Faultier is German for “Sloth”

It translates literally to “lazy animal”

I Have Moved!

Click here to go to the new website!

Everything is there! I just changed my domain and hosting!

May 14th – Personal Quirks

Today’s prompt from Blog Everyday in May is to share some of your quirks – and boy, do I have a lot of them.

• I am like the girl from Signs – I leave half-empty (or half-full if you’re an optimist) glasses everywhere. When I was a teenager, my room would be filled with cans of diet soda that had 25% to 50% of their soda still within. I’ve gotten a bit better, but it’s still a problem. Unlike the girl from Signs, this isn’t a cute personality quirk. I don’t think there is anything wrong my drinks. I just go off to do something or fall asleep before I finish them, and then when I come back they are flat. And then I’m too lazy to throw them away.

• I don’t consider myself a picky eater, but I hate tomatoes and I think cilantro tastes like soap. I know the cilantro thing has a genetic basis, but I’m not sure about the tomatoes. And please don’t tell me to eat homegrown tomatoes instead of store-bought because they have more taste – more taste would just make it worse!

I want to like you because you’re healthy and in everything.
By Softeis (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons

• I can’t eat sugary things on an empty stomach because it makes me feel sick. I thought this was a normal thing, but every time I tell someone, “I can’t eat that candy bar/piece of cake/ice cream because I’m hungry,” they look at me when I’m insane. I’m not sure if this is a physical thing or a result of my mom always insisting that I eat “real food” before sweets.

• I’m not scared of heights per se, but I hate being able to see through what I’m standing on. My brain assumes that if I can see through it, I can fall through it. Those glass bottomed outlooks on tall building are nightmare fuel for me.

  

  Nope nope nope nope nope
  Spinnaker Tower, Portsmoth, UK
  By Janderk1968 (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons

• I think Bavarian sounds like an Irish person speaking German. I also think Dutch sounds like a mix of Scottish and German. I have no idea if these are quirks or not.

• I really enjoy writing with purple pens. If you every need a gift idea, pens with purple ink are always appreciated, or purple ink to put in my fancy fountain pen the Verlobter got me for Christmas.

If you know me personally and think I missed something, please comment below! I want to know! (But be nice :-P)

May 13th – Advice for College Graduates

Today’s Blog Everyday in May prompt is to offer advice to college graduates. I finished school only two years ago – I’m not sure if this makes me unqualified or extra-qualified to give advice. Either way, this is what I have to say.

1. Don’t apply only for jobs that fit your studies perfectly.

Unless you’ve managed to already lined up your dream job – in which case, you should offer me advice – you don’t want your search to be too narrow. This means you need to broaden the type of job you’re looking for, the location range you’re looking at, or both. I person went for looking further and further away from where my family lived, and it did make things difficult at times. Sometimes I wonder how that year before moving would’ve gone if I had worked as an aid or a sub instead of a full-time teacher, but stayed near my parents.

And depending on your field, it may not matter how far you look. You might not find anything if your requirements are too narrow. Flexibility is key as well as prioritizing what in particular is important to you. You might also find out that your dream job is different than you expected.

2. Travel somewhere new.

I think it’s always important to gather new perspectives as you grow older in order to avoid the trap of believing that everyone is just like you.

If you don’t have roots, move somewhere different for a little while if it’s within your means! If you don’t like it, you can go back, or go somewhere else. Living in a place for awhile allows the novelty to fade a little, which can give a slightly different perspective.

If you’ve already put down roots, you can take trips and consciously interact with people from different backgrounds. In the US, there are many cultural differences between regions – you don’t have to backpack across Europe to start seeing the world from a different point of view.

3. Find a hobby.

If you already have a hobby, continue making time for it. Your routine will change, but having something outside of work/searching for work will help keep you sane. Knitting, writing, playing a sport – it’s nice to have something you enjoy to help your mind recharge.

If school was so busy that you didn’t have time for a hobby, this is a great time to try out some things. Your routine is already changing, so this is a good time to work something new in. And if you’ve moved to a new place, your hobby can help you meet people. If you like sports, see if a local gym offers any team sports that you can join. If you like crafting, join a knitting circle. If you like cooking, see if any stores or night schools offer classes. You can even connect with people online if that’s where your hobby takes you (like writing, for example).

For those recent graduates – congratulations! You’ve worked hard, so find ways to enjoy yourself as you start the next chapter of your life!

May 12th – Favorite Blogging Tools

I feel a bit inexperienced for today’s prompt for Blog Everyday in May, which is about favorite blogging tools, but I am very excited to read what others have to say. I just started seriously blogging in March, so I’m still working out what works best for me. I’m excited to see what programs or items more experience bloggers tend to use, and reading through some of their posts, I’m already getting some ideas that could improve my blog quite a bit (Evernote and Canva have come up a few times and I plan on checking those out).

The most important tool that I use is my phone.  It is basically an appendage, and I’ve written quite a bit on it so far. I generally prefer to read through things again on the computer, and it’s easier to add pictures to my posts through the web program for WordPress.com – though the majority of my pictures come from my phone.

My phone with it’s dorky wallet case. I drop it a lot, and the wallet adds some cheap extra protection.

If I decide to actually work on my photography skills, I might start using a real camera. But right now, I just snap quick shots of things I find interesting, so the phone is good enough (and I always having it anyway!).

I also use the WordPress app on my phone, which I quite like. I don’t know how things may change if I ever move over to self-hosted, though. If anyone has more info about moving to self-hosted, I’d love some tips! But for right now, it’s nice to have a lot of options right at my fingertips.

To my blog friends, are there any tools you think I should try, especially mobile apps?  I would love to hear suggestions!

Cigarette Vending Machines – Weird German Things #6

One of the things that you will notice in Germany is that there are cigarette vending machines everywhere. They’re on street corners and outside train stations, and they are always beat up and graffitied. I don’t know who owns them and gets the money from them, but I’m sure they make a lot of money. I’m not sure the stereotype is true that Europeans smoke more, but there are fewer gas stations and convenience stores here, so I imagine that even if there are the same number of smokers here, the vending machines do plenty of business to make up the difference.

This is one outside a train station. I believe the graffiti is actually a style choice and is part of the panel. I’ve seen the same pattern elsewhere.  But I’ve also seen plane ones that say “Tabakwaren” or Tabacco.  There are some old stickers on it, but I didn’t examine them too closely, because I was already the crazy person taking pictures of a cigarette machine.

In order to buy cigarettes, you have to scan a ID carde to prove that you’re of age. I don’t know what you do if you’re foreign – I suppose you just have to go to a store.  This seems incredibly insecure to me, though. There is no way to check to make sure that the ID actually matches the person buying the cigarettes. I’d imagine it’d be easy to swipe or borrow an older person’s ID.

I see now that there is an advertisement for some sort of heavy metal barbecue on there.

The machine accepts card and cash and advertises that it will give you your change back.  I suppose there are some that don’t?

On the left side of the picture is the ID scanner and at the top are the various receptacles for payment.  I suppose while it’s not particularly secure, it is efficient.

May 11th – Inspiration

Today’s Blog Everyday in May prompt is, “Who inspires you?”

1. My parents – they both work very hard and put aside time to take care of all of their children.  I’ve talked about both of them in previous posts and I hope that when I’m eventually a parent, I’m like them.

2. Authors – Dear people who have written books, how do you do it?  I’m having trouble enough blogging daily, I’m amazed at the dedication that others are able to put into a novel. I want your secrets! I’ve got ideas, but no follow-through.  Maybe I will do NaNoWriMo when it rolls around this year…

Sending prayers to St. Jane for aid

3. Polyglots – I’m so envious of polyglots and also want to know their secrets – though in reality, I know the secrets.  Speak as much as possible even though you sound like an idiot. Immerse yourself in the new language. Don’t be lazy and speak English with your native German speaker fiance.

Me everyday, but with German
Itchy Feet by Malachi Rempen

May 10th – A Lesson from Mom

Sorry that I’ve been missing lately. I have not felt well (nothing specific, just the overwhelming need to sleep for 12 hours at a time), so I hadn’t been up to writing.  I hopefully will include the missing posts as bonus posts here and there, but I don’t want to promise several days of doubling up, because that is likely too much for me.

Anyway, I’m sorry for the interruption, but now we will continue with your regularly scheduled program from Blog Everyday in May. Today’s prompt asks for lessons learned from mothers or other female figures in your life in honor of Mothers’ Day.

My mother has taught me a lot of things, but there is one thing in particular that I wanted to take about. Even if she had never talked to me about this, I would have likely learned it from her anyway because this is something she does all the time.

She is kind to everyone, even (especially) people who are not kind to her.

She is a big “kill them with kindness” person, and while it was hard for me to understand and try to do myself as a child, as I have gotten older, I have seen seen how it makes my life and others’ lives much better.

When you are nice to someone who is mean to you, usually their reactions fall into two categories:
1. They realize they are being a jerk and stop being mean. They may even apologize. They may even be sincere!
2. They keep on being rude and end up making fools of themselves.

Now these results might not happen immediately, which was why this philosophy was difficult for kid-me. I have always been incredibly impatient, and when I was a child, I had an incredibly short temper. I still do, actually, but I’m much better at hiding it.

But I tried this at school and at work, and while not everyone turns around and is your best friend, it’s easier than getting drawn into a fight. I know my mom doesn’t always find it easy, but I am often amazed at her kindness and patience with people even when things are difficult.

So thank you, Mom, for this life lesson that has really helped me. I actually think trying to do this more was a major part in controlling my temper. It also helped me quite a bit in work, too – teaching and working with customers.

Have a fabulous Mothers’ Day.  You deserve it.

May 6th – 5 Books That You Love

Today in Blog Everyday in May, we’re discussing books we love.  I’ve gotten pretty lazy about reading books lately – I still read, but I’ve been sticking to shorter pieces online out of laziness and a short attention span.  I’ve been trying to get back into reading it with Game of Thrones and the rest of the series, but I don’t quite think it makes the cut as of now.  I’ve been enjoying it nevertheless, but I have some other books that I would say I love for a variety of reasons.

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

I need to track down the sequel to this because it was just so good.  If you enjoy fantasy books, I highly recommend this one.  It’s well-paced, even though it is a bit long, it didn’t feel like it.  The story never dragged and I was completely sucked in.  I think I finished it in a day or two. It’s the first part of a planned trilogy, telling the life of a powerful magician.  This particularly volume takes him through childhood into young adulthood and all the struggles he encountered alone the way.  It is the best book that I have read recently.

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

This one is not only a great story, but it was also one of my favorite books growing up.  I have read the unabridged version four or five times and have noticed how my opinions on the characters and their lives have changed as I grew up.  I still dream a bit of being Jo, but I also think that I can still draw guidance from the book.  I feel that some of the lessons about family and relationships inside are timeless.  While now, I want to be Jo, I hope that when I eventually have kids, I can learn to be a bit like Marmee.

The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling

This may be cheating because it’s an entire series, but if you want me to narrow it down, I would choose The Prisoner of Azkaban as my favorite.  While I believe that the books appeal to all ages, I believe I was in a special age group that got to grow up with Harry as the books came out.  There was just something special about the character getting older at the same time as me, even if their world was completely different.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

If I can’t be Jo March, then I think I could handle being Elizabeth Bennett instead.  I think there are definitely some parallels between the families in both Little Women and Pride and Prejudice, but the Bennett family is much more dysfunctional – which makes for quite a bit of entertainment.  I love Austen’s sense of humor and enjoy rereading Pride and Prejudice to pick of on more little quips that I had missed before.

The Masqueraders by Georgette Heyer

If you enjoy Jane Austen’s sense of humor, but want more descriptions of dresses, lavish buildings, and slightly more outlandish characters – please pick up one of Georgette Heyer’s historical romances.  If it has a Harlequin cover, please don’t be put off, like with Austen, the chemistry between the characters is expressed primarily with witty dialogue and hints.  It was hard to choose just one, but I settled on The Masqueraders (Devil’s Cub would be at second place).  Most of Heyer’s romances take place a bit before or during the Regency period, but because she wrote in the 20th century, she added a lot of detail – and I mean a lot.  She was a meticulous researcher and drew from a wide variety of primary sources to make her works as accurate as possible.  When you are a nerd like me, that’s wonderful.  The books are also funny, with romance, and sword-fights, maybe some deception, and a lot of drama.  I love The Masqueraders particularly because the main character spends most of her time dressed like a man, while her brother is dressed like a woman (for disguise purposes), which leads to a lot of hilarity.

As you can see, the books I like fall into two main categories – historical with varying degrees of romance and fantasy.  If you have any suggestions, I would love to read them (the suggestions that is, though I will try to read the book as well!).

May 5th – Never Have I Ever

Today’s prompt for Blog Everday in May is “Never Have I Ever…”

My list is going to consist of things that I have never done, but I want to!

I have never

• had a professional manicure (though my ten-year-old sister has…)
• been on a cruise
• been west of Oklahoma (unless you count Germany because the world is spherical – but then I’m always west of Oklahoma if I’m not in Oklahoma)
• been to the southern hemisphere
• driven on the Autobahn (the Verlobter just waved his keys at me – Nooooope! Not ready yet!)
• gotten a professional massage
• written a book
• gone a day speaking entirely in German

As usual Itchy Feet by Malachi Rempen explains things quite well. http://www.itchyfeetcomic.com/

May 4th – Thank You Letter

May 4th’s Blog Everyday in May is a day late because I was busy partying for my birthday, and by partying, I mean playing Skyrim.  Yesterday’s prompt was to write a thank you letter to anyone.  In honor of my birthday, I want to write a thank you letter to the people who are responsible for my existence, my parents.

Dear Mom and Dad,

First and foremost, thank you for birthing me (though that was more work for Mom).  Without that, I wouldn’t be where I am today – alive on planet earth.

I also wouldn’t be where I am today more specifically without the way you raised me.  You have always been supportive of what I wanted to do, even when it meant sending me away for awhile, which I know was hard.  It was hard for you the first time, when I was in middle school and flew off to Washington, D.C., for a week – and even harder still when I left to move overseas indefinitely.  You joked that you were worried that I’d meet some German and decide to move over here forever, and you were right.

You were right about a lot of things and taught me a lot as I was growing up – to honor my commitments, to be kind to everyone even if I didn’t like them, and to work hard for what I wanted.  These are important qualities to have and I’m glad you taught be the importance of them, even though it was hard to learn at the time – even if it meant I had to finish the softball season when I was ten.

Thank you for trusting me and giving me a chance to be independent – though I think I didn’t give you too much to worry about growing up.

Thank you for sitting through a dozen plays and concerts.  Thank you for making me feel like I was the best one on stage.

I know me leaving has been hard for you both, but I don’t think I could have done it without your support.

Thank you for loving me and being the best parents a girl could ask for.