Optimismus an deutschen Universitäten?

Well-rested and fresh-faced I stepped out the door on the way to my very first class in a German University! The sky was blue and the birds were singing as I stepped into the S-Bahn car. A pretty girl sat next to me and asked me what time it was. I got off the train and walked to the University building, found the classroom with no trouble -- Theorien der Kausalität (Theories of Causality), Hörsaal V (lecture hall V), Prof. Bartels -- and sat down right at 10:00. Since classes listed at 10 don't actually start til 10:15, we had a few minutes and I ended up having a small conversation with one of the professors (who frequently sit in on their colleagues' lectures). Another prof. walked in around 10:10 and announced to a colleague he recognized, "Ah, the optimists!" and sat down in front of me. This in reference to the time-honored tradition of German professors not bothering to show up for the first lecture of the semester. As 10:15 came and went... and 10:20 came and went, I had the feeling he might have a point. My intuition was confirmed when, at 10:30, he packed up his copy of Die Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, which I had been reading over his shoulder, stood and turned to his fellow professors, declaiming dryly, "optimism at German universities?" We, the rest of us, interpreted this: "exeunt" and followed the disaffected old codger out the door. So as not to make the trip a total bust, I ran up a €12,00 bill at Aldi on a cart full of groceries (jars of pickles for €0,55?!). I may venture out to Ikea this afternoon, or go get a haircut, but I'm not entirely sure I can be bothered. Opening Day today. Thus beings The Summer of My Discontent. I'll be tuning in at 8:10pm local time. Ten hours, ironically enough, after my own, personal one-man Greek Chorus of the Day issued his cosmic oracle about the merits of optimism. Maybe though, for once, love and goodness will prevail. Germany, by the way, I just found out, is issuing commemorative €2 coins for each of its 16 Bundesländer, in addition to the EU-wide commemorative coins for the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome that created the Precursor European Union. They look a lot classier than the state quarters. The Bundesländer coins started last year with Schleswig-Holstein, and a coin will be issued each year until 2021. This year is Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Nordrhein-Westfalen (where I am) won't see the light until 2011. That's all for now. I'm going to eat a Frikadelle. I probably won't post again until I get back from Dublin, so Happy Easter &c.!