08/12/2010 My very first car

Today my brother and I bought my very first car. I have a driver license since years, but I never owned my own car. In Europe and Asia, you do not need that. We have more or less excellent ground transportation but a limited amount of parking slots. A complete contrast to the United States, where distances are long due to one floor buildings and huge parking slots between the buildings. Or did you ever have seen a Drive thru- ATMs outside of America? So, I really see the need to have a car here, even if my heart is still refusing to spend that much money on something I never needed before.

So my brother and I researched the internet for used cars. Because I have “flexible requirements” (means, I do not know really what I want) it is pretty hard.
So far my requirements are: As cheap as possible, I do not care about it, but I do not want to be ashamed of it. But I would spent a bit more if it is cute, like a Mini Cooper for example.

Funny, isn’t it? Finally we ended up buying a Corolla from 2003 with a lot of miles on it, but the car seemed clean and good working.

06/12/2010 My Nicolaus gift arrived

Today, my brother is coming! I am very excited. To pick him up from the airport, my friend promised me to drive me there. Unfortunately, she cannot read the time and when I came to the meeting point, she was not there. Her excuse was outstanding: “Well, I texted you 5:45, however, I meant 4:45. Now, it is too late for me.”…. Aha… How shall I know what she means, if she is writing and confirming totally different things? Puh… My brother should be arriving at 6:30, and the airport is far away… Taxi fare is round about 50$ but with a waiting time of more than 1 hour, no busses (welcome suburban America) and no one near, who I could ask. In addition, my smart brother forgot to take my number and address with him, and has no working cellphone. I was almost freaking out… So I started to call each and every one of my contacts in my cellphone. And finally, a boy who I am not dating anymore (or better, he is not dating me anymore) was nice and left his boys-meeting to pick me up and drive me the 30 miles to the airport. I arrived almost in time; however, my brother was not there. I neither had not his carrier number, nor his last stop in US. So I started to stroll the baggage claims up and down and searched for him. But he was not there. So I went to the arrival and waited there for him. (Jacksonville airport is the only airport I know, where you arrive and have to leave the security area before you get your luggage). But also here he was not. I started to ask at the airlines, if my brother was on board, but they were not allowed to give any information out. I was really worried, that something happened, he missed the connection flight, or that he had problems with the customer control or homeland security.
Somewhen, the last suitcases were picked up and I was lonely at the airport. I found out, that the next plane is coming in 2 hours, so I stayed there and waited… I went to Starbucks and drank coffee, hung out at the souvenir shops and voted for the most beautiful decorated Christmas tree. Jax-airport has each year a competition, which of the businesses at the airport decorates the most beautiful tree. Therefore, all the businesses and departments get a standard tree and can be creative. Those trees are presented during the advent in the big waiting hall, where visitors and passengers can vote for their favorite tree by donating a dollar to this department. Surprisingly, I liked the Christmas tree from homeland security the most. However, I would never donate for homeland security. And I was really surprised, that I like a tree like that the most… It seems that the months in Florida are really changing me. To explain it a bit better: The tree was very nationalistic. It has had a lot of white, red and blue decoration, bows, and: American flags on it. Also they have had several small notes on it saying: ”we never forget” (well, this, I did not like, that was even for me a touch too much). But strange, isn’t it?
Back to the point: I waited, waited and waited. The battery of my cellphone went off, but finally my brother arrived. He was in a plane 2 hours later than he announced. Seems, he also cannot read the clock. And I felt silly, that I stressed my friends so out by getting in time to the airport, when I was there only waiting for 2 more hours. Nevertheless, we went to the rental car company, where we got the next shock. The lady at the rental car looked at us and told me that my car is a very small car and she does not think it will fit us. Means, she do not think, the car will hold 2 adults and 2 suitcases. Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat? Images of Smarts raised in my head. In Europe, I always book the second smallest car to ensure I do get a car fitting 4 people and some suitcases. In US, I always take the smallest car size, because they do not have something like a smart, and cars Americans consider to be small are normal size cars for Europeans. The lady was really stressing out the problem with the car. I was already tired from waiting and from the stress to get to the airport, so I have had no head for more drama that day. I told her that I booked a car fitting 2 adults, 2 children and 2 suitcases (they really describe it like that on the webpage) and if this will not fit, they would have to provide me a car adequate to my booking. The lady was shocked that I would get the idea to put children in this way to small car and was really upset. End of the story: My brother and I arrived at the car, and surprise! The car was a medium sized compact car, with plenty of space for 4-5 adults and luggage. ….. Ahhh… too much unnecessary drama… we drove home, and went for his very first American burger. 

02/12/2010 No license, no service

Drving a car is easy. Owning a car not.
To buy a car I need so many things.... Knowledge about the car, an insurance and a driving license. All this is beloning together. Because with a local driving license, the insurance is way cheaper.
So, I started to get a driving license of the wonderful sunshine state. Today was my writen exam... And I failed. Twice. I did not know that trucks with a weight of 3000 lbs and more need a special break...I guessed was 2000... But really? Do I care? Do I need to install a break at a truck? Will I ever drive a truck over 2000 lbs?????? tztzttztz-- rather not...

24/11/2010 - I make my driving license

Yes. I decided today to make my driving license. I will buy my first car soon. It is not, that I want to buy one. I think, it is costy and ... I do not like it. Well, mostly because it is costy and I have to arrange so much... invest time, money, effort... all those things. and I have never had a own car... I do not feel that I need that.. I like my bike a lot... But I am rational and I know my friends will kill me, if I do not buy my own car soon and drive them for the next 2 months. And they are right. In Florida, you need a car. The urban planning is ... weak. No public transportation and no efficient ussage of the space. So, you need already a car from your housedoor to the letterbox or garbage can, because they are a half mile away. They do not have a 2nd or 3rd floor, so everything is pretty wide. And because they do not have public transportation, each house has to have plenty parking slots in front for all the people with their huge trucks. And this spreats the city much more out... A devil cycle. And now, I am in it. So I need a car. I have never had an accident, however I am rational enough to buy an insurans (here we see the german low risk tolerance). The US-insurance system is kind of funny. They are not interested in my 10 year accident free driver report. No, they are only interested in an Florida driving licensen to calculate my insurance fee. And the difference is huge. With my german driving license I have to pay 100 USD per month on insurance, with an Florida licenses 30 USD. And the license costs 50USD... So... well for sure I will do this amazing test....
And so it comes, that i am busy with statements like:

Hitting a row of bushes is better than hitting a tree, post or solid object

Aha... good to know.

14/11/2010- November sun & avocado omlettes

What a great day today!
I woke early up and meet some colleagues for a fantastic breakfast. We discovered a wonderful place and enjoyed the fresh food. Later, I went shopping with my friends and rested in the warm sun with coffee. We counted 8 pregnant women crossing and plenty of kids. The temperature was confortable 24 degrees and there was already a decorated chrismas tree in front of the Italien restaurant.

13/11/2010 Soooo early

Ahhh! 7:00 am and my alarm rings. Puh... I am so used to sleep until 9-ish or 10-ish. So, everything before those times seems to me to be cruel. I do not remember how I managed it to stand up at 5:00 am in the past.... And even than I went out all the nights... Seems I get old :)

Old or not, I have an exam to take today. A wonderful operations and ERP exam. Lucky me, that I like those topics, lets hope I will also like the grade :)

Btw... did I mentioned? I made my desicion. I will stay. Juhuuu! Finally, I can buy sooo any shoes, furtniture, and decoration as I want! :-) No thoughts about how to transport them, or how to stay under 23kg luggage!

Seems the gipsy times are (a bit) over. Let's see how long it stays like this this time :) (My longest was 7 months without exessive travels)

10/11/2010 - The danger of the wildniss

Short notice...
I have had a pool party yesterday. Yes. It is mid-November and I can still held some fancy pool parties. (However, it was in the hot tube, because even here it is getting "colder")
it was a great evening and we have had a lot of fun... Until this silly aint showed up and bite me.
I am alergic to those fire aints and whenever they bite me, it gets a big infection and everythings swells and so on. Those little friend did not care about that an bite me in my butt.
Today, I could barely put my jeans on, so swallen was my body. In special my ass, which has La-Lopez dimensions. Could be funny if it would not be so painful. And I have had to sit the whole day. It was like having a painful pillow... sitting 10 cm higher than usual