Sprechen sie Deutsch?

Greetings from Germany!

I got in yesterday morning and my brother Tom and I headed for Salzburg, Austria. I can now say that I've seen Mozart's birth place and where The Sound of Music was filmed. Apparently, people around here assume that "The Sound of Music" must refer to something Mozart did, because most of them have never seen the movie. Perhaps it's something about how Germans are depicted in that flick?

I also saw the birth place of the dude that wrote Silent Night and not one, but TWO brothels. I found that very entertaining. One had a red light out front in the shape of a heart and it was marked like a historical landmark. I wanted to take a picture, but Tom pointed out that doing that is a good way to get ourselves in trouble if anyone saw us. Pimps don't give that shit away for free, yo.

For now, we're lounging around the house because it's gray and rainy outside and we have time to explore later.

Hope all is well stateside.

Not so funny stories

I've been getting crap from some people about the fact that I haven't updated here in awhile. I don't have much to show for the last month or so...just a lot of busy-ness and not funny stories. School ended, that was wonderful and sad at the same time. That said, I thought I was going to miss my kids, but the truth is...I don't really. I've been really enjoying doing absolutely nothing and sort of pulling myself back together. I was tired. My first year of teaching was actually quite difficult. Rewarding, and I love it, but definitely as hard as I'd heard.

I saw a preview for a movie the other day (Julie and Julia if you care) where the girl was pissed that her friend's blog was being turned into a movie, and she was like, "I could blog! I have thoughts!" I was like, hmmm. Do I have any INTERESTING thoughts? Let's take a look at a few of the actual things that have run through my head lately:

"Hmmm, I AM glad that I chose this blue color for my living room..."

"Shut UP, Jillian got rid of Jake? Those Bachelorette producers are cray-zay bitches." (Truth time: Even sadder? I actually said that out loud. To an empty room.)

"It's 5:00? WTF did I do all day today?"

"Holy shit! Wednesday! When did that happen?"

I'm leaving on my international adventure on Friday, and I will be bringing a computer, so maybe I can get some international woman of mystery stuff started. Probably not though, since I'm primarily going to be killing time with my 7-year-old niece. Whatever, I'm about to be internationally known.

Maybe I'll make some stuff up. Or just make fun of Germans. We'll see.

SOTD: Around the World by Daft Punk. "Where's Rachel?" "I don't know, somewhere around the world." Hell yeah. I remember staying up too late at some point in high school and seeing this video and thinking that maybe I'd just had a really detailed dancing dream. Didn't Daft Punk also have a video with a dude in a creepy dog costume just walking around the city like a person? What song was that? That also creeped me out. I never did drugs, but I always felt like I had after I saw their videos.

My new place

Allow me to preface this with the fact that I've been drinking while home alone for a few hours now. I'm superfly classy, and everyone wants to be me when they grow up.

Moving is hard. And it's not like it's a secret. But I've had some weird days. I live by myself now. So I can be messy, but I don't WANT to be. And I can't remember exactly where everything is quite yet. And I keep catching myself doing weird things. Like (this is weird) I've always been a my side of the bed type of girl. I think I was afraid that if I ever got into the habit of taking up the whole bed, if I ever found anyone else who'd want to sleep there, I wouldn't be able to adjust. But in trying to assert myself in this new home, to really make me feel at home here, I've been taking up the whole bed. I'm sleeping dead center and spreading out my arms and really taking up space. I like it.

But it's like I think all of my decisions are final. I can't decide on paint colors. I can't choose any art. I can't even THINK about the rugs I need.

Plus, school is almost out. It's somehow completely overwhelming, even though I can't exactly point to what's making it hard. I don't REALLY have that much more work. The kids are not exponentially crazier (for the most part.) I just can't seem to focus on anything and find myself uttering the phrase "When school is out" more often than I think is really necessary.

Basically, I'm somehow overwhelmed and unsettled for the time being. But I'm working on it. Come visit anytime. Housewarming on 6/13 if you'll be in Chicago. Details to come.

SOTD: Lilac Wine by Jeff Buckley. I was trying to find the Nina Simone version, but youtube is being uncooperative. This is, however, not a sloppy second, just not exactly what I wanted. "I drink much more than I oughta drink...Lilac wine, I feel unsteady... Lilac wine, I feel unready..."

Also, I've been stopping constantly to smell the lilacs all over Chicago. Spring fever? Hell yeah, bring it.

No excuses

I did give a warning that I'd be MIA for awhile, right? Oh man, moving is a lot of work, and then just when you think it's slowing down, it's also the end of the school year, and spring (!!!) and whatever else the hell it is I do with my time, and my wireless isn't working so when I'm on my computer I have to sit on one side of my living room that does NOT face the tv...and yeah, my life is SO HARD, you guys.

Hm. I thought I had something to say, but I'm blanking, so I'll hit you with a cute kid story and try to do better next time.

Yesterday, I was talking to a kid about his trip to London. Something about the way he said it made me think he went there often, so I said, "Do you know someone who lives there?"

"I know someone who lived there a long time ago."

"Oh really? Who's that?"

"King Henry the Eighth. I saw his bones- the put a beard on them and it's really funny."

This kid also referred to himself as his sister's butler when she conned him into carrying her backpack for her. I love him.

I lost my wallet the other day (It HAS to be in the damn house, but I can't find it. Stupid wallet.) The purpose of me mentioning this is that I went to the bank and they gave me a temporary ATM card, which I didn't know existed, so I'm pretty psyched. If it ever happens to you, now you know.

SOTD: Turn by Travis. I went to see these boys a few weeks back, and I realized that I really miss being a huge music geek. Also, I met these guys back in my concert booking days at Marquette, and they are really funny, super sweet, and they put on an amazingly energetic show for how mellow they sound here. Also, Fran Healy is adorable and watching him do pushups makes me smile in some bizarre sadistic way.

Bonus song: Also Travis- All I Wanna Do is Rock. Because this is not a crazy rock song. Until it is.

Officially official

Buy a condo? CHECK!

Step back

I just wrote my last rent check. That's a weird feeling.

I'm kicking packing's ASS today, so I'm gonna get back to it so I can go play outside later because it's gorgeous out.

Also, if you're bored, you should watch this because it made me laugh really hard last night, and it makes me wish I had more excuses to steal the quote, "Bait and switch motherfuckers!" Ok, I couldn't find the clip, so if you go and are like, "The whole Daily Show? I only have 5 mins!" Then just fast forward yourself to the second segment to hear what Wyatt Cenac has to say because I'm still giggling about it.

SOTD: Use Somebody by Kings of Leon. Because I could use someone to get all of this crap out of here. Oh wait, I AM! Rock on.

A plea

Dear Mother Nature,

I just packed up my serious winter gear. Don't make me use it. I swear to you I will cry.

Also, any help you want to send in the form of magical packing elves would be cool.

XOXO,

Rachel

SOTD: I'm Not Ok (I Promise) by My Chemical Romance. I've just always thought that the (I Promise) was funny.