sooo tired

not really, but I was.....ever so much shit to do. But things are good, just crazy. I need to back up a little and shove some shit off my plate. First things first, Sam, thanks for being one of the few people to continuously post on the site. Appreciate it. Similarly, thanks to Nate, who I know is struggling but pokes his head out from time to time.

So what have I done in the last two weeks? I don't even remember. Last week I went to a engineering conference in Nuernberg. The info was good, interested and raised more questions than answers, but that's good. Nuernberg is really nice, altough again unfortunately tainted by 60 years ago (Nuernberg Laws und so weiter). Didn't really focus on that too much and just enjoyed my time while I was there. Got drunk with my labmates and sang pretty awfully in a karoke bar. Pics will come later. Then I immediately started a german class which I have for 3.5 hours every morning for a month. The class is mostly filled with ERASMUS students, who are basically kids from all over Europe spending a year studying in Germany. All of which really means is they have an excuse to travel and party basically every day (like me in Aussie-land). I've got sucked into that a little, but I'm pulling back. One, I just don't have time to party all the time, with my job. Two, I don't want to anymore, I had my fun doing that and actually want to have a few more responsibilities than passing classes (like making a useful valve). Three, I wasn't looking for that type of experience. I wanted to have a normal life in germany and be with germans, which is not what these kids are up to. But shit, I've met some hot Brazilians, Spaniards, Irish, Swedish, etc.

Anyway, between work, german and partying, I'm busier than Michael Jackson at an orphanage. One interesting note: Viewing the world from Germany is quite interesting. I am also starting to feel less American and part of the group here. So my own sense of nationalism is fading. I don't really know what's going on in the States, other than there's hurricanes. And the election in Germany is a total fuckup - damn, quite embarrasing. I imagine that most of you have heard something about it, but basically after all this campaigning, there wasn't enough of a majority of any party elected in parliament to chose a chancellor. So now germany basically has no future chancellor and if they don't agree to something (which is sort of likely), they may have to go through elections again. It's all rather amusing, but understandably frustrating if I were german. By the way, Bavaria is Germany's version of Texas (at least what it's stereotyped as) - conservative and religious. I'll be going there next weekend for Oktoberfest (def pics to come).

So, done for now. till whenever I have a chance. miss all those who read this. keep in touch (MSN screen name spence_sz3@yahoo.com).

Und jetzt einige Deutsch. Ich bin nicht sicher, warum ich das schreibe, aber ich muss ueben und vielleicht wollt ihr wie viel sehen, wass ich scheiben kann. John, ich wurde mich freuen, wenn du die groesste Fehlere korrigierst, aber nur wenn du Zeit hast (und Interesse). Die naechste Saetze werden kein Sinn haben. Ich denke immer an dich, da deine Haare so gut riecht. Superman brach seinen Hals, waehrend er eines Pferdes reitete. Darum habe ich Angst ein Pferd zu reiten. Bitte, erzaehl mir von deinem langen Leben. Ich unterhalte mich mit einer Freundin ueber was ist zwischen ihre Beinen. :) Meine Rechnung fuer mein Handy war sehr teuer letzte Monat. Deswegen muss ich mehr SMS schicken, und weniger Anrufen machen, besonders wenn es Geschaeftszeit ist. Als ich 10 Jahre alt war, spielte ich Fussball mit einer Mannschaft. Ich freue mich auf den Fussballspiel in Koeln. Ich schlage vor, dass du Seeed hoerst an. Er ist ein sehr gut Musiker, aber ich vermute, dass du nicht unter Zwang anhoeren.

Okay, endlich bin ich los.