Could it be?

A bulk of today Carsten and I spent looking at furniture, measuring and remeasuring out apartment and it might just be that we have found a bedroom set, as well as a dining room table, that will work in our space.  It appears as though Carsten's mom might come for a visit in May so it would be nice if we had some furniture before then.  Well, at least I can dream :)

So-Much-Fun!!

Last night Carsten and I went dancing and had ourselves a gay 'ol time.  The music was quite good and I was able to shake my money-maker like it was nobody's business.  As much as I would love to recap the entire night with the songs that were played and my moves to each tune, I am unable to do that due to the vast amount of music that I jammed to.  However, I can share with you the first and last song that I danced to.  The first song is by my favorite band of 2008 and you can hear the song and see the video by clicking here.  Now, the last song I danced to is probably now considered a classic, but I still love it.  To hear the song from 1989, click here.

Another week comes to a close

It is Friday night here and I am ready for the weekend!  Today was a good day.  It's Friday so I had a test in my class today.  I did quite well and feel pretty good about my performance, except for one section, which kicked my butt big time.  Which considering the size of my butt lately that isn't hard to do, but that's another story for another day.

Tonight Carsten and I are going dancing.  The last time we went to this place I hit a street sign and cut my face...I still have the scar.  So, cross your fingers that the same thing won't happen tonight.  considering the wind and rain we have had here all week, my ability to drive straight is a bit challenged.

Anyway, instead of listening to fact paced dance songs while I get ready, I am listening to one of my favorite slow songs.  To check it out, click here.   Every time I hear this I get tears in my eyes; it is really that beautiful.

Wild Mood Swings

I seemed unable to establish any sort of equilibrium today.  I woke up around 5am with a serious case of the angst and was unable to fall back asleep, until around 7am when Carsten got up.  Then when I did get out of bed and check my email I had an unpleasant email regarding a job I had applied for.  It was at the point that my mood really went down the toilet.  However, once in my class I was distracted and completely forgot all about my angst and the email.  At the end of my class I was talking to my teacher and she questioned me on my study habits and homework assignments.  I explained the I complete the entire chapter by Tuesday night so I can review on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday for our test at the end of the week.  She then asked how many hours I study per day.  I gave her my studying schedule and she laughed and stated I am spending too much time on studying and should only do 2 hours per day otherwise it can be too much.  She also said I am doing rather well for only having three months of German language school and compared what I know to other students she has who have been learning for a year.  That made me feel much better.  However, in the evening my mood again began to slip, though for no apparent reason.  So I decided to phone my grandma in Baraboo, WI as she always cheers me up.  We talked for about half and hour laughing over everything.  A perfect way to end the day!

My brain is about to implode!

I think I have a case of "studyitous", a rare condition caused from too much learning that leads one's head to explode.  Seriously, this German stuff is hard and makes little sense in some ways.  Sure, the English language isn't much better, but I'm not talking about English I am talking about German :)  I spent about 2 hours studying before class, had four hours of class and then another three or so hours studying tonight.  That is way too much German, heck that it too much time doing any one thing.  However, a decision has been made about my class situation and I will do one more week of class next week and then the week of April 20th I will start my Integration Course with another school; one of my current teachers works there.    

Movie and a couple beers

Today was another good day.  I had a productive morning of laundry and homework and class was also good.  After class I hung around the city centre.  I walked the main strip and ate a wurst in from of the Munster.  Afterward I walked to a nearby furniture store to see what I could find.  Well, what I found was a lot of over-priced furniture, though I must admit it did look nice.  Then I met my new friend Haydee (from school) and Carsten and the three of us saw the movie Slumdog Millionaire. It seemed that Haydee and I liked the movie more but Carsten also had nice things to say about it.  It won 8 Oscars and 4 Golden Globes and in my opinion deserved them all.  Great film with fantastic music!  After the film the three of us went to a neighboring bar and had a couple beers before calling it a night.  A terrific day that ended with a phone call to my brother, who I am so proud of right now.  You go Boo!!

Another great Monday

Monday's have become my favorite day of the week.  I tend to be more productive on Mondays and feel more energized than on other days.  So, today I woke up and did some homework.  I have decided to do one more week with this school, so instead of being done this week Friday I will finish next week Friday.  A decision still needs to be made on my Integration Course, but that decision will hopefully be made by the end of this week.  Anyway, in class today we played Scrabble for the first half of class.  We broke up into three teams of two and had to make words in German, without using a dictionary.  That was way harder than I expected it to be, but fun and a nice way of learning new words.  

A fellow classmate and I went to the movie theater after class to buy tickets to watch the movie Slumdog Millionaire tomorrow.  Tuesday is the cheap day for the theater so Carsten thought we should get our tickets early.  

After buying the tickets I came home, did homework and then cleaned the apartment.  Let me just say that I love my cats dearly, but they shed way too much hair.  Twice per week I vacuum the apartment and as much as I like to clean this is becoming a big time commitment.  But I digress.  After dinner last night Carsten sat in front of the computer and I watched one really terrible movie.  The movie is called Avalanche and is from 1994.  It was a made-for-TV movie, probably on Lifetime.  It stars Michael Gross from Tremors and Family Ties but the real star was David Hasselhoff.  Yes, the Germans really  do love the Hoff as much as is rumored.     

Schönberg

Happy Sunday!  Today Carsten and I decided to go for a walk.  Now, when most people think of a walk I am guessing it is a little stroll through the neighborhood or around town.  Well, not us.  No, we went for a 10k hike up Schönberg.  It was a beautiful day and a great way to get some exercise and see more of the surroundings.  If you are interested, click here to see some pictures.  I hope you all enjoyed your weekend and are ready for the week ahead.

Another bust

Today we went to three different stores to look for a bed.  Two of the stores we had already been to in weeks past and the other store was new to us.  In the end, we found nothing that really jumped out at us.  We can't agree on a bed, and at this point I think I am just done with looking.  Carsten jokingly, or at least I think he was joking, said he wanted to "break my spirit" in terms of finding a bed.  And honestly, after today I feel broken down.  At this point I think I would take any bed, as long as it is more than a mattress laying on the floor, which is what we have now and have had since I arrived in Germany.

Other than the bust in terms of furniture shopping, the rest of the day was quite grand.  In the morning we rode our bikes to the city centre and did some shopping.  It was full of people down there and the city just felt alive.  In the evening after the furniture experience,  Carsten made sweet and sour chicken for dinner (yummy!) and then we watched a popular German television program called Wetten dass..?    It is a pretty entertaining show, even if you don't understand everything that is being said.  Last night's program had some famous people I knew, which always makes it a bit better for me.  

Tomorrow we are planning on going on a small hiking trip, which means pictures!!!  Time to get a good night's rest.

Credit Crisis

My friend Alica sent me this interesting link, which through the power of animation describes how today's society has found itself in its current economic state.  It really made sense and so I thought I would now share with those of you who might be interested in seeing it as well.  So, click here is you would like to see what it has to say.

Another puppy goes to doggie heaven

My mom bought a new puppy last week and named him Cookie.  She sent out announcements to alert everyone of his arrival.  However, this week he became ill and on Wednesday needed to remain at the animal clinic.  When the veterinarian returned to the clinic this morning Cookie was at peace.  I called my mom and she was understandably upset.  Losing a pet can be a really hard obstacle to overcome even when the pet has only been a part of your family for a short time. She says she won't be getting another dog, but I also said the same thing after my beloved Brandy passed away, and here I am with two cats.  Time really does heal all wounds.  

A nice end to the week

Since it is Friday I had a test in my class today, which went better than I had expected.  This week in class seemed more challenging and I had some concerns about how the test would go.  I also didn't sleep well last night and I thought that might also hinder my performance. However, I did well and the teacher even commented on my performance.  Yeah!!  

So, my day started out with waking up to a phone call.  Carsten phoned from work to say he forgot the orange juice for his work party today.  (He remembered the beer and chips but not the OJ).  He asked if I would bring it to him on my way to class, which of course I said I would no strings attached (cough, cough).  I was having a dream when the phone rang that had to do with me getting ready to go to a dance, an old woman (in her 80's) telling me she hopes I find a woman at the dance to marry and my mom sitting on a couch eating a huge bowl of popcorn.  A dream or premonition...it is such a fine line sometimes!  Anyway, I was not going to go back to sleep so I studied for a bit (3 hours) and then went to class.  Once I got home from class it was rest and relaxation...no studying; nothing.  I watched some DVDs, ate some funk food and waited for Carsten to return home from his party.  Now the weekend can officially begin.

Happy Birthday Tammy

Today is my cousin Tammy's birthday.  She hates, hates, hates having her picture taken and so I thought, what better way to say Happy Birthday than to put a picture of her on my blog.  This picture is a few years old, but then again so is Tammy.  Love ya!!!

Laughter really is the best medicine!

Today was an okay day; not the best, but also not the worst.  Whenever my sleep is disrupted, as it was last night, the following day always seems a bit more of a challenge.  The only rough patch really was at my German language class, where the tasks we were doing seemed really, really hard.  On the upside, each of us had to read aloud (sounds like elementary school huh?) and when I finished she said I read really and could tell I have been practicing.  That made me feel good.  Once I returned home I did my homework and started studying of tomorrow's test.  A massive headache soon followed.   However, once dinner was finished and I had done the dishes, I called my dear friend Toyah, who I have not spoke with in too long.  We talked for almost an hour and a half and laughed about anything and everything.  My headache, gone, my outlook on things, improved.  It doesn't get much better than a good laugh, especially considering all the sadness and struggles in the world today!

Something to think about

I am approaching the end of my time at my current school (one week left) and then it is Easter, where Carsten and I will spend a week or so at his mom's place, and after that I begin my Integration Course.  However, after school today I stayed and talked with my teacher for about 30 minutes and she asked what my plan is for when I am done at this school.  I told her about my Integration Course and where I plan to take it.  She said she teaches the course at a different school and asked if I would consider going there.  She also said her colleague heard not so good things about the school where I am planning on going.  The cost is equal and the location is closer to where I live, plus I know her teaching style.  Those are the positives.  The negatives are, I don't know how much I care for her teaching style - though I think she is a really nice person.  I plan to talk with her about it more tomorrow and see if I can make a decision before the end of the weekend, which is almost here already!!!  How does that happen? 

Fantastic day today

Last night I slept unbelievably well.  So much so that when Carsten's alarm went off this morning I got up as well and made him coffee and breakfast.  I then did roughly three hours of schoolwork (mostly working ahead for the week...I am such a nerd!) and then I vacuumed the apartment, did dishes and some dusting.  I sent off some emails, made some phone calls and really was just a worker bee.  

Then I went to school and had a great day there.  I came home and played with the cats and then after a bit I went running outside (we currently have great weather, though it will change to snow by the weekend).  Once Carsten arrived home from work we went to the store to buy supplies for his party on Friday.  The party is  work party to celebrate his starting there.  It is a bit late, but he is combining it with another person who started more recently.  

The day has ended with me watching the final episode of Paris Hilton's My New BFF.  The girl I wanted to win did; however, since they are no longer friends in real life why does it matter.  I heard she is doing one right now in London and is also preparing to do a second season in the US, with a possible new one to follow that in Canada.  Clearly I have spent too much time on this crap and need to get back to watching something with a bit more class.  Like Flavor of Love :)  

More pictures

Here is a picture of me, Carsten, Gary and Klaus.  Klaus was the birthday boy, who with his twin brother turned 30 on Monday.  His party was at his parent's home in Austria.  My previous pictures focused more on Austria while these pictures focus more on the actual celebration.  Enjoy!

Pictures

Hi all!  Well, I have the pictures uploaded and even put comments to them.  To see our weekend in Austria click here.

Back from Austria

This weekend has been a fantastic getaway weekend; however we are both quite tired and could probably use a day to relax!  I don't have any pictures uploaded as of yet (I have no clue where Carsten has put the cables) but as soon as I do I will put them on here for you all to see.

The purpose for going to Austria this particular weekend was for a birthday party for a friend of ours.  We met him while we lived in Munich; he is originally from Austria and the party was at his parents home.  I referred to the home as a compound and kept having visions of the movie Hostel.  Not that the place was scary but the set up was identical, as well as the size.  Anyway, Carsten and I left Freiburg around 8pm on Thursday night.  We made it up to Gary and Klaus' place around 1am.  We would have been there sooner but our directions were not correct from Google Maps and thus we got lost.  Thankfully Carsten parked in front of a Police Station to look at the map and since that is not okay to do, some officers came to the car to help us out (get us to move).  So, we finally made it to there place, talked for a bit and then went to bed around 2am.  We got up early and were on the road driving shortly before 8:30am.  We made it to the compound shortly after 11am and then the grazing began.  I have honestly eaten more since moving to Germany than probably the last five years of my life combined.  Okay, maybe that is a bit of a stretch, 4 years 11 months, but all the food is so tasty.  Friday was spent baking and getting a room set up for a party room.  We also took a walk around the small village where we were staying.  This is the kind of place where everyone knows everyone else.  It was quite quaint.  Friday night we went to the nearest big city for dinner where I had fried chicken and french fries.  OMG!!!  So good.  That is only the second time in the five months I have been here that I have eaten anything remotely American.  Afterward we went home, watched some Austrian/German television (okay, American shows dubbed in German) and then off to bed.  

On Saturday we woke up, ate some breakfast and prepared for the day.  Carsten and I went back to the nearest big city to spend the day behaving like tourists.   We walked around the city centre, went to the Lentos art museum and walked up some hill to see an old church-like building.  Again, this will be more clear once I post some pictures.

Saturday night was the birthday party.  About 60 guests showed up and the party room looked fantastic.  The food was tasty and abundant as well as the beer and Jägermeister.  Thankfully I was able to pace myself, drink a lot of water and not have too much alcohol.  The party was a lot of fun.  I was able to talk some with a few women there, as well as Carsten and my friends who we came with.  It was a much different experience than the other party I had recently gone too.  Carsten and I left the party around 2:30 am and apparently the party went on until 4am.

Today was a long day for us.  We got up, couldn't really eat anything as we were still full from the night before.  Around 2pm we left for Munich.  We arrived there and hung out for about 30 minutes before leaving for Freiburg.  At 10:30pm tonight we finally made it home.  Like I said, a long day!  Now it is time to eat something and go to bed.  Again, I promise I will have some pictures on here soon.

No test for me tomorrow!!!!

For those of you who read this often, you know that every Thursday night I study for my test on Friday.  However, this week I don't have the test.  Why you are wondering?  Well, that is because Carsten and I are leaving this evening for a long weekend in Austria.  We are going to Linz.  I am hoping we take many pictures so that I can post them on here and share this experience with everyone.  So, until we return on Sunday evening, Auf Wiedersehen.