Got stuff done today

I wish all days were as productive as this. I walked downtown just after lunch at 1300... it was drizzling all the way, and my 1 euro umbrella was demonstrating its value for money...

1. went to my local bank (Volksbank) to figure out how much money was in my account as I thought I was being underpaid by the MPI (and yes, I was)
   
2. bought some salami, cheese und bread on the way at the market (unplanned, but it's good pancetta)
   
3. bought a ticket to Amsterdam for 44 euros - summer special - and I can use the fast trains! I'd been unable to buy this online either - all the tickets I could find there were over 100 euros - this gets me there a day early, but I think Bernie - whom I'm staying with there - won't be too upset
   
4. went to the local branch of Citibank to verify that I couldn't transfer money to my account in Chicago
   
5. Went to another nearby branch of Volksbank to transfer the money - it should take a week, and will hopefully get to Chicago in time to pay for the deposit on my new apartment
   
6. Caught a bus to the MPI to get to Florian's seminar at 1500. The bell for the seminar was just going off as I walked up the steps. Perfect timing, nicht?
   
7. Went to the payroll department, who promptly verified that, yes, there was a mistake with my salary - and I should get a few hundred euro in my bank account tomorrow - which I can then transfer back to Chicago for my first month's rent.
   

Thank you, Nick Hornby, for writing High Fidelity, which got me out of my emotional rut and back into life. (Hopefully this effect will last at least three days.) It made me get in touch with a couple of old friends who I really shouldn't have got out of touch with. I just phoned one of them - and it turns out she's actually passing through Karlsruhe in a month! Wow. Her brother works there. Nice timing.