How to procrastinate at work

Here's to all the folks out there with jobs they don't like...

Try creating your own Middleman!!

Here's my Middleman (psst, it's a wallpaper)

tummy ache

while I told gf to go shut her eyes for a while I'm keeping watch over Sammy who needs to be fed every two 1/2 hours because he doesn't do it himself. He doesn't because there's something not quite alright with his bowels and being a bunny this can be lethal because he needs to eat to keep his digestion going at all times.
We went to see a doctor tonight and came home around midnight and are now waiting that his state will be better.
we fed him once by now and I can't even begin to tell you what a mess it was. I had his food in my hair and in my ear and all over my clothes and everywhere else. But he ate all he got bravely, which give me hope because it shows that he is hungry but wants to eat. Good sign.
Now, he's curious again when someone comes to check on him and he seemed interested in the hay that we left him in his temp cage with. If he started eating by himself it would be the best thing that could happen. We're going to see the doctor again tomorrow morning to do another x-ray to see if the situation has improved...let's keep our fingers crossed.

random trainwreck of thoughts #54685

I'm drowning in work (again.) but I need a break and do something halfway meaningful (as opposed to writing hundreds of little sticky notes and sticking them to the wall behind my screen.

So we went to that sarah bettens concert on Monday and it was great. Gf had her reasons to like it and I understand that because of course I'm in there with her, but to me the concert was also some sort of celebration. It was my new freedom party. Also the music is just perfect for such occasions. I usually just forget about how much I like sarah bettens during the year when I have nothing but her records. I like them ok but they're not as driven and vibrant as the live version. She rocks on stage and I was so happy that she didn't have a support act but just started the whole thing by herself. I usually hate the whole break before the actual artist comes on stage. and also the tickets are much cheaper this way. I love it that she plays in small locations and makes tickets affordable. She comes everytime she's on tour in Europe and not only once every 5 years and then charges I don't know how much...To make a long trainwreck of thoughts short - I like Sarah Bettens. Also I think she should have her own skateboard or snowboard line. But I'm a sucker for merchandise...

I always wonder if she doesn't get bored playing "not an addict" everytime (at least everytime I saw her play here). I love the song though, especially played live.
Also it was very cute when she asked someone in the audience to lend her a camera to make a video to be put on youtube. It took only 3 days to be put up, it always goes slow in Austria. She had left her daughter back home and wanted us to say hello...how nice is that!?

Ok, now after boring you with a story of Monday I will go back to my sticky notes and put some more on the wall...

slow motion

gf went to Hungary until Monday and has left me and the bunnies home alone with nothing to do but miss her...ok, it's not true that I don't have anything to do but I kinda feel that way.

So I thought I'd call up S, my best friend and it happened that I really reached her (which hardly ever happens) and we talked all afternoon. she doesn't live in vienna and we send e-mails more or less regularly, we talk occasionally and we haven't seen each other in three (!) years. I love these long talks about all and nothing, where afterwards I don't even know anymore what we talked about, it was just nice hearing her voice and knowing she's ok.

I haven't heard from gf yet (except that she arrived safely) and that worries me a bit, but I decided to believe everything's good.

the amazing thing is that S really is sort of my best friend (the relationship is hard to describe and not easy to understand for anyone who is not her or me, so I'll call it best friends) and gf hasn't even met her yet. we try for a year or so by now, but it hasn't happened yet. S decided that she's gonna come visit as soon as she has the money. She hates Vienna but she will come. and this time I kinda have the feeling that it really will happen.

I'm also a bit afraid of what will happen when gf meets S. Will they claw each others' eyes out, will the room freeze, will everything be nice and smooth? I admit it makes me nervous, because I can't control what will happen. I can't know or influence the outcome of a situation I want to be perfect so bad, it freaks me out...

I guess, I really need to learn how to let go and go with the situation, relax and stop controlling everything/one around me...

over the moon

gf downloaded this movie that we might watch one evening if we are up for it. we had it on our hard drive for a couple of days and watched it yesterday. she said that the critics thought that only one half of it was good and the other was not worth watching.
well I don't know which half they saw, but the ones I saw were bordering on brilliant. Maybe it's my european take on things or my loathing the war in Iraq. Maybe it's also my utter fascination of the 60ies and the social movements of that time, I really don't know. "Across the Universe" is never gonna hit austrian cinemas, I'm sure. It's a pity though, because the whole thing would probably look magnificent on a silver screen. and with a decent sound Evan Rachel Wood and Jim Sturgess would sound even better than with our crappy PC speakers...
I never knew that she could sing and boy does she look a lot like LeeLee Sobieski.
I can't even begin to say what I love about this movie and usually I would just say - go, watch and find out for yourself, but it seems that a lot of people think very differently...
The light, the arrangments and songs in general, the acting, everything was melting together into one perfect object...
I'm over the moon about this movie and it's music...can you tell?

'nuff said

a couple of numbers to be amazed by.

christmas meme

LG and Shazza both had it on their blog and with nothing really happening to blog about, I thought about taking on this meme. Everyone who knows me that I'm not the biggest fan of christmas and try to avoid the fuss that is made...

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Neither. Even as a child I would use newspaper pages to wrap the gifts and I was pissed as hell if my own presents weren't wrapped in newspaper as well. I don't like supporting the whole useless business of wrapping something in paper and then throwing it out. Too green for that.

2. Real tree or artificial? I love real trees...My parents switched to a fake one a couple of years before I moved out. Before that we always had big real trees that smelled like it. One year we had one in a pot and planted it in our garden. then the artificial one came and I do see why my parents went for it but I can assure you they really don't make more or less mess than real ones. in fact the one gf and I had last year made no mess at all and as surprised as we were there were no needles under it even two weeks after christmas!

3. When do you put up the tree? on christmas day, very traditional.

4. When do you take the tree down? Jan 6th. also very traditional.

5. Do you like eggnog? not so much, but a sip or two is ok.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? I was spoiled with gifts but my LEGO was probably my fav. or my snowboard (although I wasn't a child then anymore) or my first pair of skis or my mini-car racing track,...I was spoiled.

7. Do you have a nativity scene? My parents have one, but gf and I don't. I don't put much thought into it though.

8. Hardest person to buy for? I'm not good with presents. although I have a complete list this year. I don't know how, really but somehow the ideas just came to me.

9. Easiest person to buy for? Usually mom or my little sis.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? neither. I don't like them via mail because it's another thing that just goes into the trash and via mail they just fill up my inbox. so no thanks. call if you will please.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? most probably something one of my grans got me without asking my parents or me first if I even like that...probably music or clothes.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? gf convinced me to watch "love actually" every year. it's very sweet movie.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? As early as I can, which usually is too late because of my lack of gift idea skills.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I don't remember. so I guess not.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Vanillekipferl. google for yourself.

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? I'd never in a million years use colored ones.

17. Favorite Christmas song? Have yourself a merry little christmas. I love the Tori amos version very much. it has that sort of sadness to it that would reflect my christmas mood so well.

17b. Christmas Song That, When You Hear It, Makes Your Eyes Bleed And Your Brains Start To Leak Out Your Ears, Because That Is Less Painful Than Having To Listen To That *&%^&$# Song One More Time! That would be Wham! - Last Christmas. I do so hate the song that I get aggressive when hearing it. even if I am in a shop and can't properly hear it and it works its way into my subconscious being...grrrrr.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? I would like to stay at home but that wouldn't work out with my parents and grandparents and also not with the in-laws...

19. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeers? I know blitzen and rudolph. but then again it's an american thing to watch christmas movies when it's not even cold and put up lights that use more power than the local hospital...Did I mention that I like my christmas without all the fuss?

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? none. before my dad broke it we used to have some sort of pointy tree top thingy that I don't know how to describe. them mom went and bought the most tasteless angel I've ever seen. but she's a bit kitchy that time of the year.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? traditionally on christmas eve. but gf and I tried to adapt that whole business of opening presents in the morning. so we celebrate with our parents on christmas eve and open the presents there and the next morning we open the presents that we have for each other.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? the way people think they need to buy everything they find and the way christmas becomes the most expensive, wasteful and hectic time of the year.

24. Favorite Christmas Tradition? I don't know really. probably the whole dinner thing but I wouldn't say that I enjoyed that a lot except for the last 2 years.

25. Outdoor decorations? No.

Now, if you want you can go ahead and do the thing yourself. I won't tag anyone...

the socialists' lament - a rant

gf and I went to a concert today. we're in vienna, in one of the most prestigious and pretentious buildings the city has to offer. The Musikverein. gf's mom is playing in this orchestra and they played Grieg and Carmina Burana. I like the Scandinavians, so Grieg wasn't a problem. Carmina Burana is ok in the beginning and in the end, but I'd be ok with cutting out the middle part. Carmina Burana in 15 min - my ideal.
We sometimes go see gf's mom, and we're both not the biggest fans of classical music but today's music was ok.

I have a "problem" with the audience and the environment usually. First off, they had a fence on the edge of the stage. I wasn't sure if it was to keep the musicians from falling down or to make it clear to the audience that they are "just down there". After all, the musicians sit; unless one of them has a seizure they CAN'T fall off the stage!
The room is all golden and really pretentious, but only for people without legs, because I have the shortest legs, and my knees would hurt from crashing with the front seat...

So, apart from listening to ok music in a building I find ugly I really don't get the people there.
None, and I mean NONE of these people there smiled at one point. They didn't have fun at all in there. Why do they go? because it is so beautiful. Serious music. "we don't listen to music to be entertained". bottom line: they don't have fun.
during the middle part of carmina burana - the one that I found so boring - I could see people shift in their seats, keeping straight faces to appear as if they were taking serious what happens down there. they all have sticks up their ass and the nerve to suit up on sunday morning. I don't get them.

why do people like the pathos of all this? why do people like to listen to the same thing over and over again for centuries and not change a single thing? why can rock bands incorporate a bach sonata but a symphony orchestra hardly ever play korn?
why is there no real variation? no wonder they were all bored to death.
I hate their arrogance, their elitist thinking.
the musicians thinking they are better than the rest because they are up on that pedestal and ALL these people came to see them. and the audience thinking how good they are being there listening to all this great music and really being a part of the upper crust.

I'm gonna stop this rant now. I think you get my point.
Sorry to come back from hiatus with a rant, but I felt like it.
btw, I met the deadline and my paper was handed in just in time to be accepted for grading. YAY!

new things

while surfing the net I came across a blog fueled by a very cool idea.
jen from new york started doing new things on the day she turned 29 and will do new things every day until she turns 30. that's the plan.
She blogs about what she's done right here and with that made ME do a completely new thing too. Thanks jen!
I read her blog from January through November. I've never read a whole blog before, so that's a definitely a new thing. Also it is very inspiring for people who like to have new ideas of fun things to do and have no problem with a little bit of procrastination.

I'll probably try something new of my own soon...very inspiring.

globalisation?

being a student of political science, which belongs to the big family of social sciences I am aware that globalisation is something worth fighting against. Now, more than ever!
I didn't have an epiphany while watching the news with all those hungry kids in africa on, I didn't see oppressed indigenous people fighting their government in latin america, no, none of that.
I tried ordering exes and oh's on iTunes.
we saw the pilot and the show is not the best we've ever seen but it's nice entertainment. after giving it some thought I went to order it via iTunes. I couldn't find it in Austria's iTunes store so I went to the US one...I can go there, but I can't order there...laws, regulations and what not forbid that I order exes and oh's on iTunes, or Amazon for that matter, how lame is that. Why does everyone keep complaining about how the world is growing into one big market place for global players when it's simply not true!
I hate being in Austria. Ok, maybe the US is a third world country concerning social issues but when it all comes down to economy Austria is still in the middle ages.

I know I shouldn't be so cynical, after all I'm talking about peoples lives here, but I'm so pisses with amazon and apple right now, I can't rant any other way.
I never found the switch for my cynical side to shut down.

I have to admit though, that I found a way of buying at iTunes US. I have to open an American account for an American address with an American bank, get myself some sort of credit card issued to that account and then I'm an iTunes US citizen.

Crap.

Ani fucking DiFranco!

here we go again.
last time around it was somehow manageable to fly to Hamburg and see Ani. This time it is not. GRRRRR.
she fucking comes to Switzerland and Italy and Germany. She automatically needs to go through Austria and she doesn't even bother to stop and give a little concert.
Last time she even had a fricking Austrian tourbus and didn't come here. Now she is propbably doing the same. I mean, I love her and her music and everything she's done activism-wise. BUT WHAT THE HECK IS SHE THINKING IN LEAVING US OUT AGAIN!!!!
tori comes, bryan adams comes, timberlake and even madonna come...ani has an old map with a white spot where austria is supposed to be. let's send her a new one!

my shopping spree

for everyone who doesn't know: I hate shopping.
for everyone who already knew: I still do.

this is me before i go shopping. happy, content, maybe a little fearful already.










first off, everyone is stupid. secondly, all the shops are stupid. thirdly, all the designers are too thin and blind.

people are shuffling through the streets, not looking or caring if they smash their bags into other people, not looking or caring if they step on other peoples toes and not looking or caring that what they attempt to buy looks awful! fashion victims all over the place.
Is there no place where you can buy decent garments? I'm not talking about those t-shirts that will fall apart when you dare to look at them. I don't wanna be un-pc but clothes had better quality when they were not produced by children in taiwan and indonesia, but by almost women in latin america.
of course production was more expensive too then, so the big cheeses settled for asia. but why on earth did prices go up then???
I get less for more. and it's not that the workers get more from my money. arrrgh.
so then the shops are overcrowded and people just don't care anymore.
but fashion. well, who is supposed to wear that? why do so-called designers never wear their stuff, but always come in simple and casual black stuff? Why do ordinary people with ordinary bodies have to wear these obnoxious insults for the eye and body?
I don't wanna wear jeans that look like leggings, really I DON'T. I'm fine that they offer them for people who do, but why on earth do I have to go into 5 shops to finally find one who didn't throw out all the normal jeans for leggings shaped ones?

Dear shop-owners, it's ok to sell fashion, just please don't forget about those who do not suffer from fashionitis.
Dear designers, go fuck yourselves.

this is me after shopping. on the floor and exhausted.

I guess I'll frame and hang my old pair of jeans, for my kids to see how jeans had nice shapes when I was young...

a new era

watching some aol sessions with tori amos, especially the Q&A I eventually figured out, why some poeple always get to answer the same questions over and over again.
They are not interesting. Tori gets asked about her opinion on stuff, politics and so on. She hardly ever comes to the point of having to draw a line for her privacy's sake.
Then watching Avril L.'s session I was just so bored. The ever same questions with the ever same answers. I know I'm talking pianos and guitars here but I needed that to enlighten me. yes, sometimes I'm slow.

aaanyway. tori did it again. this time not gf, she bewitched my friend d. who i tried to convince of tori's genius for quite some while. she went to a concert yesterday and was blown away. calling me afterwards almost tongue tied. and if you knew her, then you'd know that almost tongue tied with her is silent for a couple of years for somebody else.

I feel strangely approved (if that is the correct term), content in any way.

plus it's my last day of uni for summer. tomorrow we'll do some serious cleaning and then summer is officially here. I can start catching up on tv-shows, listen to music, commence my jodie-foster-summer-sessions, refurbish, read, play computer games, maybe take up on playing the guitar since i don't have a piano anymore...oh the possibilities!

the window is leaking...again

it started off as summer. normal summer. heat and all.
then came a nice summer rain that turned into hail, which is nothing unusual either.
then the hail came through our window...again.
it's not as bad as last time where we had all our towels soaked in an attempt to keep the water outside. but it's the same fucking thing again. the window frame is leaking. we will have to call the landlord again, they will send over an expert again. the expert will talk to the insurance again. insurance will approve repairing the window again and it will be repaired again...no wait. they only did it cuz they were doing repairworks anyways. so it might take them months to repair our window. we still have patches of fluff under the ex-faulty-window that are gonna be removed next wednesday. I HATE JUNE!!! or our windows, i'm not sure.

spoken words

oh how I love the internet. there are new things to find and explore every day. this is my new discovery: www.soundzine.org
so if you are a poet, writer or similar please submit your work, cuz I'm curious to read and listen to stuff.
I'm a such a sound person and I always liked poetry more if it had a rhythm to it that automatically emerged when reading. those were the poems I really loved.
but that way, having poems, prose and journals read by the author it really rises to a new level authenticy.

jordin wins and i get spoiled

i hate being spoiled.
all day long I innocently surfed the web and then some jerk in the row in front of me in the computer-room opens a website and I see it. jordin sparks is the new american idol.
who uses msn.com anyway?
aaarrrgghhh.
but it's a good thing she won.
early on in the competition gf and I started "voting" for her and we were right.

I'm relieved though. I really managed to not say anything to gf about who wins...

June 8th, Vienna

ok, ok, it's not front row, center but 6th row center cuz some fuckers were faster than me...but it's still brilliant tix and I'm so glad I got them...