getting out so i can get out.

i was in münchen on tuesday to see okkervil river. for some reason i was slightly down trodden about going alone. i had this over-bearing premonition that i was going to get there and be all alone and hear those songs and have some kind of breakdown that i wasnt ready to do with out someone to, at the very least, pick me up of the ground.

i parked in a place i knew i’d probably get a parking ticket, but i was lost as it was and figured the ticket would be cheaper and closer than a parking garage. (which ended up being true.)

i ate thai food for the first time in 3 months. dare i say it was the most brilliant green curry i think ive ever had. or maybe it’s just been a while.

it was at a restaurant where you sit where you can and order at a counter. fortune smiled upon me to find a table of my own. as i was feeling quite sovereign, i found solace in not sharing my eating space. and at that point, after breathing the city in for a little while, i was reveling in being there alone. and was happy to sit there for a while and read before the show. (i had some hours before it started.)

however, towards the end of a meal a couple asked if they could join my table. i, of course, obliged them. and soon found they spoke english. the woman, from indonesia, and her husband, from germany were an unlikely couple. it made me really happy. they both work for seimens or something and met while he was working in indonesia. now they are both here working for that same company and married and really adorable.

they were on their way to a brazilian drum class. and while the offer of joining them tempted me, i instead offered to exchange emails and join next time. i wasnt off my sovereign buzz quite yet and wanted to wander a bit and get a beer before the show.

we shook hands and parted and i set off to find the venue. it was in this really large building that take up a block. but it was only part of the place. i wandered in through a kindergarten, then through a yoga studio or something. and then down some stairs and... into the club? it was some hacked entrance. i passed a happy looking man who said hello. who in turn made me really happy, he didnt ask any questions about who i was, just hello. and i continued to quietly clomp through the venue in my silly cowboy boots. i stumbled into the room where the band played later that night. i felt like i did when i was a little girl during my dance recital dress rehearsals...i would wander ‘the potter center auditorium’. all quiet. just men in black t-shirts doing sound things... and so i stood there, beaming on the inside, and watched the roadies set up the amps and drum kit. they didnt say anything to me. just smiled. after a few minutes i wandered into the room where all the instruments were being kept and just kind of stood there and laughed. i would never get away with this in the states.

i was really hoping to bump into a familiar face. *cough*will shef *cough* but i left quite contented. i continued down blumenstraße and found myself out side this really pretty building. vine covered and warmly lit. i decided that’s where i would go for a beer but not until after i was finished wandering.

i remember my mouth was still hot from the curry. causing me to fondly dote on arizona for a moment...i dont know why. spicy food. its been a while...

i walked around through the now closed christmas market and after about 30 minutes found myself again outside the vined, warm lit building and went inside.

it was a warm lounge/restaurant/bar. cozy and semi-modern.

i sat for a while. ordered a drink. whatever. upon leaving i went to the restroom, and in the restroom was a little “wanted” sign. like old west fugitive style. and i giggled. and read it as best i could. it basically said were hiring barkeepers.

for some reason a gust of german language came over me and i spoke, in german, to who appeared to be the manager. this man then took me to the real manager. we spoke for a moment. (at this point all deutsch had escaped me) and i really dont remember what i said.. all i remember was “can you start saturday?”

my response being... “what? ja, aber mein deutsch ist sefr schleckt.” (yes, but my german is awful.)

so he gave me my paper work and off i went.

beaming.

what?

i walked to the venue.. i still thought i was too early... but there was a huge crowd out front. what? sold out? okkervil river? germany?

it doesnt even sell out in phoenix. how sad.

so i waited. patiently listening for a word or two of english to escape someone. (which was more rare than you would think... or that i thought.)

but with in a few minutes there was someone on his phone speaking to someone else in english. and he made a joke about something, to which i laughed, thus acknowledging my understanding of the english language, and so when he ended his phone call i asked him where he was from.

as if i had no shame speaking to strangers before i came here, it has improved ten fold.

what does ten fold mean?

he was some super dorky physics PHD from argentina and switzerland who has been living in vancouver for the past 4 years but had just moved to münchen 2 weeks ago and was meeting his other super dork physics phd friend.

what a dream. haha.

we spoke for a while about i dont know what. it doesnt matter.

the venue was a wet dream. i would not have known it from what i had seen earlier in the evening. completely different dimly lit and full of people. not even slighly similar.

there was no opening band. no back stage. so they had to push through us to get to the stage. it was really bizarre.

but fuck. the set they played was so... i dont know. i cant write about it. i had an amazing time.

photos of venue can be found here:
http://www.dieregistratur.de/rundgang.php

and these are two of the three i ended up taking. i feel bad for people who spend an entire show taking pictures and video. JUST DANCE YOU BUTTHOLE.





it was really strange to be able to buy a beer at a venue. and not be locked off into the unmentionables corner of a concert hall because im not of age.

they couldnt leave the stage for an encore. i mean. they could have. but they said... hey... we’ll just save the waiting and clapping if its all the same to you. and hope that you would have wanted an encore.... because its just too awkward to climb through you and then back.

they closed with ‘westfall’.

what a dream.

i stayed a while and talked with the phd’z. then went home quite happily and contented.

---

so. yes. i did show up for my job on saturday. i am a bartender? haha. today was my second day. i make coffee mainly. fresh juice. and champagne. wine. beer. etc. cocktails are for second shift barkeepers. i work morning/mid-shift. so i do lots of cocktail prepping. meaning cutting up fruit and making juice. and getting beer and shit from the cellar.

i’ll speak more on it later. i’m so tired right now from said job that talking about it is making me more tired. oh, and the people i work for dont know i have this job. haha.

but i really like it. its hard work. all the same, i think i can manage. and hopefully it will help improve my deutsch spechen.
im writing this on the train on my way back from work. back to work. haha. and i keep hearing max and luke kanter singing “she works hard for da money... doo-doo-doo-dooo”.

what a ‘lol’-fest these months have been.

-tg