Decided to stay here and relax and not go gallivanting about the country the day before the marathon. And I'm noodling up. Things I've discovered: "Power-Carboloading" equals "Potato casserole". Did that today, too. I'm not worried about tomorrow - yet. If you want to come and cheer me on, feel free to do so. Just don't expect me to chat - I probably will have a hard time breathing anyway :) If you see me lying around somewhere please contact an ambulance :).

Single women, don't despair. There's hope yet.

To everybody who commented: Don't think I don't read and appreciate the comments! I always answer them, too but I think the last three or four answers I wrote just didn't show up. In one case the answer did show up but not on the counter...grrrrrr. I hate my comments program - I need to find another one, I guess. If you know a good one, please tell me.

I am currently deliberating whether I should drive to Frankfurt on Saturday. As some of you might know, Neil Gaiman is my favourite author in the whole wide world (if you don't know him, check out his blog, the link is to the left - and yes, it's really him writing). And Neil, while currently living in the U.S. is on tour through Germany. And of course, he's NOT coming to Munich but only to Hamburg, Cologne and Frankfurt. He'll be doing a reading at the Book Fair (together with Martin Semmelrogge of all people). And I'd really like to see him and maybe get a book signed. But it's four hours each way and on Sunday is the Marathon and I should stay at home, relax and prepare...decisions, decisions. Opinions?

While you contemplate my dilemma I'll entertain you with my Martin Semmelrogge story (some of you may know that as well, but it's a good one). There is this TV station in and around Munich where all day they have call in shows. Those shows usually present a really easy question, then they wait until all housewives from the east who have nothing to do call their expensive phone number and then you can win 50 Euros or some such. Anyway. I was flipping through the channels when they announced that they'd have a really difficult question next. Curiously, I stayed on the channel (Curiosity killed the cat, they say). But I was rewarded: The question was: Is our next guest going to be



a) Martin Semmelrogge or



b) Iris Berben?

In itself a rather difficult question reminiscent of Schroedinger's cat - a 50/50 chance ... predicting the future, you say? But no! There's more: To make it a little easier they had the guest ACTUALLY SITTING IN THE STUDIO. But don't worry, he was wearing a PAPER BAG OVER HIS HEAD. Now no way in hell can you mistake the leather rocker outfit clad bod of Martin Semmelrogge for the dainty figure of Iris Berben. But they kept this up for 15 minutes and I kid you not. Martin Semmelrogge sat there with the bag over his head while the presentress kept repeating: "Martin Semmelrogge or Iris Berben???" Well, he did not care, he was completely wasted (as usual, I think) and afterwards when the bag was removed tried to kiss the hostess and fell over in the process. The whole thing was hilarious - I should have called just to give a contribution to comedy.

I am racked with pain - the eyetoy gave me sore muscles...ouch! Only three more days til the Marathon (gulp), by the way. Today I was cycling to University to return my books (yay!) and I saw signs everywhere "Marathon will go through here" which is kind of funny, since I myself have no idea where we'll go - but apparently everywhere in Schwabing. If you want to check out the page it's here. I actually have a start number :) It's 6504. I'm excited.

Today in RTL2 news: Russian scientists find yeti leg. Oh my. Why do we even bother watching this? In real news: Vatican says condoms don't protect against AIDS. This reminds me I have to leave the church now that I am actually supposed to pay church tax. No way in hell (no pun intended) am I supporting this crap financially.

And in other science news: I just found our science experiment in the kitchen. It consists of a tomato that my parents gave me (among other fruits in a fruit basket) for my "name day". Maybe you recall when that was, if you don't, don't worry because it's been rather long: August 27. Ewwww...I can hear you say, picturing a mouldy tomato with a long green beard. But!!! It still looks like it did when I first got it. We suspect it being genetically engineered. I'll keep you posted on its progress.

Another one of them time-wasters: RSVP.

Cheapest Ipod ever.

I spy with my little Eyetoy

So today after vegging on the couch I decided to reward myself. So I went to the store and spontaneously bought myself an Eyetoy. And boy, is that fun. It consists of a little camera that you position on top of the TV and little games that are controlled by your body movements via said camera. When we set it up we joked about today's fat kids who can't move a little in front of the TV without being out of breath. Do we ever need to eat crow...or better not eat anything, because that thing is exhausting as hell.

There are 12 games, and each of them means you have to wave your arms wildly around to wash windows, explode rockets, kung fu your opponents into oblivion, dance the boogie, or spin UFOs for example. I am drenched in sweat and dread tomorrow because my muscles are going to be so sore...but that was 56 Euros well invested!

Oh, and other good news: my boss called today to let me know tomorrow she'll pick up my contract at the main company office. I can then sign it and my work experience will definitely start November 15^th. Yay me. So now I am officially on holidays.

Arnie, the Governator.

Two strange Linky Links

Stealth Disco. It's a new trend.

Just in time to prepare for Halloween: Extreme Pumpkins.

Snow?? WTF?? I'm not prepared! Anyway. Was out with Katrin and we saw Swimmingpool which was OK if a tad boring at the beginning. Features a lot of gratuitous breast shots, though (French movie!), so I probably should recommend it to guys. Then we went to have coffee and I thought if I had lots of money, I'd buy one of those large coffee makers they have in restaurants. Problem is, I don't like to use the foam valve. So in addition I'd need somebody to operate the foam valve. "Hey, what's your job?" "I'm a foam valve operator at Ms. D's. The rich chick. The *very* rich chick."

Boy, it sure takes long to have your boiler decalcified. I had to wait around for three hours and keep the kitties company because they couldn't leave the room so they wouldn't leave the apartment. Of course, they were *really* interested what was happening in the kitchen. Why, I'd like to know because the boiler guy sure was uninteresting as hell. Reeked, too. Oh, well, toiling at boilers all day doesn't make you smell like roses. I sort of resent that he smoked in the kitchen, though. Not that we don't smoke in there (well, I don't, but that's beside the point) but he couldn't know that. He should at least have asked for permission. But I didn't catch him in the act, when I came out it just vaguely smelled like smoke and there was ash in one of our ashtrays. Picky, picky, picky me. But now he's finally gone.

So I got to watch all the RTL morning shows. First "My wedding" where I'm always glad I'm not marrying. At least not one of those people. Then "Dr. Stefan Frank (The Doctor Women Trust)". Today they aired the very first episode. Sad, because that means now we'll have to go through the whole thing again! Good, because a) I'll be working soon and hence miss it anyway and b) I got to see what happened to Dr. Stefan Frank's wife (went ka-blam on a boat five minutes into the episode). Then "Family Feud". Stupid people, as usual. Name a mountain in the Alps. "Mount Everest". Uh huh. I have no idea whatsoever about geography and I would have been pressed hard to think of another mountain besides "Zugspitze" but even I know that Mount Everest != Alps. Or even =! Alps, I keep forgetting where the exclamation mark goes. Whatever: Alps it ain't.

Then "Punkt 12". Juliette of Superstar fame is Sexiest Woman Alive or some such. The new Superstar series is on its way. Dieter Bohlen and the Superstar jury relax somewhere. It's "Superstar News at 12", apparently. Then SAM (Superfluous Afternoon Magazine). They interview a woman whose husband apparently killed two women and now is in prison. She doesn't believe it. Just imagine you come home and the police are there because your husband's a killer. I guess I'd have a hard time believing it either...

Now Arabella. D! of Popstars fame is a guest today. Yikes! He's only three years older than I. At least he claims to be only three years older. Since I claim to be five years younger that makes at least eight in total.

Do I need to do something constructive today? Nah. I think I'll call Katrin who's recovering from a cold. Then we can go to the movies or something. Once I'm working I won't be able to veg out anymore anyway.

Mr. Stupid Beard. And what's that growing out of his head? Looks like the Matrix to me.

I feel old .. while everybody went to the Oktoberfest I stayed home all day yesterday, then went out to have burgers (yum, yum, burgers) and finally stayed home to drink beer and play video games. And what is probably worse: I enjoyed it :) Then I fell asleep on the couch while playing the game. Oy.

I had the thought while playing the game that having a flamethrower could come in handy in real life. Somebody parks in your spot? *britzel* Somebody skips in line? *singe his eyebrows off*. Then again, game behaviour might be frowned upon. ON the other hand, beating somebody over the head with a big wrench might be enjoyable at times. And there's really no wrong time for blowing up shit (as the manic programmer said in the "Making of...").

Today I cemented my status as a vegetable by playing the frigging game again and again (100.000 bolts, a gazillion skill points and 4 gold bolts later). My bad conscience at least brought me to clean our stylish new living room AND the kitchen. Tomorrow needs to be more active.

Oh, and I found a movie critic whose opinion mirrors exactly what I thought about the abominable Bad Boys II. The more I've been thinking about the movie the more it annoys me in retrospect.

What am I doing now? Watching Popstars. Casting shows, yay. For everybody who hates them - don't read the next paragraph, I want to say some things about the bands.

[Reality Show Alert]

a) Girl Band

Why in God's name did they pick Miriam? I mean, I've never met anybody by that name who wasn't dumb as a rock. She seems no exception. Plus, she looked like something the cat dragged in. That is, if the cat is out hunting for zebras. Who in their right mind would be wearing a tank zebra top, a skirt straight out of the eighties and big loop earrings (and a bad perm)? Somebody from the eighties, that is.

But the worst decision has to be the band name. The PreLuderS??? Whoever thought of that band name should be taken out and shot quietly. Or loudly to set an example.

b) Boy Band

Aaaaargh! Akay aka Mr Stupid Beard will grace the title pages of many a youth magazine and insult my eyes. Please please make him shave it. And lose a couple of pounds. Us women have to maintain a good figure and we demand equality. And why Marc? To harvest the 12-13 year old audience. He sticks out like a sore thumb among the other boys. Oh well, maybe I'm just not the target group.

Band Name? OverGround. Gulp. I guess they have to thank the Lord and be happy they were not the "AfterBurnerS" to match the "PreLuderS"

[/Reality Show Alert]

Now off to watch Kalkofe.