Not lonely anymore

I am finally complete again. My husband is back home and I don’t have to talk to myself anymore….
And, I get to eat real meals again….with other people sitting at the table. Because we always eat dinner together.
I’m as happy as can be….

I knew it

LONDON (Reuters) - Seven-times Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong has denied ever taking performance-enhancing drugs following a report in French newspaper L'Equipe that he had used the blood-boosting drug EPO in 1999.

Cheater.

AP Wire | 08/22/2005 | Mysterious 'Piano Man' returns to Germany

Of course it had to be a German faking it....Great.
Well, at least it was a Bavarian. They're weird anyway.

Finally

The day has come when I shall not be alone anymore. I will be happy again. Well, I was happy but at least I won’t be lonely anymore and get to eat some real food again. You know, meat and potatoes.
Oh, I did make the Chili this weekend and it was so good.
It’s really easy too, if you have all the right ingredients.

V’s Chili

Get Kidney Beans in a can (one can per person).
Cut up one onion per person and one to two gloves of garlic per person.
For the fat you will need smoked bacon. Just cut it up and heat up in a pan to cook all the fat out. Then you add the onion and fry them a little and then add the garlic. Just let that cook a little, but not too long!!!
The you need some tomato paste. Take about half a tablespoon and mix it with the onions. They need to look really red.
The you need some paprika paste. Just add a little, like a teaspoon. I use the sweet one because I only want the pepper taste but they have hot paste too, so you might like that. Then you add the beans and spice it. Some salt and pepper and if you like it hot add some Chili powder or something in that direction. Now that it’s all cooking nicely you turn the heat down to medium or so and let it cook. You are looking for a nice juicy thick sauce.
He best way to eat is with some nice white bread to dip it in the sauce. I usually like Ciabatta with it but just regular Italian bread will do fine.

Home sweet home

Finally home and it's the weekend!!!!
I wish the weather was better though. It's drizzly and nasty outside, but hopefully that's going to change.

So, what's for dinner?
I still don't feel like Chili. But I just (re)discovered something fishy, which again I will have on some rye bread.
If any of you ever feel like some German food and don't know where to get it. Go to germandeli.com. They have EVERYTHING. Of course, it's expensive but it is so worth it. If you get anything that needs to stay refrigerated, they'll ship it 2nd day and it gets to your house fine. I never had any problems with that. The shipping costs just suck then.

Just like DC

First I though, an explosion? Then I read the article and I think so what? Happens all the time around here. Well, actually it hasn't happened in a while, I think.

(KCBS) - An explosion shook office buildings near Post and Kearny streets in downtown San Francisco shortly before ten o'clock Friday morning.
San Francisco fire department captain Pete Howes told KCBS a man hole cover in front of the Ralph Lauren store at the corner of Post and Kearny appeared to have exploded, although the exact cause of the blast is under investigation.

Is there any significance that it happened in front of a Ralph Lauren store?

- via The Drudge Report

UPDATE:
Here is a link to Thomas Hawk's Digital Connection, which has some pictures up.
Thanks Davis for the link.

Drunken Vocabulary Test

Go over to SilverBlue’s and check this out.
Very funny.

Did I miss something?

OK, I was really surprised by how many people find their way over here. I mean, it’s not hundreds of people or even thousands, but more that ten!! A day!!
Anyway, I looked at the referrer stats and saw that pretty much everybody was looking, not for me, but for them and him.
Now, can somebody explain to me why?
I mean, is there something going on with Beckham and Zidane recently that I missed. And what about Mr. Germany? I mean, please. OK, I know I posted the pictures, but that was years ago.
Really weird.

Happy Friday!!

It's finally Friday.
Just got to make it through this day and then it's the weekend. I just love Friday's.
Plus I am so sick and tired of dealing with tourists this week, it's mot even funny.
I think they do it on purpose. You know slooooowly walking through the metro system in rows of 100 so NOBODY can pass them. "Hey, we're on vacation." Sometimes it just makes me want to punch them.
So, this afternoon, when I finally get to go home, I will take a deep breath before I leave and just walk past all of them idiots with a big fat smile on my face because I know it's the weekend.

Blogroll

I know, I need to update my blogroll. Some have moved and some are not even there anymore.
I just added Shank from Id's cage. Very funny, although the most recent entries seem to be little too concentrated on bladder functions.
I found his blog over at Jennifer's

Guess what's for dinner

I am having some delicious liverwurst, or Leberwurst as I would call it, on some nice rye bread. Yummy.
And, what do we have to drink today?



A little note here. When I was looking for a good picture and googled Liebfraumilch, I found an interesting piece of information on it.

THE STORY OF LIEBFRAUMILCH
One of Germany’s most famous wines is Liebfraumilch. However, its fame remains restricted to export markets and very few Germans would even consider buying bottle for even everyday consumption. This medium dry, fragrant, light, and quaffable wine is originally from the vineyards surrounding the Liebfrauenstift Church (Church of Our Lady) on the outskirts of the town of Worms on the Rhine River.

This is actually true. When I was still living in Germany I cannot recall ever drinking this wine and even though my mom knows it, she doesn't drink it either. I like it. It's nice to drink and, most importantly, CHEAP. You can buy a case without spending too much money and drink it as your regular "house wine".

Countdown

Just waiting to go home. For some reason there seems to be nothing to do today. It's really quite, which is odd and that makes it even worse just sitting here, waiting to go home.
I'm already thinking about what to eat tonight.... so if anybody has any ideas, just let me know. Don't want me to starve, do you now?
I did buy a couple of cans of Kidney beans.
A friend f mine, used to make the best Chili and I guess I was thinking about that when I bought them. But, I am missing the main spices. She is Hungarian and had this real spicy paste, or whatever you call it. Maybe I can put something together.
But first it's time to go home…once I’m done with my countdown.

Pope in Germany

As you all know the pope is in Germany for World Youth Day.
And as it seems, they really like him there.
He was even received by followers doing "the wave".
picture by Guido Karl/WJT gGmbH

It was also a little windy.

picture by AFP

picture by DDP

Patience

For some reason, this week does not want to go by. It seems to go on forever. And it’s not even that I have nothing to do, because I do. Oh well, at least tomorrow is finally Friday and then I get to clean again...wonderful.

Aaaahhhhhh

So, I finally got tired of eating Pizza and sandwiches and such so I went shopping today and got me a nice juicy Steak.....I love beef.
It goes good with beer too.

Prost!!

Oh No!

So it is really going to happen. Too bad. I really like Brosnan as James Bond, but I guess it is over for sure.
I wonder who the new 007 is going to be?
I love James Bond.

- via CNN

September 18th

It's time to vote in Germany.
I sent in my application to get an absentee ballot and it better get here before the elections.
This should be the least time I get to vote in Germany.

700

700 posts and no real content. Pretty good huh?
So, I am sitting here, trying to come up with something real witty to write but I just can’t do it.
Nothing really interesting is going on, except some broken bones and some worms creeping around.
Well, why should the 700thpost be any different from the others?

- Thanks Drudge for the links.

Made it

Well, I made it to work....good.
I almost didn't, because smart Me turned off the alarm clock and went back to sleep and with no hubby around that is very dangerous. But luckily, the German that I am, I planed those kinds of things into my morning routine and still had enough time to have coffee and a cigarette....

Lonely

I don’t know how people do it, but I can’t stand being by myself. I get things done but at some point I want to relax and just sit down and watch TV and doing that alone sucks.
Also, eating is not very fun by yourself. Hell, I can’t even cook anything because everything is for at least two people and I don’t even eat what one single person would eat.
I can’t wait until Monday. I swear, I will cook up the best meal ever. Preferably something with beef….Oh, how I crave a nice, juicy Steak…Sorry to all Vegans and Vegetarians out there.
Oh well, at least I get to go back to work tomorrow. (That’s just a wrong thing to say)

Registered

Well, not really registered but kind of.
I had my INS appointment today to get fingerprinted...again. I had to do that for my work permit, but I guess you have to do this every time you apply for something new. At least this ought to be the last time. Now I just have to wait and go to all the other appointments until I get to take my oath and be JUST LIKE YOU, I mean an American!!!
So, because I did sooo much today with sleeping in and all I thought I deserve a little something.



Cheers!!

???

OK, so what do you do when you have a day off and there is nothing else to do?
You watch TV and because nothing is really on, you just go through all the channels until......you come across Jerry Springer.
I didn't know that show is still on. Who is still going on that show? I mean when you're midget girlfriend tells you "Hey, let's go on Jerry Springer", don't you know that she probably is a man and has been cheating on you with your cat????
But, it is entertaining......

My new baby

I have finally become un-wired and got a new laptop. Am so excited. Dude, I got a Dell.
I really like it.
Of course my favorite bay is my beloved husband but got a few other ones as well. One of them is my car, which we just paid off. Now I like it even more.

But, the very cutest baby in I have is my nephew. Although I still haven’t seen him in person, I know he is the cutest being on this planet.
He actually made it out of the hospital…on July 4th (perfect date, huh?)
He has 24 hour nurse service and so my brother and his girlfriend (actually fiancé but don’t say anything) had a full house.
I just sent another package with “aunty-loves-you-more-than-anybody” clothes; one of those HAD to have turtles on them. He wore that on my birthday. Anyway, he is doing great and that just makes me and everybody else happy as hell.
I can’t wait to see him, which is hopefully soon.

So, I think those are my babies…for now.

HA

I get to sleep in tomorrow, which means I can stay up as late as I want to. Too bad that there is absolutely NOTHING in TV. I already watched all the Law and Orders that are on right now and nothing else is interesting.
So, what to do, what to do?
Just me and my wine.

Another bug story

To show how cruel I can be, especially to animals, I have another story that goes along with this one.
Just a day after I sucked up that nasty wasp, I was vacuuming again and, who would’ve thought, a little creepy cricket came along and....I got that one too!
Maybe I can make a profession out of this.
Oh, and by the way, I have that vacuum that looks real good and was in a fashion magazine.

Not creative

I just realized that I used the same title for this and this post.
Well, I never said I was a creative person so I guess every post could have the same title if I wanted to.

Already??

And it is Sunday evening already. What a bummer.
This weekend went by way too fast.
It is funny that when you're really busy and meeting up with friends, the weekend seems to go on forever, but if nobody is around and all you do is getting your nails done and a get new haircut, just to go home and clean and hang out, all of a sudden it's Sunday.
Oh well, at least I am off on Tuesday, so the week will be shorter.
OK, I have to go....gotta do my hair....
I turned into such a girl...just awful.

Ha

Who would've thought. I especially like the headline.

Panthers Pummel Redskins 28-10

They should've never gotten rid of Spurrier.

- via WTOP Radio

Disgusting

ROCHELLE, Ga. — A doctor is accused of assisting an unlicensed practitioner who allegedly treats cancer patients with a flesh-eating herbal paste that leaves them with horrible disfigurements, including mutilated breasts.

What the hell is wrong with people?

- via Fox News

The Terminator

I hate bugs.
All bugs. Even though the little ones don't really bother me I still hate them. I get so freaked out sometimes that I could cry. Sick, huh?
I am also a mosquito magnet and constantly get bitten.
So, today, when I finally settled down on the couch and got my book out, I heard this dreadful noise. Some kind of bug in the house. Now, normally I wouldn't get too excited, but not if it is a WASP!
Try to get one of those out from behind the curtains. I got a newspaper and all kinds of tools, just to be even more scared when that thing finally moved away from the window. So, I did what anybody would do. I grabbed the vacuum cleaner. I got the long extension and sucked that thing up. But it was still alive in the canister so I kept the cleaner running until the wasp seemed too exhausted. I thought I could kill it, but I guess they are very resistant. So I got on my "running shoes" and grabbed the canister, ran outside and dumped the contents (wasp included) far, far away in my yard and ran back.
That was about all the excitement I can handle on one weekend.

Almost forgot

I actually did finally apply for citizenship.
I know I have been talking about it for a while but try and write a check for $ 390 (!!!) for that.
So, now I just have to wait a decade or so and I get to vote and all kinds of other stuff...
This Tuesday I have to get my finger prints taken..again.

Bad.....ME

Ok, I know, I know.
I haven't posted in....a while and to be honest, for all of those times that I actually had something to post and I never did,I have nothing to write about now. But I actually feel bad enough already and since I am sitting here with nothing going on and nobody home I thought I'd better do something..
Oh yeah, I am alone...for a whole week!!!! (Actually like 10 days)
I was so excited to have some time by myself and not, barely 3 hours into being home alone...I AM SO BORED.
You know there are so many reruns of Law and Order you can watch.
It sucks and I have no idea what I am going to do.....I actually can't wait to get back to work...GREAT.
So, hopefully I'll stick around until after I have somebody to talk to again.

Tired

I am just tired and burned out.
After trying to finish this month's works in 2 weeks I got home just to clean the room, where my parents are going to be staying....
Now it's the bills that I have to pay and clean up my desk to where everything is done. I wish I was done so I can just watch some TV and go to bed, but no, I have yet to file all the paperwork from the last month.
I have no energy left, but knowing that tomorrow is going to be busy I will get everything done tonight.
Tomorrow I have to go shopping and get gas, and beer (really).
At around 4 PM I'll be waiting at Dulles to get my parents. MY dad confided in me today that he still is going to bring his Cuban cigars even though my mom told him not to. I can't wait to see her face once he lights up outside of the airport...
I am so looking forward to hang out with them, even though my planner is full, like it never is.
We'll have so much fun.
I also talked to my brother and everything is going good with my little baby. He's off the antibiotics (he had pneumonia), so now the seizures or cramps should be less since that is a side-effect. He is growing and is starting to look chubby, which I think is a good sign.

Anyways, I am gonna get back to my bills....

Already!!!!

Ok, I know what date it is and all, but I just now really, realized (I mean REALLY), that I only have tomorrow left to work and then I get to entertain my parents for two weeks!!!!
Part of that time we'll be spending in Florida (to meet my mother-in-law), but mostly we'll be here at home. Luckily they were in DC before so we don't have to do the whole "look at the mall" thing again.
I kind of feel bad though, since my nephew is still in the hospital and they have been helping my brother out so much and now I take them away from him. But it was planned for a long time so nobody knew what was going to happen. I just hope we'll be able to keep in tough and know the latest updates.

Of course, just having one day left in the month to finish work makes it all the more pleasant to be here, but mostly I am trying to ignore it, which means I don't do anything.
I hope I get my energy back once I am home because there is still a lot of work to do. I better CLEAN everything or else my Mom will spend this weekend cleaning my house. She is nice about it though, not annoying. She really does like cleaning and wants to help.

I am sure it'll be fine. Now I just have to survive the rest of today and tomorrow and then I get to relax and enjoy myself.

Oh, I have t get more beer....

Who could that be???

Paramedics rushed inside the White House and resuscitated a man whose heart had stopped.

I am sure I am not the only one thinking about who that might have been.....

Comments needed

Go to this site, and comment on Greg's post for today, April 1st. It's a fundraiser for the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

- found via Rocket Jones

Little Flikr Fun

(via Kate)

Hmmmm.....

So, for a while now, Bloggerhas comments and I have them enabled and get notfied when someone comments (which is not often) etc....so, Ted commented in this post and I replied which was about 10 days ago, and now I just received a message for my reply AGAIN??? and I have a second reply there. It's been sooooooooo slooooooooooooooow lately but I don'ty mind since I am too busy to blog much anyways, but this really pisses me off.
I don't really post that much, mainly becauseI feel I don't have much to say but still...

Oops

I forgot my 2 year Blogiversary!
It was on the 28th, so I am not that late, but still. I wouldn't want to miss my birthday either....
Anyways, Happy Blogiversary to me!!!

Wait

As I mentioned a while back, my nephew was born 6 1/2 weeks ago.
He was a little early and needed a little help. At first it was his legs that were bothering the doctors and also his jaw which made it hard for him to eat since it is a lttle recessed. He had cramps, wheer his body would just cramp up all of a sudden and so they decided to transfer him to another hospital about a week after he was born. Then he started to have seizures and after a bunch of tests and CT scans they determinedthat they were epileptic and staretd to give him medication for that. He then started to have trouble braething. He was able to breathe but he didn't get enough oxygen in his blood so he would have a little oxygen mask thingy close by just in case in addition to his feeding tube and the other monitors. All in all he was doing good though and grew etc. They were talks about him being able to finally go home along with all his hardware, but that wasn't such a big deal. His parents were tired of the hour plus drive each morning to the hospital and my brother had to go back to work too. So then, when they were only waiting to finally get all the monitor rentals approved by the insurance company my little nephew stopped breathing. And his little heart stopped too. Luckily a doctor and his mom were around and it only took seconds for him to be back or whatever you call it, but after that he obviously wasn't going to go home and they transferred him to intensive care, where he has been now for about a week. When I talked to my brother last week he said that he was getting a little bit more oxygen but he was breathing on his won. They didn't want to incubate him because then he wouldn't breathe by himself which is not good for newborns since they are still learning. On Friday though they did decide to go ahead and give him a Tracheostomy. He has a tube going through his throat in his lungs, but as far as I know he still breathes by himself.
The disturbing thing is that apparently my brother and his girlfriend told my parents that they would not want him to live on life support only, if that is what it will be for the rest of his life. Now, I know you discuss those things, especially in those situations, but all I keep thinking about is that I haven't even seen him yet.
I hate being so far away. Of course I hardly get to talk to my brother because they are constantly at the hospital so I get second-hand information from my parents and then it's delayed too. They talk at night, so during the day for me, but I have to wait until the next day.
It unsettling too, because the doctors can't make a diagnosis. They know he has something but all the tests they have done so far ad all indications don't lead to a standard disease. He has nothing genetically wrong with him, since they checked his genes and made sure there is no birth defect, but they just don't know, so they can only treat the seizures and help him breathe, but they can't treat whatever makes him sick. I would hate being a doctor then.
So all I can do is sit here and think and look at the few pictures I have and wait.

Weird

So, I just really realized it was St. Patrick's Day this morning at work. Not that I really care, except for the license to drink (but not drive!!). And then I thought about the whole wearing something that's green thing and all and, of course, I don't. I don't ever do that, but in Germany they don't celebrate or even talk about St. Patrick's Day (not that I know of at least), so I do have an excuse. Plus, why would they??
Anyway, so I was thinking of maybe something that could be green that I am wearing and thought about the stripes in the front of my socks that are green and then I had it (thought with the accent of the Dyson dude)!!! My underwear is green!!! Not that I would show them but still. But then the weird thing happened. I remembered that last year I wore the same pair of underwear. That's strange. And I am sure of that because I don't have a lot of green underwear…matter of fact I think that's the only pair…..
Must be something subconscious. Hey, maybe I am partly Irish??????

Buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Nothing like having a buzz going at 4 PM on a Saturday afternoon.
Just got back from the Chinese Restaurant and I just can't say "No" to those Mai Tais.
My husband went to take a nap and I figured I'd better use that time to get some "computer-stuff" done.....

define: Idiot

I hate them. Really.

Panda Porn

Well, I guess it's time for those two to get it on!!!!!

Smithsonian National Zoological Park officials believe Mei Xiang may be ready to mate with Tian Tian, in the next few days.

To prepare for that eventuality, officials said they will close the panda exhibit for the next four to five days to give them a little privacy.

But, you can't go to the zoo and watch it???? Bummer.
Even better, just watch it via one of their live cams.
The Washington Post also has a story about it, but you have to be registered.

- via NBC4

I'm Ready

I can't wait to get home and go play with my new toys!!! (not the ones you think).
I finally got around to getting a IEEE cable to hook up my camera to my computer and start putting all the videos on DVD. Then I got one of them fancy DVD+R DLs (I don't know where to put that little "s" here…). I recorded the BEST RACE EVER and only the two qualifying rounds would fit onto a regular DVD so I am hoping the DL will work. Then I just have to manage and play it on the DVD player.
And to make it all perfect I bought some CD labels and CD case labels. I'm in business!!!
Watch me, because soon I'll be making my own documentaries…..

Gotcha!!

Poor Baby ;(

Must have been a rough day for him if he's already drunk at 7:30 PM. I usually don't get there until after 9 PM...

What the...?

What's wrong with this weather?
Yesterday it was above 60 and the sun was out and everybody was happy. Now it's pouring outside at 40 or less degrees and it's going to get colder? And it's supposed to snow this afternoon!
I am so ready for the Spring. No more hats and gloves and scarves and boots and whatever else you need for this weather. I am done.

Happy Birthday

Yesterday was my nephew's birthday.
He is a whole month old now!!!!! He was a little early and has been worrying everybody here lately but each day brings better news. He is very tiny, being 3 weeks early, but the doctors also said he was already two weeks behind which totals it to 5 weeks early (???). He has a recessed chin which makes his little tiny mouth even tinier and so he has trouble eating (drinking?) and they have this feeding tube to give him the rest when he is done and falling asleep. Also, he has those cramps, where he just tightens up and about a week after he was born he started having seizures too so they did all kinds of tests to determine that he is epileptic but his brain doesn't have any problems, meaning the brain looks normal. But he does have some water pockets that are normal in newborns and also his brain ist a little underdeveloped. So they say he's normal but has seizures or something.....it's really complicating to me because I get my information through my parents and I hardly get to speak to my brother since they are always at the hospital. So everything is second-hand but I get the overall idea that everybody is happy. For a while they though he had some birth defect but they luckily ruled that out.
They are hoping he will be released soon...maybe next week. And of course, I as the cool aunt already sent a package and am already working on the next one. You can never have enough baby clothes...especially cute little boots and hats....

Drained?

I think I'm drained.
The last two days just flew by. I got to work on Monday (complaining about not having a snow day) and had just a ton of work to do and was busy non-stop the whole day and yesterday up until this morning. So, I thought I could just get to the other things now but I can't. I start and can't concentrate but I want to get things done...it just doesn't work.
I need a beer or something, really.
The weather is too depressing too. Yesterday one of the many incompetent weather people here mentioned that last year at this time we were in the 60's. Like I needed to hear that. It doesn't help either that it's March, because it's still cold as shit. So, I guess I get drained and depressed and in need of beer...lots of beer.

All up to date

FINALLY!!!!
We got a new computer.
I love it. We can actually use it now without it making weird noises or just shutting down when it wants to.
I just love Windows XP Media Edition. Watching TV while typing!!! Now I just have to get another cable to hook up my camera to the computer and transfer all my video from tape to DVD. I already started playing with the movie maker and made some slide shows.

So, with that my last excuse as to why I can't post anything anymore is gone as well and so I hope that I get to blog some more again. Now I just have to find something interesting.......

Home Sweet Home

Well, I finally made it back to the US and to work.
What a wonderful visit it was. I wish I could have stayed longer (or forever). I finally got to meet my brother's girlfriend. Their little baby boy will be here soon. I hope it won't take years for me to finally get to see him.
I saw a bunch of old friends of mine and found out that another one is working where my dad works and they talked to each other before but never realized who they were actually talking to. So, I got in contact with her and will try to see her the next time I am over there.
Other than that I am just tired and hurting, but luckily the weekend isn't too far away. It is kind of nice getting back home and sleeping in your own bed again but it is such a pain to unpack everything and put everything away. I think I need a vacation.

One more time...

I figured I'd better post one more time before this year is over. Tomorrow I will be on my way to beautiful Germany...FINALLY!!!!
I can't wait. But there is still so much to do. But packing is not that big of a deal to me since I just pack everything!
Anyways, I hope you have Wonderful Holidays and a Happy New Year!!!!

15 years later.....

So yesterday was the 15th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall. Just one month and three days after I left East Germany with my family. I remember thinking how much it sucked since we just went through all this trouble of leaving and now everybody could just leave (I was just 10 years old), but looking back on it I think we still made a good decision.
This article says it all. Having family on both sides of the "wall" I can see the sentiments of people and what their thoughts are. Even I can still see differences in the people, but after only 15 years that is to be expected since most of the people remember how it was before and still have the mind set of that time, which is not a bad thing.
I think it is sad that those differences still exist, especially because they cause resentment, but you have to consider the circumstances. Things like that don't change over night and apparently not in 15 years. We'll see how long it takes...

He died....Again

Ok, so is it true now????
I don't know, but if you ask me it's all a big conspiracy and he has been dead for years.......

-via The Drudge Report

Update: or NOT

GO!

Tomorrow is election day and all of you out there better go vote. I wish I could go vote and it bugs me that I can't but at least I can make sure that people who have the privilege to vote here go and fulfill their democratic duty because that is what it is. You have to vote.
So, go to bed early get up at 6 and be at the polls at 7 or whenever they open in your neighborhood. Thanks.

Court allows political asylum from Germany / Afghan fled Soviets first, then neo-Nazis

What a bunch of bullshit.
So, this lady claims that the German government wasn't protecting her from the neo-Nazis in Germany and that is why and court in the US granted her asylum.
So, could I actually apply for asylum in the US as well since our apartment was broken into and I was attacked by groups of people before as well? But now that I think of it, that mainly happened in areas of Hamburg like Bergedorf. It is an area with a very high unemployment rate, something you could compare to the projects in the US. So, if this Zakia Mashiri is going to move into some kind of bad neighborhood in the US and gets threatened where is she going to go then?
I like the comment I heard on the radio from some official in Hamburg (sorry, I am bad with names). Germany is going to appeal and will try to get the asylum revoked in which case she needs to move back to Germany and then, since she is not a citizen her asylum status will be reconsidered and since things are better in Afghanistan she can go back to where she came from.
BTW, her husband is under investigation of social security fraud in Germany. Great.

15 years

My mom reminded me today that 15 years ago we left East Germany. I always thought it was during the summer but I guess I was wrong. So, it was October 6th 1989 and only a month and three days later the wall came down on November 9th. By then we had made out way from Giessen where they had a huge refugee camp, up north to Hamburg where we lived on a boat, functioning as a refugee camp....Do you call them camps???? There was a TV room downstairs and that is where we together with about 50 other East Germans watched as they tore down the wall. A few months later, towards the middle of January 1990 we finally moved into an apartment (all too ourselves). My parents started out with nothing...Well, except for the 100 Marks they gave you. Just 8 years later they bought a house, which is so impressive to me. Anybody can do it. You just have to believe in it.......
Anyways, 15 years doesn't sound very long but it is everything to me. I don't even want to think about where I would be,considering which part of Berlin we lived in.

Prost

Guess where I am going tonight????
Even though the food sucks the beer is OK and so it won't be that bad to sit out there and enjoy the wonderful German music (NOT). At least the weather is better than it was the last couple of years. I remember last year I had to wear my winter coat already.

So, if you have nothing better to do why not go to the Oktoberfest at Ft. Belvoir??? It'll be going on until Sunday.

The Animal

Hopefully today I will be getting a new vacuum cleaner!!! I think I'll get the Dyson Animal, but I want to see it first. Kind of exciting. Our old one broke last night, but we had it for five years so I think it has done its job well. Since we will be going to Target I might also be able to get some new sheets!!!! How exciting...it's like Christmas!!!!!!

Windy

I bet those people in Florida are happy once the hurricane season is over...
My mother in law was evacuated last week and since schools are closed this week too (she is a teacher) she decided to have a vacation....Not bad. I hope though that she will be able to get back home soon. She doesn't even know yet if and how much her home was damaged.
I am glad I don't live there.

-via CNN

German (small) Change

I had to giggle when I read this. That is so German.....Pay with exact change. I used to try to pay the exact amount when I came to the US but I felt so bad having people wait behind me while I am digging in my purse for pennies. That's why I love Coinstar. It's perfect.

Happy September!!!!

Did you ever notice how fast time goes by the older you get???? I remember when summers where endlessly long and now they just pass. But luckily in this climate we get to enjoy the nice temperatures a little bit longer.
September is going to be busy. A long weekend is coming up and we're going to King's Dominion!!!
But the most important thing is that now it's just three months until I go to Germany.....

Why Not?

This makes perfect sense to me...

-via Ananova

Enough

I have had enough for today. It's been a way too long day and all I want is to go home have a nice cool glass of wine and enjoy the rest of the day.

Stapling

I think I am too stupid to staple things together. After about one and a half years I am now at my third stapler. At some point it just won't staple anymore. They don't go through...I have no idea what I am doing wrong but it must be something I am doing wrong....So, because I am too embarrassed to ask for a new one I snatched one from somebody else's desk since they left. I hope I don't break this one. It's heavier so now my wrist hurts. Can you tell I'm blond?

Garlic

On Saturday I made dinner and used a bunch of garlic and to this day (Monday) my hands still smell like garlic. I know there are certain ways of getting that smell off you but I haven't found it yet. I usually love garlic and how it smells but I have had enough of it....Nothing like waking up at 5:30 in the morning and instead of fresh coffee you smell garlic.

CNN.com - Seven Texas children found in Nigeria orphanage

That is just sick. How could you do that to children?
It makes me sick when I hear stuff like that. Couldn't they make her live this way for the rest of her life? That would be just.

Bad

Today was bad. I am tired but I slept enough and then again I am cold. Just a typical Monday.
Ciao.

Vacation

I booked our flights to Germany this weekend. We'll be there for Christmas and New Years!!!! I am so excited. I hate it when it comes to buying the tickets though. Because we first make the plans and try to figure out the schedule and I start looking at prices. I usually find cheap ones and then I need to save money and then once I saved enough the tickets are more. I had luck this time though. The tickets cost as much hey did two months ago which was pretty surprising. But maybe it's because it is still 4 months out.
....only 4 months???? Cool!!!!

WEEKEND!!!!!!

Isn't it wonderful? I can't wait. I am going to get my Spa-treatment tomorrow. It'll be great.
Have a nice weekend.
Ciao.

new medicine

Well, my step son had a doctor's appointment today and he is getting back on growth hormone. Luckily it comes it pre-filled little syringes now so I don't have to measure anymore, plus they are easier to handle. It's been over three years I think that he hasn't taken it but he needs growth hormone for the rest of his life now. They finally changed is nose spray to a pill too so that'll make things easier.

Happy Friday!

A little belated but still. It's Friday the 13th, which means it's a lucky day. And lucky I am, getting to see the opening ceremony of the Olympics tonight. I can't wait. For the next 2 weeks I'll be glued to the TV watching everything I can. How exciting!!!

Brush, brush

OK, got to go home now and brush my teeth and then it's off to the dentist!!!!!
Ciao.

Adieu Zidane

French superstar Zinedine Zidane retired from international soccer Thursday, ending his career with the national team after guiding it to the 1998 World Cup championship.

Too bad. He is a great soccer player but he will continue to play for Madrid.

via Yahoo News

Clean

I am going to get my teeth cleaned today so I have a short work day. Yay!!!
I love leavingearly...Well, I would love it not coming in at all, but it's so nice, especially towards the end of the week.
Hopefully it won't take too long at the dentist to where I can enjoy some of that extra time off.

Leaving Early!!!

We're going out to dinner so I have to go home early....Too bad.
We're going to this restaurant. Never been there but it sounds great.
Ciao.

Anchors Aweigh

Note: I started writing this post early this morning and forgot about it so I am posting it now.

On September 16th all new Chief Petty Officers get frocked.
Congratutions to all of you!

Stand Navy out to sea, Fight our Battle Cry;
We'll never change our course, So vicious foe steer shy-y-y-y.
Roll out the TNT, Anchors Aweigh. Sail on to Victory
And sink their bones to Davy Jones, Hooray!

Anchors Aweigh, my boys, Anchors Aweigh.
Farewell to foreign shores,
We sail at break of day-ay-ay-ay.
Through our last night on shore, Drink to the foam,
Until we meet once more.
Here's wishing you a happy voyage home.

Blue of the Mighty Deep; Gold of God's Sun
Let these colors be till all of time be done, done, done,
On seven seas we learn Navy's stern call:
Faith, Courage, Service true, with Honor, Over Honor, Over All.

The reason why I am posting this is because right now all the new Chiefs are getting initiated and I constantly have this song stuck in my head.

Efficient

I used my precious lunch hour today to take advantage of DC's tax holiday. No sales tax!!! So I went shopping and found two dresses, which I will never wear since I don't wear dresses. Cool, huh?

Done

Again. Not much to say. Again. I am really boring, I know.
Ciao.

Need

I really need to make some more time for blogging. I hardly post anything good anymore....but then again, it was never really informative etc....
Anyways, I realize just about this time every day now that I need to post something but then there's nothing to write about. I know there are things but I'm just drawing a blank. So, I need a plan. A good one.
Or it's just that I'm lazy?????

Testing Meme Propagation In Blogspace: Add Your Blog

This posting is a community experiment that tests how a meme, represented by this blog posting, spreads across blogspace, physical space and time. It will help to show how ideas travel across blogs in space and time and how blogs are connected. It may also help to show which blogs (and aggregation sites) are most influential in the propagation of memes. The dataset from this experiment will be public, and can be located via Google (or Technorati) by doing a search for the GUID for this meme (below).

Please join the test by adding your blog (see instructions, below) and inviting your friends to participate—the more the better. The data from this test will be public and open; others may use it to visualize and study the connectedness of blogspace and the propagation of memes across blogs.

The GUID for this experiment is:

as098398298250swg9e98929872525389t9987898tq98wteqtgaq62010920352598gawst

The above GUID enables anyone to easily search Google or other search engines for all blogs that participate in this experiment, once they have indexed the sites that participate, which may take several days or weeks. To locate the full data set, just search for any sites that contain this GUID.

Anyone is free to analyze the data of this experiment. Please publicize your analysis of the data, and/or any comments by adding comments onto the original post (see URL above). (Note: it would be interesting to see a geographic map or a temporal animation, as well as a social network map of the propagation of this meme.)

INSTRUCTIONS

To add your blog to this experiment, copy this entire posting to your blog, and then answer the questions below, substituting your own information, below, where appropriate. Other than answering the questions below, please do not alter the information, layout or format of this post in order to preserve the integrity of the data in this experiment (this will make it easier for searchers and automated bots to find and analyze the results later).

REQUIRED FIELDS (Note: Replace the answers below with your own answers)

(1) I found this experiment at URL:
http://rocketjones.mu.nu/

(2) I found it via “Newsreader Software” or “Browsing the Web” or “Searching the Web” or “An E-Mail Message”: Browsing the Web

(3) I posted this experiment at URL: http://blogeline.blogspot.com/

(4) I posted this on date (day/month/year): 10/08/04

(5) I posted this at time (24 hour time): 09:00

(6) My posting location is (city, state, country): Washington, DC, USA

OPTIONAL SURVEY FIELDS:

(7) My blog is hosted by: Blogspot

(8) My age is: 25

(9) My gender is: Female

(10) My occupation is:

(11) I use the following RSS/Atom reader software: none

(12) I use the following software to post to my blog: blogger

(13) I have been blogging since (day, month, year): 03/28/2003

(14) My web browser is: MS IE

(15) My operating systems are: Windows ME

Quite

This was a very quite day. I am sure it'll get more exciting once I get home. But that's it for work today.
Ciao.

Fucker

I just called a Cox guy that. He was transferring me (while I was talking to him) but apparently he could still hear me....OOPS! But he was an idiot anyways.
So, be careful when you curse at the Cox guys!!!!! Best time is to do it after you hang up.

Party!!!!

Finally, almost time to go. Can't wait for my party!!!!
This is going to be great weekend. Hope you all fo fun too!!!
Ciao.

Slow

Today is soooooooooooooo slow. Probably because I want to get out of here and enjoy this day. It is so beautiful outside. No humidity and it is relatively cool for this time of the year. Perfect for sitting outside. This weekend is supposed to be the same which is great since we have to go to a picnic tomorrow. I just can't wait to be done here and go home.

Happy Birthday!!!!!

To Me!!!!!
Big 25. Damn, I'm getting old.
We'll celebrate Mexican-style tonight. Margaritas!!!!!

Talk, talk, talk

Man. I don't mind talking to people at work. especially when it's important and makes the time go by. But now it's almost time to go already.
Ciao.

Routine

It's funny how fast you can get used to people and adjust to them and then all of a sudden it is hard to change that once those people aren't around anymore. Makes feel kind of lonely. What a weird day.

Bless Me!

I am sneezing my brains out right now. I don't think never sneezed as much as I just did. I feel all dizzy.

Getting Ready

Well, so this (work)day is coming to a end as well. Hopefully I'll make it to bed early tonight. I need some sleep. Bad.
Ciao.

Sad.

There are people you meet in your life and you get along with right away. You are on the same level and you enjoy being around them. And then they leave and you're still there.
I'll keep in touch though.

hair loss

I am losing my hair. Lately it just seems to be more than usual and that was a lot already. Hmmm....Well, we'll see. Maybe I'll go bald. Cool!

nbc4.com - News - Driver Reportedly Leaves Train, Catches Another

Just another little story about the wonderful Metro system we have here in the Nation's capitol. Not only are the brakes frequently on fire lately and the red line is delayed constantly because of last week's flodding. Now the drivers just get up and leave. Time for another fare increase!

Freezing

I swear, it feels like 60 degrees in here. My hands are starting to hurt. How can anybody get work done? I think I'll get a hot chocolate.

Go Hot Jets!!!!

Or should it be Go Rockets!?? I don't know.

But if you are a regular reader of Rocket Jones you might know about the Blogger Bowl 2004.
Well,since it has been a while since I was named a Hot Jet I figured I'd better get the word out and fulfill my duty as cheerleader.
The current Hot Jets are:

Lemur Girl!
Sarah, of Trying To Grok!
Emma, of Miss Apropos!
Lynn S., of Reflections in d minor!
Heather, of Angelweave!
Kat, of Mostly Fluff!
Nic, of Shoes, Ships, and Sealing Wax!
Susie, of Practical Penumbra!
Mookie, of MookieRiffic!
Helen, of Everyday Stranger!
Gir, of Your Moosey Fate!
Tink, of Flitting Here and There!
Stevie, of Caught In The XFire!
Jennifer, of Jennifer's History and Stuff!
Cindy, of Squipper!
LeeAnn, of The Cheese Stands Alone!
Denita, of Who Tends The Fires!

Done

Really I am. Tired and exhausted. This was a real Monday.
ciao.

Beep

My one computer here at work is making weird noices. It beeps the whole time, but I don't know if it's only in my ear or if it really beeps. You know that feeling? Anyways, now it sounds even weirder. Maybe I should turn it off......

CNN.com - Police arrest husband of missing Utah woman - Aug 2, 2004

Well, unfortunately that is what I expected would eventually happen. Everything seemed fishy from the beginning.
Sad.

Like a princess

Over the weekend my husband gave me a gift certificate for a Spa. I get to have my nails done and haircut and get a one-hour massage. There is more too. I scheduled my appointment for next Saturday. I can't wait!!! I never had anything done like that except for my finger nails a looooong time ago.
Isn't that the nicest gift?

Happy Anniversary!!!!

To my parents.
They are celebrating 29 years of happy marriage today!!!
And right on time my dad's car wouldn't start this morning, so he can't take my mom out to a fancy restaurant in downtown Hamburg tonight. But that's ok. There are restaurants where they live too.
Damn car though. If you ever are thinking about buying a Audi. DON'T!!!