The flights were all right. I sat next to an interesting guy on the flight over. His name is Barry and he's an American who lives and works in Mannheim, somewhere between Frankfurt and Freiburg. He's been here for 15 years at least now and so it was really good for me to find out about what some of his experiences and ideas of expatriated life have been like. Then I made it to Frankfurt. I bought a German bahn card for 75 euro (approx $80US) which entitles me to 25% off ALL train travel within Europe for a year! I'm pretty stoked on that, I need only buy 300 euro worth of train tickets in the next year for that to be worth it and it shouldn't be a problem.

We went to look at a flat together yesterday with one of her roommates Carola. The three of us plan to get a place together by the end of March when their lease here on Lorettostrasse runs out. It was a nice enough place, only 500euro/month, 64 square meters and had a living room which we need badly so I won't bother them while they have to study. We thought we had gotten the place last night but it turns out that a doctor has put in an application on the place before us! It America that spells bad news but Carola told me today that her mother told her that the company who runs the flats is a "social company" which means that they don't necessarily accept the doctor based on his merits. It will be much easier for him to get a place than for students so maybe that will still accept us. We will fill out an application for it tomorrow and tonight we will check out another place. Hopefully we can find one before I got to Czech Republic in 3 weeks but let's not get our hopes up!

I wrote a short, short story on the plane that I will put here in its entirety. In the last 7 months, I have written 3 short stories and this was one of them. I'm the same guy who wroe 40 short stories in a summer living in LA so it's been weird for me to write so much short fiction but that has to do with the fact that my regular life has been too interesting to make other stuff up! So, here it is, hope ya dig it. It's untitled but I guess I'll called "Love's Day Off".

Back when 'back when' meant something, Love, in all its expensive rags and tropical souvenirs from others, took a day off. After two thousand generations of active duty, Love was tired and Love wanted a break. Hell, it took Love nearly forty years to find the right being to ask. It seems that the behind-the-scenes folks were a fairly bureucratic bunch. Love occasionally gave up trying to find her boss but finally got lucky one day when for the first time since she'd gotten the job, more people than not were in love. It was an astounding fact when you think about it. All those times that she had been close, a negotiable percentage were involved in what's now called 'one-sided love' and let me tell you, Life and its bureacracy weren't going to let Love off too easily.

Love remembered this, used it as motivation during a span when it seemed her cause might be lost, and then a few people, in moments of undeniable inspiration, took love into their own hands. They made it, cultured it and shared it with a few select other human beings who could appreciate this new kind of love. It spread, like a grass-roots movement, until finally the scales were tipped in her favor.

The paperwork was filled out, passed through several invisible hands and finally a stamp was put on it. Love had a day off. But where to go? As something that worked and thrived in tropical paradises, European cruises and candlelight dinners, Love needed something different. Love wanted to do something that had nothing to do with love. Love, in its excitement over its short freedom, tossed and turned while sitting at Cupid's control. Where should I go? What should I go? I don't know, was the frequent reply. Love had forgotten how to live. All that Love wanted to do was clean the house, order a pizza and paint her invisible toenails. It was ridiculous really, but what else should she do? Go out, get drunk and try and bring some other emotion home? It was risky for sure, you never knew who you were going to wake up next to so Love did the sensible thing. She slept in, went to see a movie (a romantic comedy for research purposes), and drank a bottle of red wine by herself, because after all, even Love needs a 'me' day now and then. The End

Well, I hope you enjoyed it. I'll give you another update in a few days, take care all and thanks for being here. That's the best compliment you can give someone who has tried to get "where you are".

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