slowly but surely

I'm realizing that I am getting more and more comfortable hearing German all the time, trying to understand it, and (gasp!) even, sometimes, formulating sentences that are seemingly correct to answer people or ask questions.

When I began this audition madness back in February, my auditions went something like this.
Show up at the porter's office and use keywords:
Audition, Today, 1pm, Here Early, Warm up?

And then listen for key words:
Upstairs, right, left, right, left, Frau so-and-so's office.

I would always just end up guessing the general direction of where I was sent, and hope that on one of the doors I would see a sign for KBB.

But more recently, I'm fielding phone calls from the KBB office of current-opera-theater, that are explaining to me in detail that I need this-and-that document, this for a work visa, to come into the office before this time to sign that contract, etc.

And--I GET it! And what's more fun- I can KINDOF answer them back and say- no, I won't be there until 5, can you send the contract in the mail? That would be great. Thursday? No problem....

I CERTAINLY have not been studying here...I have my books, but I just don't have the time or energy to really open them and start looking at verb tenses...

But I suppose that just being around this crazy language at all times somehow a LITTLE bit rubs off. And that gives me a BIT more hope of ONE day maybe possibly JUST perhaps that I will be 'ok' in German.