The Love Immigrant

The Love Immigrant is Defecting

2007-10-24T11:39:00.000-05:00

... to Wordpress. Please bear with me while this transition takes place.. and in the meantime, I've posted my favorite Halloween music for your enjoyment.. be back soon!

Al Gore Makes History..

2007-10-14T17:03:00.000-05:00

The 2007 Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to

Albert Arnold Gore, Jr. and to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

Think that's odd, do you?

Alfred Nobel was a scientist, inventor, entrepreneur, author and pacifist. He was born in Stockholm in 1833 to an influential Swedish family. His father, Immanuel, was an engineer and inventor, and responsible for the construction of several buildings and bridges in Sweden. His mother was from a wealthy family, although Immanuel Nobel was forced into bankruptcy some years after Alfred's birth. This early financial misfortune, however, did not prevent him from becoming a pioneer of arms manufacture and a designer of steam engines, which in turn, re-established his finances.

In 1842, Immanuel Nobel moved his family to St. Petersburg, where Alfred and his brothers received a first-class education. By the age of 17, Alfred Nobel was fluent in Swedish, Russian, English, German and French. He studied chemistry in several countries, and in Paris met the young Italian chemist (Ascanio Sobrero), who invented nitroglycerin, a highly explosive and unstable liquid.

Alfred and his brother, Emil, were interested in putting the chemical to practical use. After their return to Sweden in 1863, they began experiments using it as an explosive in construction work. Emil and several others were killed in an explosion in 1864, but Alfred was not discouraged from his interest in nitroglycerin. He found that when mixed with diatomaceous earth (kieselguhr), nitroglycerin formed a more stable paste that, when dried, could be formed into rods and used as explosive material. In 1867, he patented the material under the name Dynamite. He also invented the blasting cap used to detonate the dynamite by lighting a fuse.

By 1865, Alfred Nobel's factory near Hamburg, was exporting dynamite to other European countries, America and Australia, and over the years he founded many different companies in over 2o countries. By the time he died in 1896, he held 355 patents.

But he was also very interested in social and peace-related issues, and had a great interest in literature. The Nobel prizes became an extension and fulfillment of his lifetime interests. After his death, his will instructed that his fortune be used for Prizes in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature and Peace.

Albert Einstein once said of Alfred Nobel, that "(he) invented an explosive more powerful than any then known -- an exceedingly effective means of destruction. To atone for this 'accomplishment' and to relieve his conscience, he instituted his award for the promotion of peace."

Whether Alfred Nobel really felt that way, neither we nor Einstein could really know for sure. But the Nobel Foundation has since become a world-renowned organization, and a lasting legacy for all humanity... and Alfred Nobel's fortune has been used ever since, in the advancement of peace and scientific discovery.. a fortune, oddly enough, founded on explosives!

Which brings us to the 2007 Peace Prize winners...

The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded to the person(s) who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses.

Albert Gore and the IPCC won the prize "for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change".

They are promoting fraternity between nations on one issue.
Global Warming.

The IPCC has been working on global warming for years, but it took Al Gore's interest in the issue, and his ability to break down their statistics into layman's terms, that their message began filtering to the masses. He has visited countries around the globe, talking about climate change and its effects on Mother Earth (and her inhabitants). His movie, An Inconvenient Truth, has also been seen around the world, and has made quite an impact in our awareness of climate change. After all, knowledge is power, and knowing is a useful catalyst for action.

Al's work, and the work of the IPCC, is that of the urgent messenger.. and the message is what global warming means for our planet... what the future will bring if we don't act now... all of us are affected.. our present.. and our future for generations to come. We are seeing those changes happening before our eyes right now... only now, we have the light of understanding to recognize it.. thanks to the Peace Prize winners.

This Prize will give Al and the IPCC a greater platform from which to continue their work.. even greater than winning the Oscar. The Nobel Committee's choice was a good one.. a thoughtful one.. and an appropriate one.. especially since turning the tide of global warming is the goal.. much like Alfred Nobel's goal.. to do something that benefits all humanity... and I don't think that's odd at all..

I Don't Know Why I Didn't Say It Sooner..

2007-09-23T19:14:00.000-05:00

This week on my regular blog reading list, I read at least two Ex-pat blogs devoted to the movies. What really kicked me in the ass, was that Eurotrippen listed the movies she wanted to see, but figured she wouldn't, because of the lack of English speaking movies and/or access to them in Deutschland.

So I sent her a reply to tell her about www.movie6.net

I've known about it for awhile.. call it a blonde moment, but it never even occurred to me to share it with everyone. Damn. Sorry.

This site is totally free. The movies are uploaded by users and can be viewed on your computer. Some of them have great quality. Some of them don't. It's a crap shoot.. but hey, it's a definite alternative to spending money for a movie ticket or waiting for the DVD.

The site does upload new movies regularly. I have watched several great movies on the site, and recommend it if you want a dose of English..lol.

Here are some of the currently available titles:

300, 28 Days Later, 40 Year Old Virgin, American Pie Wedding, American Pie 5, Astronaut Farmer, Atonement, Behind Enemy Lines, Blades of Glory, Blow, Bourne Ultimatum, The Core, Crash, Day After Tomorrow, The Descent, Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo, Death Sentence, Disturbia, Elektra, E.T., Evan Almighty, Fantastic 4, Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer, Fight Club, Firewall, Flight 93, Fracture, Gladiator, Harry Potter: Order of the Phoenix, Ice Age, iRobot, King Kong, Knocked Up, Live Free or Die Hard, The Last Mimzy, The Lady in the Water, The Lives of Others, LOTR I II III, Napolean Dynamite, Notes on a Scandal, The Number 23, Next, Oceans 13, The Painted Veil, Pan's Labyrinth, Pirates: Dead Man's Chest, Planet of the Apes, Ratatouille, Room 1408, Saving Private Ryan, Saw I II III, Shrek II III, Spiderman I II III, Superbad, The Simpsons Movie, Smokin' Aces, The Secret, Sicko, Traffic, The World Trade Center, This is England, We Are Marshall, War, Xmen II III, Zodiac..

If you're interested, check out the site. Sorry, I don't know why I didn't say it sooner..

Knock Wood

2007-09-22T20:10:00.000-05:00

Oh, yeah.. Arrr!

2007-09-19T07:49:00.000-05:00

My pirate name is:

Captain Anne Read

Even though there's no legal rank on a pirate ship, everyone recognizes you're the one in charge. Even through many pirates have a reputation for not being the brightest souls on earth, you defy the sterotypes. You've got taste and education. Arr!

Get your own pirate name from piratequiz.com.
part of the fidius.org network

Back to One (Squared)

2007-09-19T06:33:00.000-05:00

So.. the fun begins. Right after my last post, the keyboard on my new laptop went south again. Damnit!

Thankfully we have a 12 month guarantee, although what that means in a German world, I don't know.. Michael is in the process of seeing what to do about this small disaster .. and for him it IS a disaster. He cannot stand it when something isn't right, and feels compelled to fix anything that isn't working. (Maybe thats the East German in him, but I secretly think he has the heart of a tinker)

I've had to put it out of his line of vision to keep him from trying to fix it himself. He got a little miffed when I told him to leave it alone. I explained that if he messes with it, then the guarantee could be voided and we would be stuck with a fubar laptop. I think he understands, but its killing him..hehe.

My feeling right now is, if the company won't replace the laptop, then we return it and get our money back. Laptops are a dime a dozen, and we can find several more for the same price we've paid already.. so we'll see what happens.

In the meantime, we're back using one computer.. damnit!

Ich liebe es..

2007-09-16T04:54:00.000-05:00

My Clemson Tigers are now 3-0! Yesterday they beat Furman University 38-10. This follows the ass-whipping they gave Florida State on 3 September (24-18) and the punishment handed to Louisiana-Monroe last weekend (49-26).

The Bowden Bowl (vs. FSU) was the first game of the year this season, and once again we achieved victory, which is no small thing to a Clemson fan.. beating Daddy Bowden is always a solid orange endeavor, and is a personal vendetta, since we hate anything stamped with a Florida label.. especially Papa's team!

Granted, LA-Monroe is non-conference and was an expected win, but Furman usually has a good football program, and they did out-rush us yesterday and sacked our QB five times, although our passing game seems to be spot-on..

Now our offense needs to get to work! Running game needs improvement too! The schedule only gets tougher from here. Even with a couple of stars like James Davis and Cullen Harper, we shouldn't leave room for errors in the coming weeks..

Next week they play NC State - then they face GA Tech, VA Tech, Maryland, and Boston College.. and lastly, our arch-rivals, the USC Gamecocks (who at this point are also undefeated).

In my family, college football is a way of life.. I'm really missing getting to watch the games this year, whether from the stands at Death Valley or from my sister's living room sofa (where we do indoor tailgating!), but at least I can keep up with the scores..

And the rivalry banter still flows across the internet between my sister (who is a die-hard Gamecocks fan) and me.. We're a house divided when it comes to football, but united in our love of the game.

So, Go Tigers!

PS - Sissy, if you're reading this, the Gamecocks still suck! :)

Cyberspace: The Daily Dose

2007-09-14T05:26:00.000-05:00

Being a relatively new ex-pat, I can't tell you how great it is to have a connection with all you other Americans living in Europe..

I usually grab a cup of something first.. tea or chocolate cappuccino.. and my ever-present breakfast of joghurt and müsli. I always liked eating granola with my joghurt in the US, and müsli isn't that different (although Michael thinks the combination is kinda gross).

Then I like to sit down to the old laptop and read up on the happenings of everyone. It's rapidly becoming a routine.. rather like being addicted to a soap opera or reality TV, or a weird combination of both. I never was one of the soap opera set, and the novelty rapidly wore off of the reality shows.

But blog-reading is different. It is a small window into the real lives of people you come to know and care about through their writing.. The talent of some of you should be recognized with awards, and all of you should be commended for having the courage to put yourselves into cyberspace & giving the rest of us that window.

Your personalities really do bleed through the words, and I often find myself laughing at your humorous turn of phrase, or pleasure at some kindness shown to you in your every day life. Most days I read something that in some way touches my own life, my own experience or my own thoughts on a particular subject.. I hear that 'click' of connection between us.. and I feel like I have found a new friend that I can relate to.

It's both wonderful and thrilling to live in a new country, and be immersed in a wholly different way of life.. I am enjoying myself immensely here!

But I also know that if I want to discuss the merits of southern fried chicken, I can ask Dixie.. if I want to get updates on Theo & Oliver (dubbed my cyber-nephews), I just have to click on Blythe's or Christina's pages (and for her Thai recipes - yummy!).. or if I want to know about pregnancy in Germany.. well, there are several sources for that one; it seems to me that injecting Americans into the German population has the effect of increasing the birth-rate by astounding proportions.. but most recently that topic goes to Christina & Claire..

Then of course, there's the hilarity of JDub (whose got a new tattoo) or Heisse Scheisse (whose cat-butt was the highlight of my day).. and I never tire of reading Eurotrippen or The Big Finn or Mausi or Schokolade or Betsy at Blog Ness Monster (whose 2 boys I also consider cyber-nephews) or that sweet Jelly Donut, who has a new love in her life.. and J at Germany Doesn't Suck, whose taken on the task of organizing our Annual meet-up..

Yes, you all mean a great deal to this ex-pat still adjusting to life in Germany.. and I want to thank all the wonderful people on my blog-list for my daily dose of perspective.. for the insights they share.. the way they touch my heart.. and for the smiles and laughter.. It's a very, very, very good thing!

* Image 'The Grid', provided by Digital Blasphemy - www.digitalblasphemy.com

No Problems.. So Far

2007-09-12T05:00:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, despite my previous post, Michael and I had appointments to get some of my paperwork taken care of. We went to the wedding office to announce our marriage, get our familienbuch started, and get my name change. We also went to the Bürgerservice to get me registered as living in Germany.. and there were no problems at either office, no hassle, no fuss and no aggravation!

Which makes me wonder about all those horror stories I've heard regarding the paperwork ex-pats seem to run into.. Are we just lucky? Or is it just too early to tell?

We haven't been to the foreign office yet, but (knock wood) hopefully everything will go as smoothly.. that's on next week's agenda.

We also have to go back to the wedding office next week to sign the family book and make my name change official.. and I have to carry around this piece of paper with my passport that says I'm a permanent resident.. but other than that, we haven't had a single problem.. so far.

Keep your fingers crossed!

September 11th -- 6 Years Later

2007-09-11T16:29:00.000-05:00

I wasn't going to do this, but I've been thinking about it all day.. and I make it a ritual to visit the September 11th Victim Site on every anniversary.. to remember those that died.. to honor them.. to never forget.

And it never fails that this anniversary rolls around and it brings the pain of remembrance and makes me increasingly angry.. I'm angry that:

* There were 2,974 deaths in the World Trade Center, American Airlines Flight 11, American Airlines Flight 77, United Airlines Flight 175, United Airlines Flight 93 and the Pentagon.
(These deaths do not include the 19 hijackers, who don't deserve counting)

* By December 2001 there were at least 3,767 Afghan civilian deaths (and many more since)

* As of 9 September 2007 there were 617 coalition deaths in Afghanistan: 372 American, 76 British, 70 Canadian, 25 German, 21 Spanish, 11 French, 10 Dutch, 9 Italian, 5 Romanian, 4 Danish, 2 Estonian, 2 Norwegian, 2 Swedish, 1 Australian, 1 Czech, 1 Finnish, 1 Polish, 1 Portugese and 1 South Korean.

* As of 9 September 2007 there were 1,553 Americans wounded in Afghanistan, and 52 Germans (among many others)

* As of 26 August 2007, the Lancet Study estimates that 654,965 Iraqi civilians have been killed since March 2003. There have been 3,760 American deaths and 27,279 wounded. At least 933 civilian contractors have been killed and nearly 13,000 wounded. 102 journalists have died, along with 39 of their support workers. 88 aid workers have been killed, 2 Australians, 13 Bulgarians, 1 Czech, 7 Danish, 5 El Salvadorians, 2 Estonians, 1 Hungarian, 33 Italians, 3 Latvians, 2 Dutch, 21 Polish, 2 Romanians, 4 Slovakians, 1 South Korean, 11 Spanish, 2 Thai, 18 Ukrainians, 168 British, and 1 from Kazakhstan.

All this death.. and so many lives changed forever.. and yet..

THAT MURDEROUS F**CKING BUTCHER OSAMA BIN LADEN IS STILL ALIVE AND AT-LARGE

So yes, I AM ANGRY. I WANT JUSTICE FOR THE VICTIMS OF SEPTEMBER 11TH.

A Wedding in the Shire

2007-09-06T19:05:00.000-05:00

Becoming Mrs. Stubborn German was a quiet affair.. there was no fanfare of trumpets, no outrageous extravaganza, and no 12-person bridal party.. but it was just what we wanted. Simple. No fuss. Just two hearts committing to paper what we already know.. that we are two halves made complete by loving each other..

I was born to love this man. And he was born to love me.. really, we have been destined for this journey from birth..

We got up early on Tuesday morning (28 August) and loaded the car to leave for Dänemark. We had to be there by noon to give our final paperwork to the Bürgerservice and meet with Ms. Andreas at the Nyborg Rathaus. So we left at 8am, and drove the 2 hours to get there.. It was the first time either of us had really been to Dänemark, but the drive was easy and Insel Fyn (Funen Island) is pretty hard to miss because of the huge bridge you have to cross to reach it.

We arrived at the Bürger office at quarter of 11am, and learned that Ms. Andreas was busy performing another wedding. So we gave our documents to the nice lady that was there (who spoke English thankfully!), and walked around the town of Nyborg for about an hour to kill time until Ms. Andreas was available.. We took pictures, of course, and scouted out a place to have a meal later in the afternoon.

After the meeting, we went to Juelsberg Herregaard to check into our room.

Juelsberg lies just outside the town of Nyborg, on the east coast of Insel Fyn. It is an estate with a large mansion, owned by the family of the Baron Juel since 1775. It is surrounded by 38 acres of parkland, with its own private golf course, a lake, and a Pavilion/Tea House which was built in 1843. The park is open to visitors, but the house is reserved for the Juel family and their guests.. they have opened a bed and breakfast in the west wing of the mansion. Michael and I both highly recommend it for a romantic weekend, and you can see it here http://www.juelsbergslot.dk/ , although the site is only in Danish.

We spoke with our hostess, who showed us to our room and private living area, as well as the old manor kitchen, where breakfast would be served the following morning.. Then she left us to our own devices to explore the grounds.. The park surrounding the mansion is lovely and understated, with large expanses of green lawns rather than a bunch of formal gardens. We explored for a little over an hour, and decided to return to Nyborg search of dinner.

We decided to go ahead and have our 'wedding dinner' on Tuesday, so we could leave Dänemark immediately after the ceremony and pictures. Michael had to be at work on Thursday, and he wanted to get back to Deutschland early. He did take a month off to spend time with me when I arrived in June, and we will eventually plan another getaway later, but we haven't decided where.. and we already have a date in Dresden in November!

So we had dinner at Central Cafeen, which was a very nice cafe, although the service was a little slow (to me).. but what do I know about the Danish? I ordered the Vol-au-Vent, which is a puff pastry stuffed with cheese, lobster and white asparagus, garnished with caviar. It came with a salad and fresh rolls. Michael had calf's liver with roasted mushrooms and onions, and a bowl of French onion soup, and afterward we had fresh smoked Danish cheese with chives and carraway, which was served with toast points.. it was all very good food, although I don't care for liver, so I didn't try it, but I did taste the mushrooms and they were delicious.. Were we eating French food in Dänemark? How funny.. and I am such a blondie for just noticing that fact while typing this.. lol. But the cheese was definitely Danish.

Then we were off to drive around the island for the rest of the afternoon.. and Michael, knowing my love for books and my fascination with history, took me to see Castle Glorup (Glorup Slot in Danish, Schloss Glorup in German), which is where Hans Christian Andersen wrote most of his tales.

Glorup was the inspiration for much of his work, and he visited the estate often when taking a break from his other travels. It is a lovely estate on eastern Funen, and was built by the Walkendorf family about 1400. During its long history, the castle was owned by several Danish families, and came under the ownership of Count Adam Moltke-Hvidtfeldt in 1796. His family was one of the original four families that owned Amalienborg in Copenhagen, until the Royal Family purchased the properties in 1794 and made it their winter home. Moltke's Palace is now known as Christian VII's Palace.

It was the Moltke family that H.C. Andersen visited at Glorup. The park surrounding the estate was designed between 1862-1875, and since 1700, the site has been known more for its park than for the castle itself. All of it is still still privately owned, but the park is open to visitors.

I'm afraid that Michael and I did trespass a little on the castle grounds, but neither of us read Danish.. so we happily strolled around in ignornace.. there wasn't another soul in the place on a Tuesday afternoon and thankfully, no one came out to arrest us..

We also glimpsed Volksted Castle on the way back to Juelsberg, but its apparently privately owned and not open to visitors.. still, I got a pretty good picture.. after all, Insel Fyn is not known as the 'land of a hundred castles' for nothing!

Back at Juelsberg, we were both tired after a day of sight-seeing, so we relaxed and turned in early.. there are no phones or radios or TVs in the rooms there, except in the salon, and the estate itself is very quiet at night.. I'm not going to lie, we really were tired and the salon went unused during our stay.. we both went to bed so we could get up early.. as Michael says it takes eternities for a woman to get ready to go anywhere..hehe.. but I told him that brides get special dispensation, and can take as long as they want.. he didn't really have a reply.. he just pressed his German lips together and gave me a look of resignation. And I grinned back.

On Wednesday we woke to a lovely, crisp morning with a slight mist on the grounds surrounding the mansion.. we got up at 7am, got showers, and I primped until 9am (of course, my husband was dressed and ready in 15 minutes!), when we went down to breakfast in the old manor kitchen. It was lovely and quiet (there was only one other couple staying there besides us), and everything was laid out for us on a big square table in the middle of the room..

Fresh rolls with a selection of honey, tangerine marmalade and strawberry jam, a selection of cheeses, fresh melons and plums, a wonderful Danish sausage, banana smoothies, coffee & tea, several natural cereals with fruits and poached eggs.. Europeans really know how lay on breakfast! There were even candles lit around the room and on our table.. very romantic and intimate. Needless to say, I don't really miss American breakfast food. Grits? Nein.

After breakfast, I took my last cup of tea upstairs and finished getting ready for the ceremony, while Michael packed up the car. He looked so handsome in his suit and tie, that I seriously considered dragging him back to our room.. but that would have ruined my lipstick.

We left for the Nyborg Rathaus at 10:30am.. the photographer we hired was already there, and so was Ms. Andreas and our witnesses. We were married in the Mayor's office, in both German and English. Then we signed the paperwork, received congratulations from Ms. Andreas and our witnesses, got our marriage certificate and it was done!

The Rathaus gave me a delightful little crystal vase , stamped with the Seal of Nyborg, as a wedding present, and the photographer took additional pictures afterwards, which we should get in a week or two..

It is a German tradition that the bride wears her gown all day on the day of the wedding.. and I did observe this tradition, because we drove back to Deutschland after the pictures were taken, without stopping to change clothes. I didn't mind it really, since I won't ever wear a wedding dress again, but I did manage to slip out of the crinoline in the car.. otherwise, my husband would have had a roasted bride by the time we got home.. seriously, wearing one of those things can cause heat stroke!

We got back in good time, and there were surprises waiting at home.. Background: when Michael first moved into our apartment I was, of course, still in America. He gave a key to our BFs across the hall in case of emergency or package deliveries, and then promptly forgot that they still had it..

When we arrived back, our front door was decorated with a giant heart and tin cans! There were rose petals on the doorstep.. and throughout our apartment (the key, remember?). They had blown up a thousand and one balloons too, and filled our bedroom with them.. which makes me wonder if they had drinking glasses pressed against the wall that night.. if they did, they got an earful, because we took pins and popped every one of those balloons.. it sounded like cherry bombs going off.. lol.

As soon as they realized we were home, they came over with a couple of bottles of champagne to toast us, and hear all about our trip. Then it was to the backyard, to have more pictures taken, while everyone in our building came out on their balconies to snap their own pictures and wish us well. I'm sure there were a few lewd suggestions made to Michael, judging by the blush he developed, but he wouldn't tell me what they were.. damnit, I have to learn German.

It was late by the time we got back inside, so the BFs ordered out and we all had dinner together.. pizza and champagne.. before they went back home to leave us newlyweds alone... and run to press their ears to the wall I'm sure..

It was a lovely day and a happy occassion to play dress-up, but really our hearts were married in that moment, a long time ago, when we knew our souls were twin mirrors.. that we could not be separated by time or distance or language or culture.. that for us, happiness meant holding hands and travelling through life together...

It wasn't a choice. It wasn't a decision. It was simply.. truth.

This amazing love defines us and yet cannot of itself, be defined. It lives and breathes and grows.. has a life of it's own.. but cannot exist without us to nurture and sustain it. It must be defended at all costs, yet it demands complete surrender. And in the end, love becomes who we are. We live through it and are surrounded by it at the same time. It is also what we do.. with every heartbeat.. with every breath.. with every word, spoken and unspoken.. and with every touch..

When I feel your heart beating beneath my cheek.. when I hear your gentle breathing in the dark.. when I listen to you with my head and my heart.. when I feel the slightest brush of your hand.. It is Love. It's you. It's me.. and there's no distinction between the three..

Van Goethe said "Destiny grants us our wishes, but in its own way, in order to give us something beyond our wishes.. " And for Michael and me, our destiny lies soully in the hands of each other, as it did before, so it will again.. and yes.. it is beyond all our wishes.. this love.. this life.

So.. Shall we see where the road takes us, my darling? Give me your hand and let's walk together..

And.. Regarding the Ex-Pat Meet Up in Dresden

2007-08-25T07:39:00.000-05:00

We are planning to attend, and we're pretty open about the dates. Looks like the latest tally is favoring November, which is fine with us. If anyone can let us know the final decision on the date, we'll start making our arrangements.. Michael's grandparents live in Sachsen, so going to Dresden gives him the perfect opportunity to let me meet them!

Lately on The Love Immigrant

2007-08-25T06:23:00.000-05:00

I have to apologize again, I guess, for not posting more regularly than I should.. there have been some technical issues here. Namely, that with only one computer between us, I have only had time really to keep up with my family (and their endless emails), before relinquishing control back to Michael (who continues to work on his internet business).

We did order a brand new laptop for me 2 weeks ago. Last Monday it arrived in pristine condition, thanks to DHL, and I eagerly plugged it in and admired my new toy.. I didn't dare play with it until Michael came home, since the OS is in German and I promised to let him set it up for me in English. Needless to say, I waited patiently for him to return from work and I kept my mits off the damned thing (although now there is a slightly worn place in the carpet from my pacing).

So he arrives in the late afternoon, and he too admires the new toy, eager to play with it himself! He turns on the power and presto! A beautiful CrystalBrite screen in a lovely shade of blue.. of course, the OS setup is the first thing we see, and Michael makes himself comfortable on the sofa, cappuccino nearby, and proceeds to set up my new laptop... BUT... the keyboard is dead. Absolutely nothing happens when he presses the keys. NOTHING.

Looking through the box and packing material, we find the customer service number and Michael calls them right away.. while I try to overcome my disappointment and irritation. The man he spoke to was very accomodating, and told him that DHL would pick up the defunct item the next day. The company would either repair the problem, or they would send us a replacement by Friday. I know, it's too good to be true, isn't it?

Well, true to their word, DHL did pick up the package on Tuesday, as promised.. so I have been eagerly awaiting Fridays delivery of my repaired or replaced laptop. No. No. NO. Did they deliver it on Friday? Of course not. It was.. too good.. to be true.

After the mail arrived yesterday, minus the package I was expecting, I called Michael at work and let him know that we didn't get it.. So once again, he called the company, and they said they had repaired the problem (a loose wire) and had given it back to DHL for delivery.. So now we're hoping that it will come with today's mail.. we'll see, but neither of us are expecting it really until Monday, by which time we won't have time to mess with it, since we're leaving for Dänemark early Tuesday morning.. ho hum. And damnit!

All of this wouldn't have been so aggravating, had it not been for the fact that we decided to get a satellite system, so I can catch more English channels than CNN (how utterly boring). First, there was a problem with the receiver and the dish not working, so we took the whole thing back and got another one.. then, the receiver on that system was messed up, so we took back just the receiver. After 3 days of irritation and hours of programming, it is finally working.. but we are still entertaining murderous thoughts about the idiot who sold us the system to begin with.. ho hum. And damnit!

In between these problems, Michael has been tweaking our car for the trip, and last night worked on some problem with the power steering until well after dark. He came in looking like a grease monkey.. his hands were covered in black, and there were streaks on his arms and face and the tip of his nose. And you know what? He's even sexy covered in grease...

It was quite funny actually, because when I was still in America, he called me on the phone once and my father picked up the other extension (not knowing I was on it).. later Dad wanted to know who was the 'black man' I was talking to. This, of course, had me rolling in laughter, because evidently Dad's southern ears can't pick out the difference between European and African.. Michael and I have a running joke about that incident.. I should have taken a picture of my 'black man' for Dad, but I was in the middle of cooking dinner.

On the lighter side, we did order my flowers for the wedding, and they will be delivered on Monday (knock on wood), and this morning we went to the bridal shop and picked up Michael's shirt and tie. Then we both got hair cuts in Rendsburg.. they are having a festival this weekend, but we didn't hang around because we wanted to be back in time to get the mail.. just in case.

Doomsday

2007-07-26T09:39:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow is the 27th of July... and on that day many many many years ago, a chubby, bald-headed, drooling baby was born. No it wasn't me.

Happy Birthday Wendee

I know she is having a great time at Barefoot Landing in Myrtle Beach right now. Her husband got her a tattoo.. and our mother is horrified!

Today is also the day we set the date for the wedding. It will be on 29 August. I am very excited.. and Michael? Well, I think he will survive (hehe).. provided he doesn't have to feed one more envelope for the announcements, or have anything to do with our printer for at least a year.

And I have officially quit eating... ok, I will officially quit when the Milka bar is gone. If I'm going to post our wedding picture here, believe me, you'll be glad. Unfortunately for me, this is the real meaning of Doom. Starvation. I've been sampling a little too much of the local cuisine since I've been here, though, and it's high time I get back on track anyway.

So I will say goodbye to Milka and noodles and bread.. and Michael's damned chocolate cappuccino (which is a sin all it's own)... Hallo! Vegetables! (I can hear my darling future husband groaning now! What is it with German men and their aversion to green, leafy things?)

Now I have to cut this entry short, 'cause I see my sister is online.. I guess it would be nice of me to wish the old witch a happy birthday. Hehe.

By the way, the above picture is the place we've chosen for the wedding..

Thanks to Sissy

2007-07-10T07:00:00.000-05:00

Today I received my first package from America. It came from my sister, who sent me the contact lenses I ordered before I left.. my old contact lenses are daily wear and I hate them because I cannot wear them all the time.. eight hours and my head starts hurting.

But now I have the new ones.. the fancy ones.. with Hydroclear technology (whatever the hell that means). They feel like.. well, they feel like nothing on my eyeballs! And let me tell you it's great to finally get my extended wears back!

So thank you Sissy! She even got the address right (which is, if you knew my sister, quite frankly amazing). I had to sign for the package and everything.. hehe.

I guess that she's not really missing me as much as she claims, however, because the bitch didn't even send me a note..

News from Northern Germany

2007-07-07T04:52:00.000-05:00

I know I've been slack.. and I've probably irritated the hell out of some of you who want to know what's going on with Michael and me... sorry. Ok, I'm not THAT sorry.. hehe. We've been busy.. and I've been adjusting to my new surroundings.. not to mention, trying to get used to the German keyboard and remembering that there are umlaute on there now.. ok, and the keys are misplaced somewhat (in my view anyway) but I will get used to it.. so, dear reader, if something gets misspelled here, you'll know why.

But now I have a chance to correct my slackness and post an update on the happenings in the north. I think I have been to almost every store in Rendsburg now.. hehe.. except the shuh stores, which Michael refuses to let me go in (and with good reason I suppose, since one whole suitcase I brought with me was filled with shoes.. and more are coming from America as I write this).

So far, we have only painted the living room walls, with 3 rooms left to paint, but the furniture has been delivered and Michael put together the closet we ordered from IKEA (an exercise in frustration I think, but he is a saint). Our apartment is lovely, by the way. I love it. We need pictures on the walls, but we're working on that... I did paint a canvas already and we hung it, but that project calls for another canvas and more paint.. I will get to it eventually. But I am no artist, really, so don't get the impression that I am.. I just like to dabble.

We got new light fixtures too.. not, to my chagrin, the red Maria Theresa chandelier I originally threatened to buy, but a black and white one that looks lovely over the dining table, and goes very well with the color of the room. I am very happy with it, even if it isn't red... but I did get my way with the red color anyway, and we have red pillows on our white sofas.. yes, I said white sofas.. I know. It's a foolish color for a sofa.. but at present we don't have any little ones to spill things on it.. aside from me (the Hobbit) that is... lol.

We've been to the plant store.. because first, I love to grow things. And second, I wanted my dearest love to make me pesto. So, four basil plants later, we have planters on the balcony (which is evidently a must in Germany) filled with lemon thyme, white marguerites, wire vine, mint, and of course, the basil... and also another of some small purple flower (don't ask me what it is) that has really vibrant blooms. I also got some fern and spider grass and three other plants I cannot name, for the living room - let's hope they all live.

And I have been to several grocery stores, of course. The cheeses here are amazing in variety and I love cheese.. as for the mayonnaise, well, there is no Duke's and no Hellmann's, but the kind I did try that Michael bought wasn't so bad.. I even made a good potato salad with it - American potato salad (or as close as could get without Duke's and India relish), and Michael liked it.. hehe.. at least he said it was good, but I don't know whether he was just being nice or if it was true.. to me, it was okay. But as far as I'm concerned, there's nothing to beat German mustard anywhere in America. Really. And I did find a good peanut butter here too.. well, Michael hates peanut butter, so there is more for me.. hehe.

I brought some jars of things with me from America in my luggage.. Canteloupe butter. Hot pickled okra. South Carolina honey. And a 2 lb bag of Plantation Rice (that we haven't opened yet, nor have we opened the butter). Michael likes okra! Surprise! He'd never eaten okra before, and I haven't seen it in the groceries here, naturally, but we did find some okra seed to grow it ourselves.. the time for planting it has passed, but maybe next year.. And since the jar I brought is almost gone already, I guess I will have to beg my sister to send more..

The wedding plans are moving forward too.. we have sent all the documents necessary for the wedding, and I brought my wedding dress with me... and no, Michael has been an absolute angel and he has not peeked to see the dress.. so we are trying to pick a date in the first week of August.. I'll let you all know when we decide. It will be a simple ceremony, but I will get to see a little of Dänemark, since that is where we will get hitched.. we've pretty much picked out where we will stay while there, and now we're just waiting for the approval to do it... for some weird reason, the Danish government has a holiday in the month of July and they don't perform weddings at all in this month.. otherwise, I would already be Michael's wife.. maybe he is glad for the respite.. to get used to the idea that he will never be separated from me again.. or maybe he just needs to evaluate what it's going to be like to have an American for a spouse.. hehe.

So far, we have had a wonderful time just being together. And as the days pass, it only gets better. I can't imagine being anywhere but here with him. Of course, I miss my family a little.. but only a little at this point... everything is too new.. too much of an adventure to really drive home the fact that I am thousands of miles from Mom & Dad & Sister & Brother & Friends. Maybe that will come later, I don't know, but I am not going to worry about it now because I'm having too much fun being here. Is that mean? Hmmm.. something to think about.

I know that most Americans have preconceived notions of what Europe is like, or not, depending on whether they pay attention to the news in other parts of the world besides their own, but sitting on the tarmac in New Jersey, I gave up all those notions and decided to just let the experiences come to me.. to try not to place my own imaginings, or apply them to any situation here. So I'm letting this new life happen on its own, without judgement of what should be, or what I think it should be.. like whether the eggs have to go straight to the refrigerator.

And Michael.. well, what can I say? He is the love of my life. He is wonderful. He is patient. And we must be two of the happiest people on the planet, because together we are complete. And we both know that one cannot live without the other. To me, his happiness comes before my own, and to him, I always come first.. so we will explore and discover this adventure together.. make our life here together, and conquer the challenges that we both know lie ahead of us. Because love is the reason I came to Deutschland, and when all is said and done.. home is where the heart is. And my heart belongs to a stubborn German.. Ich liebe dich, Michael.... mehr als mein leben.

FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2007-06-25T10:05:00.000-05:00

I arrived in Germany on Friday morning.. 4 hours late due to the plane delay (and for which I was blamed for making Michael wait.. hehe). But all is well, and we are just spending some time with each other after such a long separation.

We did go to Kiel on Saturday since Kieler Week was still going on there.. and today a trip to IKEA, so I am no longer an IKEA virgin (lol).

I will post more in the coming week. Thanks to all of you who welcomed me to Germany. I absolutely love it here!

Anonymous said..

2007-06-14T13:53:00.000-05:00

I received a comment saying that today is the 14th of June and the person wanted to know if I am in Germany yet. Then I realized just how long it's been since I have posted anything... so I'm taking a few minutes to give everyone the current events.

Everything is still going well... Michael and I are going ahead with our wedding plans, which will take place in August. I am scheduled arrive in Germany on 22 June. Then I can get back to a regular blogging schedule :)

For the next 6 days, I will be mailing the last few items to Michael, picking up my wedding dress, and visiting my family and friends before departing. And as I get ready to begin anew, as I say my good-byes here, I also attempt to commit to memory all I know I will miss. It is a trade.. and Michael will smile when I say this is the deal.

I am very excited to finally be coming home to Deutschland.. home.. where my heart is.

A Little Theft and A Brief Update

2007-05-28T11:04:00.000-05:00

Here is the link to Jen's rant at Heisse Scheisse. Read it!

http://heissescheisse.wordpress.com/2007/05/

And for those of you wondering about Michael and Me and The Move, well, all's going well so far. I'm not there yet, but leaving around 13 June. So I'll be home soon! I can't wait! And the impatience is killing me..

Blogging Delays

2007-04-22T14:07:00.000-05:00

I know it's been awhile since I last posted anything to the blog. Sorry for the delay, but I've been quite busy getting ready for the move. And I am up to my neck in boxes! Which isn't so much, as Michael would say, because I am a short American woman.. and at 4' 11" I guess I can't argue with it.. hehe. But I will be back soon..

Seven Going on 17

2007-03-28T23:23:00.000-05:00

Yesterday my sister took her two boys (11 & 7) to get milkshakes after school. On the way back from Sonic...

"Mom?" asked the 7 year old

"Yes baby?"

"I got puberty today" he announces.

"You did?"

"Yeah, I got a hair on my balls."

And we've both known for years that the youngest will be trouble.

Brainless Blogger

2007-03-23T19:01:00.000-05:00

Ok, I stand corrected.

Dixie pointed out to me (kindly) that my ire with congress over the passport situation may be a little misplaced because congress does not control Homeland Security or the U.S. Department of State.

She's right.

The U.S. State Department (which is responsible for passports) is a cabinet-level agency that is part of the executive branch of the U.S. government. It is administered by the Secretary of State, who reports directly to the President.

So now I can lay the blame on Condy Rice and her puppetmaster, GWB. It makes perfect sense to me now.

I have to let congress off the hook for the passports, but they should still be roasting over the pork.

Brainless Government

2007-03-23T01:16:00.000-05:00

You are about to witness the birth of my first rant on this blog. Enjoy.

This week I read a news article that just bent me out of shape for no other reason than the fact that it demonstrates the stupid factor of the U.S. Government. Wasn't it last YEAR that Congress decided to require passports for all U.S. citizens to gain re-entry from foreign lands, including the ones that are attached to North America (i.e. Mexico & Canada)? Didn't they realize when they announced this that there would be an influx of people trying to obtain passports? It's called PLANNING people!

I mean really! Now passport offices across the nation are backed up with applications, and it is taking 10 weeks instead of six to get the damned thing. And it's taking 4 weeks instead of two to get it expedited (but of course, they're still charging the same price!). Thank goodness I don't have to worry about this.. but the ones that do are lining up out the door and around the block to make sure they get theirs before the plane leaves. And I do mean literally!

What kind of asinine congressional body planned this? Did they think they wouldn't have a zillion more applications? Did they not think to hire more people to handle the overload? Apparently not. The passport offices say they will employ more processors by August. August?! WTF? Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that AFTER summer vacation? They call that a solution? Wouldn't it have just been easier all around to THINK in the first place? Oh, I forgot. We're talking about the American government..

Some people have been planning for months (or years!) for their Canadian dream vacation, only to be told NOW that they may lose their deposit.. or their trip all together.. And do you think the U.S. government is going to issue refunds? The very thought evokes peals of laughter. Good luck with that one.

Like I said, there is a stupid factor here.

Or maybe not.. because while I was getting mad for my fellow Americans over this article, another crazy vision came within view.. Do you know how much Congress spent on pork last year? Do you? A whopping $13 Billion dollars! That's right. $13 BILLION. And for those of you that don't know what 'pork barrel spending' is, let me enlighten you.

Pork barrel spending is a term used by U.S. politicians to hide the bribes they take to line their own pockets.. What they do is insert unnecessary (and costly!) projects into legislation to win favor with the highest paying lobbyist they can find! In return, the lobbyist gets their funding, no matter what crazy-ass project it is. The congressman gets paid by the lobbyist, and supposedly uses it to finance the re-election campaign. Only they use our tax dollars to fund the projects! It's a time-honored Washington tradition.. The fact that we Americans let them get away with it is incredible.

So who really has the stupid factor? Could it be us? Could it?

Our (elected) officials have pocketed all this money behind our backs, while a great number of us wait in line to get a passport we were supposed to receive 4 weeks ago! Because no one had the bright idea or the common sense to hire more people to handle all the extra applications that they KNEW were coming in the first place!

And the plane leaves in two hours..

I feel bad for the people that are going to miss it. But I predict the private jets of our congressional leaders will still be flying.. they won't miss their vacations. Guaranteed.

My buttons have really been pushed in the last few days by financial rape and brainless government! I've come to the conclusion (what I've always known anyway) that if America would just make me Queen, I could fix a lot of things. You know I'd have to be Queen ~ I'm not crooked enough to be a politician.. And how was your week?

P.S. If you want to know more about where your tax dollars are really going, click this link http://www.akdart.com/pork.html
It's enlightening. But it will make you mad. Also guaranteed.

Coming March 19th!

2007-03-14T17:58:00.000-05:00

I know you're thinking that the title means I'm coming home to Germany. I am deeply disappointed that this is not the case.. as it looks right now, I won't be coming back until April. Michael is disappointed too.. we're both ready to be back together.. soon darling. Just a few more days..

No, what's coming March 19th are three new products for our business. And I'm really excited about all three, so I thought I would share them with you (our website is to the right under Shipping & Receiving)..

Michael is the proud owner of a distributorship with Tahitian Noni International. The company markets products that promote this amazing fruit, which is a powerful antioxidant, used to enhance your immune system. And they use every part of the Noni plant ~ fruit, leaves, bark, seeds & oil ~ meaning none of it is wasted. TNI produces a wide range of products too ~ Noni juice, their own tea blends, skin & hair care, weight management and vitamins. Not to mention, Noni is also good for dogs and horses, so there is a product line for them! The plant has been used in the East for centuries, and researchers are beginning to discover its many healthful properties.

Some of the best athletes in the world use Noni.. people like Florian Mayer, who should need no introduction on this blog; Chauncey Billups of the Detroit Pistons; Lang Ping, head coach of the USA Women's National Volleyball team (and an Olympic gold medalist); Amelie Kober, 2007 World Cup Champion and professional snowboarder; and Evi Sachenbacher, of Germany's medal winning cross country ski team. There are lots of others..

If any of you live in the Munich area, TMI has also opened a Noni Cafe, if you're interested in lunch. They plan to open more cafes in the future, and Michael and I both hope they expand in Germany.

But the three new products to be released on March 19th are all beverages ~ called Hiro.

First, there's Hiro Energy. For better energy and enhanced performance. It's better than Red Bull, Rockstar, Monster & Amp.. and better for you, with fewer calories, low carbs, no added sugar or caffeine. It contains the thiamin, biotin and folic acid that the others do not.

Then there's Hiro Vitality. To support and maintain a healthy immune system. It tops Sobe Elixir, Fuze and Vitamin Water, with no added sugar, and contains iron, potassium, manganese and copper.. again, the other drinks do not contain these minerals.

The last one is Hiro Mobility. A beverage that specifically targets joint health and support. Like the others, it is low in calories, but contains joint enhancers like glucosamine, chondroitin and MSM.. and this is one I am especially waiting for, because some members of my family will certainly benefit from it. There is no comparison with GNC Liquid Flex, Joint Juice or Vitamin Shoppe.

And all three with the added benefit of Noni!

This is a new venture for us and we are both very excited about the business and about our future with TMI. For me, it means I will have something productive to do when I get home, some contribution to make toward our economic development (hehe). For Michael, it will get him away from the long hours of a six-day week in the restaurant, and more time at home (to work on that handball team, no doubt!) So..

If you're thinking this is a shameless plug for our site.. well, in a way I guess it is. But I have a vested interest in telling you about Noni, because I am diabetic myself, and I'm always looking to improve my own health and well-being. I believe in people taking control of their own wellness.. not just with Noni, but with anything that keeps them healthier in a natural way.

Five years ago, when I discovered that I was diabetic, my doctor had me on medication to improve my insulin tolerance. But after two years and some radical life-style changing, I stopped taking the meds and have had no further problems.. because I watch what I eat, I have my own self-prescribed regimen, and I actively manage my own health. It works for me. And I don't have to use any prescriptions to keep my insulin under control anymore.

But I am going to use and benefit from these new beverages too (Michael ~ get ready to order them!).. and in the words of a former American icon & recent prison inmate.. It's a good thing.

So check out Noni if you're interested.. and if my link takes you to the German site, you can read it English by scrolling to the bottom of the page and clicking on Land wahlen. From there you can choose which language you want, from English to Mandarin!

Click this link ~ www.tni.com/mizi-xs ~ to discover Noni for yourself and for your health!

Mother's Halo

2007-03-11T15:06:00.000-05:00

So, last night my mother gained a halo.. at least as far as I'm concerned. Apparently she has noticed just how much I am missing Michael and all things German.. even though she is not thrilled with the thought of my moving. (She is happy that I am in love. She is happy that I am happy. She is not so happy to let her daughter move to a foreign country - i.e. out of her protective reach)

Mother is a born and bred Southern woman. Mostly she remains silent on issues that bother her, preferring to make her point in a sly and indirect manner. If any of you have a Southern mother or grandmother, you'll know what I mean. But regardless, my mother is the definition of "Steel Magnolia", and I love her anyway, even if we don't always agree. I know that in the important things in life, she has my back.

She does, however, hold a Ph.d. in guilting me into doing the things she wants me to do. Most mothers, I'm sure, are well versed in the art of the guilt trip, especially Southern mothers.. and us Southern daughters are resigned to being the object of these trips because most Southern sons are a) too insensitive to recognize the attempted guilt trip; b) are able to pacify said adoring mother because they are an only (and/or favorite) son; or c) they just don't give a rat's ass (don't ask me to explain this Southernism). That being said, Southern mothers also have the tendency to rarely show mercy to daughters.

Case in point. Yesterday, despite my groaning protests that I did not want to go with her, Mom guilted me into going to some woman's cosmetic party. I know. Don't go there. I despise parties like this.. all of them. From candles to housewares to interior decorating.. all of them. And let me say all the ones I've attended, I've attended under duress from, you guessed it... Mom. I can't imagine why she even likes to go to them.. but that is not another blog entry.

Her argument. "You need to spend time with me.. I am your mother. What will I do when you are in Germany, and I cannot see you every day (week, month)" ETC. Ok, so I went. Damnit. Guilty as charged.

But after the dreaded party, and escaping without purchasing a single item (I'm pleased to say), I suppose Mommy Dearest decided that I needed something to soothe my frayed nerves. Because let me tell you, sitting in a group of gaggling women and playing with eyeshadow and blush and lip gloss, is not my cup of tea. Really. If I am invited to any of these shindigs in Germany, I will not hesitate to point blank refuse (politely of course). And there will be no one to guilt me into it.

So after three hours on the rack, Mom took me to Julia's. Ahhh, heaven. Or as close to heaven as possible in South Carolina.

Julia is this short little German lady from Bad Homburg. She owns her own restaurant and of course, it is all German cuisine. Schnitzel. Warsteiner. Spaetzle. Rouladen. Ok ok, it was my own small slice of bliss for two hours.. the waiter even knew what I meant when I told him I like to drink radler.. and he promptly brought me a glass with Sprite and set it next to my cold brown bottle of Warsteiner.

The schnitzel was delicious, although they use American made sauerkraut, which is not the same as the real kraut to be had in Deutschland.. but over all, I have to say that the food was very good.

And we had a nice conversation, Mom and me, about Michael and about Germany. By the time we left, of course, I had eaten too much and the bier.. well, its been several months since I've had any bier at all.. I just can't drink domestic anymore... American piss as Michael loves to point out.. and I whole-heartedly agree with his sentiments.

So, full of schnitzel and Warsteiner.. I promptly fell asleep on the way home, only waking when we pulled up in the parking lot of.. Wal-Mart. Ugh! I almost snatched back that halo I'd given her. But what the hell, she loves late-night shopping at the Super Center.. and we were only there for half an hour..

and by the way...

2007-03-08T10:42:00.000-05:00

Since my beloved has started his own blog.. in German and in English.. I guess it's pointless to continue with calling him Mizi.. everyone will know his name is Michael anyway. So I am dispensing with the nickname from now on..

Babies & Handball

2007-03-07T10:31:00.000-05:00

In addition to the decorating, the move and the wedding plans, Mizi and I have been talking about having children - a lot. Our conversations about this subject are lively to say the least..

And to be honest, I never thought I would have any children of my own. But Mizi quickly disabused me of that idea.. which is quite a turn-around from my first marriage.

My ex-husband had a daughter with his first wife, and when we married, we both agreed not to have children. He didn't want any more offspring; and I was quite content to run in the opposite direction of life-long responsibility. Not that I really escaped it.. my step-daughter was four years old, and she twisted me around her fingers like any four-year-old will.. long blond curls and big brown eyes.. I couldn't help but love her. I will always love her. And I miss being a part of her life, now that her father and I have parted ways..

But while I was married, I had my fair share of being 'the other' mommy... and I found that I liked being a parent. It made me really think about what I had agreed to - and what I was missing in my own life. So several years into it, I brought up the subject of having a baby.

I had changed my mind. My ex-husband had not. He did not want to discuss it. Accused me of backing out of our agreement. Well, what could I say? It was true. My argument was that such a life-altering decision, especially one concerning the rest of my life, should be open to discussion. I tried to explain that I wanted something he already possessed - the love between a parent and a child. Step-children, no matter how much they're loved, are not a substitute. The bond simply doesn't exist in the same way. I tried to get him to see my side of things, but..

He would not listen.. and that was the turning point in our marriage... the point where it began to die. Oh, at the time I said nothing. He would not hear me, and I swallowed those feelings. For the record, I stuck to our agreement... I have never approved of that kind of trickery, even within a marriage. I was, however, deeply angry. It took several more years of problems and disappointments to get me to the point of no return, but by then every shred of feeling I had was dead. And when the end came, I was really grateful to be able to walk away without any strings, or children, attached. I know now that our original agreement was a blessing..

Mizi, on the other hand, is totally different. He wants very much to be a Papa. Talks about it all the time. He doesn't care about gender either.. truly, he would like twins - triplets even! - if he had his way. He is adamant that no sons be named Wolfgang or Guenther, and he is being extremely stubborn about it.. but I haven't quite given up this discussion... yet (sorry honey).

I won't have to convince any of you that we're crazy when you read what's next..
Our conversations are something like this..

Me "So, darling, how many children do you want, really?"
Him "Oh, I don't know honey, enough to make a handball team"
Me "Mizi, I know nothing about handball.. how many people are on a team?"
Him "Seven." (laughing under his breath)
Me "What?! Are you crazy? Seven children? Surely you aren't serious darling.."
Him "Well, I did not say anything about the reserve players or the opposing team."
Me "How about two? Will you settle for two?"
Him "Ok, six."
Me "I said two, Mizi."
Him "Did you? Ok, but I like ten. A nice even number."
Me "Mizi!"
Him "Isabelle!"
Me "Ten is out of the question and you know it."
Him "Is it? Ok, four."
Me "Two pregnancies, four children. Maybe I could handle it."
Him "Three sets of twins would be nice.." (evil grin)
Me "Mizi!"
Him "Ok ok, between two and four."
Me "You're hugging the golden middle again, honey. Which is it going to be?"
Him "Maybe three."
Me "Three? Are you sure about this number?"
Him "No. Not really. How many are on a football team?"
Me "Way too many."
Him "That is not an answer darling."
Me "Ok damnit. Eleven players on the field.. 2nd string, 3rd string.. that's at least thirty- three." (smirk)
Him "Maybe that is too many.."
Me "See. I told you. And I'm not even counting special teams."
Him "Special teams?"
Me "Never mind.. didn't we agree on three?"
Him "No, darling. I have not agreed to only three."
Me "Well, can you give me a ballpark figure? Seriously."
Him "Now you want a baseball team?"
Me "No! I want a number. A realistic number, bitte."
Him "I really don't know it darling.. We will have to discuss this later.. when you're home."

And I know what that means.. he's going to try to get me to agree to the handball team.

Decorating Dilemmas..

2007-03-03T05:10:00.000-05:00

In preparation for my new life in Krautland, I have have been sending my beloved some suggestions on decorating the apartment. He is very accomodating (for the moment) and has not said so much about how he would like to furnish it.. but I'm waiting.. I know he will have lots to say when we are buying the new furniture.

The first purchase will be a new bed, and we pretty much agree on what we want.. something that handcuffs can be easily attached to.. because let's face it, after six months of celebacy and countless hours of IM, phone calls and web-cam viewing, we will not be leaving our apartment for... well, at least a week!

But then there is the new living room furniture to consider, and the items that need to go in the office.. and the damned paint! Every wall in the place is either a white or a cream color (except the kitchen, which is a lovely shade of apple green) and I can barely stand it. So I have plans for the walls as well.

I sent Mizi some paint colors, like 21 shades for each room we intend to paint, hoping that there is a paint store within 50 km that would carry remotely the same colors. No dice. It seems that Lowe's American Traditions is just not on the German menu of choices.. He asked about having the colors mixed, but of course, without the recipe they cannot do it.. and neither of us see spending a small fortune to have them custom mixed anyway. We briefly considered shipping the necessary paint with my furniture, but decided it wasn't worth the effort. Surely I can find something I like from the choices on offer, right?

At the time the paint was being discussed, and my stamps were being wasted in sending the samples, we had decided on a lovely ice blue sofa for the wohnzimmer, and maybe a couple of chairs in a mango color, which I thought would look great with the brown paint I had chosen for that room. Our living room is quite large, actually, and I know a darker color will not take away from the space.

Then Mizi discovered this ginormous furniture store about 1 1/2 hours south of our village. He was very excited to tell me that we can purchase everything there and have it all delivered at one time.. maybe it was his way of saying he didn't really like the idea of mango chairs.. but the sofa is still stuck in my head for the moment.

So at this point we have agreed to buy the furniture first, and then kill ourselves painting before delivery of said purchases. It isn't a bad idea. The thing is, all I've seen of furniture in Germany thus far has been the Euro-modern variety, and while it is mostly appealing to me, I wonder how it's going to look next to my large Medieval gryphon mirror.. or my marble-topped wrought iron console.. hmmm.

Needless to say, our adventure is only beginning. And while Mizi says that he's leaving the decorating up to me.. I wonder how he will react when I want that ornate, bright red Maria Theresa chandelier in the dining room! Yes, with the brown paint.

Hearts and Flowers

2007-02-14T02:28:00.000-05:00

Yes, it's here.. another St. Valentine's Day.. known in America as the Hallmark holiday. I'm sure that this year will be no exception to years past.. Hallmark will make a tidy fortune today, along with florists across the country. And I have to wonder if Europeans too, are boosting the bottom line for their card companies, flower vendors and candy suppliers. Do they get bombarded with jewelry commercials before Feb. 14th ~ a la "a diamond is forever"?

I know what you're thinking. I'm about to blast the romance trade and denounce this holiday as sappy and over-rated.. wrong. Sorry to disappoint, but I'm actually glad that the world has set aside a day for love.. and for lovers.

Love is the most important emotion a human being can feel, and the love two people share with each other (and with their families) is a large part of the reason we get up and live each day. Love has great things to teach us, if we listen with our hearts.. Khalil Gibran comes to mind.. do you hear that DeBeers?

I will admit that I think Valentine's Day has become a commercial enterprise ~ like Mother's Day, Father's Day and Grandparent's Day (what?). Another excuse for Americans to spend money to show their "love" for someone. It's crap. And I sincerely hope that I can be exempted from most of this when I move to Germany.

Romance and love have nothing to do with a dozen roses. Believe me. I know. It has nothing to do with Hallmark either.

Real love between two people is celebrated every day, in the thoughts and actions that say "I place your happiness above my own". They are the little things that should be noticed (and appreciated!) on a daily basis, which don't need to be reinforced by extravagant gestures, i.e. diamonds and dinner.

Besides, Mizi is the most romantic man I've ever known. He makes me feel loved every second. He tells me I'm beautiful when I haven't even showered. And the amazing thing is.. he does make me feel beautiful, even then. Because he always means what he says. I've never before known a man who means everything he says. He means it too, when he says "darling, you look tired", but I don't mind honesty. It's the truth that I value most. So does he.

And the truth is, I love him more than life. Unconditionally, irrevocably. DeBeers can offer me a diamond mine, and I wouldn't bat an eyelash in refusing if it meant I had to spend one second without Mizi. No way. "Mehr als mein leben" will be engraved on my wedding band ~ "More than life" will be in his.. but our hearts are married already.

So Valentine's Day is every day for us.

I remember the first time he sent me flowers.. I was still 7,000 km away, just like now. He went out and took a picture of a meadow full of daisies, then emailed it to me (did I mention daisies are my favorite?) just to make me smile. I still have that picture, of course, and every time I see it I am reminded that he thinks of me before he thinks of himself. So yes, sometimes I do get flowers. But my heart belongs to Mizi. I celebrate that simple truth every day, and I make sure he knows it.

If every couple always thought of each other first, we wouldn't need Hallmark.. we wouldn't need St. Valentine either. Now, I'm not saying don't make the gesture of flowers or cards or candy or yacht rentals.. whatever you do is bound to be appreciated by your special someone.

I'm just saying don't be lazy the other 364 days of the year. Even the florist can look foward to wedding season, Christmas and birthdays. I don't think they'll suffer all that much. Hallmark won't go out of business no matter what you do.. and as for the jewelry industry, they've made entirely too much blood money as it is.

Really, I'm glad that love gets a special day. Evidently, people need to be reminded to express it. So be sure to tell the one you love just how much you care today. Try to remember to do it tomorrow too.. and all the days that follow. Your life will be richer for it ~ and so will the life of the one you love.

And darling.. did I say yet today how much I love you?
Not much enough I think...
I love you more than the way to the stars and back..

Happy Valentine's Day

(now where is that smiley with his tongue sticking out?)

Red Alert!

2007-02-01T04:46:00.000-05:00

Well hello everyone.. I have been reading most of the expat bloggers for months now, in preparation for my own move to Germany. And now that my plans are set (soft-set Jello stage), I have decided to introduce myself and get the blog rolling.

Like Claire of My Euro-American Life, I am from South Carolina, USA.. well, I think I read she grew up in the bass ackwards Palmetto State.. and I'm sure she knows what I mean when I mention that one! It wasn't such a bad place to grow up, other than having the worst drivers in America, one of the highest incidents of domestic abuse in the country, and the good 'ol boy system..

Thankfully, my family is pretty sane and my parents have been married (to each other) for 37 years, so I had a stable and loving home.. and no domestic abuse to speak of, although I'm sure my mother threatened it... when her children drove her to the knife-edge of sanity... which we did, I'm ashamed to say.. and often.

I know a few of the 'ol boys, mostly friends of my father's, although there are some of my generation rapidly scaling that ladder, which I find disappointing. But I am a good driver. Really. Only one ticket in the last ten years and no accidents (knock wood) in the last twenty-five.

In SC, we've always had access to some great beaches and a few pseudo-mountains (they are pretenders when compared to the Alps), Lowcountry seafood dishes, Gullah culture, great outdoor spaces and a never-ending supply of history, history.. and more history. But I'll save that for another post.. or maybe not.

I am the Love Immigrant. Isabelle for short. And I never in a million years thought I would leave the US permanently.. but that's what I get for falling for a German who is definitely my other (better) half. Only more stubborn. He's my partner, my best friend, the love of my life. Don't let him fool you because no matter what he says, he's just as crazy as I am. In him I have met my match. He just looks serious. He is my future - and my future husband. Codename: Mizi.

It makes me laugh to even type that, but "The German" was already taken. His friends call him Mizi, but I don't (only here, honey, to protect your privacy). My nephews, however, are another story.. I'm almost sure they think of him as Mizi already.. the jury is still out.

Ok, so you know I'm moving for love. Now you know my German. Getting married June 2007 in Charleston (we're eloping!), but I'm headed to Deutschland in March to get things organized in our apartment. I refuse to do it on our honeymoon, so now is good. Not to mention the fact that I haven't seen Mizi in almost six months. And no, webcam doesn't count. Stop laughing honey.

I wonder if Claire's family thought she was nuts to move across the ocean? Remind me to ask her later.. I know my family thinks I'm insane. But I only share the wander-lust gene with my brother, and as far as the rest of the family is concerned, we're both rogues. He's moving to Costa Rica later in the year.. or was it Brazil? He always flies under the radar, so I can't keep track.

My sister, on the other hand, is the worst home-body I ever met. Really. I love her dearly, and she is my best friend, but I swear the girl got lost twice just driving to Myrtle Beach (a place she's been every summer of her life). I have to give her props, though, because she is the kind of mother I dream of being to my own children (one day), and she is the sweetest soul alive. We're still in negotiation about whether she will visit me in my new home. I told her I would buy her enough Xanex to knock her out cold during the flight, but she's still on the fence.

As for my parents, I'll expect them when we provide them with a new grandchild, but otherwise I'm afraid we'll be the ones with jet-lag. And lots of flier miles.

Truthfully, I'm excited about moving and extremely impatient to be there already. I know next to nothing about the German language (but I'll have a great teacher), I'll try to remember not to wear white sneakers, and I'm sure I'll fit in (with a healthy dose of German in my family already) after the culture shock wears off a little.

Of course, I know the adjustment won't be as easy as I try to make it sound. It will take some time getting used to all those garbage bags. But certainly I will not be bored for the next fifty to sixty years. Mizi is always my number one, but I guess I should fess up and tell you that I'm a history buff too.

Damn, I can't believe I admitted it in the introduction.. but yes, I said it. And I suppose there's no place like Europe for history... so Germany, the winds are blowing just right, and another Southern hurricane is headed your way.. Are you ready for this? I hope so.

Red Alert! The Love Immigrant is coming..