Germany awaits

My love for Rammstein transcends the boundaries of political geography and accommodating account balances (well, technically I saved my ass off and paid cash for this whole thing, but still... I went all out and paid more than I needed to so that I can really enjoy myself). I will be travelling from Denver, Colorado to Berlin, Germany in June of this year to attend two back to back concerts in July.  To say that I am excited is the understatement of the century. 

Is it sad that I'm only just now travelling outside of my home country for the first time at 34 years old?  Probably, but the United States is a funny place that absolutely set me up for my late blooming in the realm of travel.  For better or worse, most citizens here are not raised with world travel in mind and we're definitely not set up to want to leave unless someone or something truly inspires or requires us.  This is not a slam against my home country, just an observation.  I was raised to be content with, and more importantly financially unable to escape, my home.  But I've grown up, made a career for myself and realized, fully realized, that I have the ability to travel farther away from home than just the coasts.  It is both terrifying and amazing, but I'll confirm one way or the other in a few short months. 

Concert tickets in hand, flight paid for and seats selected, comfortable and accommodating room with a view reserved... Now all I have left to acquire is the passport, the vaccinations and my Berlin welcome card which gets me access to public transportation and most of the museums for cheap to free.  I'm ready to solo travel across the Atlantic and drink my way through the land of my ancestors.  My apologies in advance, Berlin. 😘🖤

Let's get real about this

Sometimes I think I developed a pattern of staying awake all night because I must be a degenerate or antisocial, because I worked the graveyard shift for too many years and it permanently destroyed my internal clock... but when I inevitably fall back into the rhythm of staying up all night over a short weekend off from work, seemingly like clockwork, the more I realize that night time really and truly is the right time and it brings me peace to be awake and alive while the world is asleep.  Of course I realize that it's day time on the other side of the world, but it's night time for my immediate location and that's what I'm talking about - it provides me with a sense of comfort, invincibility and the potential for endless possibility.  

Darkness and quiet seem to spark this creative flow in me that the day time never has.  I can't fathom frantically documenting a list of art projects and starting on the one that excites me the most first thing in the morning.  I don't think I've ever felt the urge to dance, completely uninhibited and without shame, while the neighbors were cutting their lawn in the midday sun.  Inspiration comes to me when the moon is out, the streets are clear and the neighborhood is asleep.  I spend all day waiting for it. 

The night is alive

My creations come to me

When you are sleeping

See?  It's night time and I wrote a shitty haiku.  #Inspiration 

But seriously, I have so many ideas for what I want to do with this thing and I'm very excited to start fresh.  Things you can expect to see here in the future:

- Details and documentation of an upcoming trip to Berlin to see one of my favorite bands of all time and all of my excitement leading up to it

- Candid overanalysis of day to day ridiculousness that is sure to make you chuckle (I already hate myself for the use of the word chuckle, but I'm committed to it now)

- Practicing self-awareness in a (hopefully) touching and relatable manner

- Things that inspire me

- Probably other stuff guaranteed

Thanks for stopping by.  I'll see you out there. 

Testing, testing.... Is this thing on?

I'm just starting this blog after my recent hasty and frantic destruction of a previous blog that I had maintained for several years.  New year, new nihilist views or something.  I'm mostly kidding - my nihilist views are nothing new. Welcome.