the garbage post

This is the view from my kitchen.
Isn't it lovely?

The problem with our garbage is that the garabage cans are way too small and usually are full by Monday, but the garbage is only collected on  Thursdays. So people still put their trash outside and the garabage bags burst and the wind carries the contents everywhere. It is especially nice in the summer and...ok, I won't elaborate.
But there's something even more lovely: My neighbors. Or particularly the nosy ones. They live below us and today they really made me speechless. The woman told me to please deposit our garbage properly (which I absolutely do) because (and this is the good part) the trash scattered around the garbage cans was definitely ours because there is a Condom box among it.
Yep, it has to be ours because the condom box clearly indentifies us.
There are 12 appartments in the house. We are not the only couple and some people livingh here are in relationships. For example the girl living next to us has a very active sex life. I know. I  will spare you.

This is ridiculous.
I WANT TO MOVE!!!!!!


My next appartment on lonely island WITHOUT neighbors!

6 year anniversary

 Today is Henny's and mine six year anniversary. I thought I would use this as an excuse to look at old pictures instead of studying (as if I needed an excuse for that ...ha) . Enjoy!

2007

                                                                      2008

                                                                             2009

                                                                                 2010

                                                                              2011

                                                                             2012

                                                                   (almost)  2013

                                                hendrik's beach art in Kenya   ;)

                                                 Hope I get 60 more years with you ;)

Why doesn't osmosis work like this?

My thoughts as I begin another day of studying

Lance Armstrong

As some of you might know Lance Armstrong became my hero during my darkest hours when I was lying in my hospital bed. I read his book under the covers of my bed at night and I cried for the first time in my 13 years of life because of a book. I read this book (and his second one) again and again until I had memorized large parts of it. Until I had memorized the message: Life goes on after cancer. One day you WILL leave the hospital with all its torture and just be again. Because of Lance I stayed active during my chemo and I bought a very nice bike after my chemo and started to gain my body and my freedom back. He taught me that giving up is not an option. He and his story pushed me to try harder when I just wanted to rest. Lance had a huge impact on the person I am today. He showed me there was hope to not only live, but to thrive. His story made me able to face the illness and the world.

Everybody who knows me, knows about Lance. In the past days I got several messages simply asking: "So, what do you have to say?" My answer was exactly what I just wrote here. I am still grateful that there is Lance and his story. It does not matter that he doped. The victory is  getting up from this darn hospital bed and to start training again. He would have been my hero if he had finished 56. seven times in a row.

Watching the interviews with Oprah made me sad. But it still was strangely reassuring that this super human is indeed just human. He has many undesirable traits that I hope people will never associate with me, but there are still two things I hope I learned from him: determination and endurance. World, do no be too hard on him (and his family)!

The picture I took of Lance when the "Tour de France" came to Germany in 2005. I was hyper for days afterwards.

Relaxing from studying

My big, big final exams start in about six weeks. I will have to master two written and two oral exams until the end of April. This means studying big time. I am supposed to read about a million textbooks and then summarize them so I can acutally memorize them. It is quite a bit of work, but I would say I am right on track. Hendrik will probably finish a little later than me so he leads about the same life. In the mornings we get up at 7:40, have breakfast and then we both study. I study either at home or at the libary, Hendrik usually at the libary of his university. At about 1 pm I usually have lunch and then continue to study until 4 or 5. Every second day we go to the gym. Then it is dinner and shower time. Around 8 I quiz Hendrik a little. Then we watch TV or do whatever we need/want to do. Around 10:30 we go to bed.
Sounds pretty ordinary, but the hard thing is that every day seems to be the same. I actually start to miss having classes where I get to see my friends and just listen to the teacher. But I am not complaining. It is definitely worth it.
Today Hendrik won't come home till 9 pm and since today is a no sport day I went a little shopping after the studying. In finally got a vase for the flowers Hendrik got me.

And these warm socks/ slippers.

Because they look so incredibly comfy, I decided to take a bath, put a mask on my face and read. I am probably  going to be in my pjs by 8. Sounds great, doesn't it?

New Year's resolution

I thought I would not share my new year's resolutions, but since everybody does I do not want to be left out.
I only have two. The first one is that I want to get my health under control. In May I was diagnosed with crohn's disease and since then I have been taking different amounts of cortison. I do not feel any sideeffects, but it is not really good for you. What I want is not to take no more medicine, but I want to find the medicine that works. Right now I have to get blood drawn every month which I hatenot because of the needle (I have seen plenty in my life), but because of the fear that my bloodwork might be wrong and the dosage has to go up again. I am so sick of doctors. The only problem is that half of my family consists of doctors (7cousins, 5 doctors, one a teacher and the other one is a pastor and that is only the younger generation).
The other one would be that I become more patient with people. I usually do my work immeadiately. For example, it is not uncommon for me to have my papers ready a week or two before it is due. Most people are not like that which sometimes lets me get angry when they do not do something immeadiately. Usually, I do not tell those people that it bothers me. Hendrik is an exception. I tell him daily. Poor Hendrik. But being angry at people, because I think they do not do their work properly is tiresome and it costs a lot of strength to be angry, right?
So, let's just all become a little more relaxed (which would also be kind of a new year's resolution as every year).