Well, that's the last time I do any impulse buying in the frozen meat section.
While grocery shopping last week, I couldn't be bothered to take time to decipher the description printed on the front of a box of what I thought were frozen chicken breasts. I tossed the box into my shopping bag and went on my merry way, coming home with the chicken, and about eight billion condiments. I have developed this strange habit lately of going into the store intending to buy, you know, real food, and coming out with nothing but condiments. I have more gourmet mustard, salad dressing, dipping sauces, etc. than anyone could ever ask for. Do I have anything to apply said sauces to? Nope. Nothing.
Thus my feeling of accomplishment when I bought an entire BOX of chicken. I could dunk and slather to my heart's content.
Well. It would seem reading the front of a box of frozen meat is a highly advisable thing to do. Imagine my shock and dismay when I opened the box of chicken breasts to find an extremely strange looking array of parts. Yes, it was an entire chicken, butchered in possibly the weirdest manner I could ever have imagined. There were two pieces that looked very claw-like...I've had trouble banishing the image from my mind. I was kind of at a loss as to what to do with this pan of chicken...it was a WHOLE chicken, and thus full of meat. But it looked absolutely diiiiiiisgusting. 100% unappetizing. And this is coming from someone who will eat just about anything. Or, at least try just about anything. I cite the gumball incident junior year of high school as a reference. (Krystyn, this citation is obviously for your own personal enjoyment.)
Well, I ended up half-heartedly sliding it into the oven, hoping that maybe it would improve with heat. Of course I then proceeded to start a craft project and completely forget that I had something cooking. I didn't remember until I went into the kitchen to get some orange juice and sniffed the air thinking "What is that strange sme- oh shit!" So I ended up with chicken...jerky. Which is even grosser than what I started with. It's currently swaddled in foil, taking up room in my teeny tiny refrigerator. I'm unsure what to do with it.
Priamary moral of the story: read the fucking label.
Tertiary moral of the story: memorize the German words for "entire" and "carcass." Avoid anything in the future that includes these two words.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Run for the Border
That used to be Taco Bell's slogan, and then they had to get a new one. I don't know why, it's not like that's at all offensive to anyone....
The only reason I bring this up (aside from the fact that I often long for any kind of Mexican food in this country of nothing but sausage and potatoes), is because yesterday I did some running for the border myself. Dresden is situated at the eastern edge of Germany, pretty much equidistant from the Czech and Polish borders. I am a fan of this location, and I'll tell you why. Because the novelty of being able to hop on a train, spend a pleasant one to two hours staring out the window at idyllic landscape, and then hop off in another country, never gets old. I hesitate to leave the previous sentence in it's present form, as I don't think it is grammatically correct. But I don't really feel like going back and fixing it, so I'll just have to let my grammar neurosis simmer for now. So, my current geographical location looks something like this:
I live in Dresden, one of those red dots.
The only reason I bring this up (aside from the fact that I often long for any kind of Mexican food in this country of nothing but sausage and potatoes), is because yesterday I did some running for the border myself. Dresden is situated at the eastern edge of Germany, pretty much equidistant from the Czech and Polish borders. I am a fan of this location, and I'll tell you why. Because the novelty of being able to hop on a train, spend a pleasant one to two hours staring out the window at idyllic landscape, and then hop off in another country, never gets old. I hesitate to leave the previous sentence in it's present form, as I don't think it is grammatically correct. But I don't really feel like going back and fixing it, so I'll just have to let my grammar neurosis simmer for now. So, my current geographical location looks something like this:
I live in Dresden, one of those red dots.As you can see, it's quite easterly. Yes, that is a word! Do not dispute me. An interesting observation that comes to me while viewing this map is that Berlin is really almost a straight line north, but is considered to be part of WESTERN Germany. Yes, the whole country has been unified for twenty years now, and everyone is one big, happy, beer swilling and sausage eating family. But people here still make comments all the time about those "westerners." Light hearted (and e-blogger can suck a big one for underlining that word in red and telling me it's incorrect, because I KNOW IT IS. Stupid machines trying to take over the world) comments to be sure, usually made as a joke. But there still seems to be a bit of cultural differences between the western and eastern parts of the country. Anyone who is actually German, or actually more knowledgeable than me on the subject of German reunification (so really, a lot of people) please take my remarks as the ramblings of a young American woman living in Germany, who really gets a kick out of over analyzing things and psycho-analyzing people and what they say. Nothing more.
Ok, ok, I am getting to the point. Not that any of the "points" I make on this thing are all that interesting or newsworthy. Yesterday, a couple of pals and I got on the train in the morning, and an hour later, voila! We were in Poland. Well, technically, we were still in Germany. The town we arrived in is a town on the very edge of the German/Polish border. Through the years, it's gone back and forth between being officially German and officially Polish. At least, I think that's what I read in the guide book. Like I said, I'm no expert. After World War 2 though, when countries were being hacked up and doled out like a Thanksgiving turkey (nice metaphor, I know), the mucky mucks in charge of the hacking decided that a great solution would be to just split this town down the middle, since it was right on the border. There is a small, sluggish river that flows through the middle of it, and this became the border between the two countries- effectively dividing one city between two countries. It's definitely a unique experience to take a two minute stroll across a bridge, and suddenly be in another country. All the street signs go from German to Polish, the food goes from German to Polish, the people suddenly sprechen more Polnish than Deutsch, wocka wocka wocka. You get the point.
The really stunning thing was the difference in upkeep on the two banks of the river. The German side was filled with well preserved ancient buildings, and was clean and orderly. Typical Germany. Well, the clean and orderly part, that is. The Polish side was...well, as my Polish traveling companion put it "a real shit town." Her words, not mine. I've got nothing against Poland...I happen to quite like the place. I don't know what this says about politics or anything, I just thought it was extremely interesting to see that juxtaposition.
Aside from the whole division of countries part, the town of Goerlitz (it's supposed to have an umlaut over the 'o' but I don't know how to make my non-German keyboard do that) has a few other things going for it. It's one of the very few places in the eastern part of Germany- no, scratch that, Germany as a whole- that wasn't totally decimated during the war. A lot of the cities have done a ton of rebuilding, and so it looks like all the cathedrals and palaces miraculously survived the bombings, no problem. Dresden is probably the grandaddy of all these places, because the whole place was levelled, and in the past ten years or so they've rebuilt a lot of the major architectural landmarks. If I didn't know better, I would assume the buildings had just aged really well.
But, I digress! Goerlitz happens to be a survivor of all this. There are buildings there that date back to 1230. It was a very enjoyable place to stroll around in, and imagine all the people who had gone in and out of those buildings for centuries. I love to think of what places would have been like in another time, and so my imagination really runs a muck in places like that, where all I have to do is zap passerby into 14th century garb and call it good. No modern buildings to banish, and I don't have to ferret out which buildings are really ancient and which ones are impostors.
All in all, a lovely place for a huge nerd like myself. Also, feasting on cheap and deep fried Polish perogis (I can neither confirm nor deny if that word is spelled correctly) wasn't half bad either.
In addition to aaaaall of this, yesterday was one of the most beautiful days we've had round' these parts in months. Sunshine, blue skies, lambs frolicking through green meadows. The part about the lambs might be me taking creative license....but you'll never know, will you?
I wish I was more adept at sprinkling photos throughout my blog post, but I seem to have trouble with that sort of thing. So below you shall find some pictures of this well preserved half German/half Polish town.
Ok, ok, I am getting to the point. Not that any of the "points" I make on this thing are all that interesting or newsworthy. Yesterday, a couple of pals and I got on the train in the morning, and an hour later, voila! We were in Poland. Well, technically, we were still in Germany. The town we arrived in is a town on the very edge of the German/Polish border. Through the years, it's gone back and forth between being officially German and officially Polish. At least, I think that's what I read in the guide book. Like I said, I'm no expert. After World War 2 though, when countries were being hacked up and doled out like a Thanksgiving turkey (nice metaphor, I know), the mucky mucks in charge of the hacking decided that a great solution would be to just split this town down the middle, since it was right on the border. There is a small, sluggish river that flows through the middle of it, and this became the border between the two countries- effectively dividing one city between two countries. It's definitely a unique experience to take a two minute stroll across a bridge, and suddenly be in another country. All the street signs go from German to Polish, the food goes from German to Polish, the people suddenly sprechen more Polnish than Deutsch, wocka wocka wocka. You get the point.
The really stunning thing was the difference in upkeep on the two banks of the river. The German side was filled with well preserved ancient buildings, and was clean and orderly. Typical Germany. Well, the clean and orderly part, that is. The Polish side was...well, as my Polish traveling companion put it "a real shit town." Her words, not mine. I've got nothing against Poland...I happen to quite like the place. I don't know what this says about politics or anything, I just thought it was extremely interesting to see that juxtaposition.
Aside from the whole division of countries part, the town of Goerlitz (it's supposed to have an umlaut over the 'o' but I don't know how to make my non-German keyboard do that) has a few other things going for it. It's one of the very few places in the eastern part of Germany- no, scratch that, Germany as a whole- that wasn't totally decimated during the war. A lot of the cities have done a ton of rebuilding, and so it looks like all the cathedrals and palaces miraculously survived the bombings, no problem. Dresden is probably the grandaddy of all these places, because the whole place was levelled, and in the past ten years or so they've rebuilt a lot of the major architectural landmarks. If I didn't know better, I would assume the buildings had just aged really well.
But, I digress! Goerlitz happens to be a survivor of all this. There are buildings there that date back to 1230. It was a very enjoyable place to stroll around in, and imagine all the people who had gone in and out of those buildings for centuries. I love to think of what places would have been like in another time, and so my imagination really runs a muck in places like that, where all I have to do is zap passerby into 14th century garb and call it good. No modern buildings to banish, and I don't have to ferret out which buildings are really ancient and which ones are impostors.
All in all, a lovely place for a huge nerd like myself. Also, feasting on cheap and deep fried Polish perogis (I can neither confirm nor deny if that word is spelled correctly) wasn't half bad either.
In addition to aaaaall of this, yesterday was one of the most beautiful days we've had round' these parts in months. Sunshine, blue skies, lambs frolicking through green meadows. The part about the lambs might be me taking creative license....but you'll never know, will you?
I wish I was more adept at sprinkling photos throughout my blog post, but I seem to have trouble with that sort of thing. So below you shall find some pictures of this well preserved half German/half Polish town.
Some 16th century buildings.
Cross that bridge, and you're in Poland.
That's the wave I use to address the commoners, who gather below my dais.
I seem to have serious layout issues. Eh well, we can't all be masters at everything we attempt to do, I suppose. Enjoy the photos, they were taken by my friend Lyn. I hope she doesn't sue me for breach of copyright...shit.
That's about all folks- I have a broom and a bottle of all purpose cleaner calling my name. Oh, and no updates on the theft situation yet. I am awaiting response from the bank, after having faxed a righteously indignant letter their way, explaining my current situation of financial distress. I hope they call me tomorrow....if they don't, I'll have to start calling people and annoying them until they give me my money back.
If only my Papa were here, the chant in an especially loud and obnoxious voice "QUACK QUACK QUACK, QUACK QUACK QUACK, WHEN DO I GET MY MONEY BACK!?"
He's really a pro, and has yelled it at us, his grandchildren, at really inappropriate moments for as far back as I can remember. I might have to get a long distance conference call going if things don't sort themselves out soon.
Oh, and I am down to THREE girls in my class. This has increased the number of times in a day when I ask myself if those vitamins I take each morning might actually be CRAZY PILLS in diguise, from once or twice to approximately 1,234. Good thing I love those little gremlins.
That's about all folks- I have a broom and a bottle of all purpose cleaner calling my name. Oh, and no updates on the theft situation yet. I am awaiting response from the bank, after having faxed a righteously indignant letter their way, explaining my current situation of financial distress. I hope they call me tomorrow....if they don't, I'll have to start calling people and annoying them until they give me my money back.
If only my Papa were here, the chant in an especially loud and obnoxious voice "QUACK QUACK QUACK, QUACK QUACK QUACK, WHEN DO I GET MY MONEY BACK!?"
He's really a pro, and has yelled it at us, his grandchildren, at really inappropriate moments for as far back as I can remember. I might have to get a long distance conference call going if things don't sort themselves out soon.
Oh, and I am down to THREE girls in my class. This has increased the number of times in a day when I ask myself if those vitamins I take each morning might actually be CRAZY PILLS in diguise, from once or twice to approximately 1,234. Good thing I love those little gremlins.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
FUCK.
My credit card (of the German bank variety) has been compromised. Some thieving, low down, no good, uneducated (well, maybe) ASSHOLE stole my credit card number off of an airline website. At least, this is the theory I have formulated after doing a good bit of sleuthing.
What kind of a world is this?! What kind of a universe is this!? Relatively speaking, I'm a pretty rad person. I open doors for women with baby strollers. I let old people have my seat on public transportation. I lend money to people who need it. I make my neighbor cookies (admittedly with the outside chance of receiving nookie in exchange for the cookie, HA, but still). I teach small children how to read and write and not beat each other to bloody pulps every day. So where the hell has all that good karma gone?!?!?!?!
Can I get a GOB Bluth style OH, COME ON?!
Seriously! It's ridiculous! I'm enraged! ENRAGED, I TELL YOU.
Yes, I've alerted the bank, have my statement asserting my indignation along with my demand to be reimbursed prepared and signed and ready to fax tomorrow, wocka wocka wocka. However, I will not feel better until I have my money back. No, scratch that. I will not feel better until I find the bottom feeder who committed this act of perfidy against me, and take every cent out on their FLESH.
Ok, I may have spoken rashly concerning the flesh part, I'm generally against violence. But I'll turn them over to the authorities. And do a lot of righteous smirking in his/her/their general direction.
Vengeance SHALL be mine......nay.......MUST be mine.
Fuck.
Said asshole purchased not one, not even two, but THREE TICKETS TO AUSTRALIA.
Dear Australia: YOU SUCK.
Dear Australia: YOU SUCK.What kind of a world is this?! What kind of a universe is this!? Relatively speaking, I'm a pretty rad person. I open doors for women with baby strollers. I let old people have my seat on public transportation. I lend money to people who need it. I make my neighbor cookies (admittedly with the outside chance of receiving nookie in exchange for the cookie, HA, but still). I teach small children how to read and write and not beat each other to bloody pulps every day. So where the hell has all that good karma gone?!?!?!?!
Can I get a GOB Bluth style OH, COME ON?!
Seriously! It's ridiculous! I'm enraged! ENRAGED, I TELL YOU.
Yes, I've alerted the bank, have my statement asserting my indignation along with my demand to be reimbursed prepared and signed and ready to fax tomorrow, wocka wocka wocka. However, I will not feel better until I have my money back. No, scratch that. I will not feel better until I find the bottom feeder who committed this act of perfidy against me, and take every cent out on their FLESH.
Ok, I may have spoken rashly concerning the flesh part, I'm generally against violence. But I'll turn them over to the authorities. And do a lot of righteous smirking in his/her/their general direction.
Vengeance SHALL be mine......nay.......MUST be mine.
Fuck.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
How Could I Forget....
Love and happiness via the internet to two of my favorite people.
First, my seriously magnificent sister Kaitlynn Marie Caldwell. She's nineteen, people. Not really a very exciting age if you live in the US, but once she gets to Salzburg next year (oh yeah, she's GOING), she'll be able to party like it's 1999.
Also to my wonderfully awesome friend Emily Clare Rico. 23 and still spry and fresh as a spring chicken. I've never really understood that phrase but I like it, and chickens make me think of cocks (the roosters- come on, what do you take me for). This of course makes me think of the fateful evening almost five years ago (we're so old), when I screamed out "shit cock" in front of a passing nun, and Emily nearly died of total mortification. If I remember correctly she tried to dive into the bushes to avoid being sent to hell merely by association.
I love you two! Happiest of birthdays to you!
First, my seriously magnificent sister Kaitlynn Marie Caldwell. She's nineteen, people. Not really a very exciting age if you live in the US, but once she gets to Salzburg next year (oh yeah, she's GOING), she'll be able to party like it's 1999.
Also to my wonderfully awesome friend Emily Clare Rico. 23 and still spry and fresh as a spring chicken. I've never really understood that phrase but I like it, and chickens make me think of cocks (the roosters- come on, what do you take me for). This of course makes me think of the fateful evening almost five years ago (we're so old), when I screamed out "shit cock" in front of a passing nun, and Emily nearly died of total mortification. If I remember correctly she tried to dive into the bushes to avoid being sent to hell merely by association.
I love you two! Happiest of birthdays to you!
These Pretzels Are Makin' Me THIRSTY
I just ate some cookies, and they have made me ridiculously thirsty. If only Kramer were here.
This shall be a quidate (that's quick and update combined, duh), because it is way past my bedtime and I am a grouchy teacher if I don't get enough sleep. Really, I'm not nice.
The week before last, due to an unfortunate misunderstanding between myself and this German "electrical company" (scam artists), my electricity was turned off. With only one letter telling me this would happen, sent a measly two days before shut off. Well, the extremely short version of the really twisted story is that I was positive I had set up a direct deposit when I moved in here in July. Well, surprise- I didn't. So I haven't paid for any electricity since AUGUST. As you can most likely guess, the bill was enough to make all the air shoot out of my lungs when I saw it. Top that off with all the charges they had piled on because I hadn't been paying, and we're talking hundreds of euros. SCAM ARTISTS I TELL YOU. I maintain that they are trick bitches, not just because they shut off my electricity, but because they have failed to "input into the system" THREE other friends of mine. These people are much smarter than I am, and caught on quicker, thus managing to avoid spending an entire evening and morning in total darkness, having all the food in their refrigerator spoil, and taking a shower in the morning by candlelight.
And no, it was not a sexy shower. Taking a candlelit shower is only sexy if you aren't ALONE.
So that's that. It's over. And now I am against Drewag. That's the group of fraudulent individuals masquerading as a legitimate business who forced this dramatic saga upon me.
In other news:
I am going to Egypt in one week. Seven days. Next Sunday I'll be lounging on the coast of the Red Sea. Yes, the one Moses parted. I'll tell him you all say hi.
I had two symphony concerts this weekend, and they went surprisingly well. I don't know why I was surprised, but I was. I had visions of my clarinet slipping out of my hands in the middle of my one tiny solo, hitting the floor, and shattering into tiny splinters of wood that would fly into all the other musicians eyes and permanently blind them so they could never read music again.
Fortunately, this was not the case. I was pretty awesome. Well, I guess the orchestra was pretty awesome and I just kind of did my thing in the back row and prayed no one would notice if I messed up.
I haven't done the dishes in over two weeks. I am ashamed to admit this but I feel it has to be said. Maybe now that the world knows, I'll actually do something about it.
That shows you how often anyone ever comes to my apartment.
I reaffirmed my love for train travel yesterday when traveling from Hannover back to Dresden. Train stations are WAY BETTER than airports, in every possible way. I also scored an awesome break and got to ride in the first class carriage. For some reason they were herding all the second class passengers into first class seating. Well, I'm certainly not one to object when being offered, for free, more comfortable accomodations than I would ever be willing to pay for. I had the most glorious four hour train ride imagineable. Enough room to stretch my legs all the way out, a huge comfortable seat, great view out the window...man, I love riding the rails.
That last part sounds really dirty. I like it.
Well, that's all from Deutschland for now. I'm thinking of purchasing my own washing machine. We'll see if this actually happens. More details to follow.
This shall be a quidate (that's quick and update combined, duh), because it is way past my bedtime and I am a grouchy teacher if I don't get enough sleep. Really, I'm not nice.
The week before last, due to an unfortunate misunderstanding between myself and this German "electrical company" (scam artists), my electricity was turned off. With only one letter telling me this would happen, sent a measly two days before shut off. Well, the extremely short version of the really twisted story is that I was positive I had set up a direct deposit when I moved in here in July. Well, surprise- I didn't. So I haven't paid for any electricity since AUGUST. As you can most likely guess, the bill was enough to make all the air shoot out of my lungs when I saw it. Top that off with all the charges they had piled on because I hadn't been paying, and we're talking hundreds of euros. SCAM ARTISTS I TELL YOU. I maintain that they are trick bitches, not just because they shut off my electricity, but because they have failed to "input into the system" THREE other friends of mine. These people are much smarter than I am, and caught on quicker, thus managing to avoid spending an entire evening and morning in total darkness, having all the food in their refrigerator spoil, and taking a shower in the morning by candlelight.
And no, it was not a sexy shower. Taking a candlelit shower is only sexy if you aren't ALONE.
So that's that. It's over. And now I am against Drewag. That's the group of fraudulent individuals masquerading as a legitimate business who forced this dramatic saga upon me.
In other news:
I am going to Egypt in one week. Seven days. Next Sunday I'll be lounging on the coast of the Red Sea. Yes, the one Moses parted. I'll tell him you all say hi.
I had two symphony concerts this weekend, and they went surprisingly well. I don't know why I was surprised, but I was. I had visions of my clarinet slipping out of my hands in the middle of my one tiny solo, hitting the floor, and shattering into tiny splinters of wood that would fly into all the other musicians eyes and permanently blind them so they could never read music again.
Fortunately, this was not the case. I was pretty awesome. Well, I guess the orchestra was pretty awesome and I just kind of did my thing in the back row and prayed no one would notice if I messed up.
I haven't done the dishes in over two weeks. I am ashamed to admit this but I feel it has to be said. Maybe now that the world knows, I'll actually do something about it.
That shows you how often anyone ever comes to my apartment.
I reaffirmed my love for train travel yesterday when traveling from Hannover back to Dresden. Train stations are WAY BETTER than airports, in every possible way. I also scored an awesome break and got to ride in the first class carriage. For some reason they were herding all the second class passengers into first class seating. Well, I'm certainly not one to object when being offered, for free, more comfortable accomodations than I would ever be willing to pay for. I had the most glorious four hour train ride imagineable. Enough room to stretch my legs all the way out, a huge comfortable seat, great view out the window...man, I love riding the rails.
That last part sounds really dirty. I like it.
Well, that's all from Deutschland for now. I'm thinking of purchasing my own washing machine. We'll see if this actually happens. More details to follow.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
I DO Judge You When You Use Poor Grammar
So, my birthday is a mere two and a half months away. I've found the perfect gift, should anyone feel like celebrating the day of my birth by showering me with presents.
Anyone who knows me will understand why I would DEARLY LOVE to receive this book.
More exciting posts, involving my electricity being cut off and then turned on again (it wasn't my fault!), to come later.
Anyone who knows me will understand why I would DEARLY LOVE to receive this book.
More exciting posts, involving my electricity being cut off and then turned on again (it wasn't my fault!), to come later.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Slump funk
For the past week and a half or so, I've been in a bit of a funk. Or a slump. I don't really know what you would call it, but it hasn't been pleasant. Breakdown of my slunk (that's the two words combined, in case you were wondering): First, I turned into a raging, hormonal maniac. About two days into this hormonal rage, I realized that menstruation was imminent, and my rage was caused by increased progesterone and estrogen levels in my body. Did this realization help me to calm down, stop terrorizing those around me (including my students), and control my rage? Pah, of course not!! Having been on the baby pill for about two years now, PMS has been a thing of the past. I would think of it and chuckle at how crazy I used to get for that one awful week each month. "That silly Bri from the past! Why couldn't she just chill?" Well, thanks to foiled attempts to illegally import my special brand of baby pill from the US (the Germans caught me red handed and confiscated a three month supply,right before my very eyes), I've been off the pill now for about three months. Slowly, the old small-on-their-own-but-miserable-when-experienced-simultaneously-symptoms began to creep back in. I won't bore readers (ha! readers! who am I kidding) with the gory details of said symptoms, because well, it's just not that interesting. But the whole being the angriest and least patient person IN THE COSMOS thing hasn't been a problem for the past two months. Why it decided to rear it's ugly head this month is a mystery to me.
So, the moral of this story is that last week was the worst week I've had probably in the past eight months or so. It seemed like everything was going wrong, all of the adults- well, most- that I work with were on my case about one thing or another, and all the children that I work with chose last week to exhibit the absolute worst facets of their personalities. Could I have been hyper sensitive to their possibly normal childish capers? Perhaps. But it doesn't change the fact that a few kids just managed to exhaust every last ounce of my patience and compassion, and I was seriously wishing it were legal to liberally employ the use of duct tape in one's teaching practices. I locked myself in my apartment on Thursday night, and used every ounce of my super psychic powers (hey, I might have them) to make time skip ahead a day so I wouldn't have to go to work the next day. Unfortunately, my psychic powers failed me (curses! foiled again!) and I had to do the usual stuff on Friday. I decided at the end of the day to walk home in the sub zero (literally) temperatures, rather than taking the tram. I stopped off at a new cafe that opened near school, and ordered a LARGE hot chocolate, and I have to say, it may have been my first step out of the slunk. It was absolutely delicious, and kept my hands semi-warm on the walk home. Walking through the beautiful buildings in this wonderful German city that I live in cheered me somewhat, and by the time I arrived home I felt less like kicking a puppy.
So, then came the weekend. My mood continued to improve (but we're relatively speaking here people, I was still pretty bitchy), and the highlight of the weekend was rearranging all the furniture in my cavernous living room. I also finally put up the art that I brought back with me after going home in December, and that made me feel much more at home and happy. My living room is much cozier now, and I get to check out a naked chick all the time. Venus of Urbino, greatest painting ever created, one of Titian's masterpieces.....not porn, Dave. I went to bed early-ish in an attempt to stave off Monday morning grumpiness.
And then, on Monday.....AAAAAAAAAALLELUIA! ALLELUIA! Aunt Flo had taken the night train into town! Raging hormonal Bri was gone, and normal Bri was back. I loved my students again (I still loved them last week but sometimes had a hard time remembering it), and was happy to be alive. I celebrated my good mood by purchasing my FIRST house plant. I know, my former housemates are probably shocked I have lived this long without plant companionship, but it's taken me awhile to get over Schlemiel and be ready to move onto other plants. I repotted this plant myself, and decided that it definitely looked like a Charlie.
On Tuesday, I had the BEST symphony rehearsal since I've joined the one here in Dresden. I feel like I finally know the music pretty well, and I actually MADE A JOKE auf Deutsch to the guy who sits next to me. Up until now he's been cold as ice, but he actually laughed! And then he offered me the use of his gummi bear topped pencil. I took it as a gesture of friendship and peace...on par with an olive branch being flown in by a shimmering white dove. And oh yeah.....OBAMA WAS SWORN IN!!!!!!!! Suddenly this town is in love with all things American, which I find rather humorous and ironic. I got to see part of the ceremony and speech at a local pub, it was pretty momentous. Not quite as great as meeting (and SIDE HUGGING) Dan Savage, but an extremely close second.
Now I seem to be sliding a bit into the land of no motivation. Well, in my personal life. I've been catching up and organizing like crazy at school, and am starting to feel better about everything there. I felt so disorganized and anxious all of last week, so the past few days I've been working late and just deep cleaning and planning like crazy. But then I get home, and have abou eight million things I could do.....but I don't want to. Actually, that's a lie. I have two things I have to do. Clean my kitchen and bathroom, and DO MY LAUNDRY. This may not seem that bad, but when one has to venture out of one's place of residence to do said laundry, it becomes a genuine ordeal. When you hate doing laundry as much as I do, and let it pile up for weeks at a time, it then becomes an ordeal of EPIC proportions. So anyway, the past two nights I've planned on hitting the laundromat.....but then I get home and look at the hamper which has been stuffed to the brim and now exploded onto the floor....and lose my resolve. I really HAVE to do it though, because after tomorrow, I can't think of a single clean article of clothing that i have in my posession.
Instead of doing laundry, I do useless shit like this. Oh and I spy on my neighbors. I "took the garbage out" about an hour ago just as an excuse to see my new neighbor, who I ascertained was young and male from the sound of his booming voice echoing off the walls on the landing/hallway. He turned out not to be that cute (rats), but was friendly. Not a total loss I suppose, although he most likely thinks I'm a simpleton. He had an ESPECIALLY Saxony-ish accent so I understood approximately 1/6 of what he said to me while we shared the elevator down to the basement.
And now for the big news, the whole reason I decided to post today...............I'M BACK ON THE PILLS PEOPLE. I just waltzed into a Frauenaertz (direct translation: Woman doctor), told her the kind of pills I'd been taking, flashed my catchall socialized German insurance card, and VOILA! She handed over a three month prescription as if it were no bigger deal than giving me a band-aid for a paper cut.
AND I COULDN'T BE HAPPIER. It's really big news. Also, gloriously cheap. 20 euros for a three month supply. Take THAT, US healthcare system, and shove it up your.....um, system hole?
Now I've realized how late it has become and I haven't eaten dinner yet. Balls. If I'm going to stick to this nine fifteen bedtime I'd better get my rear in gear.
Oh and to end on a JOYOUS note, it was ABOVE ZERO all day today. It would seem that God hasn't forsaken Dresden after all.
So, the moral of this story is that last week was the worst week I've had probably in the past eight months or so. It seemed like everything was going wrong, all of the adults- well, most- that I work with were on my case about one thing or another, and all the children that I work with chose last week to exhibit the absolute worst facets of their personalities. Could I have been hyper sensitive to their possibly normal childish capers? Perhaps. But it doesn't change the fact that a few kids just managed to exhaust every last ounce of my patience and compassion, and I was seriously wishing it were legal to liberally employ the use of duct tape in one's teaching practices. I locked myself in my apartment on Thursday night, and used every ounce of my super psychic powers (hey, I might have them) to make time skip ahead a day so I wouldn't have to go to work the next day. Unfortunately, my psychic powers failed me (curses! foiled again!) and I had to do the usual stuff on Friday. I decided at the end of the day to walk home in the sub zero (literally) temperatures, rather than taking the tram. I stopped off at a new cafe that opened near school, and ordered a LARGE hot chocolate, and I have to say, it may have been my first step out of the slunk. It was absolutely delicious, and kept my hands semi-warm on the walk home. Walking through the beautiful buildings in this wonderful German city that I live in cheered me somewhat, and by the time I arrived home I felt less like kicking a puppy.
So, then came the weekend. My mood continued to improve (but we're relatively speaking here people, I was still pretty bitchy), and the highlight of the weekend was rearranging all the furniture in my cavernous living room. I also finally put up the art that I brought back with me after going home in December, and that made me feel much more at home and happy. My living room is much cozier now, and I get to check out a naked chick all the time. Venus of Urbino, greatest painting ever created, one of Titian's masterpieces.....not porn, Dave. I went to bed early-ish in an attempt to stave off Monday morning grumpiness.
And then, on Monday.....AAAAAAAAAALLELUIA! ALLELUIA! Aunt Flo had taken the night train into town! Raging hormonal Bri was gone, and normal Bri was back. I loved my students again (I still loved them last week but sometimes had a hard time remembering it), and was happy to be alive. I celebrated my good mood by purchasing my FIRST house plant. I know, my former housemates are probably shocked I have lived this long without plant companionship, but it's taken me awhile to get over Schlemiel and be ready to move onto other plants. I repotted this plant myself, and decided that it definitely looked like a Charlie.
On Tuesday, I had the BEST symphony rehearsal since I've joined the one here in Dresden. I feel like I finally know the music pretty well, and I actually MADE A JOKE auf Deutsch to the guy who sits next to me. Up until now he's been cold as ice, but he actually laughed! And then he offered me the use of his gummi bear topped pencil. I took it as a gesture of friendship and peace...on par with an olive branch being flown in by a shimmering white dove. And oh yeah.....OBAMA WAS SWORN IN!!!!!!!! Suddenly this town is in love with all things American, which I find rather humorous and ironic. I got to see part of the ceremony and speech at a local pub, it was pretty momentous. Not quite as great as meeting (and SIDE HUGGING) Dan Savage, but an extremely close second.
Now I seem to be sliding a bit into the land of no motivation. Well, in my personal life. I've been catching up and organizing like crazy at school, and am starting to feel better about everything there. I felt so disorganized and anxious all of last week, so the past few days I've been working late and just deep cleaning and planning like crazy. But then I get home, and have abou eight million things I could do.....but I don't want to. Actually, that's a lie. I have two things I have to do. Clean my kitchen and bathroom, and DO MY LAUNDRY. This may not seem that bad, but when one has to venture out of one's place of residence to do said laundry, it becomes a genuine ordeal. When you hate doing laundry as much as I do, and let it pile up for weeks at a time, it then becomes an ordeal of EPIC proportions. So anyway, the past two nights I've planned on hitting the laundromat.....but then I get home and look at the hamper which has been stuffed to the brim and now exploded onto the floor....and lose my resolve. I really HAVE to do it though, because after tomorrow, I can't think of a single clean article of clothing that i have in my posession.
Instead of doing laundry, I do useless shit like this. Oh and I spy on my neighbors. I "took the garbage out" about an hour ago just as an excuse to see my new neighbor, who I ascertained was young and male from the sound of his booming voice echoing off the walls on the landing/hallway. He turned out not to be that cute (rats), but was friendly. Not a total loss I suppose, although he most likely thinks I'm a simpleton. He had an ESPECIALLY Saxony-ish accent so I understood approximately 1/6 of what he said to me while we shared the elevator down to the basement.
And now for the big news, the whole reason I decided to post today...............I'M BACK ON THE PILLS PEOPLE. I just waltzed into a Frauenaertz (direct translation: Woman doctor), told her the kind of pills I'd been taking, flashed my catchall socialized German insurance card, and VOILA! She handed over a three month prescription as if it were no bigger deal than giving me a band-aid for a paper cut.
AND I COULDN'T BE HAPPIER. It's really big news. Also, gloriously cheap. 20 euros for a three month supply. Take THAT, US healthcare system, and shove it up your.....um, system hole?
Now I've realized how late it has become and I haven't eaten dinner yet. Balls. If I'm going to stick to this nine fifteen bedtime I'd better get my rear in gear.
Oh and to end on a JOYOUS note, it was ABOVE ZERO all day today. It would seem that God hasn't forsaken Dresden after all.
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