My host Family is pretty good. They are nice people and they help me out a lot. But they are serious about their sleep and sleeping times. And I break those rules by accident sometimes.
I definitely have an obsession with sleep. I can fall asleep ridiculously easily and sleep deeply no problem. Except when I am planning a trip somewhere- then I turn into a raging insomniac b/c traveling prep stresses me out so bad.
So last night- I was up til about 3 am puttering around in my room, cleaning. No, I am not dumb enough to use the vacuum that time of night. I was being as quiet as I could while I got my stuff done. I thought I had done a pretty good job of keeping it quiet.
Hmmmm. apparently not so much. When I got the milk this morning, my host mom asked me if I had had trouble sleeping b/c they heard me all night.
This also lead to a question about my alarm clock and how loud and when it rings. My host mom even asked if I had it sitting on the floor in my room. WTF? Do these people have bat ears? Or are the floors really that thin??? They can probably hear me typing right now and are planning to tell me later that typing is only acceptable between the hours of 10 am- 2 pm. urgh.
Is there ever a point when you can just live in a house and not worry about making too much noise? Seriously. I may just have to buy a little place out in the middle of nowhere, where I will live in harmony with the Chowzer and can clean whenever I want without waking up the neighbours. I hope the Nora Chow doesn't mind isolation.
* *Side note- I friggen miss my dog :( 64 days Chowzer, 64 days**
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Shoulda Planned that Better
In preparation for my family coming next week and then the four of us traveling for a week, I haven't bought anything that would go bad if left in my fridge alone.
Unfortunately this means that I ran out of milk yesterday :( So I ambled downstairs to borrow a cup from the Family. All good :)
Then as I was wandering up the stairs, I realized that the Family drinks H-Vollmilch and I always drink the Fettarme Frischemilch. The difference? Huge. I was glad to have milk for my muesli, but it was like drinking cream :(
Really, this required better planning.
Unfortunately this means that I ran out of milk yesterday :( So I ambled downstairs to borrow a cup from the Family. All good :)
Then as I was wandering up the stairs, I realized that the Family drinks H-Vollmilch and I always drink the Fettarme Frischemilch. The difference? Huge. I was glad to have milk for my muesli, but it was like drinking cream :(
Really, this required better planning.
German Joke of the Day
My last post reminded me of this and might actually make it make a bit more sense for non-German speakers:
A student runs into his uni class 10 minutes late. The prof has already started the lecture, so the student turns to the guy next to him and asks, "what are we talking about?"
The other student waves him off and doesn't answer.
5 minutes later, the guy still has no idea what's going on and he turns to ask again, "no really- what did I miss?
Again the student waves him off and doesn't answer.
Another 5 minutes goes by; the student still has no idea what's going on. He asks once more, "what are we talking about?"
The second student gives him an annoyed look and answers, "I dunno, I'm still waiting for the verb!"
HAHAHAHAHAHA. So true my friends. so true :)
A student runs into his uni class 10 minutes late. The prof has already started the lecture, so the student turns to the guy next to him and asks, "what are we talking about?"
The other student waves him off and doesn't answer.
5 minutes later, the guy still has no idea what's going on and he turns to ask again, "no really- what did I miss?
Again the student waves him off and doesn't answer.
Another 5 minutes goes by; the student still has no idea what's going on. He asks once more, "what are we talking about?"
The second student gives him an annoyed look and answers, "I dunno, I'm still waiting for the verb!"
HAHAHAHAHAHA. So true my friends. so true :)
Accumulation
Last week we were talking about rhetorical devices and trying to pick them out of The Gettysburg Address with some of my 11s.
They were doing well with everything but the idea of accumulation. Nigel was explaining it to them as snippets of the same idea, put together on and on, with the verb at the end. They were still looking pretty blank and all that was running through my head was the idea of millions of different ideas put together, with the verb always at the end.
You know what I came up with? Damn, that sounds mighty like German to me :)
They were doing well with everything but the idea of accumulation. Nigel was explaining it to them as snippets of the same idea, put together on and on, with the verb at the end. They were still looking pretty blank and all that was running through my head was the idea of millions of different ideas put together, with the verb always at the end.
You know what I came up with? Damn, that sounds mighty like German to me :)
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Rabies?
Yeah. That's what I thought too. It was a word I never really thought would come up in German. I am not sure which surprised me more though. The fact that I now know the German word for Rabies or the context where I saw it used.
I was looking up the driving rules for Germany in preperation for my Family's visit next week. I came to the section that had some of the vocab from the signage here. The result?
I was looking up the driving rules for Germany in preperation for my Family's visit next week. I came to the section that had some of the vocab from the signage here. The result?
Wildtollwut - rabies (used on signs to warn of a rabies outbreak area)
Let's just take a quick look at the word itself:
wild-feral
toll- screaming
wut- rage*
It basically translates into insane animal rage. Fantastic. It's just so logical it almost hurts. wow.
Also- has anyone ever actually seen this on a sign???? Anywhere? It must be on one somewhere to have made the list. Are there such huge outbreaks of rabies that it actually requires a sign?? Gawd. I may never actually get out of the car :s
* I have to say these are maybe not the most common meanings of all the words, but I swear they all came up when I used the language dictionary*
Friday, March 27, 2009
The Pettng Zoo
I met Nick for a coffee this afternoon in the local cafe. Afterwards we decided to go for a walk to get the caffeine out and we ended up near the local outdoor petting zoo.
This zoo always strikes me as super random. It is right in the middle of nowhere and totally free. They just have signs up asking that you don't feed the critters. So Nick and I checked out the swans, the chickens, and the more exotic birds just chilling in their cages.
I gotta say though, the goatlings were definitely my favourites. They have this huge paddock and there were like 30 of these sorta mini goaties. There were Billy goats, super pregnant lady goats, and some way cute kidlets in all sorts of ages and sizes. There were some seriously tiny kids and another pair of slightly larger ones that were head butting each other. It was so cute and some of them came up to the fence for pets.
There was this dad and his kid feeding the other kids some of the fresh green grass from our side of the fence. So Nick and I picked some too and then we were almost swamped by suddenly uber friendly, real hungry goats. It was pretty fun. I felt like a little kid again, which was kinda nice, b/c it was a great pick me up- on the way to the zoo we had walked by a really pretty, but very sad, war cemetary.
I wish I had taken my camera. Both the cemetary and petting zoo are photo-worthy, so I will try to visit again soon and take some pics for you all.
This zoo always strikes me as super random. It is right in the middle of nowhere and totally free. They just have signs up asking that you don't feed the critters. So Nick and I checked out the swans, the chickens, and the more exotic birds just chilling in their cages.
I gotta say though, the goatlings were definitely my favourites. They have this huge paddock and there were like 30 of these sorta mini goaties. There were Billy goats, super pregnant lady goats, and some way cute kidlets in all sorts of ages and sizes. There were some seriously tiny kids and another pair of slightly larger ones that were head butting each other. It was so cute and some of them came up to the fence for pets.
There was this dad and his kid feeding the other kids some of the fresh green grass from our side of the fence. So Nick and I picked some too and then we were almost swamped by suddenly uber friendly, real hungry goats. It was pretty fun. I felt like a little kid again, which was kinda nice, b/c it was a great pick me up- on the way to the zoo we had walked by a really pretty, but very sad, war cemetary.
I wish I had taken my camera. Both the cemetary and petting zoo are photo-worthy, so I will try to visit again soon and take some pics for you all.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Just Another Assignment
In order to get my grade 10s to speak and write a bit of English, I stole (with permission :D) the totally brilliant idea of another teacher. He brought in a bunch of pictures of random and completely different people and had each student pick one and create that person. They gave the person a name, hobbies, a family, etc.
Then I had all the students present their new self to the class. There were quite a few gems. Like the one who was a ghetto drug dealer by day and a jazz musician by night. Or the divorced Tibetan who had come to New York to escape his ex-wife. However, my favorite was the one who, when describing his character's way of life, said: "you might say I am living the hobo lifestyle".
It took me by surprise and I laughed so hard I almost fell off the desk I was sitting on. Unfortunately I was the only one laughing, the rest of the students were looking around real confused like. The student then went on to explain that the Hobo Lifestyle consisted of "riding the rails" and "playing the Harmonica a lot".
Now all I can think of is The Littlest Hobo- but it seems to me that he ran everywhere or did he actually ride around in empty boxcars?
Maybe tomorrow I'll wanna settle down... until tomorrow I'll just keep movin' on...
Then I had all the students present their new self to the class. There were quite a few gems. Like the one who was a ghetto drug dealer by day and a jazz musician by night. Or the divorced Tibetan who had come to New York to escape his ex-wife. However, my favorite was the one who, when describing his character's way of life, said: "you might say I am living the hobo lifestyle".
It took me by surprise and I laughed so hard I almost fell off the desk I was sitting on. Unfortunately I was the only one laughing, the rest of the students were looking around real confused like. The student then went on to explain that the Hobo Lifestyle consisted of "riding the rails" and "playing the Harmonica a lot".
Now all I can think of is The Littlest Hobo- but it seems to me that he ran everywhere or did he actually ride around in empty boxcars?
Maybe tomorrow I'll wanna settle down... until tomorrow I'll just keep movin' on...
Clamato Drinkers Unite!
I miss it. I miss Caesars. The salt, the tomato, the little garnish of veggies, and yes, even the clam.
I came across Drinking Responsibly, which I think basically sums up the Clamato Drinker's Addiction.
I can't wait to be home- where not only have they heard of Caesars, but drinking them is socially acceptable :)
I came across Drinking Responsibly, which I think basically sums up the Clamato Drinker's Addiction.
I can't wait to be home- where not only have they heard of Caesars, but drinking them is socially acceptable :)
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Non-Wasted Weather
I'm glad I didn't waste the weather yesterday. It was the third consecutive day of warm temperatures and bright, clear sky. So I made the most of it and enjoyed the hell out of it. Then when I woke up this morning I was glad I had because, yet again, it was drizzly, cool, and grey here :(
Hits and Misses: A Grocery Shopping Adventure
The weather yesterday was FABULOUS! So I pulled on a pair of shorts and grabbed my bike to go the grocery store and pick up some food.
Along the way I passed many, many people who were still bundled up on scarves and thick jackets. Needless to say, I stared at their overdressing just as much as they stared at my underdressing. However, in my defense, I have to say that it was a lovely sunny day with an afternoon temperature of 14 degrees :) LOVELY.
So, I get to the grocery store and I am so busy wandering around looking for ingredients for the chili I was making and the soup I am going to make in a couple of days that I forgot to keep a running total of what I had in my basket. Which would have made sense since I only had about 25 Euro in cash on me and my bank card NEVER works at that store :( I go through the til and it comes to about 27. Ugh. Even with the small change in my wallet I was still about a euro short. So it definitely went on the credit card, where now, because of my forgetfulness I am going to be SLAMMED with conversion fees :(
(However, I did come up with a secret ingredient to add to my already amazing chili. Eat your heart out KFC and your "special recipe"!)
Seeing as I still had some cash, I wandered over to the Aldi to pick up some canned tomatoes. I laughed a bit to myself when I got in the checkout line and saw that the guy in front of me was buying a shirt and a mango. So random.
Then I had the pleasure of stuffing my foodstuffs into my backpack and cloth bag, trying not only to make sure that everything fit, but that it was well balanced as well. Then, I biked home. My bag was bloody heavy, but i figured the 40 minutes it would take me to bike home would take less time than waiting for the next train (which was coming in about 50 minutes) and then biking home from the station. Plus- I dunno if I mentioned this or not- but the weather was bloody fantastic and I didn't want to waste it!
Also- the chili was ridiculously fantastic as well :D
Along the way I passed many, many people who were still bundled up on scarves and thick jackets. Needless to say, I stared at their overdressing just as much as they stared at my underdressing. However, in my defense, I have to say that it was a lovely sunny day with an afternoon temperature of 14 degrees :) LOVELY.
So, I get to the grocery store and I am so busy wandering around looking for ingredients for the chili I was making and the soup I am going to make in a couple of days that I forgot to keep a running total of what I had in my basket. Which would have made sense since I only had about 25 Euro in cash on me and my bank card NEVER works at that store :( I go through the til and it comes to about 27. Ugh. Even with the small change in my wallet I was still about a euro short. So it definitely went on the credit card, where now, because of my forgetfulness I am going to be SLAMMED with conversion fees :(
(However, I did come up with a secret ingredient to add to my already amazing chili. Eat your heart out KFC and your "special recipe"!)
Seeing as I still had some cash, I wandered over to the Aldi to pick up some canned tomatoes. I laughed a bit to myself when I got in the checkout line and saw that the guy in front of me was buying a shirt and a mango. So random.
Then I had the pleasure of stuffing my foodstuffs into my backpack and cloth bag, trying not only to make sure that everything fit, but that it was well balanced as well. Then, I biked home. My bag was bloody heavy, but i figured the 40 minutes it would take me to bike home would take less time than waiting for the next train (which was coming in about 50 minutes) and then biking home from the station. Plus- I dunno if I mentioned this or not- but the weather was bloody fantastic and I didn't want to waste it!
Also- the chili was ridiculously fantastic as well :D
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Free Swag :)
I mailed some postcards today and as I was buying stamps, the lady asked me where I was sending them. When I told her Canada, she got all excited and started asking me about how I like things here and what I was doing and stuff.
Then, as I was getting ready to go- she told me to wait and ran into the back. She came back holding a couple of post it pads, a mouse pad, and a little history book stamped with the Postbank logo for me. She told me they were little mementos from Postbank from my time in Germany. It was really sweet and totally made my day* :D How many other people can say that they got free swag from the post office that is also a bank?
*The fact that it was 14 degrees outside this afternoon also helped make my day :D but that's beside the point
Then, as I was getting ready to go- she told me to wait and ran into the back. She came back holding a couple of post it pads, a mouse pad, and a little history book stamped with the Postbank logo for me. She told me they were little mementos from Postbank from my time in Germany. It was really sweet and totally made my day* :D How many other people can say that they got free swag from the post office that is also a bank?
*The fact that it was 14 degrees outside this afternoon also helped make my day :D but that's beside the point
Oh Wikipedia Authors
I heart Wikipedia. This is a well known fact. However, what I find rather amusing is some of the stuff that people write articles about. For instance- there is a wikipedia article on cheese and even one on shoelaces.
Who writes these articles? Are they doing it for the love of these simple and well known things, or are they writing it because this is their area of expertise?
Sidenote- I got distracted by the links on shoelaces from the citations on the page and it brought me to Ian's shoeace site and 33 Different Ways to Lace Shoes.
Ok. so I was completely sidetracked here and this post has no real point. ooops. my bad.
Who writes these articles? Are they doing it for the love of these simple and well known things, or are they writing it because this is their area of expertise?
Sidenote- I got distracted by the links on shoelaces from the citations on the page and it brought me to Ian's shoeace site and 33 Different Ways to Lace Shoes.
Ok. so I was completely sidetracked here and this post has no real point. ooops. my bad.
Check It Out
I found this little gem on my BFF Wikipedia today. I just thought it was a sweet pic and worthy of sharing:
Welcome my friends, to the world of False Morel. It looks like a brain, eh? And it's sorta poisonous, but apparently people eat it anyway.
Sweet.
Welcome my friends, to the world of False Morel. It looks like a brain, eh? And it's sorta poisonous, but apparently people eat it anyway.
Sweet.
Assorted Awesome Possum in Kassel
Germany/Kassel is full of things that kinda made me shake my head and wonder. Like these:
Designed to make the Karlsaue Park more handicapped accessible, the city added a wheelchair ramp. Unfortunately, it's at like a 45 degree angle, so anyone in a wheelchair would probably not be able to make it up the ramp on their own, even if they were an Olympian.
The trendy way for students to eat. Studentenfutter literally translates to Student Fodder, like we're bloody horses or something. Also, this stuff, while tasty, is expensive enough that NO student could ever afford to live off it. Unless of course said student was a millionaire. So really, no student could afford to live off it.
The Man's Cookbook. Although, I think that if a guy was to offer to make me dinner, but then leave such a huge ass mess in my kitchen afterward, I would rather just cook the meal myself.
And last, but definitely not least: From the company that brought you favorites like Menopause Barbie and the unforgettable Bitchhole Barbie:
Maternity Barbie:
Maternity Barbie comes with all you see here, including assorted bits and bobs for baby. Also included is a removable stomach casing so your little one can make Maternity Barbie deliver by C-Section at any point during the day's play :)
It was only 5 Euro, but still- what the hell does anyone need a creepy ass barbie for???
Designed to make the Karlsaue Park more handicapped accessible, the city added a wheelchair ramp. Unfortunately, it's at like a 45 degree angle, so anyone in a wheelchair would probably not be able to make it up the ramp on their own, even if they were an Olympian.
The trendy way for students to eat. Studentenfutter literally translates to Student Fodder, like we're bloody horses or something. Also, this stuff, while tasty, is expensive enough that NO student could ever afford to live off it. Unless of course said student was a millionaire. So really, no student could afford to live off it.
The Man's Cookbook. Although, I think that if a guy was to offer to make me dinner, but then leave such a huge ass mess in my kitchen afterward, I would rather just cook the meal myself.
And last, but definitely not least: From the company that brought you favorites like Menopause Barbie and the unforgettable Bitchhole Barbie:
Maternity Barbie:
Maternity Barbie comes with all you see here, including assorted bits and bobs for baby. Also included is a removable stomach casing so your little one can make Maternity Barbie deliver by C-Section at any point during the day's play :)
It was only 5 Euro, but still- what the hell does anyone need a creepy ass barbie for???
The Orangerie
Meg and I went for a wander on saturday down to the Orangerie, which is situated right along the Fulda river in Karlsaue Park. Again, here are some of the highlights:
Meg and Aslan
The Orangerie
Now these next ones, Meg and I got all deep and artistic for. In the Orangerie there are plaques with the planets on them, showing relative distances. So we went hardcore on them. Please enjoy.
This is us stepping on the earth figuratively AND literally.
Everyone loves Venus :)
This last one I included just for kicks. I have NEVER EVER seen quite so much booty on any statue in my life. Observe:
GHETTO BOOTY ----->
Meg and Aslan
The Orangerie
Now these next ones, Meg and I got all deep and artistic for. In the Orangerie there are plaques with the planets on them, showing relative distances. So we went hardcore on them. Please enjoy.
This is us stepping on the earth figuratively AND literally.
Everyone loves Venus :)
This last one I included just for kicks. I have NEVER EVER seen quite so much booty on any statue in my life. Observe:
GHETTO BOOTY ----->
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Things in Kassel
So last weekend I hung out with Meg in Kassel. It was good fun. Here are some of the highlights:
Meg with the random fashion show in the background. It was a lame show, with ugly clothes. Also, one of the guy models (who had done some weird/random dance moves on stage- hopefully as part of his contract) made weird eye contact with me. So I frowned at him and let him know I was not impressed by the terrible dancing and then Meg frowned at me for frowning at the overly friendly model.
Part of the Orangerie park.
Meg enjoying the sun on her balcony
Part of the Orangerie Park
Meg trying to pick up Hercules' hammer (the hammer is a result of Dokumenta, the story being that Hercules threw it from his place on the Oktagon above Wilhelmshoehe Palace- long story short- you can check out Kassel here )
Meg with the random fashion show in the background. It was a lame show, with ugly clothes. Also, one of the guy models (who had done some weird/random dance moves on stage- hopefully as part of his contract) made weird eye contact with me. So I frowned at him and let him know I was not impressed by the terrible dancing and then Meg frowned at me for frowning at the overly friendly model.
Part of the Orangerie park.
Meg enjoying the sun on her balcony
Part of the Orangerie Park
Meg trying to pick up Hercules' hammer (the hammer is a result of Dokumenta, the story being that Hercules threw it from his place on the Oktagon above Wilhelmshoehe Palace- long story short- you can check out Kassel here )
Gerry Rigging
Slatted beds suck. They break easy and are tough to fix when you are just looking for a quick/ cheap fix.
Here's mine and Meg's attempt to fix hers:
Yeah- I know- SUPER ghetto.
On a random side note, when I tried to explain to Daniel what Meg and I had done and why I hated slatted beds so much, he interrupted me to ask how I spelled that. I was really confused, but after spelling it out for him, Daniel looked way less offended- turns out he had thought that I was calling them "slutty" beds.
Here's mine and Meg's attempt to fix hers:
Yeah- I know- SUPER ghetto.
On a random side note, when I tried to explain to Daniel what Meg and I had done and why I hated slatted beds so much, he interrupted me to ask how I spelled that. I was really confused, but after spelling it out for him, Daniel looked way less offended- turns out he had thought that I was calling them "slutty" beds.
Wednesday Night Out
Last thursday was a professional development day at my school and I was conveniently not invited, so I went out with some friends.
Me and Nick took the university kids doing their practicums at the school (Stefan, Manuel, and Dom) bowling. It was pretty good fun and 3 games and shoe rental ended up only costing me 11 E. It was pretty decent :)
Dom, Stefan, Manuel
Afterward we all went to the Irish Pub a few blocks down and chilled. After a bit, one of my 11th grade classes wandered in with their teacher for their pub date and we all sat together and chatted and drank. It was weird to drink with people that aren't 18 yet and are my students, but it was yet another example of how different Germany is.
More of my Grade 11s with Nick
Me and Daniel (the 11s' teacher)
It was a great time :)
Me and Nick took the university kids doing their practicums at the school (Stefan, Manuel, and Dom) bowling. It was pretty good fun and 3 games and shoe rental ended up only costing me 11 E. It was pretty decent :)
Dom, Manuel, Nick
Dom, Stefan, Manuel
Afterward we all went to the Irish Pub a few blocks down and chilled. After a bit, one of my 11th grade classes wandered in with their teacher for their pub date and we all sat together and chatted and drank. It was weird to drink with people that aren't 18 yet and are my students, but it was yet another example of how different Germany is.
Some of my Grade 11s
More of my Grade 11s with Nick
Me and Daniel (the 11s' teacher)
It was a great time :)
Monday, March 16, 2009
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Not Dead.
Hi. I'm not dead, but I have been away for a few days and am desperately tired. I will try to blog about it all tomorrow.
Monday, March 9, 2009
What's In a Name?
Yes, indeed, according to Shakespeare, names don't matter. What matters is what something is, not what it's called (citation).
Bullshit.
After 6 months of being constantly referred to as the token native speaker and other than this ignored for the most part, I find myself looking around in confusion when people call the name that I was actually given at birth.
It's a bit demeaning, to have all meaning taken out of the name you have carried for almost 23 years. It's gotten to the point where I am about to start introducing myself like a crappy bond wannabe. eg: My name is Speaker... Native Speaker... I'll have my verbs infinitized, not conjugated, thank you.
I will do my best to NEVER EVER talk grammar again upon my return to the Promiseland.
Bullshit.
After 6 months of being constantly referred to as the token native speaker and other than this ignored for the most part, I find myself looking around in confusion when people call the name that I was actually given at birth.
It's a bit demeaning, to have all meaning taken out of the name you have carried for almost 23 years. It's gotten to the point where I am about to start introducing myself like a crappy bond wannabe. eg: My name is Speaker... Native Speaker... I'll have my verbs infinitized, not conjugated, thank you.
I will do my best to NEVER EVER talk grammar again upon my return to the Promiseland.
A Golden Age
Seriously. The Golden Age of New Country? Definitely the 90s. That is some wholesome, soul filling music right there.
Makes my day every time :)
Makes my day every time :)
Was That Really Necessary?
Ugh. I am so irritated with Quentin this morning. After feeling like complete garbage all weekend and sleeping terribly last night, I was awakened promptly at the stroke of 6.30 when his extra loud alarm rang for 5 minutes. Then, after finally getting up and shutting the damn thing off, he proceeded to slam his bedroom door closed on his way to the bathroom. Then coming back from the bathroom and reentering his room, he slammed the door behind him AGAIN.
Now. I am not sure WTF his problem is- maybe he is just a typical jerk off teenage boy, or maybe he is angry at the world because he has to get up so early. I don't know. Frankly, I could give a F* less. Is it too much to ask from this shithead kid that he not be so outrageously loud before everyone else is up? I already have to deal with the fact that he constantly leaves a disgusting mess in the shower we share. And it seems that no matter what I say to him about either of these things, no matter how polite, he always shrugs it off and says whatever.
I'm not gonna lie here- this kid is about 2 seconds away from getting some sort of nettles in his sheets or the infamous exlax brownies. As much as I'd like to do the brownies thing though, I figure that it prolly will just give that self-centred, whiney, little bitchhole the opportunity to make yet another mess for me to clean up.
Yet another moment where I feel the need to run up and down the hallways yelling, "Contraceptives are a GOOD thing, people! USE THEM."
Thank you for hearing me out. Now, have a good morning, free of the Quentins of your life :)
Now. I am not sure WTF his problem is- maybe he is just a typical jerk off teenage boy, or maybe he is angry at the world because he has to get up so early. I don't know. Frankly, I could give a F* less. Is it too much to ask from this shithead kid that he not be so outrageously loud before everyone else is up? I already have to deal with the fact that he constantly leaves a disgusting mess in the shower we share. And it seems that no matter what I say to him about either of these things, no matter how polite, he always shrugs it off and says whatever.
I'm not gonna lie here- this kid is about 2 seconds away from getting some sort of nettles in his sheets or the infamous exlax brownies. As much as I'd like to do the brownies thing though, I figure that it prolly will just give that self-centred, whiney, little bitchhole the opportunity to make yet another mess for me to clean up.
Yet another moment where I feel the need to run up and down the hallways yelling, "Contraceptives are a GOOD thing, people! USE THEM."
Thank you for hearing me out. Now, have a good morning, free of the Quentins of your life :)
Friday, March 6, 2009
Ripped Off
I finally bought some more Tylenol today. The knockoff brand anyway. What kind of made me sad is that it cost only 1,38E for 20 caplets.
Why does that make me sad? Because in September, when I was suffering from debilitating stress migraines, I went to the store and picked up some headache medicine. After even specifying that I just wanted to cheap stuff that was still capable of doing the job, I walked out the door carrying just 20 caplets; they cost me 4,20E.
I had always kind of wondered if they had taken advantage of me and how bad my headache was. Now that I know you can buy it for way cheaper, my question becomes- did they take advantage of me? Or was that really the cheapest medicine they had there and I just happened to wander into the world's most expensive drug store?
Why does that make me sad? Because in September, when I was suffering from debilitating stress migraines, I went to the store and picked up some headache medicine. After even specifying that I just wanted to cheap stuff that was still capable of doing the job, I walked out the door carrying just 20 caplets; they cost me 4,20E.
I had always kind of wondered if they had taken advantage of me and how bad my headache was. Now that I know you can buy it for way cheaper, my question becomes- did they take advantage of me? Or was that really the cheapest medicine they had there and I just happened to wander into the world's most expensive drug store?
Something New and Different
Guess what it's doing today?
Raining. Wow. Something new and different for Germany!
Although, it does make me worry a bit- It's raining buckets today, it rained like that yesterday as well, and it may continue to rain as heavily all weekend. That means that the chances of the river flooding the bike path again are kind of high. ugh. I'm not looking forward to that at all.
Raining. Wow. Something new and different for Germany!
Although, it does make me worry a bit- It's raining buckets today, it rained like that yesterday as well, and it may continue to rain as heavily all weekend. That means that the chances of the river flooding the bike path again are kind of high. ugh. I'm not looking forward to that at all.
No Cheese :(
I had this big grocery shopping expedition planned for yesterday to the actual supermarket in Ahrweiler instead of the crappy half-assed one I usually go to. And the whole trip went well, except for the cheese. I like cheese, I eat a lot of it, and I had managed to buy things that I was going to eat the cheese with (like bread for grilled cheeses and sausage for sausage, cheese and crackers), but I didn't actually remember to buy cheese.
Now I am faced with a conundrum: Go out in the rain and buy some or just wait til monday?
I think I may just wait. It doesn't feel worth it to go to so much effort only to grab a chunk of cheese.
*Side Note: It somehow didn't seem like such a waste of effort to blog about the no cheese. how does that work?*
Now I am faced with a conundrum: Go out in the rain and buy some or just wait til monday?
I think I may just wait. It doesn't feel worth it to go to so much effort only to grab a chunk of cheese.
*Side Note: It somehow didn't seem like such a waste of effort to blog about the no cheese. how does that work?*
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Oops
Letting the chips fall where they may was not 100% successful. I ended up meeting up with Nick and Kerstin for lunch. But, I am a giant idiot (as previously stated many many times...) and instead of hitting save on my phone when I put Manuel's number in, I am pretty sure I hit cancel. Because when I went to call him to let him know where we were meeting up, his number was sure NOT in my phone :s
Ironically, about halfway through lunch I was telling them that I had lost his number and Kerstin (who is doing a teaching practicum at Nick's school) asked who it was exactly Manuel was. Anyway- long story short- they know each other and Kerstin even had his cell number. Yeah- that's kinda what I thought too- I definitely did not see that one coming.
And yes, I did send him a text to explain what had happened. I also apologized for it, cause i did feel like a jerk. So on the whole, a looser grip on control yielded a 75% success rate for today- 3 out of 4 people actual made it to a lunch date I had brought up and then not adequately planned for :D
Ironically, about halfway through lunch I was telling them that I had lost his number and Kerstin (who is doing a teaching practicum at Nick's school) asked who it was exactly Manuel was. Anyway- long story short- they know each other and Kerstin even had his cell number. Yeah- that's kinda what I thought too- I definitely did not see that one coming.
And yes, I did send him a text to explain what had happened. I also apologized for it, cause i did feel like a jerk. So on the whole, a looser grip on control yielded a 75% success rate for today- 3 out of 4 people actual made it to a lunch date I had brought up and then not adequately planned for :D
Ye Olde College Try
I have decided that today I am going to give the whole "laidback and relaxed" thing a try. We all know how super uptight I can be about planning and my excessive need for it. Which is also super ironic, because I am also a notoriously shitty planner. So today, I am going to chillax and if my plans fall apart and me and my friends don't actually end up meeting up- well... I am just not going to get all bent out of shape over it :)
So take that stupid stressing and worrying! You've been cut.
So take that stupid stressing and worrying! You've been cut.
In Response
In respone to Erin's comment. LMAO. Yes, it is indeed a "good on ya, M" for talking to some Germans :D Amazingly enough, even here in Germany (a land filled with Germans) I do find it hard. So- I accept your congratulations wholeheartedly. Thanks :D
Also- about the chili. I have been thinking about it. In fact, I think your suggestion may have pushed me over the edge- I am gonna do it! I was going for some more groceries tonight anyway. The thing i really need to find first is some chili spices. The food here is usually pretty lame on spices, so it might take me a bit to hunt up some suitable ones. However, I'm gonna put some real effort into that today. Why, you ask? Because it has been pissing buckets all day and I could really use a homemade chili.
Also- random sidenote here: I hope you all really appreciate this post, b/c I typed it at the school on a German keyboard- meaning it took almost twice as long because all the letters and punctuation keys have been moved around. So there. Appreciate the post- It appreciates you.
Also- about the chili. I have been thinking about it. In fact, I think your suggestion may have pushed me over the edge- I am gonna do it! I was going for some more groceries tonight anyway. The thing i really need to find first is some chili spices. The food here is usually pretty lame on spices, so it might take me a bit to hunt up some suitable ones. However, I'm gonna put some real effort into that today. Why, you ask? Because it has been pissing buckets all day and I could really use a homemade chili.
Also- random sidenote here: I hope you all really appreciate this post, b/c I typed it at the school on a German keyboard- meaning it took almost twice as long because all the letters and punctuation keys have been moved around. So there. Appreciate the post- It appreciates you.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
M's Dinner
I had an intense craving for spaghetti this evening. And since I can make it for about 75 cents, I figured it wasn't too bad an idea.
So I wandered to the store and picked up a few things. When I got back, I had all the ingredients and I got to work right away.
I am really liking the idea of making the sauce personally. I think it tastes so much better that way. I actually got the idea from Elise a couple weekends ago when she was visiting.
The idea is pretty basic, put I'll tell you what I put in mine. Basically, I just chopped up a couple carrots, a couple cloves of garlic, and fried it up with some oil in a pan. I threw in some basil and other assorted Italian-y spices. Once it was nicely browned I threw it into the pot where I had the tomato paste warming. Then I made sure that it got all nice and hot. So yeah, like I said- pretty self-explanatory and simple. But man! It was so good and it totally hit the spot.
Things I learned though: maybe frying up the carrots with the garlic beforehand was not such a great idea. Fried carrot coins smell weird and they taste strange too. I should have thrown the carrots straight into the sauce and cooked them there.
So I wandered to the store and picked up a few things. When I got back, I had all the ingredients and I got to work right away.
I am really liking the idea of making the sauce personally. I think it tastes so much better that way. I actually got the idea from Elise a couple weekends ago when she was visiting.
The idea is pretty basic, put I'll tell you what I put in mine. Basically, I just chopped up a couple carrots, a couple cloves of garlic, and fried it up with some oil in a pan. I threw in some basil and other assorted Italian-y spices. Once it was nicely browned I threw it into the pot where I had the tomato paste warming. Then I made sure that it got all nice and hot. So yeah, like I said- pretty self-explanatory and simple. But man! It was so good and it totally hit the spot.
Things I learned though: maybe frying up the carrots with the garlic beforehand was not such a great idea. Fried carrot coins smell weird and they taste strange too. I should have thrown the carrots straight into the sauce and cooked them there.
The Word of the Day: Irony
Quick question- when used as an adjective does the word irony become "ironic"- or "ironical"?
Personally I had never heard the word ironical before I came here. Everything has always just been ironic to me (lol- sorry about that- but I thought it was funny at least). But since I have been here, I have heard/seen the word ironical everywhere.
Is it maybe a British thing? My buddy Nick always says ironical and gives me "the look" when I say ironic. (you know which look I mean- the one that says: Excuse me, but I rather believe your use of that word was incorrect because the word you used simply does not exist) It cracks me up every time I hear anyone use ironical (b/c it just sounds funny). It also cracks me up when someone gives me the look for saying ironic.
So, readers of the devoted (and not so devoted) variety- I am putting the issue at hand to a vote:
Does irony become ironic or ironical when used as an adjective?
Personally I had never heard the word ironical before I came here. Everything has always just been ironic to me (lol- sorry about that- but I thought it was funny at least). But since I have been here, I have heard/seen the word ironical everywhere.
Is it maybe a British thing? My buddy Nick always says ironical and gives me "the look" when I say ironic. (you know which look I mean- the one that says: Excuse me, but I rather believe your use of that word was incorrect because the word you used simply does not exist) It cracks me up every time I hear anyone use ironical (b/c it just sounds funny). It also cracks me up when someone gives me the look for saying ironic.
So, readers of the devoted (and not so devoted) variety- I am putting the issue at hand to a vote:
Does irony become ironic or ironical when used as an adjective?
A Point to Ponder
So, as previously stated, I spent an extra hour and a half at school today, having a nice chat. But here's the thing: It was a beautiful morning with lots of sun and an almost double digit temperature.
This afternoon was a different story though. By the time I was done chatting, the weather had turned grey, windy, and kinda stormy.
Now, I am just wondering a bit if my afternoon would have been better if I had just gone home when I was done, and not had to ride my bike through crap weather. Or would it have been better to stay, chat, and ride home in the rain?
I'm gonna go with the whole "my day was better b/c I had a lovely chat", just because after riding home it was pretty easy to just change into some dry clothes. But it is, at the very least, a point worth pondering I think.
This afternoon was a different story though. By the time I was done chatting, the weather had turned grey, windy, and kinda stormy.
Now, I am just wondering a bit if my afternoon would have been better if I had just gone home when I was done, and not had to ride my bike through crap weather. Or would it have been better to stay, chat, and ride home in the rain?
I'm gonna go with the whole "my day was better b/c I had a lovely chat", just because after riding home it was pretty easy to just change into some dry clothes. But it is, at the very least, a point worth pondering I think.
Bright Spot in my Day :)
Holy Chunky Monkey! My day was definitely made better this afternoon, when for the first time in months, I spoke to a German who was MY AGE (aka out of high school and into university). Yeah- it was fabulous!
There are something like 6 university students doing practicums at the school right now- and they all seem pretty interesting and fun. I spent prolly an hour and half just chatting about stereotypical single twenty-something stuff. It was bloody brilliant! Almost all of the other teachers are almost a decade older than me and are pretty much all married/committed with kids and mortgages and stuff, so sometimes it is really hard to feel like I have anything in common with any of them.
I am thinking a pub night with the student teachers is definitely in order. I feel so much better about life after this afternoon :D
There are something like 6 university students doing practicums at the school right now- and they all seem pretty interesting and fun. I spent prolly an hour and half just chatting about stereotypical single twenty-something stuff. It was bloody brilliant! Almost all of the other teachers are almost a decade older than me and are pretty much all married/committed with kids and mortgages and stuff, so sometimes it is really hard to feel like I have anything in common with any of them.
I am thinking a pub night with the student teachers is definitely in order. I feel so much better about life after this afternoon :D
Cultural Difference My Ass
There are cultural differences and then there are cultural differences.
For instance, I don't find it a trouble at all to wait until a clogged doorway empties before walking through it. No matter what country I am in. This waiting for it to empty usually means that more Germans will see that I am waiting and thus push their way through, causing a longer wait on my part.
However, some Germans seem to think that me waiting my turn to walk through a seriously congested doorway is incredibly impolite to the people I am holding up behind me.
Either way I lose. And either way the staff members (who see me having trouble trying to be pushy and obnoxious to get through something as simple as a door) will take the opportunity to make fun of me and ask me why after 6 months I have not yet assimilated. What irritates me the most about said staff members is that they are the ones who ignore me completely until they see me doing something that they can make fun of me for.
Hmmmph. I think I may have to bring in some ex-lax brownies or something... Well, nah, I prolly won't... but it makes me feel better to think that I prolly could :D
For instance, I don't find it a trouble at all to wait until a clogged doorway empties before walking through it. No matter what country I am in. This waiting for it to empty usually means that more Germans will see that I am waiting and thus push their way through, causing a longer wait on my part.
However, some Germans seem to think that me waiting my turn to walk through a seriously congested doorway is incredibly impolite to the people I am holding up behind me.
Either way I lose. And either way the staff members (who see me having trouble trying to be pushy and obnoxious to get through something as simple as a door) will take the opportunity to make fun of me and ask me why after 6 months I have not yet assimilated. What irritates me the most about said staff members is that they are the ones who ignore me completely until they see me doing something that they can make fun of me for.
Hmmmph. I think I may have to bring in some ex-lax brownies or something... Well, nah, I prolly won't... but it makes me feel better to think that I prolly could :D
Reasons to Not Enjoy My Job
Remember a while ago, when I wrote about how the two people I work for couldn't actually decide who my boss was? And I had decided I was going to do what I wanted anyway?
Yeah, well, apparently life doesn't actually work that way. I know- what a surprise, eh? I had hoped but I guess not. Anyway- the important thing here is that I gave these people like 2 months notice that I was going to need these 2, possibly 3, days off because I had mis-planned the dates of my family's visit.
Today I brought it up again (still a months notice)- and they were like- "what?!?!?!? you can't do that!!! you haven't given us any notice at all!!!!" Because, you know, two whole months really isn't that much notice- it was almost a bit last minute-y. *sigh*
I had to fight to get those damn days off. FIGHT, I tell you. I could understand this if maybe I took a lot of sick time and was never around and did a crappy job- but this was ridiculous. I have only ever missed one class because I was sick in the 6 months or so that I have been here.
I spent 20 minutes arguing with these people about it, before they would accept my idea of making the time up elsewhere. I am only missing 6 classes, so it won't be hard to make up at all. I still don't understand why it was such a bloody big deal. It wasn't that complicated and it's not like I was trying to skip out on my job.
ugh. It seems that they deliberately make life harder than it has to be and a lot more often than necessary too.
Yeah, well, apparently life doesn't actually work that way. I know- what a surprise, eh? I had hoped but I guess not. Anyway- the important thing here is that I gave these people like 2 months notice that I was going to need these 2, possibly 3, days off because I had mis-planned the dates of my family's visit.
Today I brought it up again (still a months notice)- and they were like- "what?!?!?!? you can't do that!!! you haven't given us any notice at all!!!!" Because, you know, two whole months really isn't that much notice- it was almost a bit last minute-y. *sigh*
I had to fight to get those damn days off. FIGHT, I tell you. I could understand this if maybe I took a lot of sick time and was never around and did a crappy job- but this was ridiculous. I have only ever missed one class because I was sick in the 6 months or so that I have been here.
I spent 20 minutes arguing with these people about it, before they would accept my idea of making the time up elsewhere. I am only missing 6 classes, so it won't be hard to make up at all. I still don't understand why it was such a bloody big deal. It wasn't that complicated and it's not like I was trying to skip out on my job.
ugh. It seems that they deliberately make life harder than it has to be and a lot more often than necessary too.
The Last Bits and Pieces
There are a few bits and bobs that require attention. I am a bad blogger- I had forgotten about things that I really thought post worthy. It's from Carnival (so like 2 weeks ago now) and getting a bit stale- so i thought i would combine it all into 1 post.
1) People dressed up for Carnival. You know this. What you don't know is that the best costume i saw was the Frog Prince walking toward the train station. It was just a full body frog suit- nothing too new there- but what really made the outfit was the tiny little plastic crown that looked like it was straight out of a disney movie. It even had the jaunty angle. It was great!
2) Very rarely is the Ahrtal train late. Most train stations have an electronic type board that says when a train is going to be late. Except for Bad Bodendorf. It has no sign like that. Instead the station master stuck his head out the window and yelled to us that the train was going to be ANOTHER 15 minutes late. At the time, only Elise and I were on the platform. Then like 20 other people came and expected the train. However, the station master did not bother to tell them that the train was late. It was a group of rowdy, costumed, and angry Carnival celebrating Germans on the platform to be sure.
There. now you are all caught up. i hope you appreciated the random stories :)
1) People dressed up for Carnival. You know this. What you don't know is that the best costume i saw was the Frog Prince walking toward the train station. It was just a full body frog suit- nothing too new there- but what really made the outfit was the tiny little plastic crown that looked like it was straight out of a disney movie. It even had the jaunty angle. It was great!
2) Very rarely is the Ahrtal train late. Most train stations have an electronic type board that says when a train is going to be late. Except for Bad Bodendorf. It has no sign like that. Instead the station master stuck his head out the window and yelled to us that the train was going to be ANOTHER 15 minutes late. At the time, only Elise and I were on the platform. Then like 20 other people came and expected the train. However, the station master did not bother to tell them that the train was late. It was a group of rowdy, costumed, and angry Carnival celebrating Germans on the platform to be sure.
There. now you are all caught up. i hope you appreciated the random stories :)
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Nighty Night
Is it wrong that after having napped for a solid hour this afternoon and having done nothing really strenuous today, that I have been ready to crash since about 7.30? What is that even?
It's now 8.45 and I am seriously considering blowing off my prep for tomorrow and showering up and hitting the hay.
Yeah, I know- it is a bit irresponsible. On the plus side though- at least it's hygienic.
It's now 8.45 and I am seriously considering blowing off my prep for tomorrow and showering up and hitting the hay.
Yeah, I know- it is a bit irresponsible. On the plus side though- at least it's hygienic.
Another Movie in the Making
I was going to make another slide show thing similar to the one I put up earlier last week. I was gonna do this one of pics of friends though.
And then I realized that most of the pictures I have of my friends include us doing wildly inappropriate things. So I may still make the show, but it won't debut on Blogger any time soon.
It may however, be available for private screenings in June.
:D
And then I realized that most of the pictures I have of my friends include us doing wildly inappropriate things. So I may still make the show, but it won't debut on Blogger any time soon.
It may however, be available for private screenings in June.
:D
Monday, March 2, 2009
Irritation: My Middle Name
Ugh. I'd like to say that I don't know why I have been so mopey and depressed lately, but I can't. I know exactly why. I have almost reached my limit for being here. I am pretty much done, I could care less and I am ready to be home.
The sad thing is, is because I feel this way, it is spilling over into everything that could be potentially good and just making me about 96% miserable. Like today- if I hadn't been so down already, I probably would have just flipped the bitch teacher off and let it go, instead of stewing about her blatant and cruel insensitivity all afternoon.
Even the canned pineapple I bought depressed me. I know that because it was so cheap I shouldn't really expect much- but it was only vaguely ripe. No colour, no taste :( I almost cried.
Plus, I have been getting stress headaches as well, because I have been so wrapped up in my misery. Ugh, and planning a trip that gets more expensive by the day doesn't help either. So. I am going to do my best to muddle through the misery and the suck that i am currently wallowing in. However, I can't promise that my blogs will be uplifting of inspiring in any way, shape, or form.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation in this matter.
Management
The sad thing is, is because I feel this way, it is spilling over into everything that could be potentially good and just making me about 96% miserable. Like today- if I hadn't been so down already, I probably would have just flipped the bitch teacher off and let it go, instead of stewing about her blatant and cruel insensitivity all afternoon.
Even the canned pineapple I bought depressed me. I know that because it was so cheap I shouldn't really expect much- but it was only vaguely ripe. No colour, no taste :( I almost cried.
Plus, I have been getting stress headaches as well, because I have been so wrapped up in my misery. Ugh, and planning a trip that gets more expensive by the day doesn't help either. So. I am going to do my best to muddle through the misery and the suck that i am currently wallowing in. However, I can't promise that my blogs will be uplifting of inspiring in any way, shape, or form.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation in this matter.
Management
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Things That Make Me Sad
Paul Harvey died. I find this really sad. I remember back a couple of years ago, when Dad would come in from chores around about lunch time, flip on the AM and catch "the rest of the story". Paul Harvey was a real good broadcaster.
But, I do wonder- Now that Dad's gone, the farm's been sold, and Mr. Harvey is dead as well- how much longer do I have before all the concrete reminders are gone? I know cliches friggen blow and no one likes to hear them, but time really pisses me off with how easy come/easy go it all is.
Sorry to be so damn depressing. I wanted to write about Mr. Harvey- I got a bit distracted though.
Anyway, true to precedent, I have included the CNN article and the Wikipedia article as well.
But, I do wonder- Now that Dad's gone, the farm's been sold, and Mr. Harvey is dead as well- how much longer do I have before all the concrete reminders are gone? I know cliches friggen blow and no one likes to hear them, but time really pisses me off with how easy come/easy go it all is.
Sorry to be so damn depressing. I wanted to write about Mr. Harvey- I got a bit distracted though.
Anyway, true to precedent, I have included the CNN article and the Wikipedia article as well.
New Shoes Suck
Ugh. I am finally breaking in the pair that I brought from home. It sucks. They are so white, I feel guilty just thinking about wearing them out of the house. What on earth could have made me decide to buy such a useless and impractical colour of shoes?
Also they are still in that not-as-comfy-as-the-old-ones stage. I think when I get home I am gonna buy like 5 pairs of the Filas I really like and just keep them stored in my closet til I wear a pair out. That way I will always know what to expect from my new runners. There is also the fact that you can never have to many pairs of runners.
Fantastic. I'm glad that's settled.
Also they are still in that not-as-comfy-as-the-old-ones stage. I think when I get home I am gonna buy like 5 pairs of the Filas I really like and just keep them stored in my closet til I wear a pair out. That way I will always know what to expect from my new runners. There is also the fact that you can never have to many pairs of runners.
Fantastic. I'm glad that's settled.
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