German classes are going really well. Three days in and I can now tell you whether or not I have a (dog/cat/bag/grandmother/xylophone), and tell you who DOES have said item. OK, so I don't actually know the word for xylophone yet, but you get the idea. Habst du ein hund? Neine, Ich habe kein hund. It's really amazing how many words sound exactly like English. Sometimes when you look at something you have no idea what it means, but as soon as you hear it out loud you think "oh. Duh." Like tanzen - pronounced, it sounds exactly like "dancing" -- which is exactly what it means. It's most convenient. I can't believe how much easier this is than Japanese.

My apartment is all squared away. I get to move in on the 15th, and rent is only €325 a month, utilities, heat, DSL and phone all included. More importantly, the roommates are all really cool, and I'm not allergic to the cat that comes with the place. His name is Larry, and I imagine if you got him wet his size would decrease by about 75%.

There's a market in my neighborhood on Sundays (closely resembling a swap meet), and I talked to one of the people there about how to get a permit for a booth. I want to pick up a sewing machine and put together some crafty-punky stuff I've been thinking of. I think it would sell pretty well. And I found a darkroom that rents for only €5 an hour, so I can sell prints too, once I get my cameras over here.

OK, I'm off now on a search for socks and underwear. I've always taken for granted that I know exactly where to go to buy that sort of thing, but suddenly I'm faced with a glut of second hand stores and designer boutiques, and no idea what the equivalent of Target is.