Humanity

Truer words were never spoken.

Animalisms

Neglected

When was the last time I actually posted something on this here blog thingy? I don’t seem to be on here that much anymore. There’s really not a lot of spare time left anymore nowadays. Granted, I seem to be on Facebook more often than I would like to be. A friend called it Facecrack. And I seem to have developed a slight addictive tendency towards it.

But a lot has been going on lately. In my case it was mostly work and George is still studying hard for his master in education. And would you believe it? Next Wednesday is his last official class. However, he still has to finish his student teaching at one the local schools here in the Las Vegas Valley. But he’ll be done with that too by the end of this month. Then my George is a fully licensed teacher. He will also have his first interviews for a teaching position with the County School District next week. I’ll be thinking very good thoughts and wish him all the best.

Ich drück Dir die Daumen! Or as the French say...fingers crossed!

I know, I just love to toss things around a bit.

The midterm election in the United States are finally over. And I’m using the term “United” very loosely here. I thought this political circus would never end. It has released some truly fascinating creatures into the arena. Some of these political clowns made for a good laugh but some other animal tamer’s acts just left us in sheer horror. At times, George and I weren’t quite sure if we were watching an awfully written fantasy flick or if some mentally challenged jokester wanted to turn this once progressive thinking country back into some draconian Taliban-style theocracy, where scholars will teach our future generation that Jesus had dinosaur steaks for dinner with some flatbread. Flat like the earth itself.

I had to stop reading the news. The so-called “news” that the American media was throwing at us, that is. We are getting most of our news from independent news sources or foreign news outlets. In my case it’s mostly from web site of German newspapers, magazine and TV stations. They are primarily neutral, objective and also report about other stuff that is happening beyond the fortress walls that has become America. Imagine that!?

Yes, Billy Bob. There is another world just behind Wal-Mart.

We have stopped watching TV networks altogether anyway. First, there’s really nothing on worth watching besides maybe one or two series. And second, they’ve forgotten what news are. Unless one considers the dumb hairstyle of Justin Bieber or some bimbos trashing each other “news.”

But there were a few bright spots coming out of this election. Total nutcase and loosely screwed Sharon Angle lost the race for the Senate in Nevada. First Lady in witchcraft and anti-wanking Christine O’Donnell also lost her Senator race in Delaware. Thank all who’s cocky and horny. And California didn’t completely turn red either. Despite the notion that some people thought they could just buy their way into governorship to the most populous state of the union. Image how the 160 million dollars, that Meg Whitman wasted on this useless campaign to become governor, could have been put to a much better use? It always amazes me anew how large amount of monies are being wasted in this country.

But I digress.

Most people in California have voted for a sane and equality-minded leadership. The voters have defeated Proposition 23, which would have prevented California’s climate law AB 32 from being enacted. Most people can dismiss and make fun of climate change all they want but it will not change the fact that it is happening as you read this. And with near 100 degrees temperatures, Los Angeles is currently experiencing the hottest days in November and just shattered a temperature record set in the early 1900s.

But California was always leading the way in progressing thinking. And it will again. It will take a while to recover from this economic crisis but California will come out ahead. Green energy is the future. There’s no other way. The rest of the country will get it eventually. If nothing else, they will be convinced by the profits a new industry will provide. It will not happen overnight, of course. But the Golden State is on the right tracks. Gotta love California. There’s a reason we always go there.

Speaking of which...George and I will be in the City of Angels again coming December. We got tickets to see the touring company of the “West Side Story” revival. We can’t wait to see it. It’s my favorite musical and I was lucky enough to see an original Broadway ensemble performing it on stage when I was still living in Munich. It was amazing.

Hopefully we will find time to meet with some friends too, since we are only going to be there for a weekend. Time flies the way it is already. And we’ve been thinking about what we could be doing for the long Thanksgiving weekend and the holidays. George is off anyway for Christmas school break and I will take my vacation between Christmas and New Year. Maybe we go on a last-minute trip? Maybe a staycation? We welcome any suggestions.

Then again, I would finally have some time to add some stuff on this here blog thingy.

George and I on one of our countless trips to Los Angeles. Here we are again at the Pacific Palisades in Santa Monica, a few years ago.

Putting on the Brakes

It has been another few busy weeks. What else is new, right? It seems like there is hardly time to just take a little breather every once in a while.



On top of work, there are constantly chores and other duties which needs tending to. And even though George already had his commencement ceremony, he still has two more classes to finish up.



I have to stop getting too wrought up about the news. There are days were I literally want to scream after reading certain headlines and articles. Why is the human race doing everything in its power to destroy the only livable planet in this solar system? How much more profit is needed to satisfy greedy shareholders. How much more aggression and pain needs to be afflicted to make a statement. Hasn’t history already given enough examples for society to realize that we need to rethink and change our way of life. But our society has become so apathetic and complacent to a point where I feel it’s already to late to save ourselves from ourselves.



With all the craziness going on all around us, George and I try to squeeze in some quality time as much as possible. More people should try that. Putting on the brakes to stop for a moment and simply enjoy...life. Because this one life is all we have. It’s already too short the way it is and far to precious to waste.



Below are some of those savoring little moments in our lives...a blooming flower, a leisurely drive through town, a home-cooked meal enjoyed in the patio of our backyard. Or just each other’s company.



Isn’t that what it’s really all about?



The desert bird of paradise is blooming in our backyard


Driving leisurely through town


An evening stroll along the Las Vegas Strip after a nice dinner


We love being home just as much...


...as being out and about to see what else is going on in this crazy town. This is the lobby of Red Rock Station, one of our favorite local’s casinos


Enjoying life

Fog

A few weeks ago Las Vegas had some rare fog in the early morning hours just before the sun was rising. In almost twenty years that I’ve been living in this city I experienced fog only once before. Fog does not usually occur in an arid desert climate.



But we had an unusual wet winter so far. Add the high desert elevation into this equation and the result can be an extraordinary weather phenomenon. A fog may not spark much of an enthusiastic thrill in other parts of the country, as it may be rather common there. Here in the Southern Nevadan desert however, a few drops of rain or even a snowflake are just as sensational as the latest UFO sightings over Area 51, located just outside the City of Sin.

I merely enjoyed the very sight of fog for the simple reason that I’m not accustomed to it anymore. It’s like a treat to be savored and appreciated. A visual feast. I always found it fascinating how fog can transform one’s own familiar neighborhood into some mysterious, almost otherworldly place. Like a veil covering everything with a haunting but beautiful glow. Especially in the few precious moments before the sun comes up.



And with the first rays of sun peeking from behind the distant mountain ranges to the east, the fog slowly started to dissolve into nothingness. The higher the sun rose, the quicker the fog disappeared. The only evidence it left behind were the dew drops clinging on to every leaf or the patio furniture in our backyard. Eventually, those drops too would roll off, fall to the ground and being absorbed or just evaporate.

Moments like these makes me ponder about a lot of things. It makes me appreciate life a little more. Just like fog in the desert, life can be here one moment and gone the next.

Live life to the fullest. And enjoy the beauty around you. As trivial it may look at first.

A camera can never capture the true beauty and the colors of an occurrence like fog. Nevertheless, I wanted to freeze that moment in time.


After the fog has lifted, the westerly mountains unveiled their snow powdered peaks, illuminated by the first morning sun light.

Time Flies

Is life just passing us by? I had not have a chance to post anything on here lately. Too much going on at work, at home and everywhere in-between. Time flies when you’re having “fun.”


However, I’m not complaining. Life is still good. Great as a matter of fact. George and I just celebrated our sixth anniversary. Time does fly when you’re having fun.


Below are additional photos from our trip to Munich. Hopefully soon, we’ll get back into more up-to-date posts.


In the meantime, don’t let time fly you by.



Delta recently acquired Northwest Airlines, along with its fleet of Boeing 747-400s. The fuselage of this B747-400 at Atlanta's Hartsfield Int.'l Airport now shows the current Delta livery. The Airbus A380 may be the world's largest passenger aircraft and it is impressive but the B747 looks just more elegant.



The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in front of the Bayerische Staatskanzlei, the Bavarian State Chancellery in Munich. We used to play a lot in this area when I was a kid growing up. This place always fascinated me even if I was too young to understand its significance back then.


Of course, now I look at this place from a completely different perspective. It is a very quiet and somber place and the clean and modern lines used for this sunken monument are conveying a certain solitude.


A mostly defunct public underpass was turned into a space for contemporary art, called the Maximilians Forum. I remember when this was built back in the late 1960s. It was rarely used by people and always felt somewhat creepy. That hasn't changed much.


Shoppers in the Maximilianstraße, a boulevard lined up with government buildings, first-class hotels, theaters, luxury stores and high-end fashion boutiques. Munich's version of a smaller scale 5th Avenue, if you will.


We are spoiled here in Las Vegas where there's an abundance of free parking all over town. No such luck in Munich. The locals in Munich either need to purchase a yearly parking permit or have to constantly feed these automated parking meters with money or a pre-paid card. They can't be missed since these automates were installed literally everywhere.


Graffiti has already been a big problem back when I was still a teenager growing up in Munich. Now it seems even worse than ever and those "artists" now don't even spare historical buildings, which still seemed to be taboo a decade ago. This picture was taken in the trendy area of Schwabing along Hohenzollernstraße and only shows a lesser impact of a far bigger problem.

Catching Up

It has been a quite busy time since our last entry. Work has been out of control with projects piling up and tight deadlines. Along with the usual household chores, running errands and patching up things. And poor George also has to prepare and study for his classes on top of that.


Life! It has us in its full grip.


However, we managed to loosen the grip every now and then to enjoy some little pleasures. For example, last Thursday we attended a gathering at the Rio Hotel & Casino to celebrate the recent passage of Nevada’s Domestic Partner Law (SB 283). That was quite a surprising turn of events, especially since Nevada’s Governor Jim Gibbons first vetoed this bill, stating that he simply doesn’t believe in it.


This coming from another biggoted Republican who believes in the sanctity of marriage, but was married twice. And seems to have a thing for sexually assaulting women whom he’s had affairs with while still being married. There’s also a case of plagerism and a federal bribery investigation. But that’s like a whole different chapter altogether.


Luckily, both the Senate and Assembly in Carson City voted to override his veto. Not bad for Nevada, which is a rather backwards, very conservative and very much a Republican state. No one saw this coming.


The gathering took place in one of Rio’s huge ballrooms and had a nice turnout of a few hundred people and everyone seemed to be in good spirits and eager to take the next step towards fairness and equality for all. To get to this event, however, one had to maneuver through a maze of uninviting long corridors and folded partition wall panels. You know, all these happy gay couples had to be hidden away so they wouldn’t distraught an on-going poker tournament, filled ill-mannered and drunk lowbrows and gaunt looking zombies.


As part of the local Pride Month events, the Las Vegas Contemporary Dance Theater Conservatory presented an amazing performance on Saturday. It has held at one of the libraries’ theaters and was once again open to all. All of them were extraordinary dancers and the repertoire riveting. It was followed by a Q&A session, which at times was very emotional and moving. These dancers come from all walks of life, different countries and share interesting life experiences. Most had to live through incredible hardships but always believed in their dream to become dancers. Raw and true talents at their very best.



That same evening George and I attended a gay couples potluck. We saw a few friends we haven’t seen in a while and made some new acquaintances. There were couples that have been together for over 30 and 40 years. They were fun and witty. George and I hope to be just as sharp and interesting when we’re lucky enough to reach these gentlemen’s age. Spending a nice evening with fun people and lots of good food. What was not to like?


In-between our demanding jobs, chores at home and in the backyard and trying to sneak in a little bit of relaxation, we also whipped up some delicious meals. Like tuna salad on fresh whole grain artisan bread with sun-dried tomatoes and basil. Or stuffed red peppers on a bed of farfalle and promodoro sauce with three cheeses.


Needless to say that after these meals we were both rather stuffed ourselves. Good thing we jog and exercise on a regular basis. Otherwise we’d be a sorry sight to see.


Here are some slivers from the past two weeks.



Dissepating storm clouds after a rare morning shower


It still rained in the distance



After the rain. Our plants loved it.


The sun peeked through the clouds again not long after the rain had passed. And cast this shadow of our apple tree.



The openings above our fire place



Catching some first rays in the morning



Then enjoying some breakfast with fresh coffee and bread with butter and french raspberry jam



Our tuna salad sandwich on a loaf of wheat bread with sun-dried tomatoes



The stuffed red pepper with farfalle and promodoro sauce. No...we're not endorsing any Coke products, but it was so hot that day and it was the best refreshment



This is one happy camper. George, der Meisterkoch. Yes, he enjoys his cooking very much. No, this is not another product placement. But maybe we should ask Coke for some money after all this free advertising though

Perfectamente

What a perfect weekend this was.



George and I did absolutely nothing.



Okay, we did a little somethin’ somethin.’ And a few other things like thanking the universe for having each other, cooking amazing meals and enjoying “cooler,” cloudy days.



Yes, we actually enjoy clouds. Because we rarely have them here in the desert. For a brief moment it looked as if it was also going to rain. The smell of rain in the air was so intense. And there may have been two or three tiny drops here and there but that was about it. Of course. Nature can be such a tease.



Yes, that right. We like rain too.



While people in other parts of the country complain of constant gloomy and rainy days, especially when rain can threaten to ruin precious weekend plans, we here in the Mojave Desert hope and pray for just a little bit of precipitation every now and then. Every time we spot a cloud in the sky it’s like some divine miracle has just descended upon us.



You know, like seeing the image of Jesus’ face on a burnt slice of toast.



Even the temperature dropped considerably. It can already hover in the lower 100° F in early June. What am I saying? We already had our first wave of 100° F days in May.



So this little deprive of hellish temperatures into the lower 80s was a truly welcomed change. You see, for us desert dwellers 80 degrees feels almost cold and the nightly lows in the lower 70s is downright wintery to us. At night we needed to cover ourselves with an additional blanket again which we‘ve already stored away.



Likewise, this “cold spell” was such a relief on everybody’s wallet. There was no need for turning on any air conditioning units. We ripped open every window in the house and let the cool breezes fill up every nook and cranny with fresh air.



Ah, so this is how normal people live?!



The few chore-related things we did over the weekend were cooking, watering the plants in our backyard and lifting our arms to point the remote control at the TV to either change channels or to press the play button to watch a recorded film on the DVR. We were planning on going to the movies to see Sam Raimi’s new horror flick “Drag Me To Hell,” but ended up walking in the park instead.



Yeah, we’re real bad asses. That’s what we are.



On Saturday morning, George made this amazing light and fluffy omelette, filled with fresh vegetables and provolone and cheddar cheeses. Add two slices of sage breakfast sausage and some hash browns, along with freshly brewed Peet’s coffee and we were both in breakfast heaven.



And yesterday evening we enjoyed our masala chicken, which we’ve prepared with a medley of multi-colored potatoes, asparagus and okra. It was absolutely delicious. Just thinking about it makes me all hungry again.



Somewhere in-between we also stuffed ourselves with bowls of french vanilla ice cream with dark chocolate syrup and slices of cheesecake, topped with whipped cream and pecans.





Potato Medley: A mix of yellow, red and blue organic potatoes

Meisterkoch George is sautéeing onions in sesame oil

Chicken Masala on its way to perfection

Guten Appetit! I had to nosh a little masala before dinner...
you know, to make sure it was done right

Did I mention that we had the perfect weekend? Good food, pleasant weather and the love of your life right next to you. What else could one possibly ask for?

Exactly!

I rest my case.

Wonnemonat Mai

Can you believe it’s June already? What the heck? Time is just flying by. The month of May has been quite something. At least for George and I. Most days turned out to be good. Great actually. But there were some days which were just downright awful. That’s life I guess.



However, I’m not going to get into details here or turn this into another political rant. And boy, do I have a lot to rant about. But I won’t. Not today.



Instead I will think happy thoughts. Be positive. Why don’t we just share some photos with you. And simply let the pictures do the talking.



It’s all good!



Have a happy June.



By the way, this entry's title “Wonnemonat Mai” is a German poetic expression and loosely means the merry month of May.




The following images were taken at our home and backyard.









More pictures from some of our venturing to the Las Vegas “Strip” during the month of May.