In case you're bored as hell you can try out Dreamscope, another app to edit pictures to make them look more surreal.

Original pic - taken by myself in Covent Garden

Some of the Dreamscope filters.

Forgot to post this yesterday.

I had to work my last shift for this month on Tuesday. That time wasn’t as bad as the last times because the big boss wasn’t there and neither were the two old c*nts. The weather wasn’t exactly great so there were more than 700 people in the house when I started my shift at 11am. At that time we were only four people: the ‘substitute’ boss who had to take care of the serving counter, that one weird older guy had to take care of the scullery and also had to prepare salads and stuff, the other temp (I think his name is Dennis?) was in the scullery and the sauna, and I was in charge of the cash register (without cash), the dining area and the terrace. I think the first time I was able to wipe the tables was at 1:30pm. But they couldn’t reach any more temps or anyone that would fill in.

Then at around 2pm three more people came (at last) – two who had to help at the serving counter and Andreas who had to stock up ice cream cones and drinks for me. I basically just stood there, entered the burgers, scanned the chips – and when I needed something Andreas had to go and get it for me. No one was complaining all day. Well, Andreas complained once – I should stop getting so many people there and like, only sell every third person something.

It was the best shift I have had – and will have (probably). But still – when that ‘substitute boss’ guy asked me whether I could work this Wednesday as well I told him that I wouldn’t be in  town the rest of the week. Now I have almost 14 days off. But was it right to lie? I’m actually feeling a bit bad. Even though I could have only worked one more shift. Oh dear…

Second night without sleep. I hate it. Before work this (or rather yesterday) morning I was close to tears because I was just so tired.

Why?

Well there is a tiny mosquito in my room. It makes a very loud buzzing sound but I can’t even see it. Last night every time I was about to fall asleep this %^*(&! Bit me. 5x in my face, 3x my hand and 2x my arm.

And there’s just nothing I could do about it.

(But believe me, if I find that motherf*cker I will rip out its legs and wings, one by one!!!)

German stereotypes: hardworking, efficient and disciplined

Virgo characteristics: precise, orderly, efficient

So the country I was born in and my zodiac sign have (according to the Internet) the same characteristics.

. . . 

Weird.

. . .

Maybe you should be scared of me?

Thinking ‘bout making a new background picture but when… and how? It’s got to have London, UK, Germany, ghosts, books, cats and so much more in it. I know exactly what it’s supposed to look like but I have no idea how Photoshop works and it’s too complicated for paint…

Must. Not. Buy. That. Camera.

Lately in the British news:

Jellyfish plague!

Ant invasion! 

Spiders the size of MICE!

Maybe I should stay in Germany after all... :S

Since the last post was rather negative I thought I should tell you about something more positive I found out earlier today:

I am...

*drum roll*

DEBT FREE!

I still can’t really believe it!!

I’ve made an Excel chart a few months back with earnings and expenses for every month, and until today I thought I had to pay back €2,000 for my driving licence and €180 every month for my studies. But – I only have to pay back €1,500 for the licence and €120 for my studies. Therefore I actually make +€20 every month. And there’s enough money on my bankbook to pay for my studies and the licence when I’m done in 2 years from now. Soooo… 95% of my wage goes into my money box for London. 

“Dreams Don't Work Unless You Do”

- John C. Maxwell

And I do work. But for how long?

Yesterday another temp tipped me off that the two older women working there (who of course have a say there) think of me as too slow and too dumb, and that I have to be extremely careful or I’ll be out in no time. Well, I’d probably be faster if someone actually showed me what to do – more than just the basics. But to be honest I wasn’t really surprised when he told me, I had seen them bitching about me earlier, and they had been yelling at me in front of the customers more than once.

The first time it was because I had opened the ice cream packs the wrong way, the second time it was because (according to her) I was pouring the beer wrongly into the glasses. She yelled at me to get out of the way and snatched the bottle I was holding out of my hand – and then let it fall. I don’t know how or why, but all of a sudden it was my fault. The four guys were close to leaving without their beers and I was close to tears. Afterwards I dared to ask her how I am supposed to pour the beer – and she explained me how to do it. And it was exactly how I had done it before. Another girl had showed me how to do it. What?!! The third time I was wiping the tables, and all tables apart from one were empty – and just when I got to the table next to the couple she came and bit my head of whether I had detergent in my water. I was like ‘(wtf) yes of course’ and the people just shook their heads when she was gone.

I was so glad when I was finally allowed to go home.

I doubt I’ll still work there next month because they’ll complain to the big boss about me, but at least I’ll have earned a bit over €200.

Then when I woke up today I had one missed call from work and I was already worried that they might have wanted to fire me already. When I called back it turned out that it had only been Marie because they had been one person short. Later they called me again, this time it was the big boss – but he seemed nice (a bit too nice) and wanted to know whether I could come to work tomorrow. Money is money, and if I can get more before I’m kicked I don’t really mind.

- found on 9gag

I’ve got to work from 5-10pm today so I’m basically sitting here wasting my time until I have to leave.

The weather outside is autumnal, 20°C at best, everything’s just grey. I can’t concentrate on my book, it’s already too late for a short nap… As so often I ended up in front of the TV.

For a change I’m watching German TV. “Goodbye Deutschland” is the only halfway interesting show on right now but… I don’t know, it’s mostly people who can’t even speak English A2 (and no Spanish/Finnish/Italian or whatever language they need in that country) and want to move to the US, South America or Spain.

For me their desire to emigrate used to be so weird, but the longer I am here the bigger my own desire to move to Britain gets. I just want to leave at last. But I still have two more years at university and many other things I have to take care of before I’m finally free to go.

At least I now finally have a side job to earn some money for it…

Yesterday was my third shift at the swimming pool and for approximately 15 minutes I was literally in fear of my life.

Why?

Well, my co-worker asked me to refill the ice cream freezer cabinet. No problem. But – there were 4 or 5 sorts I just couldn’t find in the freezer cabinets in the backroom. So I had to go into the cold store. Opened the first deadbolt, went into the tiny cold store, opened deadbolt #2 and went into the even smaller and even colder cold store #2.

In 99% of the films that’s the moment in which someone (accidentally) locks the poor victim in. Or the door closes and cannot be opened from the inside. And no one would hear me. Death from cold.

I still think it's incredibly funny when a new Johnny Depp/Helena Bonham Carter film is out the German media is always talking about the 'new Johnny Depp movie' while (for some reason) everyone at uni is calling it the 'new Helena Bonham Carter film'.

"Have you watched the Alice in Wonderland film that came out in 2010?"

"Oh the one with Helena Bonham Carter?"

"Do you know Charlie and the Chocolate Factory? Has anyone of you read the book? I'm sure most of you have watched the film with Helena Bonham Carter."

Poor Johnny.

Hola people who are still reading my blog!

Been sitting in front of my laptop for hours now because I wanted to tell you about my first day at work but my head hurt so much that I just couldn't think of anything to write.

In short: I worked 6 hours, I got to work with a girl my age called Tina (seriously), and I was at the checkout almost 5 of the 6 hours. Not that great but definitely less disgusting than the scullery. Can't wait to get my first money or I might go mad.

In a few hours is my first shift at the swimming pool and I'm really nervous... I bet I forgot something important. Or completed the contract all wrong. Or they don't want me anymore and just forgot to tell me. Or all three of them.

Still, if all goes well I'll probably end up as the Tina of the swimming pool. Weird and useless. God, I can't wait for 5:00pm when I finally get to go home again.

German TV at its Finest

I get to watch both British and German TV, and some casting shows and of course most of the American TV shows are the same.

I’d say the biggest differences can be noticed in paranormal shows – I haven’t seen one on German TV ever – and the shame-factor. You sometimes get to see naked people before 2pm on German TV.

It’s terrifying.

We Germans even have a ‘naked dating show’. At least one man and one woman (sometimes one man and 2-3 women or vice versa) are put on a lonely island. Naked. With food and condoms. And nothing is censored. Like, nothing nothing. You can even see how ‘happy’ the guy is when he sees the women. The show is on at 9:15pm. So everyone above the age of 14 gets to see d*cks and breasts without having to go on adult websites.

But compared to last night’s show… that’s nothing.

In Germany we also have an I’m a Celeb version (IBES) with German ‘stars’. Next year will be the 10th season, so the channel decided to make a summer version in which 3 people from each of the seasons get to play against each other until there’s one left, and the 9 winners get to play against each other at the final on Saturday. The winner is then allowed to go back into the camp for the 10th season in January.

The first few episodes were pretty boring. Then came yesterday… First the two guys and the ‘model’ kept screaming at each other because they apparently still hate each other? Then their challenges were shown. In one they had to melt an ice cube in a certain amount of time. First in a cooler room (probably around 8°C), the next was 0°C and the last was -18°C. In the first they managed to melt it by holding it in their hands and putting it in their mouth. No problem here. But then…

They had 5 minutes to melt it. Hands didn’t seem to work anymore, so the oldest of the three (65 years old!) opened his trousers, pulled out his d*ck and STARTED TO PEE INTO THE LITTLE BOWL WITH THE ICE CUBE. AND THEN KEPT PUSHING IT WITH HIS FINGERS IN THERE. AGAIN AND AGAIN. AND YOU COULD SEE EVERYTHING. AAAAH!!! Then in the next room they had 5 minutes to eat ice cream and there weren’t any spoons so they ate it with their hands, and the other guy had to help him and only realised WHILE HE WAS ALREADY EATING IT that this dude who had just had his hands in his pee had already touched the ice cream AND I’LL HAVE NIGHTMARES ABOUT THIS FOREVER!!!  

Update: Yesterday (Wednesday) we got 4 naked guys sitting with spread legs on posts (one of them accidentally sat on his balls), and 3 naked women - within less than 2 hours.

1,000 PAGE VIEWS!!!

Ice Cream & Ducklings

It might sound as if I'm currently super-active and spend my days outside - but no, not really. Since Friday I've finished one book, watched one movie and a few Ghost Adventures episodes as well as Trash-TV in the evenings. And yesterday I went on a short morning walk up the hill. The view was spiffing so I decided to take some pictures.

But today I wanted to be really lazy. Just Ghost Adventures, a nap, next book, another nap,... But my grandma texted me to ask whether my little sister and I wanted to go for an ice cream. Well, who wouldn't?? We're talking about ice cream!

Now I'm fat. It didn't only stay with ice cream.

Ducklings!!!!

After almost 2 months of waiting I've finally received my Christmas letter today!

I know, it's August... but the letter had been burried on a desk in the Netherlands till May, then was sent the week the mail strike in Germany began... I was sure I would never get it.

But here it is!!!

Included was this little snake cube thing... I hate it. Seriously. I spent hours trying to get it back into a cube but I was too stupid. Finally searched for the solution on youtube and after another 30 minutes I finally managed it. I was so proud and showed it to my mum. She glanced at it - "you did look that up on the internet, didn't you?" Grmpf.

Some Pictures I Took Today