Why We're Going to Munich

Short answer:
Because I erased the photos from my hard drive on one fateful afternoon in Washington D.C.

Long answer:
Because Dave has a conference and he knew I wanted to re-take all the photos I'd lost on one fateful afternoon in Washington D.C.

The photo above is about the only one left, and it's really not from Munich, but is a picture of me in the dirndl I made after going to Munich. We were, at the time, living in Washington DC so jetlag was only a 6 hour change (instead of the 9-hour change it is from here). I'd purchased fabric from a store in Munich, struggled through a German-language version of a dress pattern, and made this dress. I found out later that our pattern books have an English-language version.

Someday I'll wear this to church. I usually wear it at Christmastime, but we'd just merged wards in our stake last year and I didn't want the newbies to think I was flat out weird. Now they know I'm just flat out weird, so there's no worries.

Here's a closer up. Yep, she's a middle-aged honeybunch, but doesn't she look Bavarian?
I was also pretty not-feeling-well when I was over there before (gallstones) so I'd like to go when I'm in pretty good shape. Or as my Dad says, travel now, while you're young.
I like that he thinks I'm young.

Visual answer:
Theatine Church, Munich.

Most of this church is done in white stucco, so the day's shadows, lights, darks, sunlight streams all play off the shapes, creating their own tonality.

Food answer:
Maybe to get some Bavarian Apple Strudel?

(This picture is all over the web. Maybe I can come up with a new one.)

Dave's answer:
Benzene conference (he's an expert).

Wait, let me get you another picture of the classic benzene ring.

Whoops. This is a local band, The Benzene Ring, and you can click to listen to their tunes.
(One review says: A compelling combination of short soundscapes, creepy chants, and five-minute-plus epics ... Breathing Water in a Dream is diverse and fresh enough to pull in listeners from both the prog and indie camps.)

Okey, dokey for all you progs and indies out there.

Yes! That's it!
But let's not stop there. Here's one from the United States Army, the chemical division, with a traditional six-sided benzene ring:

Wonder how I can get one of these for Dave? Better yet, everyone at his conference? The description reads:
48th Chemical Brigade Distinctive Unit Insignia: The green dragon grasping the sword alludes to the chemical operations of the Brigade and the unit's mission to combat chemical and biological warfare. The benzene ring is adapted from the branch insignia.

And then there's this guy, August Kekulé, who dozy-day-dreamed about a snake swallowing its tail, which taught him the structure of the benzene ring, basis of all organic chemistry.

Let's hear it for naps.

Or for staring into space.

At any rate, we're off tomorrow, beating the Labor Day rush to get out of town to celebrate the last day of summer.

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The Traveled Mind.