Yesterday, over at The Litterbox Jen came up with a perfect money-making scheme: She is going to rent out her cats!
The idea wouldn't be nearly so funny to me, except it reminded me of a time when My Little Chinese Guy approached me about doing almost that very same thing.
I have mentioned My Little Chinese Guy before. While in most respects he was a sweet guy and we had some very interesting and stimulating conversations, in some ways I found him a little eccentric. I never figured out why he thought he needed to give me a watermelon or why he preferred the bathrooms near my office, but the day that he softly knocked on my office door and politely asked if he could borrow one of my cats for a few days really took the cake.
At first I blinked a couple of times and shook my head as if to clear the cotton out of my ears. It had been one of those days where I had been staring too long and too hard at the computer screen and I thought maybe I hadn't heard him correctly. "Excuse me?" I said. He repeated his request to borrow one of my cats. "Why?" I asked, a little suspicious. He always seemed to like my cats, even though he was one of those people who was a little over-anxious around them.
Then story the came out. He lived in a little house and apparently, a rat had decided to move in with him. It was eating his bread and leaving turds all over the house. "A rat?" I asked, "Are you sure it isn't just a mouse?" No, he was convinced it was a rat, and a damned clever one at that. Up to that point, it had apparently avoided all of the traps he had set out. I suggested poison. He explained he didn't want to use poison when he though a cat would do nicely to catch the thing. This, he explained, was the reason for his visit. I was the only person he knew that had a cat.
He thought since Scooter was such a big tomcat, he would be the perfect rat-hunter and promised that he would take good care of him if I would loan him to him for a few days... just until he caught the rat.
When I tried to picture Scooter hunting a rat, I laughed out loud. I tried to explain to him that Scooter was a pampered indoor house cat who had never even smelled a rat. I wasn't even sure he would know what to do if he saw one. That was the problem, said my Little Chinese Guy. Scooter needed some experience in being a cat. He should be outdoors hunting. This would give him the perfect opportunity to tune into his instinct. "No," I said, "You are not borrowing my cat."
He then tried to convince me maybe Mouse would be better equipped for the task. After all, he said, it appeared to him that she had the right attitude for it. While I agreed Mouse would probably make a better rat-hunter, I held firm and would not let him borrow my cats. Crestfallen, he finally gave up. He told me to have a nice day and left my office.
I never did find out what happened to that rat...
21 October 2004
20 October 2004
"Passing Admirers" Progress
I am back to working on "Passing Admirers." I just love this piece! It is so pretty!
I love the scene, I love the looks on the ladies' faces, and above all, I love the Victorian clothing! However, I must say with all those high necks, tight corsets, and extravagant bows I am sure glad I never had to wear those dresses!
I love the scene, I love the looks on the ladies' faces, and above all, I love the Victorian clothing! However, I must say with all those high necks, tight corsets, and extravagant bows I am sure glad I never had to wear those dresses!
A Girly Post
The other day while I was walking through the mass pedestrian confusion that characterizes the approximate 500 meter journey from Karlsplatz to Marienplatz here in Munich I was saddened to discover that they had turned The Gap into yet another H&M.
What is it about H&M? Sure they have trendy clothes that come with a decent price tag, but does the shopping zone between Karlsplatz and Marienplatz really need five of them?! Well, maybe... one of the reasons I don't buy a lot from them is because I get so impatient waiting in line behind a bunch of teeny-boppers for a dressing room.
I am really not against another H&M store, but why did they have to close The Gap to make room for it? Not only have I always been a fan of The Gap, it was one of the few stores here in Germany where not only the sizes made sense, they were accurate! My other lamentation is that since I didn't know they were closing the store I missed out on all the great clearance items and prices.
But back to the issue of sizes. I have pretty much abandoned the attempt to translate American sizes into German sizes, because it just doesn't work. In the US, I usually wear a size 8 or 10. That is supposed to translate in Germany to 38 or 40. However, an American 8 or 10 is more accurately a 40 or 42.
Sure, you might think that I am lying to myself. When it comes to the issue of weight, body image, and sizes, women have been known not only to deceive others, but also themselves. Either I don't really wear a size 8 or 10 in America or I have gained weight and so the 40 or 42 might actually be a size 10 or 12 and I just don't want to admit it.
However, in both of these instances you would be wrong. Before I left America I was regularly wearing a size 10 and that was the largest size I had ever worn because I was at the heaviest point in my life. As a matter of fact, I have lost almost 25 pounds since I came to Germany two and a half years ago. When I first came here, I was buying 42s but now, as a general rule, I am buying 40s. In addition, I brought two pairs of my "skinny" jeans with me from the US (size 7/8) and for the first time in three years, I can wear them again. So obviously, when they try and give you American sizes that are equivalent to their German sizes here, they are wrong.
However, this doesn't surprise me. A long time ago I read an article somewhere that discussed how American sizes have shifted over the past 30 years or so. According to this article, American sizes have shifted downward about two sizes over this time period. Therefore, what was labeled as a size 12 in 1974 is labeled a size 8 in 2004. The reason for this is because even though we are heavier now than we were then, we like to think we are not. What better way to do this than by saying, "I wore a size 8 in 1974 when I got married. And two kids and 30 years later I still wear a size 8. Obviously, I can't be that fat!"
Of course, since the shopper is their livelihood, the fashion industry complies. After all, how tough can it be to design a size 12 but stick a size 8 tag in a pair of jeans? I suppose since European women tend to be thinner than their American counterparts, the fashion industry hasn't had to make those adjustments here. Therefore, European to American clothing conversion charts use 1974 figures instead of 2004 figures. I guess that would make sense... even though I am not too keen on the idea that even though I have lost weight I am still wearing the 1974 equivalent of double digit sizes!
What is it about H&M? Sure they have trendy clothes that come with a decent price tag, but does the shopping zone between Karlsplatz and Marienplatz really need five of them?! Well, maybe... one of the reasons I don't buy a lot from them is because I get so impatient waiting in line behind a bunch of teeny-boppers for a dressing room.
I am really not against another H&M store, but why did they have to close The Gap to make room for it? Not only have I always been a fan of The Gap, it was one of the few stores here in Germany where not only the sizes made sense, they were accurate! My other lamentation is that since I didn't know they were closing the store I missed out on all the great clearance items and prices.
But back to the issue of sizes. I have pretty much abandoned the attempt to translate American sizes into German sizes, because it just doesn't work. In the US, I usually wear a size 8 or 10. That is supposed to translate in Germany to 38 or 40. However, an American 8 or 10 is more accurately a 40 or 42.
Sure, you might think that I am lying to myself. When it comes to the issue of weight, body image, and sizes, women have been known not only to deceive others, but also themselves. Either I don't really wear a size 8 or 10 in America or I have gained weight and so the 40 or 42 might actually be a size 10 or 12 and I just don't want to admit it.
However, in both of these instances you would be wrong. Before I left America I was regularly wearing a size 10 and that was the largest size I had ever worn because I was at the heaviest point in my life. As a matter of fact, I have lost almost 25 pounds since I came to Germany two and a half years ago. When I first came here, I was buying 42s but now, as a general rule, I am buying 40s. In addition, I brought two pairs of my "skinny" jeans with me from the US (size 7/8) and for the first time in three years, I can wear them again. So obviously, when they try and give you American sizes that are equivalent to their German sizes here, they are wrong.
However, this doesn't surprise me. A long time ago I read an article somewhere that discussed how American sizes have shifted over the past 30 years or so. According to this article, American sizes have shifted downward about two sizes over this time period. Therefore, what was labeled as a size 12 in 1974 is labeled a size 8 in 2004. The reason for this is because even though we are heavier now than we were then, we like to think we are not. What better way to do this than by saying, "I wore a size 8 in 1974 when I got married. And two kids and 30 years later I still wear a size 8. Obviously, I can't be that fat!"
Of course, since the shopper is their livelihood, the fashion industry complies. After all, how tough can it be to design a size 12 but stick a size 8 tag in a pair of jeans? I suppose since European women tend to be thinner than their American counterparts, the fashion industry hasn't had to make those adjustments here. Therefore, European to American clothing conversion charts use 1974 figures instead of 2004 figures. I guess that would make sense... even though I am not too keen on the idea that even though I have lost weight I am still wearing the 1974 equivalent of double digit sizes!
19 October 2004
Conspiracy Theory 101
In order to understand Evolution you need to realize that everything is controlled by a secret society made up of illegal immigrants with help from stock brockers.
The conspiracy first started during Parting of the Red Sea in France. They have been responsible for many events throughout history, including The Disapperance of Atlantis.
Today, members of the conspiracy are everywhere. They can be identified by sneezing.
They want to bitch slap Rush Limbaugh and imprison resisters in Siberia using hot air balloons.
In order to prepare for this, we all must cross the street. Since the media is controlled by Planned Parenthood we should get our information from The NRA.
* * *
You too can create your own conspiracy theory... just click here!
An Endangered Species?
Rumor has it that I am an endangered species. "What?!" you say, "How can you be an endangered species?" There are over 200 million Americans and the population is growing every day. It is true that the number of people who are of European decent is declining, but they are far from being an endangered species. So how can I, an American of European decent possibly be an endangered species? The answer is simple: I am a natural blonde.
According to this article from the BBC, "a study by experts in Germany suggests people with blonde hair are an endangered species and will become extinct by 2202." While I admit that this startling statement is a little bit unsettling, it also makes me feel special. Could it be that I am soon to be on the list next to the giant panda, the bottle-nosed dolphin, and the bald eagle? What sort of rights should I demand as an endangered species? How can I ensure that my kind and my habitat are protected? A whole new world of activism could open up for me...
On the other hand though, Professor Jonathan Rees claims it is unlikely that blondes would die out completely. While natural blondes could argue that we are being threatened by chemical pollutants and an invasive species - the unnatural blonde - unlike the giant panda, bottle-nosed dolphin, or bald eagle, blondes are not really threatened by a loss of habitat. Our disadvantage comes from the fact that blonde is a recessive gene.
Therefore, according to Professor Rees, "[t]he only reason blondes would disappear is if having the gene was a disadvantage" and most would say that is not the case. After all, there are a lot of advantages in being a natural blonde: Sayings like "Gentlemen prefer blondes" or that "Blondes have more fun" and celebrities like Pamela Anderson, Britney Spears, or Marilyn Monroe show that even though Western society labels us with a lot of negative stereotypes, a good number of people think looking like us is beneficial.
Natural blondes are victims of accepted discrimination. It is painful and demanding to be an intelligent blonde and have to fight against negative stereotypes every day. I put on a brave face and accept the challenges and paradoxes of being naturally blonde, but I would be lying if I said that I hadn't thought about how my life would be different if I wasn't a blonde: Would people take me more seriously? Would people still question my intelligence? Would people continue to make assumptions about my sexuality based on my hair color?
The blonde gene may be recessive, but if the blonde personality wasn't dominant we would avoid the problem by going brunette. So while I may not be at immediate risk of extinction, I would love to do something to endanger all those unnatural blondes out there! ;)
According to this article from the BBC, "a study by experts in Germany suggests people with blonde hair are an endangered species and will become extinct by 2202." While I admit that this startling statement is a little bit unsettling, it also makes me feel special. Could it be that I am soon to be on the list next to the giant panda, the bottle-nosed dolphin, and the bald eagle? What sort of rights should I demand as an endangered species? How can I ensure that my kind and my habitat are protected? A whole new world of activism could open up for me...
On the other hand though, Professor Jonathan Rees claims it is unlikely that blondes would die out completely. While natural blondes could argue that we are being threatened by chemical pollutants and an invasive species - the unnatural blonde - unlike the giant panda, bottle-nosed dolphin, or bald eagle, blondes are not really threatened by a loss of habitat. Our disadvantage comes from the fact that blonde is a recessive gene.
Therefore, according to Professor Rees, "[t]he only reason blondes would disappear is if having the gene was a disadvantage" and most would say that is not the case. After all, there are a lot of advantages in being a natural blonde: Sayings like "Gentlemen prefer blondes" or that "Blondes have more fun" and celebrities like Pamela Anderson, Britney Spears, or Marilyn Monroe show that even though Western society labels us with a lot of negative stereotypes, a good number of people think looking like us is beneficial.
Natural blondes are victims of accepted discrimination. It is painful and demanding to be an intelligent blonde and have to fight against negative stereotypes every day. I put on a brave face and accept the challenges and paradoxes of being naturally blonde, but I would be lying if I said that I hadn't thought about how my life would be different if I wasn't a blonde: Would people take me more seriously? Would people still question my intelligence? Would people continue to make assumptions about my sexuality based on my hair color?
The blonde gene may be recessive, but if the blonde personality wasn't dominant we would avoid the problem by going brunette. So while I may not be at immediate risk of extinction, I would love to do something to endanger all those unnatural blondes out there! ;)
18 October 2004
Must I?
I am beginning to think I have lived in Germany too long. It isn't because I have mastered the German language, because I have started wearing a dirndl, or because I drink beer for breakfast. None of these things are true. I think I have lived in Germany too long because of a simple one syllable English word: "must."
As a general rule, we don't use the word "must" too often in English. Think about it. How often do you say that you must do or say something or that you must go somewhere? Normally, (American) English speakers say "have to" when one has no choice but to do or say something or go somewhere. (example: "I have to go to the grocery store before we run out of milk.") In these situations, one can use "must," but we don't do it.
"Must" is a word that has authoritative connotations in English and while you may tell yourself you must go to the store and get milk before you run out, if your neighbor tells you that you must mow your lawn, you are most likely offended because you get the feeling that your neighbor is trying to tell you what to do.
Before moving to Germany, I only used the word must when I was emphasizing something extremely important or urgent. However, after living in Germany for a while, I have noticed the word "must" has crept into my daily English vocabulary. The reason for this is a simple two syllable German word: "müssen."
Literally translated, "müssen" means "must." However, it is one of those words that has layers of meaning. It can also mean "have to," "should," or "may." It all depends on the translation. The translation of "müssen" into "must" by German speakers can be problematic. For example, Target GmBH, an English language training service based in Munich, has an entire webpage devoted to the problem of "must."
One of my early communication problems with my mother-in-law came from the fact that with her rudimentary English knowledge, she was unaware of how using the word "must" would rub me the wrong way. It wasn't until I learned a little bit of German that I understood she wasn't necessarily using "must" to be bossy, it was just a literal translation. (Actually, she is bossy and a *tad* overbearing by nature, but I think her using "must" in English is not so much a reflection of that as a translation problem.;) )
Regular use of "must" in English started out as a joke between A. and I. At first we used it when joking about the things his mother would tell us. Then we started using it when we had to things that we didn't want to do for one reason or another (examples: We must go to the gym tonight. I must change the cat litter tomorrow.) But now, I notice that I use in my everyday English usage. I guess only time will tell if it has reached the point where I must be careful when speaking to other English speakers so that they don't misinterpret me!
As a general rule, we don't use the word "must" too often in English. Think about it. How often do you say that you must do or say something or that you must go somewhere? Normally, (American) English speakers say "have to" when one has no choice but to do or say something or go somewhere. (example: "I have to go to the grocery store before we run out of milk.") In these situations, one can use "must," but we don't do it.
"Must" is a word that has authoritative connotations in English and while you may tell yourself you must go to the store and get milk before you run out, if your neighbor tells you that you must mow your lawn, you are most likely offended because you get the feeling that your neighbor is trying to tell you what to do.
Before moving to Germany, I only used the word must when I was emphasizing something extremely important or urgent. However, after living in Germany for a while, I have noticed the word "must" has crept into my daily English vocabulary. The reason for this is a simple two syllable German word: "müssen."
Literally translated, "müssen" means "must." However, it is one of those words that has layers of meaning. It can also mean "have to," "should," or "may." It all depends on the translation. The translation of "müssen" into "must" by German speakers can be problematic. For example, Target GmBH, an English language training service based in Munich, has an entire webpage devoted to the problem of "must."
One of my early communication problems with my mother-in-law came from the fact that with her rudimentary English knowledge, she was unaware of how using the word "must" would rub me the wrong way. It wasn't until I learned a little bit of German that I understood she wasn't necessarily using "must" to be bossy, it was just a literal translation. (Actually, she is bossy and a *tad* overbearing by nature, but I think her using "must" in English is not so much a reflection of that as a translation problem.;) )
Regular use of "must" in English started out as a joke between A. and I. At first we used it when joking about the things his mother would tell us. Then we started using it when we had to things that we didn't want to do for one reason or another (examples: We must go to the gym tonight. I must change the cat litter tomorrow.) But now, I notice that I use in my everyday English usage. I guess only time will tell if it has reached the point where I must be careful when speaking to other English speakers so that they don't misinterpret me!
Clearance + Shoes = Happy blondelibrarian!
Look at what I got on clearance today!
I saw these shoes some months ago and wanted them really bad, but didn't want to pay the price for them (65 Euros). Today I found out that since they are last year's style they had to go. Price paid: 35 Euros!
And as anyone who knows me well will tell you, I have a thing for stripes... So these are just so ME!
Excuse me while I do a happy dance in my new Cons! I wonder if I remember how to moonwalk?
I saw these shoes some months ago and wanted them really bad, but didn't want to pay the price for them (65 Euros). Today I found out that since they are last year's style they had to go. Price paid: 35 Euros!
And as anyone who knows me well will tell you, I have a thing for stripes... So these are just so ME!
photo by blondelibrarian
Excuse me while I do a happy dance in my new Cons! I wonder if I remember how to moonwalk?
17 October 2004
Signs of the Zodiac: Gemini
Here it is!
This piece is approximately 4" x 4" and is sewn on 18 count White Aida with only one strand of floss. I will be mounting it in a gold glitter hoop that was included in the kit.
© blondelibrarian
This piece is approximately 4" x 4" and is sewn on 18 count White Aida with only one strand of floss. I will be mounting it in a gold glitter hoop that was included in the kit.
Deviation
After thinking about it for a couple of days, I decided to deviate from my 10 hour rotation system. I was so close to finishing "Signs of the Zodiac - Gemini" that I knew that I couldn't properly concentrate on another piece. So, I have been working on finishing it today. After 12 hours I am approximately 90% complete.
I am currently waiting around to chat with my best friend in the whole wide world right now, but after we are finished chatting this evening I will work on finishing "Gemini."
Meanwhile, I posted another progress picture...
I am currently waiting around to chat with my best friend in the whole wide world right now, but after we are finished chatting this evening I will work on finishing "Gemini."
Meanwhile, I posted another progress picture...
15 October 2004
Pizza Delivery
Oh, what I wouldn't give for Domino's 30 minute pizza delivery service right about now!
We weren't hungry at our usual dinner time tonight, so we decided to watch a movie before dinner. We just bought the special edition of The Day After Tomorrow, so not only did we watch it, but also the one hour documentary on climate change that came with it. It is now approximately 9:30 and I told A. it is too late for me to cook. I suggested cheese and crackers. He suggested pizza.
Pizza is a good idea, but we will have to go up the block to the Italian place and order it and then bring it home or eat it there. And I am enjoying a lazy Friday night at home and don't really want to do that. I want it delivered!
That, I think, is the main difference between Italian pizza and American pizza. You can order an American pizza and have it delivered and when it arrives (the majority of the time at least) it is still OK. It is still warm, the crust isn't hard, and it still tastes like pizza.
Not so for Italian pizza. The pizza from the Italian restaurants here has thin crust and usually cooked in a traditional stone oven. Because of this, while is possible to call ahead and order it to go or have it delivered, I don't recommend it. Italian pizza is best when retrieved from the oven and eaten immediately. If not, it gets cold, the cheese starts to taste funny, and the crust gets hard.
Of course, I don't necessarily have to go. I could just send A. out with my order and have him bring it back... Hmm... Now there's an idea! ** sly grin **
We weren't hungry at our usual dinner time tonight, so we decided to watch a movie before dinner. We just bought the special edition of The Day After Tomorrow, so not only did we watch it, but also the one hour documentary on climate change that came with it. It is now approximately 9:30 and I told A. it is too late for me to cook. I suggested cheese and crackers. He suggested pizza.
Pizza is a good idea, but we will have to go up the block to the Italian place and order it and then bring it home or eat it there. And I am enjoying a lazy Friday night at home and don't really want to do that. I want it delivered!
That, I think, is the main difference between Italian pizza and American pizza. You can order an American pizza and have it delivered and when it arrives (the majority of the time at least) it is still OK. It is still warm, the crust isn't hard, and it still tastes like pizza.
Not so for Italian pizza. The pizza from the Italian restaurants here has thin crust and usually cooked in a traditional stone oven. Because of this, while is possible to call ahead and order it to go or have it delivered, I don't recommend it. Italian pizza is best when retrieved from the oven and eaten immediately. If not, it gets cold, the cheese starts to taste funny, and the crust gets hard.
Of course, I don't necessarily have to go. I could just send A. out with my order and have him bring it back... Hmm... Now there's an idea! ** sly grin **
Time to Stitch
This has been a very busy week. I had job interview related things to do that kept me busy both on Monday and Tuesday. Then Tuesday, Wednesday, and part of yesterday I spent hours moving my blog from my now defunct free host back over to Blogger.
Finally, though, last evening I had some time to stitch. I finished my 10-hour rotation on "Signs of the Zodiac - Gemini" and am about 65% done with it. Of course I now am facing my first dilemma of the rotation system. I have the end of "Signs of the Zodiac - Gemini" in sight. I think I can finish it in about 5 more hours. In some ways I want to deviate from my rotation system and go ahead and finish it. However, I am ready for my second go-around in the rotation, which means I will be working on "Passing Admirers" again and I am really looking forward to that too. Decisions, decisions...
Finally, though, last evening I had some time to stitch. I finished my 10-hour rotation on "Signs of the Zodiac - Gemini" and am about 65% done with it. Of course I now am facing my first dilemma of the rotation system. I have the end of "Signs of the Zodiac - Gemini" in sight. I think I can finish it in about 5 more hours. In some ways I want to deviate from my rotation system and go ahead and finish it. However, I am ready for my second go-around in the rotation, which means I will be working on "Passing Admirers" again and I am really looking forward to that too. Decisions, decisions...
13 October 2004
Contact Lens Trouble
I have worn contact lenses for 16 years. (A little over half of my life!) I have always worn hard gas permeable lenses. I have had such good luck with this type of contact that in all that time I have only had three pair. The first pair I wore from the time I was 14 until I was 22. One drunken night when I was 22, I finally scratched one beyond repair and had to get new ones. The second pair I wore from the time I was 22 until last year. Last fall I decided I needed a new pair because my eyesight had changed enough that I was no longer seeing well. So, last November I went to my first German eye doctor and got a new pair of glasses and a new pair of contacts.
I was afraid that the contact lens people would try to convert me to disposable soft lenses, which I had absolutely no desire to try. Therefore, when I got fitted for my contacts I told them that I wanted to stick with gas permeable lenses because I had had such good luck with them in the past. They agreed with me. In fact, they told me that if you have always worn hard lenses it is better to stick with them.
With my hard lenses, I have also always used one type of care system (X) and have always had very good luck with it. At first I was worried that they wouldn't carry it in here Germany, but I had good fortune and didn't have any problem finding it. My lenses were comfortable, I could see very clearly, and my eyes didn't dry out. However, when I got my new lenses here in Germany the people told me that care system X was evil.
So, in addition to these new lenses, they gave me a different care system (Z). Since we have private insurance, my insurance not only paid for most of my lens costs, but when I got a prescription for the care system, they paid for it too. The eye doctor gave me a prescription and I got a year's supply (12 bottles) of care system Z.
For about 6 months I went about my business with my new contacts and discovered two things about care system Z: First, even though I had supposedly received a year's supply of it, it was obvious it wouldn't last for the entire year. Second, I noticed that with care system Z my eyes were dry and irritated much more frequently than they had ever been.
After considering the situation, I decided that I should go back to care system X. Sure the contact lens people had told me it was evil, but it was made by a different company than care system Z. Since they gave me no explanation of why care system X was evil, I figured this meant that care system X was evil because it was made by company X and that the contact lens people had a deal with company Z for care system Z. I decided that since I had never had any problems with care system X in the past I would just continue to use it. So about two or three months ago, I bought some of care system X and had been using it part of the time. When I used it I noticed my eyes weren't so dry anymore and wearing my lenses was comfortable again.
Then a couple of weeks ago I noticed that my left lens seemed foggy. At first I thought I hadn't cleaned it very well, so I enzymed it and it seemed a little better. However, the fog came back. At this point I ran out of care system X, so I used care system Z again and things improved, except my eyes were constantly red and dry.
Today I went over to my local Optiker (which is not the same as the eye doctor and not the place where I got my contacts) and found out what the problem was. Unbeknownst to me, there are actually two types of gas permeable lenses: those with some sort of coating and those without. In the US, the ones without the coating are the most common and care system X is highly recommended for them. In Germany, however, the most common lenses are the ones with coating and care system X is not recommended for them. (Yes, it is evil!) Coincidentally, my new contacts were the kind with coating. By using care system X with my new lenses, I had, in effect, removed the coating. Without the coating, the lenses were not only irritating my eyes and drying them out, but were more or less ruined. Luckily, since I hadn't been using care system X on them for too long, some of the coating is still there, but now I am afraid that if I wear them they may scratch my cornea or cause some other damage.
Hard gas permeable contact lenses are not cheap and my insurance only pays for a new pair every two or three years, so not only do I need to get a new pair of contacts or wear my glasses (oh the horror!), I have to pay for them myself.
Boy, do I need that job right about now!
I was afraid that the contact lens people would try to convert me to disposable soft lenses, which I had absolutely no desire to try. Therefore, when I got fitted for my contacts I told them that I wanted to stick with gas permeable lenses because I had had such good luck with them in the past. They agreed with me. In fact, they told me that if you have always worn hard lenses it is better to stick with them.
With my hard lenses, I have also always used one type of care system (X) and have always had very good luck with it. At first I was worried that they wouldn't carry it in here Germany, but I had good fortune and didn't have any problem finding it. My lenses were comfortable, I could see very clearly, and my eyes didn't dry out. However, when I got my new lenses here in Germany the people told me that care system X was evil.
So, in addition to these new lenses, they gave me a different care system (Z). Since we have private insurance, my insurance not only paid for most of my lens costs, but when I got a prescription for the care system, they paid for it too. The eye doctor gave me a prescription and I got a year's supply (12 bottles) of care system Z.
For about 6 months I went about my business with my new contacts and discovered two things about care system Z: First, even though I had supposedly received a year's supply of it, it was obvious it wouldn't last for the entire year. Second, I noticed that with care system Z my eyes were dry and irritated much more frequently than they had ever been.
After considering the situation, I decided that I should go back to care system X. Sure the contact lens people had told me it was evil, but it was made by a different company than care system Z. Since they gave me no explanation of why care system X was evil, I figured this meant that care system X was evil because it was made by company X and that the contact lens people had a deal with company Z for care system Z. I decided that since I had never had any problems with care system X in the past I would just continue to use it. So about two or three months ago, I bought some of care system X and had been using it part of the time. When I used it I noticed my eyes weren't so dry anymore and wearing my lenses was comfortable again.
Then a couple of weeks ago I noticed that my left lens seemed foggy. At first I thought I hadn't cleaned it very well, so I enzymed it and it seemed a little better. However, the fog came back. At this point I ran out of care system X, so I used care system Z again and things improved, except my eyes were constantly red and dry.
Today I went over to my local Optiker (which is not the same as the eye doctor and not the place where I got my contacts) and found out what the problem was. Unbeknownst to me, there are actually two types of gas permeable lenses: those with some sort of coating and those without. In the US, the ones without the coating are the most common and care system X is highly recommended for them. In Germany, however, the most common lenses are the ones with coating and care system X is not recommended for them. (Yes, it is evil!) Coincidentally, my new contacts were the kind with coating. By using care system X with my new lenses, I had, in effect, removed the coating. Without the coating, the lenses were not only irritating my eyes and drying them out, but were more or less ruined. Luckily, since I hadn't been using care system X on them for too long, some of the coating is still there, but now I am afraid that if I wear them they may scratch my cornea or cause some other damage.
Hard gas permeable contact lenses are not cheap and my insurance only pays for a new pair every two or three years, so not only do I need to get a new pair of contacts or wear my glasses (oh the horror!), I have to pay for them myself.
Boy, do I need that job right about now!
12 October 2004
Welcome Back!
Oh, this has been a day!
First I stayed up WAY too late last night... especially since I had a job interview today.
After I got home, I went to publish an account of my adventures on my blog and what do you know?! The free blog host I had been using since March decided with no warning to start charging! Since I am a cheap skate, I refuse to do this.
What really pissed me off was that I couldn't even get to my archives. HA HA on them though! I just so happened to back up my archives only two days ago! However, I have spent all afternoon uploading my archives back to my old blogger spot. So, here I am back, but all new and improved!
Stay tuned for design modifications! :)
First I stayed up WAY too late last night... especially since I had a job interview today.
(Note to self: You are too old to stay up until 2 a.m. reading a book and then getting up at 7 a.m. in order to get ready for a job interview.)Anyway, I think that the interview went pretty well. But then I had to wrestle with the joys of public transportation.
After I got home, I went to publish an account of my adventures on my blog and what do you know?! The free blog host I had been using since March decided with no warning to start charging! Since I am a cheap skate, I refuse to do this.
What really pissed me off was that I couldn't even get to my archives. HA HA on them though! I just so happened to back up my archives only two days ago! However, I have spent all afternoon uploading my archives back to my old blogger spot. So, here I am back, but all new and improved!
Stay tuned for design modifications! :)
09 October 2004
A Day in Dresden
And now for the final installment in my "Adventures in Eastern Germany" series...
Ever since we moved to Germany, one of the cities that I have wanted to see was Dresden.
The reason that I wanted to visit Dresden is because of Anne Rice. One reason that she is my favorite author is because I love her descriptions of cities. I am convinced that New Orleans, Paris, and San Francisco are my favorite cities as a direct result of her writings.
Anyway, in Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles, one of my favorite characters, Marius, spends some time in Dresden during the 17th century in search of his long lost love, Pandora. Strangely enough, Rice doesn't describe Dresden in the intricate way that she does Paris, New Orleans, and San Francisco, but it still made enough of an impression on me that I wanted to go there.
Finally, on October 3, the day of "Deutsche Einheit" we made it there. It was a perfect fall day: it was warm, the sun was shining, and the sky was blue with just a few clouds. In addition to my desire to see Dresden for "Anne Rice" reasons, I also wanted to see its world famous opera house, the Semperoper. So that is where our tour of Dresden began. Unfortunately, by the time we got there, the opera house tours were over for the day and we didn't get to see the inside. However, the outside is gorgeous, and in my opinion, rivals the Opera House in Paris. We then wandered over to the square where the Frauenkirche is being rebuilt.
Actually, there is quite a bit of reconstruction going on in Dresden. For those of you not familiar with it, let me give a two sentence modern day history of Dresden: In February of 1945, the Allies bombed Dresden. The bombing was so intense that not only did it flatten Dresden, but a huge fire gutted the city.
A. gave me this quick history lesson on our way to Dresden, and then I learned more after seeing an exhibit showing pictures and other artifacts of the city in the aftermath of the bombing campaign and fire. The destruction was complete and even over fifty years later the sights were still very moving. Along with the photos were excerpts of diary entries of those days and other objects. One thing that caught my attention were the "Lebenszeichen." After the fire, the Allies allowed the survivors to fill out "Lebenszeichen" (life signs) so that relatives would know that they had survived. However, they were only allowed ten words, apparently so that no code messages could be sent. One that was on display simply stated, "Wir haben erlebt. Der Stadt ist weg." (We survived. The city is gone.)
Apparently, during the time of the DDR, very little was reconstructed in Dresden (or in all of eastern Germany for that matter). I asked A. if this was because they didn't have the money, or if it was because it wasn't deemed an important task, or if it was simply left as a reminder of the past. He stated he simply didn't know. For whatever reason East Germany hadn't been rebuilt, once Germany was reunited, lots of money went to former East Germany to help them reconstruct and modernize. While I didn't see much evidence of this in Chemnitz, in Dresden one way the money is being used is to renovate landmarks such as the Semperoper, the Frauenkirche, the Residenzschloß, and the Zwinger.
From what I understand, in comparison to most places in the former DDR, Dresden is a bustling city and a moderate economic success story. I found it livelier and far more attractive than Chemnitz and would visit it again in the future.
* * * * *
See more photos from my trip in my photo gallery!
Ever since we moved to Germany, one of the cities that I have wanted to see was Dresden.
The reason that I wanted to visit Dresden is because of Anne Rice. One reason that she is my favorite author is because I love her descriptions of cities. I am convinced that New Orleans, Paris, and San Francisco are my favorite cities as a direct result of her writings.
Anyway, in Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles, one of my favorite characters, Marius, spends some time in Dresden during the 17th century in search of his long lost love, Pandora. Strangely enough, Rice doesn't describe Dresden in the intricate way that she does Paris, New Orleans, and San Francisco, but it still made enough of an impression on me that I wanted to go there.
Finally, on October 3, the day of "Deutsche Einheit" we made it there. It was a perfect fall day: it was warm, the sun was shining, and the sky was blue with just a few clouds. In addition to my desire to see Dresden for "Anne Rice" reasons, I also wanted to see its world famous opera house, the Semperoper. So that is where our tour of Dresden began. Unfortunately, by the time we got there, the opera house tours were over for the day and we didn't get to see the inside. However, the outside is gorgeous, and in my opinion, rivals the Opera House in Paris. We then wandered over to the square where the Frauenkirche is being rebuilt.
Actually, there is quite a bit of reconstruction going on in Dresden. For those of you not familiar with it, let me give a two sentence modern day history of Dresden: In February of 1945, the Allies bombed Dresden. The bombing was so intense that not only did it flatten Dresden, but a huge fire gutted the city.
A. gave me this quick history lesson on our way to Dresden, and then I learned more after seeing an exhibit showing pictures and other artifacts of the city in the aftermath of the bombing campaign and fire. The destruction was complete and even over fifty years later the sights were still very moving. Along with the photos were excerpts of diary entries of those days and other objects. One thing that caught my attention were the "Lebenszeichen." After the fire, the Allies allowed the survivors to fill out "Lebenszeichen" (life signs) so that relatives would know that they had survived. However, they were only allowed ten words, apparently so that no code messages could be sent. One that was on display simply stated, "Wir haben erlebt. Der Stadt ist weg." (We survived. The city is gone.)
Apparently, during the time of the DDR, very little was reconstructed in Dresden (or in all of eastern Germany for that matter). I asked A. if this was because they didn't have the money, or if it was because it wasn't deemed an important task, or if it was simply left as a reminder of the past. He stated he simply didn't know. For whatever reason East Germany hadn't been rebuilt, once Germany was reunited, lots of money went to former East Germany to help them reconstruct and modernize. While I didn't see much evidence of this in Chemnitz, in Dresden one way the money is being used is to renovate landmarks such as the Semperoper, the Frauenkirche, the Residenzschloß, and the Zwinger.
photo by blondelibrarian
This photo shows "Das Residenzschloß". The part of the building that houses the tower has been rebuilt and is open to the public. However, the south side is still being renovated.
From what I understand, in comparison to most places in the former DDR, Dresden is a bustling city and a moderate economic success story. I found it livelier and far more attractive than Chemnitz and would visit it again in the future.
* * * * *
See more photos from my trip in my photo gallery!
08 October 2004
A Mining Experience
When I go on vacation I like to visit cities and experience architecture, art, and other touristy-type things. I love to see the places that I have read about and I get a kick out of standing in the same spot some famous person did years ago. For example, when I visited Versailles I thought to myself, "Wow! This is so cool! I am standing somewhere where Louis XIV himself once stood!"
However, I am also game to do unusual things and since I met A. I have done some things that I probably never would have done except that he wanted to do them so I said, "Sure! Why not?!" We spent our honeymoon in Arizona and while we saw normal things like the Grand Canyon and the Petrified Forest, we also visited Kitt Peak, a major astronomical observatory outside of Tucson. So, when A. excitedly informed me that one of things that was planned when we visited eastern Germany last week was a mining tour, I gladly went along.
Between Chemnitz and Dreden lies the small town of Freiberg (not to be confused with Freiburg in southwestern Germany). Since medieval times Freiberg has been home to one of the world's oldest continuously used silver mines. Today the mine is used for mining education and tours and this is where we spent two and a half hours approximately 250 meters underground last Saturday.
I knew this would be an interesting tour when the first thing we were required to do was dress up as miners. The tour guide informed us that this was necessary because we needed to protect our clothing as we would be crawling for part of the tour. Rubber boots were mandatory as the mine was wet and since my feet are small, I had some trouble finding a pair to fit me. Once the nice tour guide got me some boots from the children's dressing room, I was set to go. After we were supplied with a lamp and a hardhat we took a small elevator down, down, down into the dark.
After a quick overview of the process of mining, we boarded railway cars and were taken even deeper into the mine. The tour guide then took us through some relatively flat and open areas of the mine where he pointed out the ore channels in the walls; all the while telling us more mining history and stories. Eventually we stopped in front of a rickety-looking ladder and after relating some more history of the Freiberg mine, we were informed that it was now time to climb!
There were a few women in our group and before we climbed, the tour guide informed us this was no place to be pussy-footing around and worrying about getting dirty. As I started up the ladder, I fully agreed; it was a long way down and I was holding on to the muddy ladder for all I was worth!
As we climbed, the tunnel got narrower and shorter, and indeed, we had to crawl. Even so, I kept bumping my head on the rock ceiling and was ever so thankful for my hardhat. Finally, we came to a small recess that I thought was a dead end.
It turned out it wasn't; there was a minute passageway that we had to navigate. Eventually, we came to another alcove and instead of choosing the simple way through, the group decided to climb again.
Before starting this final stage, the tour guide told us that at the top of the ladder there were three routes; we were not to take the right one, I didn't catch much about the middle one, but I was pretty sure he told us to take the left one. I had been behind A. this whole time, but when I was to the top of the ladder he was out of my sight. I caught a glimpse of him going down one way, so I went that way too, not paying attention to which passageway I had chosen.
I was just beginning to hear the rest of the group behind me, when suddenly A. called out that he couldn't see anyone anymore. I said, "Did you go left?" He replied that he wasn't sure. I told him to yell out, which he did. After a second, the part of the group that was ahead of him called out that he was going the right way and to keep on coming; we were almost to the end.
After I got out of the tunnel that was no more than 18 inches wide by 5 foot tall, I realized my heart was racing, that I was having trouble catching my breath, and that I felt light headed. I thought at the time maybe I had had a claustrophobic episode, but now I am pretty sure I had a mild panic attack. The thought that we could have gotten lost in that mine really frightened me.
After climbing down one final ladder, walking past some stalagmites and stalactites, rinsing off our boots and hands, and a ride in the elevator back up, up, up into the light, the tour was over. With the exception of the little panic attack at the thought of being lost, I really enjoyed the experience and I would definitely do it again!
* * * * *
Currently playing: "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)" by Metallica
However, I am also game to do unusual things and since I met A. I have done some things that I probably never would have done except that he wanted to do them so I said, "Sure! Why not?!" We spent our honeymoon in Arizona and while we saw normal things like the Grand Canyon and the Petrified Forest, we also visited Kitt Peak, a major astronomical observatory outside of Tucson. So, when A. excitedly informed me that one of things that was planned when we visited eastern Germany last week was a mining tour, I gladly went along.
Between Chemnitz and Dreden lies the small town of Freiberg (not to be confused with Freiburg in southwestern Germany). Since medieval times Freiberg has been home to one of the world's oldest continuously used silver mines. Today the mine is used for mining education and tours and this is where we spent two and a half hours approximately 250 meters underground last Saturday.
I knew this would be an interesting tour when the first thing we were required to do was dress up as miners. The tour guide informed us that this was necessary because we needed to protect our clothing as we would be crawling for part of the tour. Rubber boots were mandatory as the mine was wet and since my feet are small, I had some trouble finding a pair to fit me. Once the nice tour guide got me some boots from the children's dressing room, I was set to go. After we were supplied with a lamp and a hardhat we took a small elevator down, down, down into the dark.
After a quick overview of the process of mining, we boarded railway cars and were taken even deeper into the mine. The tour guide then took us through some relatively flat and open areas of the mine where he pointed out the ore channels in the walls; all the while telling us more mining history and stories. Eventually we stopped in front of a rickety-looking ladder and after relating some more history of the Freiberg mine, we were informed that it was now time to climb!
There were a few women in our group and before we climbed, the tour guide informed us this was no place to be pussy-footing around and worrying about getting dirty. As I started up the ladder, I fully agreed; it was a long way down and I was holding on to the muddy ladder for all I was worth!
As we climbed, the tunnel got narrower and shorter, and indeed, we had to crawl. Even so, I kept bumping my head on the rock ceiling and was ever so thankful for my hardhat. Finally, we came to a small recess that I thought was a dead end.
photo by blondelibrarian
It turned out it wasn't; there was a minute passageway that we had to navigate. Eventually, we came to another alcove and instead of choosing the simple way through, the group decided to climb again.
Before starting this final stage, the tour guide told us that at the top of the ladder there were three routes; we were not to take the right one, I didn't catch much about the middle one, but I was pretty sure he told us to take the left one. I had been behind A. this whole time, but when I was to the top of the ladder he was out of my sight. I caught a glimpse of him going down one way, so I went that way too, not paying attention to which passageway I had chosen.
I was just beginning to hear the rest of the group behind me, when suddenly A. called out that he couldn't see anyone anymore. I said, "Did you go left?" He replied that he wasn't sure. I told him to yell out, which he did. After a second, the part of the group that was ahead of him called out that he was going the right way and to keep on coming; we were almost to the end.
After I got out of the tunnel that was no more than 18 inches wide by 5 foot tall, I realized my heart was racing, that I was having trouble catching my breath, and that I felt light headed. I thought at the time maybe I had had a claustrophobic episode, but now I am pretty sure I had a mild panic attack. The thought that we could have gotten lost in that mine really frightened me.
After climbing down one final ladder, walking past some stalagmites and stalactites, rinsing off our boots and hands, and a ride in the elevator back up, up, up into the light, the tour was over. With the exception of the little panic attack at the thought of being lost, I really enjoyed the experience and I would definitely do it again!
* * * * *
Currently playing: "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)" by Metallica
07 October 2004
Culture in Chemnitz
Since my first impressions of Chemnitz seemed to point to a dull and lifeless city, you can imagine how pleased we were to find that it has a high-quality, all be it small, cultural scene.
Chemnitz has its own opera house and though it is tiny in comparison to the Semperoper which we also saw on this trip, it is charming and cozy. These characteristics make it the perfect place to enjoy an opera or a ballet.
As luck would have it, there was a ballet performed on Friday evening and we had the opportunity to attend it. The ballet we saw was an adaptation of the lighthearted Coppélia. I have always enjoyed the ballet, so this was a special treat for me and even though he is a hard-core scientist, A. fancied it too.
On Tuesday evening, we had the occasion to see the play Acht Frauen at Chemnitz's "Shauspielhaus." (Acht Frauen is the translated title of a French play by Robert Thomas. It was made into a movie in 2002 and you can read the plot here.) We both liked this "who-done-it" comedy and even though sometimes they were talking extremely fast and I had to concentrate to keep up, I understood it relatively well.
According to the information packet that we received, there were other events we could have attended in the coming days, but since we were only there for a few days, we saw what we could.
* * * * *
Coming Soon: A Mining Experience and A Day in Dresden!
Chemnitz has its own opera house and though it is tiny in comparison to the Semperoper which we also saw on this trip, it is charming and cozy. These characteristics make it the perfect place to enjoy an opera or a ballet.
photo by blondelibrarian
As luck would have it, there was a ballet performed on Friday evening and we had the opportunity to attend it. The ballet we saw was an adaptation of the lighthearted Coppélia. I have always enjoyed the ballet, so this was a special treat for me and even though he is a hard-core scientist, A. fancied it too.
On Tuesday evening, we had the occasion to see the play Acht Frauen at Chemnitz's "Shauspielhaus." (Acht Frauen is the translated title of a French play by Robert Thomas. It was made into a movie in 2002 and you can read the plot here.) We both liked this "who-done-it" comedy and even though sometimes they were talking extremely fast and I had to concentrate to keep up, I understood it relatively well.
According to the information packet that we received, there were other events we could have attended in the coming days, but since we were only there for a few days, we saw what we could.
* * * * *
Coming Soon: A Mining Experience and A Day in Dresden!
Murphy's Law
A few weeks ago I had another job interview. I didn't get too excited about it on the blog, because first of all it wasn't a library job and second because with the way that my job hunting has been going here in Germany I didn't really have my hopes up.
So of course they called to ask me in for a second interview while I was on vacation.
Luckily they only called on Tuesday and for good measure sent me an email requesting that I give them a call. To sum it up: Next Tuesday I have a second interview for the position of "team assistant" at a local software firm. The library it ain't, but at least it is something to give me a little bit of spending money.
Maybe I won't have to default on my college loans after all...
So of course they called to ask me in for a second interview while I was on vacation.
Luckily they only called on Tuesday and for good measure sent me an email requesting that I give them a call. To sum it up: Next Tuesday I have a second interview for the position of "team assistant" at a local software firm. The library it ain't, but at least it is something to give me a little bit of spending money.
Maybe I won't have to default on my college loans after all...
06 October 2004
First Impressions of Eastern Germany
We just returned from our trip to eastern Germany. After two and a half years in Germany, this was my first time in eastern Germany and I have to say that it was a very enlightening experience.
The first thing that A. pointed out to me when we crossed the border from Bavaria into Sachsen was an old communist watch tower and a few other left-over relics from the DDR. He then informed me that during those times no villages or houses were allowed to be 5-10 kilometers from the border because there were barbed wire fences and mine fields.
Since coming to Germany I have heard tales about the depression and abandonment of East Germany: I had read that once the Iron Curtain fell, many people fled to the West seeking a better life and those left behind were mostly the poor and uneducated. I had also heard that there are buildings that are still standing where you can see the bullet holes left from the War. My mother-in-law once commented that every time she went to the east she felt that it was just rotting away.
However, it wasn't until we arrived in Chemnitz (which until 1990 was called Karl-Marx-Stadt) that these accounts made a significant impression on me. One of the first things I noticed was that beautiful architecture stood side by side with functional communist design and both were in similar states of decay. Windows weren't just boarded up, they were bricked up and the ones that weren't were covered with graffiti. The buildings that weren't falling apart were usually dirty and the lower floors that might house businesses were either for rent or looked like they were soon to go out of business. Rows and rows of apartment buildings were utterly dark and the streets were silent. Compared to a bustling metropolis like Munich, Chemnitz looked and felt deserted.
Population-wise, Chemnitz is much smaller than Munich, so I expected it to be quieter. However, it wasn't just a bit quieter: in comparison to a western German city of equal size, Chemnitz was DEAD! At 7:00 p.m. on a Friday evening the Fußgangerzone (pedestrian area) was almost completely empty. The streets had very little traffic and we saw very few people out and about. For many of my American readers this may not seem too strange, but for those of you living in Germany you know what I mean.
All of these observations came to me in the first six hours I was in eastern Germany. We were planning on being there for five days, so I wondered how other areas of eastern Germany would compare to my first impressions. Those thoughts later...
The first thing that A. pointed out to me when we crossed the border from Bavaria into Sachsen was an old communist watch tower and a few other left-over relics from the DDR. He then informed me that during those times no villages or houses were allowed to be 5-10 kilometers from the border because there were barbed wire fences and mine fields.
Since coming to Germany I have heard tales about the depression and abandonment of East Germany: I had read that once the Iron Curtain fell, many people fled to the West seeking a better life and those left behind were mostly the poor and uneducated. I had also heard that there are buildings that are still standing where you can see the bullet holes left from the War. My mother-in-law once commented that every time she went to the east she felt that it was just rotting away.
However, it wasn't until we arrived in Chemnitz (which until 1990 was called Karl-Marx-Stadt) that these accounts made a significant impression on me. One of the first things I noticed was that beautiful architecture stood side by side with functional communist design and both were in similar states of decay. Windows weren't just boarded up, they were bricked up and the ones that weren't were covered with graffiti. The buildings that weren't falling apart were usually dirty and the lower floors that might house businesses were either for rent or looked like they were soon to go out of business. Rows and rows of apartment buildings were utterly dark and the streets were silent. Compared to a bustling metropolis like Munich, Chemnitz looked and felt deserted.
Population-wise, Chemnitz is much smaller than Munich, so I expected it to be quieter. However, it wasn't just a bit quieter: in comparison to a western German city of equal size, Chemnitz was DEAD! At 7:00 p.m. on a Friday evening the Fußgangerzone (pedestrian area) was almost completely empty. The streets had very little traffic and we saw very few people out and about. For many of my American readers this may not seem too strange, but for those of you living in Germany you know what I mean.
All of these observations came to me in the first six hours I was in eastern Germany. We were planning on being there for five days, so I wondered how other areas of eastern Germany would compare to my first impressions. Those thoughts later...
30 September 2004
Odds n' Ends
So I tried really hard when I went downtown today to observe something that would be blog-worthy. Unfortunately, I didn't have too much luck.
I saw a really cute guy of about 20 on the train in his traditional "Lederhosen" on his way to Oktoberfest. He was really tan, had thick dark brown hair, and extremely clear skin. I thought about making a pass at him, then I remembered: 1.) I am married. 2.) He was way too young for me! (Eek! When did that happen?!)
Speaking of Oktoberfest, I think this is the last weekend for it. I am not completely sure as I haven't been to one since the first year I was here. When you don't drink beer, Oktoberfest is only marginally interesting...
Then when I was riding the escalator an old man behind me complemented me on the color of my hair. Just when I was about to say thank you, he asked me if it was my natural color! I am used to that from women, and I always secretly enjoy telling them that my color does not come from a bottle, but men don't ask me that too often.
Otherwise, I spent today getting ready to leave on my trip tomorrow and finished my 10 hour rotation on "Cat in Garden." I have worked through my existing pieces and am ready to start a new one.
I have a smallish kit that I bought a while back that is my Zodiac Sign (Gemini) and I think that I will take it with me on my trip. Sometimes I take cross-stitch with me when I go places and sometimes I don't. However, since A. has to do some work on this trip, I may actually have a little time to stitch.
The interesting thing about this kit is that is Danish (or perhaps Swedish) I am not sure... the word "Gemini" on it is "Tvillingarna" and that is not German. (Help me out fellow expats... is it Danish, Swedish, or something else?) In German, "Gemini" is "Zwillinge."
It came with a really neat gold-glitter hoop for framing and also contains an alphabet, so I can stitch my own words. I may do it like I do the English/German Fruit Series and put both the English and German word on it. We'll see. Thus far I haven't examined it close enough to know whether or not both words will fit.
I saw a really cute guy of about 20 on the train in his traditional "Lederhosen" on his way to Oktoberfest. He was really tan, had thick dark brown hair, and extremely clear skin. I thought about making a pass at him, then I remembered: 1.) I am married. 2.) He was way too young for me! (Eek! When did that happen?!)
Speaking of Oktoberfest, I think this is the last weekend for it. I am not completely sure as I haven't been to one since the first year I was here. When you don't drink beer, Oktoberfest is only marginally interesting...
Then when I was riding the escalator an old man behind me complemented me on the color of my hair. Just when I was about to say thank you, he asked me if it was my natural color! I am used to that from women, and I always secretly enjoy telling them that my color does not come from a bottle, but men don't ask me that too often.
Otherwise, I spent today getting ready to leave on my trip tomorrow and finished my 10 hour rotation on "Cat in Garden." I have worked through my existing pieces and am ready to start a new one.
I have a smallish kit that I bought a while back that is my Zodiac Sign (Gemini) and I think that I will take it with me on my trip. Sometimes I take cross-stitch with me when I go places and sometimes I don't. However, since A. has to do some work on this trip, I may actually have a little time to stitch.
The interesting thing about this kit is that is Danish (or perhaps Swedish) I am not sure... the word "Gemini" on it is "Tvillingarna" and that is not German. (Help me out fellow expats... is it Danish, Swedish, or something else?) In German, "Gemini" is "Zwillinge."
It came with a really neat gold-glitter hoop for framing and also contains an alphabet, so I can stitch my own words. I may do it like I do the English/German Fruit Series and put both the English and German word on it. We'll see. Thus far I haven't examined it close enough to know whether or not both words will fit.
29 September 2004
David Hasselhof - Rock Star?
When I was studying in Paris ten years ago, I had a little clock-radio that I listened to in my no-frills dorm room. I had a Discman (I was on the cutting edge back then!), but I have always liked listening to the radio and it really improved my language skills to listen to those French DJs.
The station I listened to was a random pop station that, for the most part, played awful music. However, they also played a whole lot of French pop music. I didn't think about it at the time, but a couple of months ago I read that The Voice of America was encountering problems in France because of a rule that a certain percentage (around 50%) of every broadcast must be in French.
I didn't follow up on the story, but today I read that some German politicians want to introduce a bill that would require something like that here. (article) Apparently, only about 10% of music played on the radio here in Germany is actually in German.
I don't doubt it. I don't listen to the radio much these days, but when I was listening to Bayern 3 (I have a crappy clock-radio that barely gets any station) a few months ago, I very seldom heard a song in German... mostly they just played crappy American pop or hip-hop.
I think that is too bad. I have discovered some pretty decent German bands that sing in German and think it would be doing everyone a favor if more bands like these had success here in Germany.
I mean seriously... I read that one of the biggest music personalities ever imported from the US to Germany is David Hasselhof!! Now, if that fact isn't just screaming out for some native musicians to have some success here then I don't know what is!
The station I listened to was a random pop station that, for the most part, played awful music. However, they also played a whole lot of French pop music. I didn't think about it at the time, but a couple of months ago I read that The Voice of America was encountering problems in France because of a rule that a certain percentage (around 50%) of every broadcast must be in French.
I didn't follow up on the story, but today I read that some German politicians want to introduce a bill that would require something like that here. (article) Apparently, only about 10% of music played on the radio here in Germany is actually in German.
I don't doubt it. I don't listen to the radio much these days, but when I was listening to Bayern 3 (I have a crappy clock-radio that barely gets any station) a few months ago, I very seldom heard a song in German... mostly they just played crappy American pop or hip-hop.
I think that is too bad. I have discovered some pretty decent German bands that sing in German and think it would be doing everyone a favor if more bands like these had success here in Germany.
I mean seriously... I read that one of the biggest music personalities ever imported from the US to Germany is David Hasselhof!! Now, if that fact isn't just screaming out for some native musicians to have some success here then I don't know what is!
28 September 2004
SBQOTW
And now, for the Stitching Blogger's Question of the Week: Would you or have you designed your own cross stitch design? If you have can we see it?
Yes I have.
The thing that motivated me to begin stitching again last year was that I wanted to make Christmas presents for my family. At that time I hadn't located very many stitching supplies in Germany and couldn't find the patterns I was looking for online. (e.g. free and very small - I was doing fingertip towel borders ... Never fear! I have located tons of free patterns online since then.)
In addition to that, I had a specific theme in mind for my step-sister; a sea theme. I was feeling creative and had some graph paper so, I designed the following:
These are not finished products, but samples I stitched so I could see if I liked the colors and such. For example, part way through back-stitching the sea horse I decided that black back-stitching would look better.
However, in the end none of these designs made it to the towel I stitched my step-sister. Instead, I designed a repeating dolphin pattern for her towel. (See the photo here. It is the one in the middle on the right side.)
In addition to that, I have also designed a couple of small pieces for myself. And finally, I have also designed some charts that I have never gotten around to stitching. Someday... someday...
Yes I have.
The thing that motivated me to begin stitching again last year was that I wanted to make Christmas presents for my family. At that time I hadn't located very many stitching supplies in Germany and couldn't find the patterns I was looking for online. (e.g. free and very small - I was doing fingertip towel borders ... Never fear! I have located tons of free patterns online since then.)
In addition to that, I had a specific theme in mind for my step-sister; a sea theme. I was feeling creative and had some graph paper so, I designed the following:
© blondelibrarian
These are not finished products, but samples I stitched so I could see if I liked the colors and such. For example, part way through back-stitching the sea horse I decided that black back-stitching would look better.
However, in the end none of these designs made it to the towel I stitched my step-sister. Instead, I designed a repeating dolphin pattern for her towel. (See the photo here. It is the one in the middle on the right side.)
In addition to that, I have also designed a couple of small pieces for myself. And finally, I have also designed some charts that I have never gotten around to stitching. Someday... someday...
A Little Holiday
On Friday, we will be leaving for almost a week to visit eastern Germany: specifically, we will be going to Chemnitz, Freiberg, and Dresden.
A. has something related to work to do for part of the time in Chemnitz and since I have wanted to visit Dresden ever since we came to Germany, I am tagging along.
I don't know too much about Chemnitz, but I visited their online tourist office today and the town looks quite nice and offers some walking tours that I am planning on doing while A. is doing his thing.
We are going to Freiberg, a mining town since Medieval times, as part of activities planned for the group that will be in Chemnitz, and that should be very cool. We visited the Salt Mines in Salzburg a year or so ago and I loved them.
Dresden is just a stop that we are planning since we will be in the neighborhood. The main thing I want to see there is the world-famous Opera House, but from what I understand there are lots of other neat things there too.
Look for photos from my trip soon!
A. has something related to work to do for part of the time in Chemnitz and since I have wanted to visit Dresden ever since we came to Germany, I am tagging along.
I don't know too much about Chemnitz, but I visited their online tourist office today and the town looks quite nice and offers some walking tours that I am planning on doing while A. is doing his thing.
We are going to Freiberg, a mining town since Medieval times, as part of activities planned for the group that will be in Chemnitz, and that should be very cool. We visited the Salt Mines in Salzburg a year or so ago and I loved them.
Dresden is just a stop that we are planning since we will be in the neighborhood. The main thing I want to see there is the world-famous Opera House, but from what I understand there are lots of other neat things there too.
Look for photos from my trip soon!
26 September 2004
An Ode to Cats
I am a certified crazy cat lady. I have always loved cats and have had a number of them in my lifetime. I grew up in the country and though we didn't have very much livestock, we always had lots and lots of cats. Here is a list of cats that have been special to me for one reason or another in my life:
Those were the cats of my youth and while I loved each and every one of them, I was never as attached to any of them as I am to the three that I have now: Mouse, Scooter, and Harley. I celebrate their birthdays in September and Mouse is now twelve years old, Scooter nine, and Harley three.
They have moved with me more times than I can count, they provide me with hours of entertainment, and make me feel better when I am down. They are spoiled rotten and are sometimes a huge pain in the ass, but I would be lost without them.
With the exception of Harley, I thought they were getting old until my neighbor lady informed me that two of her three cats are over 20 years old. It made me happy to think that, barring any unforeseen circumstances, I could very well have them around for another 10 years!
- Tigger
- Tigger was the first cat I remember. I was about four when we had Tigger. Unfortunately, he ran away about the time my sister was born. I will always remember Tigger because one night when I tried to make him sleep with me, he scratched me between the eyes and left a scar near my right eyebrow that is still visible when I don't pluck my eyebrows!
- Buttermilk
- Buttermilk was a great big tomcat and he ruled our neighborhood. He fought a lot and one of his ears was partially ripped off. I wanted to call him Butterscotch, but was outvoted. Buttermilk ran away when we moved out to the farm. My old neighbors claimed that he had made the 8 mile journey back into town and prowled around our old neighborhood for years afterward.
- Smokey
- Smokey was a stray that I adopted. It was with Smokey that I witnessed birth for the first time. Smokey lived to be a very old cat and eventually all but one of her fangs fell out and her fur became bunny-soft.
- Penny, Jake, Tumbleweed, and Lark
- Kittens that I adored. Unfortunately, they didn't make it through more than one winter.
- Panther
- My all black tom cat. He wasn't a very big cat, but he was solid. He was a great mouser and one of the few cats my dad allowed indoors.
- Little One
- The only one of his November litter to survive through the winter. I babied him and Little One became one of the biggest tom cats I ever saw!
- Olee
- Olee was a gift from an ex-boyfriend. As a kitten she got her leg caught in a lawnmower and had to have it amputated. Twelve years later, three-legged Olee still lives with my mom.
Those were the cats of my youth and while I loved each and every one of them, I was never as attached to any of them as I am to the three that I have now: Mouse, Scooter, and Harley. I celebrate their birthdays in September and Mouse is now twelve years old, Scooter nine, and Harley three.
They have moved with me more times than I can count, they provide me with hours of entertainment, and make me feel better when I am down. They are spoiled rotten and are sometimes a huge pain in the ass, but I would be lost without them.
With the exception of Harley, I thought they were getting old until my neighbor lady informed me that two of her three cats are over 20 years old. It made me happy to think that, barring any unforeseen circumstances, I could very well have them around for another 10 years!
23 September 2004
Cross-Stitch Dilemma - Update
First of all, I wanted to thank all of the stitching bloggers who answered my suggested "Stitching Blogger's Question of the Week." I carefully read everyone's thoughts on the topic and have convinced myself to try a stitching rotation. However, I would especially like to thank Erica of Moria's Little World for linking to the Shakespeare's Peddler Website and the wonderful article entitled "No More UFOs".
Perhaps it is in my nature, I am a librarian after all, but I function best when I am organized and have a system. Therefore, once I had decided that I wanted to try rotating my cross-stitch projects, I had to get organized. First, I reorganized my stash. This helped me to get a good idea of what kinds of patterns I had, how much thread, etc. While doing this, I also jotted down some ideas for my rotation system. However, it wasn't until I read "No More UFOs" that anything really called to me. In principal it is a 10-hour rotation system and I am sure many of you are already familiar with it, so I won't go into any details here. (If you aren't familiar with it, read the article!)
So, I did what the article recommends: I pulled out ALL of my UFOs. Luckily I only had two of them in addition to "Cat in Garden." I then created an Excel spread sheet that gave each piece a number in the stitching rotation and a list of about 10 others I haven't started, but want to put into the rotation eventually. Finally, I also began a little "Stitch Diary" in Word to track other developments.
Since I had already done about 15 hours on "Passing Admirers," I went ahead and started working on the second project, "Siamese Kitty." I began it back in September of 1999 and actually thought I had lost the pattern! As luck would have it, during my Great Stash Reorganization last week I found it. In addition to "Cat in Garden," I have a small "Garfield" design in the rotation. I love Garfield, but after working on this pattern for an afternoon, it just didn't do anything for me. If it weren't for this "NO UFO" mentality I would probably never finish it.
Anyway, I am anxious to see how this whole rotation thing will work out for me and I just want to say thanks again to everyone who answered the question and gave me a bit of much needed guidance!
Update on "Garfield": I guess the Aida cloth that I had it on was kind of shitty, because I put a big rip in it when I was tightening it in the hoop. So I conceded defeat and threw it away. I didn't like that pattern anyway!
Perhaps it is in my nature, I am a librarian after all, but I function best when I am organized and have a system. Therefore, once I had decided that I wanted to try rotating my cross-stitch projects, I had to get organized. First, I reorganized my stash. This helped me to get a good idea of what kinds of patterns I had, how much thread, etc. While doing this, I also jotted down some ideas for my rotation system. However, it wasn't until I read "No More UFOs" that anything really called to me. In principal it is a 10-hour rotation system and I am sure many of you are already familiar with it, so I won't go into any details here. (If you aren't familiar with it, read the article!)
So, I did what the article recommends: I pulled out ALL of my UFOs. Luckily I only had two of them in addition to "Cat in Garden." I then created an Excel spread sheet that gave each piece a number in the stitching rotation and a list of about 10 others I haven't started, but want to put into the rotation eventually. Finally, I also began a little "Stitch Diary" in Word to track other developments.
Since I had already done about 15 hours on "Passing Admirers," I went ahead and started working on the second project, "Siamese Kitty." I began it back in September of 1999 and actually thought I had lost the pattern! As luck would have it, during my Great Stash Reorganization last week I found it. In addition to "Cat in Garden," I have a small "Garfield" design in the rotation. I love Garfield, but after working on this pattern for an afternoon, it just didn't do anything for me. If it weren't for this "NO UFO" mentality I would probably never finish it.
Anyway, I am anxious to see how this whole rotation thing will work out for me and I just want to say thanks again to everyone who answered the question and gave me a bit of much needed guidance!
Update on "Garfield": I guess the Aida cloth that I had it on was kind of shitty, because I put a big rip in it when I was tightening it in the hoop. So I conceded defeat and threw it away. I didn't like that pattern anyway!
Shop Dreams
If you could design your dream needlework/cross stitch shop, what would it be like?
* * * * * * * * * *
I guess it is just the librarian in me coming out, but my dream cross-stitch shop would closely resemble a library: It would be a welcome place with areas to stitch and/or browse, but above all it would be well-organized!
* * * * * * * * * *
I guess it is just the librarian in me coming out, but my dream cross-stitch shop would closely resemble a library: It would be a welcome place with areas to stitch and/or browse, but above all it would be well-organized!
22 September 2004
Metal Head
I have had my ears pierced since I was eight years old. I remember how badly I wanted them pierced: I begged and pleaded for at least a year before my dad's cousin, who is a beautician, offered to pierce my mom and my ears one afternoon when she was visiting. (She often came for a visit and did her mother's and my grandma's hair... when she did she brought a "mini-salon" with her.) I still have one stud from that piercing; gold with a pink stone in it.
That satisfied me for about seven years. Then when I was 14, I decided I wanted my ears pierced a second time... it was all the rage in my middle school. But mom said no. Of course, since I was 14 I didn't listen. Instead, I went to a beautician that my mom never went to and got them pierced again. (This was before you had to have "parental permission" to get your ears pierced.) I tried to hide my new piercings, but Mom saw them within 48 hours. She wasn't happy and I was grounded for a week, but she didn't make me take them out.
My sophomore year of college was a tough year and I experimented with all sorts of things. As a result of one of my experiments, I pierced my ears a third time; but this time I did it myself with a great big, extremely sharp darning needle. Even after standing outside on a frigid January Iowa day for a long time in order to numb my ears properly, it still hurt like hell!
About a year and a half later, I wanted them pierced again. However, this time when I got the cartilage in my upper right ear pierced and had both ears pierced a fourth time I let a "professional" do it. (trans. I went to the mall.) Not 3 months later I got my right ear pierced two more times. It looked cute, piercing was all the rage, and it was a such conversation piece. "How many do you have?" (11) "Did it hurt?" (Not really) "Does it hurt to sleep on them?" (Not as long as you get the side pierced that you don't sleep on) "Are you pierced anywhere else?" - wink, wink (No) Etc., etc.
I have taken good care of my ears and have never had any problems with my piercings. I usually wear 4 pairs of hoops in the bottom and 3 studs in the remaining piercings in the right ear... in fact, I still wear that first stud with the pink stone in my upper cartilage piercing.
But, slowly, over the last year or so, each time I take my earrings out to clean them and then go through the hassle of putting them all back in and I look in the mirror at my earringless ears I have begun to think about leaving them out permanently.
The first and second piercings are OK and I am quite fond of the cartilage piercing, but the others I think I could live without. I don't think they will ever grow shut completely: I have left the earrings out for weeks at a time and never have a problem putting them back in, so I guess I can always change my mind. But gradually I just don't think it looks so cute anymore... I am beginning to think that it borders on tacky.
That satisfied me for about seven years. Then when I was 14, I decided I wanted my ears pierced a second time... it was all the rage in my middle school. But mom said no. Of course, since I was 14 I didn't listen. Instead, I went to a beautician that my mom never went to and got them pierced again. (This was before you had to have "parental permission" to get your ears pierced.) I tried to hide my new piercings, but Mom saw them within 48 hours. She wasn't happy and I was grounded for a week, but she didn't make me take them out.
My sophomore year of college was a tough year and I experimented with all sorts of things. As a result of one of my experiments, I pierced my ears a third time; but this time I did it myself with a great big, extremely sharp darning needle. Even after standing outside on a frigid January Iowa day for a long time in order to numb my ears properly, it still hurt like hell!
About a year and a half later, I wanted them pierced again. However, this time when I got the cartilage in my upper right ear pierced and had both ears pierced a fourth time I let a "professional" do it. (trans. I went to the mall.) Not 3 months later I got my right ear pierced two more times. It looked cute, piercing was all the rage, and it was a such conversation piece. "How many do you have?" (11) "Did it hurt?" (Not really) "Does it hurt to sleep on them?" (Not as long as you get the side pierced that you don't sleep on) "Are you pierced anywhere else?" - wink, wink (No) Etc., etc.
I have taken good care of my ears and have never had any problems with my piercings. I usually wear 4 pairs of hoops in the bottom and 3 studs in the remaining piercings in the right ear... in fact, I still wear that first stud with the pink stone in my upper cartilage piercing.
But, slowly, over the last year or so, each time I take my earrings out to clean them and then go through the hassle of putting them all back in and I look in the mirror at my earringless ears I have begun to think about leaving them out permanently.
The first and second piercings are OK and I am quite fond of the cartilage piercing, but the others I think I could live without. I don't think they will ever grow shut completely: I have left the earrings out for weeks at a time and never have a problem putting them back in, so I guess I can always change my mind. But gradually I just don't think it looks so cute anymore... I am beginning to think that it borders on tacky.
20 September 2004
Peace and Quiet
A. left yesterday morning and will be gone until Wednesday. I am totally enjoying the peace and quiet!
I haven't done much except cross-stitch while I watched the extended versions of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring and The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. I also watched Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.
I made enough spaghetti last night so that I won't have to cook until A. comes home on Wednesday and I slept in the middle of the bed last night. I seriously considered really "bach"ing it up by not taking a shower, but that was asking a little too much.
Currently the only sounds in the house are the ticking of the wall clock, my typing fingers, and the snoring cats. Life is good. :)
I haven't done much except cross-stitch while I watched the extended versions of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring and The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. I also watched Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.
I made enough spaghetti last night so that I won't have to cook until A. comes home on Wednesday and I slept in the middle of the bed last night. I seriously considered really "bach"ing it up by not taking a shower, but that was asking a little too much.
Currently the only sounds in the house are the ticking of the wall clock, my typing fingers, and the snoring cats. Life is good. :)
19 September 2004
The Itch to Stitch
I woke up this morning with the itch to stitch! The last couple of days I have been reorganizing my stash and in doing so I got lots of ideas for new projects! :) However, I also discovered that I am missing a color for "Passing Admirers." So instead of working around it today, I decided to start a new project.
While printing out some previously downloaded patterns the other day, I started to think about the holidays and I found out I have a bunch of Halloween (my favorite holiday!) patterns. This morning, it was DMC's "Witch on her Broomstick" that called to me. (Download the free pattern!) It is pretty small, so I imagine I will get it done in just a couple of days.
When I get my missing color for "Passing Admirers" it will be back to that project. I think I am going to like this whole "project rotation" thing!
While printing out some previously downloaded patterns the other day, I started to think about the holidays and I found out I have a bunch of Halloween (my favorite holiday!) patterns. This morning, it was DMC's "Witch on her Broomstick" that called to me. (Download the free pattern!) It is pretty small, so I imagine I will get it done in just a couple of days.
When I get my missing color for "Passing Admirers" it will be back to that project. I think I am going to like this whole "project rotation" thing!
18 September 2004
The Contents of My Purse
They say that the contents of a woman's purse say a lot about her. What do you think the contents of my purse say about me?
I'll tell you what this list told me about myself... I may be prepared for anything, but it wouldn't hurt me to clean out my purse once in a while!
- Book (currently Nick Hornby's High Fidelity to read on the train into town - or anywhere else for that matter!)
- Large light blue hair brush with lots of blonde hair
- Half-full bottle of Volvic Water
- Purse-pack of tissues
- Wild Berry Smint
- Umbrella
- Sack of (Caribbean-style) trail-mix
- Digital camera
- Sunglasses with pink and purple tinted lenses
- Fingernail file
- Pen and pencil
- Eye drops
- Carmex
- Strawberry-flavored Labello lip balm
- 2 old reciepts (one from a bookstore, the other from a craft store)
- Rubber band
- Purple velvet ponytail holder
- Passport
- Subway map
- Munich street map
- Small mirror
- AAA battery
- Oh Yeah... My Wallet (with assorted business cards, credit cards, and about €20)
- But NO kitchen sink!
I'll tell you what this list told me about myself... I may be prepared for anything, but it wouldn't hurt me to clean out my purse once in a while!
16 September 2004
Lesen auf Deutsch
About a week ago, A. and I had a discussion about my German reading ability and I didn't much like what he said. He thought that I bordered on illiteracy in German. And let me tell you something... not only did that really rub me the wrong way me, but it got me to thinking.
I'll be honest. Since I finished German classes a year ago I haven't read too much German. I might glance at the newspaper headlines or the tele-text on TV once in a while, but that's about it. When I really started thinking about it, I realized that it is very sad that I, who claim to like reading so much, have not taken the initiative to read in the language of the country where I live.
My mainreasons excuses for not reading in German are:
But in addition to all that, is this: While it is true that I learned the basics of reading in English fairly quickly, the refinement of my reading skills took years. Therefore, why should I expect myself to read at the same level in German as I do in English when I only learned German two years ago? Of course, I also admit that I will never improve my German reading skills if I don't practice them. And honestly, I do want to be able to read as well in German as I do in English.
So, I decided the other day I needed to think about reading in German. Not only why I didn't want to do it, but how I could approach it so that I would want do it!
One thing I thought about was my oral comprehension: At first I had a very hard time understanding German and it wasn't until (and I am a little ashamed to admit it) that I started watching TV that I really began to understand German. But even more, it wasn't just TV watching in general that increased my ability; it was watching American movies and shows that I had already seen translated into German. I started watching Star Trek: The Next Generation, The Bold and the Beautiful, The Gilmore Girls, Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, Friends, The Simpsons, and a host of other shows that I was familiar with. I found that when I knew the basic plot of the show I started to understand the language... not only of the show, but also of the conversations around me.
How could I apply this to reading, I wondered. First I decided that I must discard that second excuse for not reading in German. If something sounds good to me, I can always read it in English, but I shouldn't refuse to read it in German. Second, I thought about my method for improving my oral comprehension ability and modified it to this: Why not try to read books that I am already familiar with? Since I will already know the plot and will be able to visualize it, I can focus on thinking/reading in German.
I also thought about my reading level in German and thought books written for a younger audience might be the way to go. So, I have decided to start by reading Harry Potter in German. First I need to buy them and then I can start with my experiment. Since A. is going to be away on a business trip the first part of next week and I will be home alone, I think it will be the perfect time to start!
I'll be honest. Since I finished German classes a year ago I haven't read too much German. I might glance at the newspaper headlines or the tele-text on TV once in a while, but that's about it. When I really started thinking about it, I realized that it is very sad that I, who claim to like reading so much, have not taken the initiative to read in the language of the country where I live.
My main
- I haven't found any German authors I like.
- Anything that sounds good to me is usually a German translation from English and why should I read something in German if I can read it in English?
- I don't enjoy reading in German because it requires so much concentration.
- Since I don't think in German, I have a hard time visualizing the story in my head.
- I have the reading level of a child and the reading tastes of an adult.
- It is just so frustrating!
But in addition to all that, is this: While it is true that I learned the basics of reading in English fairly quickly, the refinement of my reading skills took years. Therefore, why should I expect myself to read at the same level in German as I do in English when I only learned German two years ago? Of course, I also admit that I will never improve my German reading skills if I don't practice them. And honestly, I do want to be able to read as well in German as I do in English.
So, I decided the other day I needed to think about reading in German. Not only why I didn't want to do it, but how I could approach it so that I would want do it!
One thing I thought about was my oral comprehension: At first I had a very hard time understanding German and it wasn't until (and I am a little ashamed to admit it) that I started watching TV that I really began to understand German. But even more, it wasn't just TV watching in general that increased my ability; it was watching American movies and shows that I had already seen translated into German. I started watching Star Trek: The Next Generation, The Bold and the Beautiful, The Gilmore Girls, Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, Friends, The Simpsons, and a host of other shows that I was familiar with. I found that when I knew the basic plot of the show I started to understand the language... not only of the show, but also of the conversations around me.
How could I apply this to reading, I wondered. First I decided that I must discard that second excuse for not reading in German. If something sounds good to me, I can always read it in English, but I shouldn't refuse to read it in German. Second, I thought about my method for improving my oral comprehension ability and modified it to this: Why not try to read books that I am already familiar with? Since I will already know the plot and will be able to visualize it, I can focus on thinking/reading in German.
I also thought about my reading level in German and thought books written for a younger audience might be the way to go. So, I have decided to start by reading Harry Potter in German. First I need to buy them and then I can start with my experiment. Since A. is going to be away on a business trip the first part of next week and I will be home alone, I think it will be the perfect time to start!
15 September 2004
Confessions of a Coke Addict
They say the first step in solving a problem is to admit that you have one:
So, here goes... My name is the blondelibrarian and I am addicted to Coke. How addicted I am to that sweet, bubbly, brown, cola-flavored liquid that I jokingly refer to as "Liquid Gold" I never fully realized until I decided to stop.
First let's get one thing straight: I do not now, nor have I ever been able to drink Diet Coke. It just doesn't taste like the "real thing" in my opinion. People have told me to keep drinking it because I will get used to it, but I just can't. My Diet Coke experiment lasted all of three days. I don't care what you say. It DOES NOT taste like Coke... just NutraSweet!
Second of all, while I can drink Pepsi, RC, or even a Jolt Cola in times of desperation, I choose Coke. I once did the (in)famous "Pepsi Challenge" and I chose Coke. The people doing the whole thing were so rude about it too: They wouldn't even give me the rest of the Coke when I asked for it!
I used to drink a lot of Coke. In my heyday I could easily drink at least 2 or 3 liters a day. I drank Coke for breakfast and before I went to bed. My favorite drink was Jack and Coke and a friend once gave me a cook book entitled Classic Cooking with Coca-Cola. I drank Coke when I ate chocolate, potato chips, nuts, or cookies. Everything goes with Coke!
In the last few years I have tried to reduce my Coke intake and think I have done a pretty good job. I try to limit myself to about 3/4 liter per day and usually succeed.
However, a couple of weeks ago A. decided that he was no longer going to drink Coke and encouraged me to think about it too. After all, he told me, think of the calories and money I would save. I was resistant at first, but finally agreed to give it a whirl.
For three days I didn't have so much as one sip of Coke. I drank plenty of milk, water, and even some wine, but no Coke. I had a headache, was tired for no apparent reason, and today I nearly snapped the lady's head off at the book store when I was trying to explain that though I obviously speak English, I wanted Harry Potter in German.
I walked home grouchy and when I got home I was very thirsty. I looked in the fridge with every intention of drinking water, but the Coke was there looking so cold and refreshing... I just couldn't take it anymore! I nearly ripped off the lid and in one long, swift drink drained half the bottle! And let me tell you something, never had a Coke tasted so good and I feel better now than I have in days. Yes, it is true. I admit it: I am addicted to Coke and you know what? I don't care!
So, here goes... My name is the blondelibrarian and I am addicted to Coke. How addicted I am to that sweet, bubbly, brown, cola-flavored liquid that I jokingly refer to as "Liquid Gold" I never fully realized until I decided to stop.
First let's get one thing straight: I do not now, nor have I ever been able to drink Diet Coke. It just doesn't taste like the "real thing" in my opinion. People have told me to keep drinking it because I will get used to it, but I just can't. My Diet Coke experiment lasted all of three days. I don't care what you say. It DOES NOT taste like Coke... just NutraSweet!
Second of all, while I can drink Pepsi, RC, or even a Jolt Cola in times of desperation, I choose Coke. I once did the (in)famous "Pepsi Challenge" and I chose Coke. The people doing the whole thing were so rude about it too: They wouldn't even give me the rest of the Coke when I asked for it!
I used to drink a lot of Coke. In my heyday I could easily drink at least 2 or 3 liters a day. I drank Coke for breakfast and before I went to bed. My favorite drink was Jack and Coke and a friend once gave me a cook book entitled Classic Cooking with Coca-Cola. I drank Coke when I ate chocolate, potato chips, nuts, or cookies. Everything goes with Coke!
In the last few years I have tried to reduce my Coke intake and think I have done a pretty good job. I try to limit myself to about 3/4 liter per day and usually succeed.
However, a couple of weeks ago A. decided that he was no longer going to drink Coke and encouraged me to think about it too. After all, he told me, think of the calories and money I would save. I was resistant at first, but finally agreed to give it a whirl.
For three days I didn't have so much as one sip of Coke. I drank plenty of milk, water, and even some wine, but no Coke. I had a headache, was tired for no apparent reason, and today I nearly snapped the lady's head off at the book store when I was trying to explain that though I obviously speak English, I wanted Harry Potter in German.
I walked home grouchy and when I got home I was very thirsty. I looked in the fridge with every intention of drinking water, but the Coke was there looking so cold and refreshing... I just couldn't take it anymore! I nearly ripped off the lid and in one long, swift drink drained half the bottle! And let me tell you something, never had a Coke tasted so good and I feel better now than I have in days. Yes, it is true. I admit it: I am addicted to Coke and you know what? I don't care!
12 September 2004
A Day Late
It seems to me someone is giving me a little bit of crap about my choice of posts yesterday.
After all, yesterday was... you know. I thought about writing something concerning that particular date, but the thing is September 11, 2001 has very different memories for me than it does for most Americans.
See I was on my first vacation with my husband-to-be. We were in New Orleans and we got up around 10:30 am. The first thing we did was turn on the Weather Channel to see if it was going to rain because we were planning a swamp tour that afternoon.
I remember the first thing the weather dude said was, "I repeat, all airports in the United States are closed until further notice."
And my reaction was "What the fuck?!"
We turned over to CNN and that's when we found out. But we were in New Orleans and felt as if we were in another world. The bars on Bourbon Street were still open, the swamp tours were still going, and we were still on vacation. So we continued with our plans and we had a good time.
And so when the anniversary of that day comes along, I tend to keep quiet about my personal memories of that day because I know that it changed the lives of lots of people and I don't want to belittle their feelings of that day with my own pleasant memories.
After all, yesterday was... you know. I thought about writing something concerning that particular date, but the thing is September 11, 2001 has very different memories for me than it does for most Americans.
See I was on my first vacation with my husband-to-be. We were in New Orleans and we got up around 10:30 am. The first thing we did was turn on the Weather Channel to see if it was going to rain because we were planning a swamp tour that afternoon.
I remember the first thing the weather dude said was, "I repeat, all airports in the United States are closed until further notice."
And my reaction was "What the fuck?!"
We turned over to CNN and that's when we found out. But we were in New Orleans and felt as if we were in another world. The bars on Bourbon Street were still open, the swamp tours were still going, and we were still on vacation. So we continued with our plans and we had a good time.
And so when the anniversary of that day comes along, I tend to keep quiet about my personal memories of that day because I know that it changed the lives of lots of people and I don't want to belittle their feelings of that day with my own pleasant memories.
11 September 2004
Stitching Diary
I started " Passing Admirers" the other day, but didn't really seriously begin stitching on it until today.
Summary:
Completed Stitch Time: 5 hours 15 minutes
Summary:
- "Passing Admirers" will be stitched on Zweigart ® 32 count Cream 100% Linen Evenweave Fabric
- This is my very first project on Linen!
- For the first time ever I sewed the edges of my fabric down to prevent it from unraveling.
- For the first time ever I sewed the edges of my fabric down to prevent it from unraveling.
- The chart, and therefore the design, is divided into 6 sections.
- My goal is to work a section at a time, starting with Section 2 (the middle).
- After each 7 hours of stitching time, I will post a progress scan in my cross stitch gallery.
Completed Stitch Time: 5 hours 15 minutes
10 September 2004
Busy as a Bee
This afternoon I decided to play Gertrude Gardener. A couple of days ago I bought some pansies at the flower shop and decided I needed to plant them.
Unfortunately for the sweet little pansies, the "Curse of the Black Thumb" very nearly struck again. When I went outside two of the three flowers were visibly wilted. I watered them the other day, but forgot to do so yesterday. I was afraid that I had killed them already.
So, instead of planting them in the window box as I had planned, I planted the one that still looked OK in a little pot. I watered the other two and put them in the shade. I think that by tomorrow they will either perk back up (if so, I will replant them) or be dead (in which case I will get rid of them). I did that about three hours ago and now as I glance at them I have strong hopes that they will survive.
As I was fiddling with the pansies, I also decided to empty the pots that had my geraniums in them. I didn't do so hot with my geranium experiment. I didn't out and out kill them, but a bad storm whipped them around pretty bad a while back and hurt the stems. They never really recovered from that. In addition, I hadn't been watering them and taking care of them the last month or so as I should have been because it was hot.
In fact, around mid July I had a flower epiphany: I came to the conclusion that I am a spring and fall flower girl. I love to play with flowers in the spring and fall when it is cool outside, but once it gets hot... I don't want to be outside and always manage to not water them enough. I don't do it on purpose, but I guess subconsciously I am trying to kill them so I don't have to be outside.
So, since the geranium pots were empty, I then decided to repot this tree that I have. I think I have mentioned my tree before. It is about 2 feet high and in addition to leaves, it has these fuzzy red fronds. I bought it about 2 years ago from the local florist. At the time she told me what it was, but I didn't understand enough German then to figure out what she was saying. Since it looks like it belongs on another world, we just call it my "Alien Tree."
A. had told me not to repot it because it will just grow, but I couldn't resist. I know it will get bigger now, but I told myself that this will be its last pot (hmm... we'll see about that!) Here is a picture of it in its new pot. No, it doesn't have two stems... there is a stick holding it up because it is too tall for its skinny trunk.
By the way, if anyone knows what the heck this thing is, could you please let me know? :)
Unfortunately for the sweet little pansies, the "Curse of the Black Thumb" very nearly struck again. When I went outside two of the three flowers were visibly wilted. I watered them the other day, but forgot to do so yesterday. I was afraid that I had killed them already.
So, instead of planting them in the window box as I had planned, I planted the one that still looked OK in a little pot. I watered the other two and put them in the shade. I think that by tomorrow they will either perk back up (if so, I will replant them) or be dead (in which case I will get rid of them). I did that about three hours ago and now as I glance at them I have strong hopes that they will survive.
As I was fiddling with the pansies, I also decided to empty the pots that had my geraniums in them. I didn't do so hot with my geranium experiment. I didn't out and out kill them, but a bad storm whipped them around pretty bad a while back and hurt the stems. They never really recovered from that. In addition, I hadn't been watering them and taking care of them the last month or so as I should have been because it was hot.
In fact, around mid July I had a flower epiphany: I came to the conclusion that I am a spring and fall flower girl. I love to play with flowers in the spring and fall when it is cool outside, but once it gets hot... I don't want to be outside and always manage to not water them enough. I don't do it on purpose, but I guess subconsciously I am trying to kill them so I don't have to be outside.
So, since the geranium pots were empty, I then decided to repot this tree that I have. I think I have mentioned my tree before. It is about 2 feet high and in addition to leaves, it has these fuzzy red fronds. I bought it about 2 years ago from the local florist. At the time she told me what it was, but I didn't understand enough German then to figure out what she was saying. Since it looks like it belongs on another world, we just call it my "Alien Tree."
A. had told me not to repot it because it will just grow, but I couldn't resist. I know it will get bigger now, but I told myself that this will be its last pot (hmm... we'll see about that!) Here is a picture of it in its new pot. No, it doesn't have two stems... there is a stick holding it up because it is too tall for its skinny trunk.
photo by blondelibrarian
By the way, if anyone knows what the heck this thing is, could you please let me know? :)
09 September 2004
Lily White vs. Golden Brown
Since May I have been using the tanning bed at our local gym once a week for ten minutes at a time. Since I am naturally blonde, I don't want to be too tan. I not only think that it looks fake, but I honestly don't think my fair skin could handle it. However, I feel that I look healthier with a hint of a tan.
I have often thought that in the skin department I live in the wrong century. If I would have lived in the 18th or 19th centuries, I would have had the skin that all of the damsels envied. When I have no tan, my skin is so white that you can clearly see the blue veins underneath. Many European Aristocrats and Southern Belles spent hours soaking their skin in buttermilk, carefully shading their faces under mammoth hats, and dusting themselves with rice powder for the skin that comes to me naturally.
But alas, I live in the 21st century and even with a tan I have to choose the lightest shade of foundation at the makeup counter and it is still too dark. I told a friend of mine about a month ago that I had been tanning. Until I showed her my visible tan line, she didn't believe a word of it. But I know. I see it when I notice that the blue lines on my shoulders aren't nearly as visible anymore. I enjoy it when I am able to be outside all day in the sun with just a minimum of sun protection.
One day while I was surfing the Web I quite accidentally came across a very interesting article concerning skin tone in the earlier centuries versus today. (Sorry, I read this long ago so I no longer have any idea where the article was located) The article discussed how western society's ideas of the beautiful shade of skin have changed in the past hundred (or so) years.
Once it was fashionable to have lily white skin because it was a sign of wealth and leisure. During that time it was the working class who had to be (i.e., work) outside and, as a result, ended up with tanned bodies. Obviously, for a person of leisure the thought of having to work outside was highly undesirable. Therefore, any sign that he or she did so (like tanned skin) was also unwelcome. Consequently, fair white skin was an indication that the person did not have to be outside or work.
Fast forward to the last half of 20th century. Suddenly working people had to spend the majority of their time indoors. Everyone* developed white skin per default. People wanted to be outside surfing, gardening, swimming, or a thousand other things that would, unsurprisingly, result in a tan during their hard-earned free-time. This shift to favoring a golden brown tan over lily white skin indicated not only that being outside was a good thing, but also communicated that the person in question had time and money to spend outside enjoying these things. And what better way to prove that you can spend time relaxing on the beach or smelling your well-groomed roses than with a tan?
Today we all know the dangers of skin cancer and some listen more carefully than others, but it still doesn't prevent a large majority of people from thinking that a person with a slight tan looks healthier than someone with lily white legs poking out from underneath his or her shorts.
* = Allow my indulgence here for the sake of argument.
I have often thought that in the skin department I live in the wrong century. If I would have lived in the 18th or 19th centuries, I would have had the skin that all of the damsels envied. When I have no tan, my skin is so white that you can clearly see the blue veins underneath. Many European Aristocrats and Southern Belles spent hours soaking their skin in buttermilk, carefully shading their faces under mammoth hats, and dusting themselves with rice powder for the skin that comes to me naturally.
But alas, I live in the 21st century and even with a tan I have to choose the lightest shade of foundation at the makeup counter and it is still too dark. I told a friend of mine about a month ago that I had been tanning. Until I showed her my visible tan line, she didn't believe a word of it. But I know. I see it when I notice that the blue lines on my shoulders aren't nearly as visible anymore. I enjoy it when I am able to be outside all day in the sun with just a minimum of sun protection.
One day while I was surfing the Web I quite accidentally came across a very interesting article concerning skin tone in the earlier centuries versus today. (Sorry, I read this long ago so I no longer have any idea where the article was located) The article discussed how western society's ideas of the beautiful shade of skin have changed in the past hundred (or so) years.
Once it was fashionable to have lily white skin because it was a sign of wealth and leisure. During that time it was the working class who had to be (i.e., work) outside and, as a result, ended up with tanned bodies. Obviously, for a person of leisure the thought of having to work outside was highly undesirable. Therefore, any sign that he or she did so (like tanned skin) was also unwelcome. Consequently, fair white skin was an indication that the person did not have to be outside or work.
Fast forward to the last half of 20th century. Suddenly working people had to spend the majority of their time indoors. Everyone* developed white skin per default. People wanted to be outside surfing, gardening, swimming, or a thousand other things that would, unsurprisingly, result in a tan during their hard-earned free-time. This shift to favoring a golden brown tan over lily white skin indicated not only that being outside was a good thing, but also communicated that the person in question had time and money to spend outside enjoying these things. And what better way to prove that you can spend time relaxing on the beach or smelling your well-groomed roses than with a tan?
Today we all know the dangers of skin cancer and some listen more carefully than others, but it still doesn't prevent a large majority of people from thinking that a person with a slight tan looks healthier than someone with lily white legs poking out from underneath his or her shorts.
* = Allow my indulgence here for the sake of argument.
Viva Cactus!
Tonight is Mexican night at our house. The reason is two-fold:
First, last weekend we were in the mood to eat out and thought Mexican sounded good. So, we went to the pitiful excuse for a Mexican restaurant (called Viva with a cactus mascot, hence the title of the post) in our little town and ordered margaritas and chimichangas that left much to be desired. This is the third time we have tried Mexican in the Munich area and the third time we were disappointed. We came to the conclusion that though I am from the Midwestern United States, at least I have been to Mexico and lived in Texas; therefore I should have a good idea of what Mexican is supposed to taste like and am probably a better Mexican cook than your average German. (Hint: Carrots DO NOT belong in Fajitas!)
Second, we have a lonely bottle of tequila that is just screaming to be drunk, so yesterday when we were at the grocery store I got everything I need to make margaritas, chicken nachos, and homemade salsa. Aahreeba, Aahreeba!
I just finished the salsa and will start on the nachos in a couple of hours. However, if you are interested, here is the recipe for
blondelibrarian Hot and Spicy Salsa
In medium saucepan, combine all ingredients except cilantro. Bring to a boil over hight heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in cilantro. Ladle mixture into clean jars and cover with tight-fitting lids.
Keeps up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
That's all there is to it! Enjoy!
* * * * * * * * * *
9:30 Update
Hmm... my margaritas didn't really have the desired effect... after drinking approximately 4 of them A. is out like a light!
First, last weekend we were in the mood to eat out and thought Mexican sounded good. So, we went to the pitiful excuse for a Mexican restaurant (called Viva with a cactus mascot, hence the title of the post) in our little town and ordered margaritas and chimichangas that left much to be desired. This is the third time we have tried Mexican in the Munich area and the third time we were disappointed. We came to the conclusion that though I am from the Midwestern United States, at least I have been to Mexico and lived in Texas; therefore I should have a good idea of what Mexican is supposed to taste like and am probably a better Mexican cook than your average German. (Hint: Carrots DO NOT belong in Fajitas!)
Second, we have a lonely bottle of tequila that is just screaming to be drunk, so yesterday when we were at the grocery store I got everything I need to make margaritas, chicken nachos, and homemade salsa. Aahreeba, Aahreeba!
I just finished the salsa and will start on the nachos in a couple of hours. However, if you are interested, here is the recipe for
blondelibrarian Hot and Spicy Salsa
- 2-6 coarsely chopped tomatoes
- Though I love things made from tomatoes, I am not a big whole tomato fan, therefore I use the bare minimum of tomatoes... if you like tomatoes, I would suggest the full number.
- 1 3/4 cup tomato sauce
- 6-9 minced garlic cloves
- 6-9 minced garlic cloves
- However, I love garlic, so I use the maximum amount... you might choose otherwise.
- 2 small jalapeño chilies, seeded finely chopped
- ¼ cup finely chopped onion
- 1/3 cup dry white wine or unsweetened apple juice
- ¼ cup finely chopped onion
- I have used both and prefer the wine
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- ½ - 1 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
- ½ - 1 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
- The hotter you want it, the more pepper you add. :)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- Cilantro is also called Coriander leaves.
In medium saucepan, combine all ingredients except cilantro. Bring to a boil over hight heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in cilantro. Ladle mixture into clean jars and cover with tight-fitting lids.
Keeps up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
That's all there is to it! Enjoy!
* * * * * * * * * *
9:30 Update
Hmm... my margaritas didn't really have the desired effect... after drinking approximately 4 of them A. is out like a light!
07 September 2004
Stricken vs. Sticken
How do you explain cross stitch to non-cross stitching people?
Do they get it or do they say "Oh, right.. you do knitting then (or sewing, or needlepoint)?"
I don't try to explain cross-stitch to non-stitching people very often. However, I have lived in Germany for the past 2½ years and when I decided to take cross-stitching back up about a year ago, I quickly learned that I had to figure out a way to explain cross-stitching to people in German so I could find supplies!
I didn't have any trouble finding embroidery floss, but didn't even have the slightest clue as to the word for "cross-stitch" in German, and to make matters worse when I looked in my "Unabridged" German Dictionary the word wasn't even there! Of course, asking my husband (who is a native German speaker) was pointless, because at the time, he barely knew what cross-stitch was. His suggestion was "stricken," which is "knitting!"
One day I was in a very large department store and stumbled upon the sewing department. As luck would have it, they had a decent selection of stitching supplies. Not only did I buy things for my stash that day, I made notes of all the German vocabulary related to stitching that I came across.
At first I thought that "sticken" was the word I was looking for. Not only is "sticken" very close to "stricken" (which of course means I must be careful with my pronunciation so that the store clerks don't get confused), I later learned that "sticken" just means "to embroider." It wasn't until I came across the chart section that I found out that "cross-stitch" in German is "Kreuzstich" and is actually a literal translation (Kreuz = cross; Stich = stitch)! Armed with this knowledge, I now have very little trouble explaining what I do and what I want to store clerks.
Although about a month ago, I did find out the importance of correct pronunciation between "stricken" and "sticken." When I attempted to tell my mother-in-law that I did "sticken," she misunderstood me and offered to buy me a pair of knitting needles!
06 September 2004
Cross-Stitch Dilemma
Here are the thoughts that led me to suggest this week's Stitching Bloggers' Question of the Week:
"Do you stitch small projects one at a time that you can finish quickly, have numerous large projects going at once that you rotate, or both? How does your current system work for you and have you thought about changing it?"
* * * * * * * * * *
I am facing a cross-stitch dilemma. I am considering completely changing the way that I cross-stitch. No, I don't mean the actual cross-stitching. I still cross-stitch from the bottom right corner to the top left and then from the bottom left to the top right.
When I learned to cross-stitch back in 1999, I did one piece at time until it was finished. I didn't have a big stash back then and I was still learning the techniques. Before my enormous 2½ year break from stitching I had begun larger pieces that I never finished... Works in Progress, if you will. I worked on something until I got bored and then started something new. When I picked my stitching back up last October, I had 3 unfinished projects that I finished before I started anything new.
At that point I told myself that I didn't like those unfinished projects and in order to avoid having more of them in the future, I decided to only stitch small projects that I knew I could finish before becoming bored. And that has worked well. Since last October I have completed close to 40 small projects.
But here is the thing. I have recently come across some large complex patterns that I really want to stitch. I have not yet started them because I am afraid I will get bored with them before I finish them. And here is where I am thinking about changing my cross-stitch style.
Most other stitchers out there (at least those who blog) seem to have numerous large and complex projects going at once. In order (I assume) to avoid getting bored with one particular piece they rotate them. And that is what I am thinking about doing. I really want to do the "Passing Admirers" and would like to work some more on my "Cat in Garden," in addition to doing a couple of Pam Kellogg designs. But the thing is, I do like to finish my projects.
So, after thinking about it, I decided to begin a rotation with two projects and leave myself room to do small projects as the desire arises. If it works out well, perhaps I will add more projects to my rotation.
* * * * * * * * * *
I am facing a cross-stitch dilemma. I am considering completely changing the way that I cross-stitch. No, I don't mean the actual cross-stitching. I still cross-stitch from the bottom right corner to the top left and then from the bottom left to the top right.
When I learned to cross-stitch back in 1999, I did one piece at time until it was finished. I didn't have a big stash back then and I was still learning the techniques. Before my enormous 2½ year break from stitching I had begun larger pieces that I never finished... Works in Progress, if you will. I worked on something until I got bored and then started something new. When I picked my stitching back up last October, I had 3 unfinished projects that I finished before I started anything new.
At that point I told myself that I didn't like those unfinished projects and in order to avoid having more of them in the future, I decided to only stitch small projects that I knew I could finish before becoming bored. And that has worked well. Since last October I have completed close to 40 small projects.
But here is the thing. I have recently come across some large complex patterns that I really want to stitch. I have not yet started them because I am afraid I will get bored with them before I finish them. And here is where I am thinking about changing my cross-stitch style.
Most other stitchers out there (at least those who blog) seem to have numerous large and complex projects going at once. In order (I assume) to avoid getting bored with one particular piece they rotate them. And that is what I am thinking about doing. I really want to do the "Passing Admirers" and would like to work some more on my "Cat in Garden," in addition to doing a couple of Pam Kellogg designs. But the thing is, I do like to finish my projects.
So, after thinking about it, I decided to begin a rotation with two projects and leave myself room to do small projects as the desire arises. If it works out well, perhaps I will add more projects to my rotation.
Maternal Instinct and the Biological Clock
In all honesty, I have never had much a desire to become a mother. The mere idea of being pregnant makes my insides flip-flop. I think babies are cute when they smile and laugh, but when they cry or dirty their diapers... not so cute! Other people's kids are fine. I have a niece whom I adore and I feel extremely protective of my best friend's kids, even though I am wary of children that I don't know. A good friend of mine will have a baby in November and I'm really excited for her. But the idea of having my own and the life-long responsibility that goes along with it makes me shudder.
When I was a little girl, I hated playing "house," and I remember telling my friend Carla when I was six or seven that I didn't want to have babies. Even at 6, Carla wanted to be a mommy and in her infinite little girl wisdom assured me that when I got older I would want a baby.
At 15, my cousin, who is 2 years younger than me, couldn't wait to have a baby and become a mom. In fact, within two years she was one. Now 10 years later she has a happy family that includes three little girls. However, when she was 15 I remember telling her she was crazy because there was so much to see and do; so much life to live before becoming a mother.
When I was 19 and had my first serious relationship I doomed it by telling him that I was unsure if I would ever want to get married or have kids. Two and a half years later, I found out he was married and expecting his first child.
I then endured a five year relationship that ended in heartache and misery and when it was over, I thanked my lucky stars that we had no kids. The custody battle over the cats was bad enough.
By that time I was 25. Lots of my friends were married and either already had begun a family or were getting ready to do so. I questioned whether or not I even had maternal instinct when people told me that I would change my mind once I heard my biological clock or after I met "the one." I wasn't convinced, but thought anything is possible.
Well, now I'm 30 and I met "Mr. Right" three years ago. We enjoy spending time together and being able to do what we please when we want to do it and not have to worry about whether or not it is "kid-friendly" or if we have a babysitter. Maybe someday we will change our minds, but for now we are content with being child-free.
When I was a little girl, I hated playing "house," and I remember telling my friend Carla when I was six or seven that I didn't want to have babies. Even at 6, Carla wanted to be a mommy and in her infinite little girl wisdom assured me that when I got older I would want a baby.
At 15, my cousin, who is 2 years younger than me, couldn't wait to have a baby and become a mom. In fact, within two years she was one. Now 10 years later she has a happy family that includes three little girls. However, when she was 15 I remember telling her she was crazy because there was so much to see and do; so much life to live before becoming a mother.
When I was 19 and had my first serious relationship I doomed it by telling him that I was unsure if I would ever want to get married or have kids. Two and a half years later, I found out he was married and expecting his first child.
I then endured a five year relationship that ended in heartache and misery and when it was over, I thanked my lucky stars that we had no kids. The custody battle over the cats was bad enough.
By that time I was 25. Lots of my friends were married and either already had begun a family or were getting ready to do so. I questioned whether or not I even had maternal instinct when people told me that I would change my mind once I heard my biological clock or after I met "the one." I wasn't convinced, but thought anything is possible.
Well, now I'm 30 and I met "Mr. Right" three years ago. We enjoy spending time together and being able to do what we please when we want to do it and not have to worry about whether or not it is "kid-friendly" or if we have a babysitter. Maybe someday we will change our minds, but for now we are content with being child-free.
05 September 2004
Sick Business at the Pharmacy
Friday afternoon I came across another one of those ridiculous things about Germany that both scandalize and amaze me.
I needed some hydrogen peroxide. In America, you can go to Wal-Mart, or even the corner convenient store, and pick up a pint (approx ½ a liter) for under $1.00. Not so in Germany. It is one of those items you must buy at the Apotheke (the pharmacy).
For my American readers that are confused, let me explain. There are no Wal-Mart pharmacies in Germany and over-the-counter drugs (or other similarly dangerous things like Hydrogen Peroxide and BAKING SODA) are only sold at pharmacies. Need some aspirin? Well, don't bother looking for it at Wal-Mart, cuz it ain't gonna be there!
Not only are these items only available at the pharmacy, you must request them from the man or woman behind the counter in the white coat and when you do, you get the third degree. What is it that you need? Why do you need it? What are you going to do with it? How much of it do you need? Personally, I don't think it is anybody's business why I need hydrogen peroxide, I just want some!
So on Friday, once A. and I finally convinced the woman behind the counter that we only wanted hydrogen peroxide for disinfection and not to make a hydrogen peroxide bomb, we came across another utterly repulsive thing: the price! 100 ml (a little more than 1/3 cup) of hydrogen peroxide was going to set us back almost 9 Euros! I nearly fainted! However, we really needed some, so after a lot of grumbling by me to A., we plunked down our money.
Two days later, I am still reeling in shock. It wasn't that we had to go the pharmacy, I was prepared for that. But even now, the price makes me sick to my stomach... but not too sick, I don't want to have to go back and find out how much Pepto-Bismol costs!
I needed some hydrogen peroxide. In America, you can go to Wal-Mart, or even the corner convenient store, and pick up a pint (approx ½ a liter) for under $1.00. Not so in Germany. It is one of those items you must buy at the Apotheke (the pharmacy).
For my American readers that are confused, let me explain. There are no Wal-Mart pharmacies in Germany and over-the-counter drugs (or other similarly dangerous things like Hydrogen Peroxide and BAKING SODA) are only sold at pharmacies. Need some aspirin? Well, don't bother looking for it at Wal-Mart, cuz it ain't gonna be there!
Not only are these items only available at the pharmacy, you must request them from the man or woman behind the counter in the white coat and when you do, you get the third degree. What is it that you need? Why do you need it? What are you going to do with it? How much of it do you need? Personally, I don't think it is anybody's business why I need hydrogen peroxide, I just want some!
So on Friday, once A. and I finally convinced the woman behind the counter that we only wanted hydrogen peroxide for disinfection and not to make a hydrogen peroxide bomb, we came across another utterly repulsive thing: the price! 100 ml (a little more than 1/3 cup) of hydrogen peroxide was going to set us back almost 9 Euros! I nearly fainted! However, we really needed some, so after a lot of grumbling by me to A., we plunked down our money.
Two days later, I am still reeling in shock. It wasn't that we had to go the pharmacy, I was prepared for that. But even now, the price makes me sick to my stomach... but not too sick, I don't want to have to go back and find out how much Pepto-Bismol costs!
04 September 2004
The Stand
Today I finished reading The Stand, Stephen King's epic of a post-epidemic apocalyptical future world.
The year is 1985 (the book was first published around 1980) and approximately 90% of the world's population has been destroyed by a sickness that is dubbed "Captain Trips." Those that are mysteriously immune to the superflu are humanity's last hope and as they are drawn together, dreams of an old woman and a dark man haunt them.
Two communities of survivors form, one in Colorado known as the "Free Zone" and one in Las Vegas. The diety-like figure of the Free Zone is the old woman, Mother Abigail, and as they begin to rebuild society, they become aware that the other community in Las Vegas, led by the dark man, is planning to wipe them out. Some members of the Free Zone are sent to Las Vegas where the final "Stand" is made.
I know that Stephen King is usually classified as a "horror writer," but I have never found his books to be all that frightening, and while I think he is a good story-teller, I find most of his books unbelievable. The problem with this is not that I don't like "fantasy," (I do!) but the fact is that the settings of his books make me want his stories to be believable. However, I didn't find that to be the case with The Stand. In my opinion, this story was not only believable, but also possible, and that was the most disturbing part of the book.
What I really liked in this book was the second part where the people begin gathering in Colorado and the way that they work together to start rebuilding society. A system of government forms, but many things that were cornerstones of the former society never reappear. For example, the institution of marriage is never formally re-introduced and the concept of money disappears.
There were a lot of religious undertones in the book. How can there not be in a story concerning the Apocalypse, right? But what the book boiled down to was a classic "Good vs. Evil" story. Who wins? Well, you will have to read it to find out... but remember the author IS Stephen King!
The year is 1985 (the book was first published around 1980) and approximately 90% of the world's population has been destroyed by a sickness that is dubbed "Captain Trips." Those that are mysteriously immune to the superflu are humanity's last hope and as they are drawn together, dreams of an old woman and a dark man haunt them.
Two communities of survivors form, one in Colorado known as the "Free Zone" and one in Las Vegas. The diety-like figure of the Free Zone is the old woman, Mother Abigail, and as they begin to rebuild society, they become aware that the other community in Las Vegas, led by the dark man, is planning to wipe them out. Some members of the Free Zone are sent to Las Vegas where the final "Stand" is made.
I know that Stephen King is usually classified as a "horror writer," but I have never found his books to be all that frightening, and while I think he is a good story-teller, I find most of his books unbelievable. The problem with this is not that I don't like "fantasy," (I do!) but the fact is that the settings of his books make me want his stories to be believable. However, I didn't find that to be the case with The Stand. In my opinion, this story was not only believable, but also possible, and that was the most disturbing part of the book.
What I really liked in this book was the second part where the people begin gathering in Colorado and the way that they work together to start rebuilding society. A system of government forms, but many things that were cornerstones of the former society never reappear. For example, the institution of marriage is never formally re-introduced and the concept of money disappears.
There were a lot of religious undertones in the book. How can there not be in a story concerning the Apocalypse, right? But what the book boiled down to was a classic "Good vs. Evil" story. Who wins? Well, you will have to read it to find out... but remember the author IS Stephen King!
02 September 2004
Buying the Classics
Today I went to my favorite English bookstore in Munich, Words' Worth, and spent quite a while browsing through the books.
I could spend all of our monthly rent money in there. Not so much because there are so many books I want (well, actually there are...) but because English language books in Munich are so damn expensive! On average, a paperback runs between 10 and 12 Euros. (current exchange rate 1 Euro = $1.21) Of course, part of this has to do with trying to make a profit on imported books, but it is so irritating to see what such a book would cost in US dollars and then have to spend so much more on it. I can't help but feel like I'm getting ripped off!
However, they do have a section of books that are decently priced. They are "Penguin Popular Classics" and "Dover Thrift Editions." The up side is that they tend to run 3,50 to 5,50 Euros per book. However, these editions do not offer popular fiction, but "classics." Luckily, not only was I an English major in college, I also liked the "classics." :)
Today I added Dickens's The Old Curiosity Shop and Wharton's The Age of Innocence to my ever-expanding "classics" collection. I have read neither of them before, so I am looking forward to enjoying some good Victorian fiction.
I could spend all of our monthly rent money in there. Not so much because there are so many books I want (well, actually there are...) but because English language books in Munich are so damn expensive! On average, a paperback runs between 10 and 12 Euros. (current exchange rate 1 Euro = $1.21) Of course, part of this has to do with trying to make a profit on imported books, but it is so irritating to see what such a book would cost in US dollars and then have to spend so much more on it. I can't help but feel like I'm getting ripped off!
However, they do have a section of books that are decently priced. They are "Penguin Popular Classics" and "Dover Thrift Editions." The up side is that they tend to run 3,50 to 5,50 Euros per book. However, these editions do not offer popular fiction, but "classics." Luckily, not only was I an English major in college, I also liked the "classics." :)
Today I added Dickens's The Old Curiosity Shop and Wharton's The Age of Innocence to my ever-expanding "classics" collection. I have read neither of them before, so I am looking forward to enjoying some good Victorian fiction.
01 September 2004
Passing Admirers
A while back I came across this at my local cross-stitch shop and fell in love with it:
At the time I didn't buy it because I normally like small and simple designs and this one is not only big by my standards (on 32 count linen it will be almost 10 x 14 inches), it is also pretty complicated.
But I liked it so much that I kept thinking about it. Today I was in the neighborhood and went into the shop. I figured with my luck they would have sold it, but it was still there. So I bought it. We'll see if I ever get up enough ambition to actually stitch it!
© A. Pullen
At the time I didn't buy it because I normally like small and simple designs and this one is not only big by my standards (on 32 count linen it will be almost 10 x 14 inches), it is also pretty complicated.
But I liked it so much that I kept thinking about it. Today I was in the neighborhood and went into the shop. I figured with my luck they would have sold it, but it was still there. So I bought it. We'll see if I ever get up enough ambition to actually stitch it!
29 August 2004
The Cat in the Mirror
Harley was sitting in her favorite spot this morning and suddenly became very interested in something across the room. I didn't see a fly or spider, so I wondered what had caught her attention. Before I could investigate, she jumped up and ran over to the TV where she began to intently examine the kitty that was there. She wasn't seeing cats on TV, as the television was off, but her own reflection.
As she peered into the television and occasionally pawed at the "other kitty," I started to think about animals, cats, and their "sense of selves." The "sense of self" has many levels, and the one that I was thinking about was an animal's ability to recognize him/herself, most frequently, in the mirror. Scientists believe that some animals, like chimps, are capable of self recognition. Yet, most scientists claim that animals like cats and dogs, while capable of feeling primary emotions, don't have a sense of self recognition. Whether or not I believe that, I am not sure.
Once we had a dog who always growled at herself in the mirror, but by contrast, my cats stopped being interested in the "other kitties" in the mirror long ago. Is it because they recognize themselves, have accepted the "cat" in the mirror as part of our family, or is it just because since the reflected cat is not a threat they find it inconsequential and ignore it? Maybe I am biased and see human qualities in my cats that really aren't there, but I would like to believe it is because they recognize themselves.
Of course, that brings me back to Harley and the TV. She never gives her reflection a second glance in the full-length mirror in the bedroom, so if she recognizes herself, why did she paw at her TV reflection? It was the first time I have ever noticed her doing that. Was she actually aware that it was her reflection and was just pawing at it to entertain herself? I'd like to think so!
As she peered into the television and occasionally pawed at the "other kitty," I started to think about animals, cats, and their "sense of selves." The "sense of self" has many levels, and the one that I was thinking about was an animal's ability to recognize him/herself, most frequently, in the mirror. Scientists believe that some animals, like chimps, are capable of self recognition. Yet, most scientists claim that animals like cats and dogs, while capable of feeling primary emotions, don't have a sense of self recognition. Whether or not I believe that, I am not sure.
Once we had a dog who always growled at herself in the mirror, but by contrast, my cats stopped being interested in the "other kitties" in the mirror long ago. Is it because they recognize themselves, have accepted the "cat" in the mirror as part of our family, or is it just because since the reflected cat is not a threat they find it inconsequential and ignore it? Maybe I am biased and see human qualities in my cats that really aren't there, but I would like to believe it is because they recognize themselves.
Of course, that brings me back to Harley and the TV. She never gives her reflection a second glance in the full-length mirror in the bedroom, so if she recognizes herself, why did she paw at her TV reflection? It was the first time I have ever noticed her doing that. Was she actually aware that it was her reflection and was just pawing at it to entertain herself? I'd like to think so!
27 August 2004
Blast from the Past
This morning, I was greeted by something very odd in my email inbox.
Out of the blue, I got an email from this dude that I hung out with twelve years ago! It was a good thing that I was sitting down, because if I hadn't been I probably would have fallen down!
Turns out, he still hangs out with the same people we did then and, coincidentally, my cousin married one of those dudes. I guess that is how he got my email address. I will confess that I did go out on a date or two with him, but it never developed into anything more than friendship.
When I was getting ready to go to college, I pretty much severed ties with those people. I think the last time I saw him was about ten years ago when he was dating a (fair-weather) friend of mine. I wish I was still in touch with her, because I would love to rub her nose in the fact that after all this time he dropped ME (not her!) an email! ha ha ha ha...
He was always a pretty pessimistic person, so the email mostly detailed how horribly his life has turned out, but he did say congratulations on my marriage.
I think I will be nice and reply to him, but damn! What am I going to say after ten years? So much has happened to me in that time, he might recognize me on sight, but otherwise I doubt he would recognize the person I have become.
Out of the blue, I got an email from this dude that I hung out with twelve years ago! It was a good thing that I was sitting down, because if I hadn't been I probably would have fallen down!
Turns out, he still hangs out with the same people we did then and, coincidentally, my cousin married one of those dudes. I guess that is how he got my email address. I will confess that I did go out on a date or two with him, but it never developed into anything more than friendship.
When I was getting ready to go to college, I pretty much severed ties with those people. I think the last time I saw him was about ten years ago when he was dating a (fair-weather) friend of mine. I wish I was still in touch with her, because I would love to rub her nose in the fact that after all this time he dropped ME (not her!) an email! ha ha ha ha...
He was always a pretty pessimistic person, so the email mostly detailed how horribly his life has turned out, but he did say congratulations on my marriage.
I think I will be nice and reply to him, but damn! What am I going to say after ten years? So much has happened to me in that time, he might recognize me on sight, but otherwise I doubt he would recognize the person I have become.
26 August 2004
Joke of the Day
At a recent computer expo, Bill Gates reportedly compared the computer industry with the auto industry and stated, "If GM had kept up with technology like the computer industry has, we would all be driving $25.00 cars that got 1,000 miles to the gallon"
In response to Bill's comments, General Motors issued a press release stating: If GM had developed technology like Microsoft, we would all be driving cars with the following characteristics:
In response to Bill's comments, General Motors issued a press release stating: If GM had developed technology like Microsoft, we would all be driving cars with the following characteristics:
- For no reason whatsoever, your car would crash twice a day.
- Every time they repainted the lines in the road, you would have to buy a new car.
- Occasionally your car would die on the freeway for no reason. You could have to pull over to the side of the road, close all of the windows, shut off the car, restart it, and then reopen the windows before you could continue. For some reason you would simply accept this.
- Occasionally, executing a maneuver such as a left turn would cause your car to shut down and refuse to restart, in which case you would have to reinstall the engine.
- Macintosh would make a car that was powered by the sun, was reliable, five times as fast and twice as easy to drive - but would run on only five percent of the roads.
- The oil, water temperature, and alternator warning lights would all be replaced by a single "This Car Has Performed An Illegal Operation" warning light.
- Before deploying, the airbag system would ask, "Are you sure?"
- Occasionally, for no reason whatsoever, your car would lock you out and refuse to let you in until you simultaneously lifted the door handle, turned the key and grabbed hold of the radio antenna.
- Every time a new car was introduced, car buyers would have to learn how to drive all over again, because none of the controls would operate in the same manner as the old car.
- You'd have to press the "Start" button to turn off the engine.
25 August 2004
A Year in Provence
I have decided that even though I don't write the best book reviews in the world, I would like to share on a more regular basis what I have been reading lately. So, here goes...
First published in 1991, A Year in Provence is Peter Mayle's witty look at life in a small Provencal village from an outsider's point of view. It is divided into twelve chapters, each chronicling one month of the year and mainly follows the saga of the narrator's adjustment to life in Provence and the remodeling of his antique stone house; from the burst pipes in January to the Sunday before Christmas when a smartly planned party for the workers and their wives by the narrator's wife finally encourages all of the workers to finish their year-long efforts. There are plenty of stereotypical amusing French villagers thrown in and extraordinary details of the enjoyable cuisine to top off this book candy.
As someone who has been living abroad for the past two and a half years, I particularly enjoyed this book. I found it extremely entertaining and even though French culture and German culture are different in many ways, I could identify the way in which the narrator learned to take the good and bad things about the Provencal lifestyle in stride.
It is a quick, easy, and fun read and I would highly recommend it.
First published in 1991, A Year in Provence is Peter Mayle's witty look at life in a small Provencal village from an outsider's point of view. It is divided into twelve chapters, each chronicling one month of the year and mainly follows the saga of the narrator's adjustment to life in Provence and the remodeling of his antique stone house; from the burst pipes in January to the Sunday before Christmas when a smartly planned party for the workers and their wives by the narrator's wife finally encourages all of the workers to finish their year-long efforts. There are plenty of stereotypical amusing French villagers thrown in and extraordinary details of the enjoyable cuisine to top off this book candy.
As someone who has been living abroad for the past two and a half years, I particularly enjoyed this book. I found it extremely entertaining and even though French culture and German culture are different in many ways, I could identify the way in which the narrator learned to take the good and bad things about the Provencal lifestyle in stride.
It is a quick, easy, and fun read and I would highly recommend it.
George W. Bush Resume
Please consider this when casting your vote in November:
RESUME
GEORGE W. BUSH
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, DC 20520
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
Law Enforcement:
I was arrested in Kennebunkport, Maine, in 1976 for driving under the influence of alcohol. I pled guilty, paid a fine, and had my driver's license suspended for 30 days. My Texas driving record has been "lost" and is not available.
Military:
I joined the Texas Air National Guard and went AWOL. I refused to take a drug test or answer any questions about my drug use. By joining the Texas Air National Guard, I was able to avoid combat duty in Vietnam.
College:
I graduated from Yale University with a low C average.
I was a cheerleader.
PAST WORK EXPERIENCE:
I ran for U.S. Congress and lost. I began my career in the oil business in Midland, Texas, in 1975. I bought an oil company, but couldn't find any oil in Texas. The company went bankrupt shortly after I sold all my stock. I bought the Texas Rangers baseball team in a sweetheart deal that took land using taxpayer money. With the help of my father and our friends in the oil industry (including Enron CEO Ken Lay), I was elected governor of Texas.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS GOVERNOR OF TEXAS:
- I changed Texas pollution laws to favor power and oil companies, making Texas the most polluted state in the Union. During my tenure, Houston replaced Los Angeles as the most smog-ridden city in America.
- I cut taxes and bankrupted the Texas treasury to the tune of billions in borrowed money.
- I set the record for the most executions by any governor in American history.
- With the help of my brother, the governor of Florida, and my father's ppointments to the Supreme Court, I became President after losing by over 500,000 votes.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS PRESIDENT:
- I am the first President in U.S. history to enter office with a criminal record.
- I invaded and occupied two countries at a continuing cost of over one billion dollars per week.
- I spent the U.S. surplus and effectively bankrupted the U.S. Treasury.
- I shattered the record for the largest annual deficit in U.S. history.
- I set an economic record for most private bankruptcies filed in any 12-month period.
- I set the all-time record for most foreclosures in a 12-month period.
- I set the all-time record for the biggest drop in the history of the U.S. stock market. In my first year in office, over 2 million Americans lost their jobs and that trend continues every month.
- I'm proud that the members of my cabinet are the richest of any administration in U.S. history. My "poorest millionaire," Condoleeza Rice, has a Chevron oil tanker named after her.
- I set the record for most campaign fund-raising trips by a U.S. President.
- I am the all-time U.S. and world record-holder for receiving the most corporate campaign donations.
- My largest lifetime campaign contributor, and one of my best friends, Kenneth Lay, presided over the largest corporate bankruptcy fraud in U.S. History: Enron.
- My political party used Enron private jets and corporate attorneys to ensure my success with the U.S. Supreme Court during my election decision.
- I have protected my friends at Enron and Halliburton against investigation or prosecution. More time and money was spent investigating the Monica Lewinsky affair than has been spent investigating one of the biggest corporate rip-offs in history.
- I presided over the biggest energy crisis in U.S. history and refused to intervene when corruption involving the oil industry was revealed.
- I presided over the highest gasoline prices in U.S. history.
- I changed the U.S. policy to allow convicted criminals to be awarded government contracts.
- I appointed more convicted criminals to administration than any President in U.S. history.
- I created the Ministry of Homeland Security, the largest bureaucracy in the history of the United States government.
- I've broken more international treaties than any President in U.S. history.
- I am the first President in U.S. history to have the United Nations remove the U.S. from the Human Rights Commission.
- I withdrew the U.S. from the World Court of Law.
- I refused to allow inspector's access to U.S. "prisoners of war" detainees, and have refused to abide by the Geneva Convention.
- I am the first President in history to refuse United Nations election inspectors (during the 2002 U.S. elections).
- I set the record for fewest numbers of press conferences of any President since the advent of television.
- I set the all-time record for most days on vacation in any one-year period. After taking off the entire month of August 2001, I presided over the worst security failure in U.S. history.
- I garnered the most sympathy ever for the U.S. after the World Trade Center attacks and less than a year later made the U.S. the most hated country in the world---the largest failure of diplomacy in world history.
- I have set the all-time record for most people worldwide to simultaneously protest me in public venues (15 million people), shattering the record for protests against any person in the history of mankind.
- I am the first President in U.S. history to order an unprovoked, preemptive attack and the military occupation of a sovereign nation. I did so against the will of the United Nations, the majority of U.S. citizens, and the world community.
- I have cut health care benefits for war veterans and support a cut in duty benefits for active duty troops and their families in wartime.
- In my State of the Union Address, I lied about our reasons for attacking Iraq and then blamed the lies on our British friends.
- I am the first President in history to have a majority of Europeans (71%) view my presidency as the biggest threat to world peace and security.
- I am supporting development of a nuclear "Tactical Bunker Buster," a WMD.
- I have so far failed to fulfill my pledge to bring Osama Bin Laden to justice.
RECORDS AND REFERENCES:
- All records of my tenure as governor of Texas are now in my father's library, sealed and unavailable for public view.
- All records of SEC investigations into my insider trading and my bankrupt companies are sealed in secrecy and unavailable for public view.
- All records or minutes from meetings that I, or my Vice-President, attended regarding public energy policy are sealed in secrecy and unavailable for public review.
RESUME
GEORGE W. BUSH
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, DC 20520
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
Law Enforcement:
I was arrested in Kennebunkport, Maine, in 1976 for driving under the influence of alcohol. I pled guilty, paid a fine, and had my driver's license suspended for 30 days. My Texas driving record has been "lost" and is not available.
Military:
I joined the Texas Air National Guard and went AWOL. I refused to take a drug test or answer any questions about my drug use. By joining the Texas Air National Guard, I was able to avoid combat duty in Vietnam.
College:
I graduated from Yale University with a low C average.
I was a cheerleader.
PAST WORK EXPERIENCE:
I ran for U.S. Congress and lost. I began my career in the oil business in Midland, Texas, in 1975. I bought an oil company, but couldn't find any oil in Texas. The company went bankrupt shortly after I sold all my stock. I bought the Texas Rangers baseball team in a sweetheart deal that took land using taxpayer money. With the help of my father and our friends in the oil industry (including Enron CEO Ken Lay), I was elected governor of Texas.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS GOVERNOR OF TEXAS:
- I changed Texas pollution laws to favor power and oil companies, making Texas the most polluted state in the Union. During my tenure, Houston replaced Los Angeles as the most smog-ridden city in America.
- I cut taxes and bankrupted the Texas treasury to the tune of billions in borrowed money.
- I set the record for the most executions by any governor in American history.
- With the help of my brother, the governor of Florida, and my father's ppointments to the Supreme Court, I became President after losing by over 500,000 votes.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS PRESIDENT:
- I am the first President in U.S. history to enter office with a criminal record.
- I invaded and occupied two countries at a continuing cost of over one billion dollars per week.
- I spent the U.S. surplus and effectively bankrupted the U.S. Treasury.
- I shattered the record for the largest annual deficit in U.S. history.
- I set an economic record for most private bankruptcies filed in any 12-month period.
- I set the all-time record for most foreclosures in a 12-month period.
- I set the all-time record for the biggest drop in the history of the U.S. stock market. In my first year in office, over 2 million Americans lost their jobs and that trend continues every month.
- I'm proud that the members of my cabinet are the richest of any administration in U.S. history. My "poorest millionaire," Condoleeza Rice, has a Chevron oil tanker named after her.
- I set the record for most campaign fund-raising trips by a U.S. President.
- I am the all-time U.S. and world record-holder for receiving the most corporate campaign donations.
- My largest lifetime campaign contributor, and one of my best friends, Kenneth Lay, presided over the largest corporate bankruptcy fraud in U.S. History: Enron.
- My political party used Enron private jets and corporate attorneys to ensure my success with the U.S. Supreme Court during my election decision.
- I have protected my friends at Enron and Halliburton against investigation or prosecution. More time and money was spent investigating the Monica Lewinsky affair than has been spent investigating one of the biggest corporate rip-offs in history.
- I presided over the biggest energy crisis in U.S. history and refused to intervene when corruption involving the oil industry was revealed.
- I presided over the highest gasoline prices in U.S. history.
- I changed the U.S. policy to allow convicted criminals to be awarded government contracts.
- I appointed more convicted criminals to administration than any President in U.S. history.
- I created the Ministry of Homeland Security, the largest bureaucracy in the history of the United States government.
- I've broken more international treaties than any President in U.S. history.
- I am the first President in U.S. history to have the United Nations remove the U.S. from the Human Rights Commission.
- I withdrew the U.S. from the World Court of Law.
- I refused to allow inspector's access to U.S. "prisoners of war" detainees, and have refused to abide by the Geneva Convention.
- I am the first President in history to refuse United Nations election inspectors (during the 2002 U.S. elections).
- I set the record for fewest numbers of press conferences of any President since the advent of television.
- I set the all-time record for most days on vacation in any one-year period. After taking off the entire month of August 2001, I presided over the worst security failure in U.S. history.
- I garnered the most sympathy ever for the U.S. after the World Trade Center attacks and less than a year later made the U.S. the most hated country in the world---the largest failure of diplomacy in world history.
- I have set the all-time record for most people worldwide to simultaneously protest me in public venues (15 million people), shattering the record for protests against any person in the history of mankind.
- I am the first President in U.S. history to order an unprovoked, preemptive attack and the military occupation of a sovereign nation. I did so against the will of the United Nations, the majority of U.S. citizens, and the world community.
- I have cut health care benefits for war veterans and support a cut in duty benefits for active duty troops and their families in wartime.
- In my State of the Union Address, I lied about our reasons for attacking Iraq and then blamed the lies on our British friends.
- I am the first President in history to have a majority of Europeans (71%) view my presidency as the biggest threat to world peace and security.
- I am supporting development of a nuclear "Tactical Bunker Buster," a WMD.
- I have so far failed to fulfill my pledge to bring Osama Bin Laden to justice.
RECORDS AND REFERENCES:
- All records of my tenure as governor of Texas are now in my father's library, sealed and unavailable for public view.
- All records of SEC investigations into my insider trading and my bankrupt companies are sealed in secrecy and unavailable for public view.
- All records or minutes from meetings that I, or my Vice-President, attended regarding public energy policy are sealed in secrecy and unavailable for public review.
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