June 20

I got to sleep in a bit today, because church is at 10:00.  It was wonderful.  More and more it is becoming apparent how popular the Burgkirche is for formal events.  There was a baptism or dedication or equivalent this morning.  After church I made some lunch with the potatoes that I bought last week, and the wurst I've got around.  During the afternoon I watched some soccer and hung out, listening to music and other such things.  Today is Father's Day of course, so I went to Subway.  Well, I only went to Subway to get change for my €2 coins that don't work in the payphones.  I was able to competently and fluidly use German to get what I wanted, which is a small achievement obviously, but it still felt good.  I really wanted to talk to Dad today, but was very glad to talk to Jeff.  For some reason, today I was a little more homesick than usual, even though I got to see Joe and Marc all yesterday.  It was just so wonderful to hear Jeff's voice on the line.  I wish the calls didn't cost so much though.  Happy Father's Day Dad!  I'll try and call again sometime this week, hopefully when you are awake.  Ha, it was just so good to hear Jeff's voice.  As I left the booth my eyes were tearing a little bit with joy.  Much love to you all back home.  I do miss you every day.  Sundays here are typically relaxing, but would be better with some soccer at Oak Street, or some tennis perhaps.  Please don't worry though, I am enjoying myself here.  I got a good run in today as well.  It was the best one so far, so good that I was even able to sprint at the end without too much pain.  My goal by the end of the summer is to be able to run 7000 miles in a little over a fortnight; not an unreasonable goal I think.  The Brazil-Ivory Coast game just ended.  It was pretty good I guess.  I really am getting tired of watching grown men act like small children though.  Each time they fall down it looks like the other guy has chopped them in half with a cleaver or something.  Of course after the call has been made, they just get up like nothing had happened.  It's so predictable, common and stupid!  Play it like men please.  We all say, "When I get older, I will be stronger; they'll call me freedom…"  It's partly the player's responsibility to make the game beautiful.  Anyway, that was a fun little diatribe.  Gute Nacht (I just realized that it's nearly been a month already.  Hard to believe.).