Looking ahead.

For some reason, airplanes always make me nostalgic. I don’t know what it is, but looking out the window and seeing land and water pass beneath me, symbols of where I’ve been and where I’ve yet to go, puts things in perspective for me.

Recently I have taken up the habit of writing down the thoughts that bounce around in my head, and it really strikes me as interesting the random, yet consequential, things I think up.

So on my flight home from Berlin on Thursday, I found myself trying to categorize my experiences, and somehow make myself a better person as a result of them. This is what I came up with:

For the days leading up to my trip, I looked forward to it. I anticipated the flight, the people I would meet, the things I would learn, and the pictures I would take. I really just looked forward to the change of setting, one that was much needed and a long time coming. And before I knew it it was over. As I flew home, I began to look ahead to my next trips on schedule, one to Gainesville, Kentucky, New York, and eventually back to school. And it hit me: I do not know how to live my life without something to look forward to.

I understand that we all need something to get us through the day, but what is wrong with the simple anticipation of life? Just waking up in the morning. Having a cup of coffee. Doing what you love. Being with people who care about you. Being alive. I am not trying to say that I am no longer going to live my life by the weekends I get to do something out of the ordinary, because to say that would be hypocritical. I know now and in the future, I am always going to count down the days until something exciting happens in my life.

But this is my task for myself: To no longer live my life constantly looking at the clock, praying for the moments to pass more quickly, so that I can go somewhere or do something exciting that is only going to go by faster than it takes me to cherish the moment. But instead to teach myself to cherish every moment, even the everyday things, like eating dinner with my family or listening to a great song on the radio. Because life goes by fast enough, without an eternal countdown wishing and waiting for it to go by faster.

My mom and me before a Girl's Night Out.

Photo by Bill Bunning

Mission: Impossible

What a day.

We’ve all heard the saying, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” Today I discovered how much truth there is in it.  

Megan, Amy, and I set out to find beer and a post office so we could mail our dear old dads some authentic German beer.  And it turned out to be an all day adventure.

As it turns out, German post offices won’t mail alcohol to the states.  So, we decide it would be a good idea to find a trusty UPS.  As we are walking to the grocery store to buy some green syrup for the Beer Snob, we day dream of how lucky it would be to stumble across a UPS truck, since we have no idea where the closest store is located.  Just as we are arriving at the grocery store, Amy points out a large brown truck down the street, and we all sprint (cameras in tow).  Once we meet the UPS guy (who doesn’t speak English very well), take pictures of his truck, and get the address, we set off to finish our purchases.  

Upon discovering the UPS store (after a hella long walk), we discover that UPS also will not mail our beer home to Papa.  We come up with a plan.  So, we sit outside on the street corner and wrap up our 6-packs in copious amounts of bubble wrap, and formulate our flawless story.  What’s that we’re mailing…?  Not beer, but beer stines.  Lots of beer stines.  Perfect plan, right?

Well, it was perfect, until we discovered that it was going to cost over 150 euros to mail the “beer stines” home.  Hah!

On to Plan B: Smuggle the stuff and pray it works in our favor.  But smuggling or not, none of us have enough room in our luggage to fit 6 beers.  So, my plan is to take the syrup and drink the beer.  Here’s to Plan B…PROST!!

Floral Dresses and Hot Pink High-Tops

Jen and I used today to see some sights and do some shopping.  But before I could even get past the tram station, I was yet again mesmerized by one of those loving Berlin couples.  

We went into Hackescher Markt and looked around some of the shops, but, of course, our eyes were on more than just the clothes.  We saw this little tot wandering a few steps behind his mom.

In our efforts to discover some unique Berlin clothing, we came across a vintage store and spent a good 45 minutes rummaging through all the racks and trying on some wild dresses (we decided against the bright purple spandex).  Both of us felt like we were taking a trip down Memory Lane and found at least one dress that looked like something we wore during our kindergarten days.  Although we didn't make any purchases, we did take some pictures, duh!

photo by Jennifer Keil

After waiting in what can only be called a "hella" long line to get to the top of the Reichstag, we decided to take a nice leisurely walk through the Tiergarten.  There were lots of interesting sights to be seen as we traveled off the beaten path...

Finally we made one last stop back at the Memorial for the Murdered Jews of Europe (or the Holocaust Memorial) to take a few more shots.  But it wasn't long before we were dragging our feet back to the U-Bahn to make our way back to Alexanderplatz.  Thank God for public transportation and how much effort it doesn't require.

I to the K

My first Berlin nightlife experience is definitely one that should be documented. It all started at our mid-trip group dinner at a Thai restaurant right down the street from our hotel. The food was incredible, and since I have the Beer Snob's sense of adventure when it comes to trying new beers, I went for a Saigon (the menu said it was Vietnameseisch). I am now a huge fan. After I finished that, I moved on to another Pilsner, another recent favorite of mine. Then things really got interesting…

Some of our group members decided to show us a favorite spot from their pub-crawl on Sunday night. Since the German street names are too hard for us to pronounce, let alone remember, we just memorized the directions by the first letter of the street's name: I to the K to the D to the E. The name is Dr. Pong and the game is what I am assuming can only be the German equivalent of beer pong. Get ready UF; we’re bringing it back.

The game goes something like this: In the bar there is one ping-pong table, and everyone that wants to play gets a paddle and circles the table. Then it starts. Everyone walks around the table and takes turns hitting the ball. If you miss, then you’re out (I was out early and often). You play until there are only two people left in the game, and then they play a real game of ping-pong. It is quite the German establishment. We even got Professor Freeman to go with us, and he shocked us all with his mad ping-pong skills (he made it to the finals 3 times).

Today was another day of sightseeing and meeting with interesting people. Some of the girls (and Harrison) made another trip to KaDeWe to eat some delicious desserts on the top floor. We got a variety of different treats and passed them all around the table.

We also went to Mercedes World and the Old Museum where there is an Egyptian exhibit set up. Nefertiti anyone?

The good, the bad, and the ugly.

Well, it’s been a few days since my last update, and I have a lot to catch you up on…

Monday was another day on the town with our very own tour guide, Professor Freeman. We walked around in the shopping district, visited KaDeWe (where I picked out my future Vera Wang wedding gown, hah) and eventually made our way to the Allied Museum in Professor Freeman’s old neighborhood. He showed us where he used to pop popcorn (the museum was once a movie theatre) and sneak some out to his friends. Then, once we were released for the day, I was dragged to a museum whose name made Freeman blush. He wouldn’t tell us what it meant and neither would the Germans we stopped to ask directions, but one step inside and there were no questions what it meant. But, hey, they say “when in Rome, do as the Romans do”, and I guess you could say we at least needed a glimpse of the Berliner’s promiscuous culture while we were here, and believe me…that glimpse was an eye full!

My food experience for the day was also one for the books. I tried currywurst for lunch and I will never travel that road again. I can’t even walk past it anymore without getting a sick feeling (in fact just writing this now is making me sick). Then for dinner, I was talked into trying Indian food, which wasn’t all that bad, but definitely not what I needed. So I retreated to the bar in the hotel for two-for-one Monday (and reliable McDonald’s for the next couple of days) and enjoyed a delish Berliner Pils and another Kindl Weiss. Then we played some pool, and surprisingly, I didn’t suck. Thanks to Andrew for taking a chance on me and letting me be his teammate.

Yesterday was a free day and Jennifer and I went to find our subjects for our photo stories. I went to Esmod School of Design and met with David Ubl, a third-year student. Stepping into the school was amazing. I felt like I was in the company of dresses that would one day walk down the red carpet. David was so nice to us and took us back to his flat for mango ice cream, orange juice (which we have been deprived of since coming here) and homemade strawberry tarts.

Last night we went to see a musical, whose name is too German for me to recall, where I saw my first attractive European man (it seems they are as few and far between here as they are in the States, hah). Then it was off to Tacheles, an art exhibit with what, oddly enough, I would never consider art. I decided enough was enough when I discovered the creepy man with dreads staring at me was smoking something questionable.

So after a much-needed night of peaceful sleep (or as peaceful as possible when the suns comes up a 4:30 a.m.), Jen and I trekked to a fashion photo shoot with Stefan Kraul (her subject for the photo stories and, conveniently enough, David’s roommate). We definitely enjoyed blending into to the background and shooting some photos like professionals.

Tonight is our mid-trip dinner, and I can’t believe I only have one more week here. There is still so much to see and photograph. But, hey, with my project well underway, I may just see it all…maybe even some things better left unseen.

Berlin...The new city of love.

Another day of touring is done, and I am going to be in desperate need of an intensive massage when I get home.  I think I finally know my way around the city.  My group and I navigated the public transportation on our own today, and, surprisingly, we made it home in one piece.  

We had the opportunity to meet a couple of young women from the city today, and through their openness, I gained a new perspective on the city.  They told us about how they often feel guilty for the horrors of the Holocaust, and how difficult it can be to accept that they cannot change the past.  One of the girls, who is only 15, said something that I think we can all learn from.  She said that although what happened in the past is not her responsibility, she is responsible for the future.  I thought that showed a lot of wisdom for such a young girl.

After our long chat and some Dunkin’ Doughnuts coffee, I photographed some more PDAers.  I swear, these Berliners just can’t get enough of each other…

It's like riding a bike.

I am a loaded weapon. I nearly killed at least four people today, and somehow I think death by biker would be a disturbing way to go.

I haven’t been on a bike in what seems like a decade, and, unfortunately, the old saying ‘it’s like riding a bike” only kicks in after you’ve been back on it for a bit. So let’s just say the first hour or so of my 5-hour bike tour today (Fat Tire Bike Tours) was a dangerous one.

Every inch of my body is now exhausted from biking 20 kilometers through the city, dodging Berliners at every turn, photographing those who don’t seem to care much about PDA, hiking down slippery streets in a poncho, and getting flipped off by homeless people who don’t want their pictures taken.

I even got to experience a carnival  in a foreign country although I couldn’t be talked into riding anything (it was all so expensive and I can’t say that I totally trusted that it was built to my satisfaction). But after a few too many pictures of the Tilt-A-Whirl, the bottom dropped out of the sky and we all were in a frenzy trying to protect our precious cameras. Since I was equipped with both a poncho and an umbrella, I sacrificed the umbrella to one of my fellow group members so he could save his camera from drowning in the torrential downpour.

Now, after a filling dinner down the street of sushi, I am lounging in what my roommates and I have deemed our “lofty apartment” and trying to muster enough energy to get up and shower away the day. Tomorrow is a walking tour, so even if my muscles recover tonight, it is more than likely that I will be in the same situation tomorrow night. Cross your fingers for me won’t you…?

I'm in Europe!

Ok, so day one in Berlin is coming to an end, and it has certainly been an eventful one. My flight came in this morning at around 10 (to my extreme bliss my bags arrived with me), and some of my group members and I made our way to the hotel to check in. After showering and a refreshing meal of a Doner Kebap, our group had a meeting with a Berlin correspondent for the Wall Street Journal. Then it was off to sightsee.

We went to Bernauer Park, the only part of the remaining wall that still had both the East and West sides in tact, and explored some of the areas surrounding it, including Roggenfeld im Mauerstreifen, the church that was destroyed when the wall was built.

Finally, we made our way towards Praten Biergarten for some grub. I chose another traditional German food (in the spirit of dear old Dad), a bratwurst. I also paired it with another recommendation from the Beer Snob himself, Berliner Kindl Weiss (although I spiced, or should I say sweetened, it up a little and added a recommended green flavoring of some kind). It tasted delicious!

After nearly getting lost on our way back to the hotel, the majority of the group is about to pass out from our extreme jet lag. It was really all I could do to get this post up and share some pictures with you all. I hope everything is wonderful back in the States. Until next time…

I am Spiderwoman

I have two car seats in my car, which is a big deal considering my car only holds four people.  Now, having the car seats in the car is not as big of a deal as what they are accompanied by (mind you, at some points there are children in them).  They are currently joined by crumbled Teddy Grams that are scattered throughout the backseat, a sure sign that I have entered un-chartered territory (at least for me).  

Last night I took two kids to T-ball, and here’s how that went: 

1. Get kids ready.  (This includes getting them dressed and fed.)
2. Put car seats in car.  (When you have a 2-door car, this is like yoga.  I had to contort my body in all sorts of ways to buckle in the gigantic seat with cup holders…CUP HOLDERS!)
3. Put stroller in trunk.  (It didn’t fit.  That’s right, my trunk was too small.)
4. Retrieve kids from house.  (Adasyn, 1, had taken off her shoes and socks, so repeat step 1.)
5. Put kids in car seats.  (At this point I am sweating.)
6. Finally, drive to T-ball and keep the younger one occupied while Colby, 4, demonstrates his T-ball skills (which includes running with the rest of his team to dog pile the ball in the outfield).

After this escapade, I now fully understand why so many moms have mini vans and SUVs, and none drive cute little yellow Mustangs.  I also have more experience in fielding the question “why”.  Although I don’t think I did a very good job explaining why it gets dark at night and why it rains to the 4-year-old who desperately wanted to play Batman outside.  I told him it was because God wanted it to (what I thought was a very decent explanation, and one that didn’t warrant further “whys”).  Well, now he isn’t very chummy with our pal, God.  Great, huh?  I’ll work on that one next time…

Finally, as bedtime is drawing near, I am designated the role of Spiderwoman and trapped inside a web of blankets.  As I lay there in a room full of Transformers and Hulk Halloween costumes, I wonder…who said life without Facebook was dull?

Have hearts been broken?

So what, might you ask, does someone without access to the wonderful world of Facebook do with all that free time?  Well, since coming home from school 2 weeks ago, my parents have introduced me to the game of Hearts.  It seems every summer they introduce me to a new game (last year it was Gin), and every summer I become addicted.  

Yesterday, we sat down to play, and it turned out to be one of the most eventful games yet.  For once, I was winning, and the game was nearing its end (or so we thought)…

My dad’s score was in the 90s, and it was his goal to hit 100 points and go back down to zero.  So my mom and I set out to stop him, and in our pursuit my mom hit the magic number.  I was no longer winning.  Now my dad needed only three points to hit 100 and join my mom at the top of the game, and of course he does it.  Now, not only am I not winning, I am losing.  Badly.  My only hope is to do the same thing, but being that I am so inexperienced in the game, this is damn near impossible.  But somehow, by the pure grace of God, I do it.  Now it’s anyone’s game.  But my lack of skill soon comes into play again, and I am skyrocketing towards my doom.  My mom and I are in close range of each other, with no help from my dad who loves to shoot the moon and give us 26 points (he has mastered this skill and bleeds hearts like he’s the club’s lead singer).  The end of the game is drawing near and my mom is in close range of hitting 100 again, with me not far behind, but the odds of both of us getting lucky are slim to none.  I have to stop her.  So I send the bitch her way (the queen of spades who is worth a whopping 13 points), thus putting her over 100 and ending the game.  I didn’t win, but, hey, at least I didn’t lose, right?  Wrong!  My dad wastes no time in informing me that there are only winners and losers, no in between (a wonderful thing to tell your daughter, don’t you think?).  He soon changes his mind and says that this rule only applies to games and not life in general after he realizes what he’s said.  But after spending over an hour playing the game of Hearts, my mind has started to wander to some of its parallels.

Is life like the game of Hearts?  Should we lay low and let other people take the tricks or should we play like my dad and always shoot the moon and hope to get lucky?  It really all comes down to this: is the way to success playing it safe and never taking chances or breaking as many hearts as it takes to finally reach the moon? 

Book of Quotes

I have this journal and every time I come across a quote that I like I write it down. Some of them are really thought provoking and others are just fun ones that I want to remember.  But I figured I would use this as a place to share some of my favorites.

One of which comes from my mom, Joy.  I think it's wonderful when I hear really memorable quotes in everyday conversation, especially because I am a journalist (and it makes my job so much easier). But some people just say things that really stand out from the rest.  My mom wrote this one in my senior salute in my high school yearbook:  "May your dreams lead you to places unknown, may your heart lead you home."

I mentioned before that I am currently obsessed with Grey's Anatomy, and it just so happens that those writers really know how to make a line stick.  Talk about gaining wisdom from a TV show...

"If you get a chance, take it.  If it changes your life, let it.  Nobody said it would be easy.  They just promised it would be worth it."

Another one of my favorites from Grey's is:  "The things I remember best- those are the things I wasn't supposed to do and I did them anyway."

And let's not forget about my 10-year love affair with the world's favorite wizard. One of the best Harry Potter quotes I could find is:  "It is our choices that show who we are far more than our abilities."  

And last, but certainly not least comes from Marilyn Monroe:  "Well-behaved women rarely make history."  Now she may have had some "blonde moments", but saying this was certainly not one of them.

That's all for now.  I'm sure I'll have some more to share soon enough.

It's worth a try...

So, I'm not exactly sure what I'm doing here, but I needed something to do this summer to distract me from the fact that I can't Facebook stalk my wonderful friends.  Since I am a Pi Chi (Panhellenic Counselor) for sorority recruitment in the fall, I had to disaffiliate from my chapter and leave the wonderful and addicting world of Facebook.  Unfortunately for those of you who are like me and the second you find out someone is greek you much know their affiliation, you are going to have to wait until August.  

A few things about me you may need to know if you are planning on stalking this blog are:

I am a photojournalism major at the University of Florida

I am slightly obsessive; once I get on a kick it tends to stick for a while (right now I am re-watching all the seasons of Grey's Anatomy)

I am currently suffering from sunburn, which has got to be the only negative aspect of living in Florida...well unless you count hurricanes.

This summer my place of employment will be the homes of some of the cutest 2-4 year-olds ever, as I will be spending my time baby-sitting.

And finally, I am a southern girl who is dying to break out into the world and photograph all there is to see (especially Paris)! Too bad I don't have the magical power of being able to fly...then it wouldn't cost so darn much.

So maybe, if all goes as planned, I can document my travels right here and keep you all up-to-date.