Moving

It has been hard finding time to write about my fantastic trip to Rome because I have been in the middle of a move. And it hasn't been an easy one. You would think, having moved exactly 8 times in my 8 years of marriage (and double that in my life in general) that I would be an expert. But I have decided that only thing you can really ever know about moving is that things will go wrong, important things will be forgotten, and no matter how much you plan and work your ass off to make it all go perfectly smooth - it won't.

But this move takes the cake. I suppose that is only fair since for the first time in my life I have moved into a dwelling that I absolutely love. I mean, its my dream flat. Seriously.

Of course its seems even more dreamy because we just moved out of our worst nightmare - neighbors who loved to complain to us (and about us - the the police and the landlord), Landlords who quite honestly hated us (and weren't afraid to show their disdain) and a gorgeous terrace that we weren't allowed to BBQ on. I think that might be the definition of hell. Of course, the hell really started when we decided to do them all a favor and move out. I will save you the sordid details and just sum up by saying this: everything we have tried to do right has been horribly wrong. Every time we tried to solve a problem, it only made it worse. When all is said and done, this move across town will have cost us more money, not to mention more time and effort, than moving from Seattle to Berlin did. Which makes it all the more miraculous that we somehow managed to take a trip to Rome and entertain family from the states in the middle of it all.

I think it is safe to say: I NEVER WANT TO MOVE AGAIN. EVER. Luckily I am in a apartment and neighborhood I never want to leave! Of course this probably all means we will end up having to change jobs and move back to the states after a year, that seems to be the way things go for us right?

1969

That is the year my dad graduated from HS. I have always been kind of jealous. Hunter S. Thompson summed up that time in Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas:

"We had all the momentum; we were riding the crest of a high and beautiful wave. So now, less than five years later, you can go up on a steep hill in Las Vegas and look West, and with the right kind of eyes you can almost see the high-water mark -- the place where the wave finally broke and rolled back."

Cat Stevens is echoing through our little flat right now. Before that, it was Grateful Dead. My wet Converse Chuck Taylor's are sitting by the door, and Cory's 1971 German Army Parka is hanging above them. We have spent the past week watching Godfather I & II (It really is as good as people say). Arguably one of the best Basketball teams in history is the 1971 Lakers (Wilt, The Logo, Elgin Baylor, an NBA title, and a win record that held for 25 years). As I have talked about numerous times, we recently parted with a much beloved 1973 Volkswagon Vanagon (which a delightful Swiss couple drove to Alaska). I think we may have been born in the wrong decade.

I have mentioned our Lovely Narrow room before - well we are finally starting to get our flat all put together and thought I would give you a little update. Cory plays the guitar so we decided to turn it into a little 1970 guitar heaven. It is starting to come together, here is a pic: (sorry for the grainy dark photos, I have no flash...Santa, are you listening??)

I love it! I think the little chandelier makes a big difference. We are probably still going to paint the walls and frame the posters, but at it looks good in the meantime.Those of you familiar with Cory's guitar collection may notice the absense of a certain electric guitar on the wall, this is because he likes to keep it sheathed when not being played.

Here is a zoom in on the posters, which are of 4 of our favorites (well, they ARE Cory's four favorites...)(non-interesting fact - our 'first dance' at our wedding was to Thank You by Led Zeppelin).


Sorry for the distortion, its a really tight space so I have to use a super wide angle. Anyhoo, from Top Left Clockwise: Led Zeppelin The Song Remains the Same movie poster; Jimi Hendrix live in Stuttgart, Germany January 15, 1969 concert poster; Grateful Dead and The Kinks free concert at Wesleyan University in 1970 (hello??! Why don't things like this happen in MY lifetime??); Pink Floyd The Wall movie poster.

Hopefully by the end of the weekend we will have our whole flat together (only took six months...). Of course, that all depends on the Ikea delivery man showing up. He is supposed to be here today between 3 PM and 10 PM (isn't that lovely?) and as I write it is 9:10 PM and still no delivery (**edit: it arrivede at exactly 9:52 PM yippee!).

Peace.

The Government works for the People?

Well, at least when there's only 5 weeks until elections, anyway. I had a post all ready about the current crisis (Ack! Panic! Its like Y2K, bird flu, and killer bees all at once!) and what a bad idea the bailout was. About how we would be paying Rudy Giuliani's firm to 'consult' on the crisis, but would be doing nothing to address home foreclosures, gas prices, affordable health insurance or job security for Americans. About how everyone criticized bailing out homeowners but are now willing to spend what amounts to like $300k per citizen to bailout corporations and their CEOs and their consulting firms and on and on.

But then the House went and defeated it. I think we should all write our reps (well, if they voted nay...) and say THANK YOU!** I am sure this isn't the last we will hear of bailouts, but defeating this ridiculous bill was a big step for our congress. Lets see if they keep this up past November 4.

Anyway, I wish I had some exciting photos to post or something but I have literally done nothing but work and unpack boxes and assemble Ikea furniture (%&*$A%!) (Cory actually got so mad at our bookshelf he put a whole in it with a hammer)(its good I have a sense of humour)(and yes it was quite funny) for the past week and half. I should have pics of our apartment soon - I just want to have something on the walls first! I should have done before and after pictures. Too bad. I don't know how long before another post - but we have visitors coming to town this week so I will get to play tourist. Look for lots of interesting posts soon!

**I think a lot of people must be (well, to say something anyway....), because the house website is going slooooow.

Its a GOOD DAY!

These are the famous Brandenburg Gate - the most famous landmark in Berlin. And now I feel like I really live here:


Aren't those some BEAUTIFUL boxes? I haven't seen these boxes since June 30. In one of those boxes lives a jacket and some long sleeved shirts. I am excited to not freeeze anymore (it is officially Autumn in Berlin). In the bottom picture is all my pots and pans and wonderful kitchen utensils. Now I can cook! HAPPY FRIDAY!!

Introducing: Behind the Skillet

Ok, remember a few posts back where I said I had made a new food blog and was so nice to link you to it and everything? Well, that was on Wordpress, and guess what? I hate Wordpress. It sucked. So I decided to move it back over to Blogger and now it is up and looking perty. Don't take my word for it - go check it out! I have also included a link on the sidebar for your convenience. I am always thinking of you.

Sadly I still don't have any dishes with which to cook. I will try and keep you posted on what I am eating, just don't judge me by the fat content of my food, but by the content of my character.

Ahem...anyway...my shipment from the States (which consists almost entirely of kitchen stuff and photography stuff and a few guitars) should have arrived on Germany's shores yesterday. Yes, 8 weeks after it shipped (which was almost a full week after they picked it up. Obviously they aren't in a hurry). Now it has to clear customs (assuming it did arrive in port today which no one bothered to tell me) and drive to Berlin. I am reeeeaaalllly looking forward to being able to cook. Its hard for me to believe I haven't cooked anything in three months (which is how long my stuff has been in boxes). I wonder if I will remember how.

There is even more exciting news today...I got my washing machine! Yay! If you didn't know, we ordered this washing machine almost a month and a half ago. Today, it was finally installed. Yay for not dragging laundry on the subway anymore!! Here is a picture, which I thought you would enjoy because, yes indeed, my washing machine is in my kitchen.

Doldrums

Being in a new city (ahem, new country, for that matter) you would think stagnation would be impossible. But alas right now I am in The Waiting Place. Waiting for my stuff to arrive (I mean really, its only 30 boxes!!), waiting to get phone and internet service, waiting for my washing machine I ordered a month ago to be delivered, waiting to be able to afford a more professional camera (without being able to earn a paycheck), waiting for artistic inspiration, waiting waiting waiting waiting waiting....

Its really easy to fall into a somewhat of a funk. At the very least, its hard not to succumb to soul-crushing boredom. But, I have made updates to this blog (as you can see, what do you think?) and to my website. I am learning lots of fun new things in Photoshop (finally I am figuring stuff out!). And I have read a lot of books I have been wanting to read for ages (if you have never read Slaughterhouse Five, please go to your library immediately. I am planning a trip to Dresden as we speak...er, type...)

Its been sorta rainy and hazy and icky lately, so I have been occupying my time with some of my old images. Giving them some pop. Here is some of what I have been passing the time with (I am kinda obsessed with green right now...I even bought a bright green couch...)

Deutschland

Can I just say I love it here? My observations my first week since I know several people are anxious to hear about it:

-Beer is cheaper than water. A lot cheaper.
-Even though no one appears to be eating low fat (fat free milk does not exist) and are definitely drinking large amounts of beer (light beer does not exist), everyone is really skinny. We are trying to figure out the secret. So far we think it has to do with the fact that you walk or ride your bike everywhere and that everything is natural. It might be higher fat content, but you will not find high fructose corn syrup in anything. Also, no one drinks soda and everyone smokes.
-Cash only! They don't use checks (they don't even exist) or credit cards. Your bank card can be used some places (like IKEA or the bigger supermarket chains) but pretty much everywhere is cash only. And I haven't seen one place that takes credit cards. The first couple of days this was really throwing me off, I mean, who carries cash in the US? You use your debit card for everything. But, now that I am used to it I think I actually like it better. ATMs and banks don't charge you and they are everywhere (literally. I have about 4 on my block). Its so much more simple. You have one card that you need to carry, thats it.
-People like dogs. They are everywhere and are not on leashes. Not even the big scary pit bulls with spiked collars. I love it! I want to know how they trained their dogs though cause that would scare me on busy streets.
-Everything is super environmentally friendly. All your trash must be sorted in the recycle bins, even plastic soda bottles are washed and reused (not just recycled), everything is manufactured differently to use less waste. All grocery bags are reused. Clothes dryers aren't used. I have a compost bin behind my building. Almost all the food markets are "Bio" (Organic). Its just a normal part of life here.
-The subway is on the honor system. You buy the ticket and stamp it on the platform - but there is no turnstile, no one checking tickets. You can just go and get on the train. I guess every now and then someone will come through and check, so you never know. But, it works. People pay for a ticket.
-People are super stylin, except for the shoes. Which of course, I love. No one bothers with silly strappy high heeled monstrosities. You walk way to much for that, so, there is an abundance of the type of shoes I love. Comfortable ones. You see girls on the subway all dressed up to go to the club. In the US, their shoes would be ridiculous. Here, they are flat and comfortable. Smart.
-That being said, my feet permanently hurt. Me and Cory have decided to make going to the Museum our Sunday ritual (so far, we have seen half of the German history museum and the new Babylon exhibit at the Pergamon). I nearly have tears in my eyes by the time we are done my feet hurt so bad. But, I love it. You walk everywhere (with the help of the S-Bahn, U-Bahn, bus and taxis) and I find it to be sooo much more convenient than driving.
-The local fast food is mostly Turkish. They have this thing called the Doner which is a Berlin specialty, its pork gyro-style meet with salad and this really spicy sauce and tons of feta cheese. Its really good. But I always get the falafel :)
-There is also tons of great Pizza. Its real Italian pizza, so a Pepperoni pizza has peppers on it, not meat. If you want something like they have in the States, you get Salami. Personally, I love the Italian Pepperoni WAY better.

I love my neighborhood. Our flat is less than a block from the subway station, and on the same block as all the shopping we ever would need (which is great because I will be carrying all groceries etc and I ain't so strong). There is also a women's gym around the corner, we are a short walk from a really cool park where there is a farmers market every saturday and a flea market every sunday, we are just a few blocks from the heart of our area (like a Borough in NYC), Freidrichshain, where all the coolest restaurants and stuff are, and we are convenient to both the city center (Alexanderplatz) and the Ring train which circles the whole city. And we are on floor Zero (that would be the first floor to the Americans) so its convenient for taking out the dog. Its perfect. There is also a massive cellar in the second level of the basement. Our building is from pre-WWII and its pretty creepy down there.

Now I just need to get a washing machine (the place for it in our flat is super small so this is a challenge, its like 3 centimeters shorter than the standard washing machine, grrr) and learn some more German. No one can understand me when I say anything even though it sounds right to me. But, I know how to say thank you, check please, and say right or left to the taxi. Cory has managed to make friends with every Hispanic in the city. Friday night we hung out with Luis, from the Domincan Republic, all night (It was funny because he thought Cory sounded like a Mexican gangster) so I might actually get better at Spanish than German.

I realize the lack of pictures in this post, it has just been so crazy and my access to the internet has been limited. Once I get a bit more settled I will start posting tons and tons of pictures!

Things I Like about the USA (or, Goodbye America)

1. NPR (National Public Radio) - The best reporting on topics that are relevant (you know, unlike other news where I hear about the latest on Brangelina or how a stupid flag pin equals a presidential candidates patriotism). I listened to NPR every morning and evening on my commute and I am going to miss it - hopefully in Germany I will still be able to download podcasts. If you haven't listened to Fresh Air, you should check it out!
   
2. The Cereal Aisle - I loooove sugary, food-dye enriched kids cereals. Lucky Charms, Fruity Pebbles, Coco Puffs... I could go on and on. Being quite indecisive, I often have to make my game plan before I get to the grocery store, or I could spend all day hemming and hawing over which cereal I will eat this week. I know my dog Che will really miss Honeycomb.
3. Mexico and an Open Border - Yes, one of my favorite things about the US is its proximity to Mexico. I love the way the culture has mixed. I love Mexican food, Cinco de Mayo, cold Pacifco's with lime, Spanglish and Banda music. I love being able to go there easily and cheaply. I love that there are at least some people here that are fighting to make sure they can continue to come to the US cheaply and easily. I love Mexico and the the people in that country and I think I probably go through somewhat of a withdrawal living in Europe.
   
4. The Southwest - from the the Grand Canyon to the Mojave to the Texas Panhandle, I love the desert of the Southwest. I love the dry heat (even when its 120 F), the cactus, the snakes, prairie dogs, red dirt and prehistoric origins. I hope through technology we can find more sustainable ways of living there, because I would love to find myself back in Phoenix again someday.
   
5. Southern California - Really, do I need to explain? Beaches, In N Out, Fish Tacos, and the Lakers. I love it - even with the abundance of bleached hair, sprawling tract homes, bad traffic and fake boobs. Luckily, I think my family loves it as much as me and will never leave, so I will always get to visit.
   
6. American Food - Diners - Greasy home fries, pancakes, Rootbeer (with LOTS of ice), malted milkshakes and artery clogging onion rings. Peanut Butter and Jelly. Pit BBQ, corn on the cob and baked beans. Convenience Stores - Super Big Gulps filled to the brim with ice and Dr. Pepper, stale donuts and beef jerky. It may all be horrible for you (and really good that I take a break from it for a while...) but it sure is goood.
7. Idealism - Specifically, the ideal of Liberty that is entrenched in the country's beginnings and defines our culture. I am not one to get sentimental about our country's founding, I am far too realistic. But, when I visited the Liberty Bell this week and saw it in pictures with Suffragettes, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Nelson Mandela I realized it represents exactly what this country is about. And as I visited the hall where Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson and others gathered to debate exact what freedom would mean to this country I realized the only thing anyone really agreed on is that it would be a country of the people - and that it would be our duty to change the government whenever it ran afoul. Now that is what I love about America - and why I will be sending in my ballot from Germany in November.

Sadly, my lack of wearing a matching American Flag T-shirt on the fourth combined with my moving to Europe called my love of America into question in the eyes of some (but not really). So, like Obama's American Flag pin on his lapel, this is me proving my 'patriotism'.

In June

Jobless and FREE

Friday was my last day at Microsoft, and my last day of answering to a boss. Over the past year and a half I had hemmed and hawed over my place and future there. Its not a secret I never wanted to be in cubicle or office (who does? Even though mine was impeccably decorated...thanks Aadam!) But, I have to say that my time there taught me so much about myself and what I want in life. I came to respect Microsoft as a company (I have never seen so much organized giving at a job. It was awesome). But even more than that, I came to love and respect some really really great friends that I am going to miss terribly. You guys know who you are!

Now here is to following my dreams, pursuing my art, and having time and opportunity to make a difference! I answer to myself now. I feel free. I am not going to waste it.

Car-less and FREE!

Today, I sold our last vehicle, our Corolla. It feels wonderful and freeing to not have to deal with it anymore. I love walking. I love riding a bike. I hate registration (stupid government), insurance, taxes, car payments and emitting carbon into the atmosphere. So...here is to NEVER owning a car again!

Farewell to The Big Green Bus

Probably the saddest (I mean, SOB!! sad) thing about moving is saying goodbye to our much beloved Green Bus. We put up for sale a few weeks ago, and today we got a buyer. On one hand, this is a relief because it would have been really expensive to store. On the other, I think I am going to cry when they drive it away. We had big plans for the bus, but I guess I am willing to say goodbye for the chance to live in Berlin and travel around Europe :) Someday, we WILL drive a VW Bus from Seattle to Oaxaca.

Utopia

This past weekend Cory went to Berlin to meet his new team and check out the studio and city. We were excited to move before...but now we wish we could leave like NOW. Cory said its like our own personal Utopia - a city full of artists and hippies and punks, full of public parks, great public transportation, amazing architecture, low cost of living. Graffitti is embraced as art and there are murals on everything. Cory saw like 10 public protests just during the weekend he was there. There are tons of small cafes with amazing food. The studio is in a historical building overlooking the Spree and the remaining parts of the wall. We are hoping to live in Friedrichschain. I cannot wait to get over there. Here are just a few of the pictures from his trip:

Ich Bin Ein Berliner

I am freaking moving to Berlin. Ever since the project Cory was working on shipped, he has been interviewing at other companies. In a very VERY unexpected turn of events, he got an amazing offer from a company and we have the very cool (and again - unexpected) chance to go live in Europe. I won't have to work either, which is kinda cool and kinda weird. I have no idea what I will do with my time. I have been working so hard - and my career (ha, the one I have NEVER mentioned on this blog) at Microsoft is just taking off. I am going to miss everyone there, but I know they will all come visit me(hint hint) (you know you read my blog, don't even pretend you don't). I know nothing about Berlin or Germany. I know zero German. But, evidently I am forever destined to live in Europe. Almost exactly 18 years to the day that I first moved to England, I will be stepping on a plane and going back overseas. How weird is that.