...but the way US Goalkeeper Tim Howard is talking, it looks like we're in for a boxing match on Friday. Enjoy some pre-game smack talk here. More pre-game match-ups and a prediction posted here within the next day or so.
Normally I work on Friday afternoons until 3:30. The US-Slovenia game kicks off at 4. It is about an hour commute home with the train, a half hour by car. (Although lately it has taken nearly an hour by car due to the fun roadwork along the river.) Initially I was prepared to find a bar near work and watch the game there. But today I received a rare good email from my boss. Classes are canceled Friday afternoon so that the kids can watch the football match. No, not the US one, the earlier one, Germany-Serbia. So... a bonus day off work, a chance to watch the US play, on a day that She is actually off work too! Wow, maybe I'll go out and play the lottery.
In regards to the Germany game, it seems we're not done with bad videos yet. I just caught another one during the post-game report of the South Africa-Uruguay game. Although it features some of the Cologne skyline, it'll definitely make you appreciate the technical ability of the last one I posted.
I wish I could post some bad music videos in support of the US Men's team. Unfortunately, apart from some well done Nike commercials, I just don't think there's that much interest back home for people to take the initiative to do something like that. I guess team members have to take it upon themselves to make one. Check this one out from four years ago, featuring team member Clint Dempsey.
And finally, it is not very often I find myself agreeing with conservative David Brooks, but we may finally have something in common. Here's a little he said / she said.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Every Auslanders favorite place
Oh Bezirksrathaus, how I love thee. From your freakish zombie-rising-from-the-ground sculpture outside,
to your unfinished waiting area with buzzing fluorescent lights (in the same state of disrepair since my first visit nearly a year ago, minus a water cooler),
to your cheerful employees who are always willing to serve me er, eventually. (I know they only ignore me waiting outside their office because they have much more important things to do.)
Yesterday we returned to the sight of so much joy, Central Bureaucracy. We each had a few things to take care of there today. She did all her paperwork necessary so that she can receive her new passport and IDs (with new last name!) after we're married. After that, we dropped in on our favorite civil servant to ask a few questions regarding my visa status after the marriage.
There was a two hour mid-day break at this next office and we were done with the above-mentioned paperwork early. We patiently waited outside the office until they re-opened. There's not much of a system when it comes to visiting these people. No secretary, no take-a-number, no sign-in sheet. No, you just sit and wait outside the office until the previous customer leaves. Then you know the office is free. There's no window allowing you to see in there, so if you arrive and there's no wait, you have to knock on the door, timidly open it and ask for permission to come in. Everything you do is in complete deference because they alone seem to hold the power over giving you a visa or kicking you out of the country.
So there we are waiting outside her office. It is just two of us. There are no other customers waiting. Soon a door opens across the hall and our civil servant enters. We know it is her because we recognize her from our previous visits. She crosses the hall, stands directly next to us, unlocks her office door, enters, closes the door and locks it behind her. Not a word. Huh.
It is 1:52 and the office hours begin again at 2. Let's wait.
A minute later another door opens and our civil servant and her colleagues walk out and down the stairs. The stairs are located across the hall behind yet another door. (This hallway must be where they got the idea for all those Scooby-Doo chase scenes.)
Ok, a quick smoke after lunch before getting back to work. Fair enough. At 1:59 she returns. She unlocks her door and enters her office. Not a single word to us. No eye contact. Nothing.
We awkwardly chuckle to ourselves. Do we go in? What do we do? We waited another minute and then finally worked up the nerve to knock on the door. Yes, we were granted permission. The actual conversation was fine. And it seems to us that she's even lightened up a bit since our first visits. If only she hadn't said she remembered us. That only irritated me because of the cold shoulder we got the whole time waiting. A simple, "I'll be with you in a few minutes" goes a long way.
We asked about my visa status:
-----------
The World Cup rolls on and I am constantly surprised by many of the results. There have been some impressive performances by the smaller countries while many of the supposed powerhouses are just squeaking by or having to deal with a draw. Still, we've only just seen the first game by everyone. We may have a clearer picture by the end of the week after everyone has played a second game.
So far there's really only been one dominating performance. And of course, it came from die Nationalmanschaft. Yes, Germany kicked the crap out of Australia who, frankly, probably deserved it after this freak of a team pep rally. (Seriously? John Travolta? WTF?) Germany ran roughshod and crushed the Soccerroos 4-0. It probably could have been uglier than that too. When they announced an extra three minutes of stoppage time, I begged the TV for mercy.
It was a whale of a performance and it has sent the country into a state of delirium. Monday was non-stop talk about the game. Every play was broken down and analyzed. Again. And Again. And Again. You really couldn't avoid it on TV. From what I've seen and heard, you'd think Germany has already won the World Cup. There was even a music video of sorts out the very next day.
Maybe just a tab premature, don't you think? If you are to go the distance, there's still six games left, people. And those last four will all have to be won. Don't get me wrong, I'm not rooting against them. At least not yet anyway. I think it'd be awfully exciting to be here if they make it to the finals. But the cockier everyone gets, the harder it is going to be for me to want to support the team. But this comes from a guy who grew up rooting for a baseball team who's unofficial motto has been "wait 'til next year" for the past 100 years. Hey, even the "lowly" US beat Australia 3-1 a few weeks ago.
Speaking of the US team, here's some Daily Show reaction to the previous game and the World Cup in general.
Still not down with how the game works? For those of you looking for some basics, here's a great breakdown sent to me yesterday by a good friend. Once you've seen this, I'm sure it'll all make a lot more sense to you.
to your unfinished waiting area with buzzing fluorescent lights (in the same state of disrepair since my first visit nearly a year ago, minus a water cooler),
to your cheerful employees who are always willing to serve me er, eventually. (I know they only ignore me waiting outside their office because they have much more important things to do.)
Yesterday we returned to the sight of so much joy, Central Bureaucracy. We each had a few things to take care of there today. She did all her paperwork necessary so that she can receive her new passport and IDs (with new last name!) after we're married. After that, we dropped in on our favorite civil servant to ask a few questions regarding my visa status after the marriage.
There was a two hour mid-day break at this next office and we were done with the above-mentioned paperwork early. We patiently waited outside the office until they re-opened. There's not much of a system when it comes to visiting these people. No secretary, no take-a-number, no sign-in sheet. No, you just sit and wait outside the office until the previous customer leaves. Then you know the office is free. There's no window allowing you to see in there, so if you arrive and there's no wait, you have to knock on the door, timidly open it and ask for permission to come in. Everything you do is in complete deference because they alone seem to hold the power over giving you a visa or kicking you out of the country.
So there we are waiting outside her office. It is just two of us. There are no other customers waiting. Soon a door opens across the hall and our civil servant enters. We know it is her because we recognize her from our previous visits. She crosses the hall, stands directly next to us, unlocks her office door, enters, closes the door and locks it behind her. Not a word. Huh.
It is 1:52 and the office hours begin again at 2. Let's wait.
A minute later another door opens and our civil servant and her colleagues walk out and down the stairs. The stairs are located across the hall behind yet another door. (This hallway must be where they got the idea for all those Scooby-Doo chase scenes.)
Ok, a quick smoke after lunch before getting back to work. Fair enough. At 1:59 she returns. She unlocks her door and enters her office. Not a single word to us. No eye contact. Nothing.
We awkwardly chuckle to ourselves. Do we go in? What do we do? We waited another minute and then finally worked up the nerve to knock on the door. Yes, we were granted permission. The actual conversation was fine. And it seems to us that she's even lightened up a bit since our first visits. If only she hadn't said she remembered us. That only irritated me because of the cold shoulder we got the whole time waiting. A simple, "I'll be with you in a few minutes" goes a long way.
We asked about my visa status:
- how that changes once we are married (new one-year visa granted right away),
- if there is any more paperwork we'll need to do regarding the visa (of course there is!),
- and also whether or not I can begin to look for regular work (indeed I can).
-----------
The World Cup rolls on and I am constantly surprised by many of the results. There have been some impressive performances by the smaller countries while many of the supposed powerhouses are just squeaking by or having to deal with a draw. Still, we've only just seen the first game by everyone. We may have a clearer picture by the end of the week after everyone has played a second game.
So far there's really only been one dominating performance. And of course, it came from die Nationalmanschaft. Yes, Germany kicked the crap out of Australia who, frankly, probably deserved it after this freak of a team pep rally. (Seriously? John Travolta? WTF?) Germany ran roughshod and crushed the Soccerroos 4-0. It probably could have been uglier than that too. When they announced an extra three minutes of stoppage time, I begged the TV for mercy.
It was a whale of a performance and it has sent the country into a state of delirium. Monday was non-stop talk about the game. Every play was broken down and analyzed. Again. And Again. And Again. You really couldn't avoid it on TV. From what I've seen and heard, you'd think Germany has already won the World Cup. There was even a music video of sorts out the very next day.
Maybe just a tab premature, don't you think? If you are to go the distance, there's still six games left, people. And those last four will all have to be won. Don't get me wrong, I'm not rooting against them. At least not yet anyway. I think it'd be awfully exciting to be here if they make it to the finals. But the cockier everyone gets, the harder it is going to be for me to want to support the team. But this comes from a guy who grew up rooting for a baseball team who's unofficial motto has been "wait 'til next year" for the past 100 years. Hey, even the "lowly" US beat Australia 3-1 a few weeks ago.
Speaking of the US team, here's some Daily Show reaction to the previous game and the World Cup in general.
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| World Cup 2010: Into Africa - US Ties England | ||||
| ||||
Still not down with how the game works? For those of you looking for some basics, here's a great breakdown sent to me yesterday by a good friend. Once you've seen this, I'm sure it'll all make a lot more sense to you.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Looking for a room or, the Goldilocks conundrum
Don't panic. What I mean is that we're still looking for a place to celebrate after the wedding. Anyone have any tips or recommendations? We've certainly found some interesting places to celebrate but we keep running into the same problem. Our party is not going to be all that big. We figure somewhere in the range of 35-40 people. Every place we've seen so far is too big or too small. Most places seem set up for 100 people. And the small places seem like they fit about 25 people.
Did you know you can rent a banquet hall in the Eigelstein Torburg? That was the first place we checked out. I think it is a situation where the idea of it is much better than the reality. We're always going out to eat or drink in the neighborhood nearby. So it'd be a nice way of showing off our adopted neighborhood. Plus, for those coming from overseas, it would be pretty cool to celebrate inside a building like that. The size of the room was not so bad. But there's quite a bit of stairs involved leaving no real access to outside for smokers or anyone who just needs some fresh air. The main floor is also in pretty rough shape. I still wish it could be here, but it just isn't very practical.
We also considered looking at the Severinstorburg. It certainly seems a bit more polished and professional just based on the website. But it is also quite a bit more money and probably much too large for our group. Plus it is nowhere near where any of us would be coming from or going to. We may still look this week just to get another opinion, but I think we've already decided against it.
So far, the strongest candidate is the Kölner Seilbahn. It is an unusual idea to be sure. They have a small event room they rent for parties just behind the ticket office. The only problem is the room seems a little too tight. It is just 45 square meters. If the weather is nice, however, we can all spill outside on the patio. Plus, at least for the first few hours of the party, the Seilbahn will still be operating and guests can go for free(?) rides. (Here's my first encounter with the Seilbahn.)
We're not done looking yet. But I think we need to find something pretty soon. Time seems to be running out. Less than a month now until the big day. (Yipe!)
By the way, how do you like the new look? Just last week I was driving myself crazy trying to tinker with the look of the site. Over the weekend it seems Blogger rolled out a new design-your-own feature. I can't believe this didn't exist long before. It was long overdue. I'm not totally sold on the background image, but it'll suffice for now. Overall I think it is way better than the old templates they had available.
Did you know you can rent a banquet hall in the Eigelstein Torburg? That was the first place we checked out. I think it is a situation where the idea of it is much better than the reality. We're always going out to eat or drink in the neighborhood nearby. So it'd be a nice way of showing off our adopted neighborhood. Plus, for those coming from overseas, it would be pretty cool to celebrate inside a building like that. The size of the room was not so bad. But there's quite a bit of stairs involved leaving no real access to outside for smokers or anyone who just needs some fresh air. The main floor is also in pretty rough shape. I still wish it could be here, but it just isn't very practical.
We also considered looking at the Severinstorburg. It certainly seems a bit more polished and professional just based on the website. But it is also quite a bit more money and probably much too large for our group. Plus it is nowhere near where any of us would be coming from or going to. We may still look this week just to get another opinion, but I think we've already decided against it.
So far, the strongest candidate is the Kölner Seilbahn. It is an unusual idea to be sure. They have a small event room they rent for parties just behind the ticket office. The only problem is the room seems a little too tight. It is just 45 square meters. If the weather is nice, however, we can all spill outside on the patio. Plus, at least for the first few hours of the party, the Seilbahn will still be operating and guests can go for free(?) rides. (Here's my first encounter with the Seilbahn.)
We're not done looking yet. But I think we need to find something pretty soon. Time seems to be running out. Less than a month now until the big day. (Yipe!)
By the way, how do you like the new look? Just last week I was driving myself crazy trying to tinker with the look of the site. Over the weekend it seems Blogger rolled out a new design-your-own feature. I can't believe this didn't exist long before. It was long overdue. I'm not totally sold on the background image, but it'll suffice for now. Overall I think it is way better than the old templates they had available.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Ein Punkt ist ein Punkt
Luck or skill? I'll let you decide. Either way, both England and the US escaped defeat and the group is still up for grabs. Maybe Green makes that save the next 100 times. This time he didn't. In my opinion he didn't "give it away" as I'm sure most will suggest. He just didn't save it. Is it his fault? The coach's fault for playing him? It doesn't really matter at this point. This is why you play the games. The goal counts and the game ended in a draw.
There were some early signs of nervousness, but the US was able to play some defense reminiscent of last summer. There were great plays on both sides and I think both teams might be happy with the draw, though they'd say otherwise. It seemed to me (but I'm hardly a professional expert) that the US missed some big opportunities and also misplayed quite a lot of passes. I think there is definitely room for improvement. As for England? Well, I guess they are just warming up too. To be sure, I'm glad the US played them in the first game and not the third.
I say a point is a point and the main thing is England doesn't have 3 points.
We ended up at Joe Champs (still a cringe-worthy name for an "American" style bar). The place was packed and I was really impressed. The US fans outnumbered the English fans, but there was still quite a bit of raucous debate. When the game ended I really wanted to lead the crowd in a bit of "Over There," but then decided that might not be a wise decision given where I was. Then again, I'm sure no one in the place would even know what I was signing. Even any Americans that might have been there.
I teach class next Friday until 3:30. The next US game kicks off that afternoon at 4. No idea how I'm going to make it in time. Fingers crossed!
There were some early signs of nervousness, but the US was able to play some defense reminiscent of last summer. There were great plays on both sides and I think both teams might be happy with the draw, though they'd say otherwise. It seemed to me (but I'm hardly a professional expert) that the US missed some big opportunities and also misplayed quite a lot of passes. I think there is definitely room for improvement. As for England? Well, I guess they are just warming up too. To be sure, I'm glad the US played them in the first game and not the third.
I say a point is a point and the main thing is England doesn't have 3 points.
We ended up at Joe Champs (still a cringe-worthy name for an "American" style bar). The place was packed and I was really impressed. The US fans outnumbered the English fans, but there was still quite a bit of raucous debate. When the game ended I really wanted to lead the crowd in a bit of "Over There," but then decided that might not be a wise decision given where I was. Then again, I'm sure no one in the place would even know what I was signing. Even any Americans that might have been there.
I teach class next Friday until 3:30. The next US game kicks off that afternoon at 4. No idea how I'm going to make it in time. Fingers crossed!
Saturday, June 12, 2010
It's so on
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| World Cup 2010: Into Africa - Two Teams, One Cup | ||||
| ||||
USA vs England
The Stars and Stripes vs the Three Lions
The team that pantsed the other once in 1950 vs the team that has done it nearly every other occasion
Personally, I don't think the US has anything to lose. (Well, aside from the game and a few points in the group standing....) Any smart person would bet on England. Worldwide and here in Germany there's pretty much zero expectations for the US to win this game. And there's still two more games to play after this one. But a shocking upset would certainly trigger a national disaster in England, much like Rooney's nightmare scenario in the Nike commercial.
Here's the commercial, although I advise reading this article first which breaks down all the hyper editing and explains the scenarios for those not in the know. Truly one of the coolest commercials to appear this year. Look for the cameo appearance by a few US players.
Here's a couple of interesting predictions. One is a rather sarcastic look at forecasting the US's chances. I quite agree with his Rooney strategy. The other features multiple predictions for the US team's overall performance in the tournament by different writers. It seems like 80% of these people pick the same fate: US is knocked out by Germany. *Sigh* Here's two final previews of the game.
It is less than 10 hours til kickoff. Hopefully I can contain myself. And not get my ass kicked at some Irish pub later.
Prediction time. My heart says US wins 2-1. My brain says otherwise. England puts an end to my enthusiasm with a 3-1 victory.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Bigger than Big
If you don't know what begins this weekend, I'm going to guess you're living in the US. Way to go hometown news channel! No doubt the rest of you realize that Friday is the beginning of the 2010 World Cup. Whether you're a fan or not, you have no choice but to know this fact. It is everywhere.
I'm willing to give a pass to those of you in Chicago only until the Blackhawks wrap things up later tonight in Philly.
Combine all the excitement, hype and excessive commercialization of the Super Bowl and March Madness. Add to that the patriotism that seems to surface every four years with the Olympics (I'm thinking US Men's hockey). Mix that all together and apply it to the rest of the world and you've got a pretty good idea of what the World Cup is like. Don't believe me? Heck, they even know about this in galaxies far, far away.
Star Wars™ Cantina 2010 / adidas Originals from Dominic Prevost on Vimeo.
I've been living here for almost a full year. During this time I've only seen German flags flying at official state or city buildings. Very rarely do you see them privately displayed, public holidays or not. Now they are everywhere. Hanging from windows, flying by on passing cars and, of course, flagrantly used in every other advertisement. Of course I've also seen plenty of other nationalities represented. Our neighbors across the way are flying les couleurs alongside the die Bundesflagge.
It makes me wish we bought a larger US flag before we left. I don't think the dinky little 18" flag we bought will suffice here. Nevertheless, I will do my best to represent. When we were in the States, one of my goals was to find a US team t-shirt. I guess I got caught up in the moment. Not only did I buy a t-shirt, I also bought the scarf, a pair of socks, and yes, a glittery Uncle Sam hat. (The later in tribute to Apollo Creed.) Ridiculous? You bet. But if there's one thing we Americans excel in, it's over the top displays of patriotism.
Rest assured I'll do my best not to let any of you down. Now if only I had James Brown to lead me in to each pub...
After the previous World Cup, I have huge reservations about this year's team. I think their offense is very underrated. The defense, however, is more than a bit shakey outside of goalie. The soon-to-be brother-in-law has questioned my purchases. "They're only going to be worn three times," he said, in reference to the minimum three games played by each team. I'm hoping at least five if not six times. The fifth time would most likely mean the game following a US victory over Germany. (I'm assuming the US finishes second in their group to England and Germany finishes first in their group. That would mean the two teams will face each other in the first game of the knockout round.)
But that's looking a little too far ahead. First up on Saturday is England. Outside of Brazil or Spain, I don't think you could ask for a harder opening matchup. I know the US is no longer flying under the radar after beating Spain last year. But I still think there are a lot of lowered expectations for this team that may catch some of the big boys by surprise. I'm also hoping Rooney will pop off once again and get kicked out, leading to total disarray for the Three Lions. If not, I fear the US might be in for a bit of a schooling. Here's a preview of the Yanks as well as an overall preview of Group C. And here's a clip from a previous time, when the two sides actually worked together. (I can't believe I just made my second Sylvester Stallone reference in one post.)
Looking for actual news and scores from the tournament? I've added a World Cup score and a US Team news widget on the right side below the news. Unfortunately, the game times listed are EST I believe.
I'm also looking for tips from you. Where the hell do I watch the game on Saturday? I only know of one "American" sports bar in town, but I'm hoping some of you might have better recommendations. This town certainly has no shortage of "Irish" pubs, but I wouldn't be surprised to find those transformed into English pubs this weekend. Surely I'm not the only American going out to watch this first game.
Where are you from? Which team are you supporting? Have any recommendations about a place to see the games at? Do us all a favor and leave a comment below. And don't worry, it's all anonymous.
I'm willing to give a pass to those of you in Chicago only until the Blackhawks wrap things up later tonight in Philly.
Combine all the excitement, hype and excessive commercialization of the Super Bowl and March Madness. Add to that the patriotism that seems to surface every four years with the Olympics (I'm thinking US Men's hockey). Mix that all together and apply it to the rest of the world and you've got a pretty good idea of what the World Cup is like. Don't believe me? Heck, they even know about this in galaxies far, far away.
Star Wars™ Cantina 2010 / adidas Originals from Dominic Prevost on Vimeo.
I've been living here for almost a full year. During this time I've only seen German flags flying at official state or city buildings. Very rarely do you see them privately displayed, public holidays or not. Now they are everywhere. Hanging from windows, flying by on passing cars and, of course, flagrantly used in every other advertisement. Of course I've also seen plenty of other nationalities represented. Our neighbors across the way are flying les couleurs alongside the die Bundesflagge.
It makes me wish we bought a larger US flag before we left. I don't think the dinky little 18" flag we bought will suffice here. Nevertheless, I will do my best to represent. When we were in the States, one of my goals was to find a US team t-shirt. I guess I got caught up in the moment. Not only did I buy a t-shirt, I also bought the scarf, a pair of socks, and yes, a glittery Uncle Sam hat. (The later in tribute to Apollo Creed.) Ridiculous? You bet. But if there's one thing we Americans excel in, it's over the top displays of patriotism.
Rest assured I'll do my best not to let any of you down. Now if only I had James Brown to lead me in to each pub...
After the previous World Cup, I have huge reservations about this year's team. I think their offense is very underrated. The defense, however, is more than a bit shakey outside of goalie. The soon-to-be brother-in-law has questioned my purchases. "They're only going to be worn three times," he said, in reference to the minimum three games played by each team. I'm hoping at least five if not six times. The fifth time would most likely mean the game following a US victory over Germany. (I'm assuming the US finishes second in their group to England and Germany finishes first in their group. That would mean the two teams will face each other in the first game of the knockout round.)
But that's looking a little too far ahead. First up on Saturday is England. Outside of Brazil or Spain, I don't think you could ask for a harder opening matchup. I know the US is no longer flying under the radar after beating Spain last year. But I still think there are a lot of lowered expectations for this team that may catch some of the big boys by surprise. I'm also hoping Rooney will pop off once again and get kicked out, leading to total disarray for the Three Lions. If not, I fear the US might be in for a bit of a schooling. Here's a preview of the Yanks as well as an overall preview of Group C. And here's a clip from a previous time, when the two sides actually worked together. (I can't believe I just made my second Sylvester Stallone reference in one post.)
Looking for actual news and scores from the tournament? I've added a World Cup score and a US Team news widget on the right side below the news. Unfortunately, the game times listed are EST I believe.
I'm also looking for tips from you. Where the hell do I watch the game on Saturday? I only know of one "American" sports bar in town, but I'm hoping some of you might have better recommendations. This town certainly has no shortage of "Irish" pubs, but I wouldn't be surprised to find those transformed into English pubs this weekend. Surely I'm not the only American going out to watch this first game.
Where are you from? Which team are you supporting? Have any recommendations about a place to see the games at? Do us all a favor and leave a comment below. And don't worry, it's all anonymous.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
the longest day
Just a few more hours and we're on our way back to the airport. These days are always tough even before the jet lag. I've never been good at saying goodbye. I doubt it will be any easier this time given the circumstances. This was a really good visit. We were fortunate enough to have exceptionally good weather this time. Just about all of our goals were accomplished, although we only managed to get deep dish pizza just one time. Still, there was hardly a family member, friend or restaurant that we didn't get to visit. I also managed to buy some obnoxious US Soccer/Football swag to parade around in during the World Cup next month. (Look out, England.) The next month and a half leading up to the wedding is going to be really hectic. Other than the date at city hall, we've hardly got anything else planned. Hopefully we can knock that out in the next week. Anyway, I'd better go finish my packing. Thanks to my wonderful family and friends that took the time to hang out during this trip. That's always the best part of these visits.
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