I can't sleep.

I got Tennessee on my mind.

It's just past 4 in the morning and I cant help but stare at Orion's belt gleaming through my window. It shines so bright over the German hillside and all I can think about is just how many others are looking at the exact same constellation, at this exact same moment. probably thousands. perhaps millions. I don't know the likelyhood of the latter, but it sounds feasable.

I went on a mini tour this weekend with one of my favorite new artists, Sarah Brendel. She could be a star if she wanted to. It's not that her music is too new, but for some reason I'm just discovering her.

After meeting her at a show in Dresden Friday she invited me on tour with her to Berlin for the weekend. How could I resist? I even played a show with her. Oh, and I tell you I was on tv? No big deal.



I had a delightful time with her and the guys. We scopped out all the hip local spots in Berlin, drank Italian espresso at a pizza bistro, talked about Hannover and Hamburg over mojitos in a bar with a live dj, shot film, and coveted all the fixed gear bikes in town. I'm such a hipster, I know.

After 2 years in Germany, this was my first time to really see Berlin. I even (possibly) saw some real live Bansky.

Thursday I'm off to Hamburg for a conference about Human Trafficking and then a week with the design students somewhere in the city. Details are yet to be confirmed, but all we need for action is a projector and a warm place to sleep. Their last assigment was to make stop motion videos about trafficking and I'm challenging them to show their final projects in downtown Hamburg projected onto a wall or screen outside. It's going to be cold, but I'm really excited to see the reactions.

There are about 7-8,000 women working in prostitution in Hamburg. About 70% are migrant workers and many trafficked in thanks to its convenient harbor. I hope to spark some conversation and avoid as much cold as possible. I just pray I make it on to my plane next Saturday without too many germs or court costs. Germany requires too many permits.