Work, football and phone numbers

A Fresh start into a new week and I was rather busy at work this morning. Maybe not really busy, as I had time to check mails and journals and blogs and message boards every once in a while. But at least I wasn’t that bored that I could start to post something to my blog. Is it weird that I feel good about having something to do at work? No, not at all, because I definitely don’t want to risk bore-out-syndrome :) I left an hour early, because I have to this mindmap thing. As I can’t install any software at the office computer (because our office is part of a larger computer network and we’re not allowed to install anything) I have to do that work from home, which I will in a few minutes.

Miscellaneous, 2008/06/28

Work sucks. Most of all, because there is not much work to do. I know that’s a rather luxurious problem, but it feels weird. I just feel so useless. My co-worker will be on vacation all of July, so I’m in charge of the office and I hope that gives me a bit more to do. And of course there still are dozens of stacks and shelves to sort through and organize and all the tedious office work, which I held off to do for weeks now.
I even got some new assignments during our meeting on Friday, so I guess I’ll be busy at least for the next few days. Is mindmapper really a part of Microsoft Office ? Or just the newer versions? Because I have never heard of it, but it sounded like it’s part of the Office suite. I might have to check my Office installation CD once again, maybe it even is on there. If not I have to get a free mindmap software somewhere else. Because I’m supposed to do mind-mapping. Well, I do as I’m told :-)

Vienna Calling…

They played “Vienna calling” on the radio last night, when we drove home from the city. Nice! So, Germany made it to the final of EURO 2008 and this country went crazy. Even I did to some extent and I was really really thrilled that the team managed to win the game. But honestly: The didn’t deserve to have won. Not at all, because they were playing so bad. They had about five shots on goal and even “efficiently” scored three times, but the way everyone messed up everywhere on the field, was rather hard too watch.
If I would care about that sport at all I would probably be mad at the team for that absolutely poor performance. But as I don’t, I can just be as patriotic as I want to be and celebrate. It’s great to see the feeling of summer 2006 return more and more with every day. People with german flags on their cars, in Team Germany jerseys or with any kind of German fan-stuff (caps, necklaces) and on the night of the game even with big flags wrapped around their hips or worn as a cape.

I really like that this nation finally is able to deal with their national symbols (flag, colours) in a friendly and relaxed way. Due to our history, there didn’t seem to be a normal way to deal with it in the last few decades. Probably because the only ones who did, were the ones with an ugly nationalistic, racist attitude. 10 years ago you wouldn’t have caught me with german flags painted on my cheeks no matter what sport event took place anywhere :-). But that’s changed in the last few years and it’s fun to see and to be a part of it.
It’s nice to see how this sport and tournament brings people together. You have a common topic to talk about anywhere with anyone and it’s really great. The atmosphere in this country is so relaxed at the moment, it’s a welcome change for a few days. Because this summerdream and the relaxed atmosphere will be over after the tournament, I guess. So let’s enjoy it while it lasts and let’s keep singing along to rather stupid football songs on the radio like I did last night on my way back home. Singing on the top of my voice to Oli Pochers “Bringt ihn heim” (Bring it home). Oli Pocher! *headdesk* I was still on the victory high, I guess.

All in all I still think hockey is the way cooler sport though :-)

My first date with “Doctor Who”

I finally managed to watch the first two recommended “Doctor Who” episodes 1.09 / 1.10 (quick reminder: London WWII, “Are you my mommy?” Captain Jack Harness’ first appearance) and I have to admit I definitely enjoyed watching. This show is probably one of the craziest I’ve ever watched, but it was crazy in a not-stupid-crazy way, if that makes any sense. I was pretty much ignorant about anything about the show, all I basically knew that there was time-travel involved and it was thus a science-fiction show. I should have figured that there were starships and weird gadgets and  a variety of alien lifeforms, but I didn’t. Yes, stupid me. So that throw me off a little for the first few minutes, but once I get used to it, I found it utterly entertaining. Crazy, but good crazy. A little bit scary as well, because that “Are you my mommy?” kid was really creepy and to watch somone’s head transform to a gasmask was kind of nasty as well.
But, and that’s a big BUT, I just loved the show’s sense of humor. The bantering between the doctor and Jack about their various gadgets and some other stuff was hilarious and I just cracked up over so many lines from the doctor (or Jack). So I guess, I really have to get my hands on a few more episodes. It’s already season 4, so there is a lot to catch up on. But I have all summer.

One last thing: Is it just me, or does John Barrowman indeed have some resemblence with Tom Cruise? That was at least my first thought when he first appeared in this episode. It freaked me out a little, because I don’t really like Tom Cruise, not anymore at least. I lost that impression pretty fast, because Captain Jack was such a cool character, but still… I just didn’t expected that kind of first impression :-)

London & Extraschicht

For the last couple of days I thought that I should only allow myself to watch some DVD later in the evening, after doing all the stuff I had or wanted to do on that day. Which always lead to me doing all sorts of (un-)important stuff and watching too much football on TV (in the background at least) before I put in a DVD way too late. So today I had a different schedule. I watched the last Lynley mysteries from series 2 first and now do all the other stuff like finally put up a new post here. Actually I even wanted to continue working on my Vacation 2006 – 2008 photo books, but I’m afraid it will be too late, when I’ve done with this post :-)

I think I watched the whole series (4×90 minutes) within a week or so. Geez, I’m seriously addicted. But it’s so much fun. A gay suspect about Lynley: “He’s so cool. I bet he’s straight, isn’t he? What a waste…” I just sat there and grinned and thought: No, not a waste at all :-)

I’m determined to not buy series 3 right away though, but instead finally give Doctor Who a try and catch up with the tons of Chicago Hope episodes I just got. Or finally watch some of the unseen DVDs on my DVD rack.

I spend about 90 minutes studying this morning, which was more than I managed to in the last few days. But I had so many other things going on and having to think about, so serious studying was out of question anyway. I’ve still got a couple of important errands and / or late work meetings this week, but after that I should really get back into some study routine easily. “Should” being the operative word :-) I spend these 90 minutes outside on my patio, which was really nice until it got really dark and I expected the thunderstorm which was announced on the forecast. And it started to rain a bit, but not really. I stayed inside though, glued to my computer with planning my London trip in more detail.

Killers in Cologne … YAY!

This has to be the week of insanely spontaneous decisions. Which might be the only thing keeping me sane in an stressful week. I hope I’ll find the time and ease to blog about some things tomorrow. Like the impossibility to even get a glimpse of all that London has to offer in mere three days. My plan for the London weekend seems awfully packed, and I’m not even planning on going into a museum or gallery or… well, there is too much to see and do in London, I can assure you.
Reason for this late-night jubilant post: Around 0.45 am I checked my feedreader for the last time, before I turn off the computer. One title immediately got my attention. It was on the feed from The Killers and said: The Killers to perform at Roncalliplatz in Germany on August 9th, 2008. OH.MY.GOD! As fast as my shaky hands let me use mouse and keyboard I checked the link to the ticket service, checked my calendar and mere 10 minutes later I had bought a ticket to see The Killers in Cologne in about seven weeks. *squeeeeeeeeeeeee*

How did I live without internet 10 years ago ?!?!? You had to find out about the concert, you had to find out where to get tickets and you had to go somewhere (=big metropolitan city, because there was no ticket shop in our small suburbian town) to buy the ticket. And now, just a few clicks and … I AM GOING TO SEE THE KILLERS IN CONCERT! “If somebody told me…” that just a few days ago. I’m almost jumping up and down right now, because it’s one of my concert dreams come true. Yay!

Just a lot of venting…

When I got back home last night, I was too tired to rant. Although I felt like ranting and bitching about some stuff, I just couldn’t get myself to sit down and try to transform this anger and annoyance into words. Words which would make sense if they were strung together. So, I didn’t rant last night, but watched another Lynley mysteries DVD instead. With this rate I should order season 3 already, but I should be reasonable and watch some other stuff instead. Or spend more time working through the study material for the Engery 2 course. But if I was too tired to rant, I definitely was too tired to study.

After a more or less good nights sleep most of the anger wore off, although some of the stuff causing it, did not. I’m still extremly annoyed by my co-workers work attitude. It’s not that I can’t work without him, or use the office hours for other stuff *g*, when there isn’t that much to do. But it still would be nice to be able to talk to him every once in a while. In person. For more than just 30 seconds. I need feedback on some stuff, before I can continue working on it, and I don’t want to do it all over again later, when he disagrees with what I had in mind.

I really enjoy every minute of it…

I know why I choose this “subtitle” for my blog :-)

Friday, 25th July
10:50 am, Flight BA 937 Düsseldorf – London Heathrow

Monday, 28th July
04:50 pm, Flight AB 8747 London Standstead – Düsseldorf

In between there will be three (hopefully) exciting and unforgettable days in London. On the way to my office tomorrow I definitely have to stop at the Mayersche (bookstore) to get a London travelguide. And I should check for theatre dates (thanks to kerrsmith2306 for the Shakespeare information) And I have to check for a lot of things more. Making plans… *squee* I’m going to London.

I guess that pre-travel excitement is just what I need at in my rather unexciting (but due to some committee dates still stressful) life at the moment. A week in a cosy cottage at the sea is a nice vacation to look forward to in September, but it’s going to be a relaxing vacation and I just felt the need for some excitement as well. And now I’ve got something to keep my spirits up during the rather bleak next few days. I’m going to London!!! *squee*

And besides planning and booking this trip I could even check off more things from my list. All in all a fantastic weekend… :-)

Miscellaneous, 2008/06/14

What does it say about my taste in music, when My Radio on last.fm plays “Hungry Eyes”. And I even hit the “Mark as Loved” button. *sigh* But it IS a classic, right?

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yesterday I searched my old bedroom for some of the empowerment guidebooks I worked with almost 10 years ago and I stumbled across an old diary with entries dated back in December 1999. Reading them I realized that I’ve really come a long way. Some of the stuff is still causing “trouble” now and then, but basically I know that I actually shouldn’t or don’t have to think or feel a certain way. I still do sometimes, but at least I know that it’s not for real. If that makes any sense. So, that’s quite a progress for that girl writing that diary 10 years ago.
Yesterday I also suggested to my mom to go on vacation together in September. 10 years ago that would never ever have happened. Me suggesting a week of us together in a cottage? No way. I’m really happy we’ve overcome this as well. I guess, that’s a part of growing up …

Today’s achievements…

Weeeellll…. I got some things done. Not as much from my list as I planned, but putting the shopping on it was optimistic, because it required Bro3’s car and his time, but he willingly provided all of that and I could alreday check off a few things of my to-do-list. And I’ve got some other stuff done today, not necessarily things I had to do right now, but as I’m the queen of procrastination, that doesn’t surprise me :-)

• cleaned the dishes from the last couple of days
• adjusted some of the job stationary, but not finished it yet
• send the LOST package to M.
• finally updated the dates and some other stuff on my fanpage
• and even watched quite a lot of EURO 2008 on the side

But now I’ll switch off the EURO broadcast and turn on my DVR to watch the fourth Lynley Mysteries movie.