katharina has gone to düsseldorf for the weekend and i am alone at her place trying to find something else to do besides watch cnn (the only english channel). if anyone needs to catch up on world events give me a call and i'll fill you in. i decided to do so some channel surfing to see what i could find. as many of you (namely johnny and stevie potter) know, the simpsons is an excellent show---not as excellent as seinfeld, but excellent none the less. well, i have discovered something even better...the simpsons in german!! this is the best thing ever! it's hilarious to watch episodes you've seen previously dubbed over in this language. instead of bart saying "eat my shorts!", he says "mein unterhosen essen!" among other things. plus, their voices sound exactly the same as they do in english, i guess they had the voice actors take german lessons? well, once that was over i surfed again and let me tell you, there's nothing better than watching amateur german dj's, that can't dance, spin records from their living room and have the show broadcast live on the tv. i think on of them was bodo (do you remember me mentioning him about one month ago?). i was laughing so much i started to cry...it really was that funny!

now i need to find something else to do...maybe i'll go wander in the streets to see if i can make any new friends that want to go to a movie or play a gin rummi card game with me? relax mom, i'm only joking...but i'm sure you knew that right?! i'm trying to work out this oktöberfest business with my friends niels, not neil, but niels who lives in münchen (munich). niels! where are you! i got your email and yes i want to come...answer your phone!

by the way, i had a pretty cool b-day. like i mentioned earlier, i went with tina to the kaiser wilhelm church and it was amazing! we also cruised the main shopping drag-by cruised, i mean walked. the stored were gigantic! each one had at least three floors and i am not talking about department stores either! kat and i went with her friend fabio, yes--the fabio, to a place called pan asia for some sushi, noodles and curry. boy, was it lecker (deutsch for yummy)--it was so delicious and we ate too much. some swiss guys also joined us, but they got an invite from katharina b/c they were visiting berlin and didn't have anything to do. one guy was cool, the other was lets say...not. ha ha.

hey i need to go watch "wing commander" in german...i've been waiting for it to come on, hopefully it will be better in this language b/c the english version was pants~~~

david gray's "white ladder" is the greatest cd! the book i'm reading is so excellent!! (egg-salad, andy?!?!)

today the 23rd year of my life begins....or does it end? no wait, it ends--my 24th year begins today...oh man! 24? i don't even want to think about it!

i spent 26 euros on beads yesterday...i'm nuts! today i am going with kat's cousin to the kaiser wilhelm kirche, it was built in 1891-95 and was partially destroyed in an air-raid in 1943. wicked! plus we're going to a huge shopping centre, uh oh!

berlin is really interesting...especially at the moment with the impending elections for a new chancellor. it's historic yet completely modern, exciting and scary...disgusting and absolutely beautiful. there's no way to justly describe this city. you have to come here to understand. that said, i am really looking forward to going to munich, i hope that my plans go off without any hitches.

i gotta go...schnell, schnell~~~

dare i say 'only in germany'? i just turned on the tv to watch some news and was greeted by a commercial for a new hair styling product. i think it looks fantastic! it's like a diffuser that you would attach to your everyday hair dryer...only it works in reverse...get ready... because you attach it to your vaccum! it gives you phemnomenal volume! (by nearly ripping your hair out of your head) if you're interested email me and i'll order you one for only 30 euros (that's 45 cdn). it comes with 4 different attachments for 4 different looks.

this is the most off the wall thing i have seen in ages~~~

read on down for some updates of previous entries~~~

i finished reading paling's "deserters" and it was a huge disappointment in the end. i had been thinking that it would make and excellent film, and then it all went downhill. i was so frustrated b/c i wanted to chuck it out the window, but i had to finish it. now i am reading a definite goody...this one i will be able to recommend and lend without shame! yay!! i'm listening to my newest music purchase (they are few and far between since cd prices are ridiculous in the uk, but now i am in berlin...a whole different situ) "death to the pixies" by...the pixies. i have wanted to buy this cd for ages, but it has always been so expensive! but i found it for a mere 9 euros, which is about 14 buckeroos canadian. okay, now on to the goods...

i left the island (again) on the 10th and arrived in one of the zillion london airports and needed to get to another one for my 8:45 pm departure. i made it there no problem, except that i was 7 hours early!!! what the heck! it's a good, no great thing that it was an absolutley beautiful day. i found some grass and parked my a** (this is a pg site). hee hee. i settled in with the crappy book (i was at a good part) and enjoyed the sunshine. after about 4 hours i got sick of being honked and hooted at by the guys driving around the round about over and over again so i decided to make a break for the terminal. i enjoyed the last opprtunity that i'd have for awhile to use a free bathroom and then went in search of an internet kiosk. instead i met anthony.

my attetion was first drawn to the little backpack he was wearing and i thought about how i'd wanted one just like that and attempted to make a mental picture of it in my mind. he turned around and our eyes met briefly, but we looked away, unsure if the other was interested in a chat. i could tell that he was bored and to be honest, so was i. and so the conversation began in the typical fashion..."where are you from?...where are you going?" minutes later we were checking to see if we could get on the same flight to paris. we totally hit it off...we had a crazy talk about travelling, being at home, our families, our dreams and what we were actually going to end up doing with our lives. he was an absolute classic...we exchanged email addresses and plan on keeping in touch since he lives in oregon. needless to say we didn't get on the same flight and he probably just made it to his gate in time b/c we talked for to long! we may meet up at the oktöberfest...but it's a busy event and chances are slim to none...and word is slim just left town.

i spent 4 days with my uncle tom and aunt isabel at their summer house in south western france and really enjoyed myself. we went to an old fortified village, splunking in some caves, climbed a rock face up to an old troglodytic fort and drank some, make that lots of, french wine. i had the chance to practice my conversational french, which turned out to be better than i expected. i was able to talk with the locals and sort out stuff when i was in the shops. i wish that i could have stayed longer but i needed to get to berlin before my train pass expired.

i took the night train from paris to berlin and it was so sweet! i met stefanie...a german girl who was staying in my cabin for the journey. she spoke english quite well and we had a good laugh together. she offered to show me around berlin a bit as well too which was really nice of her. we are going to a bead shop tomorrow!! i am so EXCITED!!! apparently it really big and full of neat stuff. i think i'll go for broke! i've been in berlin since sunday and only ventured into the heart of the city today. i put A LOT of iles on my shoes today and got in some vertical distance as well with climbing the siegessäule (tower of victory). from the top i could see all of berlin...it was absolutely spectacular! thanks to mother nature for the great weather as well. now i am back at kat's, tired and full from dinner. my birthday is in 2 days, which makes me feel kinda home sick, but katharina and i are going out for sushi with some other friends which should be fun. if you feel like calling me, you can get the number from my mom (or dad, but some how i think mom is more reliable--no offence papa)...don't forget, we're 9 hours ahead of vancouver~~~

hey i've updated a few past entries...check 'em out and thanks for your patience~~~