Update on Mimi's Health

Well Mimi is back from the doctor (past post) but she'll go back soon I'm afraid.

Since the first day we've had the scooter there has been an annoying squeak that has just gotten worse with time. I assumed that it was a body panel rubbing underneath, but was never able to isolate it. This was one of the problems I reported when I took her in to the nasty man with mechanic grimy hands. The other was a problem with the seat which doubles as a storage facility. Unfortunately the spring mechanism that opens the seat hasn't been working so well and I wanted them to look at it.

After work that day I took off on my journey to the Piaggio shop to pick up my poor mistreated Mimi. It took me one U-Bahn, one S-Bahn, and one bus to get there and let me tell you that by the time I was stepping off of the bus I had remembered exactly why the ride to and from work on Mimi is so great... there is something to be said for that kind of freedom.

As I walked through the door of the shop I caught sight of a new (to me) person behind the counter. All of these shops have one of these... the "chick" that keeps track of everything. She is the one that maintains some sense of order in the chaos which would normally be allowed to flourish in this masculine world. This model of the token woman was about 25 and channeling Starbuck - attitude, smart-assedness, intense eyes, down to the haircut from the first season.

We'll just call her Starbuck, shall we? Starbuck was working with a few other customers when I came in the door. Let's just say that I was a little anxious as I waited for her to get the "moron family" paid up and on their way. Mom and Dad were paying for repairs to their son's bike. As they were waiting for paperwork etc., Mom was giving the kid (all of 28 or so) the lecture of his life. She was telling him that he needs to be more careful, that the next time he might not be so lucky, blah blah blah.. He was busy looking at the ground avoiding eye contact with her, kicking his left shoe with his right shoe. I was busy looking at the helmet crooked under his arm. There were so many scratches on the surface that it was hard to see what kind of graphic had been painted on it. Yeah Mom... you may be right.

Finally they took off and it was my turn. Quickly I pushed my paperwork over the counter... no small feat as the counter was eye-high to me (I'm a shorty, 5'1" - 154cm). She was rather height challenged too, and we were barely able to meet eyes as the paper was snatched from my hand. "Frau Snooker," she said. "Your seat is working just fine now, the spring was made tighter. The computer also shows that your noise problem was a motor mount that we don't keep in stock. They oiled the area up and hope that makes it better for now, but you must come back in to get the part changed out pretty soon because the oiling won't last forever. All of it is covered in the guarantee, so you have no reason to worry."

At this time she turned on one heel (my imagination, but it looked like that from the way her head twisted, you know?) and took off to the back part of the room, eventually coming back with the keys and the rest of the paperwork. She gave me the bad news, 77.00 EUR (120.00 USD). This price had been quoted when we made the appointment, so I was happy.

The transaction was almost complete when the mechanic dude from that morning came strolling into the room. Starbuck let him know that I had the LX 50, he nodded to her, then came around the counter and moved toward me in an almost conspiratorial way pulling me to the side, out of earshot of the young woman. He leaned into me, looked at the floor and told me that there was a minor problem with that noise in my bike. "But," he interjected looking up for just a short moment, "it isn't too bad. I just put some grease on it and it should be just fine." When I asked about the warantee work he shrugged his shoulders. "No problem, it just needed a little grease. You probably don't need the new motor mounts. Keine Panik." (you guessed it, he told me not to panic). At which time he turned on his heel (yup, I could see it this time - this movement must be used a lot around here) and walked away. My head was spinning, she had told me to get it fixed soon... what is the deal?

After he had cleared the room I gave her an inquisitive look and asked again about the motor mounts, trying to confirm that I needed to get them fixed and needed an appointment. She had read the writing on the wall now, and was backing off from her position. "Well, if you WANT to... but you don't HAVE to."

At this I simply put together my paperwork and the all-important signed and stamped maintenance schedule and walked out of the place headed for Mimi. On my way I passed the moron family as they quizzed another mechanic on why the bike still didn't "sound right". I don't really think they are complete morons, but I was able to see the damage done to his little scooter. It had been in an accident with no question. Not only had that bike hit the ground, but I would almost bet that it had rolled over a few times.

The mechanic had worked miracles on the thing. There wasn't a plastic piece on it which wasn't fractured in some way, (this bike is one of the many cheap scooters available, made mostly of plastic while Mimi has primarily metal panels) and the front end was still a bit crooked although the handlebars had been realigned so that it would work. In my book they are morons because they didn't just get the bike fixed for real... and because they are still paying for the kid's stuff... and because she reamed him in public... and because he's still using a helmet that went through a crash (you're supposed to replace them, especially if there is visible damage).

I just put on my helmet to drown out Mom's voice as she was reaming the mechanic, and rode off into the setting sun thinking about the past half hour. Yes it had happened again. The girl said to begin with that I "must" get it fixed. Then she backtracks after she figures out that bossman told me that it didn't "have" to be fixed. Geeze. "Da Man" did it again. Damn mechanics!

That's OK, I'll get N. in there after them... she'll latch onto him like a bulldog and not let go until the work is done, and done for free! You Go Girl!

To Be Continued...

Mimi Goes To the Doctor

Today I gave my cute little Vespa to a man with grimy hands... and I'm horribly sad for her.

You must understand, she is a sensitive little thing. I mean come on, we are talking about the lightest blue, cutest Vespa out there!

So when we started thinking that she needed to go into the Vespa doctor for her check-up you can understand my apprehension. Add to that the problem that most certainly no one at that shop speaks English, and I've always disliked and many times distrusted auto mechanics.

I can't tell you how often I've been given the shuck and jive by some jerk that didn't think I knew the difference between an alternator and a solenoid, or had only 5 out of 6 spark plugs (the last one was hard to get to, the distributor would need to be moved) changed out on a full tune-up job. There is a woman customer in front of them and they see dollar signs. Which is irritating for me because I possibly know more about these things than a great majority of men. Trust me ladies, send a man with your car... he doesn't even really have to know anything, but the mechanic will ASSUME if the customer has a weenie he might actually know a little bit about cars.

But since getting to Germany I am at a loss for the language... everything has a different name, and it is hard stand up for yourself when you can barely get out the basics. Thus I feel that I am at the mercy of these guys with Mimi. In the interest of German bureaucracy it is expected when you are getting ready to buy a used car/motorcycle, you always ask to see the maintenance information, so of course you MUST get these checks done or risk the resale value being low. It is religiously filled out by Mr. Mechanic and you hope that everything which was suggested by the manufacturer was actually completed. But of course to my skeptical eye I know that these "checks" are mostly visual and rarely do they need to "do" anything except fill out the cute little book and then the invoice for an insane amount of money.

Earlier this week our Nissan Micra was subjected to the same type of treatment. It was "her time" for a two year check-up. The manufacturer's list of things to do mostly included visual checks on parts, verifying that the air conditioner was not leaking its bad stuff, and an oil change with synthetic oil. Five hours after drop-off it was picked back up... the damage... 340 EUR ($533) What for? They didn't touch the suspension, exhaust, or the electrical system. There were no parts exchanged save the synthetic oil, although I must admit that is expensive... I see it at 15 EUR per liter in the stores, and I assume the shysters are charging 20 EUR. OK, so 6 liters of oil at 20 EUR = 120 EUR... and that is a conservative estimate. Add to that an oil filter and probably an air filter, the total price still just sucks.

To top all of that off... when my Sweet N. got into the car after paying the insane amount of money, she grabbed hold of the gearshift lever and felt her hand slide on the layer of black grease lovingly left for her by what we can only assume to be the one that worked on the car. Wonderful, eh?

In my dreamworld I would have the time, energy, and knowledge to be able to putter around my own vehicles. Perhaps in another life I would have paid even more attention as my father and brother worked on the machines in our lives... maybe even following up by using my mechanical ability for the better. Possibly even running a garage in a different way... in an honest way... so that the customer could trust what we would do. The question is... would anyone come to a garage owned and operated by a woman?
Later today I will go to pick up my little cutie... put on my blue helmet with the pretty flowers and sail off into the sunset... away from the evil men with the dirty hands.

Random Acts of Kindness

Why is it that I am never this lucky?

What is it about people?
I've heard of passengers getting their stuff stolen on trains. Why on earth would someone steal a bag and then turn back in what they've stolen? If it was really found by a person in the train station, why would it be returned anonymously? Perhaps the thief saw all of that cash and wondered if it was mob money. Maybe they've watched enough movies to know that the mob never stops when looking for their money... so they sent it into the police... :)
"Uh Oh... I saw this in "No Country For Old Men"!!! I'm gonna turn this into the coppers so that the bad guys know that I don't have it!"

Movie Time - Iron Man

I keep forgetting to talk about this great movie. Iron Man (website).
(possible spoilers)

This Movie Rocks.

Not only is it wonderful to see Robert Downey Jr. back on screen and working, it is great to have a superhero movie made with CGI that doesn't LOOK like CGI. The last few Spidey movies have been just a bit too much for me. I'm not alone believing that this sci-fi flick was even better because the actor actually upstages the magnificent special effects.

Downey was a great choice to act this character, he has the devil may care attitude needed to portray rich guy turned super hero with a conscience. I guess I've had a thing for Robert since "Chances Are" with Cybill Shepherd.

Jeff Bridges bald... who would have thought it... but it works... really works. Unfortunately I knew that his character would end up being Iron Man's nemesis from the first time I saw him... but the playing out of the events was worth it.

May I add that Gwyneth Paltrow gave a fine performance as the assistant with all of the answers. Truthfully I could have done without the romance arc for her character. She would have remained more powerful to me without succumbing to Downey's charms. Gwyneth has been on my "list of those to watch" since she was in forgettable but visually stunning "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow".



My big disappointment... the title song. The trailers were full of what can possibly be one of the most famous heavy metal guitar riffs of all time... Black Sabbath's "Iron Man". Where was it in the movie? Come on! I wanted the hero to be flying through the night sky with "I am Iron Man" playing in the background. I know that Ozzy's lyrics didn't quite melt with the theme of the movie, but something could have been done. OK, I know that it got a bit of treatment at the end... actually the credits if I remember right, but come on!!!

OH, and hey!! I liked the usage of AC/DC's "Back in Black"! Good job boys!

See this one... It is two hours of lovely fun!

Musical Monday - Yael Naim "New Soul"

We've been hearing this song for the last few weeks on the radio and it's become one of those "turn it up" songs. I don't really know much about the artist, but her voice is hard to describe. Perhaps you should just listen to the song to see why we like it so much. Don't miss the trombone... it's N.'s favorite part.

Yael Naim (website / MySpace / Wiki / Amazon)



Maybe the song is even familiar to you.
Perhaps because Steve Jobs has been using it to promote is MacBook Air:


Yael Naim "New Soul" Lyrics

I'm a new soul
I came to this strange world
Hoping I could learn a bit bout how to give and take
But since I came here, felt the joy and the fear
Finding myself making every possible mistake

La, la, la, la (21x)
La, la, la, la (21x)

See I'm a young soul in this very strange world
Hoping I could learn a bit bout what is true and fake
But why all this hate? try to communicate
Finding trust and love is not always easy to make

La, la, la, la (21x)
La, la, la, la (21x)

This is a happy end
Cause you don't understand
Everything you have done
Why's everything so wrong

This is a happy end
Come and give me your hand
I'll take you far away

I'm a new soul
I came to this strange world
Hoping I could learn a bit bout how to give and take
But since I came here, felt the joy and the fear
Finding myself making every possible mistake

New soul... (la, la, la, la,...)
In this very strange world...
Every possible mistake
Possible mistake
Every possible mistake
Mistakes, mistakes, mistakes...

Happy Memorial Day 2008

America the Beautiful
Words by Katharine Lee Bates,
Melody by Samuel Ward

O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for pilgrim feet
Whose stern impassioned stress
A thoroughfare of freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God mend thine every flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law!

O beautiful for heroes proved
In liberating strife.
Who more than self their country loved
And mercy more than life!
America! America!
May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness
And every gain divine!

O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for halcyon skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the enameled plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till souls wax fair as earth and air
And music-hearted sea!

O beautiful for pilgrims feet,
Whose stem impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till paths be wrought through
wilds of thought
By pilgrim foot and knee!

O beautiful for glory-tale
Of liberating strife
When once and twice,
for man's avail
Men lavished precious life!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till selfish gain no longer stain
The banner of the free!

O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till nobler men keep once again
Thy whiter jubilee!

Senator Clinton's Crappy Day

Senator Clinton had a really crappy day on Friday.
Open mouth, insert foot... and she did... in a horribly stupid way.

"My husband did not wrap up the nomination in 1992 until he won the California primary somewhere in the middle of June, right? We all remember Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June in California. I don't understand it."

ASSASSINATED! She is stepping into hallowed ground, talking about the untimely death of a man who was the last hope of a desperate American populace wanting change, a man talking about individual people creating "ripples of hope". What is she thinking? I had heard that she was saying something close to these words in the past, but not really talking about "assassination" in those terms.

Of course all of this hurts even more because of its timing. Just a few days ago the world heard the sad news that Robert Kennedy's brother Ted Kennedy has begun the search for information and further medical opinions after learning about a malignant brain tumor which may require his stepping down as Senator of Massachusetts.

I've been wondering why she had not pulled out of the race. Why would she not see the evidence which everyone else knew was there? Was it the huge elephant in the room that she just couldn't see? Or do we have an emperor's clothes situation here? Are her minions just not telling her the obvious, or is she hoping that hanging on like a bulldog will impress the Super Delegates enough to gain their nomination?

But deep in my mind I let seep in another thought... what if she's just waiting for something? What if she is considering or worse yet, hoping for attempt on Senator Obama's life? He IS a black man running for President of the United States. There are LOTS of people out there that are offended by the prospect of the Commander in Chief being black. That thought was not allowed to go further though, simply because it is too horrible to consider of a person wishing to become the American President.

More likely she was simply waiting for Obama's campaign to implode... you know... like hers has. Clinton was hoping for that magic event... maybe another opinionated religious figure in Obama's life to surface because the last one didn't cause enough furor to slow his progress.

One thing that is certain... her stupid use of the June timing of the horrific assassination of Robert Kennedy and her logic that it freed up the second in the running to come forward is flawed in two ways. The first is as Keith Obermann says, (see videos below) that the assumption that she would need to stay in the race just in case such an unhappy circumstance were to occur is ludicrous. Doesn't she think that she would be allowed to step back into the running in such a serious situation... even after dropping out?

The second flaw in her invoking the RFK reference is that this year's primary started MONTHS before the one in 1968!! So this hanging on until June because sometimes these things aren't decided until June would have to be adjusted to Robert Kennedy's bid for President being cut short in August, thus opening the field for others.

I have never been a big Hillary fan, so it isn't such a surprise to me when I hear her misstep again. I for one am sick of hearing her explain herself over and over yet never really apologize, never say that she is sorry... just another slick statement that feels like the "I'm so sorry that you felt hurt by what I said" crap.

"Earlier today I was discussing the Democratic primary history and in the course of that discussion mentioned the campaigns that both my husband and Senator Kennedy waged in California in June 1992 and 1968 and I was referencing those to make the point that we have had nomination primary contests that go into June. That's a historic fact.

The Kennedys have been much on my mind the last days because of Senator Kennedy and I regret that if my referencing that moment of trauma for our entire nation, and particularly for the Kennedy family was in any way offensive. I certainly had no intention of that, whatsoever. My view is that we have to look to the past and to our leaders who have inspired us and give us a lot to live up to, and I'm honored to hold Senator Kennedy's seat in the United States Senate from the state of New York and have the highest regard for the entire Kennedy family."

I'm so sick of politicians... and the Clintons are some of the worst around.

Visons of White Fish

This evening N. and I took her Aunt and Uncle to "Stars in Concert"... a Las Vegas style show with impersonators... oh my!

I always feel sorry for these performers. There they are, huge smiles, acting all excited, dancing around in front of a group of people who are on the edge of looking bored. After their performance they always say how great the crowd was even though they were offered a simple smattering of applause.

In particular may I add that the Abba impersonators are interesting to watch. First I must say that we owe the crazy Eurovision Song Context for the fame and fortune of the Fab 70's Four. Maybe we'll talk more about that later... but geeze. You have to admit that Abba's formula was gold, the songs were the ultimate pop, and the costumes helped to inspire the more bold fashions of the 70's. To this day you can play "Dancing Queen" and women everywhere will begin quietly tapping toes and thinking of past times.

What was strange to me was that Abba impersonators actually looked like they were enjoying entertaining the folks. While I remember the original reign of the bell-bottomed foursome, I NEVER remember them smiling. The girls were always so serious, making me wonder how they could sing the up tempo songs with frown lines.

But these ladies were energetic and looked like the bottom half of their face was just a hole with teeth! They made us do the finger dance - you know, each index finger held up in the air and the arms going up and down with the tempo of the music... we were soooo white!

In addition to Abba we saw Buddy Holly (decent voice, nice entertainer), Sting (um... I think he's Russian or something and he could use a speech coach - also he should be doing David Bowie because he looks much more like Ziggy)... we also got to see a Cher impersonator who had two terrific things going for her... she was channeling Cher's voice - really a great job! The next thing was that she had a first-class dressmaker... probably not Bob Mackie or however you spell his name... but she had the costumes from each of the videos of the songs she was singing... and it was very good! I was actually impressed! Louis Armstrong and Joe Cocker rounded out the show.. and hey, the guy doing Joe... may not look much like the old boy, but he has the voice and inflection down pat.

N.'s Aunt and Uncle were however very entertained, she loved the Buddy Holly and I could tell that he was enthralled with the dancing girls who were present throughout... so the evening was already a success.

The four of us then met up with N.'s parents at a local "deutsche Küche" named Restaurant 90. Check out that website for a good laugh. Welcome back to the mid-nineties Frontpage-designed website! What worries me is that this is really a NEW place. About six months ago it had a different name... same look, same menu I'm sure, but a different name. So... how about springing for a REAL website designer... at least hire your brother's kid to put something together... a kid would have done a better job.

What they lack in Internet savvy, they make up for in food. N.'s mother has had her mouth watering for the first fish of the season, and in this area it is the Mai-Scholle (May Plaice) - a flat fish indigenous to The Baltic Sea. Please don't quote me on this, because all of this relies on my crappy German... But I understand that this fish is the best available this early in the fishing season because the type of fish breeds in the fall. Usually fish that are consumed during or right after the breeding season has less flavor. So this fall-breeding fish is perfect in May!

As is my tradition I of course took the culinary adventure of enjoying the "special" foods offered to me as tradional foods. The Mai-Scholle was a lovely whitefish pan fried with a fine mixture of herbs which formed a crispy yet tender crust. I like flat fish because the ease of eating... just chow on one side and turn him over for another go. The backbone is left clean in the middle. The Mai-Scholle was served with another May tradition... white asparagus with hollandaise sauce.

There isn't much you can say about white asparagus, it actually is a bit tasteless and really needs the sauce and some fresh-ground pepper. But this time of year Germans seem to eat their weight in the white stuff. Alongside the fish and the asparagus was the German staple vegetable ... the practical potato. In this case boiled in some butter-infused water and sprinkled with fresh parsley. Top it off with a decent Chardonnay and we have a fantastic meal! But I wasn't done there. N. and I shared an Apfelstrudel (Apple Strudel) and I am still floating! Light pastry with layers of thinly-sliced, finely spiced apples... oh... served on a plate dripping with vanilla sauce and two dollops of real whipped cream! Someone up there loves me!

I'm sorry for the lack of pictures. That is an issue for another blog I'm afraid.

Meanwhile the Eurovision Song Contest is playing in the background.
These are my favorites so far...
They stole my heart the dirty pirates.

Street Art - Muto by BLU

I can't even fathom the work involved in a piece like this.
After three viewings I still see new things every time.


MUTO a wall-painted animation by BLU from blu on Vimeo.

The new short film by Blu
an ambiguous animation painted on public walls.
Made in Buenos Aires and in Baden (fantoche)

blublu.org/
blublu.org/sito/video/muto.htm

music by Andrea Martignoni
produced by Mercurio Film
assistant: Sibe

Dalai Lama Speech in Video

WOW! I LOVE the Internet!
I found the videos of the Dalai Lama's speech!

Fire at the Philharmonie

A fire which broke out Tuesday afternoon at Berlin's Philharmonie (Phil-har-mo-nee), the concert hall that is home to the Berlin Philharmonic, was under control within a few hours. But not before blanketing the city with lovely haze and calling in what must have been every firetruck in the city.

I work about 5 km to the west of the Potsdamer Platz / Philharmonie area and the fire trucks came in a parade down the street (Ku'damm) for over 25 minutes. I suppose that when you are trying to save an important building, you pull out all the stops.

It is a terrible shame that it caught on fire, but they were able to save the priceless instruments and of course all of the humans got out.

I've been to the Philharmonie twice, once in the smaller Kammermusiksaal for a quintet performance and most recently in the Great Hall for a Japanese Taiko or drum presentation. The Great Hall is huge and unique in its pentagon shape with the performers in the center. The place was absolutely vibrating when the players would hit the BIG drums. I could FEEL the sound in my chest... to me, THAT is the way to experience music!

The building itself looks really strange, almost like a circus tent or something. I giggled the first time I saw it because of its goofy appearance. But the thing is that the shape of the building is needed to make perfect acoustics. Legend has it that every seat in the place has perfect sound and clarity.
That lovely forest you see behind the burning building is the Tiergarten, (Animal park - it was a hunting ground for the royals a few centuries ago) a lovely park which is nicknamed the "Green Lung" of the city.

Evidently the majority of fire/smoke damage was in the roof with minimal water damage down below. This is very good because our company has a social event planned in this building in October!

Top photo from Picture Alliance
Bottom picture credited to the Associated Press.
See the Spiegel Online image gallery.
Read the Spiegel Online story.
Read the Deutsche Welle story.

The Dalai Lama in Berlin!

The Dalai Lama, exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, brought his campaign for Tibetan autonomy to the Hauptstadt on Monday by speaking with up to 25,000 people in front of one of the most prominent symbols of the reunited Germany.

He started by expressing sorrow at the loss of life in the unsettling earthquake that wreaked havoc on the Chinese province of Sichuan last week. One of the statements made me think a bit. He said that we should consider the parents of the region who are only allowed to have one baby, and many of them now are dealing with the pain of having lost that one child.

The 72-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner of 1989 stood behind the Brandenburg Gate and went on to chat a bit about everyday life and very tellingly said absolutely nothing about the Olympics.

What he did say was that "We are not seeking separation. Tibetans want to modernize Tibet. For that reason we want to remain part of China“. This is very reasonable as without China, Tibet will have a hard time economically.

The sweet little man played with the people at the front of the stage as his words were translated into German. At one point it was obvious that he was done speaking and so he wound up what he wanted to say and ended with something like “ok, that’s all, have a nice evening”. To which the English speakers giggled because it sounded so cute. Then after the translation was done he interrupted again and said he had more to say.

He commented on all of the Tibetan flags in the group and made a point to say that his group has no problem with the Chinese flag. That they don’t hate the Chinese, they want to live in harmony, but that China needs to give Tibet its autonomy.

As I walked around the demonstrators I enjoyed the peaceful way the kids representing China were trying to get their message across. The best part was a German woman who was actually arguing with them about China’s need to give Tibet a negotiation table. One of the guys had the nerve to say something about “What would Germans think if one day every German south of Munich would suddenly want to be separate from the rest of Germany?”

She didn’t waste a beat before she shot back at him that north Germany didn’t annex south Germany in a war… but that same situation had occurred to Poland and that country eventually ended up getting back part of Germany when the line was redrawn. Then she went on to say that eventually even Russia had to back out of Poland on the basis that it was an area taken in war. Her case was further strengthened when she came back with the final cut where she told the speechless Chinese boy that every civilized country eventually leaves an occupied territory, and saying that three generations of people have been raised under a Chinese regime does not make it right, that those people were a free people before the Red Army simply claimed the area. I really enjoyed listening to her rail those kids.

Soon I noticed that a few (I think) Berlin police officers came along to disperse the group. I bet they were demonstrating without the proper permit. Immediately after the discussion to cease and desist I noticed that it didn’t take them long to pack everything up… in fact it was quite quick. It made me think about their right to do the same thing in their home country… and how it would have been dealt with by a Chinese police officer.

As the time for the Dalai Lama’s visit approached the German politicos were freaking out left and right. Chancellor Merkel said several weeks ago she would be abroad at the time. A meeting she had with him in September 2007 sparked a diplomatic spat with Beijing that took four months to resolve.

What is interesting to me is that according to opinion polls Germans find the Dalai Lama more popular than their native-born Pope Benedict XVI.Check out the set of pictures from that day.

Hello Dalai, Well Hellooo Dalai!

The Dalai Lama's speech was lovely! The crowd was fun! I really enjoyed it... and of COURSE I got pictures... I just haven't had the time to think yet. More soon! Tee hee hee! Pics

Musical Monday - Paul Anka "Rock Swings"

Good old Paul Anka (Wiki), he's thrown out conventional wisdom and done something interesting by bringing us a CD named Rock Swings (Wiki /Amazon) filled with big band swing versions of a group of unlikely songs from the previous two decades. The originals include the likes of Soundgarden, Van Halen, Nirvana, REM, even Spandau Ballet. The cool thing is that it not that it works, but that some of those unlikely songs REALLY WORK!

Not long after I arrived in Germany I was watching Wetten Dass, which for those uninitiated, is a VERY popular variety show that has probably staged every important entertainer for the past twenty years. This night we had it playing in the background as we went about cleaning the house. When I heard Showmeister, Thomas Gottschalk introduce Paul Anka I started giggling internally. The big band kicked up behind him and he got instant credibility from me when he launched into a song that took me a while to recognize it because the arrangement had been taken to a swing feel. I've slept since then, so I can't remember which song it was... but I think it was Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit". OMG! You are kidding me! It was interesting and intriguing! The next day I ordered it and was bugging N with constant play within a few days.

On the CD most of the songs are not immediately recognizable with the exception being Van Halen's "Jump"... the horn riff stands out by a mile. I dare you to take a first listen without the liner notes in front of you and try to work out the songs.

Humorous note: There is a cover of Bon Jovi's "It's My Life" which of course includes the line "Like Frankie said, I did it my way" that is referring to Frank Sinatra's "My Way". If I'm not completely mistaken, Paul wrote "My Way"... komish, oder?

Everything you expect from a classic jazz orchestra is here: smooth saxes and clarinets singing along while horns scream out over a waterfall of tinkly piano in the background. Favorite songs like Lionel Richie's "Hello" and "True" by Spandau Ballet take on a new feeling with the fluid background music pouring throughout. Billy Idol's "Eyes Without a Face" has a magic middle section when a smooth jazz guitar picks up a lovely melody halfway through. I find myself wishing that that section would continue throughout the song, but alas it is just a few bars.

Michael Jackson's "The Way You Make Me Feel" is probably the easiest transition into swing. Really, if I didn't know better I would have assumed that Paul's version was the original. The point is that Paul shows us that he is adept at interpretation and is making a reasonable foray into the "Stuffy pop idol tries to go modern" gimmicky thing. Although sometimes the point of the material he is singing eludes him, as in "Smells Like Teen Spirit". I'm sorry Paul... what you've done is interesting, but you can't hope to comprehend the depth of the song... let alone interpret it. "Wonderwall" on the other hand has taken a song that I never liked at all and transformed it into something simply totally likable... this had more to do with the lovely jumpy arrangement than the lyrics that thankfully drift into the background on this piece.

Vocally sublime, this is fun music to have in the background of the right party or to crank up in the car through a traffic jam... who could be tense listening to this stuff? The songs sound shallow on the album... because they ARE shallow! This is pop music at it's finest... come on, "Eye of the Tiger"?

All in all a good vehicle to gain attention for an artist that has slipped off of the commercial radar. He's done well for himself over an illustrious career that must span at least 40 years. I wouldn't bet against a Rock Swings 2 coming out in the near future.

Here is Paul doing his version of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit".


What's in my player?
"Legend" The Best of Bob Marley and the Wailers

Rain Rain Go Away

It was a quiet Saturday afternoon.
The morning had been normal for us, filled with shopping for the week and meeting up with friends. We ventured into a motor scooter shop to make a check-up appointment for Mimi and to look at the new offerings. After walking around a bit in the high humidity and high (for May in Berlin) temperatures we were ready to go home to our traditional Saturday mid-afternoon nap.

Soon after arriving home we tumbled into bed exhausted. I was so tired I couldn't even read before nodding off. The head hit the pillow, the eyes closed and I was down for the count. Two hours later I woke up in my normal way... completely awake knowing that I would not be able to go back to sleep and of course two hours should be enough anyway.

The window at the foot of the bed was open but as it had been all day not a breeze was stirring. N. continued to asleep so I thought I would take the opportunity to read a few chapters. Soon I was on my stomach over an open book, my head where my feet had been shortly before to get full advantage of the sunlight filtered through the gray clouds coming into the window.

As I sat in the stillness of the day, sounds of the neighborhood started filtering into my ears. Birds were twittering, children playing, the unmistakable sound of a bicycle ticking as it maneuvered slowly along our quiet little street outside the bedroom window.

With a little concentration I began to understand what the children were saying as their voices echoed off the hot brick walls of the neighborhood buildings into our 4th floor bedroom window. A very young one took a tumble and began to wail the cry of the inconsolable as a similarly young mother tried to dry his tears. Another pair of voices belonged to a pair of older girls playing in the sandbox across the street. One was telling the other in an authoritative tone exactly how to go about building a perfect castle for the prince.

The pages of the book again grabbed my attention and soon the noises of the neighborhood faded into the background. Until the voice of the authoritative sandbox girl exclaimed that she'd been hit with water and blamed the other girl for it. Slightly harsh words were spoken which ended when the unjustly accused young lady let it be known with a degree of anguish mixed with relief that she now had a rain drop on her arm. Within seconds the young mother could be heard gathering her baby chick and getting the day's toys together for escape inside. Once again the young one was crying about the unfairness of it all and I suspect he knew that he was headed inside for a much needed mid-afternoon nap of his own.

The noise of a car drowned out the cries of the cranky child as it came down the street and parked. Doors were opened and closed as the voice of a man in a disgusted tone could be heard exclaiming that they should hurry to get inside because the line of rain could be seen, and it was coming their way.

About that time the afternoon's first breeze sneaked into the window carrying with it the smell of newly-wet hot concrete. Slowly the sound of a downpour could be heard as it hit the terracotta rooftops of the Hauptstadt. The leaves on the tree outside our bedroom window were stirring for the first time of the day. First as a result of the cool breeze, then with the pitter patter of large raindrops landing on the newly budded and fresh growth.

As the rain began coming down in earnest I lay there on the bed thinking about days in my youth spent standing inside staring out at the incessant rainfall wishing to go outside and play. One of those window sessions was broken by the advance of my mother who quietly came up behind me and softly asked what I was doing. In my best grownup voice I let her know that I didn't like the rain and that we had enough of it, and I didn't see why it had to rain so much when I really just wanted to be outside.

The farmer's daughter in my mother came out when she sweetly began explaining about all of the things rain did for us, that it was what we drank and bathed in and how without the rain humans, animals, and plants would not be able to live. The full scope of my four year old obstinance came out once again when I said that the story was nice, but that I just wanted ONE afternoon with no rain, then turned with pouting mouth back to the window to watch the drops fall on grass where I wanted to be playing.

She sat there in silence for a moment or two and began to hum a tune. The first time she went through it I tried hard to ignore what she was doing, I just KNEW she was trying to find a way to cheer me up, and I wasn't ready for it yet. When the song began repeating I turned to her with the standard look of questioning in my eyes. The next lilting and fun-sounding chorus came up and she began to sing out loud, "Rain, rain, go away, come again some other day".

This was the tune rolling through my head this afternoon, my mother's 75th birthday, as I eventually rolled around onto my back, the book forgotten, strolling down the memory lane of a time oh so long ago.

Gay Marriage Upheld In California

San Francisco opened the door to gay marriage last year, and almost immediately, lawsuits were filed to stop it. The courts ordered the marriages to stop even as people were standing in line waiting their turn before the judge. The California Supreme court looked at the issue, and ruled that they could continue. Now haters will have to wait until November to pass a constitutional amendment to stop it. After all, a 50% divorce rate must be the sacred possession of heterosexuals! The marriages will be able to start again in 30 days. Hopeful gays and lesbians are lining up trying to get appointments to get married in the short amount of time which they have before the voters have a chance to knock it down again.

The argument that "this is the way we have always done it" gives trump to tradition over evolving social standards and the Constitution. If the state has an interest in stable families, how does allowing more of them threaten marriage? If marriage is under so much threat, how come we haven't criminalized infidelity? Why is divorce still legal? Even the Catholic Church allows divorce. If it is so bad, then why not just have a zero tolerance policy?

Those who wish to make the Biblical argument are restricted to the Old Testament and the Book of Leviticus. Homosexuality is forbidden with the same set of prohibitions like dress codes which have fallen out of both Jewish and Christian mores and rules that insist crops not be harvested in the corners so the poor can harvest for themselves. I believe we gave up the death penalty for adultery a while back. On the other hand, let's consider for a moment the Ten Commandants. We allow without state sanctions some behaviors which are clearly forbidden by God (and I'm speaking metaphorically here. We all agree that adultery is a categorically bad behavior, for example, but it isn't a felony any more than envy is.)

We don't have a 50% divorce rate in America because of gay couples, and you can take that to the bank.

This was done by Ward Sutton (website / Wiki)
This one is from Mikhaela Reid.

The Dalai Lama in Berlin - European Tibet Solidarity Rally

I'LL BE THERE... WILL YOU?

The Dalai Lama, the leader of the Tibetan people and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, will attend and address the rally in Berlin on May 19, 2008, at the closing of his visit to Germany. The rally will take place in front of the Brandenburg Gate, a place that has a great symbolic meaning for German and world history.

This event has been organised at short notice and needs your support! This rally is to show that people in Germany and Europe are standing in solidarity with the Tibetans in Tibet who are experiencing severe repression as a result of the ongoing harsh crackdown by the Chinese authorities against Tibetan protesters. The protests by Tibetans against Chinese misrule began in Lhasa on March 10th and quickly spread across all Tibetan areas in the following days and weeks.

Artists and public figures will appear on the stage to support Tibet and the Dalai Lama.

We appeal to you to make this event a great success. Call and send this email to your friends in Germany and ask them to join this rally. It would be even a greater to see you there!

The Tibet Solidarity Rally is organised by the Tibet Initiative Germany (TID) and the Tibetan Association of Germany (VTD) supported by human rights organisations such as the Society for Threatened People .

Place/Time: Brandenburger Gate, Berlin, Monday, May 19, 2008, 16.00 - 18.00 hrs.

For more information: see http://www.dalailama-berlin.de/

Boris Eichler
Tibet Initiative Deutschland e.V.Public Relations
Greifswalder Str. 410405 Berlin
Germany

Tel.: +49-30-42081521,
Fax: 42081522

http://www.tibet-initiative.de/
office@tibet-initiative.de

More Breakdown

For those interested in the problems with horse racing I've located a documentary-style piece that has some facts and figures which are truly disturbing.



The sad fact is that this happens not only to horses, but greyhound dogs are also given the boot once their race ability declines. I doubt that they end up being sold for their meat and by products, but those not adopted out are mostly in mass graves.

Do these animals a favor. Don't bet on cruelty.

Keith Olbermann's Latest

I really enjoy Keith Olbermann. Past post on Habeas Corpus
His nightly show Countdown on MSNBC is one of the few things I wish I still had access to here in Europe, and makes me consider buying a satellite dish just to get it. But until I am willing to shell out that kind of money (I'm thinking a cold day in Hades is what it would take), I am going to have to settle for watching his Special Comments on the Interwebs.

Keith (we're on a first-name basis you know) has a voice, enunciation, and a delivery which I can only describe by saying that any of my professors in broadcasting school would be proud to hear it. On top of that is a disarming honesty which cuts to the bone of the lying-ass Bush Administration.

He reminds me a bit of Peter Finch in the movie "Network". The mid-70's movie was about a respected newscaster with declining ratings that was given a network show for broadcasting what he saw as the truth... and people started listening in crazy droves. For me this truth-telling part of the movie smacks of what Keith is doing today. Unlike Rush who just seems to be reading what others are preparing for him these days, Keith shows you that he is "Mad as hell, and he's not going to take it anymore!"



Interested in more?
Rolling Stone has put together a group of Keith's top five rants. (get it? a Countdown... like his show?) It is from early '07, so a bit dated. But you can YouTube Keith's name and have a great time walking through his Special Comments.

I wonder what 'ole Keith will do if/when a Democrat manages to move into the White House.

Thanks to TQE/Adam for cluing me into the fact that Keith had another awesome rant ready for viewing!

Musical Monday - Jack Johnson's Sleep Through the Static

Yeah, Yeah, I get it... Today is not Monday... but it FEELS like Monday to me!

I was introduced to Jack Johnson in my former radio life by a listener of all things. No music director brought me a CD and said, "listen to this"... no, a listener brought me the CD and said that, "This guy is going to change music".

That was back in 2000 when the world was actually different. It was before 9/11, and for me before I'd made the decision to leave America. "Brushfire Fairytales" was so different from what I'd been listening to and I liked the change. F-Stop Blues rang true to me, and I loved it.

"Look who's laughing now that you've wasted
How many years and you've barely even tasted
Anything remotely close to
Everything you've boasted about
Look who's crying now"

Since that CD I've purchased each new offering from the former pro surfer who lives and works in Hawaii. His music is a series of mellow grooves, each new song introducing you to a deeper zen-like feeling. It gives me the sensation of being out on the ocean simply floating on a surfboard, softly rocking and rolling with every wave as it moves underneath me. This CD has been cycling through my ears while I'm at the office for a few months now. It offers a slight change from the norm with Jack. His first song All at Once has some comments about the Iraq War but he really isn't saying anything other artists haven't said before him, although it is new to hear him making political comments. The funny thing is that he sings all of his lyrics with the same tone, never varying it to show us that this is different... this is closer to my heart. Even when he sings of his family, he doesn't vary far from the same tone used to speak of the war.

There is more electric guitar on this offering and I heard some keyboards which I don't think I've ever heard. I miss the steel drums heard on his first CD's, and wish they would get back to using them. But Jack is at his best with an understated guitar complementing his warm, soothing voice while singing about love and the simple pleasures of life. The aching love song, Angel is what I've come to expect from Jack and he delivers. Losing Keys is the perfect song to end a CD on, in a chilled out, typical Jack Johnson way.

Is this CD is best work yet? No, not in my opinion. I still like "Brushfire Fairytales" better, but then I've had longer to melt into those songs, eh? Will I still listen to it? Oh yes, it is going to get play. All it all it is a good CD. Just like any other offering by a loved musician I find good songs and songs I don't like so much... but this one has more of the former than the latter.

What's in my CD player right now?
Rolling Stones "No Security"
Which is a live recording from the Bridges to Babylon Tour.

Karneval der Kulturen 2008

As I wrote about in a blog post not long ago... the coming of the Karneval der Kulturen was a point of pure excitement for me. After seeing the blog post one of my book club friends invited N. and myself to meet up to enjoy the event together. The group ended up being N. and me with two book clubbers and their husbands, and what a group it was! I really enjoyed myself, but I must state here and now that it is quite hard to attend such a cool event and NOT enjoy yourself.

The weather was perfect! We've gone every year since I've moved here... even if we attend only the parade. One year it was pouring down rain and we went anyway because we knew there would be people dancing and didn't want them to feel like they were doing it for nothing. Besides, it was much easier to get a good view of the goings on without so many people vying for good placement.

This is only part of one group of dancers from only one float. But I think that it gives you the basic feel of the event. What can't be portrayed by these pictures is the liveliness of the music, it is like another character of the parade. Each float has music representing their country and may I say that I love world music.
It is hard to explain the thumping/pounding/thudding that I feel in my heart when the drums play. For me it is a call to move, to dance, to shake... and I love it. While I am certainly not alone, I notice that the great majority of people either do not have this feeling, or they do a great job of covering it up. The Germans in particular seem to be able to stand stock still while the music plays all around them, dancers whirling and flitting and posing in front of them... without even so much as a smile from many people in the crowd. This is incredible to me!
This next guy was part of a cool float. At the end of the float when the dancers with gold hats and people with money signs (the Yen, Dollar and Euro) plastered all over their bodies had gone past, there was a sign that said something like, "And at the end when the last tree has withered away, the last fish is eaten and the rivers are dead... then we will realize that we cannot eat money."
It was a lot of fun at the parade but it gets hard to stand in one position for a long time. Soon we found ourselves on the move because of rumblings in bellies. The booths were just a few streets down so we took off looking for culinary adventure. Yes we found it. All the German mainstays were there with some welcome additions from other countries. Aside from the foods were many booths of handicrafts and clothing.

So many colors, so many different shapes and textures... it was like an overload! I love it. In fact, I loved it so much on Sunday that I took Mimi and headed back on Monday. I was there for about an hour just soaking it all up again. Actually I went specifically for Dresdner Brot which is basically a bread dough about the size/shape of a fist with cheese and bacon placed inside and then baked. When it comes out of the wood oven they put a dollop of sourcream and a bit of chives on top for good measure. Oh MY MY!

As I ate my bread I just stood to the side and watched the people as they passed by. There were a multitude of languages and cultures represented. Of course the normal Berliner types were there with their eyes aghast, but on top of this were the hippies and artists enjoying themselves as they opened their minds further. There were the colorful ebony beauties wearing full headdresses, and obvious tourists clutching their Berlin books. I saw people with purple hair, with African face paint, henna ink running up and down arms, and a group of blonde blue-eyed people who dwarfed the rest of us that I assume were of Nordic decent.

Check out the full set of pics on Flickr.

Opening of the Diving Season - Glienicker See

We're a little slow on getting started, in fact I haven't even put on the neoprene yet, but Saturday was the beginning of the SCUBA season for us.

The day started a little late, really around noon. Usually we are up and at 'em earlier... you know, to get the better parking spot, get there before the general population does, yadda yadda. But it was nice to get to the Glienicker Lake and see the kids already having a great time in the water.

It's always a little strange to me. Almost everyone else around us is spreading out a towel or a beach blanket along with a few drinks and something to eat in a basket. Maybe they have some lotion or a pillow-like thing to put their head on as they plan to lie in the sun and maybe walk down to the lake once in a while to cool off. But here we come. First with a large plastic drop cloth, then a beach blanket alongside.
On top of the drop cloth goes the equipment for diving. Boxes filled with the normal stuff: mask, fins, air tank... but also the buoyancy jacket, lots of weights, and of course the neoprene... yes, the gloves, hood, and the body suit. Uh Huh... a load of crap!

Usually by now we are getting looks from the other sunbathers. We sit down for a few minutes to rest from carrying all of the heavy equipment and take in the scenery. The Germans love their lakes, and this lake is a nice one. The kids are playing in the water so we know that must be relatively warm, but once you don a suit and get down a few meters, the water gets cold quickly. On this day the surface temperature was 18 and at six meters it was 11. (surface temp 64f. 20 feet down it was 52f.) Just a bit cold for someone that wants to stay down a while and observe things.

N.'s dive buddy is an Open Water Scuba Instructor as well... in fact they went through the training together. So they of course have ALL the cool gear and love to chat about it. I on the other hand just want to see fish and really don't get excited about their really cool new dive watch computers or the new ice-resistant air regulators. They talk for a bit but it is easy to see they are itching to get into the water, which they do in short time.

They have a nice dive and come back out of the water with huge smiles on their faces. When I ask the all-important question for me... "What kind of fish did you see?" They both shake their heads and one of them tells me that they saw only one fish. This may have more to do with the flurry of swimming activity all around than anything. But as I mentioned, they don't do it for the fish. For them it is a sort of a zen thing I think, but I really can't get into their heads for that kind of understanding.

The girls in the picture below are wearing dry suits which usually means that the water doesn't get inside the suit. In cold temperatures this keeps you much warmer.

As they come out of the water there is always interest from the sunbathers and especially from the children. Usually they are gawking but good. Of course our little group of divers is not alone. There are two other dive groups going into and out of the water, and the German sunbathers are well accustomed to seeing the strange creatures in black emerge from the water dripping and staggering clumsily under the weight of the heavy (sometimes as much as 30kg - 66lbs). It is still rather impressive to see all of the strange and alien-like equipment we carry and people can't help looking.

After the dive there is always the discussion of what was seen... because without special equipment there is no way to really talk underwater... so this must wait for after the dive. Then they talk about the missed signals from the other diver... "What did you mean when you were pointing at that tree branch?" Long time buddies have a whole language underwater but new buddies have to learn how to communicate.

Then there is the inevitable discussion about the equipment. On that day N.'s buddy was starting with a new dry suit... which didn't manage to keep her 100% dry I'm sorry to say. Then they compare temperatures and depth numbers between stories on the things seen underwater. These items are entered in log books and buddies sign each other's books creating a lasting memory (and a searchable reference) for years to come.

Hmm... I must admit that riding in the car filled with the smell of fresh neoprene was strangely nice. I really enjoy diving myself... I bet that I put on the suit myself in the next weeks. I dive in a wetsuit though, and my extremities get rather cold at these temperatures. Perhaps I'll wait a few weeks. :)

See the whole set of pics on Flickr.

Book Review - And Thoughts on the Book Club

What a lovely book. "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency", written by Alexander McCall Smith. In the tradition of the home-spun detective using common sense and a keen sense of observance here comes Mma Ramotswe, Botswana's one and only lady private detective.

Her character is someone I would like to have as a friend. She's sort of an wizened person who uses her brains to get through life. We go on a series of cases and get to know her style of solving minor crimes and disappearances.

Meanwhile the reader is taken to Botswana in the southern Africa right along the edge of the Kalahari Desert. We get a little peek into life in this distant land as we learn just a bit about their cultures and traditions.

The writing is light and airy, being written by Alexander McCall Smith, a white man who was born and grew up in what is now Zimbabwe. Actually I was a bit put out when I realized this. Once again, I kind of hoped/expected the author to be more like the main character through which he speaks.

But that slight disappointment didn't remove the pleasure of the book and I am in anticipation of reading the next in the series, "Tears of the Giraffe".

I'm afraid that book is going to wait as I will be tearing into "The Book Thief" in expectation of the next book club meeting. Tee hee hee.

Thinking about book club reminds me of something I keep meaning to put into words, and I'm not certain how... but let's stumble through, eh?
I'm really enjoying book club. We are mostly expatriates which immediately brings us a bit closer than the average simple book club... we have something else in common. We are also exercising something else some of us don't have a chance to enjoy much here... that is just being with people who "get" you. They understand your jokes and silly references to obscure movies and pop culture whereas the Germans have their own pop culture references which leave us completely dumbfounded. This simpatico-type feeling really warms my heart about my expat friends.

On top of that warm and fuzzy thing, I find that when I stray into a book store I almost always end up in the same area, reaching for the same old authors because they've churned out a new book. What is interesting about this club is that these people are reading things that I NEVER would have just picked up. While sometimes the book simply isn't my cup of tea, I still am exposed to subject matter which I would never have explored without the book club list. This is a new kind of mind-opening experience for me.

An example. The above book and the second in the series were placed in a "bring some, take some" book exchange at the last book club meeting. I happened to hear the "donor" of the book saying that he really enjoyed the story and gave it a high recommendation. Another person seconded it and soon a third was saying that she too enjoyed the book. Through this club I get to know a bit about each of these people. I get an idea if I will like the book based on what I know about the books that THEY like and that I've read with them. All of this is quite fascinating to a person who's never been a part of a book club before.

Now, here is what I would like to do...
I would like a "movie club". It would be a group of people who agree to all see the same movie before the next meeting. Then we could discuss the movie. THIS too sounds wonderful to me!

Thoughts on a Disco Ball...

What do you do when you run across a HUGE disco ball in a box?

You take a picture of it... then you take a picture of yourself in it.

Cherries and Dancing Ladies

Just a few pictures from a lovely day last week.

Anger Misplaced

"Be not angry that you cannot make others as you wish them to be, since you cannot make yourself as you wish to be." - Thomas Kempis

Almost everyday I am confronted by people who are absolutely beside themselves with anger or frustration caused by what another person has done to them.

I myself encounter these same "trouble-makers" but have managed to find a way of accepting them as they are and trying my best not to put myself into a situation in which they can bother me.

For instance if I know that someone is late everywhere they go no matter how important the meeting, I am not going to break my back to be at the meeting point on time. In fact I will go so far as to arrive exactly on time or even slightly late myself. If I were to arrive at my normal (slightly anal, maybe even compulsive) fifteen minutes before the appointment, then I would be quite unhappy if they were even fifteen minutes late. This way I am not so upset and put out by their tardiness.

It is my thought in life that the great majority of people have more good qualities than bad. Even though my friend may never be on time, she most certainly is "there" when we are together. The woman in my class who is very opinionated and lets her beliefs be known while beating down anyone with a dissenting view helps me with my homework when I really need her. A friend that seems a little "flighty" when it comes to her own life often offers me the best advice for my own.

But the point that hit home about this quote is that there are so many things which I would like to change about myself... eating habits, general laziness when it comes to keeping house, speaking the language of the country in which I live, more exercise, a desire to plan my life instead of living one day at a time, reading more, watching movies less, learning - photography/computer skills/language being a better spouse, learning to listen better... so many things. And for some reason I've never gotten around to changing these things... how can I possibly expect more of someone else than I expect of myself?

What is it that you would like to change most about yourself?