the world has turned and left me here

the best haircut ever

It is Tuesday night and I'm itching. Itching to scratch my stomach, that is, because my sunburn is just getting to that stage. And I have this giant welt on my arm where some insect must have bit me last night (last night? or the night before?). I just remember waking up with a start and seeing furry writhing legs right in front of my line of view and shooting up into the air, from supine to upright in 0.3 seconds, lunging for the light switch. But it was gone. These Europeans have almost everything we do (except for Dave Matthews and air conditioning and screen doors). Yes, I would like some whine with my cheese, thank you very much.

This morning it was time to go get the mane trimmed. I now understand why Mark's hair got so obscenely long last summer in Germany--he didn't want to risk it with a German barber probably. But I did something trendy. I went to this hair salon that screamed expensive, and it was, about three times as much as I've ever paid for a haircut, but it was the best haircut I've ever had. First a girl gave me a shampoo and an amazing neck massage, so amazing that I forgot my shoulders were burnt to a crisp, and didn't complain one bit. Then another girl in bright red pants and hair dyed bright red to match cut it, and it was like watching an artist go to work. A third girl who was supposed to be minding the desk watched on, trying to catch my eye in the mirror and smiling when she did. Maybe--I like to think anyway--she was a little intrigued by yours truly, an energetic American of the variety you don't see every day in suburban Munich. After paying and thanking the red-haired artist especially, I left, and realized that everyone I had interacted with had been a cute German girl of about my age. Like I say, it was the best haircut ever. :)

Well, Germany is in the World Cup Finals. We shall see with whom--either Turkey or Brazil. If the former, there are going to be some serious street riots no matter what the outcome. My department was also holding a going away party for a coworker at the same time, so there was stuff to eat and, you guessed it, beer. I took this opportunity to have an Augustiner Helles Bier while programming. In spite of it I was probably the most productive person there, as almost everyone was standing around talking and laughing. Sigh. Programming and having a beer. This is one of those things that will simply never happen back at the ranch.