Big F------ German

Arsenal have a German defender named Per Mertesacker. He's 6'5 and weighs around 190 lbs. On a team of 5'6 pixies and speed merchants he sticks out. He is calm, happy, occasionally ungainly, and brings a sense of stability to the team.

More than any other player Mertesacker loves the song the fans sing about him. He always turns, smiles, and pumps his arms when we sing.
We've got a big f------ German
Big f------ German
Big f------ Gerrrrrrman
We've got a big f------ German

Needless to say Mertesacker reminds me of my big brother Bruce.

I was awakened at 1am friday morning by a call from Bruce announcing the arrival of Bruce Lee Kennedy III (goes by Lee). This is the first child born to our sibling group.

As Portuguese soccer coach Jose Mourinho would say, my sister in law Maggie "Is Champion."



It was a good weekend for Baltimore. Besides welcoming Lee to the fold my beloved Orioles made the playoffs for the first time in 15 years. I wore my Orange all over Europe!

My high school friend John is in Germany to speak at a conference. It's his 30th birthday so we met up in Berlin for the weekend.

We started out eating and drinking

Then met up with an old high school friend (German exchange student) and saw his band play at a club.

We made friends wherever we traveled

But in the end the liter glasses won.

The next morning we went to see the Pergamon marbles.


Some impressive gateways.


Ancient confirmation of a current fashion trend (this Babylonian king has a man-satchel).


The whole notion of a museum seemed a bit different to the Germans. Basically they just picked up massive structures and moved them back to Germany.

We also stopped by Checkpoint Charlie (East Berlin look different now Dad?)

My favorite thing I saw in Berlin was the Holocaust memorial. It's a maze of steel blocks that creates a disorienting isolation as you walk into it.

I climbed on top of the blocks, walked into the middle, and watched the sunset. This city leaves you a lot to think on.

A Chance Meeting (Memory of Light)

One of my two favorite singing memories is from the Saint Chappelle in Paris. We made an arc around the upper chapel and sang 5 songs. The sun came out while we sang- a beam angled through the stained glass and illuminated the singer beneath. I could see the dust motes.

As I waited in line today at the ticket counter I saw a familiar face- our tour guide/organizer Bob Burns. I said hello and he immediately recognized me- "you were on the tour in 2001 when you sang here! I was just showing my tour group how you stood!"

I had a lot to do in Paris and little time. But I did stand here for a while.

And here






Slightly different angle





I found a nice spot opposite the Louvre to do some work reading/meeting prep














And watched the full moon rise over the Seine.



I don't love Paris. But you see this

And this

And this
And can only wonder at a city so rendered

What is Art (Arsenal 6 Coventry 1)

One of my colleagues and I had coordinated to go to the Arsenal game last Wednesday. I had an exceptionally busy week, was sick, and Arsenal were playing weak opposition. I actually tried to give away my ticket! Hard to imagine I know.

The match started out as is typical- the lower division team had adrenaline and 8,000 screaming fans and Arsenal had put out a second string. 30 minutes in Arsenal scored and again just after halftime (they were now shooting at the goal I was sitting behind).

A few minutes later disgruntled Russian captain Andrei Arshavin scored this goal (go to 1:30 in the video)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNEVVRRuVb8

Think about the physics- Arshavin is running at ~20mph, the cross is coming in ~35mph. He has a cubic space in which to put the ball of 4-5 cubic ft while leaping and landing on the same foot and calmly placing it in the botton corner of the goal. Try doing it without a ball in slow motion- then think about what he did.

My father always says seeing Baryshnikov dance was one of the coolest things he's ever seen. Tolstoy would disagree but I saw an exquisite piece of Russian ballet on Wednesday.