I'M BAAACCCK

Yes, I thought this blog died too.  I've been living in a state of inertia for the past year.  I think I even got a mild case of Agoraphobia.  There were days were I dreaded leaving the house and I would actually get a little anxious about it.  I chalk it up to not wanting to talk to people in German and the general lack of friends I have here.  I have a small group of people that I do hang out with but with their schedules, mine and other things going on, It's like playing dueling appointment books.  

Im set to go home for a few months starting in November.  I cant wait.  Mostly it's just to avoid being here during the winter.  It's pretty bleak and COLD.  I love cold but not when one has to wear 5 layers just to stay warm.  I will write more later.  I have to get used to posting blogs again.

Thanks!

I had a GREAT WEEKEND...friends from my old company were in the Germany for work and I was able to join them for their last few days in the country.   It was nice catching up and at the same time really weird that in all the places in the world we caught up half way across the world.  So, Robin, Dave, Teresa, Dave, Raffy and Christine...thanks for the laughs and it was great to see you all again!  Strangely, it was funny that I was able to use the German that I knew and it just came out naturally...maybe you guys could come back and stay with me and I will be fluent quickly!

School is still school.  Thanksgiving is next week but instead of trying to do a little traditional dinner,  B and I will be in Paris.  I cannot wait.  Only because we will be on the lookout for furniture to start furnishing the apartment.  B has been off for the past week and he has been arranging to have workmen over to take away existing furniture, put up fixtures and to take away garbage that has been piling up here.  Its not that we are living in a dump but he and I have been so busy that it has been low on the tote pole of things to do.  

So I lost my shit today in class.  We have this new guy in our class from Bulgaria.  What an ass.  He always interrupts, laughs at people and is just a general nuisance.  Well today, we had to construct a dialogue and the scenario was to a train station and you are buying a ticket for travel with questions about how much you pay, where you are going, what class of travel, etc.  Well I get partnered with Bulgaria and he starts spouting off wild scenarios about his wife being pregnant, wanting two kinds of tickets all kinds of stupid shit.  Well he has been yapping and interrupting all the time before that and when this happened I SNAPPED.  I stood up and said to the teacher under my breath - I CANNOT WORK WITH HIM...it was too funny because after I came back to the classroom my friends were laughing.  After class they said the reason they were laughing is because the look on my face was the look of murder and they all agreed that the guy was a pain.  Our teacher even said it was unfortunate that had happened...lord...the drama that happens here everyday.  We had another incident last week wherein two of my classmates got into an argument.  Let me tell you something.  It is funny to hear people use the word fuck and shit when English is not their first language.  Me and the girl from Canada stood back and watched and were commenting on that.

PS - Friends from the States are here in Germany this week and Im meeting them this Saturday.  I AM SO EXCITED...

Willkommen. Bienvenue. Welcome. C'mon in. - Lili Von Schutpp in Blazing Saddles

My next level of German class started today.  Overall, Im in the same class of as before with some of my friends but with the addition of 4 new students - Japan, Mallorca, Bulgaria and Russia.  No Americans.  It's like looking for the White Whale in Moby Dick...call me Ismael...ANYWAY, B came home today but had to leave for London and will be back tomorrow evening.  We saw each other for 5 minutes (on my way in the door, he, on his way out - direct from the airport).  The weather is COLD and Halloween is this Friday.  We are not going to the Halloween Party previously mentioned in my other post.  Instead we will drive (meaning I will drive) to Wiesbaden to visit our friends Anders and Anastasia for a long weekend.  Its another holiday here in Germany this Saturday, which means, all stores will be closed Saturday AND Sunday which means there will be a mad dash of people trying to get their shopping done on Friday...time to get the hell out of Dodge.  It wont be any different being in Wiesbaden as it is still in Germany but perhaps we can go to the outlet mall in Metzingen...I will have to check the internet...

Why don't you take your PhD and stick it up your A-S-S! - Uncle Ben in Accepted

So today was the last day and it ended well.  We had a small party to celebrate the small milestone and to say good bye to others as they will not continue on with the classes.  We're the suckers.  Others are coming in to join our class as I assume they placed high enough in the placement test to be placed there.  The list of new students was posted on the bulletin board and by the look of it, there are no Americans.  Oh well...

I have to go shopping tomorrow for groceries and take the car with me.  Ive dreaded having to drive in the city as it is a little difficult to navigate but thankfully the car has a navigational system.  The worst part is that I buy a lot of groceries at one time.  That is not normal for Germans, who go every other day to ensure their food is fresh.  I look very American walking in the supermarket with a small cart bursting with food.  Vasteful Amerikan!  Get out!  Sorry Stormtrooper but I have neither the time or inclination to be going to the grocery store all the time...

"Chris! Chris! Chris!", "I'M BUSY!", "I'm busy too stupid dick!" - Samantha James in Just Friends

So I inserted my foot into my mouth last night.  I went out to dinner with the American friend of B's.  Dominic brought his friend Martin to dinner.  As we were sitting down, I casually asked where Peter was (Peter being Dominic's boyfriend), Martin pipes up that second wives are not allowed tonight as he is the first wife and is slowly dawned on me that Martin is THE Martin who Dominic used to live with.  Well hell, how the hell would I know?  It's not everyday that you would bring your ex-boyfriend to your own birthday dinner...SHIT...then they proceeded to argue in rapid fire German for the remainder of the meal.  I should have just ordered popcorn and watched it unfold in front of me.  I felt kind of bad but oh well...

Part one of school ends tomorrow.  And Im so behind with studying.  I have to really bone up on my German to ensure that I can keep up with part 2...we're planning a little party during class tomorrow so I decided to make chocolate chip cookies from scratch.  For all of you haters out there...SHUT IT...I can bake something like that.  I couldnt think of anything American to bring to the potluck other than going to the McDonalds in the train station and ordering a bag full of burgers.  B comes home on Monday and it cant be a day too soon.  I am bored to tears being alone.  In spite of myself, Ive been hooked on Gilmore Girls and have been watching it religiously and Im hooked on this show called Property Ladder from the UK wherein this lady who used to be a property developer advises potential property developers on how best to market, rehab and sell their properties...I know...full life I lead eh?  Next time, I'll lie and tell you all about the places I've been the champagne I've drunk and the movie starts Im hobnobbing with!

BTW, We were in Belgium three weeks ago and finally bought a dining room table!  It's an English Regency style table that can seat 10 people and is about 110 years old and is supposed to be delivered soon.  One by one Im starting to get this place into shape.  Im trying to turn this into a SHOWPLACE!

"If we get anymore white people in here, it's going to be a suburb! "- Motormouth Maybelle, Hairspray

Germans are busybodies.  I was walking home this afternoon and went into my building.  There were two older ladies talking in the lobby and I walked in without using the key as it was already open.  I greeted them Guten Tag and the next question I got was Machen Sie hier?  What are  you doing here.  It took me a moment to realize that they were talking to me so I said, Ich lebe hier.  I live here...and they were all...SORRY!  Bitches, whatever, mind your own damn business. 

Im having dinner tonight with a "friend" who is having a birthday.  I cant consider him a friend as he rubs me the wrong way and whenever we meet, it is all about ME ME ME ME ME...and my problems.  I  wouldnt have gone but he ran into me at the trainstation on my way home and he cornered me.  The  only redeeming quality he has is that he is an American but he's been living here for so long that when I speak to him in my normal cadence, he doesnt seem to understand me so I have to talk a little slower.  Whats the point then?  He's B's friend not mine and Ive told him numerous times that I didnt care for his company...oh well...I'll have to bite the bullet and go just so I wont be called a bitch behind my back.  The Expat community here is small so once you get a reputation, no invites come along...soooo high school

I voted today at the Consulate.  Its McCain all the way....PSYCH!  If I have to see Caribou Barbie in office for the next 4 years I will have to burn my passport.  School was ok today but I arrived late as Ive been suffering from a severe case of insomnia for the past few day which has kept me up till 2 in the morning.  I woke up so late that I didnt have time to take a shower.  EWWWW...so Im going to pull a Karen Silkwood right now and scrub this day away from me...