Interesting Weekend Ahead

I'm including tomorrow, since my weekends start on Thursday afternoon, of course. Just gotta get through a 5th grade class and two 11th grade classes, shouldn't be too bad. Tomorrow is a big day: the Weihnachtsmarkt (Christmas market) opens! Yeah, definitely something to get excited about -- the Christmas season in Germany is a splendid time. Sorry, now that I wear a scarf and read the Economist I feel obligated to refer to things as "smashing" and "splendid." I'm headed down to the market tomorrow evening with some of the teachers to get loaded on warm, alcoholic drinks such as Gluehwein. I don't know if there's an equivalent to Gluehwein to compare it to, and I don't actually like the taste that much, but it's hot and seasonal and alcoholic and comes in special glasses that you can keep, so it's worth it anyway. Not sure if I'll make it to teacher sports night tomorrow...the Weihnachtsmarkt is really in charge of my fate once it starts.

Both Friday and Saturday I'm invited to housewarming parties of friends involved with Campus Radio, so those should be cool too. Saturday I'll probably have to take it easy though...I have to sing on Sunday morning.

Oh yeah, did I forget to mention that I sing in a gospel choir? Haaa. Started a couple months ago with Heather and Brittany. I get to sing the praises of a God that I don't really believe in, which undoubtedly makes Him chuckle. Hopefully he keeps laughing, because once the laughter stops, you know how He gets, with the floods and the smiting and the whole apple business. I guess I like to sing, and even though this whole gospel business isn't my thing, I find the practices endlessly amusing, so I've stuck with it. Plus, they always need guys to sing bass. On Sunday, for example, there are going to be two of us singing bass. There's something wrong with the image of me as one of two guys singing bass at church this Sunday, since I wasn't sure if I'd even stay in the choir, so that makes me laugh, too. At least we sing songs in English, so hopefully I don't forget too many lines.

So now that you know one of my many dirty little secrets, we can move on to a cute anecdote. One of my 5th graders saw me yesterday and asked if I was coming to her class that day, and when I told her no, I only come on Thursdays, she got all sad and asked, "that far away?" My heart grew three sizes (so now it's the size of four angels on the head of a pin). She also asked if I was going into the teacher's lounge, and when I said yes, her eyes got all wide and she breathed, "Wow."

That's why I sometimes like kids: they're so easily impressed. It's refreshing to awe someone by passing unrestricted into the teacher's lounge.

Speaking of easily impressing kids, my aunt Vicky told me that her daughter, Ani, who's also my goddaughter, is really excited to see me for Christmas, but that Ani instructed that I have to have a beard and mustache, because I look best that way. I don't think she has any way of knowing that. Maybe it's because her older sister always says I look better without facial hair. That's probably a good reason for her to request it. Either way, 'tis the season of giving, so I'm giving my red beard free rein as her Christmas gift. Wouldn't it be awesome if that was all I gave her for Christmas? "Here, Ani, unwrap my jaw!" While it's nice to go without shaving for a while, it's itchy and annoying. She'd better be awed at Christmas.