She Moves In Her Own Way

Locate the spaces in every branch
For the sake of the sun
Later flashlights make sparks in the dark
And we'll trace them

The green glow of lightning bugs in the night
Start the sky bending sidelong
The hardest part is trying to hold on

I do believe that our hearts are received
*Beyond* the rust colored reeds, is glimpses of blueness
Lately I can't recognize what's right from what is wrong.

The summer is spinning out of control til we're only ourselves
Each season strips us down to the bone and we bare it
I watch your shoulders feeding the deer in the afternoon sun
The hardest part is shoulders that move on.
Lately I don't know what I could want from anyone

I do believe that our hearts are received
Through all the rust colored reeds,
There's flashes of blueness.

Lately I can't recognize what's right from what is wrong.

And I do believe that our hearts are received
Through all the rust colored reeds, there's flashes of blueness.
While you look at me and I don't know what you see
Maybe through rust colored reeds,
There could be blueness

--"Locate the Pieces" by Matt pond pa

I've lived in Germny over two years, and this is my third trip. I assume I know the culture, and I do speak the language. Still, there are some things I've forgotten about, that strike me as different--though I doubt it will take long before I am used to them.

- jaywalking is bad. Germans just don't do it; they stand and wait for the cross signal to turn green. Regardless of the time of night: 4 Am, you will still see them standing, waiting--probably because jaywalking is punsihable and punished.

- tight pants are in. This may have changed since my last visit, but tight pants and ballet flats or converse shoes are definately in style, with layers of looser tank tops over them. Apparently. Me and fashion go together like a kid and a squished bug: the kid squeals "eeeew!" but looks facinatedly anyways.

- house music and electronica are in. If you can dance to it, they play it. Which leads me to:

- people dance here, at clubs, bars, and parties, not just stand awkwardly around or play pool. There is actual dancing, and not just the girls. The drunker, the wilder.

- water, if you ask for it in a bar, has bubbles in it and costs almost as much as a beer. "Leitungswasser" is not something many people drink, though it tastes fine. And it is not served with ice.

- most (many) things aren't refrigerated.

- beer is three euros for a six-pack, and wine is two to three euros per bottle. None of this paying-twelve-dollars-for-crappy-wine thing.

- sonic the hedgehog haircuts are in for guys. As are the tight jeans. Go figure.

- wearing jogging clothes to the supermarket is frowned upon severely, but sunbathing topless is no problem.

- there is such a thing as 'Pfand', or bounty on glasses at restaurants and bottles at the supermarket. You pay extra money for every glass or bottle but get it back when you return the item. Great to encourage recycling.