Aufenhaltstitels

(I definitely did not take this picture, and Berlin doesn't look like this just yet. I just thought it was pretty)



This morning I woke up at 6am to make it to the Ausländerbehörde so I cold get my Aufenhaltstitel (residency permit) because I got hassled at the airport twice because I didn't have it. And technically I only have 3 months to do it, which means I have 2 more days.
That's not going to happen.
The office that i went to very early in the morning is closed permanently for "organizational reasons", meaning that I'm going to have to wake up at the crack of dawn, again, wait in a long line to get this darn thing.
i guess it's ok because i realized after the fact that my passport pictures aren't 'biometric'. They're really big on this 'biometric' stuff. it means you're face has to be centered, almost to the edges of the photo, completely straight up-and-down face, and no smiling. I was smiling in mine...
only the germans would prevent you from smiling :)

in other news, last night Ida, Linda 2 and I went to see Deathcab for Cutie. The opening band was also really good. At first I was a bit hesitant about this concert because they are by all means not my favorite band, and i can find them a bit...melancholy, after a while. But I love live music, and i want to see lots of concerts while i'm here, so i decided to just go for it and see them.
They turned out to actually be really good though and I had a great time.
However, the girl in front of me was a bit too into it and wouldn't stop dancing. and i mean like, club dancing...at a deathcab for cutie concert. anyhow, she would frequently dance her way into blocking my view. No hard feelings though. I've had my fair share of being the 'annoying dancing girl' at concerts that i'm just way too into. so, i guess i should say: rock on dancing girl! just don't block my view... :)

and yesterday i went on my first snow run. It was ok. i learned that i should probably wear my snowboarding gloves because my hands were FREEZING. i ran extra slow but felt super tough running in the snow. My new cold weather running gear + old northface were definitely sufficient, except for my butt got really cold at the end.
However, afterwards i was completely exhausted. it wasn't an especially long run either. normal length at a slower pace. but it really just sucked it out of me.
something to get used to!