You know i love Berlin.
I love it. I talk about how much i love it all the time.
How great it is to live here, how wonderful my friends are.
I love it, i do.
But sometimes… Sometimes i really fucking hate it.
Hate living somewhere where i’m helpless when things aren’t working.
Where i don’t really speak the language, or fully understand how things work… and don’t work.
I’ve had to deal with some absolutely ridiculous people and situations lately, and i’ve had to do a lot of it on my own.
I’m embarrassed to admit i’ve cried actual tears of frustration.
These recent events are also the reason why i haven’t blogged lately.
No internet. No wifi for almost two weeks.
No way to transfer money, or work on projects, or print out plane tickets, look shit up, get directions… or check instagram.
So basically a nightmare of partially loaded pictures, and friends referencing links we weren’t able to open!
And lots of dumb excuses from the company we’ve been paying good money to for over a month.
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg of bullshit… but i won’t get into that, cause it’s boring.
But hopefully it at least explains why i haven’t been around!
I’m going traveling again in a few days, and i pretty much just wanted to post this so i wouldn’t be too far behind, so i’m sorry if it’s a bit dull.
The last few weeks have been great if you’re not counting all the bureaucratic awfulness.
Last weekend i partied, a lot, and even went on a date for the first time in months, and this weekend was all about chilled out friend hangs in parks and by canals.
Love it here. Must not forget that.
Love it.
This morning i had a dream that was super scary and vivid, and for some reason reminded me of a scene in a Douglas Coupland novel, so i wrote it down right away.
And since i haven’t done any weird journal posting in a while, i’m gonna post it here.
That’s right, i’m dream journaling on the blog!
Because why not.
“I’m standing in a living room with my parents.
Not our actual living room, but an open kitchen type apartment with huge windows.
We’re talking about growing carrots.
The room is dark, and the carrot growing is apparently going well.
I look out the window and I quietly say “No. No no no no no no no no”.
Over and over again. My parents get up and that’s when they see it too.
The mushroom cloud.
An angry, red mushroom cloud.
It’s actually happening.
The sky is dark and debris start flying.
Lucifer is panicking, crawling up my leg and I pick him up.
It’s a fiery orange now, and it’s much more terrifying than I could have ever imagined.
“Should we run?” I ask them.
They don’t know. They’re as paralyzed by fear and helplessness as I am.
I turn on the tv and we see the epicenter. Some middle eastern city who’s name I don’t recognize.
The screen looks like the map you see while on an airplane between destinations.
It flickers.
I actually think about what to write on twitter and facebook, knowing it will be my goodbye.
Not only to my friends and relatives, but to the world and life as we all know it.
I write nothing.”
And on that gloomy ass note, here are some pictures from the life of me and my gang in Berlin.
Coffee on our friend Randy’s last day in Berlin
Morning view
Lucifer and my new plant shelf
No love like poopy dog breathy love
All day hangout with the faves
Oh the stuff they have at Voo Store… and coffee too!
Box was with us, and Box was bored
Lucifer in his man cave
About a week ago in Kreuzberg when it rained and snowed, while the sun was shining
Sneak peek at my new tattoo that Wendy did last week… more pictures of that in my next post
I went art supply shopping and didn’t even bring anything back for the dog… how rude of me!
This night turned kinda crazy… allegedly… i personally don’t remember that much!
Flea market in the hood is pretty crappy, but it’s close to my house and i’m definitely going back there at some point
We kinda turned the dining table into an art table, and it’s actually done wonders for our productivity, so maybe you really aren’t supposed to work and sleep in the same room?
Walking the dog on a bad day
Jess moved in, and i immediately stole her pimpin Margo Tennenbaum coat
Nap time with my buddy
Pizza night last week was cheesy and delicious
Wendy decorated the hallway, and it made such a difference
Pizza night, drawing night, study night, all in one
Walking through Schöneberg
Sitting outside drinking coffee sure as hell beats sitting inside drinking coffee
We sat in this weird tent like chair bed thingie and enjoyed the sun, while planning a Spice Girls themed costume birthday party
And then we took classy bathroom selfies!
New York t-shirt dress, in honor of our upcoming trip
That time we had a girl night and one Wendy did the other Wendy’s hair, and it turned out great
And then she did mine… it’s even lighter than it looks here, and i’m still getting used to it!
Pretty yard on an ugly street
Pizza by the canal, because it’s finally (occasionally) warm enough
Lucifer had to stay on his leash and he wasn’t amused
Next day we had an actual picnic at Victoria Park
I made onigiri, the other girls made amazing salads and brownies
Still cold, but we fucking did it anyway and it was great!
On top of the world (or at least Kreuzberg)
Lucifer got picked up today, and i miss him already
Hey guys!
Berlin is one tough bitch, isn't she?! Man, I don't know how you do it. But you're still alive so this is good. I hate to use the old saying, "It's a nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to…." well, you know the rest. I love it for a vacation even for an extended period of time, but I would kill myself after a couple of months. Or Berlin would kill me, is more like it. So you are a rare, strong breed with a lot of balls. Come to Berchtesgaden for a break! My day usually looks like this, dog hike, coffee, work, dog hike, ice cream, dog bike ride, schnitzel. And there's been sun lately. And is that the flea market in Schöneberg?! Your hair looks rad!
Haha, maybe i am! Or maybe it'll break me eventually, who knows. I'm good at adapting to new places and making myself at home, maybe that's why i'm still here. That, and i don't have anywhere else to go!
I moved out of Schöneberg, so the flea market is in Neukölln, at the OBI parking lot 🙂
Now I'm even more excited for my trip to Berlin. 3 days and counting! 🙂
Oh yay, i hope you had the best time!!
That dream sounds almost like a Ray Bradbury short story. And Lucifer! I've seen another dog with that name, ahh, he's adorable. And oh my gosh, no Internet for two weeks, you handled it way better than I would have! 🙂 xoxo Coolio pics
http://www.thelittleenigma.blogspot.com
It ended up being more like no internet for 5 weeks. I don't know how we even survived!
I love your hair right now, it's just on the edge of crazy. I can totally identify with the whole "dealing with frustrating foreign institutions" thing, it's beyond infuriating! Especially when you don't have the language down 100%.
Haha, on the edge of crazy is kind of the perfect description