way too much time :)

Hi there,

these days I am really amazed about being at home around 6 pm already. I will spare you the details, but due to a new responsibility at work, my day starts at 6 in the morning and I am really amazed how cool it is to have some time of the evening in peace.

Right now, a neighbour is rehearsing for a classical piece I don´t remember the name of on her violin, so the windows are open wide. Once a week they have a chamber orchestra trying out pieces and it is so nice! Which brings to something I read the other day during one of those concert. Please don´t think I am crazy, in despair, whatever... It´s simply one of the 7 habits somebody expressed for highly efficient people (or in my case: for those who want to become that :) )

They said something to the extend of: when it comes to small and big plans, relax and take your time and try to begin with the end of that in mind. Which is of course a little bit difficult when it comes to life, but the question is huge and figure I will be pondering about that for a while: Who do we want be when we look back? The other way round, it sounds much easier, but it´s not the same thing.

I hope I am not overloading here, soonissimo is supposed to be fun and this question is that, too, to a certain extend.

Huggs, dear friends, and the care in the world :)

B

oh boy

see the expression on my jumping elchs face in my living room?


That´s how I basically felt for three days in a row now, I have been taping, painting, cleaning, stretching muscles I didn´t know I have and here it goes:

living room

with a new blue paint. Far darker than expected, the lady in the shop wasn´t really concentrated when she sold me the mixture, but I think it´s fine. Where you see the watch, there is now another painting in the exact colours of the blue wall. The corridor and kitchen got a treat too in plain white, and I am amazed about the difference. One thing is not done yet, the ceilings are too high (3,5 m?), more than I could handle, so I will have to ask the male population about this part :)

Shall my tortured legs and further feel in peace soon (I even treated this with baths and Pilates, and yet...)

At the same time, following feng-shui getting-rid-of-too-much-stuff-principles, again a lot of stuff made acquantance with the dustbin, it feels so much better in here now!

Love you guys.
B

Brahms op 79

This piece is killing me, click on the following:Hélène Grimaud playing my favourite piano piece EVER.

Every time again and again. The pianist interpreting it said once something about Brahms´ compositions, being impulsive and seemingly improvised and at the same mathematical. Add Hélène to it interpreting it.

It reminds me of a long walk in a park in Hannover, I had it in my mp3-player. Try it. Go out into a park, put it on, put your head back as far as possible and gaze into the sky.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I have to tell you guys, life is getting really good here, getting life back and happiness. Friends in my house all the time. Tired as hell from all the brainy work but I am getting into the stuff I was so scared of and now that I lost the respect for it, things start to work out so smoothly. Of course, in between things suck, every working person knows that, but I am making my peace with it.

next week I will be on vacation and I hope to break my anxiety with Emilia, I haven´t done anything new for quite a while now and now I am getting back in the mood. Extremely slow, but who cares, I am having fun doing it :)

Sam greets all of you, we are wondering we will see of of you great spirits. A big hug, and lots of fun to all of you out there.
B
Hélène Grimaud playing my favourite piano piece EVER

life is good, isn´t it?

After two days of entertaining myself with books outside, I am starting to look like a Birgit-shaped piece of chocolate (it is very sunny and I get easily tanned).

Loved the walk with a friend today.
Shall anybody feel like coming to a latina-party, I would to welcome you in Köln on Saturday. Will try not to make it too late this time ;)

Hope all is well with you guys.

Miss you.
B

Gracias a la vida

In the spirit of soonissimo, my life is taking place right now and here.

Yes, there is a big economic depression tangible everywhere around us. And eventually, there is stuff to take care of.

But today I remembered having seen Mercedes Sosa in Bonn in a concert. This grand woman, and that unbelievable spirit.
And i am remembered of all the joy and life that is ahead of all us. That our paths will cross with so many people, believes, and other things one might feel like recognizing in that moment. And with each other.

One of you just gave life to a baby girl named Ella. And we have some slightly older miracles who are learning to speak, walk whatever. A big virtual hug here and CONGRATULATIONS to all of you again;!!!!!!!!!!!

Here in Köln, a lot of stuff is happening. I am not going into the direction of having kids. But remembering what a friend once said feels really true and precious to me right now: "Anda, lánzate, go and grab your life." I think that is what is happening right now. Some amazing stuff to come, other things probably not that good, but that is part of life, too. Catching slowly up with you guys and understanding how much we all have grown and how much of the "old" us in still there, I am ALWAYS amazed about it!

And then there is Saturday or Friday Night. Last Saturday, I might have been dancing until 5 oclock again in the morning since a friend got cards for a big party in the opera in Bonn. Apparently, every couple of weeks, this seems to be happening.

So, if anybody is up for any kind of activity (not necessarily during the night, of course), give me a call.

Gracias a la vida

Mercedes Sosa sings this famous song, I hope you will like it, too!

the song

Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto.
Me dio dos luceros, que cuando los abro,
Perfecto distingo lo negro del blanco
Y en el alto cielo su fondo estrellado
Y en las multitudes el hombre que yo amo.

Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto.
Me ha dado el oà do que en todo su ancho
Graba noche y dà a, grillos y canarios,
Martillos, turbinas, ladridos, chubascos,
Y la voz tan tierna de mi bien amado.

Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto.
Me ha dado el sonido y el abecedario;
Con à l las palabras que pienso y declaro:
Madre, amigo, hermano, y luz alumbrando
La ruta del alma del que estoy amando.

Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto.
Me ha dado la marcha de mis pies cansados;
Con ellos anduve ciudades y charcos,
Playas y desiertos, montaÃnas y llanos,
Y la casa tuya, tu calle y tu patio.

Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto.
Me dio el corazón que agita su marco
Cuando miro el fruto del cerebro humano,
Cuando miro al bueno tan lejos del malo,
Cuando miro al fondo de tus ojos claros.

Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto.
Me ha dado la risa y me ha dado el llanto.
Asà yo distingo dicha de quebranto,
Los dos materiales que forman mi canto,
Y el canto de ustedes que es mi mismo canto,
Y el canto de todos que es mi propio canto.
Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto.

out of office!!!!!!

Have you guys phrases that annoy the hell out of you? Something you use or somebody else? And then you realize you can´t stand it?

Today, there it was again. one of the most annoying phrases, I was talking to a colleague and said "I apologize for[ ]" and the next one: "hey, I am not sure how to do this and I am sorry for calling you but I need advice on [ ]". And a lot of laughter about it afterwards. Friends from work and me got out of the office around 6 pm today, walking towards the train station. We were trying to figure out a phrase that can be a quick substitute for the reflex-like use of apologetic stuff. I even mean it, that´s the worst thing about it. In the case of friends, a totally different story, but it sucks in the office! A LOT.

SO.
depending on the person and the context, the reflex should be:

"Out of office" [we had no idea idea what scenario that would be, but it´s fun if I could use it as a permanent substitute]
"I would apologize right now but I am too annoyed to do so because asking for this info already annoys the hell out of me"
"I apologize. Naah, I take it back. "

Apart from this stuff, I am really moved about the last few days.

Spent Friday in Mannheim, again with friends from my school in Spain and AGAIN dancing until 4 o´clock in the morning.
Spent half a Saturday night with a friend watching fireworks at the Rhine on the height of Bonn (Rhein in Flammen, es war mal wieder so weit). And will spent some time with Bea (btw, dear: Karten verkauf hasn´t started yet, but I will let you know asap once I have the ticket), you will see, August is going to be here so soon, YEYYYYY :))

A big hug to all of you, and I am keeping fingers crossed for all of you.

B