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CounselOfTrenton's Journal
It Just Keeps Getting Better and Better
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Another 2,200 KM
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September 20, 2008, 11:54:am
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That was fun! So, as mentioned, I was sent to Vicenza, Italy for a week to assist our office there with a new much-ado installation since having been dubbed as one of three folks in Europe who understand the stuff. Which, really, would be far less complicated if the original builds were properly documented. Unfortunately, we seem to have people higher up that have the following two qualities: (1) They are very creative and talented and capable when working with this type of equipment, and (2) they have no ability, desire, or compelling reason to accurately, concisely, and clearly document what the hell it is that they've done in order to get and keep this type of equipment working. But of course, once the proper motivational tools have been applied, I collect, learn, and retain the information quite well. I done figured it all out.
Anyway, it was my first trip to Vicenza since having left there in 2002 (I lived there from early 2000 to the end of 2002). I got to see lots of old friends, a few old enemies, people I had forgotten that I knew, and places that had changed and/or stayed the same. It was a great trip, both personally and professionally. The hassle was the drive down - I elected the hassle of driving over the hassle of flying, because staus don't annoy me as much as airport security and baggage-handling personnel. Plus, then I'd have my vehicle and all my gear with me for the trip. So, with a bunch of coffee, red bull, iPod, and cigarettes, I departed early on Sunday morning. Traffic was good, and I made it to just south of Munich in three hours (one restroom stop and one fuel stop). Traffic sucked after that, stau and weather until Rovereto.
But what a trip through the past. I also used to live in Bad Aibing (1999 to 2000) and drove right by the "Bad Aibling 1000m" ausfahrt sign....it was absolutely chilling. It was like driving through a dream, where things I didn't know appeared, and yet I actually DID know them, but had forgotten I knew them somehow. Very strange time.
Anyway, after I finished up the work and socializing stuff, I headed back Friday afternoon and arrived here shortly before midnight. I LOVE night-driving, truly. I play music, relax, and let my mind wander (while, yes, still paying attention to the roads and the minimal traffic!). Fun, but now I'm behind on housework and laundry.
But it's fun anyway.
Mood: reminiscent
Music: Alice In Videoland - Going Down
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This'n and That'n
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September 13, 2008, 04:55:pm
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So much good stuff, I can hardly stand it!
My latest Alfa Matrix order came in, so I have three new boxed sets - already loaded to the iPod! Neikka RPM, Technoir, and a compilation Re:Connected set. Awesome! Also got two Alice in Videoland cds, and I'm really liking them...didn't know they had a third new cd out, so I've gotta shop again! I love new music! And Yendri posted another cool track too...'Machinespirit'...way cool!
Also got another order of Dragon Alliance in, so I'm set for the winter (which seems to have started last week....).
Heading to Vicenza, Italy tomorrow for a week. Mostly for work (they need my mad skillz with some new stuff they've got going on, so Big Papa Boss-man sez I gotta go help them out). I haven't been to Vicenza since I moved from there to California in 2003. I'll get to see some old friends and see how much things have changed since I left.
Speaking of old friends, I met up with Pookie to killsometime in Vogelweh last weekend, and some total stranger stopped me with that "Hey, remember me?" crap. It took about fifteen seconds, and then I DID remember - Rusty, a friend of mine from way back in 1993 in Heidelberg. He's now married with two kids and lives in England. He was here for another week for a training thing, so we got to hang out and kick it for a few nights. A couple other folks from his training class came along, too - I'm such a good little Designator Driver. They all got drunk as lords each night, and I drove them all back to the hotel. We had a blast though, and I'm now back in touch with Russ (Recon Russ, the pointer dog).
It's an American holiday around 11 October (I have no idea why), so I've made it into a four day weekend. Me and a few friends are headed up to Amsterdam, staying at Qwint's house. Should be fun....of course, another case of me being the designated driver. Why me all the time?!
Got my tickets for the Cruxshadows, Ayria, and I:Scintilla concert in Atlanta in December. In November, I'm FINALLY taking some vacation time. Flying to San Francisco to get an overdue taste of Cali and kick it with some friends. After that, I'll visit my parents (boooooorrrrrriiiinnnnggggg). Then it's off to Panama for a week only - but time to visit friends, see what's changed in the four years since last I visited, and island-hop a little bit. Then I fly to Atlanta to catch the concert and visit some friends for two days (Toast, you owe me a bottle of Patron....). Then back to here, hopefully just in time for snowboarding season.
Mood: Prepared
Music: Alice in Videoland, "Going Down"
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Fried Out
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August 20, 2008, 12:33:pm
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THAT was fun...! Street Parade ROCKED! I scooped up a rent-a-hooptie for the weekend - Audi A3 2.0TDI six-speed manual...very nice ride, and I want one for my birthday. (Ain't gonna happen...) Anyway, I hit Pook's place Friday night and we all partied up a little bit more than we perhaps should have. So we got a bit of a late start Saturday morning, but made up for it by driving 180-210kph most of the way to the border. Of course, one MUST slow down after the border, as exceeding the speed limit is prohibitively expensive in Neutral Town. We got in to Zurich before noon, and got checkec in all hunky-dory. The hotel this time was one block removed from the main Parade strip, about 300 meters from the Swiss Innovations stage and maybe 700 meters from the main stage area by the ferris wheel and Sunshine Live deck. We hit the Parade strip even before the festivities began.
The weather was incredible - warm and sunny the whole day. I had flashbacks to all those years of Carnival parades in Las Tablas, Panama. Many people were swimming in the river, which is the first year the weather, and not alcohol, has contributed to that.
Strangely enough this year, the only music was on the main stage, the SI stage, and the floats. Normally, there are djs at every bar, cafe, and shop...hell, McDonalds and Starbucks usually have their own djs spinning. Unfortunately, the result was an absolutely empty Blue Monkey Cafe square, which has been the best music and vibe the past two years at this event.
This year, in my opinion, top honors go to a previously unheard-of-to-me DJane named Wicked Wilma. We were kicking it at the far end of this area for a while when her set started, and it didn't take long for her beats to pull us up to the front. Now, normally we hear great music at this thing, but still we move around quite a bit. However, we stayed planted at the SI stage for over an hour until her set was over. By far the best set of the night. I have since gotten a few mixes by her, and I am NOT disappointed. I'd like to hire her to play my birthday party, but....I work for the government; I ain't got no money!
We stayed out til the Parade was closed, and then it was back to the hotel. I prefer to sleep during my transition from trashed out to totally hung over. In the morning, there was no sense of urgency, so we kicked around town for a few hours before heading back - that's the first time THAT'S ever happened.
Last weekend, we hit the Summer Trance party in Ludwigshafen with Talla2xlc. Near midnight, the venue moved over to the Connection in Neckarau (so we got to watch the eclipse on the way, interupted slightly by Jaz getting flashed going 80kph in a 50kph zone...OUCH). Awesome gig, and we stayed until 430am. I'm too old for this crap.... But it was well worth it. I'm not a big fan of what is commonly refered to as "House" here in Germany, although I do love my old Bay-Area House music; but I guess I'm still more of a Trance fan than House of any form.
As a result of the date conflicts, I of course skipped the VF meet in Utrecht. I would have loved to have gone, but no way to pull off a Wednesday/Thursday run up there anyway...Damn it, I had just been in Schinnen the prior Thursday, why couldn't it have been then??? Schinnen is over half-way from here to Utrecht!
Emilie Autumn gig coming soon. Ayria is on tour with Cruxshadows in the U.S., and I turns out that I may be in San Francisco in time to catch their gig at the DNA Lounge....SWEEEET. I hope Ayria makes her way over to Germany soon. Also read that Lacuna Coil should be on tour this winter in support of an upcoming new CD and DVD. Yendri continues to be Not On Tour, but she posted a new track that I LOVE, and didn't even blow out my subwoofer playing it. (Which, actually, would be disappointing except that the track really rocks and is totally danceable.)
J-Dog will be here on 1 September to kick it. He was playing some biker rally gig thing in Switzerland the same weekend I was in Zurich....I was too busy to swing through. But the 1st is a holiday for me, so we'll be able to kick it for a bit.
Trying to get some video and pics uploaded of some of these adventures, but I keep having time-out issues. Probably has to do with my shit ISDN-speed upload rate in this medieval little town I live in. Argh.
Mood: Yummy
Music: Miguel Migs - City Sounds Trilogy
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A Dark and Hungry God Arises
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July 31, 2008, 11:19:pm
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Dramatic subject line, ain't it? Ha!
It's been over a month since the last entry here, and sadly there isn't much to tell. The Love Parade in Dortmund was a lot of fun - one of the very few occasions that I don't have to be the designated driver, so I can be somewhat irresponsible.... Pookie and Crew have all the photos and videos compiled, and hopefully I'll pick up copies this weekend. It's Jaz's birthday, so I have to go deliver flowers and possibly jump out of a cake. If I get the pics/vids from Pook, I'll post them.
Street Parade in Zurich is next weekend, and that promises to be better than Love Parade. It's a better forum there in Zurich: the stores stay open, there are many more venues, and it's just a better vibe overall in my opinion. Plus again, I won't have to be the driver...hehehe.
Got tickets for the Emilie Autumn gig in Saarbrucken (AGAIN!!). Looking forward to that. I've ordered the new Ayria cd, as well as Technoir and Niekka RPM. I'm sleeping by the mailbox until they arrive....
Plans are in the works for a weekend in Amsterdam this month. Life is good.
Mood: Zesty
Music: Kerli
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Been and Gone
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June 25, 2008, 03:39:pm
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So, I was talking to Malefica about the July visit for the Love Parade in Dortmund, and the trip in August to the Street Parade in Zurich. As we finalized her travel arrangements and our agendas and itineraries, she said "Oh, and I'm going to come visit this weekend, too." WTF? Turns out that she wasn't joking either. I picked her up at the airport on Friday and we did the usual shower, Landstuhl cafe, chill at the house thing. Saturday we day-tripped over to Saarbrucken, which is a really cool town. But came back to KTown to go get some Thai food for dinner. Sunday we took off early to Felsenmeer and climbed boulders all day. To help keep her motivated on the climb, I kept reminding her that "There's an imbiss at the top and you can get a rindwurst and brotchen!" We got to the top just in time for it to start raining. And the look on her face was classic...the disappointment in her voice as she whined..."I wanted a rindwurst and brotchen, and all I got was a brotchen with a rindwurst on it!!!" Made to suffer... The climb back down was nice, although we took a detour and got lost a little bit. Spent the evening in Heidelberg downtown - Altstadt, new bridge, Neckar shore, and dinner of course. Monday we took the kayak out to Gelterswoog - the first time I've used the kayak since moving to KTown 14 months ago. She had never been in one, although she has been river rafting. She did fine, as the 'woog only has a very very slight current. Now, maybe if I buy a tandem kayak and get her to a big river.... hmmmmm.... Greek for dinner as usual, and I took her back to the airport on Tuesday morning. Another good visit. But she saod yesterday that she won't be able to make the Love Parade, but I plan to go anyway since Pook and King Ralf have rallied together a five-person team for the event.
Work is ramping up again. More new toys...AGAIN. And we opened up another WiFi/MPOG Alternate Escapes internet cafe here in KTown. All the bells and whistles have been installed and we're up and running to some very good revenue numbers. We rock. I just sometimes wish we could rock just a little bit slower....
Ayria's new album is done, and I must get it as soon as possible. No offense to the VFMS, but I really do prefer to order from Alfa Matrix - I like to get the boxed sets with artwork and all...something to have and hold and touch and display. I'm a dork. But now she needs to get her tour schedule up.....
Still working on the Loreena McKennitt concert. I'm in the somewhat unusual situation - it happened once before when I wanted to go see Sarah McLachlan in Sacramento - that I will not go alone but don't have a date to take with me. In SacTown, it worked out because Spin, while not a FAN of Sarah Mc, was willing to go and see the gig with me. Here, I have no friends that are willing to go sit through a Loreena McKennitt concert....all my people around here listen to metal, trance, house, and rap. Nope, don't even have any friends local that listen to industrial of any stripe. And certainly none that will put up with Loreena's music. Gotta find some extra people in my life.
New photos posted. No other news.
Mood: Buzzy and Fuzzy
Music: Delerium (Flowers Become Screens)
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