Before I continue with this post... Thank you to those taking the time to read my writing/thoughts about Hacks and my German experience here in The Naked Classic Forum. Thanks also for your understanding that I don't have any proof readers - and so you get the ALL of my poor American education. Although I … Continue reading Hacks And The Anglo Germanic Rivalry →

Finally some thoughts about Hacks’ play Die Fische. You’re patience regarding all the other thoughts is appreciated. Living in Europe as an American is kind of funny. I don’t mean funny in the pure comedic sense – as in the stuff that makes you laugh out loud. It’s more like funny in the odd-ball sense … Continue reading Going Fishing →

Obviously in my last two posts I failed at writing about the most recent play that I read by Hacks. In fact, it was my intention to write about Die Fische but I never quite got around to it. That shouldn’t be understood as any kind of conclusion regarding the play. It is a play … Continue reading Chip On Shoulder →

As previously stated, I enjoy reading plays. The tiny, very dark yet alert place in my head is the perfect venue for my own personal theatrical showcase. I’d even go as far as to say that reading a play is my idea of fun, a good time, perhaps even comparable to paying for sex. For … Continue reading Looking For Some Absurdity – Part 2 →

Before I get into the whole seeking absurdity thing and why Peter Hacks isn’t an absurd playwright but should be, I’d like to rant a little about something that will eventually cause my death or might just linger in my soul like a bad bowel movement. Oh yeah, and before I forget. This rant might … Continue reading Looking For Some Absurdity – Part 1 →

There are two things that I’ve grown afraid of since living in Europe/Germany. One of those things is Beamtentum. It’s more of a concept and, perhaps, a way of life then it is just a word. It translates to something like authoritarianism in the form of officialdom. I guess, in a way, it’s like civil-servant-hood … Continue reading How To Runaway From A Sinking Ship →

Who was Seneca? My over educated girlfriend kind of remembered him. I called another Abiturient and he could only provide a vague explanation of who the man was. Then I went to my elderly German neighbor who lives above me and asked if he knew who Seneca was. He stared at me for a long, … Continue reading How Did Seneca Really Die? →

Mr. Hacks has a knack for taking me waaaaay back. In the last play of his that I read he took me back to a time that I'd rather forget, and although I was a bit critical of it, I enjoyed reading “Adam and Eve”. But what about Hacks' ability to make me think of … Continue reading The Proletariate United. At Around 522 B.C. →

How much of the Bible have you read? I mean truly read? Most non-(worst)writing-mortals sit down with a Bible at least once or thrice in life and later say: I've read the Bible. Hypocrisy aside, let me be clear here: I've not only read the Bible but it's so much a part of my life … Continue reading The Thing I Really Want To Know Is, Who Should Play Eve →

Can a poem be inspirational? The inspiration addressed here is not what you think. In fact, I'm a little embarrassed to even write this down. And that's not because I don't actually care much for poetry. I mean, I like things that are poetic but "poems"...? My adversity to poetry has something to do with … Continue reading Singing Hacks In NYC. Or Something Like That →

Berliner Novelle, by Peter Hacks Let me begin with a not-so-well-known German poem/song that will, as of today, always be part of my experience in reading Peter Hacks. The following text was written by Hoffmann von Fallersleben (what a name,eh). For those who don't know, he's the dude that gave the world the lyrics of … Continue reading What's In A Title →

The short play “Der Parteitag” (The Party Convention) by Peter Hacks begins with one of the first words I remember learning after I moved to West Germany. The word? Genossen. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not a believer in hate – but I hate that word. It's like the word Auspuff. When said, no … Continue reading Party Conventions Are Fun. As Are Golden Cages. →

When I was growing up (in America) I was told that life and all it entails would be determined by environment. That included not just the land and trees and waters and smog but also each and every person that I would encounter. As with any other society or country, the environment I was forced … Continue reading You Are Your Environment. Sometimes. →

Some thoughts on my first read of anything Peter Hacks. “Der Staat ist ohne Minister, der Hof ohne Spielmeister, das Theater ohne Direktor, das Land ohne seinen großen Mann.” (The state is without its minister, the courtyard is without its master, the theater is without its director, the country is without its best man.) And … Continue reading To Be A Monologue Or Not To Be →

Yes. I’ve been complaining more than usual these past few months. No. Wait. That’s not true. I reckon I’ve been complaining like this for-almost-ever. Not making it in life has its quirks, indeed. But I will never complain about the parts of this life that I’ve been privileged (worstwriter can write "I've been privileged!) to … Continue reading Globalization + Wine = Globalized Wine →

Although warranted every day in this day and age... there will be no jokes today. (For those who don’t get it... see date of this post.) Being a voluntary Bible reader - but let me add here that I am at the most an atheist and at the least a still very confused deist--I like … Continue reading Story of Ey, Anecdotes →

Original Title: Starting Over, Subsidized Cars, The Art of Selling Junk The weather broke this week in Germania. It’s an enjoyable time when the weather does this. Not so much because of the sunshine, the bier gardens, the easy women, but instead because I always feel that the sky of winter is finally off my … Continue reading Art of Selling Junk →

Update June 10, 2008. There's a new movie out on steroids. Like so many other ”docu- mentaries”, they should have titled it: Too little, Too Late. Looking back on life I can make (only) a few claims to actually experiencing what I was taught/told/ is ”happiness”. Like so many other things in this world, I’m sure … Continue reading Happiness Doped →