Sleepless in Germany

I can not sleep. I am bloody awake at four thirty in the morning. I wish I was so awake during the day. It is such a waste of time because I can not do serious work at this time of the night. So I am hanging around in front of the TV – lousy program at this time of the night – and on the web.

I came back from central US time ten days ago, and should really have gotten over jetlag by now. But I haven’t, my body seems to be unwilling to readjust to German time. Melatonin has suddenly lost it’s magic, the only thing that makes me sleep eventually is my iPod, with the audiobooks on it. It is a bit like my mother reading stories to me when I was a child, very soothing. But still, I hate to be up so late because I know that tomorrow will not start before 11a.m. and  I will be a tired and grouchy human being. I hate myself in that mood.

 Oh well… I better go now and listen to my electronic nanny…

 Good night everyone!

Sedha.

Turning 40, Job interviews and the small stuff

I turned 40 two days ago (8/8)….  I don’t know why people say its horrible….  that it makes them old… I think its really just a state of mind…. If a number makes you old…. Then its your mind telling you its true….  I’m doing things at 40 that I would never have believed I would be doing at 20! 

Job Interviews, can’t live with them, can’t live without them…..  Had a second interview with a hotel, in Baden-Baden Germany. 

Still was nervous. Still worried I was going to look dumb…..  Didn’t feel that way after the interview that went well!  World, keep your fingers crossed for me getting this job!  It would be wonderful to have!

Small stuff…. Wash service losing for a week my chefs whites and one pair of my pants… Finally resurfaced today…..  Thank God for that…..  Rain, too much, too fast…. The Oos looked like you would have fun on it white water rafting, However I think the police might mind you Kyacking or something down it through the city…  Fall temperatures in August…. Not necessarily a problem, if you didn’t worry about what kind of temperatures you were going to end up with in october!

audiobooks

I have recently discovered the joy of listening to audiobooks. It is really nice to have people read stories to you! My favorite book so far is Anthony Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential. What is yours?

apple – what will be new?

What do you think are the new products that Apple will introduce? New IMacs?

Read the latest here:

http://scobleizer.com/2007/08/06/apple-press-conference/

You know its going to be a bad couple of days when

This is a post by SAER: 

 1) Less than a half hour into work you cut your finger.  Bad enough to go to the doctors/emergency room.  On a friday afternoon, after every office is closed. (I´m a chef, ouch, sharp knives). Leave the emergency room over an hour and a half later, with big white bandage and a doctors note for the weekend off.

2) Salary is not in the account.  Direct Deposit never shows up on the weekend.  BLECH.  Monday before one is financially solvent. Growl….  pain in the ass…..

3) Weekend. Usually incredibly enjoyable is interrupted by the fact that you have an abcess come up in your gum. Tear producing pain. Emergency trip to the dentist.  Emergency dentist as normal dentists are closed on the weekends.  Have to go back a second time and am on antibiotics for the infection. (Dental phobic here…. But pain much worse than the fear.)

What gets me through this…. My partner… Priceless…..

Ed and Elaine Brown

These are the people who refuse to pay income tax because they say there is no law in New Hampshire that requires them to do so. They also regard paying taxes as an infringement of freedom. They have been convicted of tax evasion I think it is called, and are now holed up in their home, refusing to do their time or pay their sentence. They are surrounded by the FBI who is waiting for them to give up after they have cut off all electricity and supplies. Supporters from all over the country flock to the house, bringing supplies and batteries and stuff. HELLO? What’s wrong with these people? I suppose they like their roads paved, and their schools furnished and adminstrations working? How in the high heavens do they get the idea that you don’t have to contribute to that? A state needs money to function. That to me is just logical. But hey, I am a German, and I guess we just have a different perspective on things. Everyone grumbles and groans about taxes, of course. But things like the solidarity tax for rebuilding Eastern Germany after the reunification and similar things have gone largely undisputed in my country. We are brought up on the notion of solidarity and sharing wealth with those who have less, and state support for those who need it. This is only possible because we pay a fairly high amount of taxes. But to me, in the end everyone benefits from the social security network that we have, which is a good thing. Nobody needs to fear to starve or to have no roof over his head, literally.

If the standoff in New Hampshire ends in bloodshed, it will be because of the overblown egotistism of two nutcases. Totally unnecessary.

New Word of the Day

irritainment

Slang for annoying entertainment and media spectacles you’re unable to stop watching. For example, the O.J. Simpson trial and Paris Hilton going to jail.

Its an american phenomenon, one I hope European media somehow avoids turning (Or should that be TUNING) into.  Lord knows, we don’t need more of this shit.

TV show Lyrics

Ok… Now I’ll be humming this all night!

The Long Version:

Bad Boys, Whatcha Want, Watcha Want, Watcha Gonna Do When Sherif John Brown Comes For You?

Tell Me, Whatcha Gonna Do, Whatcha Gonna Do?

Yeahhh?

Bad Boys, Bad Boys

Watcha Gonna Do, Whatcha Gonna Do When They Come For You?

Bad Boys, Bad Boys

Watcha Gonna Do, Watcha Gonna Do When They Come For You?

Nobody Naw Give You No Break

Police Naw Give You No Break

Soldier Man-a Give You No Break

Not Even You Idren Naw Give You No Break

Hey, Hey

Bad Boys, Bad Boys

Watcha Gonna Do, Watcha Gonna Do When They Come For You?

Bad Boys, Bad Boys

Whatcha Gonna Do, Watcha Gonna Do When They Come For You?

“‘Cops’ is filmed on location with the men and women of law enfocement. The suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.”

A quote on Computers and stuff on Technology

It should be for all technology… it sort of fits!

 Computers are like Old Testament gods; lots of rules and no mercy.
Joseph Campbell

Just remember…. just because it says its a USB port doesn;t mean its like YOUR USB port, nor does electricity come in the smae voltage in all countries….

When Is the US going to learn that the metric system is a lot easier on the brain and the wallet….  Not to metion that having a standard like everyone else is a lot easier to explain when you  mess it up!

Quote(s) of the Day

Just a virtual hug against worries and the world…..

When you make a mistake, don’t look back at it long. Take the reason of the thing into your mind and then look forward. Mistakes are lessons of wisdom. The past cannot be changed. The future is yet in your power.

Hugh White (1773 – 1840)  He was the US Senate Pro Tem in 1840, and a politician.  I just liked this quote.

 

If you have made mistakes, even serious ones, there is always another chance for you. What we call failure is not the falling down but the staying down.

Mary Pickford (1893 – 1979)  She was “America’s Sweetheart” in the days of silent films.  A famous actress, she saw talking films start but never made the transition to the “talkies”.  Her eyes and her body did all the talking in her silent films.  And she divorced, when it was just not done.