Those who know Snooker and No personally would knowingly shake their heads in the affirmative with the thought of the two of us being compared to Ernie and Bert (or is it Bert and Ernie... now I'm confused... German Sesamstrasse says it one way, the Sesame Street of my youth says it the other). I'm short, rotund and prone to fits of giggles. Sweet No is tall and thin and while she has a rapier wit, it is usually so dry that most people don't get it until the next day... after a shower.The differences between us are far and wide. She's a jogging freak, I'm a shade dog. I ride a scooter to work, she cruises along on pedal power riding her bike. She watches a maximum of 4 hours TV per week, while if given my druthers I would probably watch DVD's until the machine gave out. She is 12 years younger than me and grew up in Germany, while I'm feeling my age after living the traditional American "bigger is better, including my ass" lifestyle.
She has a HUGE thing about gummies (I'm talking Haribo Gummi Bears and the entire family... to the tune of a package or so a day), while I would rather enjoy salty, greasy foods. I take pictures almost exclusively above water, she takes pictures almost exclusively underwater (except for the cat... most pics of Frank are actually hers). We have age differences, and cultural differences, music and dancing differences, humor and laughter differences, ideas on planning and follow through, ideas on friends and friend management... really the list goes on.
In my daily life I've become accustomed to most of these contrasts. When No comes up with a weekend schedule planned out to the minute and all I want to do is relax in some park, I don't consider how unlike we are, I just try to work out a compromise for how we can both end up as happy as can be. I just don't think about it any more.
But yesterday afternoon I was rooting around in our dry goods cabinet looking for something to eat and it struck me. There were two jars of Nutella sitting side by side. One was from a time when I went shopping and picked up a jar of "chocolaty taste with a hint of that roasted nut flavor that will delight your taste buds as you enjoy each delicious mouthful". The other was newer and had obviously been purchased by No as a backup to an almost empty jar. She is the biggest user of the stuff, in fact she has "Nutella Bread" almost every morning. If it was getting low, she would usually be the one to notice it and work on a replacement.
What you see below are the two jars previously mentioned. On the right you find my 750 gram jar of chocolaty, velvety goodness, to the left is what looks to me to be a TEENSY 400 gram attempt at a jar of Nutella.
WHY would you buy such a small thing if it is going to be consumed in a reasonable amount of time and it has no chance of going bad? (about a month for that big one, I would say) To tell you the truth, I don't really know myself. I'm just posing the question.Oh, and another difference between us...
When she sees the Nutella jar is empty, she puts it beside the trash for later separation into the glass container. When I see an empty Nutella jar, it is simply a challenge. One to which I will grab a table knife and sit down in front of a blaring TV with full intentions of getting each and every bit of Nutella out of that jar and into my gullet. Yeah... that's a HUGE difference... and quite possibly the reason for my wide ass.
What about you and your loved ones? Surely you have differences, even if the chasm isn't as wide as the one between No and myself. What is it which you would do differently from the ones you surround yourself with?
Been reading:
http://www.mormonproposition.com/
Interesting documentary about why and how the Mormon "Church" nee - PAC has insinuated itself into the entire gay marriage debate. Wanna see.
South African doctor invents female condoms with 'teeth' to fight rape - About time. I would hesitate for this though. Think about it, when would you use it? Isn't the bad part about rape that generally the victim doesn't know that it is going to happen? Do you just wear this thing all the time? Either way, it is interesting to see something like this being invented.
Cool World Cup Calendar
8 comments:
I married a Japanese man. We do not discuss whales.
First, Headbang, your comment made my day--thanks!
Secondly, Snooker, I read this post with a lot of interest. My spouse and I are as different from one another as yours. But here is the rub. HE believes couples should share interests & activities (read that as HIS). He may be right, but I have yet to see him join in mine. What say you?
It's Bert and Ernie! My God, how could it be anything else?! These Germans get everything wrong... They can't even call Laurel and Hardy Laurel and Herdy but Dumm und Doof. Dumm und Doof! How dumm is that? Maybe it's Doof und Dumm actually, I don't know.
My girlfriend's German. Enough said.
Bad news, Snooker. Looks like a blog is stealing all of your content and my own and claiming it as theirs. I couldn't see an email address to contact you. So send me a note when you get the chance. I wrote to them when I spotted mine just a minute ago... then I noticed a fellow Berlin expat, too - YOU. Not cool!
Katie
We say Bert & Ernie
Cute post.
SnB, you always have interesting content, and I enjoy reading your posts very much. So, I have awarded you with The Versatile Blogger award because you deserve it, and as a thank you.
I don't really have much to say except this: this post is adorable.
And I suppose I am the Ernie and Scott is the Bert.
I say Lucky Charms. She says Grape Nuts.
I say bbq chips, she says pita pockets.
I say meat and she says veggies.
I say documentaries and she says action movies.
The list is endless.
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