Permanent maladies.

Recently, I’ve been having problems with a persistent foot infection. These problems have begun to worsen yet again and there is some concern that I may need to get surgery. As you can believe, this is quite disconcerting to me, particularly since I have a vacation planned later in the summer. Hopefully, this will get resolved soon.

A trip on a blueberry boat.

If you haven’t heard, the new Fiery Furnaces album „Widow City“ has leaked to the internet. I have commented on them before and I would still recommend trying to listen to some of their material if you get the chance. They are one of the most experimental and interesting indie rock bands out there. Here is a video of the song „Benton Harbor Blues (Reprise)“ from their previous album „Bitter Tea„.

Requiem for a summer.

I think that summer school has finally gotten to me. I’m tired of doing work and I’m tired of school. It feels like I haven’t had a break in forever. I’m just worn out.

I look forward to these exams being over and finally having some time for relaxation and some rest.

A persuasive argument to stop smoking.

A stop smoking advertisement featuring American director John Waters.

Kleiner Ausschnitt

This song has really caught my ear lately:

ICH WAR SCHON GESPANNT DARAUF GESICHT ZU SEHEN
DANN SAHST DU ZU MIR UND KONNTEST NICHTS VERSTEHEN
UND ALS ICH MEINER AUGEN SICHER WAR
SAH ICH ETWAS WEITER

DOCH MEINE EIGENEN BLICKE TAEUSCHEN MICH
ICH SEHE WAS WAS DU NICHT SIEHST ENTWICKELT SICH
MEHR ALS ZU DEM SPIEL, DAS ES AUCH NOCH IST
JEDEM SEINE EINSICHT

WER EIN DRITTES AUGE HAT SIEHT SICHERLICH
MEHR ALS JEDER ANDERE, DOCH BEHAUPTE ICH
EBENFALLS IM BESITZ EINES SOLCHEN ZU SEIN
VIELLEICHT IM GEDAECHTNIS

WAS JEMAND ZU FASSEN KRIEGT UND WIE ER SPUERT
HAENGT DAMIT ZUSAMMEN, WIE ER SICH TRAINIERT
JEDEN KANN MAN AENDERN BIN ICH MANIPULIERT?
KLINGT ES AUS ERFAHRUNG

DAS WAS IM GEDAECHTNIS JEDEM WESEN NACH
AN BEDEUTUNG ZUGEWIESEN WIRD LIEGT BRACH
UNTER MEINEM EINDRUCK, DENN ICH BIN DOCH NUR
EIN GANZ KLEINER AUSSCHNITT

Edit:  The song is by Barbara Morgenstern off her excellent album „Nichts Muss“

These are the bad days.

I’ve been having a rough time of it lately.  I have a foot infection that will not go away and is becoming increasingly uncomfortable after subsiding for a while. To tie that in with exams and presentations upcoming, I’m in a bit of a tough spot. Hopefully, things will be resolved soon.

For The Bathtub of Giants

„Bathduck“, a giant inflatable duck made by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman, is shown in Saint-Nazaire as part of the Estuaire 2007, a festival on the Loire River.

When will the time arrive again?

I’m fairly certain my body is falling to pieces right now. Posting shall be lighter, as a result.

Stop the Cooling.

The new Super Furry Animals album „Hey Venus!“ is out and, from what I’ve heard, it is quite excellent with a renewed energy similar to that of „Guerrilla.“

1. The Gateway Song
2. Runaway
3. Show Your Hand
4. The Gift
5. Neo Consumer
6. Into The Night
7. Baby Ate My Eight Ball
8. Carbon Dating
9. Suckers
10. Battersea Odyssey
11. Wolves

The last song is my favourite from the first listen. A mellower track, but not too mellow. However, I’ll want to listen a few more times before delivering a final verdict. However, it does have a ridiculous cover.

Negative tip.

From De Steen der Eigenwijzen:

For what can one do when service is neither surprisingly nice (tip) nor mediocre (no tip)? What if it’s disappointingly bad?

I think in that case one should have the option of paying less than the amount on the bill and have the waiter pay the rest out of his or her own pocket.

I agree. I’ve gotten some irrefutably bad service at certain restaurants, particularly when waitresses feel the need to be rather loquacious with their friends. A negative tip, if restricted to a small amount, could provide a better assurance for service.