Welcome 2009

Outside the kids are starting to firing crackers already and I keep wondering when emergency rooms all over the country start filling up. before or after midnight?
Anyway, I never quite got why those firecrackers are really necessary and why they are sold to kids, or why at all.
I mean I understand where they come from, the tradition behind them, but I never quite understood why kids all over the place buy them and what's so much fun about a thing strong enough to rip off your hand and loud enough to make you deaf. They don't do ANYTHING. They are not pretty, they are not a fun gadget to play with, they have nothing speaking FOR them. They have, however, a lot speaking against them. They are loud, they stink, they're dangerous, they disturb animals, old people,..., babies, they are not very environmental, etc.

Fireworks, at least are pretty.

That's why gf and I stay at home and have a nice comfy evening with computer games and food, watching the fireworks from our window.

What will/did you guys do for new years? Stay at home or party like there's no tomorrow?
In any way, I wish you a glorious 2009!

random post # 3595: boredom

no I'm not in a blogging frenzy but I kinda have nothing else to do. Let me qualify that, I don't have anything else that I WANNA do.

Does that ever happen to you? You agree with yourself on having a slow day on the couch with nothing much to do, and then you're bored but not bored enough to actually start working off things on your to-do list?

That's what is happening to me right now. I played an old video game and now that I got bored with it I can't bringt myself to get up from the couch.

Oh, and by the way, how is it possible that the two biggest Austrian supermarket chains don't sell cider?

my life in 2 hrs

My name is finn and I'm post free for 16 days. No, I haven't found a self help group for web-addicts, but I definitely haven't been around much lately. Various reasons, no good excuses.

Anyway, today we had a little x-mas get together after class (remember my tutoring-job?) and I somehow ended up being the last tutor left with the prof (let's call her C) and we kinda started to talk about online advertising and got to social networking and blogging, all within 1.5 hrs or so. During this time I was busy explaining the interwebs to C. She was busy wondering how I fit all of this into my already busy schedule.
I had a really good time and it was a good talk that at first I simply enjoyed for the entertainment value but on the way home it got me thinking...

why do I blog, do I spent too much time reading tweets? While I would usually wonder if I could find a more efficient feed reader, I now wonder if I maybe spend too much time online.
In the end everything will revert back to "normal" and I'll have my Rachel in the morning - to go, like my morning starbucks coffee (caramel macchiato).
I'll read my tweets on the tram and fret about the slow connection of my cell phone.

But I still think, that it's a good idea to question certain things and wonder if all the interconnectivity has a downside. I guess I needed to stop and look for a second, just to see the disadvandages and check back if I'm still ok doing what I do.

I was shocked at first, realising that I can reduce my life away from work to a two hour conversation in a cafe, but at least that gave me the reason to come back to blog...

My dream is your fault

A couple of nights ago I dreamt I was pregnant with twins. To be fair - I had talked about having kids that day, so that's where the dream came from, I guess.

So, I was pregnant and it is all well and then I go into labour. The next thing I know is that I'm holding two newborns in hand and catch myself thinking that newly born babies aren't really that cute (wait two weeks and they are the cutest little things you've ever seen).
So then gf comes into the room (where has she been while I was giving birth?) and starts talking about how she feels left out because I had the bonding experience with the pregnancy and that it would be so cool if she could name the boys. I agree and ask her which names she chose: Hotzenplotz and Rübezahl!
(both are characters in books. Hotzenplotz is a bandit of a childrens book by O. Preußler and Rübezahl is the subject of many fairy tales and can be reduced to an ugly giant)

I had this dream a couple of nights back and I know that it was my own mind dreaming but I keep blaming gf for her choice of names for the poor kids every time I get a chance...
Did you ever blame someone else for your dreams?

Boy, do I wonder why I'm even here.

I'm the holiday substitute at my former job. Last week and yesterday was ok. I had enough to do, to be busy all day.
Today, I came in and there was 1 (ONE!) thing to do. and that was putting a piece of paper into an envelope and mail it.
I took my time and even managed to take a break (boss is not here) but it still only took me 5 minutes to do it.
Now, I'm on the phone with various work unrelated people chatting away.
I don't think that in two years that I've worked here boredom was so huge.
And before you ask. No, I can't go home because, first: I get paid by the hour, second: something might come up...

I'm so looking forward to going to Sweden on Friday!

Observations...

Am I really the only one who sees the similarities...?
Exhibit # 1



















Exhibit # 2















My apologies to Nick Park though, I'm sure he had someone else in mind when creating Wallace and Gromit.

the political dilemma is slowly kicking in

so I'm at my parents' place in Lower Austria enjoying the fresh air and the quietude. Also I managed to master twitter and successfully use my account (feel free to follow me!).

Earlier today, I joined my grandmother watching TV. There was this political debate thing going on. The head of the Green party was facing the head of the social democrats. I'm telling you, I've never seen such ignorance and pseudo-intellectual discussion that my head started spinning.
They were talking about "non-issues" in such detail that I wanted to scream at the TV.
These people are supposed to run our country. These people want my vote come September 28th - I really have no idea what to do.

randomness # 3593: update

The Olympics are over and Austria didn't win that many medals but did well generally. I already miss watching sports on TV - sports that are not soccer, formula 1 and skiing, that is.
But I also realised how productive I am when I'm not at home watching sports or out thinking about what I'm missing out on...
I've got this REALLY long lost of what I wanted to do the next few days and I had most of it done by noon - I like days like this. Efficient, productive and very active...

randomness # 3592: just checking in

after finding myself busy but unfulfilled I got myself an idea for a new project. Actually, it was brought to me by Austrias main TV station, so thanks - I guess. (btw: Thanks to LG for the hint with NBC, but it's for US residents only, and I've not yet learned to fake my IP)
I really don't want to talk about what it is before it all is up and running (I'm superstituous that way) but it's gonna be very cool if it works out.
It'll be a lot of work though and I have to force myself taking it slow and not forget about getting myself a job to pay for it all. I hate priorities.
The problem is if I take things slow then I start getting lazy and do completely differnt things althogether, like playing games or procrastinating in other ways.
So I'm off being productive now...which means going to the store for food :)

Beijing 08

The Olympics start today. I don't have a TV. Wrong. I do have a TV but it works with my Wii but there is no way in hell I can watch actual TV programs on it. I can watch TV on my computer though.
I may have ranted about this some time ago, but in Austria we have the state funded broadcasting company offering two main channels one of which is for people over 50 and the other shows stuff like reruns of old TV shows like Charmed and Gilmore Girls.
In winter they show every ski run (not the snowboard stuff though) and in summer they show formula one races and football (or soccer if you are in the states). Then we have one private funded channel that is only a little better targeting an audience a bit younger than the broadcasting company. They will show the MotoGP and football as well.
I'm hoping that they'll show at least some of the Olympics life (make that some of the competitions that interest me) because I HATE all that summarized and recapped awefullness they usually produce with big events.
Anyone who knows a free programm that allows me to watch the Olymics on my computer (in a decent quality)- PLEASE let me know!!

under a spell

Since last Friday I'm officially between jobs. It's a scary place to be, I have to admit.
1.) I get fidgety if I don't have anything to do. Anything being something that brings in money.
2.) I never know what to do with myself after I took care of everything that I never get around to doing,..
3.) I have already cleaned the apartment top to bottom and I took 3 days to do it...who needs to hurry?
4.) I'm playing Spellforce (Platinum Ed.) for a week now and I can't seem to stop. I wanna do quest after quest and succeed. If only I was better, it wouldn't take me so long. I never thought I'd fall for an RPG. (Maybe I'll manage to take a picture of my kick-ass avatar)
Other than that I donwloaded a vintage game I played back in the 90ies. It's called the planner and it's about a guy taking a job as the head of a transportation service company. It's fun, but only if you have played it as a kid I guess...It's pixel-shit mixed with sentimental value...and I don't even know if they even ever made an english version...

I'll try to find something more interesting to blog about now...or maybe go playing again...

slacker much?

it's done. I'm done. This was my last day of work. I'm officially between jobs. I don't know what the next job will bring or when it will bring what it brings, but I try not to worry.
I'll try to enjoy my slackerish life the next few weeks and I'll keep busy with the apartment and all the rest that I never quite got around to doing. But I'm quite sure that after a few days I'm ready to go nuts because I don't have a job.
Right now, I'm enjoying the feeling of fake freedom and light-headedness.
Oh god, what shall I do first??

split city

Usually, Vienna is a dead city - music wise.
Also, the gay pride parade is traditionally lame.
This year, there will be an astonishing line up at the parade (if your expectations are withered from the last few years) and they'll have kosheen playing and some local but really good bands. Also this year most of the acts playing will be eye candy for the girls. This must've been an accident or a small miracle because usually it's a boys event where women are welcome and will show their support but will not get much in return. So all of that will happen on Saturday and usually gf and I don't go because it's so lame, but this year I'd really like to to go to the after party thing because of the good music, because I like to support local artists that are surprisingly good and because I want to support the new trend of good music at the parade.

Today, while cleaning I listened to the radio and was informed about a huge music charity event organised by this particular radio station and that kosheen, sean kingston, jodin sparks, pharrell williams and some other artists are going to play. All this for 2 bucks a ticket. The parade starts at 3 pm and the whole music thing won't start before 5 pm. The Charity thing starts off at 4.30 pm.

Once in my life there's something I wanna go to and then I find out that there's something else to go to too...At least kosheen are playing at both parties, so I won't miss them. Also, this explains how the parade people got kosheen to play at the parade...

Love and Marriage

Today in the underground a couple was talking to each other and as I was standing right next to them, I couldn't help but overhear their conversation. They were talking about their wedding and how everything will be great with the white roses on the tables and the guests and what not.
I started thinking about weddings and tried to picture myself my own. After a short while I just figured that I really like the thought of being married, introducing someone to my wife at a party or pay less for insurance and taxes. But the thought of getting married just didn't work in my head. I quit church a couple of years ago, so I can't (and really don't want to) marry in a church, but even the thought of having a ceremony at the civil registry office (that's how it's usually done in Austria to be legally married, church is just for fun) is hard to imagine. Maybe that's a lack of imagination though. Also, I have trouble with the concept (as per usual). My life won't really change. We'll still live in our flat, we'll still go to work and we'll still eat dinner together and all that. Our relationship will not be more serious or more of anything (or less of anything) just because the state recognises that we're not roomies. So why would I spend a lot of money on a ceremony to celebrate the change of nothing?
The only thing I wish is that all these thoughts would really have an effect in my life because we're years away from gay marriage anyway...

food-gasms follow up

they had chocolate coated strawberries on tv...Now I want strawberries!
Don't you just hate it when tv does that to you?

food-gasms

the only time ever that you will hear me gushing about food is when I'm served gf's brownies and strawberries, especially with yoghurt.
those brownies are the bestestest. they have such a soft core that they melt on your tongue and when still a bit warm they...I'll keep it short and simple. I just love their texture, they are the best. Also, it is strawberrry season and coming from strawberry county I love them. I used to steal them from the field and I love them the most when they are still warm from the sun. Now I have to ask mom to get me some and I'll get them when I visit her at work because I moved from starberry county to the grey place where they have no such yummy goodness...Right now there are some yoghurt strawberries in the fridge waiting to be dessert - it really takes some will power not to get up and eat them all up, let me tell you that. You haven't lived before you have tasted these...

Oh and afterellen has posted their hot 100 today. Is there a better way to start the week?

update

I haven't blogged in ages and I'm sorry for that...BUT I have a new laptop now and things are gonna get better, I promise.

After LG successfully ended her job search, I will soon begin mine and I'm kind of dreading it already.
I haven't really started to research yet but what I really wanna do is near to impossible because such an industry does not exist in Austria and I predict it never will. So what's left is to find a decent paying job to save some money for moving out of here...(and buy some nice goodies before that...)

But before all of that starts I still have to recruit someone new for my position. I've had to recruit people before but it was for jobs where I didn't expect a perfect CV and letters and the like...this time around I'm looking for someone really good. You wouldn't believe the applications I received. Gf and I looked at them together and we really had a great laugh!
So on Friday I'm meeting two hopefuls. Keep your fingers crossed that one of them is as good as I want her to be, then I can finally quit this damn job here...

LifeBall 2008

I kinda always wanted to see how it is. The atmosphere, the people and so on. But at the same time i never wanted to have to go through the process of selecting some sort of costume and make-up,...

I don't like the cult they create around their bodies. Also i'm always very intrigued by it.

Tickets cost about € 150 so it was out of the question anyway. So this year gf thought she needed to go because of work and i was less than thrilled of the thought of my unfit body half naked at a high society event. Almost a week later now i've grown accustomed to the thought of attending and seeing the likes of sharon stone, rose mcGowan and alan cumming there. I even had some ideas for make-up (yes, me bad lesbian. Me know how to apply make-up in emergencies) and clothes and really had begun to look forward to spending an evening with a bunch of crazies.

Now, gf tells me that she very likely will get no tickets anymore...



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Sent via cell phone.

living on the dark side of the moon

usually, when a movie starts in Germany, the movie hits the theaters in Austria one day later.
In these cases there is no air date for Austria. none.
They will play this movie in Germany starting May 24th. Let's hope for the best.



They Germans also have an air date for wanted and we don't. Now, this bugs me a little less, but both are movies that I wanted to see on a big screen and not just on my computer at home...so get an air date, dammit.

Basketball anyone?

As of lately I have rediscovered my love for sports and especially basketball at that (thanks to LG for posting those college ball clips).
I can't wait for the wnba season to start and I'm actually watching the nba playoff games. At least I want to. The only problem is that I can only download them the next day because of the time difference. Also I fear that wnba games won't be online anywhere and I'll have to live with checking out the stats. being in europe sucks.

since I haven't been following the whole basketball thing for a couple of seasons it's all new faces to me again. and it also is real funny to find out who is still playing and what has changed. I mean the last time I watched Shaq was sucking at free throws for the lakers!
I still have to make up my mind which team I like (as I am not geographically biased, I am free to choose). Are you a fan of your local team or do you just go with whichever team you like? I mean I do get that you stand by your team even if it sucks, but what if your team changes it's "style of playing" and it's just not fun watching anymore?