Dan's Dagblad

So I am back in Harlem, and it’s a shocking adjustment. I’ve been here many times...

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 15:49:07 -0400

So I am back in Harlem, and it’s a shocking adjustment. I’ve been here many times before, but never from the perspective of one that will call it home for a while. It’s certainly not your mom’s Park Slope. But then, what more difference is there besides people selling ice-cold water louder, and my choice of incense and perfume every 5 feet of side-walk?

It’s already been 4 whole days since leaving Germany, and beyond some browsing and information-gathering, the job search has been quite superficial. What I really can’t wait for is moving into our more permanent digs. I need that feeling of “establishment” finally. A place for my toes to sink into, at least until the next high-tide comes up.

The exit from Germany wasn’t a clean one. Lots of battles, lots of faxes being sent, lots of problems. Reflecting back on it all, it was a huge pain in the ass to live there. It just was. But at the same time, I don’t regret my time there whatsoever. I smashed so many bastards, machete’d through so many bureaucracies, had the best working colleagues one could ask for, and did a damn good job at my trade. It was a cool year-and-a-half, in spite of everything.

But now, it’s time to start again, and this time on my home turf. I have no idea what’s waiting for me here, but then again, I didn’t know that when I went to Germany either. And that worked out in the end.

A: Is that you?

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 15:32:56 -0400

A: Is that you?

Daniel: that's me

A: Wow. How does it feel?

Daniel: feels strangely natural, with a lingering and haunting pressure mixed with vague alienation. but that is an improvement

A: Being alienated is better than being an alien.

Daniel: right on

What I learned in Crimea

Sat, 01 Aug 2009 07:06:21 -0400

Eating regularly and substancially makes me feel great
Icy mountain water is meant to be swam in
Swimming without flippers is usually a waste of time
Never loan your things to fat kids you don’t know
Snorkling increases lung capacity
Bees bring a lot of humor to life
You’re not full until the plate is clean
All of the plates.
Inky night-time water is meant to be swam in
The water is never as cold as you expect it to be
The older the truck, the longer it runs
The mule will not attempt those stairs
And the mule broker suggests you read the fine print
Before your crying daughter expects the mule to climb that flight of improvised stairs
Nuclear submarines are worth every effort of hiding
Dmitri and Yvgeny think your girlfriend is hot
So don’t let the boat drift too far away after you dive off it
Sleeping regularly and substancially makes me feel great
Count your change when you buy something at the airport
And haggle to your benefit after discovering the cashier’s arithmetic “mistake”
There are also ticks in Crimea
And they are drawn to my legs just like American and German ticks.
I am delicious to ticks.
Pelmeni are delicious to me.
Sometimes a real, honest to god vacation is all you really need.

If there is one quiet goal after I return, it’s to get...

Sat, 01 Aug 2009 06:39:00 -0400

If there is one quiet goal after I return, it’s to get back into a regular routine of things like this.

me: what color are souls?

Thu, 30 Jul 2009 12:21:00 -0400

me: what color are souls?
Brendan: 6

Whaaaaaaaaaaaat??

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 01:29:49 -0400

Whaaaaaaaaaaaat??

If there is one thing to say about life, it’s that there is a lot of it to go around.

Sat, 11 Jul 2009 05:14:39 -0400

If there is one thing to say about life, it’s that there is a lot of it to go around.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHdEbRDdMiI

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 11:45:36 -0400

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHdEbRDdMiI

i notice as the horizon slowly transforms from a non-descript line to lightly muddled and bumpy, i...

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 05:00:32 -0400

i notice as the horizon slowly transforms from a non-descript line to lightly muddled and bumpy, i am becomming more communicative. and awake. DON’T YOU LOVE GROITS-FLAVORED VAGUENESS??

just want to post that i am still kickin’ around. don’t worry about nuthin.

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 06:51:32 -0400

just want to post that i am still kickin’ around. don’t worry about nuthin.

Pop Nightmare.

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 17:59:59 -0400

Pop Nightmare.

so much i wish i felt comfortable saying here. a lot of stress at the moment, a lot of things to...

Wed, 13 May 2009 04:16:04 -0400

so much i wish i felt comfortable saying here. a lot of stress at the moment, a lot of things to figure out, plan, circumvent, argue about, buy, ship, sell, hide, and otherwise square away. and the sooner the better. did you know some contracts in this country are automatically extended if you don’t tell them months in advance that you don’t want an extension? for as gentle and socialist as they try to come across, organizations, businesses, and government entities are downright predatory here. The answer is always, always “No.” first. Then, if you have the strength and wherewithal to fight back, you find out that the answer was in fact “Yes” but they just didn’t want to be bothered.

how do them angels sleep when the devil leaves his porchlight on?

Fri, 08 May 2009 07:12:09 -0400

how do them angels sleep when the devil leaves his porchlight on?

new best food to get near work is chinese fried chicken, white rice, and chili sauce. crunchy,...

Thu, 07 May 2009 08:09:31 -0400

new best food to get near work is chinese fried chicken, white rice, and chili sauce. crunchy, spicey, fattening, and filling. i just hate that i can’t drink coffee comfortable afterwards, because my lips are still burning from the chili sauce.

It’s Roots Maneuva, recommended to me by a stranger on the...

Sat, 02 May 2009 17:35:58 -0400

It’s Roots Maneuva, recommended to me by a stranger on the internet.

I just tried ditching what feels like a 15 pound bag of coins that have accumulated over about 6...

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 07:10:33 -0400

I just tried ditching what feels like a 15 pound bag of coins that have accumulated over about 6 months or more. It didn’t work. The branch of my bank near work doesn’t have a counting machine, and the next bank that does only allows customers to use it. I asked at a couple places. What I did get were some ghetto change rolls, flat squares of paper with the denominations written on them. I’m supposed to fold them myself somehow, to make them useful. Had a bit of inconvenience-nostalgia, since when I went to Postbank to ask about changing the coins, I was told “they would have to be rolled, with the account number written in ink on the side of the roll, and changing the coins is only a service to customers anyway so I can’t help you regardless.” Ahh, those were the days.

Favorite stuff: russian cartoons, kutiman’s mixesof youtube videos, shakeymouse cat toys,how i...

Sat, 18 Apr 2009 07:47:58 -0400

Favorite stuff: russian cartoons, kutiman’s mixes
of youtube videos, shakeymouse cat toys,
how i feel after a few consecutive visits to the gym, huge burgers, fried
food, websites about fried food, sneezing.

ok now i feel it.

Sat, 18 Apr 2009 05:28:05 -0400

ok now i feel it.

i am bogarting the coffee pads at work. i went through 5 already, which is 4 cups of coffe in about...

Sat, 18 Apr 2009 05:21:06 -0400

i am bogarting the coffee pads at work. i went through 5 already, which is 4 cups of coffe in about an hour and a half. still not really feeling it though. scary

no gym since monday. evidence of new boobers turning to sagfattoflappers. still no energy to get...

Sat, 18 Apr 2009 04:27:09 -0400

no gym since monday. evidence of new boobers turning to sagfattoflappers. still no energy to get through a good routine. curse this illness. i suspect its just allergies, since everything from here to Hüggenhockenheimstädlstadt is covered in potent green pollen. SLOG ON !