While looking for important documents I came about my "Facharbeit", a little thesis they make you write in Bavarian highschools. In keeping with my current lyrical interest I was not unhappy to find that my topic apparently was "Homosexuality, feelings of guilt and criticism of society in the poetry of A.E. Housman". I guess I've always had a weakness for poetry.

There was exciting news today on Koenig Ludwig of Bavaria: Scientists now believe he wasn't crazy at all (evil Prussian intrigue). He simply was struggling with addiction: a building-addiction, very expensive to maintain. But I suppose in the long run Neuschwanstein has probably generated enough profits to justify its existance. I am willing to believe it. At this point I want to refer interested readers to the Verband der Königstreuen who make sure that Bavaria doesn't forget its monarchs.
Bavaria isn't Germany!

I suppose the spider read the last posts and consequently left. A wise decision. This year's summer is turning into one of those flood summers. Unfortunately businesses misinterpreted the effects of global warming, after last year's success 200 new artificial beaches have been built. Personally, I think it's time for some arks. Noah, where are you?
About the poetry project: I am coming up with a list of important poems. Suggestions are welcome.
Now: dentist.

The spider somehow disappeared....what are the chances of a spider just casually moving out? I'm doubtful. And I want to point out that ALL spiders are poisonous. It's just that some of them can't penetrate human skin.
But I was talking about the book competition thing they have going on, trying to find the best German book (but translations are fine also, I don't know about that). The rules are here. It's a litle bit like the find our Best German campaign last summer. Suddenly everybody was in favour of Sofie Scholl and I think Hitler wasn't even nominated. Few Germans are as famous as him, he deserved at least being nominated. But I suppose Sofie is more photogenic. I don't even know who won....
Adenauer?
I'm telling you, it's time to have competing surveys.
Currently I have the desire to tell everybody what poems to read and how to understand them. I just need to go find that spider first. Until then, maybe you can read Die schwarze Spinne. May be largely responsible for my current apprehension....

There is an article in the nytimes today about fat. They say now that fatcells are not simply passiv storage-facilities, oh no. They are actually intelligent "endocrine organs". And that really doesn't come as a big surprise I think. We all know a bunch of people with very intelligent fat cells. Even if they think they can outsmart them and they actually lose a few pounds---- the fatcells are back and filled in no time.
And on TV I saw a show about books and they were talking about "old books". The kind one is supposed to have read. I found out that I hadn't read any of them (except for Faust. Several times. Once for each book I didn't read.)

As I am writing this a big spider emerges from behind the desk. I was about to say VANITAS; VANITATUM, ET OMNIA VANITAS. because I want to launch my own book project, but focused on poetry. And the other difference is that you can't win anything.
But this is very irritating. They say there are no poisonous spiders in Northern Europe, but in some cases I find it hard to believe. The specimen in question measures about 2 inches, it's gray and staring at me with little telescope eyes. And now it's moving, quickly. Behind the desk again. Towards me? Excuse me for a moment, gotta go.

Talking about Arabs: I just got a new German picture ID. And I assume that hightening the contrast and putting a greenish tint on the picture is a procedure well suited for most blond and blue, low-contrast German faces. And I really don't want to suggest that I deserve special treatment, especially since an ID is a real bargain at 8 Euro. The problem is, I look not only not German, I also don't look northern European, not even remotely . Transsylvanian probably. Armenian maybe. Egyptian. Turkish at best. And with the German eagle shining greenishly over my nose there is something decisively sinister about my grin. Maybe I'll get another one after I've bleached my hair.

Another strange thing happened on the train. Behind me a group of 4 people were sitting and chatting. In the strangest language you can imagine. At first I thought it might be Arabic, but a very bizarre form of Arabic. Being conditioned by color-coded alert levels broadcast by Fox 5 news, elevated levels of Arabic sounding "chatter" behind my back have a quite alarming effect on me. So I just had to look. But what did I see: these people were blond and blue eyed and quite boring looking (but don't terrorists always look sweet and boring?). Neither bearded nor wearing burkas. I remained cautious, but I soon had to change trains anyway.
As I boarded the next train things became truely surreal. Two people with motorcycle helmets approached me and asked in German whether the train was going to stop in Wasserburg. I told them I wasn't sure, but that the train was supposed to terminate in Ulm. Suddenly the Arab woman was standing next to me saying something passionately in Arabic. Almost like she had understood our little converstation. Very alarmed I repeated that the train would terminate in Ulm. The woman (57, blond, tall, of unknown race) seemed not satisfied with my answer and more language was coming my way, demanding interpretation. In my panic I gestured to the motorcyclists, smiled and made my escape to the last car. Here I sat, thinking. What was it that she wanted? Where did she come from? Could they have been Swiss? One thing is for sure: the train did stop in Wasserburg.