When I go to lunch here at the company I always grab a bunch of napkins and put them on my tray, but I only need one or two, so I end up taking the rest to my desk and keep them there.
Up to now I have about twenty napkins (looking at the pile, I guess it’s even more) piling up on my desk.

So, if you ever need one, I got one.

On a side note I wonder, will they catch me and fire me for repeated napkin thievery? They can’t do that, can they?

I went to bed with a headache, I woke up with a headache even worse.

I decided to call in sick but then remembered I still had some documents at work which I needed to get that application done for that job I found yesterday on the internet that I MUST get. So I went to work. I went there, told my boss I was sick and just needed to get a few things done, made copies of the document, hang around for 15 minutes and went back home.

Now I’m here, still headachy and tired and ready to go to sleep once I’m done with this post.

The boyfriend doesn’t know that I’m home already, so he will be pleasantly surprised when he gets here.

I also had a very bad dream about me fighting with my father which didn’t help making me feel better today. Especially since my parents are going to Australia today and somehow I hate the fact that I had a very bad dream about my father the day before he leaves.

I’m going to bed now. And I’m going to be very frustrated if I don’t feel better when I wake up.

I started with one of DeAnn’s suggestions: The Dogs of Babel. First, because I’ve thought about buying it before and second, because it was the only one of my list available at the bookshop in the train station.

I have read about 60 pages or so and this is such a great book. Thanks DeAnn, for recommending. I’m so happy with this book.

The greatest thing about it: It deals with two of my favorite things: dogs and linguistics. I didn’t think you could combine those two, but it seems you can. As far as I can tell, it also is a heart-breaking love story, but I’m mostly thrilled about dogs and linguistics. So great, so great. Aaaaah. Sigh.

On a side note I would remind you that if there’s one way to get my attention that is closest to foolproof, it is dogs. Mention your dog on your blog, I’ll be the first one to comment. Or not, because I live in a different time zone, but I will comment eventually.
Better even, post a picture. Only then, I won’t be able to write complete sentences anymore. I guess, DeAnn and Sarcomical know what I’m talking about.

Current mood: Headachy. That is also why my posts are rather confusing (and not as excellent and witty as usually) tonight. I’ve been busy all day, and I mean literally. I left home at 7 am and came back at 8 pm and I wasn’t involved in a lot of fun in the time between.
Listening to: The boyfriend caressing his bass in the living room. It’s just too cute.

What do you want to know?

Like, how he didn’t show up today when he was supposed to meet us at the apartment?
Like, how we found out that his former landlord still gets 3,500 Euro from him, because he didn’t pay his rent for 6 months back then?
Like, how he apparently lies to everybody about totally unimportant things?
Like, why all his furniture is still at his old apartment?
Like, how he claims he doesn’t have an ID? (Which, for those who don’t know, is an obligation in Germany.)

Like, what, for fuck’s sake, does all this mean?

Thanks to everybody who commented and recommended. So far there has not been a single recommendation I didn’t like.

Anyway, since I figured there might be other blog readers out there searching for an inspiration on what to read next, I decided to post the results. Of course they can all be read in the comment box, but I think they need a special blog entry.

UV recommended:
The Rice Mother by Rani Manicka

Caitlin recommended a hell of a lot of books:
Born Confused by Tamuja Desai Hidier
The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde
Tales of the City by Armistead Maupin
Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides

Cass recommended:
Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
Dr. Zhivago by Boris Pasternak

Fayza recommended:
Sally Hemings by Barbara Chase-Riboud
Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire

DeAnn recommended:
The Dogs of Babel by Carolyn Parkhurst
The Giant’s House by Elizabeth McCracken

FoFuSa recommended:
Fingersmith by Sarah Waters as well

srah recommended:
Anything by Christopher Brookmyre

What a set. I think I have enough recommendations for the next few months. As soon as I’m done I’ll get back to you. It has proven to be really inspiring.

When I walked across the Roncalliplatz in Cologne today on my way to meet my mom, there was this South American flutist group (we call them ‚Anden Mafia‘ by the way, but that’s just a side note) playing ‚Sound of Silence‘.

Now I’m probably one of the biggest Paul Simon worshippers of my generation. At least I spent more than 120 Euro altogether to see him play live (twice, though, I spent 60 Euro for each concert). But I never really liked ‚Sound of Silence‘, the same way I never really liked ‚The Boxer‘. Mostly because they somehow are constantly abused by people when it comes to singing around a bonfire. Like ‚Hey, can you play ‚The Boxer‘?‘ and everyone chimes in during the lie-la-lie-refrain, because no-one really knows the lyrics.

Still, walking by these flutists I realized that I indeed like ‚Sound of Silence‘. I only don’t like the way everyone handles this song, because honestly… that is not a campfire-we-are-all-happy-and-love-each-other-song.

Have you ever read the lyrics?

That is a mighty scary song.

‚When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light‘
Creepy.

‚And in the naked light I saw ten thousand people, maybe more.‘
Creepy.

‚“Fools,“ said I, „you do not know, silence like a cancer grows.‘
Ew. Creepy.

The whole song, dear blog readers, is amazingly creepy and scary. And incredibly good.

You just don’t play it with panflutes accompanied by corny drumloops. So, do me favor, guys, do whatever you like, but take your hands off that song.

I finished ‚Our Lady of the Forest‘ by David Guterson this morning on the train.
I thought it was a really strange book and I have to admit that there were times when I had trouble relating to anyone of the main characters. Also, as I have mentioned before, Guterson doesn’t really seem to like quotation marks, which maybe could be considered style, but honestly, I don’t really mind quotation marks. I think they can even be really helpful sometimes.

Although I still have to read ‚Vanity Fair‘ and supposedly be able to read ‚Der Schwarm‘ soon (the boyfriend has to finish it first), I need some recommendations on what to read.

So, please tell me: What shall I read next?

All in all I’m open for anything, so just think of a great book and tell me a little bit about it. I am anxious to know.

Because I can put the simple statement ‚My life sucks‘ in words like these:
Currently there are certain aspects of my life that lack complete perfection.

Thank you all very much. Here are some examples:

1) I can’t argue with my father. It’s not because of me. Nobody can argue with my father. The only possible way to have a nice insult-free and non-aggressive discussion with my father is to share his opinion in all respects. Everything else is doomed to fail.

2) I have a headache. I didn’t drink. I didn’t spent my whole day at the computer. I just got a headache and I don’t know why. That’s like the second worst way to get a headache. The worst way is waking up with one and not after a night spent with wine and liqueur.

3) I might have to go to Cologne tomorrow to buy a newspaper. Right. A newspaper. And it’s Sunday, which, in underprivileged countries like Germany means that there are no stores open and thus, nothing to do. Besides buying a newspaper.

4) I still haven’t managed to put together all the stuff for my applications. Sending out applications in an underprivileged country like Germany means spending a whole lot of money to be rejected. My optimism, by the way, has gone shopping. To Italy or so.

5) I don’t want winter anymore. Go away, winter. You’re too dark and too cold. Also, you bring me no snow. I want spring.

6) The book I’m reading right now is really very poorly written. I wonder if I would’ve given up already if the story wasn’t interesting enough for me to keep on reading and just be frustrated by stupid word choice and bad writing like basically all the time. I haven’t found an English translation of the book yet, so I figured there is none so far. You’re not missing anything.

7) I’m sure there is something else, but I think I complained enough. I have to admit that I just wanted to write something for my blog and ranting was all I could come up with. I’ll be back with more happy posts tomorrow. I have a whole agenda of things to do. Like introducing all my favorite blogs and bringing ‚The (Not-So-)Weekly Freezer‘ back to life.

And a lot of other fun. Possibly.

I’ve mentioned it before and now I’m gonna go for it. 2004 has been a crappy year. Not necessarily for me, but for the boyfriend and that affects me a lot.

But we tried our best and since that obviously did not help I don’t see the point of making New Year’s Resolutions other than the way Jill does. And rightfully so.

Now here they are, my New Year’s Resolutions for Other People:

The-Guy-That-Said-He-Sent-My-Boyfriend-A-Mail-But-Really-Did-Not
1. I will not lie to nice people.
2. Especially not to Jamie and her boyfriend.
3. I will not pretend to have sent an email when I didn’t.
4. Especially not to Jamie or her boyfriend.
5. Especially not when it concerns a job as a trainer paid with 3000 Euro.
6. Also, I will not immediately call someone else and give him that job because Jamie’s boyfriend never replied to the email that I never sent.
7. Additionally, I will lose my job and know how it feels when you are unemployed and dependent on idiots.

The-Guy-That-Stole-My-Boyfriends-Wallet-On-The-Train
1. I will not steal Jamie’s boyfriend’s wallet again.
2. Mostly because if I did it would prove my stupidity since there were like 5 Euros in it and not a single useful credit card.

The-Tenant-Who-Refused-To-Pay-The-Rent
1. I will never not pay my rent again.
2. Nor will I yell at my landlord.
3. I will also not lie to my landlord.
4. Or refuse to talk to him.
5. Or hang up on him.
6. I think I may just move back in with my mother and stay there for the rest of my life.

The-Other-Tenant-Who-Never-Paid
1. I will never rent an apartment again.
2. Nor will I ever talk.
3. Because apparently everything I say is a lie.

Our-Neighbors-From-One-Floor-Below
1. We will move out.
2. Soon.
3. Tomorrow maybe.

My-Favorite-Office-Fiend
1. I will never ever speak again.
2. Nor will I always touch people when I talk to them.
3. Additionally I will disappear from Jamie’s life.

Those-Guys-On-The-Train-And/Or-Escalator
1. We will learn how to get off or on a train without hurting other people.
2. We will learn how to use an escalator.
3. We will realize that there are actually other people living in this world.

That-One-Guy-That-Really-Doesn’t-Deserve-His-Job
1. I will read someone’s resume before that someone has his job interview.
2. Especially when that someone is Jamie’s boyfriend.
3. I will at least have a quick glance at it like five minutes before the actual interview.
4. I will not ask that someone if he did indeed got his degree.
5. I will not ask that question twice when I got an answer the first time I asked.
6. Especially not since I would know the answer if I had read the resume.

I’m really feeling good now. I don’t know if I will update the resolution’s or if I already covered all of last year’s most important idiots that ruined my day.

The boyfriend had one of his dreams fulfilled last Wednesday. He’s now a proud owner of a 400 Euro acoustic bass.

He already started complaining about his fingertips hurting. The pain is part of the practise, honey.

That didn’t stop him from answering the phone with ‚Master of Disaster‘ these days. Which, unfortunately, is really true.