The past few days have consisted little more than of lying by the beach or walking around inside the city walls. I made it out to an island which should have been referred to as a lesson in "How to Disappear Completely". After finding solitude at the top of a cragy volcano, I moved camp down to the beach and layed out.

Atop Dubrovnik sits an imposing fortress that only found its military purpose in the Siege of Dubrovnik during the Balkan wars of the early 1990’s. Today it is a shell of its emblematic glory but surves as a great look-out point for Adriatic sunsets and I naturally decided to take it up on its offer.

“Anyone seeking Pardise on Earth should come to Dubrovnik” - George Bernard Shaw

Well Mr. Shaw, it just so happens that I am seeking paradise on Earth and have decided to take you up on your suggestion.

Happy Dönerstag! My consisted of the usual program: Döner at Wunderlampe. Free Museum Night in the city. Topped off with a beer and a laugh.

Look out ladies (and European Metrosexuals, which there just seems to be so many of)…This hunk of meat just started running again and will be cruising through your neighborhood soon.

This mischievious little muck-maker is one of the five-year-olds from my Friday classes. Recently we’ve been learning articles of clothing, and with my attention turned to a crying four-year-old (she had fallen out of her chair), Elias snuck behind the table and found my bag of shirts, pants and scarfs

The premise of the book is fascinating: a strike lead by the industrialists

This is just one of a number of reversed social paradigms that feeds into the philosophy of authro Ayn Rand. The philosophy of Objectivism and its egocentric tenents seemingly goes against everything we were indoctrinated to believe in from the beginning. Fairy tales and children’s stories teach us to look out for the common good. Masked heroes such as Robin Hood swing through our imaginations, taking from the rich and giving to the poor. Jesus and Muhommad decreed that their followers should tithe to those less fortunate. And Ayn Rand has the gall to step forward and sweep it all away with a 1000 page manifesto extolling the merits of self-centered actions and the personal persuit of happiness.

I was going to go for a run Thursday but I remembered one of my personal rules when it comes to running: "Thou shalt not run when snow tis be falling from the sky unto the ground".

Rarely are lies portrayed so blatently.

Thirteen games without a victory. Loss to Köln. At home.

I saw this and just had to laugh:

"Out of control". That’s how the tour book described the mayhem of Karneval in Köln. It was more than enough to pique my interests and I found myself in the middle of the madness after a 6.5 hour hitchhiking ride with the Speaker to the Press for the Berlin faction of the FDP political party.

…because you can never have too many pictures of that Austin Skyline. A buddy of my Uncle’s took this picture.

So what’s the story behind this guy? You tell me. The one with the best story wins a free beer (Sterni of course).

Yes, the ball was marvelous darling, thank you for asking… That old thing? That suit was just something I had lying around but yes, I was thinking I was looking pretty good in it myself. I got myself primped up in the room, told the guy in the mirror that he was a pretty good looking guy, then ran downstairs to find that everyone else was wearing tuxedos… Well, what could I do?

Stumbled out of bed for a teaching gig early in the morning, stumbled back into bed immediately following the short gig, and tried my best to not leave its warm confines until now. I’ve been fairly successful in my attempts and have savored every minute of the re-coop time.