Good luck with figuring the numbers, flea. Among other issues, you'd want to figure out about after-school care and other programs for the kids, I guess?

In other news, the DDOS attacks against LJ continue. One of the targets appears to be an anti-corruption blogger in Russia named Anton Navalney.

Anyway, Denise who started Dreamwidth has a very smart post about how important LJ is in Russia, and why it's important to support LJ now. [link]

So, people who grumble about "the Russians" taking over LJ should remember that in Russia, LiveJournal isn't just the top blogging platform, it's the blogging platform. It is Russia's free press. It is the tool being used to fight corruption and advance the cause of democracy. And, more practically to LJ users, the Russian-speaking sector of LJ is the reason LJ is still there at all.

What have I forgotten?

do you have pets? If so, be sure to include costs for them, which can be quite steep. I know that when one of my dad's friends PCSed to Germany, their dog had to be in quarantine for a month and it was really expensive.

flea, one of the other things you might want to consider is long-term storage in the US, depending on how long you will be in Germany. My brother has been in England for 6 years, and that was the one thing he wished he'd negotiated, because there was stuff that he didn't want to take but also didn't want to get rid of, and storage prices have increased (for no good reason I can see) to almost double. He'll be back in the states in 10 months, if not, he would have bribed my husband and son to find a less expensive unit, and move all his crap.

man, I am still reeling from that email yesterday. I need to get over it and do something productive, but tv and zuma blitz seem like such better Friday activities.

Don't let the assclowns get you down!

God, I hate this bullshitty aspect of corporate culture. I'm not fucking passionate about processing your paperwork.

Sing it. I hate seeing that "We are looking for people passionate about [some corporate task nobody in the history of everything has ever been passionate about]". What's next "We are looking for people who achieve sexual climax when scheduling conferences"?

Sing it. I hate seeing that "We are looking for people passionate about [some corporate task nobody in the history of everything has ever been passionate about]". What's next "We are looking for people who achieve sexual climax when scheduling conferences"?

HA! Where's the "like" button?? t aimlessly clicks around the site

MsBelle, it sounded like a person was asked to do a favor that he didn't want to do, but couldn't turn down. So he was nasty. And petty. And probably tripped on something later in the day.

"We are looking for people passionate about [some corporate task nobody in the history of everything has ever been passionate about]"

::sings:: "'this job fulfilling in creative way'/ such a load of crap..."

I'd mention that the guy was nasty to your mutual friend so they don't send anyone else his way. His nastiness was totally uncalled for and provided no benefit for you.

What have I forgotten?

flea, German public education is pretty good, depending roughly on which part of town you're in, and public schools are free. However I would reserve the right to put the children into an international or US school, which will be private and therefore cost money. A quick Google has turned up two, the International Schule Berlin and the John F. Kennedy School.

I have no idea as regards Berlin prices, but I would imagine for a big German city you're looking at at least EUR 1,500 per month rent approximately for a good-sized, well located appartment.

My Berlin experience is (cough) 25 years old, but I know that there is a huge English-speaking expat community, and you can get pretty far without speaking much German, if you need to. You will almost certainly find lots of institutions and people to help you settle in and find your feet. It's a fantastic city.

If you can, you could try and get them to pay for one return trip to the US per year for the whole family, though that might be pushing it. Or at least enough cash for a German Buffista F2F!

Please DO email me with any questions you may have. I'm happy to help, really.

Ian McKellen, fronting the Fleshtones, at Warhol Factory c. 1987. Today just got better: [link]