All Good Things Must Come to an End

I think this blog will be slowly coming to an end. It's just over a year old now (a ripe, old age, no?) and I have lost a bit of interest in writing. I know, I know, I had other hopes for this thing -- a redesign, more design stuff/work, as examples -- but I'm just not up to the task at the moment. Besides, let's be honest, it's not like you don't have better things to do than check this blog, or?

Maybe I'll pull a Cher and reappear in a few weeks/months/years. I'll send you all an email if that happens. In the meantime, pray for spring and all it brings. Because this winter is seriously getting old.

Oh yeah, and I turned 31. Shit happens.

Surf

While you're bored on my increasingly-outdated blog, why not check out some other cool sites.

Here are some of my favorites:

http://www.designspongeonline.com/

http://www.designobserver.com/

http://www.etsy.com/

http://www.slate.com/

Thanks for the Call

My readership called today and demanded a new post. I am most happy to oblige with Nina's, uh, I mean, my fan-base's request. :)

My last post was about three weeks ago, before Christmas. Several geese, plates of red cabbage, o Tannenbaums, and marzipanbrote later, I safely arrived in 2008 and now I'm in the middle of finals. I know I mentioned I'd post some of my design projects on this blog and I will keep my promise -- as soon as I finish up this semester and can reformat files into postable images.

In addition to school, I'm still working on a web project for my previous employer and at a little cafe down the street. The web project should be done end of January, after which I'll be looking for more work here in Hamburg.

February is my semester break and I'm thinking about going on a solo vacation. I think I'd like to train it somewhere rather than fly (an environmental thing). Any suggestions on where to go? Let me know.

Be well.

Last Christmas I was in Florida, now I'm in Hamburg with Someone Special

Fortunately one of my favorite Christmas songs is also beloved by German radio.
Click here to listen (and watch a cheesy video as an added bonus!).

Happy Holidays!

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

There are more than a dozen Weihnachtsmaerkte in Hamburg. Instead of blogging I've been visiting them, sampling the Gluehwein (hot, mulled red wine), Schmalzgebäck (fried dough with powdered sugar), Mandeln (almonds), and Maronen (chestnuts), while freezing my ass off. Good times. Hope you are all getting into the holiday spirit.

More Sites

And we're back to our Egypt programming....with the Temple of Hatshepsut, named after Egypt's only woman pharaoh. The limestone cliffs surrounding the three-terraced structure creates a dramatic view.

We also went to the Valley of the Kings, where King Tut (in addition to other royalty) lies. Tut's tomb was discovered in 1922 and it was only recently (within that last two months or so) that they revealed Tut's mummified body, allowing visitors to see his face and feet. And, yes, we paid the extra few bucks to sneak a peek.

Next up was Medinat Habu, where the engravings were carved noticeably deeper into the stone, compared to what we had seen up to that point.

We were growing tired, but there was more to see....we went to the Colossi of Memnon -- the only things left of an ancient temple. (Note the person between the figures, to get a sense of scale).

After going to these ancient sites, we stopped by a tourist trap, er, i mean, alabaster factory to see how vases and figurines are made.

There was also a "soper" market.

And then there was much welcomed peace and relaxation.

B is for Bettina

Last week I got to see Bettina in her hometown of Vechelde, about 2.5 hours south of Hamburg by trian. It was wonderful spending time with her, meeting her parents, and seeing where she grew up.

We made a quick trip to Braunschweig, where we visited the Weihnachtsmarkt and enjoyed coffee and cake at a new cafe in the recently rebuilt Schloss.

I unfortunately didn't take any photos of the two of us, but here is a nice portrait of the beautiful Bettina herself.