Was able to sleep in, and then watch the Crossroads sermon from last week online (I didn't really understand the amazingness of the internet until I began living here in Switzerland. That I can access the same video that you can in the States. That Skype is even possible!). I have to pace myself, and not let myself watch the videos too much in advance, because then I want to see a new one, and it isn't available yet!
I have become a bit of a klepto... I am constantly on alert for sweet graphic design stuff here—there is such a wealth of it! It may be wrong, but I tell myself that I am collecting for the betterment of us American designers, as I hope to donate it to our studio and make a GIANT inspiration wall when I get back. As for now, all the posters I am claiming are up in my room, bringing a little Swiss lifetouch to the otherwise largely white space.
New music! Roger introduced me to the song "Hungriges Herz" by Mia (not M.I.A.) I bought the Scala and Kolacny Brothers choir version on iTunes, but you can listen to it on YouTube in its original form. The video/photo accompaniment is kind of lame, so don't judge it on that. Here is the LINK.
Went to drop off the recycling today at the nearby bins behind the train station, with all my roommates, but arrived to see that they were gone, due to some construction. So we went to the Tellplatz, and found some signs saying that we could only recycle Monday–Friday, 9–5pm! We had already walked quite a ways, with multiple bags of cans and bottles, and were not going to turn around, so we just started dumping them anyways. And wouldn't you know, there were 2 or 3 people that came out to yell at us. For recycling! Can you imagine that? One woman even took our picture, threatening to turn us in! Heck, in America, we're just happy to see people making the effort at all!
Went to the Basel Papermill today. I am almost positive it is on the Helvetica documentary, but I cannot remember. I want to see that again so bad! I probably will cave and buy a Region 1 copy when I get back. It was awesome; I am for-sure going back before I leave. The building was built ontop of a small river that leads into the Rhein, and has a waterwheel to generate power for the mill. It was an active paper mill from the Middle Ages to the late 1920s, and is now a museum about papermaking, type casting and setting, printing, and bookbinding. Here's a photo of an ink roller; no other significance except for beauty :)
It is only open for three hours at a time, so I made sure to go early, and just as I thought, I found myself getting kicked out at closing time. You could stand right by the fiber shredders, and pulp pounders, and even screen and press your own paper, with the Basel emblem watermark. I was in line to do this, amongst 7 year olds and their parents. The children were showing me what to do, cheering me on as I flipped the wet paper pulp onto the blotting felt. I set some type in a composing stick, that was supposed to read, "graphic designer in basel" but somehow read "graqhicdesignerinbasel" because I couldn't find the spacers in the case, and had the "p" in wrong. And the man who was setting it in the galley did not speak English, so when he tried to fix it, and it read "gradhicdesignerin basel," I just said "Danke" and moved on. I have never seen so many typecases; just cabinets upon cabinets of type! There was an original Heidelberg press, a lithography press with an old limestone tablet, and a huge collection of typewriters. And of course, a whole section of the museum was devoted to Helvetica.
I met a family, Andy, Antonella, Adina, and Alessandro, who live in Switzerland and actually just came back from Fremont, Ohio! We got to talking, and they invited me for a drink downstairs in the Paper Café. Their children are so full of life, at four and two and a half, and already know German and Italian fluently. We had spent only a few hours together, but after this time they gave me their phone number and email, and invited me to a barbeque this weekend in eastern Switzerland! I had told them about my desire to go to Liectenstein while I am here, and they suggested that they could drive me to the barbeque, meet people there, stay the night, and then they could drive me to Liectenstein the next day! I couldn't believe it. I don't know if any of this will work out, but I am excited to have this experience nonetheless.
Came home and had an unpleasant encounter near the train station. I do not want to go into it, but I am definitely learning that I need to be a bit more guarded than I have been lately. It is hard to do that, though, when you come across some such friendly and heartwarming people, as well.
Ate a little dinner and hung out with the roommates, and then off to church at the ICF–International Christian Foundation. I was so excited when I walked in and began descending the stairs into the theater—made me feel like I was going to Forefront in New York again. I found the headset table, so I could enjoy the sermon in English. I met Lisa, who is from Australia, and is now living here as a vet with her husband Chris. I sat down, and felt sort of "at home" with Christians, but still somewhat of an outsider since everyone was talking in Swiss German, and knew each other. I have been humbled by that here, that yes, sometimes I will feel a little left out or uncomfortable. But this insecurity has only made me stronger here, and force me to rely on God. The service began with 2 English worship songs and 2 German. I cannot tell you how cool it was to sing German praise songs. We seemed to sing "across the world" in almost every song, and it got me to thinking, how different Switzerland and America are, but how Jesus has bridged us together, that there are congregations in both places praising the same God. That God speaks German too! Wow! I always "knew" that, but didn't really "get" that until I was surrounded by a unified German-praising voice. The sermon was on Humor in the Bible. It seemed odd to me, in the beginning, that a Swiss pastor would preach on humor, as the Swiss are known for being pretty serious, but it was an amazing perspective that I have never heard before. He brought up the question, "If you were asked, who is the most joyous and funniest person you can think of, you would probably answer... Borat, or Mr. Bean, or the donkey from Shrek, but not God, right? But he is the most joyous of them all! Just look as all this irony and humor He puts in the Bible!" He referenced the "speck of dust in your neighbor's eye, and the plank in your own" story, and pulled a 2 x 4 out of nowhere, and a small piece of a toothpick, and was making jokes onstage, and telling us how God can't wait to laugh with us in heaven, hearty and warm laughter. I couldn't help but enjoy myself, and see new pieces of God's character. After the service, Lisa invited me for a drink with her and some people from ICF at the restaurant above the theater. I got to chatting for a good two hours, and met her husband Chris, a woman named Martina, Lana, and Mike, most of which will be at the English-speaking small group I am joining that begins tomorrow!!! I am so excited!!! All of my wildest prayers have come true.
I hope I haven't been tiring you all with this prolonged posts. But I am just so happy.
Enjoy the rest of your day; I am sleeping now.
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