Ellen & Gladys

Brrrrrr

Hello winter. How long do you plan to stick around? Got our first snowfall last night and that meant fun, fun fun this morning. Between yesterday and today, I think we got something like 8 to 9 inches. After getting on the bus this morning, we didn't even manage to make it to the next stop before getting blocked by an accident. So everyone got off the bus since the driver said it would take awhile and the police still had to come. It was snowing and blowing and just an overall mess. I walked the rest of the way downtown and caught another bus there. After arriving to work this morning, I decided it was the perfect time to submit vacation requests. So I put in to cover my Italy trip and my U.S. trip. We'll see if and when they get approved.

I must note that someone got up extra early to shovel the sidewalks around my building, including the one leading out from my front door. Was it you? God knows it wasn't me. To this mystery shoveler, I say thank you. P.S. Do you plan to continue this most honorable deed?

I had a very nice weekend. The get-together at my place was fun, and as all parties do, it forced me to get some things done around the apartment. Plus I'm stocked up on drinks through 2009 as we hardly put a dent in what I had. However, I should have put sticker prices on my furniture and other items because my guests were looking around with interest and asking when I was moving out. They were salivating, people. Salivating. Hell, let the auction begin…err, right after I serve another round of drinks. Big money, big money. And no whammies.

Work is more of the same - blah. I think I should borrow the late Mr. Dangerfield's famous line and hang it somewhere on my desk, cuz I certainly don't get much respect either. Last Friday, my group asked me if I wanted to sit in on a short telecon pertaining to some of the structural changes. Sure, why not? There were only 7 of us in there. As my one coworker was naming everyone in attendance, he just skipped right on over me. How nice. Some of the others looked at me and I just shrugged my shoulders. Not that I was there to offer any input or that it made any difference to the party on the other line, but it was just disrespectful from my point of view. So now I not only don't exist to my manager, but also to coworkers. Lovely. I'm definitely looking forward to starting up in the next and final group in May. It'll probably just consist of more disrespect, but at least it'll be comeing from different people!

This weekend is as yet unplanned. Next weekend I'm in Munich :-)

Saturday Night - My Place

Pizza & beer at my place this Saturday evening. I invited a few coworkers, so looks like there will be five of us in attendance, which is plenty. Should be fun, but I'm wondering if I need to have some additional plan for entertainment even though everyone knows each other. Oh well, strip poker it is… again.

Actually, I think I should "unintentionally" delay making the pizzas in the hopes that the alcohol sets in a bit and everyone gets a little buzzed on those empty stomachs. C'mon, the evening will consist of an American guy, a British guy, a German girl, a Turkish girl, and an Estonian girl. Now wouldn't you be concerned? ;-) Naa, everyone is very cool and that's basically why it all came together.

Recent observation of great importance: Germans don't necessarily wear belts when dressing up. And since realizing it, I keep noticing it in the office now, seeing management in dress shirts, ties, slacks, and no belts. And I'll see women in blouses and slacks with no belt. It just looks odd - as if they forgot to put one on. The belt loops look funny hanging out with nothing to do. I don't think you'd see that in the U.S. It just appears incomplete. Maybe they view it here as solely a functional thing rather than an accessory that completes the look. Or, Germans simply took the advice from the groundbreaking film "Troop Beverly Hills" to heart: "Too many accessories clutter an outfit." In that case, I stand up and say bravo.

Fog. Everywhere.

I was able to snap out of my post-holidays / post-vacation / post-Michigan depression which had plagued my return to Germany. It wasn't pretty, but it's over with. Things have improved greatly - I'm sleeping better, my nasty cold from the past few weeks has finally cleared up, and I'm back to waitressing topless to support my family. Although I must say, I'm already a little nervous about my trip home in March because I really don't need another emotional rollercoaster ride after returning here. I'll probably be ok, but perhaps I should try to get a handful of Zoloft from someone on eBay just in case.

Except today, our weather has continued to be amazing. 50s and 60s last week, followed by more of the same. Today's 35 is the lone exception, which explains the eerie looking fog we've had all day.

Yay, they're airing the Golden Globes here. Getting to see some good old American fluff is always fun.

Funny thing - in using my box of tissue at the office, from one Kleenex to the next, the color suddenly turned from white to a light peach. It seemed a bit odd to me. It crossed my mind that it could simply be some kind of a sign that it's running low, but then I thought "oh please." Well, a German coworker confirmed it. The purpose is indeed to inform you that the box is running low. Now that's a new one to me. I guess on the one hand it's smart, but I can't help but wonder if it's truly necessary. What will Kleenex think of next?

Deutschland sucht den Superstar ("German Idol" for lack of a better description) is back and bett…err, just as good as ever. Who needs "American Idol" with all the talent here? Ha. If I'm not mistaken, I believe the "throwing water on the judges after an audition" stunt was pulled years ago in the U.S. When my time comes, perhaps I should make a similar exit from Germany as "Mr. Love" - throw drinks in someone's face and "tschuess, Deutschland!"

It's Gettin' Hot in Here

You know, I'm all for a not-so-extreme winter - Heck, I don't care if I don't see any snow this year at all - BUT, it is indeed a bit odd to be reaching 50 degrees in January, as we did here today. While in Michigan, it never snowed and we were in the mid to upper 40s the entire time. It was 50 the day I left. After reading a report released by some experts in England claiming that 2007 is forecasted to rival 1998 as the warmest year on record, I feel like we should all be a bit concerned here. Something is definitely up. I think this whole global warming thing is scary, and there's not enough being done to counteract it. Al Gore can only do so much. Maybe I should join forces with him. It's time to unite. It's time to fight back. It's time to put an end to bad hair days resulting from humidity. Who's with me?!?

Actually though, on a somewhat related note, I like this quote I stumbled upon: "Only when the last tree has died, and the last river has been poisoned, and the last fish has been caught, will we realize that we cannot eat money."

Thanks to Sleeptoberbest on Friday night, I wasn't able to fall asleep last night. 6:30am. That's when I fell asleep. And I only let myself sleep until 10:30am in an attempt to get back on a schedule. What a mess. I'm hoping that did the trick for tonight. Well, that and an Excedrin PM for that extra kick...err, extra knock-out.

Wish me luck. Just do it quietly - I might be sleeping.

Home in Germany

My goodness, I just may sleep away 2007. I went to bed last night at 1am and woke up at 1:40...PM!!! I don't think I've ever slept that long in my life, not to mention that I didn't even wake up anytime in between. Good grief.

Anyway, I'm back. Arrived in Reutlingen on Thursday around noon - was quite a zombie as I didn't sleep at all during the flight. Thought I would stay up the entire day and just head to bed at the normal time, but that only lasted until the afternoon when I finally gave in and crashed.

I thoroughly enjoyed my almost 4 weeks in Michigan. If it's possible for a 29 year old to still use such expressions, I think it was THE BEST CHRISTMAS VACATION EVER! :-) I had a great time, which was partly attributed to the fact that I just really needed a break from Germany. But I accomplished everything I set out to do during my stay, which basically just entailed going out a lot and having a good time. Actually, I think I enjoyed myself a little too much, which made it a bit difficult to come back. But it's time to resume a work schedule and get back to doing what I do best. Whatever that is.

I'm still not looking forward to Monday morning when that alarm clock goes off. Maybe just one more day off of work? Pleeeeease?