Just as novelists don’t know in advance whether their new publication is going to turn into a bestseller, I’m not sure whether this entry is going to be a bore. It might turn out to be really interesting and entertaining. But if it doesn’t: don’t complain, because I warned you in the headline….
Well….where to start….first of all it’s been party non-stop during the past few weeks. There was a Red Bull soapbox race that took place in Manayunk two weeks ago. We went there (on a Saturday) still a little off from the night before. After an Advil-and-Beef Jerky breakfast in the car and a long drive, it started to pour. I mean it had been raining on and off all day, but the moment we got out of the car heaven’s floodgates opened. We were drenched instantly and I could have left my umbrella in the car, because it was totally futile to carry that thing around. We got wet from below, from the side and the water came through the fabric of the umbrella. Plus people almost took each others eyes out with the little pins sticking out from the corners of their umbrellas (umbrellae?). So we headed to the racetrack and didn’t really see anything until we climbed into the front yard of a house, where a colleague of another intern was standing and offered us beer. The place was totally packed and the house owners kindly asked us not to pee in their yard. By then, I was already soaked down to my undies. We ended up going to the colleague’s house and throwing our wet clothes in the dryer. Dressed in randomly picked shirts and shorts that we borrowed from the host, we started drinking beer and talking to a lot of interesting people. Too bad I had field duty on the gliderport the next day.
This weekend we had another great night out in West Chester city. This is starting to become an institution. Saturday night saw yet another farewell party and as usual, I was chosen to give a short farewell speech and hand over some memorabilia to one of our leavers. This is also becoming an institution. And anyone who has ever heard me talk in front of people knows how pathetic I am at giving speeches. Especially when I haven’t prepared anything and already had a few beers.
Also, we visited Princeton University on Saturday and took a guided tour around the campus. I wasn’t quite as impressed with the tour guide as with the one in Harvard, but the university as such seems to offer more arts and humanities than the other Ivy League colleges. I even had a look inside the premises of the German department and instantly felt at home. Luckily, Princeton’s admission requirements are way too high. So my dear parents need not worry. The tuition is 40.000 $ a year. But the individual support seems to be very unique and exceptional. Maybe I should apply just for fun.
What more is there to say? Time is running out once more, it’s only three more weeks. I’m having my very own farewell party this week on Friday, of course everyone’s invited. There are various things that still need taking care of. Among these are: 1) Send a postcard. 2) Buy various items. 3) Buy a suitcase. 3) Hope that I get my deposit back from my landlord. 4) Figure out what to do with that deposit. 4.1) Decide whether to spend all of it incrementally on many little things, or 4.2) Buy something big. (Dodge RAM trucks are cheap at the moment). 5) Find my house keys. There couldn’t possibly be anything more embarrassing than coming home and not getting in. It’s got to be here somewhere. Probably I put it in a drawer and just don’t remember which one. Well. Whatever.
On Wednesday I’m going to see Opeth at the Troc in Philly. There’s been quite a number of interesting releases in the last weeks. The Human Abstract put out a new record and I totally dig it. Really complex, demanding, artistic, exceptional music. Tomorrow, All That Remains’ new record hits the shelves and it’s going to be killer as well, judging from the snippets on myspace.
I will keep you updated on my last weeks.
Peace, I’m out….
