March 2008
30,03,08For Phil and Kat who doubted me...jerks!!!! ;)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillary_Swank
In September 1997, Swank was cast as single mother Carly Reynolds on Beverly Hills, 90210. She was initially promised it would be a two-year role, but saw her character written out after 16 episodes in January 1998. Swank later said that she was devastated at being cut from the show, thinking, "If I'm not good enough for 90210, I'm not good enough for anything."
...as you can probably guess this was all prompted by a discussion of Peter Cetera (he sang for Chicago right?) and what happened in Karate kid III...that was the one where Mr Miyagi had the bonsai shop right?
no I'm not actually going to do any research on this one ;)
I got slagged a bit from both parents this weekend...;) though I can't answer why they keep reading this page...
Must mean they still love me ;)
also watched Dodgeball and Anchorman this weekend....
I now believe I am a mix of Brick from anchorman
Brick Tamland: I love... carpet.
[pause]
Brick Tamland: I love... desk.
Ron Burgundy: Brick, are you just looking at things in the office and saying that you love them?
Brick Tamland: I love lamp.
Ron Burgundy: Do you really love the lamp, or are you just saying it because you saw it?
Brick Tamland: I love lamp. I love lamp.
Brick Tamland: I'm Brick Tamland. People seem to like me because I am polite and I am rarely late. I like to eat ice cream and I really enjoy a nice pair of slacks. Years later, a doctor will tell me that I have an I.Q. of 48 and am what some people call mentally retarded.
and Peter La Fleur from Dodgeball:
Kate Veatch: For instance, do you realize you haven't collected any membership fees in 13 months?
Peter La Fleur: Hmmm...
Kate Veatch: I'm curious, is it strictly apathy, or do you really not have a goal in life?
Peter La Fleur: I found that if you have a goal, that you might not reach it. But if you don't have one, then you are never disappointed. And I gotta tell ya... it feels phenomenal.
Kate Veatch: Well I guess that makes sense, in a really sad way.
Peter La Fleur: Sad? You want to know what's sad? Six grown men playing dodgeball.
One is a competent weatherman who is otherwise a social retard, and the other is an over confident slacker...I like to alternate between the two in short bursts.
28,03,08
so now this....link here
Several years ago, Nature, the science journal, published a report suggesting that drink was, from a biological point of view, engrained among the British.
no comment....
apparently you can't put a price on good times....so many comments I'm not going to make cuz I'd probably just edit in 6 hours...(but cheers anyways...for alles ;) )
like that time I posted a quote from Kat about the Indians buying Jaguar....I took that down after 6 hours ;)
this is a fine time to be a drinker in Francfort (as one trivia question I got right last night...what is the capital of Kentucky...there is but one reason I got that question right...)...what was I talking about...oh yeah....ne'ermind...I just wanted to write Francfort on this page twice...
I'm going for coffee and then will come back to write more...
and cheers from kat...who no doubt writes this nonchalantly and emotionlessly...(is that a word?)...it still makes me feel good... :)
I found my way back to Squires as well. Yes, the Squires that I used to hang out with everyday, and who I thought I wouldn't see that often anymore. Surprise, surprise, he stuck around
It's good to have him around even if we all do lack substance.
I know I've
said this before, maybe too often during the past weeks, but I love
you. And I don't give a shit what anyone else thinks.28,03,08
Ok me having a conversation tonight whilst waiting for the number 11 strassenbahn
random dude:....blah blah blah hauptbahnhof
me: ja (in case you didn't get that he was asking if the train went to hauptbahnhof)
random dude: (walks away) as number 14 train approaches
me: nay nay nay...nicht fiertzen....elf....(not 14...11)
random dude: danke
wow stimulating conversation...mien Deutsch ist zer gute! (spelling is not)
OK so pub quiz tonight...and we got first place.......first time ever...we each won 10€ with our random knowledge...this was only because Elizabeth the ringer was not present....I love pub quiz...
look
how smug Tim looks...bloody poms!!!!!I don't know half these people's names....I think I called Marius Matthias tonight...look I'm making new friends...the two on the right lived in NYC for 3 years and came back because they missed their family or something...I wish I felt that way...maybe I have no sense of family...I grew up alone...
and
for the people in the states who've ever wondered what it looks like
in the Frankfurt Bornheim Mitte station...here you go...it's no
Konsti...it's like it was decorated by Gaudi's Corky-like offspring...
and
from winter storm 2008 look at the size of these flakes....you can
see the asian tour buses but you can't see the commerz
tower....wow...what a storm...we had 0" accumulation...26,03,08
Cora (Super hyper dirty mega) never had a pet. I'm still formulating a theory on women who never had a pet...there might be a thesis or manifesto involved except as you probably know I don't like to make any sort of effort, and those things probably involve effort....so everything I've ever said or implied about a thesis or manifesto is likely just an empty threat... ;)
random out of context conversation
me: that guy on the left must be swiss...he has a beard...
kat: no dude...he doesn't have a beard...he grew it...
random out of context conversation explanation: (a new feature of this page): never confuse the swiss and the swedes...apparently the swedes have beards (und mich) however the swiss only have bank accounts or something...
when someone makes a promise to me it may not mean anything to you, but it does mean something to me....
your word is your bond....or something....
24,03,08
It's been snowing and it must be about 1° C because the ground is just wet, no snow is accumulating, but it's bloody cold...wish it would warm up soon...last time this year I think it was about 20°...I just don't know what to make of spring in DE.
damn you Cyndi Lauper...
24,03,08
I occasionally make notes in my phone for things I want to remember to post up here...I was cleaning out my phone today and came across these important notes I left for myself...
"Bulgarians are hairy...yes they do have lots of body hair."
and
"We first met her...at the...blank show...we couldn't see the profusion of facial hair on her face...she was mythological then."
and another I won't reprint here about germans and sex (from 2,0) but honestly I don't know the context of the first two...or who actually said them.
Unfortunately I can't usually make a note fast enough to keep up with the conversations...so I put up out context lines that are probably only funny to me... :)
I put on Corpse Bride yesterday (I have never seen it, but bought it cuz it was Burton and only 5€). I actually didn't even make it through the whole movie...maybe I was in a mood, but I just wasn't enjoying it...
mir ist kalt!
22,03,08
so in this lovely country we get Friday and Monday off for easter...unfortunately not many places are open on Friday...even more unfortunately one of the places open was O'Reilleys...(referred to as "that shithole"). (we made a pact...we made a pact!!!)
So new york red orders nachos and I had one...
me: oh mein gott!!!! deiese nachos are (ist?) zer schön!!!! (ok not auf deutsch, but I could almost translate my own sentence...was ist "are"?)
kat: jesus squires...I've never heard you say anything positive about anything...
me: really...am I that negative?
kat: yes you are...and that's why you're my friend...
ok once again and interesting statement comes out of something unremarkable...(a conversation about food).
I have to wonder if that's true...I've been thinking about this for 24 hours or so...maybe it is in general...not sure if that actually bothers me or not...way better to find the negative in every situation than the positive...I would not want to be one of those people.
I
broke the pact and I'm angry about it...also note I found this
hat...I would never actually pay for anything that said New York on
it...jerks...sink into the ocean already!!!!
don't
give kat whiskey and a pen!21,03,08
-Avis Irma (Snook) Squires
b. 1 Oct 1914
d. 20 Mar 2008
19,03,08
the bike broke this morning...now I have to take the train for the rest of the month, and take the bike to a shop :( everything was fine til I decided to shift...I won't do that again...maybe I should just buy a short chain and have a one speed...
can a Deutsch speaker help me find a bike shop around here and ask for repairs???
...and there's probably a lesson in here for me somewhere...like that time I paid 269€ to learn that I won't buy anything else from Apple for a while ;) ...now that was a valuable lesson...
why does Deutsch need both the F and V...aren't they the same sound? Is V exclusively used at the start of words?
18,03,08 part III
OK......having a day off must be bad for me...
I'm, really not sure how to ride my bike to work tomorrow...I'm scared of 3 things
1) the bike breaking down on the way to work due to bad assembly
2) Me dying due to being out of shape
3) I can't think of 3 but it was there cuz I told it to Kat just a little while ago
OK more pics from st Paddy's weekend....
and before I put up the pics I have to relay that no one really reads my blog cuz i was having conversations with kat about things I already said here and I was telling her that I already wrote about this but...
anyways point is...if anyone who reads this is going to see me please read this page so I don't have to recap everything...
think of it as a class where you need to read the text before actually going to class...
I had to explain to her about my women comments and how it wasn't directed towards anyone in particular...if she would just have read it I wouldn't have to repeat everything...
and.....
when the guy brought my bike I answered the phone and said something like "ich willst komme"
however thinking about it later I need to know if willst was the correct tense (ich wille komme????) and...i want to know if I could have added "unter" to say I would be down...ich wille komme bei unter????
how would I say that auf Deutsch?
so here's kat's pics...
plus one from the music messe...ahh sweet bluegrass...everyone gets
a solo...
and
my favourite is of Murielle the new waitress...whose dad moved to
England...my immediate comment..."oh does your dad not love you"?
mind you most people would think this, but not say it out loud...I said it out loud of course...later:
Kris: can't you see she's keen on you
me: of course I can see she's keen on me...
this of naturally ties into the women who like being treated like crap (who me?) treat em mean keep em keen!!!! (MW)). I can find the issue girls at 500 meters...everyone needs a therapist...
we did later bet on her nationality and age...I did ask the next time I saw her if she gets annoyed by drunk people....she said yes...that's a plus!!!
the only people I see with mustaches here are Indians (you know...from the west indies...not from the states). Fashion victims or trend setters....discuss....
18,03,08 part II
Ok bike is here and once again I am impressed by the Germans. It was partially assembled and it was a piece of cake to get it the rest of the way assembled (except an allen wrench was missing, but I just popped round the hardware store for that). I didn't even have to look at the instructions...I'm just going to credit the Germans for making it easy for me...
i almost had a conversation in Deutsch at the hardware store...
me: haben sie...(me holding up the wrench that was the wrong size).
dude: (unintelligible deutsch...but apparently a lot of people don't know what those wrenches are called so he happily told me)....(followed by more unintelligible Deutsch...then followed by the word) unter.
me: danke
allow me to translate...."For the allen wrench you need to go Downstairs young man!!!"
ok not much of a conversation, but baby steps...
I've embarrassed myself again so I'm going to go look up Cyndi Lauper lyrics until I feel better ;)
just kidding...Lunch then maybe a bike ride...
18,03,08
OK took today off...mainly cuz I'm hoping my bike will arrive today and I don't want to have to go to the post to pick it up (as I would if I wasn't home). So since I'm bored I was reading an interesting opinion on someone learning deutsch.
http://www.expatica.com/de/life_in/blog/the-hausfrau-ruminations-on-the-german-language-46059.html
read it, but interesting part for me is this
As I turn this all over and over in my mind, it becomes quite obvious to me why Germans are characterized as being so meticulous and precise -- they have to think everything through before they say it, and they have to listen all the way to the end of the sentence in order to understand each other, else some catastrophic miscommunication might occur. Understanding this notion may perhaps make it easier for expats like me to accept the quirks and peculiarities of the German language.
This is one of the things I really like about Germans compared to americans (especially in a work environment), they actually listen to each other and don't interrupt. In the States in a business meeting it is common for people to interrupt and talk over each other...after spending some time here and then going back to the states I decided I really don't like that. It's annoying to have to have meetings with americans simply because of that.
and from Twain...his essay is a good read.
"My philological studies have satisfied me that a gifted person ought to learn English (barring spelling and pronouncing) in thirty hours, French in thirty days, and German in thirty years. It seems manifest, then, that the latter tongue ought to be trimmed down and repaired. If it is to remain as it is, it ought to be gently and reverently set aside among the dead languages, for only the dead have time to learn it."
OK now I go back to waiting...
17,03,08
wow the profoundly unexplained mess of my attempted rant about women being treated poorly got the best response of yesterday...as usual my mom doesn't really get sarcasm...she sent me an email about women with balls or something ;) she didn't get my point so I won't get hers ;)
Hi Mom!!!
...and for those of you who asked or were thinking it, no the women comment is not about any woman in particular, but years of observations...
Ok today is paddy's day and as usual I'm annoyed by the whole "hey let's have an excuse to get drunk..." like the Irish need an excuse to get drunk...and while I'm on the Irish I have to say that of all the places I've been in Europe the loveliest girls I've seen have been in Ireland and Spain...no word yet on whose at the top..tis currently a tie... I'll have to revisit both for a review...I'll have to Mctravel just to solve this Sherlock Holmes style epic mystery.
anyways...people that need an excuse to be drunk and act Irish are a dishonour to the Irish...they need no excuse to act irish and be drunk...;)
all the pubs here were celebrating "st. paddy's day weekend" since today is Monday and as we all know the irish don't drink on Monday...
so as of Monday at about 5PM I was thoroughly annoyed as usual at the drunk people who were "honouring" the bloody fecking irish....
insert comment here about honouring a culture that's greatest accomplishment is NOT acting drunk...;)
so it's now 9PM and I overstayed me welcome everywhere and am back home...
here's some pics from the new camera taken over last st. Paddy's day "weekend". The pics aren't that interesting, just note the improved quality, and if anyone can use my old camera let me know and you can have it...
16,03,08
I went to the music messe yesterday. Was a good time. Lots of instruments and lots of people playing them.
Damn you booth girls and your need for attention. I'm boycotting all booths with underdressed booth girls...Not the girls just the booths ;)
My favourite musicians were the accordion players...I've never seen a bigger bunch of social outcasts as was in the accordion area...some of them were playing incredible music, and they were really into themselves, but judging by the lack of booth girls (actually there were no girls at all in the area except Kat and Kris) I guess the accordion is carrying a bit of "baggage".
Now having said that it was revealed a bit later that Kris does play the accordion. In fact she has 1 at home and 4 more at her parents place....Despite my best efforts I could not get her to loan me one of them...as I would be proud to play the accordion...
This week I've also been compared to Murakami. Honestly I have never heard of this guy, but with a description of "easily accessible, yet profoundly complex." I'll take it.
I was also accused of:
"American speed travelling....you're
McTravelling around the world! ;-) Don't you need at least a week to
immerse into a different culture?" (Red)
....uhhh....it's just my genes?!?! how's that for a comeback...no
really...the weekends are nice and for someone like me who hasn't
travelled much it's good...once I get the basics out of the way I
can refocus on longer trips and immersion...(is immersion really the
goal?).
U know what really pisses me off...when women seem to tolerate (or even encourage)
being treated like shit by a man...if a man ignores you, talks down to you, is rude to you etc. it doesn't mean he likes you or you deserve to be treated like that...get some balls and act like a real adult person with a bit of dignity who deserves respect and to be treated like an equal.
that is all...
12,03,08
got an email from Matt asking if I was going to start writing about fluffy bunnies and stuff now that I'm happy...sure thing mate...I know how you like that sort of thing...
they were selling bunnies on the street in Barca...(nice segue).
the bunnies were almost as frightening as scarface, the guy who kept seeing me around and I think his only vocabulary was 'hashhish'? dude had a scar from his mouth up his cheek...if he had said to me 'fluffy bunny rabbits'. I still would have been scared of him...
He asked me 3 times in 36 hours....Dude!!!
I honestly didn't know how to spell segue before tonight, but I'm using it twice tonight...Just for kicks I'm now linking to my bad poetry page...(look at me I'm being artistic)...I know what you're thinking....where is the segue (almost tired of that word now)...well....after a horrible miscalculation I've just discovered that St Patrick's day and Easter are not on the same day this year...there is no segue...segues do not exist.
11,03,08
Second longest occupation ever!?! ;)
Back from Barcelona (where the wind goes sweeping down the plains....). Ok if you get the attempted joke and realize it's not funny just shake your head sadly...if you don't get the joke just smile and nod cuz we all know if it came out of my head it's FREAKIN FUNNY!!!!!
gorgeous city...maybe the most beautiful city I've visited...I loved the architecture and location, food etc...was great! Avoid the Ramblas though...it's like the Zeil x 100. Definitely would like to go back and to other places in spain...but not BCN in the summer...off season is probably the way to go.
...and there were more americans there than anywhere I've been in Europe...I do find it funny that I can spot out the americans pretty easily (by sight)...and their accent is a bit annoying to me now...at least some of them...
at least the ones in BCN...
Observations...you're not allowed to drink in the street (of course people do, and people sell cans of beer for 1€ illegally), however smoking is apparently encouraged because cigarettes are really cheap (not taxed?)...how's that for priorities....
I saw more cats in spain in one day than I've seen in DE since I've been here...
Kat met me at the airport for a good bye glass of wine (Kat you get the award for best impersonations ever!). There was some bomb threat or something as we got kicked out of the cafe and the police cordoned off an area...So I just took my wine glass and was walking around the airport with it....
I really do have some kind of bizarre statue fetish...can't help myself...
So in Spain we saw the Picasso Museum. One thing interesting is that everything is cheap in spain...at least compared to Germany, the UK and France...the museums had costs associated with them...I guess low taxes means no money for the arts...
all in all a good and productive weekend...got some good therapy and feel better than I have in weeks (thanks Ms. Hemmerling).
Chipped a tooth in the airport restaurant...I thought it was a chicken bone, but no...my back tooth broke...at least now I can chew on that side of my mouth...doesn't hurt anymore.
Had Cracker lyrics running through my head. One of the few bands that I still listen to from the 90's. I go back to them again and again:
"Cigarettes and carrot juice
Get yourself a new tattoo
For those sleeveless days of June
I'm sitting on the cafe Zeno steps
With a book I haven't started yet
Watching all the girls walk by
Could I take you out
I'd be yours without a doubt
On that big dipper
And if the sound of this it frightens you
We could play it real cool
And act somewhat indifferent
And hey June
Why'd you have to come
Why'd you have to come around so soon
I wasn't ready for all this nature
The terrible green-green grass
The violent blooms of flower dresses
And afternoons that make me sleepy
But we could wait awhile
Before we push that dog turn-style
Into the passage
The thousands they have tread
And others sometimes fled
Before the turn came
And we could wait our lives
Before a chance arrives
Before the passage
From the top you can see Monterey
And think about San Jose
Although I know it's not that pleasant
And hey Jim Kerouac
Brother of the famous Jack
So he likes to say, "Lucky bastard"
He's sitting on the cafe Zeno steps
With a girl that I'm not over yet
Watching all the world go by
"Boy you're looking bad
Did I make you feel that sad?
I'm honestly flattered."
But if she asks me out
I'd be hers without a doubt
On that big dipper
Cigarettes and carrot juice
Get yourself a new tattoo
For those sleeveless days of June
I'm sitting on the cafe Zeno steps
I haven't got the courage yet (3x)"
Pics page...
06,03,08
am bound for Spain tomorrow...am happy :)
see you all next week...
...cept if you're in spain...see you tamale!
http://youtube.com/watch?v=luTxwqxaRcY
this is amazing...they actually named the storm that came through here a few days ago...I thought they could only do that with hurricanes and tropical storms...anyways that's my airline!!!
Hopefully they won't have another strike tomorrow...
05,03,08 part II
I was attempting to be nostalgic the other night and looking through a family photo album my mum sent...t'was weird though...I didn't really feel like I knew any of the people in the book...it was kind of like looking at a high school yearbook...it seems a long time ago and half a word away (ok, that's exactly what it was), but still...I guess this is my fault?!? Not sure...
05,03,08
Sanne threatened to speak only Deutsch to me...this lasted about 2 sentences...I did learn windy though (das Wetter ist Windisch)...
my colleagues threaten to do this about once a week, but it never lasts either, though I do miss out on large chunks of conversation because I can't speak...I always figure if it's important someone will tell me about it later...
however I am glad to report, that my Deutsch is indeed getting slightly better. I can sometimes read paragraphs and get the point...
Was stuck in a roomfull of drunk brits last night...as usual I was observing/studying people too closely...Since there was lots of drunk brits flirting with each other I have to write about this.
the whole interplay between men and women is always interesting...I love the body language and glances that a woman gives a man when she's obviously interested. Usually the glances are subtle (when the man looks away etc.) ...but being as I'm just observing others I get to see them. (I'd write about unsubtle glances but then we'd just degenerate into a discussion on MS ;)
Men are funny in this way too...some men are completely oblivious to what she's thinking...Some men think every woman is into them (is this too much self esteem?)and some men (falsely) think that no woman is in to them.
It's like a reverse of women who are friendly and seem to be flirting with every one they meet. It may not be intentional, but these signals are confusing...Guys need more help in this regard.
There should just be a common set of rules here...
I was trying to find a pic to illustrate this, but the ones I have only marginally show this...then I was trying to find a pic of a woman giving a dirty look to a man...didn't find anything good on my hard drive for that either...
there's a great band called Beirut (can I just call it world music?) with songs titled Bratislava and another called Brandenburg...two places I will have been by the end of this year?!?
03,03,08
Stephanie(2,0's SLF) describing my blog: "It's very stream of consciousness...it's a bit like james joyce..."
The collective heads of the collective estate of james joyce's head just exploded (wow that makes no sense). This is like saying taco bell is a bit like mexican food...mmmm I could go for some taco bell....
(were tortillas invented in spain or mexico...)
now I'm hungry...
other random out of context quotes for the week
2.0 (to me): don't be a bitch!
steph (to me): Do you try to make people feel weird...
me or delia?: no it just happens.
01,03,08
ahhh March...when a young man's thoughts turn to love...
lovely weather here today...woke up to thunder, lightning and sideways rain...felt good. I miss a good storm...makes me want to go to coos bay.
at the moment it's sunny...how springlike...
there is something mesmerizing about watching two 50-somethings make out in a pub....like a train wreck...can't look away...go you old people!!!