What made you happy today?

Because I'm really happy right now and I have great reasons:

- Last week I went on a very relaxing vacation.

- I have an adorable littly baby kitty who just moved in with us, she is sooo cute and she's sleeping on my lap as I type.

- We have a new spam free asexy lesbian forum.

Awwww, I love kittens!

It makes me smile every time I check back here and see the member list grow!

Awwww greycloud, congrats on the new kitty! Any name yet? How did you get her? A stray or adopted from a shelter? When a sweet little kitten in napping in your lap, the whole world seems right.

Where didja go on your vacation? Or didja just stick close to home for some R&R?

Feeling happy today because my best friend's dad did NOT have a stroke! They thought he did, but thankfully he didn't!!

Her name is Marisa, she's 3 months old which is really young, kitten are supposed to stay with their mother and siblings until they're 14 weeks old, but my little one was rescued from an animal death camp in Spain. My girlfriend accidentaly stumbled across her on a cat forum and we immediately fell in love with the little one.

Here's a picture.

I spent the week with my mother on a small isle in the north of Germany. It was peaceful and quiet, but I missed home because our baby kitty arrived while I was still on vacation. My girlfriend sent me pictures on the phone, and I couldn't wait to get back.

Marisa is so sweet! She looks very alert and curious! Your vacation sounds wonderful! Congrats again, on tne new furbaby!! Many happy, healthy years together!

Are you originally from Germany? Your English is perfect!

Thanks.

Yes, I'm from Germany and have never lived anywhere else. I learned English at school around the age of ten. Feels good to be comlimented on it.

Das hätte ich längst sagen sollen! Also: Your English is really quite good, GreyCloud!
It always amazes me when people communicate primarily in a language other than their mother tongue.

Oh yes, and Marisa must be one of the cutest kitties ever! She's so lucky to be with you!

~Carsonspire

Some of you may have heard of the European Soccer Championships and that they just concluded in Vienna yesterday. (Spain won.) Because the championship lasted all throughout June, which is normally Pride month, Pride in Vienna was moved to July. Now I've been living in Vienna for a while and wasn't really thinking much about the shift until I walked out my door this morning to find the local trolley flying the rainbow flag! Apparently, this will continue for the entire month of July. Perhaps you can imagine my surprise ... ;-)

Carsonspire, You live in Vienna? Ohhh I bet it's so beautiful! Is that your homeland? Your English is perfect also!!!

Haha. No, I'm from the States, just happen to speak German and have been living abroad for a while. I'm moving back to the States very soon, so I'm trying to soak up the European beauty while I can!

Hey Carsonspire, ou tof curiosity, how are you treated when people find out you're from the US? There is so much tension in the world...I was wondering if US citizens abroad are taking the punishment for what our "higher ups" have done?

I've never been to Europe but imagine it would be amazing! Where has been your favorite place to visit/live and why?

I haven't encountered much trouble and I think that's largely due to the fact that I speak German fairly fluently and don't stand out as a "loud American". Usually the first question someone asks when they find out I'm from the US is: "Clinton or Obama?" Thank goodness the primaries are over!

Europe is "amazing" in the same way that most places outside of where you grew up are "amazing". Yes, of course the history is much older than that of the United States, but there's also a certain universality to it all. People are people, no matter where you go, and each person carries certain understandings, certain experiences, certain cultural identities, which they draw upon to give you a glimpse into "their" land more than any guidebook ever could.

I'm not sure if I have a favorite place. I am somewhat partial to Germany because I spent a lot of time there as a teen, both traveling and studying. The one thing I do really like about Europe (and yes, I know it's cliche!) is how many cultures there are so close together. Just earlier this week, I took an hour-long train ride from my Turkish neighborhood in Austria across the border into Slovakia and spent the afternoon there before coming back on the train that evening, during which time I was chatting with a Hungarian couple in German. And that was less than 24 hours!

Then again, the US is a land of immigrants, some of whom are working tirelessly to preserve their own culture and retain that sense of "home", regardless of where in the world they may be.
There's something very special about that, too.

~Carsonspire

Hey Carsonspire, thanks for your sharing your glimpse of life abroad with us! Maybe I'm kidding myself, I just imagine thet Europeans are much more liberal and open minded than 85% of people in the USA, but that idea may be colored by the area in which I live.

I finally found an apartment!

I've been looking for months now for an apartment near my new university. This weekend I finally drove the five hours to the new neighborhood where I'll be living with my schedule of apartment-viewing-appointments in hand.

It's not the prettiest of apartments and it's not in the prettiest of neighborhoods, but it's safe, clean, and affordable. The inside is also spacious and gets lots of good light, which makes me happy ;-) Now I just have to figure out what furniture I need. Hooray for new beginnings!

~Carsonspire

What made me happy today was getting the first cup of coffee out of a freshly made pot of coffee!