn't return to the US for the funeral and be with family and took action here in Freiburg.  I registered for my Integrationkurs, which will begin on Wednesday, April 22nd.  I am looking forward to the class.  I was able to sit in on the class for a bit today and meet my new classmates.  Everyone seemed nice and I did a pretty good job of standing in front of the class and speaking about myself (I know, I should be used to doing that), all in German.  

Last night Carsten and I ordered our bedroom furniture.  The upside is we will have a fully furnished apartment; the downside is that it will take 13-14 weeks before the furniture arrives.  We've made it this long, so what is another 3-4 months :)  If you are interested in seeing our bedroom set, click here.  To see the dining room table, click here.  Our living room furniture matches the dining room, although we still need to figure out what to do about a coffee table.  But that can come late.  

6 Months

Six months ago today I was driven to O'Hare airport by my mom and brother.  It was a quiet drive down, for most of the way.  We stopped at Culver's so I could have one more Butter-Burger before leaving the country.  I didn't know what to expect; only that I was scared, excited and scared - oh wait, I already said that!

I knew that finding a job would be tough, as well as learning the language.  I think I was more optimistic and Carsten was more realistic in terms of my options and how things would proceed with regards to these two areas.  However, I have had three months worth of language class and both my teachers have commented on my progress and being advanced for only having three months.  I tend to be a bit of a perfectionist (I know, shocking) and I always want to be able to speak more fluently.  In about two weeks I begin my Integration Course which is 6-8 months in length.  In terms of a job that is still unclear, but considering the situation in the US I think I would have just as much of a struggle there as here.

One thorn through the past six months has been our lack of furniture, or more specifically a bed.  Thank you all for your patience through this and reading about my frustration of sleeping on the floor.  However, I am happy to announce that tonight Carsten and I are going tonight to order some bedroom furniture we found last weekend.  This will make our "big furniture" purchases complete, now we just have to wait the 8-10 weeks for delivery.  I think once these things are in place I will feel more settled.  I love living here, I think our apartment is great; the city is fun and beautiful, but sleeping on the floor and eating off of cardboard boxes just doesn't feel like home to me.  I know people have it much worse than me and I am so grateful for all that I do have, but I am also happy to be getting a bed!

So, 6 months are down.  Sometimes it feels like I just got here and other times it feels like I have been gone for a really long time.  The past half-year has been filled with many ups and downs, like every one's lives, and I appreciate you taking the time to read my blog to see what I have been up to.  Let's see what the next 6 months bring!!!

A Rough Day

I have to say I am feeling a little bit lost right now.  When I first started doing this blog the idea was that it was a way for me to stay connected with people back in the US and to share my experiences in Germany.  Some entries are funny, others a bit more boring and some are filled with pictures.  In a way this blog has been my life as an open book and this entry won't be any different.  

I feel as though I am beyond sad right now and it isn't even all about my grandmother passing. Yes, that makes me sad; she was an incredible person who was so strong - in mind, body and spirit.  I don't believe in heaven or hell only that people are at peace once their time here on earth ends.  Many people have different beliefs, which I think is great, because it is our differences that keep us together.  I am sad because I can't be with my family right now, as I think I should be.  Carsten sent me an email today letting me know how difficult he knows this is for me and how important family means to me.  That email meant so much to me!  Growing up I never really had many friends, but I always had my family.  As an adult I feel so fortunate to have many friends and people who love me, while still maintaining a close connection with my family.  

I spent much of today in tears, sadness for the loss of my grandmother, sadness over the lost of past friendships, relationships, and loves.  But also sadness over the way we treat one another.  I don't understand why people have to be mean, or make up things to other people.  Our time with those around us is so short in the grand scheme of things.  Why don't we make the most of it; let the petty stuff go, forgive people for mistakes made in the past and let's all just live, love and remember those who add so much to our lives.  Think about the people in your life who you are grateful for.  Please, tell them - it will make them feel good and you as well.  

Thank you for reading this and for letting me share my life with you!  

A very sad evening

I found out around 9pm my time tonight that my paternal grandmother passed away last night shortly before 8pm.  I have spent the past three hours trying to get a flight home but have been unsuccessful.  The timing is just too tight, as the services are on Tuesday morning.  I feel so much guilt right now and even though I know I tried really hard to make this work I can't seem to shake this feeling.  I know people understand my predicament, but it just doesn't feel right to not be there.  

I love you grandma!!

A relaxing day

So far, today has been quite relaxing.  I have a funny feeling in my gut that something bad is lurking around the corner, but for right now, all is good.  Today I woke up early, ate some breakfast and then went for a run.  I am really glad to be running again, it is a great way to clear one's mind.  Carsten and I have spent some time today talking about bedroom furniture options and looking over the budget, if that isn't depressing I don't know what is.  Then the rest of the day I have been reading and just finished the book The Water-Method Man by John Irving.  I would highly recommend this book.  I don't know if it is the psychological aspect or what but I had a hard time putting it down and once I finished it was really glad to have read it!

A BIG Purchase

Before you all go thinking "Finally, they got a dang bed so I can stop reading about that crap," no we did not purchase a bed.  We did find a bedroom set we both agree on, but the cost is a bit high, like 5200 Euros.  However, then we would have a matching bedroom set with wardrobe (since closets don't exist here a wardrobe is necessary).  Instead, we bought furniture for the dining room and living.  That means only 8-10 more weeks of eating off of cardboard boxes.  That is what we use for a coffee/dining room table currently.  It was also a bit pricey (everything here seems to be), but we did get a good deal for all the furniture and the quality.   So, if anyone wants to make a donation to the William J. Hutter Sallie Mae College Fund or to the William J. Hutter Moveables Fund, please feel free to contact me for further information.

My last day

Today was my last day of class with this particular school.  The day went quite well, which surprised me as I was unable to sleep last night.  I finally fell asleep shortly after 4am, but was awake when Carsten's alarm went off at 6:30am.  

After the class, we all went out for Italian food, and of course beer, and then a small group of us went and played pool.  It was a great time and it felt like I had friends here for the first time.  I really miss my friends a lot and this outing really made me appreciate my friends back in the states even more.  I know I have not always been the best friend to some people and some have chosen to no longer be my friend, but those who have remained my friend over the years I hold a very special place in my heart.

Day 3

The weather this week has been a vast improvement over last week's weather.  Last week I had to ride my bike to and from school everyday in the rain and it was cold to boot.  However, this week the weather is significantly warmer and it has been sunny everyday.  Since the weather has been so good, I went running outside today for the third day in a row.  I am hoping to be in a little bit better shape by the time summer comes, which is only a couple months away.  Plus I am tired of Carsten's "fat" comments everyday.  So, with my bike riding and jogging and at the end of April Carsten and I plan to join a gym, so I won't have many excuses for not being in shape.  Though I guess I could blame it on genetics or German beer :)

Well, I made it.

I ran for just over 1/2 hour outside and though my abs, arms and legs hurt before I ran they seemed fine during the run.  However, my chest began to hurt while running.  I shared this with Carsten and his response was "It must be your big boobs."  So sensitive he is :)  Now, off to shower and do homework before making dinner.  

I was right

I woke up this morning with only sore abs; however, as the day progressed my legs and arms joined in.  I am leaving now to go jogging and am hoping not to have a total breakdown on the way.  If all goes well, I will write more later; otherwise it won't be until tomorrow.