USA, I’m coming!

It could have been so beautifully white on Christmas, everywhere in Germany! Where on Monday and Tuesday before Christmas, is was snowing like crazy, it got warmer again right before Christmas. All that snow actually managed to run away from Christmas – unbelievable! But the secret of a good life is a good attitude. So I’ll stop being annoyed, as I got used to non-white Christmas during the last years, after all and I’ll get the Swiss snow in February, anyway. :)

Apropos vacation, the title says it already… It was fixed already quite some time, but lately became concrete and official: I’ll be flying to the USA for the first time in May 2010! Fiiinaly! I’m going with my dad, his girlfriend Brigitte and her daughter Christina. Christina will be studying near Chicago for one semester from the middle January and afterwards we kind of pick her up there. First we go to Boston to visit the Harvard University, then to New York City to see The Lion King on Broadway (This is my birthday present!) and afterwards we go to Florida for one week that we will spend in a villa on the beach of Anna Maria Island. Totally great, I’m absolutely excited about it!

Anna Maria Island, Florida

Our villa on Anna Maria Island

I spent Christmas alternating with my mom, my brother and my dad + attachment. It was demanding, but not as demanding as last year and still nice. Mostly I received money as a gift, as I asked for financial support on the purchase of a new electic piano. Also I got the latest Paramore album, which is really great. I already got the first song stuck in my head (The Only Exception)… You can listen to their whole album for free on their website, by the way. After Christmas I had to make sure that I won’t spend the new money on anything else, so I bought myself a Yamaha P-85 electric piano without hesitation (see image). :D Also after months, well actually years of searching, I finally made it: I bought myself a winter coat that I even like. This way I was able to finally ditch it’s absolutely outdated, worn out predecessor. I think that’s worth an applause. Thanks, thanks.

Yamaha P-85

On Christmas Day Christina and I got invited to a concert of The Harlem Gospel Singers in Mannheim by Edi and Brigitte. I have to admin that though I’d already heard of this group, I had no clue about its size. To be honest, I had expected more singers than there were actually performing. Nevertheless, it was a really beautiful concert with brilliant voices and even the one or other well-known song. Also “O Happy Day” wasn’t missing in the encore. :) Sorrily the battery of my cell phone already gave up during the first recording, so I’m not able to present a whole song. I added my incomplete recording of “How Great Thou Art” on YouTube anyway, for those who are interested. But I have to add that they sing a lot more powerful songs, as well, so the concert has not been boring at all. ;)

While looking for the video on my cellphone, I also stumbled upon a video of the Christmas party of the Berufsakademie in Oldenburg that I had forgotten already. I don’t want to keep that back. Content: Karaoke of Michael Jackson’s “Beat It” after a bit too much beer. Enjoy!

I had to remove that video on request of a person shown in there. Seems like somebody felt a little too embarrassed… ^^

Tomorrow I’ll visit Alain for a fondue and afterwards Christina B. to celebrate into the new year with a (drinking-? and) gaming night. Then my birthday party comes next on January, 3rd. Yeah, don’t forget it! ;) And afterwards I’ll be back to Oldenburg.

Enough for today. I wish all of you Merry belated Christmas (is that allowed?) and also a Happy New Year! I won’t get back to you any earlier, that’s for sure.

René