Taking Up Space...?

I'm in a bit of a pickle.

On one hand, I'd like to give to you all a daily blog detailing my experiences here in Europe. I want to do this so I can develop a sort of regular schedule with viewers like you. I also want to do it for myself because I worry that my procrastination/laziness will somehow find a way to justify not writing a blog "right now" each and every time I log onto blogger to check my comments.

On the other hand, I don't want this to become a diary of sorts where I'm just writing for the sake of "making sure I posted something today." Yet, here I am...

Take today for example. Of note,

• I think the honeymoon period is over for "the exchange guy from DC" and they're just going to go it as "business as usual" around me from here on out. That means, among other things, conducting all meetings in their native German. What's funny is that I don't mind and that I honestly am picking up more semblances of German words than I did a week ago. I'm just wondering how many times I can ask them how to say phrases that I've asked them at least 5 times prior before they get irritated. I'm bad with names...sorry.
• I stapled my thumb...and everyone in a 3-person radius laughed while blood trickled out.
• Today's weather was like the reverse of the weather all last week...it was sunny during the morning and overcast in the afternoon. Luckily, I had my druthers about me and went to the European Central Bank to take pictures...

Well, maybe not of the bank, but of the "superstar" Euro in front of the building (I have a bunch of others from where those came from).

• I'm beginning to think people in the office think it's odd (as in, not good) that I drink at least 3 double shot espressos a day. Yes, my job has made me into a bit of a coff-e-holic. But really, coffee is just the by product. At home, I go to Starbucks just as much to get a "fresh-air" break from the office as I do for the caffeine. Over here...WE HAVE AN ESPRESSO MACHINE DAMMIT! This is the type of thing you only hear about from a friend of a friend's job or see on TV somewhere in some rich dude's house. So needless to say, I'm taking advantage. Furthermore, I'm cised that I conquered the machine, with all its bells and whistles and spouts, and can make a Starbucks-grade espresso. Matter fact, that's going to be a future blog..."Frankfurt Freddie Teaches How to Make a 'Proper' Espresso."
• Since numbers are universal and I have a pretty good handle on ARGUS (our financial modeling software), I think that's how they're going to incorporate me into assignments. Case in point, they have a portfolio of 30-some-odd buildings that they need to do update reports for. In this case, they'll basically get the rent rolls for each of these buildings and have me update the last year's ARGUS files. Not saying each assignment will be like this, but I could see them using me in that fashion. They'll probably also have me look over some of their English-written reports and proofread. We'll see.
• I finally made the shrimp scampi I had been procrastinating on making since the middle of last week. It came out pretty good I guess and I have some left overs.
• Finally, the washing machine...

I don't know what the difference between the sides are and some of these words don't come up in the English-to-German translators I've checked. Furthermore, the washing machine has a dial with each of the above letters at different points on the dial. You basically turn the dial to the point where the letter you want is aligned with the "start" position (at 12 o'clock) and then pull the dial out to start the cycle. What I don't get is that because the dial turns in a clockwise fashion once you start the cycle, how is any letter different from the other seeing that say 'F' will hit every position that 'G' is going to hit...just a few minutes earlier (because there are other markings around the dial that signify at what point in the cycle your load is at). FYI...my clothes from yesterday dried fine...albeit without fabric softener.

And there you go. I don't know, maybe some of ya'll take joy from the monotony I just explained...but I feel like ya'll deserve better.

One last thing. It's official...I can't remember the last time I went to bed before midnight.

Cheers.