Visiting Genius

Recently, the Breach was visited by an old friend from Way Back in the Day. As she puts things much more eloquently, I'll stick to mild ranting and raving, which, come to think of it, I haven't been doing to much of recently. So, a quickie:

Empire, I'm sorely bored of you. Go become your own Moëbius strip and disappear up your own ass. The rest of us out here in the Reality-based world are tired of you besmearing our newspapers.

Magdalenish, everybody! A big hand for the Besucherin! (The part about me is towards the bottom, but by all means, don't skip straight down!)

A Quick and Reflective Post

3. September, 3. October, 3. November, 3. December, 3. January, 3. February, and now 11 days more. Five months, 11 days. A long time.

I cannot really remember what I was expecting. Some things, but definitely not others. Sauerkraut and rolls, I guess. The forests and the Hain. Certainly not Merkl, but maybe Fischer. Certainly not the Thai food at Pelikan, but definitely the beer at Klosterbräu.

I have surprised myself quite a bit. But my real point (if there is a point) is that other people have surprised me more. Approaching six months, I am learning quite a bit about my neighbors and their own German-ness. Their hopes, desires, and anxieties are somehow old, universal, and yet new to me because of the context. I hope that I will get the opportunity to get to know them better.

That is, of course, the one regret I have so far: I have not made a big enough effort to integrate myself completely at the German table. In the last almost-five-and-a-half months I have acquired the tools to interact more sincerely with my acquaintances. Now is the time to put those skills into action. I finally feel comfortable to be convincingly conversive on a range of topics, to be creative, or to be funny.

Hopefully, when my neighbors come back, I can keep it up.

Van Buren Sighting #1

There's incredible cheating action going on, featuring good ol' #8, Martin.