Subtle Traces of America

Finally I got to scratch my nostalgia itch a bit by attending my very first AMERICAN MONSTER TRUCK SHOW.
It was right in my neighborohood too, albeit to an area I had not yet been to. It was held at the Sportpark Velodrome, some kind of immense soviet sport structure.
Oh boy, hell drivers! Just like we have in America! This is gonna be good (after 3 or 4 drinks).
American Monster-Truck Motor Euro-Tour?
I had assumed it would be inside the drome, but it was actually a rather smallish event, and outside in the german cold no less.
Still, it ended up being pretty awesome. This is some of the aftermath. Boy, they really ran over those cars...

Check out these videos I took!

I actually put something on youtube!!

Video 1
Video 2
Video 3
Video 4

This blog just keeps getting better and better! Hopefully someone will start reading it soon!

Pizza Night!

So V is out tonight working as some kind of guide to an art exhibition and that means I am left to fend for myself for food. Consequently I'll do exactly what I do in the states and order a pizza.

Where do I order from?
Pizza Pimps of course!

I wonder who will deliver it...
That would be the pizza hoes I guess.

In other news I think I'll try to upload at least SOMETHING every day, so there's something between the larger updates. I just have so many pictures.
Kids! Don't forget to brush your teeth! Or I will eat you!

The Sounds of the City are Also for Me

Hi everyone. Today was an eventful day, went to Germany's famous Pergamon Museum of ancient history. They were having this terrific exhibition about Babylon (I learned a lot!). And yes, I realize the appropriateness of going to a museum exhibition that is largely concerning the collapse of a tower on

SEPTEMBER 11TH (never forget)

I will update about that some other time.

Today is just a bunch of city-life pictures since I am now living in a very urban area in Berlin.

That means, for one, lots of cool graffiti all over the place. I was eating brunch across the street from here at a cafe called "Buy You Happy", best Schoko-waffles in Berlin (based on my sample size of one(1) Schoko-Waffle).
This is the entry-way to my building
and this is the sign for the shop next door, they are a bike-rental place and repair place. Everyone rides bikes here.
Here's the front of a cemetery across from my tram stop.

The most impressive graffiti in the city, however, tends to be on the remains of the Berlin Wall, wherever they are found. The following images were taken at Mauer Park, which has, I believe the largest entact piece of the wall still standing in it's original place. It's become a cool hangout as well as the chosen canvas for graffiti artists of all kinds. The day I went there was this huge cool fleamarket and festival, of which I will upload pictures some other time. (Themes people, themes).


Am I the only one who can only think of

September 11th

on 9/11?

In Germany, obviously, it's not as big of a deal, but I remember last year 50 Cent and Kanye West were both releasing CDs on this day and I found it really tasteless. And when I hear something like "sign up by september 11th for bonus deals" or something, I don't know, it's just a little weird. So could we please stop using this date for things, in short.

This is Where I am Now, But Why?

So I've moved in to my new place, but at the moment we don't have our own real room. Per se.
We are sleeping in an artist's studio and we'll be moving in to the bedroom when the woman we are subletting from leaves, on

SEPTEMBER 11TH (never forget)

for, of all places, America. Yeah those things next to me in that picture? Art, major art. I've been immersed in art since I arrived, it's quite an art-y city.


For example I was at an exhibition the other day called "always keep a lemon in your pocket" about Mexican superstitions. Yeah, I don't know either.

So anyway, you all know I'm in Germany, but do you know why?

Well, the short answer is I met a girl from Germany. She's really fantastic and I met her in a really interesting way, but that story falls under the umbrella of traveling so I'll post it some other time. I decided, kind of spur of the moment, that I wanted to follow her back to Germany (please note, she wanted me to do this too). I'll call her 'V' for the purposes of this blog (most of you all know what her name is anyway.. but internet anonymity, you know?

Anyway, at this same time I was applying to present at a counseling conference in, coincidentally, Germany. And this all coincided nicely with me becoming rather sick of grad school and feeling like I needed a break. So I went to Germany.



And I'll be here for about 3 more months, back in time to start my school back up in the Spring.

Unless of course Sarah Palin somehow becomes president or vice president. That woman is a monster.

German Cemeteries

Are really nice.

This is because each individual who has a family member burried in the cemetary is personally responsible for the grave site.

The result is a appealing mixture of completely overgrown wilderness and extremely well mannicured miniature gardens.

So, what then, is the job of the groundskeeper? Well, he goes around and puts little yellow tags on the plots that look too messy. You know, so that the owners will neaten up a bit.

In other news I'm in my new place now. Will update soon.

!! Moving Day !!

This is a picture of my new street

Goodbye Moabit, thanks for letting me stay for a while

PS- You can click on all of the pictures to see them bigger, some of them are really nice!

Soviet Extravaganza

Went to Alexanderplatz yesterday, the former heart of the GDR (East Germany)

Pictured above a twice life size statue of communism-originators Marx and Engels. They are facing the famous TV tower, visible from anywhere in Berlin, it was meant to be a showcase of soviet power and technology. It's very tall.

Of course now all the Soviets can do is sell their hats. It turns out that on sunny days the TV tower casts a shadow with a reflection the shape of a cross. This was a bit embarrassing to the atheistic communists who removed quite a few crosses from the city's buildings in their time.
Still, it seems every loves Marx and Engels, amazing how long I had to wait to take a picture with them.

An interesting cultural phenomenon here is "Ostalgie", which translates into basically "Eastalgia".
A glorification of everything GDR, all the hip areas are in the former east. That's where I'm moving to tomorrow. I'm gonna have my own apartment, no more sleeping on Vera's couch.