Mmm...Free Music

I recently found and joined, for a nominal yearly fee, the city library. Of course the University of Mainz has a main library and many other subject-specific libraries. But I haven't spent much time exploring those, they're a bit imposing, and I know there are supposed to be some restrictions on what you can take out. Also, the University libraries are at least 15 minutes farther out of my way than the city library. Aside from these perks though, the most alluring thing about the city library is its fairly large CD collection.

This will be a good way to bulk up my music library, especially with the inclusion of German music. I can take up to 25 things out at once -- I settled for a mere 10 CDs my first time. Let's just say that the nominal yearly fee has already paid for itself. I'm exactly halfway through importing the CDs to iTunes. In addition to a few German rap CDs, not all of which I've listened to yet, I got some good English music, such as The Clinic, Cake, The Beta Band, Afu-Ra, and a couple from The Cure. You really can't go wrong with a free CD collection unless it's comprised entirely of Celine Dion and country music.

Along with the music, I am also newly enjoying my subscription to The Economist, which started as an early Christmas gift from the 'rents (thanks guys!). I can already feel myself getting smarter and more worldly as a result. In case you've never felt that and are wondering, it feels like walking through rain made of honey. Of course, for a weekly magazine, the thing has got to have as many words as the Bible. It takes forever to read, and a lot of the financial and business stuff is extremely foreign to me -- it's really like homework sometimes, albeit interesting homework. I keep it in my backpack or jacket pocket so I always have it with me, and I whip it out (just the magazine) whenever I'm waiting for the bus, riding the bus, on break at school...well, really anytime I have a few minutes that aren't being used for something else. Otherwise I will never get through it and will eventually end up buried under a pile of unread Economists.

Finally, I had my weekly Ultimate Frisbee practice tonight, which was even more fun than usual because we spent practically the whole time playing 5-on-5. It took them a couple of practices, but my teammates are now beginning to grasp the true extent of my tallness. They suddenly realized tonight how often they're able to just toss up a Hail Mary in the general direction of the end zone and depend on me to reach high over the heads of mere mortals in order to make the catch. The German equivalent of "Just go long" became the team "strategy." Apparently trying to make things even tougher on themselves, the opposing team kept having the shortest girl try to mark me, which was impossible. But then again if I had to mark her she'd run circles around me so it can go both ways.

Anyway, it's been Thanksgiving here for the past hour, and so far I'm thankful that my first class isn't until 10:40. Enjoy your vacation time, slackers; I only get Fridays off, so I'll be slogging through my full three hour workday tomorrow.