cold

It is cold and dark in my groundfloor apartment. I am finally moving
out this week. I don´t know where to yet. In july and august I
probably won´t be in Berlin anyway and all my stuff can be stored in
my new studio. I am leaving Neukölln for now. The studio is in
Treptow and not far away.
Rent in Berlin exploded within the last couple of years. I still
remember how incredibly cheap this city was about 8 years ago. I had
a great apartment with oven heating for 300DM = 150 Euros. I had a
job that paid me about 600DM + some support from my family. I was a
rich man. I had about 400 Euros a month and I lived a good life. Now
I spend 400 Euros only on rent. Luckily my jobs got a little better
but still I never know what happens next month...
I have a feeling that our country, our government is trying to melk
us. Everything is becoming more and more expensive. Gas, oil,
electricity, food, rent, trains... The government has to raise the
welfare to keep the people off the streets and in order to pay for
that they are raising taxes. This will make it impossible to live an
honest and poor but happy life in the future. You are forced into
either welfare or taking part in a commercial business orientated
world where you are working hard and a lot every day just to pay for
your basic expenses.
I am not sure where I am gonna be in a year or two... definitely not
working in a bank but I am getting more and more sick of Germany.
I want to leave, but where to?
I am still dreaming of an old house in Italy in the middle of
nowhere. 8 years ago I was very close to leaving Berlin for Italy. I
actually started to learn italien back then but I have forgotten most
of it now. I haven´t been to Italy in a few years now but it is still
on top of my list.

I had a wonderful weekend. My friend Koen - my roommate in New York
was in town to play a couple of shows and we got to go out and hang
out for a bit. Unfortunately New York is not really an option either
but it would be great to be there more often, too.

(the picture shows Koen playing at the Electronic Church in Berlin)