My flatmate is either dyslexic or has a better knowledge of English than I thought…

So I’m now a quarter of a century old! 25 – 2, 5. Yep, that’s right, yesterday I had my biggest birthday since my 21st, and probably the last one I’ll be able to look forward to without hot sweats and panic about losing the last remainders of my youth.

Having said that, now that I’ve experienced three birthdays in Germany, I can say that I won’t have any problems turning thirty here; because if there’s one thing Germans understand, it’s how to feiern a Geburtstag – and I’m not just talking about alcohol consumption here, although that too is involved.

There’s one thing my coach never tired of saying to me: “Hau den Ball ins Tor hinein!” – best translated with: “Just slam it into the back of the net!” What did yours used to say to you? What about this one: “I’d like to thank my producer, my fans and, of course, my dad. Dad, if you’re looking down on us right now, this one’s for you!” Yes, it’s Oscar-time again and you can bet your last Euro that there were a few speeches like that last night. Now, the German Bundesliga is not exactly Hollywood, but if it were to award Oscars, the 25th day of play wouldn’t be a bad time to reward a few teams and players who have really excelled.

Rihanna performing "Rude Boy"

Two weeks ago, a friend asked me if I wanted to work at this year’s Echo award show. The Echo is the most important German music award, and this year’s artist line-up was impressive: Rihanna, Depeche Mode, Gossip, and the list goes on. In charge of the backstage area, I coordinated when the artists go on stage for their performance. I had a 16-hour day ahead of me that was planned by the minute. Here are the most important moments of the Echo 2010:

Special Menu for Black History Month

Berlin is a growing metropolis known best for its originality. From world events like the annual film festival “Berlinale“ to the world’s best kept secret laundromat down the street, Berlin is home to everything your heart desires and everything your heart didn’t even know it desires.

In the past days, a couple of events and locations showed the internationality Berlin has in store, of which I find two worth mentioning. First, the Black History Month 2010 in Berlin, which exceeded all expectations, followed by my discovery of the laundromat slash event location named “Freddy Leck“.

“Hau den Ball ins Tor hinein!” – Bundesliga blog for the 24th day of play – Its derby-time!

There’s one thing my coach never tired of saying to me: “Hau den Ball ins Tor hinein!” – best translated with: “Just slam it into the back of the net!” What did yours used to say to you? What about this one: “In order to enchant your audience, you have to open yourself to them and show them the determination inside you”? Ever heard that? Probably not – unless you’re also in an amateur dramatic club.