Spring and Summer

This is definitely the best time of the entire year! I am loving it. This weekend I'll go to the mountains- and also I'm having dinner tonight with some friends to celebrate Easter. Tomorrow night I'll sing Karaoke with a few people from the office. That will be nice.

Right now I should be working on writing a grant, or one of my papers but instead I'm writing here in my blog. I feel like I can't get much done today. I worked for an hour or two on the grant earlier today and then met with a bunch of people- but I think i should just call it a day and get out in the sun for a bit.

Yeah- yesterday I met Jo's family (at least some of them) and that was really nice. I was a bit nervous since I speak so little German- but you can really tell when people are warm, happy and nice and I think I only made them a little nervous- which is really the worst thing about not speaking a language. I really hate making other people feel uncomfortable. ;) I'm definitely motivated to learn German now -and I feel like I understand more and more, which is really awesome. :)

I also got an awesome package from my mom with some candies from when I was a kid. Admittedly they are way too sweet for me now to eat more than a few of them- but my office mates also had some of them today. She is so sweet to send a package all the way to Germany.

This reminds me I have to do something.. be back in a minute... Okay.. flowers purchased. :)

I miss all my friends in Salt Lake City and sometimes I wish I could just jump into a worm hole and find myself in the foothills near downtown Salt Lake. I also miss Margarita, Miriah, Cory, Oscar, Dave and last but not least my siblings in PA. However- Danny is coming to germany once again- and I'm pretty excited! Okay- peace out for now. oh right- a photograph.. lets see if i can dig up a funny one.. Ok- there is a blast from the past. Me from 2005 in the Panolab with super long hair and a goofy setup on my head.

Block Praktikum 2009

So- this past week I learned a bit more about what it would be like to teach. First- I realize that I really like to teach- especially if it involves being nice to students. Second- I realized that it is a tremendous amount of work.

Anyway- I don't have much to say except for that it is late at night- I can't get to sleep and I have to wake up early tomorrow morning and hear some students give a presentation on the work we did last week together.

I have a photo of how sleepy I am these days. I'm looking forward to some beer and pretzels tomorrow after we are done. It has been four years since I was in Germany for the first time. So much can happen in four years- it is really crazy. Life is good in general- but my mom is right- i still go where the wind takes me.

New beginnings..

Life is pretty good for me these days. I applied for a bunch of jobs and surprisingly when I came back from Christmas I was already a lot happier here in Germany than the months proceeding my five week trip home.

I'm so excited again because my baby brother Daniel is visiting me again in late April/Early May. Then Holly and her family come to Paris in late June. :) It will be so much fun. For easter I'm going to the mountains with my boyfriend and at the moment I really have the feeling that life couldn't be better. The springtime is awesome, I like my job and most importantly I really feel loved lately.. and well that last one is quite priceless.

I miss my family- so I guess on that front I could be closer to them- but as I wrote above a few of them are coming over to me and I'm sure I'll be home soon enough- maybe even for a job.. who knows. Life is quite interesting and keeps surprising you- and boys and girls- I think I like that the most about life.. even if I do complain sometimes when the surprises aren't pleasant.

No photographs today.

Back in Deutschland once more

Hello all,

It is late on a saturday night. I'm recovering from a cold- so I slept more today than I normally would- and well that makes it hard to sleep at night. I'm going to sleep soon, but first I wanted to post a photograph of me playing my guitar. I just fixed it today and I went through one of the on-line lessons for learning the chords. I learned a lot by just putting the new strings on. I can be so silly about some things. I hadn't realized that the strings themselves are the different notes. I mean- I assumed that it was ALL in how tight the strings were and hadn't really realized that it must also be the width and strength of the string too.

I'm happier than I thought now that I'm back in Germany. I'm excited about my decision to move back to the states and I hope that in the next few months I will get more job offers so that I can really have a fair chance at deciding where to go based on all the things I want in life. However, I am just grateful that I have any offers at this point and I hope that with the current economy they can last for more than a year.

Tomorrow I plan on joining the gym here in Tuebingen, working on some more animations and going out with some friends in the evening. I'm also gonna try my best to go skiing next weekend- with or without friends. I think I might go down to Andermatt. I really liked that place and I think it wasn't so far from here in Tuebingen.

Healing power of being home and travelling

Hello everyone who reads my blog (all two or three of you). I'm at the airport- a very familiar place to me. I've been here in PA for 4 weeks- I am so lucky. My family is so great and I'm so glad that most of them live here. I was so homesick when I came here in late November and now I'm feeling better. I only feel a slight tang of sadness that I'm leaving to west for some skiing, job interviews and to visit a lot of friends.

My girlfriends in Salt Lake City are the ones I am most looking forward to seeing. I wish they were closer to Germany and I am looking forward to moving back to the states so that I can visit them and have some adventures with them more often. I still need to make them a CD for christmas.

Today I went on a ten mile bike ride with my baby brother. He is planning on biking 300 miles a month for the next 10 months. I think he can do it. Then in October he plans to bike across the United States. This year I bought myself pedals and shoes. If he wasn't in such amazing shape I would seriously consider going with him on the trip. Maybe he'll let me do a week or two with him through the states I'm most interested in.

I wish I had a photo of Danny on his bike- but just for a good laugh here is a photo of me on my bike. I'm wearing my skiing helmet (it kept my ears warm) and some random warm clothes. :) This photo makes me laugh! :) I'm glad I am still somewhat of an athlete- and I still haven't changed since I was a kid... I like bikes and the outdoors and I sometimes dress like a goofball! :)

Still at my sister's house

I have had a really relaxing week! :) I've played with William a lot and I went to Pittsburgh to visit my friends Laura and Kim. I also met a lot of people at CMU.

My sister Lisa arrives from Florida tomorrow. I have all my gifts taken care of (except for my grandparents) and all I have to do is finish my photo album page that I'll give out this year. Making the page reviewing 2008/2007 for me reminds me of all the amazing places I've travelled and the great visitors I've had in Germany.

Tonight I want to post a video of little William. He is so cute. When you blow him a kiss- it is so great- he smacks one back in your direction. Not only that, but he also does it if you just say, "Betty loves you".

Here is one of him enjoying looking into himself in the Mac.




I'll also add a really great photograph that my brother-in-law Ryan, William, my little brother Danny and I took the other day. :) What fun times. I'm so glad I have such a great family.


Right now, Nate, Eric and Ryan are siting here watchign the Giants vs Panthers game. It looks like a nice game. I think I'll join them now.

Hanging out at the Gajecki's House

This year there is a new Gajecki: William. Last year this time my sister Becky was close to 9 months pregnant and little william came to join the family on Jan 1st, 2008. This year I get to see him hanging out and he hardly cries- though he is at the moment. Oh- now his dad just gave him his bottle and he has stopped. :) No more tears- milk is yummy.

Anyway, My brother Danny and I are sitting here relaxing and I have some photographs to share with everyone. The one photograph that isn't me showing William my love-so that he can remember his favorite Aunt from abroad- is my brother Daniel and brother-in-law Ryan. :)

My sister Becky has a great little baby boy and Ryan is a great dad- it is a real pleasure to see them together. ;)