poetry reviews and hello 2009

it was lovely to see that even though i had been so silent, i still have some blog readers - thanks for your notes, everyone! :)

heinz, being a true sportsman, did the run around the ring on 31 december - about 5 km, and he was quite happy with the time. i was *not* there to do the cheerleader thing ... ;)


back home after the run


so, 2009. heinz and i had a cosy new year's eve at home - cooking dinner, eating, watching some tv, drinking homemade punsch, cuddling up on the sofa, dinner for one on tv, a waltz & champagne at midnight, watching the fireworks all around ... and on the 1st we got up to watch the traditional new year's concert by the vienna philharmonic orchestra, this year conducted by daniel barenboim.


first h&m pic 2009


it hasn't been as cold in vienna as in many other parts of europe, and we have not had much snow either - but i don't miss snow in the city. late one night (around 01.30 am) we went for a walk in the freshly fallen snow - a bit crazy, yes, but fun. :)


people with hats on



lights in the park



houses shrink in the cold



where is receiver?


today we walked around the prater (an old amusement park in vienna), in about 2 cm of snow, and it got quite chilly after a while, but not too chilly to take lots of pictures - i have not edited them yet, but will soon.

unfortunately my english classes won't start until 26 january, but maybe i can start working on an additional project before then. we'll see. while i don't mind the free time, i DO mind not getting paid.

as promised, christopher george reviewed my chapbook the secret meanings of greek letters and alex stolis's and my collaboration chapbook small confessions and pebbles of regret for the winter issue of the loch raven review. thanks to chris for taking the time to read and review - i am quite chuffed.


ps: lots of christmas pics on flickr!


song of the day: all this time by maria mena.

4 + 1

four of my poems can now be read in the brand-new issue of loch raven review. you will also find poems by gary blankenship, jim corner, corey mesler, s thomas summers et al. as well as essays, fiction and book reviews.

and my photo death bugs is now online in qarrtsiluni's insecta issue.

good things

one good thing about having a chapbook out is that one can swap it for other people's books. in the mail today: andrew shields' bilingual cabinet d'amateur. i look forward to reading it. in the mail yesterday: payment from my friend chris - bill bryson's shakespeare.

my students really got into their restaurant role play today - one team ended up having to "call the police" to kick out a bunch of "drunk guests". :)

after work, my colleague nathan said to me: "you're hot, michi."
okay, i made him say it.
and we were really only talking about temperature. you know, hot as in "not cold". but it was still nice to hear it from a man. :-p

loch raven review accepted four of the nine or ten poems i sent them for their winter issue! editor chris george asked me to send my chapbook so they might do a review. yay!

aaaaand i just found out that my favourite live band ever, kaizers orchestra, are playing at arena in vienna in april! woo-hoo!! another chance to see their singer take off his jacket. and shirt. and who knows ... *g*



song of the day: ompa til du dør by kaizers orchestra.