The seminar ended at 10.30 a.m. yesterday, and I didn't even get anything out of it since I'd decided not to drive the fourhundredsomething kilometers to my parents to spend the weekend there. Let's just be said, for the record, that we could do that whole seminar in three instead of four weeks if they'd just cut down on all the over-long recesses and cigarette breaks and wouldn't call it a day so early in the afternoons, or, like Friday, even mornings. Heck, three weeks, and I've already read through two books, and no, I only opened them during the breaks. <g>

But enough of that. Yesterday, I went into the city of Cologne for the first time since I've been here. And instead of only buying the blank CD cases I'd been looking for, I also looked -- rather by accident -- into a clothes shop with the fancy name 'Crown'. A shirt out front had looked interesting. But that was nothing, nothing compared to the wine-red dress (or rather: gown), floor-length, with spaghetti straps, that I saw on a display dummy there. I was dumbstruck and immediately in love.

The sales person told me that it was size 34 and most likely way too small for me, but I didn't want to kick my own ass in the evening for being too chicken to try it on, so I insisted. And -- it fit. And looked absolutely gorgeous. I felt like Cinderella. And I'll wear it on my brother's wedding next weekend.

I'm still so happy I can't help but grin all the time. Never had anything that beautiful.

Far too often, I feel inadequate in the clothing/fashion department; I tend to wear jeans and sweaters. Graceful and me just don't match.

But in that gown... wow.

I won't eat any chocolate until the weekend. I don't want any pimples on my shoulders, and, after all, I want to fit into the dress.

Can't wait to see my family's faces when they see me wearing it.

Oh, and I also got the black-and-white mug with the little cow inside that's looking up at you through the liquid when you drink from it. My friend Rebekka has the same mug, but we never found a second one, anywhere. I love that mug and always drink from it when I'm at her place. Now I have my own. Heh.

And I wrote a story yesterday evening that's in beta right now -- thank you, Anne! 'Oz'. Inspired by that 'Criminology' magazine I found on my desk at work, with an article describing Robert D. Hare's "Psychopathy Assessment Scale" (PCL-R). The items listed on said scale reminded me so much of Chris Keller -- they fit his persona almost painfully well. Hope the story's readable; haven't written anything in a long, far too long time.