Letters and Literature

Tomorrow is the first day of the semester. I have written down my schedule, located the most confusing classrooms, sent emails to professors to "register" when necessary, and can only hope that I have prepared myself enough. Time will tell.

However, today I felt like I had an excess of time. Out of laziness and forgetfulness I ended up not going to church. Thus, the only thing going on was open gym from 1 to 3. My wrists are aching from it. I get the feeling I won't be doing any flip-flops at tomorrow's practice.

After the workout I returned home and checked my mailbox. Two letters! That surprised me. I had been expecting my debit card, but what was in this other envelope? As I looked at the return address, my stomach sank. Bundeszentralamt für Steuern or "Federal Central Office for Taxes." If I had to pay taxes I could kiss fruits and vegetables goodbye.

It turns out the letter simply contained my "tax number". It seems to serve the same purpose as a social security number. You only get one, you keep it your whole life, and you use it to identify yourself in official paperwork. Having one does not mean that you have to file taxes, thank goodness.

On the way back upstairs from the mail room I passed a box in the hall labeled "Free Stuff." I like free stuff. More specifically, I like free stuff that I intended to buy. From this box, I pulled a beach towel (good for workouts or as a floor mat), the "first" book in A Song of Ice and Fire and Otherland: City of Golden Shadow, both translated into German. If I keep going at this rate, I'll have an entire library of lucky finds. Bringing them back...well easy come easy go.