2005-07-26 - 9:23 a.m.
Well, back from my trip to Berlin, which was really not long enough. Such an amazing city. And I found that I had retained more german than I thought I had, though I still alternated between talking like one of the Paclids - "I order only of The Drinking!" - and making truly surreal statements, like ordering a rabbit full of coffee (kaninchen) instead of a pot(kaenchen).
My favourite new compound german word: Grundstucksentwicklungsgesellshaft, which I believe is a property development society,
When we got home it looked very much like my checked baggage had been searched en route, but I guess I couldn't complain, having packed in it a bag of souvenirs including some clockwork toys and and a ballpoint pen that looked like a lighter, which must have looked truly alarming on the X-ray.
And then back into my world of routine paranoia, including an email from a manufacturer of bomb- and crush-proof office furniture. Of particular note were the pictures of the test sites where they exploded the furniture to show you how well it survived. And the accompanying sales bumf included what is my current favourite weird technical work term: "purposeful void". I think I have one of those. It's primary purpose seems to be to compell me to buy chocolate.
