Too close..

The past few days were crazy. Overall it was an awesome time, but because of the tragedy in DC(don't know how well the media covers it back in Germany), which is like 30 minutes away from my home in Arlington I thought a lot about what if this happened here? What if someone I know gets involved there or whatever else could happen. Damn. So damn close. I live so close to the pentagon it freaks me out sometimes. Let's just hope that we're not getting bombed on.
The other thing I thought about is the whole "community way of life". Basically a great thing, I have to admit it's not for everyone, so when you feel like coming to L'Arche or wherever, think twice if that's the way you want to live. You are constantly surrounded by a bunch of people, it can be really stressful. I kinda like it though, I'm fresh and new to this here. To sum this place up: It's nothing for life for me but the perfect place to stay for a year. I learned so much in the past 2 months(yesterday it was 9 weeks). And I am still not where I want to be with myself.
Now one of my favorite topics: Breaking Bad! Only 2 episodes left and things are going crazy, I would call it awesomeness-overload. Way over the top tension between every character, it just has to "break bad" for everyone.. I really can't see no winners.. Well, more on that topic in 2 weeks when the whole series finished.
I like mondays because of this. I just lock my room from like 10-11pm and watch the new episode every week with ben & jerries, chips, a few beers and soda and a scarily uprising heartbeat.
Well, 'nuff said, I will go on with my business here, good life.
I mean, if you don't like what I am writing here, maybe your best course would be to..
..Tread lightly.

PJB

Sheeeeeit.

Yo what's up party peepz, sorry for not writing anything last week. It was a very busy and exhausting week for a person who is not used to this stuff. I kinda miss school by the way, just a little bit. 

I'm doing okay, well, I could do better but finally I have my days off, it's much needed. A lot of cool stuff happened this week, I now began to have more responsibilites on my shoulders which feels really good, oh and I went to my first baseball game! We went to the Nationals against Phillies game on Saturday evening with a bunch of members from the community. Nationals lost 5-4 but the game was good. It was a hell lot of fun, the view was great, the food was crappy, exactly how you would imagine it! As I took a look at the prices for food and beverages, I was like "what the fuck, are you kiddin' me"? 4,50$ for less than half a liter of water, wow! Nonetheless, it was just awesome to be there! Well, the sport itself is a different topic. 

And right now I feel the strange desire of writing my first impression(s) on baseball. I knew the rules before I went there, I watched a few games on ESPN before and played softball in school sometimes. 

Playing the game is fun, but saying that "watching", I mean "watching-watching" the game is fun.. damn, that'd be a lie. It's not that bad like I had imagined but still, the 3 and a half hours that a game like that lasts can be really tiring. No breaks between the innings but only standing around, scratching heads, pitch from time to time and if you are good at batting then you can run a little bit. It still was an "interesting" experience because I thought about sports in general the whole time and why I don't like baseball that much. I can understand when people go fucking crazy about their baseball team and about the sport itself, it is really great! But it's just nothing for me(not saying that it was my last game, the social aspect of going to a baseball game is terrific). 

It's hard to explain this, but I think I finally figured out why I will never fall in love with this sport. It'll maybe be a fun, short and uncomplicated affair but nothing else. It just lacks intensity, emotions, fights and these moments. Yeah, these moments were you forget to breathe or just cannot believe what just happened. It is unfair to compare sports, yes, I am totally aware of that, but still: basketball will always be my love. The emotions that come up with the sport, whether it's pumping yourself and your team up, or motivating others, celebrating great plays with all your heart. I never saw that on the baseball field. They were all chilled out, had a little chat once in a while, well that was it. Not denying the greatness of the sport, it is still just my opinion, the opinion of a white kiddo from Germany. 

Looking forward to watching a football game over here(which is a whole different topic, maybe next time)!

Here are some of the impressions, it was really cool to be there! Don't judge my cell phone, I know it takes shitty pictures. Just listen to Clay Davis(The Wire), he knows how to say that.

Have a good week everybody.

Just think about...

..what if Idris Elba would be the next James Bond? Would everybody die? No. Would the US start a new meaningless debate about racism again? Probably. Would it be absolutely amazing? Definitely! For all those of you who do not know Idris Elba, you should google him rightaway and start watching The Wire. And now you will ask yourself, what the hell is so special about him? Nothing, he is just a black dude who would fit perfectly in the traditional role of James Bond. Smooth, right age, british, classy. He is my favorite actor even though I only saw him in The Wire and a few movies. A black James Bond? Damn, that's even "stranger" than a black president! Oh wait, what? It would be so awesome and definitely the next step for the US to prove that racism is not a big deal in the country anymore. Even though that this is not completely the truth.
I can't tell why I shared this thought with you but I think it is interesting. And I want you all to give The Wire a try, it is the best gift that television gave to us. Better than Breaking Bad.. did I just say that? Well, fuck it (you see that I am strongly influenced by the series..). Sit through the first 3 episodes and you cannot let go, trust me.
Oh I forgot to tell you how it's going the last days. Under consideration of all things that happened: amazing! I finished a big part of my orientation so I am allowed to be alone on work with the people with disabilites. It's been a long way and still I am not finished yet! Mucho funno at home here, I had some very good talks yesterday and today. Like talks that you will never forget in your life. I love this.
Ah yeah and I miss the NBA so much that just sitting and thinking about the new season takes a lot of time these days.. so weird.
Bam, I will now go and watch some more Star Trek I think, don't judge me.
Good night, morning, noon, afternoon, evening, whatever.

(hopefully)Peace
PJB

Unbound(The Wild Ride)

Hey whazzup, yo! 

I love my life. Really, the past 2 weeks have been incredibly good. It feels great to be a member of a community but I still need to learn how to take time for myself and time for others. I don't want to chill in my room alone but also it's not healthy to be around people the whole day. Nevermind. My week was great, I realized a lot of things in the last days, like how I feel comfortable holding people accountable for their actions, it turned out to be way more difficult than I had expected before I came here. And I have to do that a lot as I am living in a community with people with disabilities. Inner strength and growth is definitely necessary.

We went to the so called Bull Run on Wednesday and had a lot of fun in the pool with the whole community. I start to like those things about community. You can't really escape big events etc. but when you are there.. it is always fun! 

I also realized how amazingly particular relationships are developing and growing as time moves on. I have many people here who I just like to have around me. It's a shame that one of the assistants has his last day tomorrow at L'Arche. But that's life, I will miss him though. 

When I read this, it looks like I am writing under the influence of a whole wine bottle.

No, just kidding. I miss wine, though.

I started listening to Avenged Sevenfold again after at least a whole year hiatus, probably the greatest (living/active) band on the planet. They just got a new album out called "Hail to the King" which definitely deserves a full review. I am planning on doing this, in the meantime if you don't mind: check them out(start out with their "City of Evil" album or "Nightmare", do it already)!

Peace 

Hoshmaster

*btw, so excited about tonights episode of amc's baking bread!

Mind = blown

Oh my. I just finished watching last nights Breaking Bad. I am stunned. The first two episodes were more like a little build-up for what just happened there. Check it out and keep looking forward to my review about the whole series(I know you want it e-e-e!)!
And also I felt like writing something here.
A lot of changes are happening at the moment, for example my medication training is finished like 9 hours ago. Day 4 went very well and was actually fun. Such a relief even when a lot of responsibility is now falling on shoulders with it! Don't panic I am not allowed to prescribe drugs or anything, I am just allowed to administer them as ordered by the physician.
Well, enough of that. I just want to sleep. This week will be so awesome, I only got 3 working days and all of them look like fun(even when I get tired watching the stuffed Google calendar every day, it's overwhelming). Not too much work, but still enough to not get bored though. And considering this, I have to say: I love my home and the community! Sometimes it can be a little bit too much, but not this week!
Also my days away are shifting again so my weekends are kinda inconsistent, which does not have to be directly a bad thing. In my head I'm planning my trips in the future time like watching a playoff NBA game, visting friends or welcoming some friends from Germany. Do what you gotta do!
I posted this on facebook a few hours ago.. but still I want to share it to you again. If someone made a movie about my life, this has to be the soundtrack:

Yo, today was a good day!

To say it with Ice Cube's words: Today it was a good day! Maybe I should extend it to "a good week" because yes, it definitely was. I actually didn't really do anything special, just hangin out at 6th Street, doing routines, attending meetings, having good time and taking some time for myself. 

Sometimes I just need half an hour alone, playing guitar or watching a series or whatever, because here are always people around. A lot. So I am grateful for having my own room(I heard that this was not always a standard in the community here), the first time I can really appreciate stuff like this because I never thought about it before. 

Sorry for not writing much in the past days, there actually wasn't really interesting stuff that I wanted to share. Just work, fun, meetings, sleeping, hanginaround(great song by the Counting Crows btw). 

I now want to share a little bit about my busy day, it all started last night when I checked my schedule and was like: "Fuck yeah, seems like a free-and-finally-long-sleeping day, because the first thing on my schedule was on 2:30pm. I stayed up till like 2am or even later, I don't know, watching Star Trek and enjoying some free time. I feel like a freak about it, believe me. But it is unexpectedly great and fun, yeah! 

"Hey Paul, I think you have a meeting right now" - this is what I heard through the door of my room today at around 10am. In the (lovely) british voice of another assistant, who fortunately decided to wake me up. Let's say it like this: We are all humans. And humans forget things. So no big deal, I got myself to Highland House(I still don't know how I managed to get out of bed immediately...but well) and had a meeting about my recruitment process and how I heard about L'Arche with a few other new assistants. After that I fell into my bed and had a around-noon-nap. I could share even more about my day, but that would maybe be a little bit too much for today. Let's sum it up: It was a busy but wonderful day!

Ah yeah, before I forget it: I hope you have seen the two new episodes of one of the greatest television series of all time, Breaking Bad. Walt is back, and Jesse too (more or less).

IT IS JUST SO F GOOD! 

I watched the last episode and when the ending tune turned in I was like "This was not 47 minutes!! This was definitely only 5!!". I could spend hours and hours talking about that show(because it is the best, after "The Wire, of course)! I will honor it in a whole blogpost, maybe when the last season will be finished in about 6 weeks. 

Whoever is reading this, you smell like fish. No just kidding, whoever is reading this: 

I miss you and I appreciate it!

Peace

Hoshi

"Are you sure about this?"

Thank god, I'm alive. My knees are still shaking and my heart is playing speed metal, but I survived the apocalypse. I actually don't know what came to my mind by asking: "Hey Eva-Elizabeth, do you want to cut my hair? Like you did with Daniel?" Probably the money. As you can predict, I love my hair. I really do, but I have no clue what persuaded me to take that step. Normally I only do stupid things when I am drunk or whatever. But hey, long story short: it is good. I sat in the kitchen, laughing and panicking at the same time. It was great actually.
It was as unprofessional as you can imagine, a cooking apron to cover my back and chest, sentences like "I am as nervous as I was with Daniel's hair", or "It is not my first time cutting hair" and of course, the scissors. Just take a look.

Nevermind.
But I have to admit: It looks great. I mean I am always looking great(just kidding) but it is a very good haircut. Thanks Eva-Elizabeth btw!
*Are you searching for your new barbor or haircutter? Call 6th Street and you will have it done!*
Here it is(the picture is pretty weak, face to face is always better, remember that!)

Just wanted to share this with you, it was so much fun! Seeya!

Backstreet's back, alright! Singing boy band classics, doing the Safety Dance and just messing around all the time.. 

Fun times at 6th Street, even though it is sometimes really hard to stay focused(oversleeping and starting a day like shit can do its part), I love my job here! Working with the core members is fun and encouraging because I can see relationships forming and developing every day, either involving me or not. 

To be good at the work here needs time, dedication and a lot of sensitivity and love for the detail. You learn by watching, trying by yourself and failing. It's life. But I love it, I feel like one year of this will make me such a better person overall. 

Okay now that's enough about the serious part, bro. Shit. I love my life, this weekend was so freaking good! I met one of my best friends from Germany who stays in the US as well for a whole year. Thanks to god that the distance between us is not much of a concern, a 2 hour drive plus a few metro/bus stations and it's done, nice! We just hung out Saturday/Sunday and had a good time (Btw the White House is really boring... maybe because it was my second time but yeah, nothing special). 

After that I felt like buying something.. I just had to get rid of some money and I was lucky to find a CD of one of my new favourite bands as I told you before. Hard Candy for 4 bucks, booya! I am addicted to the Counting Crows at the moment and while I'm spending my whole day listening to their music, Jack Johnson and the John Butler Trio, I followed the recommendations from two of my housemates, I'm totally into Alternative now. I was told to check the Dave Matthews Band out and oh my gosh, it is so awesome! 

I also want to tell you that I am a professional cook now. Jamie Oliver would be proud. Just kidding. I did pasta today. 

Well.. it was spaghetti with red sauce and I was not doing it alone.. just do not laugh and we're fine. But food that you prepare yourself does actually taste so much better than done by anyone else. 

I miss hell of a lot people from Germany, but the specific persons change each day. I almost forgot to mention that I am still sad about a new friend departing to Germany last friday after spending the last 4 weeks with me every day. Nevermind. Enough whiny stuff for this post. I don't want to start with that today. 

Here is something to laugh about before going to bed. Good night, I love you and hakuna matata!

4 weeks

Time is running!

At 5:50am I woke up and realized that I've been here in Arlington for 4 weeks. 28 days. Wow! This fact was mind-blowing because I still have to think about whether it seems short or very long for me. Damn, I just don't know.
But as my first month is over now, I feel like this is my new home(even though it is only temporary). Despite serious struggles in community life with some members in general, the feeling of independency helps me a lot. I feel like growing and growing all the time with all the challenging parts of community live-in life.
The last days were super-stressful but very good and energizing as well. I had a stuffed schedule with barely no breathing/energy-restoring time which however did not decrease the fact that I feel good spending time with my new friends. Thanks for helping and tolerating me(as annoying as I can be sometimes..)!
Monday I started the medication training and after 4 weeks I will hopefully be a completely-trained assistant at 6th Street! Jumping into a more or less transition phase of the community was hard but I feel like I am kinda prepared for the upcoming months now.
Looking forward to several skype-meetings with my friends this weekend, also I need to see my family again! Excuse my inconsistent writing/skyping.. how I said, the schedule is doing its thing!

This weekend will be awesome because I meet one of my best friends from Germany in DC. Yeah yay yeah!
Whatever, tonight I will celebrate the B.+S. combo with a new good friend of mine who is leaving tomorrow afternoon and departing himself to Germany.
Next update will come up soon, for questions just feel free to ask or text me personally,
seeeeya!

I need some rest!

Here we go again!
Stressful but great times at 6th Street, I'm starting to feel the groove and flow of the house. Although it is not running smoothly the past days because of some little troubles, I'm having no doubts that I will survive this year(even without my dog). I feel accepted and loved at L'arche which is the most important thing about my year of service. I start feeling and experiencing the hard and emotionally exhausting parts of being an assistant who cares for people with developmental, intellectual disabilities but I have to say: I love the work.
I'm sorry for maybe getting too sensitive right now, but I feel I kinda need it tonight. It's 1 am and I'm sitting here very sleepy thinking about life...
Certain core members make my day just by being around, they show me what life is truly about. I learned so much about myself in the past 3 days, por ejemplo I feel comfortable to hold people accountable, even though I'm still pretty bad at it. In some moments I am great at doing things, sometimes I have to accept that I'm not perfect. Failure is the best way to grow though. Thanks to all the other assistants for helping me out, it's amazing to have you guys.
I can even overcome my laziness, if you believe it or not.
But as good as it sounds.. I need the upcoming weekend! I need relief, that's what I experienced in the last days, I need some time for myself, get refreshed to jump into another busy but hopefully awesome week.
Just wanted to give you the opportunity to witness my life here in depth, I really appreciate that you are reading this!
Oh, before I go to bed I have to tell you this: A few people told me that my English is "killer" and "awesome" and "good"! That just made me so happy and proud that I had to tell you, whouhouu !
Miss you guys, I will try to make some photos maybe for the next post, hopefully this will work!
Take care and enjoy!