I just finished the book High Fidelity by Nick Hornby. Basically, the man summed up my entire life in a short 245 pages. I think that makes me lame, but not as lame as the band Barrytown, fronted by a man by the name Barry.

Honestly, he hit the head on more points than one. It’s the type of thing where I would read a page, then look myself in the mirror and say: “damn”.

I’m off to see the wizard down in Dresden this weekend for the BRN.

To all my fellow Sachsen-ites: Let’s meet up for a drink and some grilling… or maybe a visit to Ararat… and of course a Watzke’s beer…

We were watching the Brazil - Croatia game the other day and got to talking about how some soccer players are too cool for first AND last names. Not only do they shirk their full names, but they also get to choose their own new one-name names. And this new name is accepted everywhere. Credit Card companies, FIFA, driver’s license.

Survived. My liver might not have, but the rest of my body seems to be functioning normally (for what it’s worth) after a week long visit from Cheresa, Ian, Dave, Nate and Clint. As Jan put it while walking home early from a local pub: “I haven’t laughed that hard in years”. I couldn’t have agreed more with him.

I never imagined it could be this bad. Sure I’ve experienced the small run-ins with the radicals or the drunkards and even the sane people, but this is a bit extreme. The following article is all the more reason I can’t wait to see the Yanks notch up more than their fair share of victories in the 2006 World Cup. At no time will I root against Germany; but I can’t wait to hang the Stars and Stripes off our balcony, right there next to the German and Polish flags for our multi-culti apartment.

I just spent the past 2 hours watching University of Texas football highlights with Chance. Ian, Chance’s buddy who went to Tennessee, went to sleep. Teresa played along but began to lose interest by the second hour. We thought about putting the Rose Bowl DVD in for a viewing that would not have made it it’s first, but got distracted by food. Nate Dave and Clint arrive tomorrow. I have a feeling that we will have ample opportunity to re-view the game.

Chance, Teresa (affably known as “Cheresa”) and Ian, Chance’s good friend from Nashville (affably known as ‘Nash’ll’), rolled into Berlin for a 36 hour stint this weekend—all part of the grand break from reality, whatever reality may now be. The honeymooners are in the midst of an around-the-world tour while Ian set a wise precedent by dropping his job and hitting the road, or as Mathew McConoghay would say “L-I-V-I-N”.

“Marvin hat ‘fuck you’ gesagt.” Marvin’s head immediately went into his hands, nothing but denials coming out of his mouth. He had been ratted out by his little sister in the “look-what-he-did’ voice that five-year-olds embody so well. I was taken aback, to say the least (American 5 year olds don’t even know what this word means, how should a German?), but responded with a demanding ‘Marvin…?”. My reprehensions had opened the floodgates of child curiosity. “What does ‘fook you’ mean” the children began to ask. Swearing is a rather common occurance in Germany - no tv rating systems, no “seven dirty words”, its not uncommon to hear a parent using the word “scheisse” while explaining something to her child.

www.pandora.com

Easily one of the greatest websites of all-time. Your own personal radio station, based around your musical tastes. Serious props to J-White for the link!

Sarajevo’s Calling and it’s not as intimidating as I’d anticipated. We pulled into town yesterday and I was warned to keep all items close to my body and to “NOT step off the pavement” for fear of unexploded landmines. No landmines found, but I haven’t touched a blade of grass in 24 hours.