I'm Kurt Sauer and this site is my little home away from home—a place where I can write about the things that I find interesting and, with a little luck, might interest you as well.

In this space, I'd like to tell you about some things I enjoy doing or studying.

Go is an ancient board game that originated in China at least 3,000 years ago. Although the rules of Go are quite simple, the game is so complex that today's professional players are still finding new and interesting moves.

The game's name comes from the Japanese word igo, which means "surrounding boardgame."

I can honestly say that nothing has been harder in my life than learning Japanese. But the learning is rewarding, because I enjoy the beauty of the language quite a lot.

Still, as a Westerner, learning and remembering the kanji (Chinese characters) will be a lifelong challenge.

I really enjoy playing aikido. Despite my inconsistency at training, I still find it as fascinating (and challenging) as ever. But the best part is the people!

Since 2004, I've been licensed as an International Referee for the sport of cycling. I enjoy refereeing at pro races and having the chance to see cycling around the world.

Few things in life are more interesting than seeing more of the world. In our daily lives, it's easy to forget how diverse the world is in culture and history, not to mention language, religion and customs. Nothing beats seeing the differences in person.