A brisk morning run filled my head with ideas.

This morning I walked Claudia to work (a blissful 15 minute walk - much better than the hour long train commute the last internship was) and afterwards, went to greet the Rhine this morning by jogging the "3-Brücken-Lauf" or Three Bridges Run (aptly named - see picture!).  Claudia and I have been working up to this run for a few weeks and have both started to enjoy jogging way more than we thought we would. The whole stretch is 7.8 kilometers long, which is just under 5 miles.  When I ran it this morning, I managed it in just under an hour and I felt fantastic afterwards.  C and I are signed up to do a run of the same length in Frankfurt in July and I think by the time we get there, we'll be more than ready for it.

If you don't know, we live sort of near the upper left hand corner of this picture. It's about a twenty minute walk from our house to the base of the upper most bridge (the one between the 4km and 5km markers).

Anyways, the point about me going for a run was not just for me to sit here and brag to you all via blog about how I went running. No, the point was more that I had some time to think about some things I really felt like writing about.

Firstly, going running is a wonderful way to see a season really come into being - I feel like I've noticed the start of spring here much more than the start of any other season because I'm out in it so much.  Liking to go jogging and also getting bored with jogging in the same places all the time has also made the two of us seek out other places to be outside and we've found some lovely ones!

Secondly, I saw a flock of swans gliding across a small alcove in the river today, which reminded me, that yesterday I saw a swan flying over the train tracks. I was trying to write and email and happened to look up and see it and thought, "Wow, a swan flying. That's so cool. Never seen that before." and I was about to tell Claudia how cool it was when I thought, "Wait a sec... can swans even fly?" I'd never considered the question before. Thankfully, wikipedia had. And they can. It was pretty cool!

Thirdly, I love it when I'm listening to music and I see people on the street who don't know it but are seriously groovin' to the music in my ears. That old professor-type guy on the street today with his fluffy moustache - he had no idea that he was walking, fixing his hair, and checking his watch all in time to Lady Gaga. It was fantastic.

Fourthly, I'm going to be in the states at the end of this week. I can barely fathom it. I'll be there for my sister's graduation (I know for a fact that I will see certain readers of this blog there!) and so will most of my extended family.  I'm not sure whether it will be serious culture shock or whether when I come back I'll just think it must not have happened. Don't get me wrong, I am so excited to see everyone - grandparents, aunts, uncles, sister, father, mother and dog - but I think it'll be intense! I'll make sure to check in from there.

Fifthly, tonight C and I will be attending an event of the Jewish Culture Festival here in Mainz. This year's theme is "Hip in Exile - Facets of Judaism" and the event we're attending tonight? Brace yourselves:  "Forget Auschwitz".  The author of the book with that provocative title will be reading from it tonight. I'm excited. Not only is it an extremely interesting topic (how long do modern Germans really need to beat themselves up about something they ((personally)) were not involved in, when is enough enough, how can we remember and be respectful without passing on this horrible guilt from generation to generation) BUT it also means that I finally get to see the inside of this building:

which, you may remember, is a beautiful synagogue very near to where C and I live. We've been fascinated by it ever since we walked past it in September, and we can't wait to go inside tonight.

Sixthly and finally, I have joined the ranks of the social science students for the semester which means I actually have to write some papers this semester. I swore to myself that I wouldn't be one of those guys who is panicking with only a week before the deadline when they've had the topic all semester long, so I will now roll up my sleeves and "make me on the work" ("sich an die Arbeit machen" ~ "get down to work"), as the directly-translated expression would go. :)  Wish me luck!