Heeere's Johnny!

Rapidly reaching the breaking point, and going stir crazy!

The incessant pitter-patter of little drops of water on the slanted metal roofs creates the constant buzz that fills the ears, even in silence.  Children in colorful jackets splash about in the stream-like streets, without a care in the world.  Sitting in the window seat of a toasty café, I can see those caught unfortunately without the proper gear, dashing across puddle ridden sidewalks, finding only temporary shelter under overhangs or in doorways.  As I sip my Melange and dab at my slice of cake, the umbrella stand grows crowded as people file in to find refuge from the dampness outside.  I've just come from Mass in an empty Church, the weather having dissuaded even the most pious regulars.  As the priest muttered prayers in an ancient language, the accompanying music, written in a minor key, even seemed somehow sad, only emphasizing how dismal it's been of late.  It's been cold, damp, and grey for the past week, and it's rained continuously for the past four days - I wonder where it's all coming from?  A lot has changed within the last week, and from here on out, the experience will be a different one.

Just south of the city - it's been so long since I've been able to see the Alps, that I nearly forget they're there.

Last week was the last for teaching, and, as such, most of the other teaching assistants, my friends here, have already landed back home, with a few of the stragglers to join them in the coming days.  Of the four of us staying in Austria for a bit more, three are travelling, so, for the time being, I have the city to myself.  The University was closed this week for Corpus Christi, a holy day of obligation and a federal holiday in Austria. Not having a schedule, work, or classes to go to has been a challenge.  Even the libraries were closed for the week, and as I need to access them for research, there truly wasn't much to be done.  Having enjoyed some wonderfully summer-like days in April and the beginning of May, I was certain the worst of the weather was behind us, and I sent all of my warmer clothes home with my parents.  This past week has been an exercise in how many layers I can wear at once to stop shivering.  Because of those same warm days we had, the maintenance crew in my building turned the heating off, which meant sitting at my desk, wearing three tops, cocooned in my duvet.  I spent the majority of the week finishing a book, writing some letters, cleaning my room (twice in a day, to give you an idea of what it's been like), polishing my shoes, spent hours sitting at a horrendously out-of-tune piano in the basement, listening to music, cleaning again, grating cheese for fun, and even packing a suitcase.  As you can tell, life's been thrilling recently.  I had hoped to read, but one glance at my bookshelf nixed that idea - The Good Old Days: The Holocaust isn't exactly my idea of cheery reading for a rainy day.  The other day I went to the cinema and saw three films, just to be out and with people.  One was a Catalan film about Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, which was fascinating, Hitchcock, starring Helen Mirren and Anthony Hopkins, which I thoroughly enjoyed for its wit and intelligence, and for its overall good story, and then a third film produced by the Danes which was like a cross between the Swiss Family Robinson and Castaway.  It'd been so long since I could remember watching a movie on the big screen (let alone, three!), that I had forgotten just how much I enjoy just sitting there, watching a story unfold before my eyes - it was a completely perfect thing to do on a pouring day!

Alas, Gene Kelly was not to be found hanging off this lamppost.  

Despite the rain, and perhaps a little bit of cabin fever, I have to tell myself, I could be in a million other places, and I'm still pretty darn happy to be stuck in an endless rain here in Salzburg.  Thankfully Uni classes will be up and running this week, and I'm inexplicably excited for next weekend, as I have a little weekend trip planned.  I've been to Germany over two dozen times, and this trip will be my first time stepping foot outside of Bavaria!  I'm heading all the way to the northern part of the country, up to Hamburg, to visit Cecilia, one of my closest friends from last semester, and I am so, so looking forward to it.  It'll be great to hang out with a great friend, and as an added bonus, it's sunny up there!  

My regular waitress has just come up to me, asking why I'm all alone today, and why I'm not surrounded by girls - ha, what a year it's been!  As it's getting more and more crowded, I'm feeling guilty about taking up a table with my laptop, even though they'd let me stay all day - I think I'll head back to maybe organize my shirts by color, or perhaps place my spices in alphabetical order before I head back out tonight to another café to, haha, keep my sanity.