Friday, December 15, 2000
It’s been a while since I’ve actually used this thing, but I’m sitting in front of a computer in the computer lab at UT without a pen or paper and figured this would be the best place to write down my big vision of what should happen this summer…
Okay, so I’ve had this plan to go to Germany and work as a bike tour guide while I took a look at the insides of the music scene there and wrote of my adventures. Cool. I haven’t had any concrete plans made as to how I would go about doing this, but Claire’s been talking about how she’s intending to get a job out in San Diego and, really, if she’s going ot do that then I’m going to do this — and right. I’m not going to sit on my ass like a chump again this summer. Out bad vibes.
So here are some more concrete ideas:
I want to get a job working for Mike’s Bike Tours. I need to begin calling and e-mailing them this coming semester so that I have my best shot possible of getting a job with them. Since there’s no guaruntee that I will get a job with them (surely I’m not the only one thinking it would be cool), I need to keep in mind some back-up plans so that I can get over there and actually do some interesting work. The first back-up plan is to go through a work-abroad program such as is offered here at UT. It looks like I could fairly easily get some sort of job over there for the summer, though it might suck. And I also need to keep my ears open for other opportunities to workin Germany. And keep my ears open in the direction of Tom.
What would I want to work as in Germany if not a bike tour guide? Well, the first option would be to be some other sort of tour guide, preferably with a group that caters to college-age kids, such as me (or a few years younger). I’m not hell-bent on this, though. Other “cool job” options include working at a bar or restaurant, again preferable a “cool” place and not just a tourist shack or whatever “uncool.” If that doesn’t seem appropriate, there’s always the computer science option — go over there and try to get a job doing web development or programming of some sort. Tom might have more information about this and I need to prepare in advance so that I can deal with the paperwork and fees that will doubtless be annoying and possibly expensive.
So once I’m there, what? Well, I need to research and figure out exactly what is going on over there right now. Using my music collection as a starting point, I know that there has at least been recently an exciting music scene in Köln and possibly München, and I know about the Love Parade in Berlin (which seems like a teutonic-raver Burning Man festival to me). Magazines will probably be a good starting point for this. I need to prepare myself this coming semester to be as knowledgable as I possibly can be for this. It’s a good excuse to consider my wardrobe and general look as well as to find some good music and really try to understand some elements of youth culture yada-yada.
I think I would like to film while I’m over there. Maybe I could convince Tom Garza — if I do well in his class — to get me a grant for a DV camera or some sort of recording device. We’ll see.
More on this later.
I feel like I’m preparing for a three-month party… Eek. Don’t get carried away, Josh. Keep it in the real world.
