A Boxer's Baptism

 [ Future Bosco, meet the reason you never got a job ]

[ Distracted along the waddle ]

 

  [ Additional evidence, Future Bosco ]

[ Jos A. Bank, we hardly knew thee ]

Mon appartement

Snow by the centimeter

Flakes as big as dinner plates.
Eat your fill,
And hope some's left for breakfast.

 Branch, icy veins, and

Teach what we already know:

Coldest of silence.

 

[ The Dude abides. ]

Night hunt: swan song

Like the great Julian Hussein Assange, I too have an indominable thirst for truth, no matter how ugly. And so it was that one night not too long ago that myself and my associate Sevan embarked once again on a mission. A mission to expose once and for all the after-hours habits of the bird-formerly-known-as-Swan. The brave can read on.

It began much like any other mission. The swan is an elusive beast, known to outwit even the most skilled tracker.

We followed the trail over many miles, passing untold numbers of festive impressionist light sculptures.

And took in the local fauna. 

It wasn't long before we came upon our first prize. But as every schoolgirl worth her salt knows, you can never feed just one swan. 

Before we knew it the rest of the squadron had assembled...

... and we set about bending them to our will. 

 Turns out swans (and ducks alike) are ape for candy corn. What's that, our corn subsidies are wasted on high fructose candies? Tell that to the wildlife. [ Note also the German tourist mocking the ugly swan in the background. ]

Hardly the brightest. All the better for a devastatingly efficient winged army. Bow down as the spirit moves you.

Basel-isk

Let's hear it for Basel, everyone. Any city that allows parties in soon-to-be-destroyed warehouses is tops in my book. 

 

 [ Steampunk'd ]

[ Old city gate ]

[ City hall ]

[ All along the old city gate ]

On notice

 

[ Halfway up Le Salève -- note that you can STILL see the Jet d'Eau ]

It hit me today that every single one of my goals, the things I'm excited to begin and experience, they're all related in some way to my career (murky and shrouded in mystery as it remains) or school. That and the carpal tunnel WebMD tells me I'm developing have convinced me it's time to draw up some plans.

Scanning all horizons for adventure.

The secret lives of the Helvetic wildlife

After many a sleepless night and painstaking research, ladies and gentlemen, I give you the feeding habits of the enigmatic Swiss water swan:

[ Guest commentary by Sevan ]

Not so dapper now, are we?

Hard to tell in this picture but these sheep have cattails -- look like fat German Shepherds from far away.