Semper et ubique

Yesterday, the final party of the so called „Orientierungseinheit“ took place, two weeks of informations, events, meet and greet for the new freshmen. As usual, the students of the third semester (me included) host these two weeks and organize everything related. It was my task to design the corresponding brochure, to be a tutor for the freshmen and to have some shifts at yesterday’s barbeque party.

Today, as I woke up, my left Os capitatum (one of bones of the carpus) was really painful, there was a diffuse haematoma on the proximal palm – apparently my left hand was bruised or perhaps even broken.

I discovered the disease now known as the Bartender Syndrome, Morbus aperiores butticulae. See upcoming studies for further details. Here’s what I can tell so far:

Being the barbeque chef and bartender for some hours meant to open quite a few beer bottles for the thirsty guests. For lack of a bottle opener I had to use the table and my bare hands. Yeah, you know what I mean: position the bottle cap at the edge of the table and – CRACK – let the hand do the rest. Apparently, even my carpal bones got a small crack over the time.

But hey, at least I might have discovered a topic for a future doctorate…

Tomorrow, I will turn 22. Nothing spectacular. To „celebrate“, I‘ll stick to my to-do list. Mission accomplished, if three or more objects fulfilled:

• starting the day with a big slice of self-made lemon cake
• Having a huge bunch of the latest exotic type of ice cream at this new 50’s-Diner-Style ice cream parlour
• learning to play „Hawaii Five-O“ (The Ventures) and „Kokomo“ (The Beach Boys) on my beloved, but unfortunately neglected guitar
• filling an entire polaroid film with portraits of strangers I just met in the city
• shaving my beard bit by bit in order to get different cuts (and, of course, take photos of them)
• fill my MP3-Player with Hawaii- and feel-good music and take it whereever I go
• quote Spongebob and Patrick whenever possible, say spells from Harry Potter whenever useful
• make a hand-crafted cardboard moustache for future needs
• involve no less than five strangers in staring contests
• end the day with „Le fabuleux destin d’Amélie Poulain“ in Loop
• end the day with a club and party marathon

Wee, this‘ll be fun!

What I like about these stores

Shopping at H&M, Zara or Jack Jones means for me to get clothes that are cheap and simple. Where have all the socks gone? Where do I get a plain, black sweater? Shit, my belt just fell into pieces, where do I get a new one quickly? These stores have and sell the answer. And that’s what they are good for. You have to admit, there is no better place for such basic needs. That’s quite a narrow claim to answer, but I guess H&M & Co. won’t bother me for that.
But that’s because I have my reasons, strictly speaking that’s

What I dislike about these stores

First of all, though I don’t visit these stores that often, in most cases I can tell if somebody wears something from these companies. That is, as I think, because most of their tees, tops, shirts, coats etc. basically suck. That’s a matter of opinion, of course. Though not a matter of good style.

There is another issue that bothers me from time to time. I don’t want to appear to be pretentious or arrogant but anyway, this issue just shows how the fashion industry works. You might know Lookbook and others, some major and minor fashion blogs or other media that records somewhat of the current stylse that evolve throughout the cities and countries of the world. The internet features prominently in this development and, in fact, is able to register trends being so fresh that only a few contribute to. Thus said, I speak about clothes that you cannot buy at the next H&M or Zara store, you have to discover them and decide whether they fit or not. Many people enjoy to develop their own sense of style beyond ordinary assortments that serve thousands and millions. It is part of their lifestyle to constantly and freely shape their imagination of good style. I would consider myself as one of them so I share the same problem.

Example: Two years ago I bought a green vintage uniform with brass buttons because I simply liked it and it contributed to my style. That was just when the trend arose, though mostly women pushed it. I loved my jacket like others love their jackets, whatever they might look like, and everything was fine. But then, one or two months ago Zara and later H&M discovered these neat little uniforms to design their own and sell them throughout the world. Actually, it is rather the marching band style, but still some kind of military. I would be completely fine with it if it wouldn’t mean to see all these people wearing those (actually awful looking) uniforms just because they look „soooo cool“. Today, as I stood in line at H&M’s there was this young girl, probably 13 years old, podgy, wearing a Palestinian scarf, ska-style Vans, skin-tight black denim and bought one of these uniforms. I‘m glad she was happy about her latest purchase but actually it didn’t contribute to her style. Because she had none.

It is sad that there are so many people that just catch the trends the major fashion chains digged out more than a year delayed and don’t think about how it all looks in interaction. Just go to Italy, France or Sweden and you‘ll see much more people that actually found their style. No matter if you would wear anything of what you can see there, you have to admit it harmonises.

This post might be complete bullshit, however, I can only wish that Germans eventually become more sophisticated and inventive when it comes to fashion. At least so I won’t get angry I cocked all the money up I spent for clothes during the holiday…

Today started the one-week dissecting course I already mentioned. Since the students of our study called „Reformstudiengang“ don’t usually have these kind of courses quite a few volunteer for the holiday course. This year, I am one of them, roughly 20 eager students willing to dissect a corpse as far as possible. We had three corpses for us, my mates and I chose the only one being unscathed. Turns out we had to deal with a massively obese woman of asian origin who, as she died, at least had fresh, pink nail polish on. I found it remarkable that the only thing that outlived her death and the whole complicated process of fixing her body, was her nail polish. Being fashionable, all the time. Be that as it may, we had to flay her finger’s skin anyway.

One step at a time. Our first task was to remove the skin of her stomach, her chest, her arms and the whole breasts in order to find all those tiny sensible nerves of the skin, the vessels and finally the fascia. As a matter of course, it was my turn to remove all the fat of her stomach… Everyone who already dissected obese corpses will agree, that this can get pretty… splashy. Anyway, when I finally removed a three inches thick layer of subcutaneous fat I proceeded to the hands and fingers, removed the skin and finally had to find and prepare all those tiny subcutaneous nerves.

Tomorrow we will open the chest and I am looking forward to use this tool looking like a bolt clipper and the electric saw to cut through the ribs and the collar bone!

The upcoming semester starts on October 12th, only five days before my birthday. It will be tough. Very tough. Two weeks with the topic „Blood“, followed by seven (!) weeks immuology and afterwards five more weeks of sexuality and endocrinology (hormones). Actually, it’s the first time I ever learned something in advance (immunology), because I expected it to be hard stuff. But that’s no what bothers me right now.

I enrolled for a one-week dissecting course beginning next week, the last week of the holiday. Since, in the „Reformstudiengang“, (reformated study) there is actually no need for such courses how they have them in the regular study it is optional for us „Reform students“ to enrol in such holiday courses. The topic will be: „Upper limb“, which is actually the whole shoulder, the arm and the hand. Everyone who has heard about hand surgery knows the difficulties about that…

I suppose it will be fun, however, the few times we actually had lessons with corpses allow this presumption. But of course every participant will have to have the corresponding anatomical knowledge. There is no sense in dissecting if you don’t know what to look for, what to avoid – and what to do, as well. Guess what I did for the whole last few months of my holiday? Anyway, nothing to learn all this anatomical stuff.

So the course starts in three days and I am sitting here cramming the whole subject. I feel like my head could explode at any moment. That’s ok, it would be interesting because I don’t know much about the anatomy of the head, either.
No, really, there are so many details you have to keep in mind. All those bloody ligaments of the hand – there are fifteen, just the simplified version, of course. But that’s not all, there are plenty bones, joints, muscles, vessels, nerves, tendon sheaths and bursas; each of them meant to be known by its name, with its pieces and its points, its function and of course typical injuries and diseases.

We‘ll see if anyone notices that I am not that good prepared as I am supposed to.

PS: I will take Swedish classes next semester. (It’s free and hosted by the university, you could even enrol for nude painting.) Stockholm left me with such a huge heap of impressions that I will definitely return this or no later than next year. Sverige, jag älskar dig!

PPS: After having learned everything about the shoulder and the upper arm I got excited to learn some basic Swedish online. This site says the nouns have no declinations and the verbs have no conjugation. Swedish will definitely be the language with the easiest grammar I ever learned.

Visiting Stockholm meant that I definitely had to check out the local Filippa K (read: „Ko“, as I just learned) stores. Actually, it was one of the first places we went to. I already mentioned the grey coat I saw there, the one that looked exactly like I always imagined it. The one that was 3400 Kr (340 €), the one I thought would be quite expensive (indeed, it is). I thought, I‘d watch for it here in Berlin and see if it is cheaper or at least of the same price. Though I suspected to be wrong…

And I was! It is 400 € (4000 Kr)… The saleswoman said they only have one coat of each size and that I had to hurry with my decision because they usually can’t reorder any items. I will ask my parents about the next payout of the educational policy they once concluded…