February Stars (live acoustic version) / Life & Lego (lesson learned version)

to nobody in particular:

...alright, well, i guess this one is for Sam -- i had no real desire this afternoon to write anything deep or original...

...so, here it goes...

-----

1. Put your iTunes, Windows Media Player, etc. on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. You must write that song name down no matter how silly it makes you look.
4. Tag Your friends! (or not.)

IF SOMEONE SAYS "IS THIS OKAY" YOU SAY?
Pardon Me (acoustic version)

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF?
Send the Pain Below

WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
Falling On

HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
Something's Always Wrong

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?
Floaty

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
Waste

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
Parklife

WHAT DO YOU OFTEN THINK ABOUT?
Don't Shut the Gate

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Airport

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
Whatever the Deal

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
St. Andrews (This Battle is in the Air)

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Crazy Life

WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
eBay

WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
Breakout

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST FEAR?
Move to Bremerton

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
Beautiful One

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
No More Gold Lights for the Queen Earth to Keep You Warm in Your Kingdoms

WHAT WILL YOU NAME THIS?
February Stars (live acoustic version)

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..."you learn something new every day"...

...yesterday, i learned: the first five years of your first niece's life can go by really quickly!...

...happy birthday, Brodie!...

...today, i learned: i'm a little excited to take Travis to Legoland tomorrow -- should be fun...

-----

currently listening to: Foo Fighters


...beautiful...

...i think this surpasses both Take That AND New Kids On The Block...

...would you agree, Optimist Prime?...

...heh heh...

Late Evening Stillness / Recent Dinner Satisfaction

to nobody in particular:

...Travis is dreaming, Hannah is snoozing, and Sarah is falling asleep...

...it's that relaxing part of my day in the evening where sounds are scarce and distractions are unlikely visitors...

...the fairly dense silence is sometimes accompanied by the faint whisper of a keyboard tapping, a disc whirring, or a page turning...

...it's where my body tends to shut down for a spell, needing to unwind, like a rubber-band being loosened and set free -- after being used for what was intended, it sighs back into comfort and rest...

...yes, i find it hard to just slip under the covers and "try" to fall asleep; i need the brain and body to slow down -- through a book, through the internet, through a movie, through a video game...

...'tis almost a de-energizing of the day before the re-energizing for the next...

...it is beautiful...

...now, if i could only find my groove for the mornings...

-----

..."you learn something new every day"...

...today, i learned: my son likes eating green beans and two and half rolls for dinner sometimes...

-----

recently heard twice in German stores and reminiscing about: Take That


...i'm not 100% certain, but i'm pretty sure that Backstreet Boys, N*Sync and the like had/have nothing on these wonderful souls...

Visas & Humans / Lessons & Oceans

to nobody in particular:

...today, we headed down to get our visas renewed for staying here in Germany and, for the most part, it went fairly smoothly...

...we can stay here for another year...

...on the other hand, we didn't have that other lady helping us -- the lady that was short, quick-tempered, rude and completely flustered with the couple that was in the waiting room with us -- yes, that lady that beamed with venom and shone like daggers...

...thankfully, we had to two kind and very helpful, courteous ladies helping us -- yes, those ladies that listened to us and smiled at our son as he said "hi" and "tschuss" to them...

...what a difference it makes when human beings interact with others as fellow human beings...

...what a difference...

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..."you learn something new every day"...

six days ago, i learned: if i have a gut feeling of 86% or higher, i am right -- or maybe, the American voting population is fairly predictable...

five days ago, i learned: the Mexican restaurant on Oranienburger Straße is excellent...

four days ago, i learned: don't wait so long to change strings on your guitar!...

three days ago, i learned: i can sing, play guitar and lead music/praise in German for a weekend of meetings -- progress!...

two days ago, i learned: it's so easy to miss and forget something, but try not to do it with BIG things...

yesterday, i learned: just pray, especially if it's monday morning...

today, i learned: there's nothing as exciting as waiting until the very last minute to have everything you need to get a visa to stay in a foreign country...

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recently watched: the Ocean trilogy -- Ocean's Eleven, Ocean's Twelve, & Ocean's Thirteen







...the first time i had seen each of these movies, i ended up liking the first and third, and was disappointed with the second...

...however, as Sarah and i recently watched these in the last few weeks, i think i liked the second film more the second time around -- it wasn't so bad...

...of course, it's not intellectually or philosophically enriching or challenging to one's worldview, as some movies are, but they're all cool in a sense that they are entertaining, enjoyable and fun -- exactly what they were made for...

...another example for my theme of "Movies: Art vs. Entertainment" -- my much-pondered/hardly-attempted blog topic...

Great Evening / Bad After-Effects

to nobody in particular:

...Freischwimmer tonight was great...

...good conversation, good ideas, good clarity, good understanding, good input, good direction and good passion...

...it is always a little more difficult for me to go to sleep after an exciting evening like this...

...i have a feeling, the coming days for Freischwimmer are going to be very ground-breaking...

-----

..."you learn something new every day"...

...today, i learned: pizza + milkshakes = not-so-enjoyable combination...

-----

currently reading: The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer

Presidential & Political Ponderings / Bicycle & Cross-Dressing Tips

to nobody in particular:

...i tend to stay away from the political discussions, and this is primarily a result of personally weak political foundations and a sad-to-say lack of desire and knowledge in the arena, but i suppose i can share a few thoughts as many Americans ponder their vote tonight, go to vote tomorrow, cheer or whine the day after, and then, most likely, whine for the next four years no matter who becomes president because of:
a) "i really wanted the other guy to be president"
b) "this guy just isn't doing anything right and my personal life is a shambles because of him, ultimately"
c) "the media and entertainment icons don't like him, and hey, i think i agree with them"
or
d) "whining is what we as humans do best" (okay, maybe this shouldn't be in quotation marks, but the idea still stands)...

...after chatting with a friend the other day, i looked into something this afternoon -- in '92, '96 and 2000 (three of the last four presidential elections), the winning candidate won with less than 50% of the vote...

...i find that rather funny, interesting, and then, scary -- i realize that, yes, they for the most part had the majority, but that roughly not even half of the country is in full support of any president before he (or down the road, she) evens steps foot into the Oval Office...

...looking over the past decades, the winning percentage hovers around the mid/high '40s -- even JFK didn't have half the country behind him...

...maybe this is old news, or not even that enlightening to most people, but i found it intriguing...

...additionally, it puts Bush's approval in perspective -- he's only really "disappointed" less than 20% of the population during his days...

...so yes, tomorrow, people will vote...

...and, for me, i will wake up on the 5th, turn on the computer and check out who will lead the U.S. for the next four years, will probably mutter a "hmmmmm -- interesting", and then will continue on with my life...

...it sounds a little politically apathetic and, perhaps, irresponsible -- and it probably is...

...but i have other important things in my life that i have responsibility for in my life that i need to take care of -- it's a matter of commitment...

...life goes on...

...and God rules anyway, so...

-----

..."you learn something new every day"...

...four days ago, i learned: cold weather is here -- ride bike with gloves on!...

...three days ago, i learned: not all cross-dressers shave their stubble before leaving the house...

...two days ago, i learned: an improvised trip to the zoo is never a bad thing...

...yesterday, i learned: riding a bike at night is a new favorite thing to do...

...today, i learned: Jonathan Ross and his funny voice got himself in big trouble...

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currently scared of and still questioning: Pink Elephants sequence from Dumbo


...Travis likes Dumbo for the animals (especially elephants), music and such, but this part still kind of freaks me out -- and when Dumbo is only 61 minutes long, this is almost 7.5% of the whole movie!...

Finally, the Classics / Finally, the Clarities

to nobody in particular:

...i don't know why it took me so long, but i finally did it...

...honestly, i have no real reason or excuse for the delay and absence of it in my life, except for laziness...

...i mean, i like it a lot, but had never done it before ...

...but, finally, i can say, that i now have bought my own classical music CDs...

...Vivaldi and Bach...

...methinks, this is just the beginning...

-----

..."you learn something new every day"...

...yesterday, i learned: yes, human beings grow up, but in some ways, human beings don't really grow up...

...today, i learned: cheap no-name German orange lemonade is not so bad...

-----

currently enjoying: Tally Hall

Several Thousand Words / A Surprise or Two

to nobody in particular:

...here are some pictures from a recent trip to Tallinn, Helsinki and Riga...

-----

..."you learn something new every day"...

...three days ago, i learned: guessing is okay, but not when the knowledge is accessible...

...two days ago, i learned: some fantastic news...

...yesterday, i learned: there is at least one German in the world that doesn't drink alcohol...

...today, i learned: some movies are really good the first time around, and then, for whatever reason, even better the second time around (see below)...

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currently watching: Be Kind Rewind

Scrumtrulescent / Stupendous

to nobody in particular:

...wow...

...it was an awesome four-day trip, this past sat/sun/mon/tues-day...

...lots of fun, not too expensive, lots of walking, not tons of responsibility, lots of relaxing, not-so-scary hostels, lots of picture-taking, not too exhausting...

...it was fantastic...

...brief overview here -- pictures to come later: we (four of us total) flew on saturday morning to Riga, Latvia, and enjoyed our day there in the capital city -- quite nice; stayed overnight and took a train to Majori on the Baltic Sea for the early afternoon; spent the rest of the day in Riga until our four hour bus ride to Tallinn, Estonia; walked to our hostel there and had a short rest until our early ferry ride over to Helsinki, Finland early monday morning; spent the day in Helsinki (which is a fairly expensive city and, of the three, was a little disappointing -- thought it would be better); took the ferry back to Tallinn and stayed in our hostel again; hung out in Tallinn on Tuesday (which, of the three, i liked the most), enjoying the "old town", including some good eating and a private sauna for a couple of hours -- nice; were in Tallinn until flying back to Berlin late Tuesday night...

...yes, it was tremendous...

...additionally, all travel and lodgings only added up to 116 Euro (roughly $160 US) -- not bad for a four-day, three country trip, right?...

...i'll throw a couple pictures up here sometime soon...

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..."you learn something new every day"...

...five days ago, i learned: enjoying good company and great drinks overlooking the skyline-sunset of the capital of Latvia from the 26th floor is quite an unforgettable experience...

...four days ago, i learned: the Baltic Sea is cold in October -- swimming isn't necessary...

...three days ago, i learned: Helsinki is an expensive city -- mental note: don't live there...

...two days ago, i learned: a "real Estonian pancake" with bacon and smoked cheese is tasty, yet filling...

...yesterday, i learned: i am capable of giving a presentation about the Maori culture in German -- progress!...

...today, i learned: re-hanging curtains is a pain...

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currently watching: Dead Poets Society



...wow -- i still love this movie...

...so good -- thank you, Peter Weir...

Checklist / Punctuality

to nobody in particular:

...today is a day for a checklist...

--backpack: check...
--clothes: check...
--toiletries: check...
--camera: check...
--music/mp3 player: check...
--book: check...
--friends to travel with: check...
--passport: check...
--excitement for a four-day trip to Riga (Latvia), Tallinn (Estonia) and Helsinki (Finland) by plane, bus and ferry: check...

...leaving tomorrow morning -- should be a fun time...

...yes!...

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...today, i learned: if the Bahn (streetcar) hasn't come by in six minutes or so, when it should every five, and a firetruck has gone by in the opposite direction, followed by an ambulance, you may as well just walk home, even though there is a light rain, because you will probably make it home before the next Bahn would make it, because those emergency vehicles and the Bahn's lateness might have a connection to each other...

...yes, i did make it home before any other Bahn came...

-----

...currently enjoying: Cake

"Morgen!" / "Reservation Road"

to nobody in particular:

...Travis usually goes to sleep around the beginning of the 8 o'clock hour, and he did so a few nights back as well...

...around 9:30om, an hour and a half after he went to sleep, Sarah and i hear his door open up and we both look at each other, wondering, uh-oh, i hope everything is alright...

...he walks around the corner into the living room with a smile on his face and says, "morgen!", in the usual way with which he greets us in the mornings in German...

...i think we may have confused him a little bit as we walked him back into his bedroom, trying to tell him that it would probably be better if he slept just a little bit longer -- say, for nine or ten more hours...

...but i must say -- i've chuckled ever since then whenever i picture it...

..."morgen!"...

...the moral of the story is: "chuckling is good for the soul"...

...yes -- that's quotable, folks...

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..."you learn something new every day"...

...today, i learned: if you rent a movie with an interesting and challenging story starring Mark Ruffalo, Joaquin Phoenix and Jennifer Connelly expecting it to be a good one, you will most likely not be disappointed...

...see below...

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...currently watching: Reservation Road

Pictures / Peanut Butter

to nobody in particular:

...i noticed recently that i don't really post many pictures on here...

...so i shall remedy that...

...a good friend of ours took some time to take some family photographs for us recently -- here are a few of them...










































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..."you learn something new every day"...

...today, i learned: peanut butter can be found in more than one store in Berlin...

-----

...currently enjoying: 2010 World Cup Qualifying Matches (check your local television listings)

A Couple of Things / A Couple More Things

to nobody in particular:

...the following are some random things...

--there seemed to be more dog poop out on the sidewalks today than other days...

--i never thought i would see a naturally-exploded whale...

--Travis tends to refuse any kind of medicine or help for his cough and, now, walky nose (not quite runny, but just walky)...

--i am prepping for my "Referat" (presentation) in German class on thursday -- about the Maori culture (or, at least, three aspects of the culture)...

--tomorrow our intern and babysitter arrives from the States -- yes!...

--Germany will hopefully win number four tomorrow, after three wins for their first three World Cup qualifying matches (as does England)...

--i have a little bit of homework still for class tomorrow...

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..."you learn something new every day"...

...yesterday, i learned: Maori Television exists in New Zealand as of 2004...

...today, i learned: life can be unbearable, boring and weird all at once -- even if only for 24 minutes...

-----

...currently watching: Whale Rider

Miniscule / Myriad

to nobody in particular:

...i have a blog in mind about "art & entertainment", but i will save that for another day...

...meanwhile, we pay a monthly estimate for our electric bill, and our first year just came to an end, so we had to pay the difference after this past year...

...yeah, so yesterday, i made a payment of 00,01 Euro to cover our underpayment of our electric bill for the past twelve months...

...one cent...

...i had to make a payment of one, little, tiny cent...

...that's about 1.36 US cents (depending on the day)...

...our bank account is still hurting after that transaction...

...i guess we can forget about that steak dinner later this week...

...bummer...

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..."you learn something new every day"...

...two days ago, i learned: my older brother was going to be Lando Calrissian in a Star Wars themed wedding...

...yesterday, i learned: this website about laser backgrounds is pretty funny...

...today, i learned: the German word for "freezer", when referring to one that is attached to or part of the fridge, is the "Refrierfach"...

...although, i'm not sure if i spelled that right or not...

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...currently listening to: The Guess Who

Reading / Without Crying

to nobody in particular:

...finally finished reading Cormac McCarthy's The Road, which i'm borrowing from a friend...

...a very interesting, heart-twisting, and emotionally-engaging read...

...i very much enjoyed it...

...not sure will be the next book in my hands...

...any suggestions?...

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..."you learn something new every day"...

...yesterday, i learned: for someone who likes reading, i sure read slowly...

...i think part of the reason for this is that i like to immerse myself in the story -- not just breeze through it, but the author took the time to write it well (hopefully), so i should take the time to read it and read through it, if you know what i mean...

...today, i learned: Travis is able to take a bath and get his hair washed without crying...

...yes -- dad is triumphant!...

-----

...just finished reading: The Road by Cormac McCarthy

My Son / My Intake

to nobody in particular:

...i am truly blessed...

...i just put Travis down to bed, and was thinking, again, how he is such a great kid...

...he is funny, frustrating, joyful, moody, hilarious, whiny, loving, rejecting, compassionate, selfish, obedient, disobedient, considerate, ignorant, giving and greedy...

...those negative ones above test my patience, of course, but those positive ones are priceless...

...i love him so much...

...i took him to the playground today, and not even 30 seconds after we got there, a boy was upset about something that had just happened, totally unrelated to Travis, and pushed Travis over in anger, sending him toppling over a wooden barrier into the sand area, make him fall head-first, greeted with a face full of sand...

...thankfully (and i say this because maybe not all mothers would have done this), the mom was on top of the situation right away and eventually, after much talking to and many threats, the boy still wouldn't apologize to Travis...

...Travis recovered from the fall quickly and "shook it off", and continued on playing -- maybe not with as much confidence and boldness as normal, but enjoyed himself anyway...

...i felt bad, but proud of Travis...

...he gives great hugs...

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..."you learn something new every day"...

...today, i learned: question, receive, reflect, and re-question -- that's not a bad sequence...

-----

...currently enjoying: The Iron Giant



...what a terrific movie...

Driving / Generalizing

to nobody in particular:

...we now have German driver's licenses...

...yes!...

...we finally went down to pick them up this morning...

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..."you learn something new every day"...

two days ago, i learned: sometimes, things that should be difficult to do are relatively easy, and things that should be easy to do are relatively difficult, but then again, some things are easy that should be easy, and difficult that should be difficult, so i guess it all balances out in the end...

yesterday, i learned: sometimes the people that are hard to love, they are hard to love for more than just one reason...

today, i learned: if you look hard enough, you will increase your chances of finding what you are looking for...

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...currently watching: Iron Man



...very fun...

New Video! / New Discovery!

to nobody in particular:

...i just finished putting together the following video...



...Travis is a funny, funny little boy...

(...music credit: Weezer...)

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..."you learn something new every day"...

...today, i learned: there really are Germans that play baseball...

...and i met one of them today...

-----

...currently enjoying: see above video...

Today's Disease: / Tomorrow's Blogease:

to nobody in particular:

...i'm suffering from ridiculoussongrunningthroughmyheadinitis...

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..."you learn something new every day"...

...today, i learned: throughout the day, i need to write down my good ideas for blog-writing when i have them, otherwise, later, when i sit down to actually type my blog for myself, i will forget them...

...you live, you learn...

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...currently enjoying: "Pork & Beans" by Weezer

Language Mistakes / Lesson Corrections

to nobody in particular:

...on the way home from language school today, i was thinking about language mistakes, and here is what i have concluded for myself learning the German language...

...there are four different language mistakes that i make, or that one is capable of making:

...first, the "okay" mistake -- these mistakes are fairly overlooked and not a huge deal, nor do they really bother anyone -- they are just very small ones that don't change meanings or whatnot...

..second, the "poetic" mistake -- these mistakes are more on along the line of, "people don't really say that, but it's poetic and creative" -- they are basically a result of wanting to say something deep by using simple language or even metaphors, that aren't common in the German language, but don't necessarily sound bad...

...third, the "correctable" mistake -- these mistakes are the ones that must be corrected, because they change the meaning of a sentence, or is just simply incomprehensible -- what one might call "linguistic salad"...

...and fourth, the "unforgivable" mistake -- these are mistakes that sound horrible, terrible and annoying to the native speakers -- stay away from these!...

...ultimately, and idealistically, i someday will not make these language mistakes...

...but for now, i know i will -- and that is okay...

...that's another realization: making language mistakes are okay...

...amen...

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..."you learn something new every day"...

...4our days ago, i learned: playgrounds and photography certainly do make great bedfellows...

...3hree days ago, i learned: speaking at Open Door is a good experience...

...2wo days ago, i learned: becoming a new nation depends on more than just language, culture and history...

...1ne days ago, i learned: little old eastern German ladies are funny to see when they are racing across the Bahn tracks to try and catch the Bahn -- look at her go!...

...today ago, i learned: i'm not an animal-/pet-hater, but not an animal-/pet-lover either -- it's more of an issue, that i don't agree that human beings treat animals/pets better than other human beings...

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...currently watching: Enemy of the State

Forgotten / Reminded

to nobody in particular:

...i was flipping channels the other in between soccer highlights when i came across a '90s Sinbad movie...

...wow -- what ever happened to him?...

...not that i really care, but the curiosity does tickle...

...almost as much as the thought, was he actually popular?...

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..."you learn something new every day"...

...yesterday, i learned: even though i may expect the unexpected, i can still get caught offguard by unexpectedly not expecting the unexpected...

...today, i learned: what wacky world we live in!...

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...currently reading: The Road by Cormac McCarthy

Twodays / Fourdays

to nobody in particular:

...i think it went okay on sunday -- speaking at BIC...

...it is always hard to tell, and feedback was minimal...

...but it was okay...

...anyway, i'll be speaking again this coming sunday at Open Door, but not the same message...

...i think it will be alright, too...

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..."you learn something new every day"...

...three yesterdays ago, i learned: sundays can be very emotionally complex...

...yesteryesterday, i learned: Sarah and Travis, together, make a supertasty banana bread...

...yesterday, i learned: i can understand more German than i think i give myself credit for...

...today, i learned: for every 100 girls born in China, there are 117 boys born in China...

-----

...currently wanting to watch: Hoosiers

Creative Writing as Sermon / Creative Vacuuming as Method

to nobody in particular:

...tomorrow morning, i'm speaking at Berlin International Church -- a church that our Berlin team works with (also began several years back), and i must confess, i am a little nervous...

...i don't mind being up front and speaking, and, saying this as humbly as possible, i know that what i have to say is important, effective, challenging and encouraging all at once...

...but it's more about the approach i'm taking -- not a normal three point sermon with illustrations, pictures, Bible verses on the screen, movie clips, pop culture allusions, poignant stories, etc. (some of these i like to use, when pertinent)...

...i took the Feeding of 5,000 stories (from 3 Gospels) and took them all together, and wrote my own creative, firsthand account of one of the disciples looking back on the day, as if he wrote me in an e-mail with it -- then after that, just share a few thoughts...

...we'll see how it goes...

...don't know why i feel this way, but i'm just hoping it "works"...

...i like it, and i'm pretty sure God likes it -- so, i suppose, that should be good enough...

...we'll see...

...we'll see...

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..."you learn something new every day"...

...today, i learned: the method of cutting hair using a vacuum cleaner to suck the hair while you cut can work, but not when your 2 year old son isn't fond of it...

...another failed attempt at a calm haircut with Travis...

...(sigh)...

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...currently watching: The Jungle Book (Disney Animated version)

German / Swedish

to nobody in particular:

...it's been a long/short day...

...lots of German studying, learning, listening, talking and more...

...time to relax -- in English...

-----

..."you learn something new every day"...

...today, i learned: there's an interesting Swedish filmmaker, whose films i'm interested in checking out -- Roy Andersson...

...a guy from our class did his presentation on him and his filmmaking today -- pretty intriguing...

-----

...currently watching: Big Fish



...very good movie...

Confounds the Brain / Satisfies the Palate

to nobody in particular:

...this morning, on my way to class, i walked past a guy with longer blond hair, black thick-framed glasses, a black unzipped jacket over a green shirt, blue jeans and i-didn't-notice-whatever-kind-of shoes...

...only about 6-7 meters behind him (that's roughly 20 feet or so, for my non-metric friends), there was a a guy with longer blond hair, black thick-framed glasses, a black unzipped jacket over a green shirt, blue jeans and i-didn't-notice-whatever-kind-of shoes...

...they looked unbelievably, ridiculously alike...

...i don't remember walking into Bizarroworld, but i must have some time this morning...

-----

..."you learn something new every day"...

...today, i learned: broccoli salad is quickly becoming one of my favorite dishes...

-----

...currently enjoying: They Might Be Giants



...some days just call for a little Giants...

Blogless / Lessonful

to nobody in particular:

...a couple busy days there and i didn't blog...

...and after these five blogless days, i'm not sure what to write...

...so, let's move on to the daily lessons, shall we?...

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..."you learn something new every day"...

...two yesteryesterdays ago, i learned: when i wake up early in the morning and the last thing i want to do is go to a team prayer meeting, that is usually the best thing for me to go and do...

...it was a really good time together on saturday...

...three yesterdays ago, i learned: it only takes me 20+ minutes to walk from our apartment to the bar where we can watch NFL football...

...on sunday nights, i meet up with a couple of guys to watch Sunday football action in the evening -- the bar has tons of English speaking tourists/people there, and we can always watch a game on Sky Sports or NASN (North American Sports Network?)...

...yesteryesterday, i learned: creativity, along with the right ideas, can come lightning fast, so be ready with a pen and paper (or computer)...

...this happened twice on monday -- for my speaking on this coming sunday, and brainstorming for a possible short-term missions trip from the States next year

...yesterday, i learned: customer service and idiocy can often intertwine...

...let's just say, phone conversations can be funny when you hear only side of it...

...today, i learned: soft pretzels work wonders...

...it's true...

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finally finished re-reading: Your God Is Too Safe by Mark Buchanan

Whacky Dreams! / Portugal Screams!

to nobody in particular:

...last night, my dream consisted of: posters, quesadillas, Nyack College AND Black Forest Academy, old friends, a treasure chest, a 70 year old guy who turned out to be a zombie that i had to beat down to protect my son, a pack of baseball cards, plasma televisions -- including one with a Playstation 2 -- paying bills and a bike...

...there were elements of sacrifice, love, pride, rage, jealousy, expectations and suspense...

...it was quite bizarre...

...oh, and totally unrelated to any dreams, did i mention that Travis has had four successful and enjoyable baths in a row?...

...amen -- God does answer prayer...

...prayer and patience -- waiting and prayer...

...like peanut butter and jelly -- unless, of course, you don't like the two together, then, i guess, you could substitute that with some other two things that go together in your mind...

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..."you learn something new every day"...

...today, i learned: Portugal lost 3-2 to Denmark the other night in soccer for World Cup qualifying...

...HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!!!!!!!!!...

...that happinizes my face...

-----

...currently pondering: "the White Stripes have the coolest videos", as commented by Optimist Prime...











...yes, indeed...

...and these are just a few of them...

Titanic, Secrets & More / Germany, Soccer & Beyond

to nobody in particular:

...in our class, each one of us has the chance to do a "presentation" on a topic of our choice, and yesterday was the first of many -- i'm not sure what i'm going to do mine on, yet...

...anyway, our 35 year old student from Italy did his "Referat" about the Titanic, and how there seems to be more than just an accident with an iceberg...

...he shared about how the world has changed because of the Titanic "catastrophe"...

...in essence, he told us that there were five very important and rich men on the ship, who were all against the Federal Reserve and opposing an oncoming "world war" -- and these rich, powerful, influential men died in the "iceberg accident", leading to a decision FOR the federal reserve and, of course, the first World War did happen...

...he believes that the captain intentionally sank the "unsinkable"ship, knowing fully well where it was vulnerable, ignoring warnings to take another route -- being a tool for the downfall of the Titanic...

...well, needless to say, it was interesting, and we talked about it for a while...

...i hadn't heard any of this before, and i didn't have any interest in the Titanic, really...

...when it comes to hearing and reading about "stuff", it's not that i'm stubbornly doubtful, i'm just not unquestioningly trusting...

...does that make sense?...

...interesting, nonetheless...

-----

..."you learn something new every day"...

...yesterday, i learned: Germany, even though they should be the better and victorious team in most soccer matches, do like to cut it close sometimes...

...last night, Germany finally tied the game at 3 goals each with Finland in the 83rd minute -- why it took so long, and how they gave up the three before that, is baffling...

...today, i learned: Bed Bath & Beyond wants you to have a lovely home, but wants to stay out of anybody's business -- for better or worse...

...see this here blog for more info...

-----

...currently listening to: Muse



...maybe not a great video, but definitely great music...

Hatred & Love / Film & Sound

to nobody in particular:

...yesterday in class, we read a few paragraphs from a novella written by a German that was entitled "I Hate Berlin", and the author was talking about the different things she hated about the city...

...it was interesting, tongue-in-cheek, exaggerated, ironic, cynical, funny, confusing, understandable and within reach...

...our homework assignment was to write a short piece entitled, "I Hate Toledo", or, you know, whatever your hometown is...

...so i did -- in an exaggerated, cynical, ironic, biting, sarcastic yet not-totally-true-to-my-mediocre-level-of-hatred-to-Toledo opinion...

...if you were given that topic for discussion/writing, what would be some things you would bring up?...

...then, this morning, we had a 45 minute discussion about marriage, just living together and divorce -- i'm sure it would've/could've gone on for longer, and i know not everyone agreed with me or saw where i was coming from, but it was interesting...

...all i said (or tried to get across, anyway) was that when you get married, the connection/responsibility/love/reality of your "togetherness" with your spouse is deepened and made stronger -- and then even more when children come into the picture...

...it was interesting, to say the least...

-----

..."you learn something new every day"...

...yesterday, i learned: i, an English-speaking American born in New Zealand, am capable of watching, understanding and enjoying a Spanish movie with German subtitles (El Orfanato)...

...progress!...

...today, i learned: Travis has a set of lungs so grand that i can hear him (and can distinguish that it is, indeed, my son) up in our language school classroom when he, his mother and his sister walk by before class is over to greet his dad...

-----

...currently pondering: seriously -- what is said by the guy laying on the ground in this video?



"Just" by Radiohead

Travis Enjoys Wonderful Music / Ben Enjoys September Soccer

to nobody in particular:




...here's a little clip of Travis enjoying music -- i think it may have been Chevelle playing at the time...

...hey, don't worry, he gets his German Sesame Street CDs in his room when he's playing...

-----

..."you learn something new every day"...

...yesterday, i learned: the Germans play soccer way better than those lads from Liechtenstein...

...they won 6-0 in their World Cup qualifier...

...today, i learned: the first week of September can usually go by very, very quickly...

-----

...currently enjoying: see video above...

Mish-Mash / Three Days Grace

to nobody in particular:

...finished up my first week back at language school, and it has been pretty good so far...

...listening to McCain's acceptance speech as i write this -- a little humbler than Obama, i think, but definitely a weaker speaker...

...personal goals for this next year: learn more of 20th century European art and culture, with a minor in German film and authors...

...Travis enjoyed watching this video the other day, repeatedly saying, "fall?...fall?...fall?"...

...almost at the end of one book, anticipating the next...

...went to see The Dark Knight with Sarah and Hannah (she did really well -- slept most of the time) and our friend Don -- and enjoyed it just as much, if not more, the second time around...

...tomorrow is a big day for Europeans -- hint: check the World Cup 2010 qualifying schedule...

...i, too, am realizing the sickness of culinary pornography (footnote/source: C.S. Lewis & Mark Buchanan)...

-----

..."you learn something new every day"...

...yesteryesterday, i learned: public transportation in Berlin is reliable and great, but not always punctual...

...yesterday, i learned: "anderthalb" is another way in German to say "one and a half"...

...today, i learned: big change comes from intentionality, self-discipline, forming habits and personal desire, which, in essence, are all pathways of little change...

-----

...currently pondering: this piece of genius from Tally Hall...



...i'm gonna write them and ask them when they're coming to Berlin...

Bathtime / Catch-up

to nobody in particular:

...Travis hates baths -- he used to like them, but since he turned a year old and we moved here, he hates them...

...he doesn't like showers either...

...he likes spraying himself and others with a water bottle, brushing his teeth, washing his hands, seeing fountains, being out in the rain...

...but he hates baths...

...i'm really praying this fear is annihilated soon...

-----

..."you learn something new every day"...

...yesterday, i learned: Tandem Language School actually DOES have male teachers...

...after several months of taking German classes at our language school, i finally have a male teacher in this next class -- all the teachers before have been women, have been good teachers, but it's always nice to have a different perspective, style and gender to learn from...

...today, i learned: Tuesdays can be worthwhile too...

-----

...currently listening to: Chevelle...

Deutschkurs / Perplexed

to nobody in particular:

...i head back to the classroom again tomorrow after a little time away after Hannah was born, and personal study...

...so it will be a little weird to be back, especially without Sarah there (she will be staying with the kids, personal study and also having a private tutor twice a week until we find someone to watch the kids), but will be good at the same time...

...life will be in somewhat more of a routine -- a good routine...

...tomorrow is also the first day of the last third of this year 2008 -- already?...

-----

..."you learn something new every day"...

...today, i learned: perplexity is the noun, to perplex is the verb...

...for some reason earlier today, i was tlaking with Sarah about something, and she said something was perplexing, and i couldn't think what the right word would be -- is the perplexing thing a perplexion, a perplexity, or something else?...

...i learned that it was a perplexity...

-----

...currently watching: Dan In Real Life

Universal Soccer / German Newspaper

to nobody in particular:

...the essence of soccer/real football is simple: you can use any part of you body to play the ball, except your arms and hands...

...unless you are playing the position of goalkeeper...

...however, when trying to play soccer/real football with your two year-old son, and trying to get him to not use his hands and only use his feet, and after a while, he starts looking up at you as he reaches down for the ball, and then you tell him, "no, don't use your hands -- kick the ball into the goal with your feet", and he responds by saying, "hey, nice", telling you to be nice to him -- well, i guess the real rules can be held off for a few more days...

...but seeing him kick a goal and his celebration afterwards is always a delight...

-----

..."you learn something new every day"...

...today, i learned: i am able to sit down with the first section of a German newspaper and actually comprehend a lot of what it is reporting about...

...progress!...

-----

...currently listening to: "Weird Al" Yankovic

Vernissage / Tolerance

to nobody in particular:

...tonight, i enjoyed pure enjoyment and pure disappointment at once...

...enjoyment: the Vernissage tonight, and the fact that we walked to and from it with our neighbors below us, who we had invited earlier this week -- how cool is that?...

...disappointment: i forgot the camera for the exhibition...

...smiles...

...sighs...

...either way, it was a wonderful turn out for a great evening -- even with a little energetic two year-old on our hands......

-----

..."you learn something new every day"...

...today, i learned: i do have the power to seek out, watch and listen to a 45 minute Democratic presidential candidate's nomination acceptance speech...

...could've done without the first three minutes of cheering and "thank you", but the laundry needed folded anyway...

...and i don't necessarily feel guilty about lack of interest, but i guess, now that it is down to less than 70 days, i wanted to get a better grasp and understanding of the presidential candidates -- for better or worse...

-----

...currently enjoying: the Austellung "Licht und Schatten" (see yesterday's post for picture and website)

New Exhibition / Jogging Beat

to nobody in particular:

...i helped out with getting the new exhibition set up in the Zionskirche this morning -- it is very cool...

...thirteen different artists, thirteen pieces of art, thirteen different styles and mediums -- thirteen different expressions of "Licht und Schatten" ("Light and Shadows")...

...tomorrow night is the Vernissage (opening), and i'm definitely looking forward to it...


...maybe i'll throw some pictures up here after tomorrow night...

www.kunstschwimmer.de

-----

..."you learn something new every day"...

...today, i learned: "Blue Orchid" by The White Stripes is a much better song to jog to than "Jackass" by Beck...

-----

...currently laughing at: the video below...



...ouch...

Informer / Imposter

to nobody in particular:

...i was in a couple of stores with Travis this morning, and i heard a song that took me back a few years...



...yes, "Informer" by Snow...

...i don't think i need to say much else...

...cherish the classics...

-----

..."you learn something new every day"...

...today, i learned: Jim Carrey can pull off a good Snow impersonation...



-----

...currently re-reading: Your God Is Too Safe by Mark Buchanan

Racism / 2.6 Kilograms of Chocolate

to nobody in particular:

...racism is an issue in all aspects of the world...

...racism is looked down upon socially, religiously and politically...

...it came up in my family -- specifically, my wife and son -- just the other day, and it has been bothering me...

...it's not a matter of the outside, but the inside...

...and yet, when it comes to eating gummi bears, my wife and son tend to pick out the red and the white ones first, and probably eat the other ones later (if at all)...

...but me? -- no, i don't see a color issue when i peek into the gummi bear bag -- all i see is the true essence of each bear, and i know the value of each color is equal in my eyes, and i show no favortism...

...eating gummi bears, for me, does not exhibit racism...

...i only hope and trust that my spouse and offspring learn the same...

-----

..."you learn something new everyday"...

...today, i learned: there are women in the city of Berlin that will buy 26 bars of chocolate at one time...

...i walked to the store with Travis this afterhisnap, and the lady in front of us had a full cart including 26 bars (100g each) of chocolate -- all the same kind...

...truly fascinating -- you don't really see that every day...

-----

currently watching: "The Office"

Burgers & Fries / Lyrics & Lies

to nobody in particular:

...tomorrow, Sarah and i begin our "eat healthy and get in better physical shape and be nicer to our bodies including exercises and other stuff too" campaign...

...tonight, as our last supper, we had nice, juicy, succulent, home-made cheeseburgers with lettuce and tomatoes, french fries on the side with cherry Coke in frozen mugs...

...i made milkshakes with Stracciatella ice cream a little later...

...it was pleasant and satisfying...

...no, we won't be eating rice cakes every day from now on...

-----

..."you learn something new every day"...

...today, i learned: rainy days and mondays don't always get me down -- only sometimes...

-----

currently listening to: Wir Sind Helden

Goodbye, Olympics / Hello, Clarification

to nobody in particular:

...as the Olympic Games come to a close, I have had a few thoughts...

...one: the New Zealand athletes need to step it up a little bit before they hit London in four years...

...two: yeah, yeah, yeah, Michael Phelps may be a spectacular swimmer, but that gets me to thinking -- is his entire life revolved around swimming? his days filled with training, stretching, exercising, practicing strokes and doing his absolute best? he is a swimmer -- and an excellent swimmer, no doubt -- and he can now be labeled as the best swimmer in the world today, if not ever. and yet, so? feats in sports are amazing -- the way individuals are able to perform, persistently at times, and do things us "normal" people could never come close to -- and yet, so? do i have a secret desire to be a great swimmer? do i want to hit the ball over the fence more than any other player? do i want to pull a semi-truck faster than any other man (or woman) on this earth? not really, and kudos to those that do -- and, you know what, congratulations to Phelps and other people who hold records and are good at what you (hopefully) like to do...congratulations, Mr. Phelps -- you are the best swimmer in the world...now what? i hope you feel your life of tiresome days swimming, preparing and training pay off. i hope your life is overwhelmingly filled with meaning. i can't imagine how much time of your life has been spent in preparation for this, and it humbles me, but yet it baffles me...congratulations, but i hope you do and be more than just be a great swimmer in your life...but again, you did do a fantastic job...

...maybe i'm just being a little silly...

...and three: i find it funny that whenever i have seen the medals table these last few days either on the official Olympics website, or on BBC news or here on local German news, China is listed as being first because of having the most gold medals, and when i see the medals table on MSN.com, they show the United States in first place because of having the highest total number of medals...

...well, no comment on that last one -- i think it stands there pretty obviously within the observation...

-----

..."you learn something new every day"...

...today, i learned: "u.s.w" in German stands for "und so weiter"...

...i knew it was like "etc." in English, but couldn't remember what it literally meant...

-----

currently watching: Vantage Point



...the movie was alright -- style and pacing -- but could've been better (potential, development, bad guys easy to spot, u.s.w.)...

Absent Three Days / Learned Three Days

to nobody in particular:

...so, on thursday evening, i went down to Potsdamer Platz to see The Dark Knight finally (opening day was thursday), as Sarah and i came up with an agreement about seeing it together (Hannah, babysitter, feeding, great movie, etc), so we will probably go see it next week or after with Hannah, and if Hannah needs to be taken out, i will do it, since i saw it already -- good arrangement...

...anyway, yes, i did like it...

...yes, i enjoyed it...

...it was very, very good...

...no point in writing much about it, since so much already has been written by others...

...in other news, Hannah got her passport already -- only 12 days (9 business days) later -- not bad at all...

...the Bundesliga has started this past weekend, and this is week #2 -- nice to see Bayern München in the middle of the table, but i doubt they'll be there for too long...

...and of course it's nice to see Blackburn start the year off with a win...

...World Cup qualifying games for European Countries begin soon (one's already been played, i think)...

...German class begins again in nine days...

-----

..."you learn something new every day"...

...yesteryesterday, i learned: if one ever wants to know what it feels like to be a woman, go to the Sony Center movie theater in Berlin on a busy opening night for an anticipated spectacular movie, buy a large drink, enjoy said movie and go to the restroom after the movie -- there will be a line for the men's room -- a line you will have to wait in just to pee...

...yesterday, i learned: as of August, New Zealand is ranked 111th in the world in soccer by FIFA -- one spot up from July!...(there is still a way to go to reach 2nd place Germany)...

...today, i learned: sleeping in, even if it is only until 7:45am, is nice...

-----

currently listening to: The White Stripes

Complaints Dept. / Phone Dept.

to nobody in particular:

...i can't complain...

...i shouldn't complain...

...i don't need to complain, nor do i have the compulsion to complain...

...complaining goes nowhere...

...complaining is not synonymous with observing, perceiving, understanding, forming opinions or believing...

...complaining is more, yet less...

...complaining is pointless...

...not sure where this all came from, because life is pretty good right now -- so, oh well then...

-----

..."you learn something new everyday"...

...today, i learned: when phones are held over candles, sometimes they won't work anymore...

...thank you, Travis...

-----

currently watching: Batman Begins



...getting ready for the release of The Dark Knight here in Germany -- finally...

Life / Jellyfish Speed

to nobody in particular:

...it truly is amazing -- the feeling of warmth and joy that overtakes you as you hold your two month old daughter and she smiles up at you, with her eyes crinkling in the corners, showing off her toothless wonderment...

...as i just wrote that last sentence, my daughter proceeded to fill her pants with excrement...

...but that seems to be the way of life, is it not? -- times where we enjoy warmth, joy and beauty, and then times where we have to put up with a load of crap...

...in all honesty, however, life is great...

-----

..."you learn something new every day"...

today, i learned: jellyfish can swim up to speeds of 10 kph...

...not bad, huh?...

-----

...currently playing: Shadow of the Colossus




...yes, i'm kind of white and nerdy...

Springfield Punx / Overrated Timing

to nobody in particular:

...these are great...

springfieldpunx.blogspot.com

...thoroughly enjoyable...

...so, yeah, that's all i've got for a monday...

-----

..."you learn something new everyday"...

...today, i learned: timing is NOT everything, but good timing does help...

-----

...currently watching: The Shawshank Redemption

Sunday's Balcony Relaxation / Dogs vs. Humans

to nobody in particular:

...today was a sunday, and i really do enjoy sundays...

...i enjoy being able to not feel rushed in the morning, go to church and spend some time with God, chat with friends, go for a little walk and so forth...

...today, it gave me a little bit of time to relax...

...not just relax, but really relax relax...

...that was nice...

...enjoying a little slice of time out on the balcony was good for the soul, too -- especially as Travis figured out the spray bottle, then it was on...

-----

..."you learn something new every day"...

...today, i learned: that i've come to the conclusion that dogs probably poop more than human beings...

...we're watching our friends' dog for a couple weeks while they are on vacation, and he's pooping a decent amount usually twice a day -- i understand this isn't the brightest revelation of the last decade, and it may not even be scientifically true, but it's what i learned today because, well -- wow, the dog surprises me...

-----

currently listening to: The Presidents of the United States of America

Laser-disc / "Beggars"

to nobody in particular:

...within my circle of xanga friends, i think it has gone the way of the laser-disc...

84sheepdog.blogspot.com

-----

..."you learn something new every day"...

...today, i learned: 'tis easier to ignore than to deny...

...let's just say that there are "beggars" that try and dupe English-speaking tourists in big tourism areas of Berlin with their young kids by their side -- it is a scam...

-----


...currently watching:

Hippo / Dinosaur

...here's a video from when i was gone, and Sarah and her sister went to the zoo with Travis and Hannah...

...i don't know why the dumb thing won't center...

-----

..."you learn something new everyday"...

...today, i learned: it wasn't until 1841 that the term "dinosaur" was coined and being used, and there are now over 600 known dinosaurs that existed...

...we went to the Museum of Natural History this morning -- it's just a few blocks from our house...

...enjoyed it a lot -- interesting...

...so, yeah, i learned a lot of new things today...

-----

...currently watching:

Necessity of Pets / Trailers of Curiosity

to nobody in particular:

...this week and next, we're watching and taking care of our friend's dog, Amos...

...so far, it's been alright...

...i don't miss having a dog, though...

...i don't mind pets, but i find that they are more of a luxury...

...and not every luxury suits everybody...

...i mean, i'm not sure if EVERY guy would like their own urinal in their dream house, but i know i would...

...but i guess it depends on the pet...

-----

..."you learn something new every day"...

...today, i learned: the trailer for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button does a good job of luring me to want to see it...

Tiresome / Deodorant

to nobody in particular:

...man, tonight i'm fairly tired...

...i'm not sure if even a marathon of "Sledge Hammer!" could keep me awake this evening...

-----

..."you learn something new every day"...

...today, i learned: don't be fooled -- deodorant DOES taste as bad as you would think...

...no stories accompanying this one...

Directions / Experiment Failure

to nobody in particular:

...i've decided that i believe the following...

...God is, at every moment, wanting to see individuals come closer to Himself, no matter where they are in their relationship to Him -- whether they know Him well or not, whether they question His existence or not -- but His desire is for each person to move closer and closer to Him...

...He doesn't want to push anybody away, or see them move further from Himself...

...therefore, what should my intention be?...

...do i live my life and find opportunities where i try and "lead others to Christ", or just live in a way that brings me and others closer to God?...

...shouldn't that be my goal -- to live a life for God, wanting to come closer and closer to Him, while at the same time, live an intentional life that interacts with others in a fashion that encourages their
journey/race/trudge/wandering/walk/resistance/trek/waltz to move closer to God?...

...this makes sense to me...

...why should i try and do the Holy Spirit's job -- awakening spiritual eyes to grasp Truth?...

...i don't see this as a perspective that fails in personal responsibility, but merely enhances the focus on intentional living and spiritual-realm awareness...

-----

...and from yesterday, i learned: whenever i say i am going to do something and i have good intentions on doing it, and if it doesn't affect anyone personally and/or negatively, i may not do it

...i learned this yesterday, in that, last night was the first night of my "you learn something new every day" experiment, and i didn't do it -- oops...

1ne Year

to nobody in particular:

...have we really been here in Berlin for a year already?...

...wow...

...also, i've heard it said (and i've said it, too) that "you learn something new every day"...

...i'm gonna test that...

...i'm gonna blog every night before i go to bed, and i will write about the "new thing" that i learned that day...

...sounds like a plan...

...and yes, the last 366 days (leap year) here in Berlin have gone by pretty quickly, yet not uneventfully...

...and English camp was stupendous (www.xanga.com/thecareyjourney)...