White Tiger’s Lair

More random thoughts

I finally have internet again!!! (yippie, please excuse me while I do a happy dance)

I now have an UMTS card (mobile internet) with unlimited bandwidth and with that I am back into the real world.  There is nothing like having no connection for a week to make you feel isolated and the most surprising thing is that after the initial shock on not checking my email every 10 min it was actually quite nice, like a mini vacation.

Augsburg has a stadt market that is like a farmers market every morning, it is a bit expensive but there is a nice selection of local produce, eggs, chickens, and homemade goods.

I haven’t found a secondhand store yet, it keeps raining and as my main form of transportation Is a bicycle that limits my ability to get around.  I did a test run out to my new office, it took 3 hours, 3 busses and 9 euro.  I have since gotten it down to 1 hour, 3 buses and 3.15 so that is better.  It is a good thing I will be working from home and only going in a few times a week.

As I am staying with a person you never wastes anything, uses and re-uses everything possible I think more and more about the amount of “stuff” I have and use.  Particularly as I look for a new apartment (and the furnishings for a new apt).  This weekend was the time where people in this apartment complex could throw away large items.  There was so much crap out on the curb, probably 10 mattresses but also some interesting stuff that people were picking through and taking home.  For example several bicycles in various states of unrepaired and a really cool find for me an old sewing table.  It is the kind with the pedal at the bottom that you push to make the machine work, it all looks to be in good working order, and if nothing else it will make a nice desk when I get y new place.  This leads me to try and come up with some way to quantify “savings”.  Savings in $, as well as material when I re-use or recycle items.  In true geek fashion, I am working on an excel model, when I get it working I will post it online.

Life is none the less quite busy here, Sunday nights are badminton nights (great fun and going to the sauna afterward), Mondays is martial arts training (the class is way too advanced for me, I think I will look for a different one), Tuesdays is his English class and we all go out for drinks afterwards, Thursday, more martial arts, Friday lunch and the canteen and Saturday wandering.

For now I look forward to my work permit being approved so that I can start working and my trip back to the US Christmas  =)