LIFE'S WATERBASED

I'm seriously shocked - and very , very sad:

How did that happen?
*isspeechless*

One of the darkest chapters of my life (and no, I'm not being over-dramatic) is over. After almost five years to the day from the start of my PhD, I defended my thesis on Monday, the 26th of October. I did fine, a good presentation of my results and an acceptable discussion afterwards and came out with a mark far better than I had expected - which normally wouldn't have bothered me whatsoever. But since this mark also exceeds what a certain schmuck wanted me to wrap this PhD up with, I'm absolutely thrilled to have thwarted his intentions. I was allowed to read the assessment he wrote on my thesis, and believe me, it was not pretty. I also heard about the mark he gave on that same thesis before my defense, and it wasn't much better. So this guy was absolutely determined to get the worst out of that PhD for me - the one thing almost as good as finally having finished this nightmare is that he didn't succeed.

Well, that was that. I hope I'll regain my trade-mark resilience from before this mess. I hope people I care for will finally be able to deal with me again on a normal level - without me lashing out every time my frail composure splinters. I hope I'll be a better friend again from now on, more available online and off. I hope I'll be able to treat myself a little better than I've done during the past years, finally taking care again of my physical, mental and emotional well-being. To make a long story short: I truly hope that now's the time to finally get my life back.

There were so many people with me through this all the time, and I want to thank everybody I haven't thanked yet! I've never before needed you all like this, and I'm so grateful you've faithfully put up with my intolerableness (is that even a word...*wonders*) the way you did!

You so rock!!

*bowsdeepinthegeneraldirectionofhannover*

What a game! What a result! Most heartfelt congrats!

*beams*
*hugs*

Did I ever mention how much I hate the side effects of the Oktoberfest? Arriving at around elven in the evening at Munich central, being hungry, thirsty, tired and irritated (after altogether eleven hours of train ride with an inserted author meeting), last things you need are the heaps of drunken flesh on the platform you better circle in order to avoid stepping into vomit. Or the idiotic lines completely tanked jerks bawl your way. Or the 10 minutes of S-Bahn ride with the train resounding with the caterwauling of absolutely wasted Sepplhut-bearers.

Disgusting!!

At least the return trip from the meeting was considerably sweetened with three goals and threes points and a climbs of five spots in the standings *beams*!

I'm so on cold turkey - pepsi-wise. The past soccer games really kicked me back into my addiction (I know I'm saying that a lot lately)...at the mo, one needs dope to get through our matches without suffering any serious lasting emotional or mental damage. Not to speak of my vocal cords which are still busy recovering from that match against Köln last Saturday.

Good for them that the game against Lübeck was away.

Aside from the current soccer situation, life's good! Today, the university Rostock called: the reports for my thesis are back, and I was finally able to establish a preliminary date for my defense. It looks like things will be coming to an end at the 26th of October...if I'm able to scrape together eight habilitated members of the university of Rostock as my examination board, that Monday is going to be the final stroke to five years of...well. I won't start again.

One month to prepare things (a presentation of 40 minutes and the following "discussion")...should be quite the incentive, what do you think ;o)?

...and I don't even know why. There's no particular reason: stress levels are the same as usual, there's been no longer holiday or something, and the fact that I've actually been to the movies three times within the past ten days is no excuse either.

But it's a sign.
That my social life's picking up. A little ;o).

Talking about the movies - has anybody seen "Inglorious Basterds" yet? Does anybody want to share some thoughts on it?

Tonight, I have every intention to escape that completely daft TV-duel, though that's not an easy task. How many channels are broadcasting this bullshit? Five? How did that spill over to German election campaigns? When did it happen? Well, when in doubt, one can always blame Schröder, at least when it cames to media issues. And I'm sure that wouldn't be too wild a guess in this case.

I've just returend from an author meeting in Rostock. Aside from the two extremely bright, witty and motivated ladies I met there, it was a funny feeling to return to "my" old turf. All right, "funny" might be the wrong word. "Odd" is probably more on target. After almost four years of a most double-edged life there, and the defense of my thesis at the university of Rostock still looming ahead, the last thing I had expected (or was mentally prepared for *grins*) was to return on behalf of my new job. Walking the streets, passing all my old regular places, buying chai tea latte where I always used to...I even visited Warnemünde and walked by the sea for a while. Doing all that without the back ground pressure I knew so well during the years at the IOW was - well. Extremely odd.

And yes, then there's the Bundesliga almost in full swing again. Very mixed feelings here about a rather patchy start into the season. On the up-side there's
1) Aleks who returned home to us where he belongs - for at least one year, that is. And of course first thing that happened to him was an injury; one of those little buggers that don't completely force you out of action, but also don't admit complete commitment. Not good for getting into shape and catching up with the team. But we'll see. He'll come around.
2) us having qualified for the Champions League - feels gooooooood *beamsmadly*. First match on the upcoming Wednesday against the Rangers, whose team and fans we already know from several european performances. At home, we looked always pretty good. On the island, that's another matter all together, but this season I actually will follow my team on a european away game for the very first time, and since it will be the match in Glasgow, things only can get better.
3) Pavel is finally scoring again. Good to see that the man supposed to replace Mario is stepping up. We need some figurehead up front again, I can tell you.

On the other hand it only takes a look at the standings to see the not-so-sunny side of things. Okay, you may lose in Hamburg. It's also quite all right not to win in Dortmund (to be honest, the Borussia's one of our horror teams when it comes to away matches). But you should win against Nürnberg at home. You should also do so against Köln next Saturday. I'll be there, trying to make sure my guys do this time!

And hey, roadrunner1896, congrats for that point tonight :o))!

I'll definitely try to post more often from now on. I've missed you guys!

It's done.
This past Wednesday, I handed in my thesis at the university Rostock.

One should think that after all the drama about it and the intensified strain this particular document brought during the past six weeks, that bells rang, birds sang and that I all but breezed out of the university office considering the monster load that had been taken of my mind.

Well, nothing of that happened.

Things were strangely unspectacular and of a definitely anticlimatic (if that even is a word...*grins*) nature. I entered, handed over three copies of the bounded collection of pages I've struggled so very hard to compile to the assistant, she checked for all the necessary documents (we even need to provide a recent police clearance certificate *shakeshead*) and I walked out again. The entire incident took about three minutes, three minutes for which I endured 11 hours in an overnight train from Tuesday to Wednesday, and nine more hours for the way home again on the same day.

I'm not complaining, though. I guess the feeling of liberation will take over as soon as the promotion procedure will actually have been officially initiated by the assembly of the faculty. This is supposed to happen on Monday, and only after that will my thesis be sent to the reviewers and I have the right to actually defend it and gain that f****** title. I've been simply bitten too very often by this entire PhD-thing for not being a little shy now that all apparently draws to an end. So before I'm not holding this confirmation letter about the initiated promotion procedure in my shaking hands, I'll remain suspicious - of anything - on principle.

I still treated myself to a most breathtaking live concert of the Boss in Munich an Thursday evening...Deep Blue Sea, that man is Rock on legs *feastsonexcellentmemories*...

Did I already mention that the past weeks saw myself stumbling back into my diet pepsi addiction, body, mind and soul? I hate braking that over summer when temperatures rule out tea as a substitute *grumbles*. Suggestions on that matter, anyone? And no, ice tea is not an option. Takes too freaking long until it's cold enough ;o)).

Okay, I'm still more than only a little dazed today. Antibiotics and codeine have worked their numbing magic on me for the past days - the price you pay for a somewhat pain-free throat, fever-free days/nights and the suppressed urge to cough constantly. Things have become better, my rather irrational visit to the Allianz Arena on Saturday notwithstanding, and I think I'll be able to go to work tomorrow. Provided that I'm not contageous anymore...I'm not sure about that, though - I'm still falling into fits of coughing way to often, since I don't want to take that codeine stuff too regularly.

I'm dying for a pepsi, but regarding the state of my throat, drenching it with acid might not be a very good idea.

The match on Saturday was exciting and nerve-racking, but unfortunately not of the quality my team delivered the previous matchdays. Consequentially, we lost; still we ended up on third place and therefore have the chance to qualify for the Championsleague. What I managed to witness through drug-induzed haze ;o), the atmosphere among us VfB-fans was terrific and we took a great farewell of our team and coach for the summer.

There's a downer, of course...I so, so, so hope that Mario will stay with us for another season *keepsfingerstightlycrossed*. And whenever he should leave, which will happen sooner or later, it'll better be towards any club but that located at the Säbener Straße...

My timing was - as almost always when it comes to opportunities to pay homage to Mr Murphy - infallible. Just in time, two days before the match of the season on Saturday (the match I obliged my sweet little mama to stand in line for more than an hour to secure some tickets weeks ago, the match that will be my first in the Allianz Arena Munich, the match that could end in a blaze of glory for my team - the match), I have to fall victim to a most vicious angina.

Very! Well! Done!!

On top of things, today is a holiday in Germany, meaning doctors and pharmacies are unavailable - the first I would have needed to get a prescription for some antibiotics, the latter for actually getting them.

Well, I'm not the cousin of a pharmacist for nothing, and she was helpful and nice enough to provide the antibiotics...still, the little buggers were still in Esslingen until six hours ago. But what can I say? You remember that sweet little Mama of mine? She along with my Papa (who's not any less sweet, but you most definitely can't call him little) actually got into the car to get those pills from Esslingen to Munich and to their suffering daughter - who's very, very grateful for that medical connection and the loveliest parents on earth!

So all I can do now is being a good little girl, swallowing pills, spending a quite evening with tonight's re-run of Star Trek - The next Generation (Best of Both worlds and All good things - yummie!) and hope for my body to play along - I will see that game live on Saturday!

It's supposed to be spring from this day on, right? Well, why then do I see those snowflakes tumbling through the air outside? Why is it still only +2°C? Why can't the weather play along once when I'm on holiday?

At the mo, I'm busy reducing my residual leave as much as possible before I have to file for transfer to the current year - and with being on holiday today, Monday and Tuesday, I'm down to six days left. If all goes as planned, I'll have another day off the week after next, and I also have some plans already for how to make use of those five residual days next month: My sweet little Mama's 60th birthday'll be at the end of April, so I plan to take a week off to help her preparing all the stuff for the party. Additionally, there'll be some most appreciated and necessary time to finish and rehearse the little video-show my brother and me have planned. Since I'm supposed to do the background music live on piano, rehearsing a lot is a rather good idea from where I'm sitting.

As for this three-day-holiday, I managed to fit in a trip to Kiel to meet the professor who was nice enough to proof-read the third chapter of my thesis. He's in Kiel for a week and will leave again on Monday afternoon for the UK, so we'll have a talk about the manuscript on Sunday afternoon or Monday morning - and one more step will be taken towards handing in the thesis sometime in April.

Dare I hope?

I'm struggling a little with my brand new iPod right now - well, brand new for me, since I was so very lucky to inherit this sweet thing of beauty from aqua_alta *beams*! I'm still a little confused by it, though...it does funny things, like advising me not to disconnect it from the computer for no obvious reason...*speculates*...but since I have my share of mostly unpleasant experiences with the digital miracles of today's world of entertainment and communication, I'll do precisely what it tells me.

Well, what I feel like right now is having a little nap, and what's a holiday good for if you don't indulge in yens like that from time to time *grins*?

Your Animal is the Swan

You are a calm, gentle, and serene person. You are happiest when you can relax and enjoy the world. You are beautiful, both inside and out. You find it easy to love and are easy to love. You are stable and strong. You can bring security to your family and friends. You have deep emotions, and you are a lot more sensitive than you let on.

I gacked this from Vi, and look, my friend - we both seem to lean toward the feathery...;o)

F******! Important!!!

*collapsesfromvictorydancingaroundkitchentable*

Must have been a real horrible kick, but I can't tell you how little I care! What I do care for are three lovely, wonderful, most relevant three little points to add to our collection, and Deep Blue Sea, have they been neccessary!!!

Grasp them, guys, pet them, whipe them clean - and get another set next Saturday! It's all so very close up there, almost everything's still possible...



Yes! Yes!! Yes!!!

roadrunner1896, I hope your guys will keep up the good work!!



*keepsfingerscrossed*

edit: They did - congrats!!!

I've just arrived in Munich on this last day of my holidays. My parents drove me here and we made use of this opportunity to get some last work on my flop done. A few drilling jobs to get some shelfs on the walls and some shutters up on the ceiling as room deviders and some other minor tasks. On top of that, I've been to Rostock to fetch the last things of mine still stored there in offices of friends...and since these boxes are now standing here and waiting to be unpacked and the contents to be put away, I'm feeling a bit like after a second tiny move from there to here.

And I have no idea whatsoever where to store all that extra stuff ;o)!

Aside from that, I'm still kind of recovering from a most nerve-jangling soccer match on Saturday ( I can't tell you how I survived that, honestly...I don't really remember how exactly I spent the second half; only my bruised shins are overwhelming evidence of me having climbed the railings several times, and my still raw throat tells a clear, or rather raspy, story of that particular afternoon...) and me and my brother have started our big video show project we're doing for the 60th birthday of our sweet little Mama. Of course we're already pressed for time, but that was to be expected from the beginning, so no surprises there.

I got your letter today, roadrunner1896. I'm very glad you enjoyed the spiced-up-with-Jack vampire story, and after your recommendation, I'm seriously considering watching it myself. I have to be in the right mood for it, though (well, I'm always in a Jack-mood, but those pointed teeth call for a little psychological-mental preparation *grins*), and I hope that things on the job and at the PhD front will calm down a little in the near furture so I can focus on what it needs to confront a vampire show ;o).

And thanks so very much for that lovely blackberry side dish *beams*!!

As of this moment, we have the first female ski jumping world championship medalists ever!!
Girls, you so rock!

My dishwasher just leaked out...

*poutsatlife*

This is the first day of a eight-days-holiday that's fondly grinning right into my face. I'm sitting in front of the telly, watching biathlon (have I already mentioned how very much I love this sport?) and sipping a most divine marzipan café au lait. After two days of violent snow fall, the sun's brightly gleaming from every white surface outside (to be honest, 'outside' is one big, snowy white surface), I'll leave in about an hour for meeting my still working colleagues for lunch and will do some serious window shopping afterwards - so life, in general, is good!

It was about time things took a turn for the more peaceful, too. To say that the past weeks have been turbulent would be the understatement of the century. It all culminated yesterday and the day before, when some greater power out there decided to take me for one of those rides you'd rather forget as soon as humanly possible. Initially, all the efforts of the past weeks were aimed at re-submitting a textbook with the responsible authorities for a (hopefully) final assessment on Monday this week. After a rather persistent cold forced me to stay home during this most decisive stage of work, things had already gotten pretty tight, and we decided to postpone the deadline and hand the manuscript in on Tuesday.

Now let me tell you about the worst case scenario that enfolded during those past two days.

Monday
The responsible setter and me fixed the last corrections on the text during a 75-minutes phone call in the morning. Not the usual way to do things, but scanning in the pages with the last revisions and sending them to him via E-Mail would have taken even longer. After that, everything seemed to be set: after making the final adjustments to text and layout, he would load up the entire document on our ftp-server, a colleague was already waiting for him to do so, so she could download and burn the data on CD. A courier service was already ordered to get this CD to a copy shop asap - and that copy shop had confirmed they would have printed and spiral-bound two versions of the manuscript by 05:00 p.m. So we would have been able to finish all those administraitve preparations necessary for re-submitting (like highlighting all the changes we'd made in the bound printouts) on Tuesday morning and hand in the two printouts around noon.

First thing that happened was that our ftp-server was a bitchy beast that day. The setter gave up his attempts to up-load the data there at 11:00 a.m. and began up-loading on the ftp-server of his own company. On his end, that went much better. On ours, things became more complicated, since somehow we were not able to access the data as fast as he was telling us they were up. All in all, it took us until 14:30 p.m. to download and burn everything.

That was late, guys. Very late.

Still, one consultation call with the copy shop told us they'd still deliver by 05:00 p.m. So the courier was called, the CDs sent and the waiting begun.

At 05:30 p.m., there were still no printouts delivered back to my office.
A call at the copy shop remained unacknowledged.
I went home at 06:00 p.m. with a very, very bad feeling.

Tuesday
First thing in the morning my colleague from production management did was to call the copy shop to find out the reason for the delay - and what she came up with was the maximum credible accident in our situation: The CDs had never arrived at the shop.

These are the moments, exactly, when you begin to believe in conspiracy theories.

The next call, of course, went out to the courier service. And after several phone calls back and forth it become clear that this "courier" had actually dared to leave our CDs in a letter box he found at the wall of the copy shop. Since the guys there had, of course, expected a personal delivery, the data we had so hard worked on to finish in time spent the night in a dark, cold letter box - and were still not printed, let alone bound by 9:30 in the morning. But they had started to work on them by that time.

And we were still optimistic to be able to hand in on Tuesday.

Until about 10:15 a.m., when the copy shop called again. Telling us that the second CD only contained damaged data.

That was when I tuned out. I still witnessed the tantrum my colleague from production management threw (very unusual for her), realized that she was simultanously beginnign to move heaven and hell to somehow get those missing data to the copy shop asap, but was only, truly shaken from the state of desperate trance when, around 11:45 a.m. she carried the finished, spiral-bound print outs into my office.

After that, my part of the work could actually, finally begin.

At 07:45 p.m., after having pestered aqua_alta sveral times with stupid questions about stupid things (which was always met with most patient and enlightening answers), every document needed for the re-submission was finally neatly piled up in a rather high stack in front of me on my desk. A note for my assistant was written to tell her how to proceed from there, and today, this very nice girl will be carrying the documents to the bavarian ministry of education and cultural affairs for me.

Resumé: We're two days after our original deadline, have lost several chemical as well as electrical synapses, litres of adrenaline and surely several days of our lifetime. In compensation, I at least have gained several additional white hairs as well as the realisation that there are always limits to even the most sophisticated frustraion tolerance - and that there's nothing to other peoples' patience, help and commitment, without which I'd be reduced to a drooling heap of shivering flesh by now.

Thanks to all of you!

...your guys must be resistant to being petted...:o(

*petsraodieinstead*

O_O



How f****** great is that *obscenelymadgrin*!

A few minutes ago, the French windows to my balcony were almost pushed open by the mother of all gusts of wind - what. A. Storm. Out there!! Anybody else fearing for his or her window panes or furniture at the mo?

*shudders*

ghostlyviolet, I posted your parcel a few days ago...don't be too surprised at the wrappings ;o); it was the only paper availabel at that particular time *sheepishgrin*. I still hope you like the contents, anyway!