My blog is feeling neglected...

... So I guess I should post an update to the world.

First things first: I love my life! I mean it. People like complaining, but it is safe to say that at the moment, I can't think of a single aspect, that I am not happy with. So no melodramatic, emo updates, no horror-stories and no intigiung, vague posts, that are meant to make people comment (on facebook that would be called vaguebooking ;)) - instead. More beautiful Ireland pictures and a video of "The Stolen Coat" rocking the Sales Conference. I think I never sang in front of 1500 people for my birthday. ;)

Giant's Causeway

I am tired, I had an amazing weekend and I finaly had a chance to really learn to drive on the left. ;) All this is due to a magic place in Ireland that is best described in pictures. So enjoy mine!

My first real music video!

This was made in cooperation with two wonderful colleagues a few month ago in Dublin!

Enjoy watching it and leave comments if you like...

First steps in HDRI

After Joe's visit to Dublin and my ongoing love to photography, I have decided to treat myself to a shiny new toy: a Canon EOS 550D. And as I want to put my new camera to good use, I will post more photos here than before.

The first ones are in HDR. I will post "normal pictures too in the next blog post. So stay tuned and comment...

San Francisco & Mountain View, California

Finally another trip I can blog about. If there are no real fun in the sun-holidays booked, it needed a business trip for me to get some tan. And what would be a better combination than a) being able to see San Francisco and get a nice tan in the Californian sun and b) an opportunity to go to the Silicon Valley and visit an area that drives innovation in internet and technology?

So I was very happy to get this opportunity and a week with only three days at the office and enough time to discover San Francisco sounded even better. So after checking in to the Clift hotel, a hip, but slightly pricy, design hotel directly adjacent to Union Square, I first took a stroll through the centre and into Chinatown. As we had both Sunday and Monday off – it was Memorial Day in the US – we went on a city tour including a ride over the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito. We also managed to see Alcatraz, which was really interesting. I learned that after it was closed down as a prison, it was occupied by Native American activists, who lived on the island without electricity to fight for their cause. It is interesting to see how an island so close to a city became the world’s most famous prison and to learn about it’s history.

Tuesday to Thursday were my workdays and I finally had a chance to see the headquarters in Mountain View. After a bus ride of about an hour – which was entertaining beacuse of the wireless internet my employer offers on these employee-only rides and some interesting places along the way – we were treated to a great breakfast in one of the eleven canteens on the campus. My favourite is of course Charley’s Café – named after the first cook to work for the big G – he became a millionaire during the IPO and now runs several restaurants. The choice of food is amazing and those three days offered enough chances to explore the campus with the nice bikes that are used to commute between the buildings. I have also seen some Segways, but I liked the old-school alternative better. It never got boring – during the summit I was attending, as well as while exploring the campus. I think it would be great to work here for a while and the colleagues are extremely nice. Let’s see what Zurich is like – more about that in my next blog post.

We spent Friday with clothes shopping and fine dining. My favourites were the seafood restaurants Scorma’s and Aliotto’s. A random colleague we had met on the bus also took us to a bar that we would never have found – mostly because it does not have any sign and you need a password to get in. All this entitles you to a nice little bar in a library and some great 11 dollar-cocktails. After most of my fellow traveller’s had left on Saturday, the last remaining colleague and I spent the weekend visiting the Union Street festival and chilling in the sun in Sausalito, where a nice house will set you back at least 2 million dollars. All in all, I had a great week in the states. Luckily, except for some problems with the electronic visa, I was not treated like a terrorist this time. Maybe that was also because I got a new passport that does not contain stamps and visa from nine mostly Islamic states, including Iran. My biggest learning is: San Francisco is ten times more beautiful than LA and definitely worth another visit. See you again, California…

A Fine Frenzy

I have seen many concerts since I came to Dublin. Some of them were good, some of them amazing and all of them mostly indie rock. On Monday, I read in a Tweet (Twitter-Message) from Allison Sudol of "A Fine Frenzy" that they are coming to Dublin - and I was lucky enough to still get two of the incredibly cheap tickets.

So I took the charming Betty to this concert in the Button Factory, a very nice venue that seems to be made for concerts that are a little more intimate and with a personal connection between the artist and the audience.

And Allison and her guitar player definitely lived up to my expectations. Apart from her outstanding voice, she charmed the audience with her natural an unpretentious manner. When her guitar player had problems tuning his guitar she kept the audience entertained with some anecdotes from her trip to Germany ("I pet a pig - an actual pig. And I rode a horse" - all said with the nonchalance of a child) and a spontaneous interpretation of "Fever". Other highlights were a Frank Sinatra cover (see embedded video - still to come as th upload broke up), her biggest hit "Almost Lover" (second video) and a cover of "Ring of Fire"

All in all, Allison didn't only blow us away with her unique voice - as Betty described it: "A mixture between Janis Joplin and Alanis Morissette" but also with her nice personality. She did not come across as a pop star, but more like the nice girl from next door - which made not only me fall in love with her. Betty even went as far as jokingly admitting she would enjoy a threesome with her (ouch, this is the first time I write something non family-safe in my blog :) ). But you will understand what I mean when you listen to the videos. Enjoy!

Some music on a rainy Sunday

As I haven't blogged in a while, I thought I could use the first rainy day in weeks for a short blog post.

I was quite busy the last few weeks with visits from my Mum, my friend Rob (my personal guitar hero) and my cousin. Apart from that, I went on a "school trip" to Cork with around 50 colleagues which was great craic (fun in Irish :)).

Also, I have spent a whole hung-over Saturday in the radio room to record a song together with my talented colleagues Tamas and Kasia. I have uploaded the outcome for you, so you can listen to it if you like. Enjoy the music and I will post more soon.

Here is the link: http://iSendr.com/aEkh

What I did when I was younger

These are some poems I wrote when I was younger. I put those here so I won't lose them. There is one poem I wrote and I particularly liked that I had posted in an online community put can't find - so I will use my blog as a backup. I have to reconstruct them from my memories as I can't find the originals.

Ein Akrostichon

Ich weiß, was ich so an dir schätze:
Charme und Stil; den Ausdruck deiner Sätze.
Heiterkeit und deine Augen

Lassen mich immer daran glauben.
In deiner Nähe bin ich froh.
Es geht mir alle Tage so.
Bei dir find ich mein höchstes Gut.
Ein kleines Lächeln gibt mir Mut.

Denn du bist meine helle Sonne.
Ich fühle mit dir höchste Wonne.
Chancen sind mir ncht gegeben.
Heut will ich trotzdem für dich leben.



Was blieb (25. September 2001)

Auf Hügeln ungezählter Leben
stehen Türme aus purem Hass.
Mann will sich nicht ergeben -
hält Kampf für dunklen Spaß.

-- zweiter Teil fehlt, kann mich nicht erinnern --

Dann - aus dem Sprachrohr Ihrer Pein
steigt auf in Demagogenmanier
ein Mann, er möchte Retter sein,
und ist im Herzen doch ein Tier.

Wer ist das böse, schwarz im Spiel?
Der Weiße gibt sich schlau.
Doch aus Septemberträumen fiel
der ganze Mensch in karges Grau.



Egoistische Problemkinder


Wenn Menschen keine Probleme hätten
Ginge es ihnen nicht etwa gut!
Nein, ich würde sogar wetten,
sie schmölzen dahin vor Wut.

Dann bliebe ihnen kein Grund zum Klagen,
ihr Selbstmitleid wäre Vergangenheit.
Was sie dann täten kann ich nicht sagen,
nur in Gesprächen kämen sie nicht weit.

So bleibt es eine Ironie
und keiner kann`s versteh`n.
Auch ich kann`s nicht: So sagt mir wie
Soll das nur weitergehen?

Ich möchte wissen warum ihr
Nicht einmal fröhlich seid.
Doch kaum habt ihr Probleme hier,
stresst euch das Selbstmitleid.

Nur ein Problem, das habt ihr nicht:
Für euch ist`s leicht zu lachen,
wenn andere in eurer Sicht
sich mal Probleme machen.

1. Oktober 1999


Ohne Titel 1

Der Mensch war in der Wüste, er war auch auf dem Mond,
Und alle Erdenteile sind längst von ihm bewohnt.
Der Mensch erfand Computer, ein großes Datennetz.
Die schwierigsten Probleme, die löst er spielend jetzt.
Er züchtet neue Menschen, er überholt die alten,
er kann das ganze Werk an Genen schon verwalten.
Er ist human und weise, er predigt Menschenrecht,
und dennoch geht’s dem Menschen noch immer ziemlich schlecht.
Er lebt Komfort und Luxus und darin ist er gut.
Und dennoch packt ihn manchmal dann doch dieselbe Wut.
Er tötet wilde Tiere und Wälder holzt er ab,
er schaufelt für die andern ein großes Massengrab.
Er trinkt das Blut der Feinde und tanzt auf ihren Leichen
Und nur um für sich selbst das beste zu erreichen.
Er tötet seine Kinder und alle seine Ahnen,
und alles um sich selbst den Weg zum Ruhm zu bahnen.
Er trinkt nur edle Weine, isst besten Kaviar,
er zahlt den ganzen Luxus dann immer sofort bar.
Das Geld holt er aus Leichen und aus zerstörten Leben,
und alles um sich selbst den letzten Kick zu geben.
Dann stirbt er selber ruhig im Bett, doch zahlt zuvor sein Geld
Als letzte Hoffnung an die Ärzte und Heiler dieser Welt.
So bricht er dann zusammen, ein Tier auf allen Vieren
Und muss nun doch am Ende die „Menschlichkeit“ verlieren.


Ohne Titel 2

Ich definiere mich nicht über Besitz.
Ich definiere mich über mein Handeln.
Ich zerstöre nicht die Welt in der ich sitz.
Ich möchte sie nur verwandeln!

Ich bin weder konservativ, noch gegen das System.
Ich versuche es nur zu optimieren.
Ich mache mir mein Leben nicht zu bequem,
Doch ich will auch den Kampf nicht an Mühlen verlieren!

Ich bin weder für, noch gegen dich.
Du bist mir jedoch nicht egal.
Ich will das Unmögliche, doch ich erwarte es nicht.
Doch Aufgabe steht nicht zur Wahl!

So kämpfe ich einsam und ohne Heer.
Mit aufgeschlossenem Herzen.
Und auf diese Weise erreiche ich mehr,
Als du mit Kampf oder Schmerzen!

Two very different trips to European capitals

Two weeks ago, I have been to London to visit my friend Florian. As I am on a train from Amsterdam to Hamburg now, I thought I might as well combine my two city trip experiences in one blog post. For a little contrast as well as out of laziness.

So let’s start with my impression of London. I had been there before and the typical tourist program was off my list this time. So Florian – who used to work for my beloved employer and is now Marketing Director (love the title ;) ) for a start-up – and I put the weekend under the credo “Clubbing, Shopping and Fine Dining”. As he lives in a fancy area close to the Tower Bridge, we were in a good position to do all of this and even more. So we went to some really nice restaurants, e.g. an Italian called Tentazioni, and of course to some clubs.

Florian’s office is in Shoreditch, which is quite en vogue with young Londoners at the moment and attracts a lot of artists as well as a nice mixture of clubbers and hip people. Apart from that the clubs are affordable and you can have a good night out without the side effect of paying your monthly salary just to get in and drink – as you can in the Westend. Still, Florian and I managed to spend great weekend and a lot of money. A great brunch in Notting Hill, where we spotted the actress that plays Ginnie Weasley in the Harry Potter movies – and a stroll over the Portobello Market made my London experience complete. And as you can see from the pictures I have done at least a little sightseeing.

And now for a place that I haven’t been before. I have never been to the Netherlands, I have never been to Amsterdam and I hadn’t seen Meike, a friend of mine from university, for a while. Three reasons to go to Amsterdam. As I was also able to combine this with seeing our old intern Martin and another friend from school whom I hadn’t seen for seven years, I definitely had enough reasons to go to the Dutch capital. And Amsterdam didn’t disappoint me.

Friday morning we decided to visit Franziska (the friend from school) at Knowmads. This program is a mixture of a start-up and a school where young people share ideas and learn from speakers and each other. We were invited to listen to an interesting speaker too and I had to do a spontaneous 20-minute Q&A session about my job and the big G (like PowerPoint karaoke, but no PowerPoint involved). The discussions with those cool people were really interesting and it was remarkable to see what kind of alternative learning concepts are out there.

Afterwards, we went to see the Grachten, the red light district and central Amsterdam. Meike had borrowed some bikes from her colleagues, so we got the genuine Amsterdam experience. Overall, I really liked Amsterdam and will definitely come back. I will let the pictures speak for themselves. And all this was cheap and cheerful – so quite a contrast to my epicureous escapades in London.

Now, let’s see what my two weeks in Hamburg will bring and I have to say that at the moment I already miss Dublin. Seems that after a year it is slowly finding a way to my heart and I even caught myself calling it “home” lately. And with my cool flat mate, nicest colleagues in the world and the sun (yes, we had some), there is a lot to look forward to. Sorry for the tacky ending.
By the way – I am still open to suggestions for the next few city trips – so comment on this, my Facebook, Twitter or whatever you prefer and I might join you. Junge Leute zum Mitreisen gesucht. ;)

London Bridge at sunrise

From Drop Box

I am...

From Amsterdam

Me and my bike

From Amsterdam

The "Grachten"

From Amsterdam

Meike and me

From Amsterdam

Feels like home...

From Amsterdam

...and the Dutch know that kind of obstacle

From Amsterdam

Meike broadening her horizon in the red light district

From Amsterdam

And there were cultural activities as well

From Amsterdam