Blue Sky

tff Rudolstadt 2010

2010-07-09T19:32:00.004+02:00

I am lucky enough to live 30 minutes away from Europe's largest roots, folk, and world music festival and that's where I was last weekend when Germany beat Argentina 4:0. The festival was amazing and I was delighted to spend a few days wandering around the park and the city, listening to music and chllin' with the generally good vibes all around:) The big act was Arlo Guthrie backed up by the Thuringian Symphany. I had tears in my eyes listening to thousands of Germans singing "Good morning, America, how are you?" and "This land is your land" Here is a little taste of that show.

It was pretty surreal to see a classic American folk singer in the middle of a castle courtyard in Germany. I tried to pan the camera around so you can see what the venue was like. And yes, that is me you hear singing along :)

There was also a creole band from Louisiana that I wanted to see. They were a lot of fun and it was nice to have a little taste of home. Check out Cedric Watson and Bijou Creole.

Finally, Blue King Brown out of Australia were amazing. Their music is so powerful and moving. They had me dancing like a mad woman!

Der weltgrößte Thüringer Kloß in Jena aka The World's Largest Kloß!

2010-05-04T22:09:00.004+02:00

This weekend the Guinness record for the world's largest kloss was broken right here in Jena! What is a kloss? ... you ask. It is a potato dumpling typically produced here in Thuringia (the German state that I live in). This one weighed in at 381 kg (840 lbs). Emily and I saw it being boiled in the market square and then got to eat some of it after it was finished. It was very tasty, but I think they gave us about a pound of it! Way too much to eat. If you are interested in more information about kloese (plural of kloss) and to see more pictures of this record breaking event check out the following links!

Thüringer Kloßmuseum (yes this is a museum about kloese)

Der weltgrößte Thüringer Kloß in Jena

Sun makes everything better :)

2010-04-18T20:37:00.004+02:00

Spring may have finally arrived in Jena! Although I am doubtful that this beautiful weather will last long... Germany has made me a weather pessimist ( or maybe just a realist). Anyway, the sun shone all weekend and I soaked it up. On Saturday I spent my morning wandering around the the flea market in the city and then lounged in the park next to the Saale.
Today I hiked up to the Fuchsturm.
Ah, sunshine, how I love thee!

Radio Lab

2010-03-30T00:49:00.002+02:00

So as you may or may not know, I am a huge public radio fan. I listen to NPR most of the day. One of my favorite public radio programs is a show that Emily turned me on to called Radio Lab from WNYC. I was listening to the latest short put out by Radio Lab on my I-pod while walking home from work tonight. It turned out to be a story about an old folks home in Germany. I am putting a link here so that you can listen to the show. What I want you to pay special attention to is the exchange between the radio host and the German interviewee on how to say a certain name.

The Bus Stop

By Lulu Miller

I have had nearly the exact conversation at least 20 times since I've been here. For example, the German name for Cologne is Koeln. I cannot for the life of me correctly pronounce this name. The conversations usually goes like this:

German: koouln

Me: koouln

German: (laugh) no, koouln

Me: koouln

German: no! koouln

Me: OK, koouln

German: listen! koouln!

Me: kooouuln

German: no....

.... well you get the picture.

Anyway, I felt a camaraderie with Lulu Miller when I listened to her go rounds with Regine :) I feel your pain Lulu!

All about Me!

2010-03-22T22:45:00.003+01:00

Emily posted this on her blog so I thought I would respond. I know all my faithful readers are dying to know more about me :)

1. What time did you get up this morning?	9:00
2. Diamonds or pearls?	diamonds
3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema?	"Men Who Stare at Goats" or, as it was advertised "Männer die auf Ziegen starren (OmU)" (This is Emily's answer, but we went together)
4. What is your favorite TV show?	The Good Wife (currently)
5. What do you usually have for breakfast	cereal
6. What is your middle name?	Manning
7. What food do you dislike?	stinky cheese
8. What is your favorite CD at the moment?	I actually haven't listened to music in a while, just talk radio (NPR)
9. What kind of car do you drive?	My feet (also Emily's answer, but mine is the same)
11. What characteristic do you despise?	Greed
12. Favorite item of clothing?	my gray yoga pants
13. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go?	New Zealand
14. Favorite brand of clothing?	don't really look at brands
15. Where would you retire?	Hmmm.... probably FL
16. What was your most memorable birthday?	the year I went to the beach for the drum circle
17. Favorite sport to watch?	Hockey
18. Furthest place you are sending this?	Not actually sending it anywhere, but I guess people will see it in the US
19. Person you expect to send it back first?	?
20. When is your birthday?	January 15
21. Are you a morning person or a night person?	Night
22. What is your shoe size?	8
23. Pets?	Ebony and Mattie came to Germany with me (2 cats), Lucy had to stay home with a friend (another cat)
24. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share with us?	I won an award for best presentation at a conference I went to recently
25. What did you want to be when u grew up?	Ballerina, actress, singer....
26. How are you today?	Pretty good, but it is time to go home! Working late.
27. What is your favorite candy?	M&Ms
28. What is your favorite flower?	Hibiscus and poppies
29. What is a day on the calendar you are looking forward to?	Weather is supposed to be nice on Saturday...
30. What are you listening to right now?	the rattle of the stirrer in my DGGE
31. What was the last thing you ate?	Some of the chocolate cherry cake that Katha made (also Emily's answer, but the last thing I ate as well)
32. Do you wish on stars?	absolutely :)
33. If you were a crayon, what color would you be?	is there one that is a mixture of a lot of different colors? Wait... I think that's brown...
34. How is the weather right now?	warmish (60s) and overcast (ok, again... I'm in the same place as Emily)
35. The first person you spoke to on the phone today	Emily When she called to ask if I'd bring her wallet home from the lab
36. Favorite soft drink?	Dr. Pepper
37. Favorite restaurant?	Mellow Mushroom
38. Real hair color?	dark blond
39. What was your favorite toy as a child?	my imaginary friends?
40. Summer or winter?	summer
41. Hugs or kisses	can I have both?
42. Chocolate or Vanilla?	swirl
43. Coffee or tea?	coffee
44. Do you want your friends to email you back	sure
45. When was the last time you cried?	Listening to a radio lab show about a chimpanzee (Lucy)
46. What is under your bed?	cat poop
47. What did you do last night?	watched TV
48. What are you afraid of?	Not being good enough
49. Salty or sweet?	Sweet
50. How many keys on your key ring?	7
51. How many years at your current job?	2.5
52. Favorite day of the week?	Sunday
53. How many towns have you lived in?	Oh my.... 8?
54. Do you make friends easily?	yes
55. How many people will you send this to?	Again, not actually sending it
56. How many will respond?	not really applicable, but feel free to leave comments :)

Does anyone know what this is?

2010-03-19T23:25:00.002+01:00

I tried to post this video to facebook in the hopes that one of my ichthyologist friends might know what it is. I found this fish on the bottom just off shore from Summerland Key, FL. Any ideas?

der Schweiz

2010-03-02T15:03:00.003+01:00

Here are my pictures from my recent trip to Switzerland. We had a lovely time and the Alps were beautiful. A few snags here and there, but overall a great trip!

French (prelude to a post on der Schweiz)

2010-02-26T21:44:00.002+01:00

Coming soon: a post about my recent trip to Switzerland. Full of adventure and castles. However, until I get the photos uploaded I will entertain you with my newly acquired French speaking skills.

(Disclaimer: all French words given here will be spelled as I would pronounce them as I learned all my French orally. Sorry Charles!)

1. Je mirret en cafe sivouplais (I would like a coffee please)
2. Je mirret leau non gaseous sivouplais (I would like water without gas please)
3. Je mirret en carte sivouplais (I would like a menu please)
4. Je mirret .... (you get the idea)
5. Eu son le toilet? (where are the toilets?)
6. Serva? (How are you?)
7. Serva bien (I'm good)
8. Banan (banana)
9. Tomat (tomato)
10. Dorian (your welcome)
11. Merci (thank you, but that's easy, everyone knows that)

And now we come to the completion of my French knowledge (except for French words that are commonly used in English like "armoir", but I'll save that for another post) I hope this has been educational for all my readers and I am sincerely sorry to anyone reading this who actually knows French :)

The advice of Jane Austen

2010-02-01T22:47:00.003+01:00

For Christmas my mom got me a book of advice about various subjects collecedt from quotes in Jane Austen novels. It's called Jane Austen's Little Advice Book. It is broken into several sections like "Men and Women" or "Family". In each section are quotes taken from Jane Austen novels that pertain to that subject. So, I like to open the book to a random page and get my advice for the day. Here's today's:

On the Joys of Aunthood as Opposed to Motherhood

I shall be very well off with all the children of a sister I love so much, to care about. There will be enough of them, in all probability, to supply every sort of sensation that declining life can need. Thre will be enough for every hope and every fear; and though my attachment to none can equal that of a parent, it suits my ideas of comfort better than what is warmer and blinder. My nephews and nieces! I shall often have a niece with me.

Emma

Oh, Jane, you are so wise!

A few of my favorite things....

2010-01-28T16:44:00.006+01:00

Continuing on the theme of positivity in Germany, here is a list of some of my favorite things in Jena.

1. The Kunstwerk (art studio/workshop)

I have taken painting and ceramics classes here and they have open studio time when you can come in and use the space and supplies to make whatever you want! I am learning how to paint. Here is my first painting. I think it is pretty good considering it is the first since middle school art class.

2. Ducks and swans

I have to cross the Saale river on the way to work. There is a small pedestrian bridge and there are always tons of ducks there waiting to be fed. Recently some swans have shown up as well. I always associate swans with fairy tales, so it is really exciting to see them there.

3. The Seven Wonders of Jena

OK, I don't actually like the seven wonders, I like that there ARE seven wonders of Jena. I have a hard time remembering all of them... here's my best effort

Jenzig (the mountain behind my house)
Fuchsturm (fox tower) - really nice place to have a coffee and look out over the valley
Camsdorferbrucke - this is the bridge that crosses the Saale from the city center into Jena Ost (where I live) Interestingly, it is not actually the present day bridge that is the wonder, but the previous one.
The people who chase each other in the tower of the Rathaus (City Hall) - I don't remember what they're called. Supposedly if they catch each other the world will end.
Some statue in the Stadtmuseum (City Museum)
Some house that doesn't exist any more.
Stadtkirch (City Church)? Maybe this is one?

If anyone has more information on this, please share. I found this partial video on YouTube

Positivity about living in Germany #2: Germanisms

2010-01-08T21:56:00.004+01:00

So to continue the theme of things I like about Germany, I am including this blog on German sayings that I like.

1. In Germany they "get" babies instead of "having" them like we do. e.g "Kristina got a baby last week" (she didn't really, I'm just making an example). It's like she went to the corner baby store and picked one up :) Very cute!

2. Sticking with the baby theme... German's call birth control pills "Anti-baby pills". Aptly named.

3. If a German wants to know if doing something is fun the ask if it "makes fun" e.g. "Does a post-doc make fun?" Make fun of what? (and yes they probably do).

4. A German guy I dated was a forester and he spent all day running "hill up and hill down" .

Hmmm, that is all I can think of for now, but I will keep this a running post and add to it as I think of new things.

***New Additions***

5. Carsten said "You are going on my nerves!"

6. Somewhere, somehow, "somewhen"?

7. Germans sit "on" their computers instead of "at" their computer. I actually caught myself saying this one today.

Fireworks!

2010-01-02T21:38:00.006+01:00

So, it is a new year and I am back in Deutschland. I was feeling vaguely sorry for myself having just flown away from friends and family, a country that is my home with all of it's faults, and let's face it.... warmth! To make matters worse, all of my friends here were out of town for the holiday. So I took a bath, ate a bowl of Uncle Ben's 10 minute whole grain rice, plain (the only food in the house) and put myself to bed at 7:30. My attitude about returning to Germany has ranged from total despair to mild indifference at best. Then I woke up to the deep, resonant booming and high pitched shrieks emanating from the sky all around me. FIREWORKS! Germans LOVE fireworks and I love them for it. I have friends who are disgusted by the copious sums of money spent for just one fireworks display. 100,000 euro for just a few minutes of "oooh" and "aahh". I can see their point. Wouldn't that money be better used to feed the hungry or fight the AIDS epidemic? Of course! I will not attempt to make some lame argument on the side of fireworks.... "aesthetics and beauty are essential to culture... blah, blah, blah." No, I simply, guiltily love fireworks! And tonight on this first day of the new year, 2010, I stood with my head out the roof-top window of my attic apartment watching the sparkling beauty erupt all round and was glad to be right where I was :)

*** UPDATE***

Here is some info on New Years in Germany... it's called Silvester here.

New Year - New Attitude

2010-01-02T21:32:00.003+01:00

I've decided that I need to have a more positive attitude about my life in Germany. So, I am going to write once a week about something I like about Germany, Germans, or generally life in a foreign country. To kick off my new positive attitude I will enlighten my fair readers about the glorious fondness that Germans have for fireworks.

Things that make me smile :)

2009-09-09T22:41:00.005+02:00

As many of you know, I have been going through a particularly painful break-up. So, I decided to restart my blog by posting a series of things that make me smile. I hope they make you smile, too.

Number 1: Puppies!

Number 2: Nature Anthem

Number 3: The giant, light-up, blue gummi bear I see on my way home from work.

Number 4: Mattie chasing her tail :) ... it's really funny!

Number 5: Imagining Carsten in nothing but lederhosen fighting Matt in a bear costume.

Number 6: Flight of the Conchords

These are just a few of the things that cheer me up when I'm feeling down. Anybody have any others they want to add to the list?

England

2009-01-22T17:16:00.005+01:00

Since I last wrote, I have been doing a lot of traveling. I was in the US for Christmas and had a great time visiting with my family. It was especially nice to spend some time with my grandparents who I hadn't seen in a while. Then I came back to Germany and moved into a new apartment which I love! But most exciting, I went to England for the first time. I spent the first three days there at the annual meeting of the British Phycological Society. Then I played tourist in London for a few days.

I saw my first red carpet premier! Daniel Craig is there I swear!

Then I went to Newcastle and spent a few days with a very nice Scottsman. I had a personal guide around the English and Scottish countrysides. I met a man who had a dispute with a real live Lord and saw the spot where Thomas the Ryhmer fell in love with the Queen of the Fairies. It was all so very romantic!

Giving Thanks

2008-12-06T20:30:00.003+01:00

Emily, Sarah (Emily's sister), and I cooked Thanksgiving dinner for the lab. Here are a few pics of the big day.

Georg carving the turkey

Georg's youngest, Adrian

Scary monsters! (Emily and Ansem)

Emily drying the inside of the turkey. It was a little gross!

Lab Puppy

2008-11-14T17:47:00.003+01:00

Recently we have been discussing the possibility of getting a lab puppy (a puppy for the lab, not a Labrador). So, Emily and I went to the local tierheim (animal shelter). Here is what we found. His name is Tony.

The End of a Dream

2008-11-11T18:43:00.003+01:00

I have to give up my life long dream of being a miner. I know what you're thinking... she can always be a farmer...but NO! I can't do that either. No extreme sports, no running on asphalt, and no desk jobs. How will I get through life? The cause?... a herniated disk (disk extrusion) at the L5/S1 position. Aren't I too young for this sort of thing?

Yes We Can!!!

2008-11-05T08:30:00.003+01:00

I am proud of the American president (elect) for the first time in my adult life! Not only do I not feel like I have to defend my fellow Americans, and constantly explain that not all American's hold the beliefs and ideals of the government, but finally have a leader that I can look up to. I have hope for positive change in the country for the first time in a long time. I am a little emotional about it right now, partly because I haven't slept! Emily and I stayed up all night to watch the election. It was called for Obama when California closed the polls which was at 5:00 am here! Then of course we watched the speeches, and now I am at work. So, to sum up... I am thrilled! Elated! Ecstatic! and best of Hopeful!!!

Zurich, Halloween, and more Hedgehogs

2008-10-21T18:11:00.005+02:00

Ok, it has been a while since I've posted anything, so this is going to be a long one.

First, Emily and I spend a weekend in Zurich a couple of weeks ago. It was very romantic...we rented a paddleboat on the Zurich See (lake); hiked in the hills, enjoying the fall leaves and overview of Zurich; strolled through the botanical gardens... I could go on and on.

Here's Emily looking at the bulletin board at the ETH (the Harvard of Europe). We've been watching a lot of Gilmore Girls lately.

This is my Swiss bed in the hostel we stayed in.

Is this pot? It was growing in the botanical gardens.

Here's Emily during our romantic paddle boat ride on the Zurich See.

Seriously though, Zurich is a beautiful city and we saw some nice churches and museums, including the Museum of Skin Diseases and the coffee museum. We thought the art museums sounded boring. FYI, the skin disease museum was disgusting!!!

From left to right: The largest clock in Europe, a blue cow, a view of the Alps through the fog, Emily on the rooftop terrace of our hostel

On to Halloween. I am planning a big costume party and encouraging all my non American friends to participate in the tradition. Last weekend Kristina, Dirk, Emily, and I carved pumpkins and ate pumpkin soup (provided by Kristina).

Finally, I have an update to my continuing fascination with hedgehogs. I touched one! Emily says I'm going to get rabies if I don't stop touching every animal I see, but they are so cute! I touched it's face and ear and it's spiky back (it wasn't very sharp).

Touched by a Monkey

2008-09-17T17:57:00.002+02:00

So, I have been withholding this exciting news until I remembered to bring my camera to work.

I was touched be a monkey!

Right on the shoulder!

He looked like this.

My Manga

2008-09-07T18:39:00.002+02:00

So I jumped on the Manga bandwagon. What do you think?

A year abroad

2008-09-01T17:07:00.002+02:00

So, today marks my one year anniversary in Germany. I know everyone always says this, but I really cannot believe it has been that long. Especially since that means I am 1/3 of the way through my PhD. Speaking of which, I really should get back to work. Only two years left to go!

Princess Consuella Banana-Hammock

2008-08-29T18:47:00.002+02:00

Americans enjoy the right to name your children any bizarre name you can come up with! In Germany there will be no Pipers, Nightshades, Willows, etc... Every name here must be approved by a special council for name approval. You cannot doom your poor child to a lifetime walking the earth as a "Ocean" or "Reef" I think this is outrageous! Where is the creativity, the individuality? What do you think?

Illegal baby names

I wasn't lying about the speedos!

2008-08-08T20:23:00.001+02:00

Here is scientific proof!

more graph humor and song chart memes

Get to know your friends 2008 cont.. (aka: I can't move out of my chair because I rode my bike to work today so I might as well fill out this form)

2008-08-05T11:59:00.004+02:00

1. What time did you get up this morning? 10:00 ... pretty early for a Tuesday

2. Diamonds or Pearls? Diamonds are a girls best friend! (not that I own any ... yet)

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Charlie Bartlett - in Berlin. We wanted to see "Sex in the City" but we would have missed our train.

4. What is your favorite TV show? The Office in America, The Rock of Love here (what? we only get CNN and MTV in English!)

5. What do you usually have for breakfast? Cereal

6. What is your middle name? Manning

7. What food do you dislike? Most cheese and Vegemite

8. What is your favorite CD at the moment? Elizabethtown soundtrack

9. What kind of car do you drive? Nope

10. Favorite sandwich? come on, it's a sandwich, how great can it be?

11 What characteristic do you despise? Thinking the world owes you something and always playing the victim (is that a characteristic? )

12. Favorite item of clothing? I don't have one

13. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go? Magfest...I miss it!

14. Are you an organized person? Nope

15. Where would you like to retire to? I know I'm old, but I'm not THAT old!

16. What was your most recent memorable birthday? My 29th birthday I spent at the drum circle on Siesta Key Beach

17. What are you going to do when you finish this? Try to peel myself off of my chair and do some work.

18. Furthest place you are sending this to? The World Wide Web

19. Person you expect to send it back first? If you don't have any expectations you are less likely to be disappointed!

20. When is your next birthday? This year I am going to have it in January, after that I can't make any promises.

21. Morning person or night person? Night! (see #1)

22. What is your shoe size? 8

23. Pets? Mattie and Ebony who traveled with me from the States. And Lucy who stayed behind :(

24. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share? I saw hedgehogs trying to mate (see last post)

25. What did you want to be when you were little? Ballerina, singer, cowgirl...

26. How are you today? Feeling better now that I have sat for 20 minutes.

27. What is your favorite flower? hibiscus

28. What is a day on the calendar you are looking forward to? I have nothing to look forward to, isn't that sad?

29. What are you listening to right now? I don't listen,

30. What was the last thing you ate? Cereal

31. Do you wish on stars? Yes, because unlike Emily, I am still amazingly superstitious for a scientist.

32. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? I haven't the slightest idea!

33. How is the weather right now? Warm and breezy

34. Last person I spoke to on the phone? Lori

35. Favorite soft drink? Dr. Pepper baby!

36. Favorite restaurant? The Magic Mushroom

37. Hair color? Jury is still out, I am growing out all of the dye. I let you know when I find out.

38. What was your favorite toy as a child? Probably my cat.

39. Summer or Winter? Winter in Florida.

40. Chocolate or Vanilla? Chocolate. A thousand times chocolate.

41. Coffee or tea? Tea.

42. Do you want your friends to email you back? That would be nice, but see #19

43. When was the last time you cried? I'm too tough to cry!

44. What is under your bed? Whatever Mattie has dragged under there.

45. What did you do last night? Went to the gym, made dinner, watched two episodes of Next (I'm not proud of that OK, but again there are only two channels in English!), and tried to complete four different Sudoku puzzles (without success)

46. What are you afraid of? Never falling in love and horror movies

47. Salty or sweet? sweet

48. How many keys on your key ring? a bunch

49. How many years at your current job? 1 in September

50. Favorite day of the week? Sunday

51. Do you make friends easily? Yeah, but I usually only have a few close friends.

52. How many people will you send this to? Emily might read it.

53. How many will respond? Why do you keep asking this? See #19

54. Do you like finding out all this stuff about your friends? Some of this stuff I don't really care about, but some of it is interesting. For instance, I don't really care about anyone's shoe size unless it is freakishly large (Emily) or freakishly small (Shelly)

Hedgehog Mating Rituals

2008-08-04T09:12:00.003+02:00

I realized I have been remiss in my educational responsibilities of late. So, the lesson for today is on the mating behaviors of hedgehogs (which are surprisingly similar to the mating behaviors of humans).

The male hedgehog (by the way, hedgehogs live wild in Europe) tries to mate with any female he comes across in his nightly wanderings. He approaches the female and begins to circle around her. He circles because she won't let him get anywhere near her private bits. He makes all sorts of grunting noises to try to impress her, but generally she just ignores him. This can go on for hours. Eventually one of the two will give in. Either she will spread her hind legs and lay flat on the ground or he will go away.

This guy is having better luck than the one I saw.

Adventures in Berlin!

2008-07-21T23:21:00.003+02:00

Emily and I traveled to Berlin last week. The most amazing thing happened ...

I was magically transported back to Florida!

After I returned, we saw the sights of Berlin (a few of them at least).

We saw the Brandenburg Gate

The new American Embassy

And of course, remnants of The Wall

We also found out that in Germany they leave the "Picture" out of "Rocky Horror Picture Show"

Finally, my love and adoration for Jack Johnson was renewed. Isn't he dreamy!?

Jack Johnson

2008-07-17T16:36:00.003+02:00

Emily and I trekked to Berlin Tuesday to see Jack Johnson. Great concert! More on Berlin to come.

So much to catch up on.

2008-07-10T16:38:00.007+02:00

Sorry to leave all my avid readers hanging on the edge of your seats...waiting to hear what's been happening in my world! I have been on vacation. Now I have to catch you up on the past couple of weeks.

As you may or may not know, Germany won the semifinals, but lost the final game to Spain. I have some footage of the crowd after the semifinal victory.

Also, my Aunt Meg and Grandma were here visiting. We spent some time in Dresden and in Prague. We also went to the Dornburg Rose Festival and saw the Rose Queen (very beautiful). And, of course, we had a 4th of July party.

Dresden was very nice, but we were only there one night. Amazingly they have rebuilt many of the old buildings that were destroyed during the war. I would like to go back when I have more time to explore Dresden.

I highly recommend Prague to anyone traveling to Europe. It is a beautiful city. The pictures I have don't do it justice. We stayed in a 16th century hotel at the base of the steps leading up to Prague Castle (the largest castle in Europe). We were staying very near to the Charles Bridge, which, like all of Prague, is breath taking at night.

Meg and I watching the European Cup Final

Me at a castle in Dresden

Skyline of Prague at sunset

Grandma and Meg outside our hotel in Prague

Oh, and you might of noticed, I got my hair cut.

Disappointment

2008-06-22T16:54:00.002+02:00

I still can't believe the Netherlands lost last night! I had faith in them to go all the way. Plus this seriously diminishes the chance of me winning the office pool. Oh well, now at least I can focus my energy on cheering for Germany.

GO DEUTSCHLAND!!!

Pottery

2008-06-20T18:10:00.004+02:00

As some of you already know, I have taken up ceramics as a hobby. I absolutely love it! It is the most relaxing thing I have ever done. When I am making something I can completely clear my mind of all the days worries. Here are some examples of things I have made so far.

Germany Celebrates!

2008-06-20T16:37:00.005+02:00

The streets echoed with shouts of joy as the German soccer team secured a place in the European Cup semifinals last night.

GO DEUTSCHLAND!

2008-06-19T17:16:00.002+02:00

I have a confession to make... I like football (soccer)! I have been taken in by the European Cup. Germany plays tonight in the quarter finals against Portugal. There is a lot of excitement here. I will be rooting for Germany of course. Although, in the office pool I have chosen the Netherlands as the overall winner, so I hope they win the whole thing.

http://en.euro2008.uefa.com/

Learning the European Ways

2008-06-16T14:42:00.002+02:00

OK, I always knew Americans were a bit repressed when it comes to the human body, and I had no problem accepting that every time I pass a photography studio here I am going to see breasts, however I must say I was completely surprised when I went to a public swimming area and people changed into their swimsuits in broad daylight! I don't want to sound prudish...I really don't mind that they do this, I am just surprised that they are so comfortable taking their clothes off in public. I now feel that it is necessary to warn my European friends that if they do this in America they can be arrested for indecent exposure! They can't believe it.

So consider this a

Public Service Announcement

Americans: be aware that in Europe you might see naked people.

Europeans: be aware that we have laws against public nudity in America

What in the world am I doing in Germany?

2008-06-13T12:18:00.004+02:00

Some of you may have no idea why I am in Germany or what I am doing here. This blog is for you. I am here working on my PhD in chemical ecology. I am at the Friedrich Schiller University in Jena. (The university is celebrating its 450th anniversary this year!) I am also part of the International Leibniz Research School (http://www.ilrs.hki-jena.de) I am studying the chemically mediated interactions between green algae and their associated microbial community.

That's my algae (Dictyosphaeria ocellata).

I am using a molecular technique called denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) to profile the microbial community associated with the algae and comparing that to the microbial community in the surrounding seawater.

This is a DGGE image. Each band represents one species of bacteria.

I am also looking for chemicals that regulate the interactions between the algae and the microbes.

Basically, I left Florida to go to Germany to study algae that live in Florida!

Even More Pics

2008-06-12T21:06:00.001+02:00

March 2008 (Easter)

A mill near Bielefeld

Osterfeuer

My bed on the train

April 2008
Back to Holland

Keukenhoff Tulip Park

More Pics

2008-06-12T18:38:00.001+02:00

February 2008
Field Work in the Florida Keys

March 2008
Seminar in Siegmundsburg
(that's my boss with the snowball!)

Me and the "Burgermeister" at an Osterfeuer
(a bonfire held Easter weekend to tell winter to go away)

The Beginning of a Blog

2008-06-12T18:12:00.001+02:00

So, this is for everyone who might like to know what I am up to here in this faraway land. Now you can keep track of me and share some of my experiences. I am going to start with a quick photo run down of my German experience from September to now.

October, 2007

(Left: Amsterdam, Right: Castle on the Rhein)

December 2007
Erfurter Weihnachtsmarkt

(Every town in Germany has its own Christmas market)

January 2008

My 30th Birthday!!

(This is my friend Sebastian)