1st my Grand Father was pretty much right, Germany is a lot like America. There's a McDonalds, Starbucks, KFC and Dunkin Donuts all over the place. In Dusseldorf I ran into a Hooters (yes I went inside and had some curly fries and a beer)

The Netherlands, ok Amsterdam, was a very pretty town. Full of Americans this time of year but a good looking town none the less. Defiantly need a couple of days there to see and do all the things that are available.

I ran into very few people who didn't speak English but I always feel a little rude by not knowing a little of the language of the country I'm in.

1 thing that has been proven to be a great conversation piece is soccer. Being able to argue with some random person about National team play or a certain league seems to go a long way. I bet I could go to Abu Dhabi and argue with some local Sheik about Cristiano Ronaldo's contract with Real Madrid.

So I killed my cable TV about a month or so ago. Since then I've gone on a movie/Buffy the Vampire Slayer kick. Recently, meaning yesterday, a co-worker gave me the DVD set of the TV show WEEDS. Funny stuff.

I've also been on YouTube way too much. I found old lame music videos I once thought were cool. Even discovered some things that disturb me (Kelly Clarkston...scary music but unbelievably hot) and things I can't get enough of (The Most Interesting Man in the World anyone?)

I had my first trip to continental Europe a few weeks ago. Western Germany and Amsterdam for a half day.

It's a lot like America. I did hit up a Dunkin Donuts for Coffee but in my 9 trips to Europe in the last 3 years I have yet to go to a McDonalds, KFC, or Burger King. I think something should be said for that.

In any event check out the imagery.

How long do you keep a political sticker on your car? Dude I get it, Obama won. He's in charge. Now take the fricking sticker off your bumper.

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I'm very happy I was able to unload all of the tickets I was asked to. One set went to hot blonde who gives me beer

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I spend  more time planning than I do doing

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Have decided to visit Amsterdam with my 1 day off while in Western Germany

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Don't think U2's latest record is very good. However they have made 3 of the all time greats so...

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I'm not that smart. How do I know this? I have to take orders from people who don't know what they're doing sometimes and if this were the military they'd have been fragged long ago.

As the movie line goes, "You can never go home again but you can still shop there." Well, I'm going to one of my former homes on Thursday, Austin, TX.

I have a surprisingly large amount of people who still keep in contact with (thanks Facebook!) and looking forward to seeing them.

Everyone always asked me, "Why don't you like Austin?" It was too much like Sacramento to me at the time. People's inability to call it a river as opposed to a lake and my job was not all that interesting.

A few things I did like about Austin in retrospect are all of the places to go out to, being able to see any band that I wanted, and the fact that this is the last place where I would actually go out with co-workers after work.

And yes, I do plan to hit 1 of my top 5 record stores and do some serious shopping.