Like a Jigsaw Puzzle.

18:43

It's the last Tuesday of July for this year and there are already signs that Autumn is approaching. The temperature has pretty much halved since the start of the month and scattered bursts of sunshine have accompanied my day.

Today, we're barely pushing past 20˚C and i've just woken up from a lovely afternoon nap.

Anyway, i can't believe i'm three days away from my last day of my B1-1 German course. If i really think about it, i think i'm actually going to miss going to class every day. Partly because yesterday, after studying after class, i actually kinda got my head around how the fourth German case : Genitive is used and what its' prepositions are. A chapter that previously gave me instant headaches.

But i reckon if i self-study and keep making an effort to practise my German through speaking, it will all snap into place.

[Some] wishes do come true, ya know.

And lately, i've been dreaming a lot in German. Whether i'm speaking grammatically correct, i don't know but those who are in my subconscious seem to understand what i'm saying.

It's definitely nice to have a fluid conversation with someone that doesn't tilt their head to the side in hopes that that would help make more sense of my sentences. If only i could remember what we talked about.

But i'm a week away from really focusing my energy on getting a job.

I mentioned before i'm in need of work but this time i really mean it.

I've also decided i really want to work at the Koelner Zoo - Germany's third oldest. Not only is it a few tram stops away from where we live but i can't think of anything better to do than if i care for animals.

I'm also hoping the job pays, even if it's just a mini job where there's a limit to how many hours one can work [40 hours/month] and i only get paid 400 Euro.

In my opinion, that's better than nothing.

But i've read somewhere that the internship waiting list can be quite long especially now that the Summer holidays have started. I've also read interns don't actually get paid anything but i could be wrong.

J suggested that during Little L's visit we go visit the zoo and whilst i'm there i can find out if there are any jobs available.

My fingers are crossed.

For those of you who've just tuned in, Little L is J's nine year old daughter. She lives in Ireland with her brothers, mother [J's ex-girlfriend] and her mother's boyfriend. I say brothers with a S because J's ex got pregnant by her boyfriend last year and she gave birth to another son in January.

I can't believe it's already been two years since we last visited them in Ireland and it's already close to three and a half years since i first stepped foot in this country.

Time has changed my perception of life but maybe it's just age talking.

Life is like a jigsaw puzzle and as tedious as it may seem to want to complete, it's the satisfaction of finally finding the exact piece to fit in order to want to carry on.

A Case of Time Out.

Let me begin by apologising to you all for not updating you of my whereabouts.

I realise now that my sudden disappearance from the Land of Bloggers may have left some of you concerned. After all it has been a whole month since my last post and who knows what could have happened. But as dramatic as my last blog entry sounded, i'm now happy to report i didn't decide to move out and neither do i plan to in the near future.

Relationships are hard work, even if one thinks one is meant to be with one another. And as corny as it may sound, it's true "...it takes two to Tango."

However, it took a weekend at my sister + her boyfriend + Mimi's place and dodging the subject for three weeks before J and i decided to talk it out.

Amongst various other things, it turned out the stress from J's work, his lack of sleep and disinterest in wanting to do anything else but play Warcraft on the weekend had finally taken its' toll on our relationship.

A part of him was envious of "my life" and used his gaming as payback for something he knew i had no control of.

But it was the period of two weeks prior to our argument that forced him to work 14-18 hour days. He was bitter that i got to work from home and learn a new language at my own pace. Never mind, that on top of that i also take charge of the household chores, clean after him and make sure his work clothes are ironed just in time for the new week.

But all that seemed pale in comparison to how much he works. And with that i had to remind him, once again, our lives are incomparable. And at the peak of our quarrel he dared to compare me to his ex - which of course, he later apologised for.

This happened around the time i practically finished all my projects and my twice-a-week German course was ending. I had enrolled in the next course but days before it was going to begin i received a letter to say it was cancelled.

Great.

Just as i was getting back into the groove of wanting to learn German.

But i couldn't just sit on my arse till September and wait for the next round of courses to begin. So last minute i decided to join an intensive Summer course. It's an intensive German class which runs Monday through Friday from 9am to 1pm and goes on until the 29th of July.

I'm already in my third week but it ends next week just in time for Little L's arrival at the end of the month.

Oh...

and i've also decided August will be the month i will find a new job.

Or at least will try and find one.

Preferably a full-time job that wants me to speak English as well. But a part-time job will do just fine too and it doesn't necessarily have to do with graphic design either.

As for my relationship with J, well since our big talk last weekend, we seem to be getting along fine. In fact, it's as if nothing had happened.

J is making it a point to speak to me more nicely and believe it or not, is even gaming less. I can even see his patience with me is getting a bit better.

As for me, i'm trying to finish all my daily chores before J gets back from work and am making more of an effort to speak in German with J. Plus i'm also making it a point to be a little more independent and give J his "space" so he can have time to rewind.


Cause we all know, we have our moments when we just need a little time out.

Thank You!

On Tuesday we went to go register as residents. It turned out the nearest office was up the road and by bike it took us a casual two minutes. The wait wasn't even that long and before we knew it our number was called.

In Germany it's compulsory for every new resident to register. Although the authorities are willing to extend the time frame in which to register to about a month, one is meant to register within a week of moving into their new home.

Uh oh.

So the guy serving us then questioned us about why we wrote 'January' as our move in month. When J explained that's when we actually started moving our stuff over. He went on to say, we were still technically paying our other rent as well - which was true. Lucky for us the guy was in a good mood because he changed our move in date on our forms to February. Which meant just like that we managed to escape paying a fine.

So anyone who's thinking of moving to a new city in Germany, remember to register straight away!


J then asked whether new residents received a welcome pack. When we moved to Guetersloh, they gave us a bunch of vouchers and information leaflets to take home for free. So when the guy went to ask his colleague, he came back with a booklet and said if we wanted we could purchase a booklet full of vouchers for 5 Euro.

And inside were about 50 or so discount/ 2-for-the-price-of-1 entry vouchers for various museums, theaters, sport events, tours and activities for family and kids.

I'm totally looking forward to checking out the chocolate museum.

And here it is, i am now an official Kölnerin.

***

Then when we got back, i checked our mail box and there was a yellow A4 size envelope stuffed inside. It could only be one thing, the present from one of my silent readers. I still can't get over that somebody, especially one whom i've never met, would bother buying lil ol' me a pressie.

So anyway, protected by an oversized ziplock bag and wrapped in pink tissue paper, a small note was attached to say who it was from, Lian Sim * of Malaysia. I pixelated her surname just in case she didn't want everyone to know her full name.

For those of you who would like a better look, the following photos were taken from the sellers' Etsy page. And if you would like a Boojiboo apron too, go ahead and click here.

The BELLA Vintage Inspired

Black and White Polka Dot with Red Full Apron

This is a very cute vintage inspired full apron with a sweetheart neckline! This apron has a cute polka dot print, black with white dots. The pocket and straps are in a solid red! Reminds me of I Love Lucy !!

Our apron design is 100% original and made by us! NO store-bought patterns used! The top isn't just a flat piece, but has shape for a better fit. We've tested and made sure our aprons fit and look flattering on ANY body type, so rest-assured it will look good on you!

The Apron is fully adjustable with two straps that go around the neck [29.5 inches each] and two straps for the waist [32.5 inches each] so you can adjust how high or low you would like it. From top to bottom the apron measures 30 inches, and the waist itself measures 20 inches. One size fits most!

BELLA VS. CLASSIC APRON
The straps on the bella are a little bit longer, and the waistband & waist straps are thicker as well. The skirt is a flared circle, no gathering. The apron is about three inches longer.

So cute, i love it!!!

Yes, i know. I've become quite domesticated.

The Eve of my 31st.

Originally, J was supposed to come home tonight because tomorrow is my birthday. But after speaking with him on the phone last night, it turns out he has a lot more things to take care of including arranging the funeral. I told J it makes no sense for him to rush back just because it's my birthday since i know his mind will be elsewhere.

And knowing that his mother, who had admitted herself into hospital since the incident, is finally checking herself out today, i know J wants to just make sure everything is taken care of before he does finally leave including finding a suitable service apartment for her to stay at.

And so he's decided to stay on until the end of this week.

Sensing that i was disappointed, J suggested that i take the train to Hannover, a neighboring city from where his parents' place is and meet up for my birthday. Then later drive to his grandmothers' place [where he's staying the nights at] and i would stay over.

But after checking my bank account, i soon realised my bank balance didn't support the idea. With an upcoming German course and a reoccuring monthly health insurance to pay, there's no extra money for any random getaways.

I later found out that J had planned to take next week off too and that he wanted to surprise me by taking me to Rome or somewhere.

But i ruined his plan when i asked him who was going to take care of the kitties and i informed him of our financial situation.

Yup, he forgot about Luna and Yoshi.

-__-

Oh well, at least he had good intentions.

But it looks like he's canceling his leave next week because i told him there's no point in using up most of his leave when it's only March.

So i guess the decision has been made. I'll be spending my thirty-first birthday all alone tomorrow.

*sad face*

Oh well. That's life, i guess.


So anyway, i've checked my weather widget and the weather, for once, looks promising this week. I think Tuesday will be the warmest we've had in months.


I thought of going to a museum or an exhibition but i'm trying my best to refrain from spending money unnecessarily. In fear that i may want to go shopping and buy random items. Unless of course it has to do with food, then there's no point in starving myself. I just have to be price conscious. Currently, i still have enough food to last me a few days, so i'm making the most of what we have.

However, i have decided i will buy myself my own birthday cake [or slice].

J has agreed to have a Skype date with me tomorrow, that way he can sing me happy birthday and i won't be such a sad case singing the song and blowing out my candle by myself.

***

So until my client pays me, it doesn't look like i'll be spending any money anytime soon.

But there's no harm in window shopping, right?

> Click to see my list of Etsy Favorites <

Show Me The Money!

Several weeks ago i decided to rearrange my desk. I had read that it was bad Feng Shui to have my back towards the door. And looking at the position of my desk, i noticed everything that they had said not to do, was exactly what i had done.

Oops.

"In Feng Shui, the bagua incorporates the nine areas of life, with the center being the health area. The upper left corner of the desk is the wealth area, the upper right corner of the deck is partnership, the lower right corner of the desk is helpful people and so on." [source] And therefore, by placing a plant in my upper left corner of my desk it may improve my financial situation.

Now seriously, who could say no to that?

So i went to the gardening centre and looked around for a plant that i thought would be happy to come home with me.

And whether it was a major coincidence but a few days after tidying my desk and moving it, i received an email from a potential new client saying he will get back to me with regards to a huge new project he wants me to work on. And a week or so after that, another client that owed me money finally paid up.

Hmmm... needless to say, i'm keeping my desk tidy and that plant ain't going nowhere.

***

So anyway, J left yesterday around about lunch time to spend a few days with his mother and sort through the parents' house. Living further south on the map means the drive would take about 4 hours. But J managed to get a few days off from work next week so he could organise the funeral, speak to the authorities and along with his two brothers help their mother deal with the current situation.

I, on the other hand, spent a huge chunk of yesterday sorting through and rewriting my quotations and invoices i had written for past and current design jobs. The reason being was, apparently, there was some confusion with the sequence of the invoice numbers.

As a designer previously working in a design studio and an advertising company, there was no need to be involved in the billings and/or for me to chase clients for payment. All that dirty work was done by an Account Executive.

Thinking about it now, i definitely took my A.E's for granted. Kudos to all my previous A.E's!

So before J got in the car and left yesterday, he was sweet enough to help me figure out a better bookkeeping system. Knowing how stressed i was about it all, he sat down patiently and explained it to me despite saying he wanted to leave earlier.

Seriously, when it comes to excel documents, i'm a little retarded.

J created an excel sheet in which i could easily key in all the important information such as my billings and basically track how much money i'm still being owed.

Yup, having my own business also means doing my own bookkeeping, which i have learned can be quite complex and super irritating.


But thanks to some sticky notes and a better bookkeeping system courtesy of J, i'm hoping it'll get easier over time.


Six hours, numerous wasted A4 sheets and a depleting black ink cartridge later, i finally completed sorting out my jobs for 2011 so far.


Eventually, i finished and figured it was time to eat. Dinner was spaghetti with some light cream, oregano, vegetable broth powder, garlic, onions, chives and smoked tofu. Easy to prepare, delicious and filling.


As for the rest of my day, it doesn't look like i'll be doing too much. I may consider taking a shower since that is on my To Do List.

I can't believe it's the weekend before my thirty-first birthday and where am i? Home alone with the kitties.

Oh well, the weather is looking kind of grey at 13˚C, so there's no point heading outside. Plus it's Sunday and none of the shops are open, which in a way is good since that would only mean i'd be lured in to spend more money.

I'm on a mission to save money and cut down on my snacking this month. I'm starting to rock a muffin top and i'm feeling self-conscious.

And so i'm off to watch reruns of another reality show that i'm slightly obsessed with called, Dr. 90210. A show focused on plastic surgery in Beverly Hills. And only because i was curious, i found out breast augmentation prices in Germany are way over my head.

If only, i had that much disposable income to begin with.

I Heart Ink.

Let it be known i'm a fan of reality shows, especially tattoo related ones. So when i found out the 19th International tattoo convention is being held from the 15 - 17 April in Frankfurt this year, i was excited.

And according to google map, the convention centre is about 185 km away from where we live. To get there by car, it should take slightly less than two hours. I know it's a bit of a distance for a random day trip but it's not every day that i get to perve on tatts in real life.


I haven't told J about it yet but i reckon that'll be something interesting to do on that weekend. We wanted to check out the one that was held two years back but for some reason we didn't have the time. So i'm writing it down in my calendar just in case.



And here's a YouTube video i found of the tattoo convention in 2009. Doesn't it look like fun?

So if you're interested to see which artists are going to be there this year, click here.

And if any of you are tattoo enthusiasts, perhaps there's an artist in the list that you know of and would like to recommend that i check out.

One Step Up From Ghetto Curtains + Speaking Deutsch

To shield ourselves from wandering eyes and nosy neighbours, J found a hand towel to hang over the glass and used a piece of wood from our yet-to-be-assembled-wardrobe and propped it up against our bedroom window.

So in an effort to show my independence yesterday, i wanted to drill the holes in the wall to fix the curtain rods because i was getting tired of our ghetto curtains.

But due to unexpected circumstances, i failed.

Not because i didn't know how to use an electric drill but purely because the box that J had said the drill was in, was filled with everything but the drill.

I would try just using a screwdriver but the wall is made out of plaster and concrete and since i'm not exactly the strongest person out there, i know i'll get as far as only damaging the surface.

Originally J's yellow blinds for his workroom was going to extend to the top but due to a hinge getting in the way and the lack of a drill, i've had to come up with something else.

And so the other day, i bought these detachable hinges which just hook up to the top of a window and the blinds hang down from them. Quite practical since one does not need to drill any holes. And i've also hung white half curtains to the top window, so our neighbours can't peek inside.


As for our bedroom, which is directly beside J's workroom, i've fixed a matching half curtain on top. And until we find the missing drill, i've used a temporary spare blanket, that was once used to cushion the interior of Yoshi's pet carrier, to cover part of the window below.

The window sill is deep enough to rest one of their pet carrier's on it, which Luna has now claimed it as hers and uses it to sleep in it at night.

Yup, both kitties now sleep in our room at night.

Which in turn has solved the early-morning-scratching-on-the-door ritual that both Luna and Yoshi would often take part in.

Let's hope nobody pees in our bed this time.

***

In other news, i've signed up looking for a language exchange partner.

It almost feels like i've registered on an online dating service. The only difference is it's free and instead of looking for a "life partner/relationship", one looks for somebody to practise their language of choice.

I told J about the site and he thinks the concept is great.

I was planning on taking another German course but classes have already begun and money is a bit tight this month. Plus i'm looking for a course that runs only 3-4 times per week and so far, i haven't found anything.

I would like to think i know the basic German grammar and by repeating the same course that i did last year it would just drill it into my head even further. But my issue really lies with speaking, which we all know can only be improved if one practises.

So not only will i attempt to jump start my non-existent social life by meeting up with strangers but i'm hoping it'll improve my confidence when speaking deutsch. I know i'm sort of jumping in the deep end but i promised myself and J i would live less like a hermit and improve my German.

Anyway, back to my search for a tandem language partner...

In my introduction i mentioned that i'm living with my boyfriend only because i don't want random guys/weirdos to get the wrong idea.

And so far, i've got three requests for a meet up.

Although one doesn't really count because she addressed her message to somebody completely different. But all three are native German speaking women looking to improve their English. Two of them haven't included photos in their profiles, which i think are a bit suss, but like a blind date, i'm intrigued.

Fingers crossed that the meetups actually work out and we actually understand one another/get along.

I'm so nervous.

Dear 2010, i'm so over you.

So this will be my last post, for 2010 that is.

Before i get carried away, i just wanted to say thank you to all my readers for tolerating with my long-windedness and at times, useless nonsense. I apologize if my slight obsession with the weather is of no interest to some of you but really when my warmth depends on it, then you'll just have to deal with it too.

By the way it's 0˚Celsius at the moment and there's supposed to be snow showers later.

Anyway, the past twelve months has been a roller coaster of emotions.

But amongst all the tears and laughter, i've learned to be patient [sort of], calmer and dare i even say, more mature. I've slowly gained my independence [thanks to my bumble bee bicycle] and i've even learned to think more positive.

And here is a short recap of 2010 to keep you all company whilst J and i drive to Koeln to get the keys to our new home!

2010 Highlights

• Learnt some German [to be continued]
• Had major surgery done;
  no thanks to an ectopic pregnancy, they had to remove my left fallopian tube too
  
• Bought a corner sofa bed
• Visited Hannover
  
• Went to In Qontrol in Amsterdam, The Netherlands
• Adopted Luna and Yoshi
• Got a new iMac
• Turned 30
• Learnt how to ride my bicycle again after two decades
• Went to Ruhr in Love in Oberhausen, Germany
• Little L came for 2 weeks in Summer - she now speaks English
• Drove down to Wiesbaden for a family reunion
• Finally got to see my parents after 2+ years of not seeing them
• Tried to get to the Love Parade in Duisburg, Germany
• Made it to 3 years with J
• Wrote an ultimatum to J
  
• Traveled solo and went to visit my sister, her boyfriend and my niece in Wiesbaden
• Completed several ongoing jobs & got payed for them
• Lost Misplaced my diamond ring
• Found my diamond ring
  
• Hired some guy to do my 2009 taxes
• Visited Hamburg
• Visited Koeln
• Went apartment hunting in Koeln
• Christmas with J and his family
  
• Found a new home

***

Oh and should i get swept away with the rest of the packing tomorrow, here's wishing all my friends, silent readers and randoms a great start to the new year!

But without further ado, let's just hope 2011 brings in more smiles, laughter, friends, an active lifestyle and a much healthier bank account.

Much love and summersaults,
Chrissie... xox

The Eve.

2:07 PM UPDATE : Snowed In.

According to the news report on the radio just now they said an additional 20 cm of snow fell last night. And anyone heading in the direction of Hannover and Hamburg should be extremely careful because that part of the highway is completely iced over. One of the main causes for accidents and super long traffic jams.

Not good because that's the way we have to travel.

So J's decided that it's best that we not risk it and just stay at home instead. Hopefully, the weather will be better tomorrow and the roads will be clear.

And not because i was spying...


But check out the icicles that are growing on my neighbor's balcony!

So wherever you might be spending this Christmas holiday, here's wishing you a stress-free and safe journey home.

Love, Chrissie... xx

IKEA Kitchen Planner.

Seeing that we were planning on going to IKEA yesterday, i was craving IKEA's bread pockets filled with tomato and mozzarella all day. And so i suggested to J that we get something to eat first.

They say one should not shop when one is hungry. Apparently, it leads to unnecessary purchases.

"EAT ME HOW YOU WANT!"

But prior to yesterday's excursion i had no idea that designing a kitchen from scratch would be so complex. And more so if one is on a budget and doesn't have an expert on hand to give pointers.

So J and i went to IKEA last night thinking that maybe in the two and a half hours we had before closing, we could at least sort out what we wanted and that would be the end of it.

Wrong.

After snaking our way through IKEA we finally arrived in the kitchen area. We asked for help and the IKEA lady guides us towards a computer and briefly explains how to work IKEA's Kitchen Planner.

Hmmm.

We had less than two hours to go until closing...


One and a half hours later and we were no where near completion.

At which point, i'm not liking the layout at all. I think the only thing that was correct was probably the room size.

So trying to shift pieces that wouldn't budge and generally not understanding how to use the programme meant a lot of time was wasted.

Why is it so difficult?


But the good part is, the IKEA Kitchen Planner can be used in the comfort of my own home. I just had to download the necessary plug-in and i was good to go.

Depending on the country you're in, the language obviously adjusts accordingly.



Oh and did you know that IKEA, Save the Children and UNICEF have a joint campaign called 'A smile is worth so much'?

For every soft toy sold between November 1 and December 24, 2010, IKEA will donate €1 (approximately US$ 1.30) to Save the Children and UNICEF, to support children around the world’s educational needs. With soft toy prices ranging from just $0.49 to $19.99, these cuddly toys make perfect stocking stuffers, grab bag items and affordable gifts for all of the children on your list. [source]

Well J and i did our part and bought a colourful toy butterfly. Here's hoping it brings a smile to some child's face.

***

This morning i woke up at 6:30 AM and went straight online to try and figure out the damn kitchen planner on my computer.


Eight hours and several dozen versions later, i was still not finished.

Each time i thought i was close to being done, i'd find something wrong. Seriously, it's so annoying! It's moments like these that i wish i chose to be an Interior Designer.

However, there's one version that i'm leaning towards but it's like double the amount that i've budgeted for. Obviously some changes have to be made and J has to have a say in it too. But i'm thinking positive and hoping that with a few adjustments and cheaper alternatives we'll get the kitchen that we want.

Fingers crossed we get the design sorted by this weekend because we're moving in eleven days!

ELEVEN and nothing is packed... yet.

***

Anyway i must go now because i need to start baking the shortbread cookies i'm planning on giving J's grandmother and mom for Christmas.

Oh!

I nearly forgot, here's wishing all my friends, silent readers and randoms a very Merry Christmas!

Wishing for Apartment #3 in the List + Megamind

07:52

Our mission to find an apartment continued at 7:30 AM on a frosty minus 8 degrees Celsius Saturday. We were on a very tight schedule and i didn't want to take any chances. Knowing there's a section of the highway that's notorious for being jammed due to three lanes turning into one, all thanks to never ending roadworks and the unpredictable weather, our my original plan was to leave by 6:30 AM.

But not all schedules go as planned.


Which ended up being a good thing because we got there an hour early and we managed to squeeze in breakfast.

We found ourselves at a Greek café that i didn't get the name of but their slices of bread, rolls and croissant were really yummy. And in a glass cabinet beside our table stood numerous plastic figurines, the kind that stood on top of Wedding and Congratulations cakes.

This one in particular caught my eye...


Although it's the classic stork and baby, there's something i find disturbing about a baby in a fishnet bag.

Anyway back to our apartment hunt...

J managed to line up five confirmed apartment viewings that i had found online in the last week. All of which were in different parts of the city and each were completely different from the other.

The first was with a real estate agent that didn't seem to be able to answer any of our basic questions about the block. And to think that someone has to pay a compulsory fee to this semi-greasy shoulder lengthed hair guy with blue/purple coloured hands, just doesn't seem worth it.

How hard is it to do a bit of research prior to seeing potential renters?

But after driving through the city and standing in early morning traffic, we decided seconds before arriving at our next destination that we would not have enough time to see the second apartment. We figured trying to find parking along the main road would lose precious time and that could mean we would be late or worse, miss seeing the third apartment.

Turned out to be a wise choice because the third apartment is the one that we're actually wanting.

Not only is the location great and the train station just a minute walk away but the apartment is much bigger and slightly cheaper than the others we ended up seeing.

I'm not going to say much as we still have to go through the application process. But there was another guy also viewing the place at the same time who seemed very interested too.

I just hope nobody else sees the place.

But if all else fails, we do have a back-up option; Apartment #5 in the list. But i'd much rather focus my energy on the apartment that we do want.

Remember the Law of Attraction?

So, what do i want?

Well in my head we've already moved into the apartment, we're entertaining imaginary friends and preparing meals at our fabulous kitchen island.

THE GAME IS SO ON MISTER! That apartment is OURS!

***

So after what seemed like a marathon of apartment viewings, we were finally done by 3 PM.

J and i decided to drive through Duesseldorf which was only half an hour away to check whether Cinestar was showing any movies in English. Majority of the cinemas we've been to only show German-dubbed films, which is pointless for me since my German is not up to scratch and it would end up being a waste of money. Plus hearing English-speaking actors with a german voice over just doesn't seem right.

But lucky for us Megamind was showing.

Yes, a whole lot of popcorn & 7-UP was involved.

After uploading the above two photos one right after each other, doesn't it look like J has a popcorn bag as a hat? ehehe.

Don't mind me. Little things obviously amuses me this morning.

ANYWAY...

I hadn't heard of Megamind prior to watching it, so i didn't actually know what to expect. I only read on the poster that Dreamworks were responsible for it and to be honest, you can't really go wrong with Dreamworks. Plus J had mentioned he liked what he saw in the preview earlier that morning, so i took his word for it.

I tried to find a trailer so that you could watch it. One that didn't give away too much of the plot.

Don't you hate that?

I really dislike how some trailers tend to pick out the best of the best scenes [and often there aren't that many to begin with]. So after watching a preview, one ends up with a condensed version of the movie making any surprises in the film, well not a surprise.



Anyway, if you haven't seen it, i so recommend that you do. It totally cracked me up.

And just for keepsakes, we think it's so good that it's worth buying the original once it's out on DVD. Yes original. No bootlegged DVDs available on this side of the world.

Potential New Home?

Not long after i published the previous post did J call me from work to tell me that we had an appointment to see an apartment. I had forgotten i had printed out a few apartment listings from another site and gave it to him the night before. It had no pictures, only this description;

"Höhenberg, zirka 80 m², 2. OG, neu renoviert, gehobene Ausstattung,
Loggia, Tageslichtbad, Gäste-WC, Gartenmitbenutzung..."

Translated;

Hoehenberg [which is the name of the suburb and is about 15 minutes to the city centre by public transport], circa 80 m², 2nd floor, newly renovated, quality finishing, loggia, daylight bathroom, guest toilet, use of garden..."

We've avoided apartments online that didn't have at least a few photos of the interior, for the sake of saving us a trip down and being disappointed. But going by the short description, we thought we'd see if it was still available. We were running low on options anyway and with six weeks to go, we want to be sure we have a new home locked down before the year ends.

When asked whether animals were allowed, she said no problem. She has a dog herself, so she understands. She said the balcony is quite small but suggested that if we wanted to take our cats for a walk, we could put them on a leash and walk them around the garden at the back.

Uhhh... we'll see about that.

Excited at the prospect of having a new home, i typed in the address on google map and after being amazed by its' Panorama feature, my first impression of the exterior of the building is it's not the most beautiful. In fact, it's kinda ugly.

I guess, i should have been more specific in my So What Do I Want? list in my previous post.

Never mind.

I'm sending out positive vibes that the fantastically renovated apartment is everything that we had imagined an apartment to look like. The location is a little further out than we had expected but it's on a main road and is walking distance to the supermarket and basic necessities. I've already checked the public transport situation and it'll take me 22 minutes by train to get to my pole dancing class.

However, the place doesn't come with a built-in kitchen unit.

Many apartments in Germany have a one-off real estate agent fee attached to the rent but this apartment doesn't because it's being rented out directly from the landlady. And so we figured we'd use that money to invest in buying a proper kitchen minus the oven since we still have ours from the Duesseldorf apartment.

And seeing how much i actually enjoy cooking/baking, it would be nice to have a really nice kitchen to work in.

I'm thinking a red or a green kitchen with lots of cupboard space. And depending on the size of the kitchen, an island in the middle so i can prepare the meals. I'm always complaining i don't have enough working space. The kitchen island must be big enough so i can tuck some tall chairs/stools on the other side, that way we can have a quick meal there or stand around and drink a glass of wine/beer.

Something like this...

[source]

Or this...

[source]

I know the chances of having such an expensive kitchen is really unrealistic. But i guess there's no harm in planning and wishing, right?

But maybe an interesting yet affordable solution would be, "a center island out of two unpainted dressers screwed together back to back. Its top? A solid core wood door."

[source]

Maybe not so ghetto as that painting of that flower motif but i like the idea.

All in all, i just want to get the move over and done with.

Our plan is to stay for at least a few years. I'm tired of having to settle into a new city every year.

So anyway back to the landlady...

She went on to say the previous tenants weren't very good and ended up not paying their rent so she had to kick them out. They had signed a contract saying that four people had intended on living there but by the end of it, eight people had moved in. They also trashed the place hence the reason why she had to renovate the whole apartment.

But after chatting with J on the phone she was impressed and said that she was looking forward to meeting us. She said she was even going to postpone a viewing she had made with another couple who also wanted to view the apartment.

Yay!

Our appointment is for this Friday at 5:30 PM.

My fingers are crossed that the place is as good as she says it is.

So What Do I Want?

Looking for an apartment is proving to be a pain in my arse... literally. On Saturday we spent a good seven hours clicking and unclicking potential apartments.

Either they were too expensive, too far away, didn't allow pets or there was no window in the bathroom. Over three thousand apartments are for rent - most of them are out of our price range and many are two-room places. And out of forty-one places we bookmarked, only one had a greater potential. After a quick calculation and roughly adding another 100 Euros for the cost for the internet & phone connection and electricity, the apartment would end up being too expensive.

So with six weeks to go until we make the move, we have no new home to move into.

I'm starting to get more anxious as the day progresses.

It's 6:25 AM and i'm already looking at apartments online. I'm hoping that someone was sneaky late last night and put up the perfect apartment for us to rent.

Unlikely but it could happen.

And whether it was a coincidence or just good timing but we watched The Secret over the weekend. A friend had made a copy of it for us but since it was in German, J translated it as we were watching it. I had seen it ages ago but i thought it was nice that J summarized each section, just so i could understand. For that, i am grateful.

If you haven't heard about The Secret, "it's the idea of optimist thinking. It states that everything one wants/needs may be accomplished by wishing it and believing in it. [source]

And each time one uses the words, "don't", "not" or "won't", one immediately puts focus on that you didn't want. And the obedient Law of Attraction doesn't know if you "don't", "not" or "won't" want something. It obediently gives you more of that thing you had said you don't want.

But apparently one can reset this negative vibration by simply changing ones words.

Just by simply resetting my words. Each time i catch myself saying, Don't, Not and No, i should reset my thinking by asking myself, so what do i want? [source]

One example was a conversation i had with J about some bread that i was about to throw away. We weren't sure if it was still good because neither one of us remembered when i had bought it. J said to put it out on the balcony so the birds could eat it. I then continued with, if you put bread out there, i don't want the birds to come and crap everywhere. And what if the bread is bad and the cats eat it, they may get sick.

Funny how something positive could easily be changed into something negative.

By being pessimistic and always thinking the worst, it's no wonder bad things happen. I guess that's one way of protecting oneself, so one does not get disappointed.

And remembering that, thinking positive is one thing but believing it is another.

So instead of me saying, the apartments we looked at were "either too expensive, too far away, didn't allow pets or there was no window in the bathroom." I should have probably said what i do want;

• A three-room apartment
• Maximum 700 Euros - which includes ALL extra costs.
  
• 1st floor
• Elevator option if it's more than two floors
  
• 70-80 square metres
  
• Available for rent from the 1st January 2011
• Newly renovated
• Painted Walls
  
• Wooden flooring
• Allows Pets
• Big windows
• Balcony access through the living room
• View of some greenery
• Work room/Spare room next door to living room
• Mid-20s to mid-40s, friendly, English-speaking neighbours
• A good neighborhood
• Well-lit streets
  
• More than enough parking space
• Walking distance to the tram stop or U-Bahn
• Maximum 10 minutes to the city centre by public transport
• Walking distance to the supermarket/bakery/Sparkasse bank
  
• Bathroom with a window
• A bath with a shower door or curtain railing
• Modern toilet
  
• Big enough bathroom to put a washing machine plus more inside
• Living room big enough to also put J's work table on one side
• Built-in modern kitchen with an exhaust
• Kitchen big enough to put a small dining table inside
  
• Lots of working space in the kitchen
  
• Window in the kitchen
• Built-in cupboards or storage space
• Big cellar that's well-lit and is clean
• Storage space for bicycles
  
• ... my list continues.

***

Still sticking to the positive end of things... Check it out! We may even see the sun this Sunday. Snowman, anyone?

Holding Tight.

As a child i remember not being so fond of the monkey bars. And taking the shortcut via sliding down the metal pole was an absolute no-go. I think my fear was that i'd lose my grip and land face first on the ground. Or worse, end up like that kid who was hanging upside down on the monkey bars and then fell, landing awkwardly on a partially buried brick. This unfortunate accident had caused him to split open the skin around his elbow leaving his arm drowned in blood and his bone exposed.

I, of course, being the champion of being at the wrong place at the right time, witnessed this and was immediately traumatised.

More than two decades later, i still avoid the monkey bars.

But to this day, i'm still fascinated with how people can slide down the metal pole like a fireman without getting burns on their hands. Do they have a special ointment or powder? Or are they really that feather light?

So after sitting in awe watching Karol, Doris and Felix work the poles on YouTube videos, i was convinced that that is a fitness regime that i am willing to strive for. OK, so maybe i will never be or look as good as them, but did you see how amazingly fit they are and how incredibly sensual they look?

It's insane.

Obviously, it takes many months/years of hard training and stretching.

Seriously though, i can't even begin to fathom how anyone could even hang upside down with only a small part of their body twisted around a pole, let alone do the splits side ways whilst holding on.

Pure dedication and absolute craziness right there!

And so in an act of randomness and distraction i found myself yesterday cruising online for Pole Dance/Fitness classes in Cologne. I figured since we're moving to a big city, there's bound to be a class there and true enough, there is.

And i even read on their website the beginners' level doesn't even involve getting ones' feet off the ground - so we'll see how far my fears will take me. They also recommend Arnica, in a form of a pill or cream, as they say it works wonders on bruises.

I'm so on it like white on rice!

I bruise REALLY easily.

But i'm hoping by joining a class, it will not only work on my fitness and inner strength but also my self-confidence.

Or at least to accomplish my personal goal of getting my feet off the ground, even if it's for a few seconds. And maybe, just maybe, even have a decent two-way conversation with someone who isn't covered in fur and walks around with four legs.

My lack of any kind of social life has started to take its' toll on me.

So after telling J of my plans on starting classes in January, he said he couldn't be happier.

Of course, he would say that, which boyfriend wouldn't?

Unless of course J thought Pole Dancing was distasteful, which he doesn't. In fact, he fully encourages me and insists i register, like, NOW.

And although i know it may take me years to even be close to being as slinky as some of the girls out there, for now, i'm motivated to try something new. And be forced to suffer the consequences by means of serious muscles aches and major bruises.

Who knows, if this pole dancing catches on, i may just ask for a X-POLE for Christmas 2011.



Watching her work the pole gives me goosebumps. So beautiful and smooth. I love it!

At 4 mins 30 secs, there's a guy that spins on the pole next to her and proves that just because one is all muscles, doesn't mean one is stronger. Check out how graceful she is.



One day... one day.

Koeln/Köln = Cologne

After falling asleep at home, we eventually arrived at the hotel at 4 AM and managed to squeeze in a 3-hour nap before J had to get up and make it to his job interview at 9 AM. I, on the other hand, spent the morning consoling his younger brother on the phone because his girlfriend of one year had just broken up with him. So by the time i hung up, it was time for me to get changed and pack.

Js younger brother ended up driving the 3 and a half hours to Koeln because he needed some company and ended up following us with his car so he could stay the night at our place.

Anyway back to the hotel...

I had booked a room at the B&B Hotel Köln Porz, thinking that the standard would be the same as in Hamburg.

Boy, was i wrong.


The hotel was directly across a casino and facing a parking lot. The room was the about the width of a double bed and it smelt of old cigarettes. The bathroom sink was covered in cigarette burns and the carpet floor had ash embedded in it from god knows how long ago. I'm not even going to go into detail about the questionable dried up dark splatter i saw on the bathroom wall.

Gross.

I've never felt so happy to check-out of a hotel room. And was eager for Js return, in hopes for some good news.


We thought we'd kill two birds with one stone and go for an apartment viewing. Our appointment was in the evening and so we spent the rest of the afternoon in the city just to buy some time. Turned out the apartment was perfect except for one problem, they didn't allow cats.

Oh well, better luck next time.

Anyway, for those of you who are not familiar with Koeln [also known as Cologne to many English speakers or those living outside Germany]. The city is most famous for their cathedral and Karneval.

REWIND:
About two and half years ago, J and i were living in separate cities but only an hour away from each other by train. We'd reunite every other weekend and often take day trips to neighboring cities.

24.05.2008

On that occasion, we decided to check out the Cologne cathedral. I had a look through my archives and realised i didn't have a blog post about it. I think i was going through a stage where i lost interest in regurgitating my thoughts.

24.05.2008

But lucky for you, i had uploaded a few photos into facebook. The ones above were taken in the bell tower [the halfway mark] and whilst going up the 509 steps to get to the steeple. Back when we were much fitter and didn't carry around our double chins.

FAST FORWARD:
My hair hangs down to my waist and we've both developed a few more lines on our faces. This is us now, looking slightly more bloated seasoned with only 3 hours sleep...

05.11.2010

The Koeln dome which pretty much looked the same since the last time we were there. Only difference was probably one of the steeples' were cleaner and the scaffolding had been moved to the next tower.


Smack bang in the middle of the city, we saw an archaeological site in progress.


And across a parking lot and next to some shops is "one of Cologne's oldest parish churches, it was modified several times during the Middle Ages and newly designed as a hall church between 1668 and 1672; steeple 1494 and facade 1896. The "Mourning Parents" are a replica and the original statues are now on the German war cemetery at Vladslo/Flanders in Belgium."

Those passersby can look through the metal gates to see that the roof is missing.


We also wasted some time looking in an antique shop that sold really expensive wooden furniture and ridiculously large metal animals.

Uh... OK.


At first i thought the price tag said 319 Euros, then figured out it was 39. But still, who would pay 39 Euros for a cracked frame and a dead leaf?


A fancy Koeln drain cover and an archway just above some apartments near the Rhine river.


Then as we were walking through one of the streets, we saw Hard Rock cafe. I was so excited, i insisted we go and have lunch there. It was much smaller than the one i had been to in Kuala Lumpur and helluva lot more expensive. At 10.25 Euros for a plate of cheese nachos, J and i made sure we cleaned the plate dry. But man, was every calorie worth it.

I ordered a veggie patty burger and a "Pickled Tink" which was a mix of Smirnoff Raspberry Vodka, Piña colada mix and fresh strawberries served frozen and garnished with two maraschino cherries.

It gave me a brain freeze but was totally yummy!


We accompanied his younger brother to get a haircut. Since there's nothing like a new hair do to make yourself feel just that little bit better after a break-up.

After waiting impatiently all afternoon, J finally received the phone call. Turned out they offered him a great deal with responsibilities he only dreamed of.

And so J was quick to accept.

So as part of his excitement, J insisted on buying me a pair of wedge boots from Buffalo. Buffalo is a shoe store that sells some really nice heels but are way over my budget. I often would bitch to him that i don't like wearing heels because they're so uncomfortable. So after trying on numerous pairs, J made me try on these and hoped they'd change my mind.

[source]

At first i was skeptical over those buckles. Looking a bit like my feet were parading around in a straight jacket, i was soon convinced they didn't look that bad. In fact, they added some character to the boots. And the dirt-like marks on the wedged part is apparently the new "vintage" look. New things made to look old.

Uh... OK. Whatever you say lady.

And the added insole i got is said to keep my feet warm when the temperature dips down lower.

Half an hour later, we left the store with another pair of shoes to add to my collection. And me being the abiding girlfriend, had successfully fulfilled J's [semi] heel fetish.

***

Oh and in case you didn't catch that...

We're moving to Koeln in January!

That gives us about seven weeks to get packed.

And so i'm sending out my wishes and hoping to find a somewhat centrally located, cat-friendly decent sized/priced 3-room apartment. Preferably, on the first floor with proper flooring. A balcony for the kitties and a built-in kitchen. Not forgetting a modern bathroom plus a bathtub and a toilet that doesn't belong in the 1920s. But more specifically a bathroom that also has a window.

Really, is it that too much to ask for?