Desperate

I am now the proud temporary possessor of the dvd-package of Desperate houseviwes as mentioned in previous item. I am so tempted to start looking at it as we "speak". But as said, I will bide my time and do it when I have time to see it all in one go. Or at least in two goes. After all, we're talking about something like 18 hours of telly here. That's a long time.

Can't wait! Even willing to sacrifice one of my out-evenings. Scary, isn't it?

Calendar

I have a good friend, who has a sense of style. This is great, since I don't. I always "use" him as a benchmark for any styling. I.e. if I can be bothered to do any styling at all :)

Anyway, this friend has a 2006 calendar which I really like. He has (on my insistent request I might add) now got me one too. What is so great with this calendar is that it has pictures of herbs and stuff and when you rub your finger on the picture you get the aroma of that month's herb. What a fantastic marketing idea!

For January/February it is tarragon, for March/April thyme and so forth. In case you're interested I'll keep you posted of the rest of the year :)

Networking

I used to work in a company where networking wasn't recognized as an advantage or a skill. Of course it is. As an example: we used to travel in to see each other every year. All of us worked in the same department, just in different countries. Now, when you spend time and money to meet, the intention is to learn something new, to share experiences and to network. Right?

The person in charge of these events didn't really get it. The agenda for these meetings were packed with info. Very few breaks in an 8-hour day. All of us had travelled in. Basically no time for networking and socializing.

The only time was dinner when you had a chance to talk to people. And only if you stayed in the same hotel. The funny thing is what happens when you work in a business and you meet business "associates"...you talk about what you have in common. Work!

Which means that you really spend your "spare time" on work related issues. Which in turn means that it is a valuable contribution to the company. Who didn't recognize this as being advantageous in the first place!

But guess what? Without a network, being it business or social or whatever, you're nothing. And if you are nothing, the company is nothing. Oxymoron?

Low profile?

I have learned over the years that I am not a low profile person. I kind of get noticed (not in a good way, not in a bad way, just noticed). Think I told you in a previous blog item (at least I intended to), that this is what I did on day one in the course. Or so I thought.

Had a drink with one of the course mates today, and we got to talk about the other participants (as you do :). I said that so-and-so and so-and-so were noticed, not shy type of people, nice and so forth, but noticed from the beginning. Her response was: yes, they were, and so were you. So much for my theory on a low profile!

Guess it proves my point that from drunks and children you hear the truth!

The things I didn't do in life

Do I regret things in my life? Of course I do. There are lots of times where I should have zigged, then zagged, now looking back. But I think in general most of the things I regret are the ones I didn't try or do.

You know like the traditional question asked to the person on the deathbed: did you really not regret that you worked so much (implying missing out on life, family, friends, that type of thing)? I think we all know the answer, yet many of us do the same mistakes.

Guess we'd all be better off as animals. At least they only do the same mistake once.

Todays word: balls

have sb by the balls OFFENSIVE
to have someone in a situation where you have complete power over them

Todays word: optimism

optimism
noun [U]
the tendency to be hopeful and to emphasize the good part of a situation rather than the bad part; the belief that good things will happen in the future:
There was a note of optimism in his voice as he spoke about the company's future.
Judging from your examination results, I think you have cause/grounds/reason for cautious optimism about getting a university place.
NOTE: The opposite is pessimism.

Todays word: disappointed

disappointed
adjective
unhappy because someone or something was not as good as you hoped or expected, or because something did not happen:
We were deeply disappointed at/about the result.
His parents were bitterly disappointed in/with him.
[+ (that)] She was disappointed (that) they hadn't phoned.
[+ to infinitive] He was disappointed to find they'd already gone.
If you're expecting Dad to let you borrow his car, you're going to be sorely disappointed.

Peru

I don't know jack schit :) about this country, but I have now come across three people here in Switzerland from there. Strange. Two of them I really like. One of them is ok, but not one I would see as a future friend. Two out of three, not bad. Again, life really. I would say in general one of three people I meet I couldn't care less about. Doesn't mean I don't care as such, but I wouldn't go the extra mile.

However, the other two are great. Perhaps Peru is a country worth visiting? Especially since they grow mango :)

The Dutch - again

Seems like I'm into nationalities this evening. Well, I worked in Holland for almost 2 years. The Dutch are known for their tulips, their wooden shoes and their ability to stay above water. For those of you who don't know, Holland was once almost covered by water. But the skills of the Dutch include know-how on to "bridge" this tiny problem :)

Anyway, another skill of the Dutch include trading. They are known for it. At one point in history time they had an empire. "The sun is always shining on a Dutch country/colony".

The reason for this escapes me. I was there, and the first word I learned was "overleg". This means discussion/let's talk this over/let's not make a decision today type of thing. How did they ever manage to get so successful? Beyond me.

The poor Germans

Nobody likes them. Not even the Swiss, and in our foreign minds they are mini-Germans. Yet the Germans are a force to be reckoned with. 82,431,390 (give or take) of them. Europe's largest economy and second most populous nation. Not easy to ignore.

And haven't we all come across them? I think one of the most prime examples is on the beach. Ze Germans all get up at 5 in the morning, get to the beach and mark "their" chairs/beds with a towel. Which means when the rest of us get up, all chairs/beds are taken.

My advice? Throw the towels to the side, and get on the chair/bed yourself :)...

Sewing

One of the exercises we had to do, or still have to, in the course, is to do a skill inventory. This means to list skills that you have. Very difficult indeed, especially since they demand 300 of them! Not sure I have 300 skills. But apparently I do.

As an example we have a woman from Taiwan in our group. We asked her what she likes to do in her spare time. One of the things were "I like to sew". So we said, there's a skill! Her response? No, it's not a skill, everybody in Asia does it.

So, you see, you may have skills you are not aware of, but it's still a nuisance to have to list them :)

The English

A funny lot. Very likable, but slow starters. The English (in general, there are exceptions I admit) usually hold a very low profile in the beginning. Extremely polite, and extremely good in bantering. Dry sense of humour. Very funny.

The thing I do not understand is how they can put up with the housing standard (in England i.e.). Carpets in the bathroom? Ugh. Can't think of anything worse. How filthy is that?

But the English are probably the best pub-mates you can have. Easy-going. Intimated by everything, and too polite to say, they just keep on bantering and joking. Very charming.

Water off a duck's back

Learned something new today. Again. I used to use the expression "water off a goose". Not the correct one. Even though a duck and a goose have the same type of feathers :) (excuse). Next excuse is that English is not my first language.

I just think it's funny. Some expressions are born out of foreigners not knowing the correct ones. And sometimes it can become really funny.

Like a language I know really well, where a "prick" means a dot. The sentence was ended with a "prick", or please show them to the "whip-room", meaning VIP-room.

More examples, please!

PS. Criticism to a man, water off a duck's back :)

Prejudice

What is so fascinating with entering a new environment (in my case this course) is that you are not prejudiced to anything. In fact, it is an empty space really. And I know that my scientist friends now will go bananas, but so be it. It is fantastic to meet people you can get along with, and still they know nothing about you. And vice versa.

I know, this phase doesn't last long, but it's a nice feeling. I thrive on meeting new people. "The more the merrier" is my type of thing. I am also a realist, so I know what will happen. You initially may think that these new "friendships" will last. They will not. But I am "old and ugly enough" to know that some of them actually will. Which is great!

I have gained new friends! Lucky me.

The rest of the world vs the Swiss

I have the good fortune of participating in a course with foreigners in Switzerland. One of the many things that strike me as different amongst us vs the Swiss, is the spontaneity.

Last Thursday in between finishing the course for the day, and waiting for the theater play to start, I had a heureka-moment. Why don't I ask my fellow classmates to join me for a beer?

Out of a group of 13 (yes, I miscalculated last time, we're only 13) 8 of them joined instantly. Isn't that great? With a Swiss person you would have to book them something like 2 weeks in advance, having them go through their calendars and finally making an appointment.

Since (which I learned) it was Australia day, and one of the women in the class happen to come from there, we went to the Australian pub. I am now the proud owner of a Fosters-tshirt :)

Americans vs Europeans

I am so surprised that no challenge to this item has come up. I claim that Americans are very ignorant of Europe. On the other hand, the same goes for Europeans. We are ignorant of the Americans. But I'd like to say one thing though. Europeans are more aware of what is going on in the world.

Anyone?

Information overload

Sorry I haven't been blogging the last few days. I have had a case of info overload, what with the course and everything. So many new people to get to know, so much info to take in, so busy. I'm recharging my batteries, and I will soon be back. Promise!

Just have to mention the theater I went to on Thursday evening. It was a play based on the Full Monty...if you get my drift :) I was told that a former Mr Swiss was one of the guys. Yum! But my gay friend said that he looked a little light in the trouser department...not that I was looking ;)

Jack Schit

One of my favourite links:

http://home.pacbell.net/diana_do/knowjack.htm

Todays word: impressive

impressive
adjective
1 If an object or achievement is impressive, you admire or respect it, usually because it is special, important or very large:
That was an impressive performance from such a young tennis player.
an impressive collection of modern paintings
There are some very impressive buildings in the town.

Todays word: advance

verb [I or T]
to go or move something forward, or to develop or improve something:
The fire advanced steadily through the forest.
The troops advanced on the city (= approached it, ready to attack).
We have advanced greatly in our knowledge of the universe.
Her study has considerably advanced (= helped) the cause of equal rights.
[+ two objects] Could you advance me £50 (= pay it to me before the regular time) until Tuesday?
He's just trying to advance (= improve) his own career.

Todays word: delusion

delusion
noun [C or U]
when someone believes something that is not true:
[+ that] He's under the delusion that he will be promoted this year.

Mendrisio

I have now heard from secure sources that Mendrisio (small town in the very south of Switzerland) has an outlet where you can shop brand clothes for half price. Funny thing is that the first I heard about it was from a friend in Norway. About a week later I "gained a friend" who comes from there, who has confirmed the story.

Guess I'm going shopping in March, when the friend from Norway is coming to visit.

Just that I have a sneaky suspicion I've been there before. But who would know? Certainly not I, who did not inherit the sense-of-direction-gene.

What is the difference between a visit and a page view?

I have asked this question twice on this blog, but no answer. This is taken from the sitemeter web, and the answer is:

When you are browsing a site, every time you follow a link to a new web page, it is treated as a single page view . Site Meter defines a visit as a series of page views by one person with no more than 30 minutes in between page views. If you click on a link to another site, and then come back to your site within 30 minutes, you are still on the same visit and Site Meter won't increment the counter. But Site Meter will increment the number of page views recorded for your current visit.

Anybody any wiser?

Contradictions

I come from a country which is very contradictory. On one hand we agree that prostitution is not a crime, on the other hand it is illegal to buy a prostitute.

We also have an industry that produces weapons. We are not allowed to sell weapons to a country in war, only to the ones not involved in a war. We need a certificate to tell us that whoever buys the weapons are not gonna use them. Hello?

Mangos

This is I think my absolute favourite fruit. To hear one of the participants today talking about his mango farm in Peru, wow! I must say I was almost drooling. Mind you, not only because of the mango. The guy was pretty tasty too. Only has a girlfriend. So hands-off, right?

Perhaps I am developing a conscience. Didn't used to be a problem, but I think it is now. So I will stay away from making any advances. Might develop into a friendship though, who knows?

A funny incident

Happened in the seminar today. You know the type of thing. You spend half a day with introductions of the company who gives the seminar, the people who are the trainers/teachers/facilitators/whatever and then you go around the table to introduce yourself.

In the afternoon you have your first "group/team work". So you sit with the other three people you are grouped together with, and you have 30 min to come up with a strategy for something or another. You are given an overhead and a pen, and you get to work. Remember those are people you have never before seen in your life.

Then invariably, you have a break. For the smokers (like myself) it is clear what to do. Some others trail behind, yet another few get on the phone. You know the drill.

Then you come back, and it's time for the presentations. Since I did the overhead writing, I suggested that somebody else would present it. No go. The English guy: "no, you do it, you're prettier than I". My reply was: "well, so are most people here". (And I'm not joking. This guy is a highly skilled academic, with shaved head, a nose-ring and extremely casual clothes).

Did the presentation, and upon ending it, the same English guy said "well done love", whereupon I replied: "you look prettier by the minute".

Guess I have established myself in the group now :)

Desperate housewives

Now, I'm a bit behind on this. I am a true Sex&the City fan, but this series has escaped me so far. I have seen a few episodes on Swiss tv (where you can switch the language, so you do not have to hear the extremely awful dubbed German version), but I never got into it. Too many places to visit, to much to do when it was on type of thing.

Anyhow, a friend of mine has now bought the entire season-1 dvd package, and I am next on the list to borrow it. Lucky me. Since I know myself by now, I know that I will save it for a special day and then watch it all in one go. Probably will end up with square eyes. What one doesn't have to do to keep up with trends, huh?

The seminar

The seminar started today, and I must confess that I did not wear what I said in an earlier blog item. The reason was that I woke up to 7- Celsius, freeeezing! So I chose casual wear (warm) with a jacket and hood, which didn't fit with a hat unfortunately. If I'm lucky the weather will get warmer, and I still aim to wear the previously described outfit. Perhaps for the last day?

It was a really interesting day. We were 14 people, 8 women and 4 men. There were people from Peru, UK, Ireland, US, Taiwan, Italy, Nordic (me), Philippines and more. Several of the people had dual and in one case even triple citizenships. And yet we all got along from get-go. Isn't life sometimes amazing?

Todays word: fresh

fresh (NEW)
adjective [before noun]
1 new; different or another:
The original orders were cancelled and I was given fresh instructions.
Fresh evidence has emerged that casts doubts on the men's conviction.
We need to take a fresh look at the problem.
Your coffee is cold - let me make you a fresh cup.
There has been fresh fighting between police and demonstrators.
They decided to move abroad and make a fresh start.

2 APPROVING new and therefore interesting or exciting:
His book offers some fresh insights into the events leading up to the war.
We have tried to come up with a fresh new approach.

No taxi

When I was visiting my friends childhood home there was no taxi. Not that there were no taxies available, it was just that you couldn't drive there.

My friend comes from the Swiss mountains. And when I say mountains, I really do mean so. His Mum raised 8 kids (I know, condoms weren't invented back then :), in a cottage which lies about 300m above the nearest village.

The house is located halfway up the mountain. The steepness is something like 60%. If you lean over you will fall down. And I'm not kidding. How the parents ever managed to raise 8 kids not having one of them fall down is amazing. A dog did. He is no longer with them.

I hiked up there with my friend. Me, hiking? I know. Weird things happen in life. It took about 20 min, and again, it was/is steep. The view up there? Beautiful, marvellous, amazing. Was it worth the hike? Yes, it was :)

A taxi girl

I'm one. Why walk when you can take a taxi?

This item was triggered by a friend who commented on a blog item. And now I have to be critical. Following on the previous blog item, when I am prompted to "approve" a comment it doesn't say which comment it is. This is now turning out to be a bit of a problem, since my blog is 3 months old.

I pride myself on answering every item, but it starts to get difficult when you do not find the item to answer.

The answer is: write a new blog item :)...like this.

Again, I'm a taxi girl. No reason to walk if you don't have to...

Password

Why do I have a password for sending a comment? Only because I've been told that if you don't you get lots of spam comments. This means that every time somebody posts a comment (with the password), I have to "approve". I can assure you that I do not edit anything. I just have the "final saying" in case somebody unknown wants to publish something "inappropriate".

So, for you (and you know who you are) it is not a control-freak thing, ok?

The beam place

And another thing about the beam place. It's in a building from something like the 1300-hundreds. Old. And when you succeed in crawling over the beams in the ceiling you get a knife in order to carve your name into whatever is free. A table, the wall or the ceiling, whatever you fancy really.

Makes this place special. Guess in business terms it would "we have a profile" :)...not that they would care. They have just been in the business too long. And survived.

Beam

Another one of my fav places here in Zürich is a restaurant/bar. Once I ate there, and the food was delicious. But most of the times I've been there, it was just for a drink. They do not serve beer or spirits, just wine. And excellent wine.

They have a thing in this place. The restaurant itself is scattered around several small rooms, but the bar is the hot-spot. Now, the thing is that they challenge people to creep over the beams in the ceiling. If you manage (one in ten does apparently), you are allowed one free drink. The only problem is that you have to drink it hanging upside down.

On Fridays and Saturdays, there are lots of contestants. Is it perhaps to do with alco, and (mainly) men want to be macho? Absolutely. But it's fun.

You just have to move aside, in order not to get kicked in the face :)

History

When something is good is survives (like a company, a place, whatever). The tacky place has managed to survive for more than 100 years. Amazing, isn't it?

I just have to get back at the Americans now. Your country has no history (well, it does but not more than 200-300 years...nothing). Not your fault I admit, but it's funny.

Here in Europe we tripple over 600-year-old buildings, family-owned businesses (ok, maybe not 600 years old, but close enough), history is everywhere. Which in my mind is not interesting in itself, but it does impress me with a place that's been around for more than 100 years.

Guess it means that I wasn't the first to discover it :)

Second home

Not sure I want to refer to the tacky place as my second home, but guess it's close. This is a place you can go to when you feel alone, down, or just want to mix with others.

The staff knows you, they know what you want to drink, they know how you react and function. It's just comfortable I guess.

And the fact that I get a lot of my inspiration for this blog from there, doesn't hurt. Or does it?

Weirdo

Tonight I was joined by a weirdo at "my" table. Well, I guess that as much as I invested in this place, I probably am the owner of this table by now.

Anyway, I shared it tonight with a complete weirdo. How to explain a weirdo? He was moving about (don't we all?), he was fiddling about with his rucksack and his clothes (ok, that can happen), he was just weird ok? Hard to explain.

A bit later, one of the waiters told me that he was recently an owner of a newspaper. What? Sometimes people surprise you. Not enough to trigger my interest in him as a man though :)

Todays word: unpredictable

unpredictable
adjective
tending to change suddenly and without reason and therefore not able to be predicted (= judged in advance) or depended on:
The weather there can be a bit unpredictable - one minute it's blue skies and the next minute it's pouring down.
The hours in this job are very unpredictable - you sometimes have to work late at very short notice.

The tacky place

Again, love this place. Tonight I saw a fabulous-looking 30-something black man dancing with a 70-something woman with a bad perm. I guarantee you there are few places where you can spot these things.

In a way this triggered my previous blog item, since I noticed this guy early on. He was with his (most probably) girlfriend, but that doesn't matter. He has personality.

Later on in the evening, he did a guest-star performance on stage, playing with the band. And doing it good. And guess what? He is American!

For all of you out there who thought I was a racist :)

I have great eye for talent!

If I was smart I would exploit this talent. Guess I'm not that smart.

Anyway, how do you profit from this? Being a headhunter? Boring. Dating agency? Too scary. Films? Too Hollywood.

Ideas, anyone?

I'm a millionaire!

I think most people are. Please just don't ask me in which currency :)

Strangely enough I find that people with little money are the most generous. Why is that? Is it because they are closer to reality, meaning they know how to appreciate the value of money?

The rich ones are usually more stroppy. Weird, isn't it?

PS. I'm not stroppy, what does that tell you?

Dumb laws

These are laws in Switzerland:

Switzerland
Clothes may not be hung to dry on Sunday.You may not wash your car on a Sunday.It is considered an offense to mow your lawn on a Sunday, because it causes too much noise.It is illegal to flush the toilet after 10 P.A man may not relieve himself while standing up, after 10 P.Though it is illegal to produce, store, sell and trade absinth (special alcohol), it is legal to consume it.It is required that every car with snow tires has to have a sticker on its dashboard which tells that the driver should not drive faster than 160 km/h with these tires.If you forget you car-keys inside the car and you leave the car open, you will be punished.

Source: http://dumblaws.com/

Check out what's valid for your country!

Bummer

The only problem with having friends oversees (apart from the obvious fact that you don't get to see them very often) is the time difference. They are never at home when you have time to call. Which unfortunately means I do not get to speak to them as often as I would like.

Ah well, that's life abroad for you.

What makes a woman happy?

Obviously I cannot speak for everybody, but I can give a few tips on what makes me happy. Especially since I was so nicely asked by the bloke who commented on the dance piece.

One of the first dates with lover boy he brought me a little plant arrangement. It was so nicely (yet not sophisticated) put together, that I have gone to great length to keep it alive. Like giving it water every second day. Makes me happy to look at it.

Thoughtful little things like this are good for keeping a womans interest. Another thing are compliments. Never hurts. Focus on something that you like about the person (stay away from tits-and-ass ones, unless you're already in bed!), and be sure to give compliments. Can also be about other things than the body, even though those go a long way of making a woman feel beautiful.

Yet another thing that is attractive is to keep promises. When you say you would do something (phone call, help out, meet at a certain time, that type of thing), make sure you do. Or at least let the woman know if you cannot make it or if you're running late. Few things are as irritating as people who do not stay true to their word.

Forget putting the toilet seat down (I'm just as bad as the next bloke), but do make sure you do not pee outside. Urine stains in toilet...yuk!

Just a few tips for now, I'll get back with more later.

Sprüngli

This one is a confectionary (like a baker but somebody who makes chocolate, delicate cookies and edible pieces of art) maker. And I must admit, they make the best chocolate cake I ever had.

After the meal last Friday, where I stuffed myself with raclette, I just couldn't get anything more down (too much food takes the nice blurring effect out of the wine :). So my friends were kind enough to get me the leftovers yesterday, which we had as dessert.

Gotta tell you, this really makes a woman happy!

Todays word: comfort

comfort
noun
1 [U] a pleasant feeling of being relaxed and free from pain:
She evidently dresses for comfort.
It's a little too hot for comfort.
Now you can watch the latest films in the comfort of your own room.

2 [C or U] when you feel better after feeling sad or worried, or something that makes you feel better in this way:
The letters that people wrote after his death gave me a lot of comfort.
It's some comfort to his wife (= It makes her feel less sad) to know that he died instantly and didn't suffer.
I've got to take an exam too, if it's any comfort (= if it makes you feel better to know that we share the same problem or bad luck).
I know she goes out a lot at night, but I draw/take comfort from the fact that she's always with friends.
He's a great comfort to his mother.

3 [U] when you have a pleasant life with enough money for everything that you need:
He could retire now and live in comfort for the rest of his life.

4 [C usually plural] something that makes your life easy and pleasant:
After the trip, it was nice getting back to a few home comforts.
She's always liked her creature comforts (= the type of pleasure found in the house, for example warmth, food, etc.).

From Jehovas to Cablecom

It used to be Jehovas witnesses ringing your doorbell and wanting to "sell" you something. Like jesus or whatever. Nowadays it's a company called Cablecom (yes, they send me letters every month) and today they rang the door.

Only because they did, I will not even listen. And it's funny. Every time somebody here in Switzerland wants to sell me something I do not speak a word of German. How very convenient :)

I just don't think it is a big difference between what they are trying to sell. Jehovas, yes, it's something you do (or not) believe in. Cablecom, yes arguably more understandable but still something I do not want. Old world meeting the new world, what is really new?

Favourite words

Integrity, surprising, inspiration, fun, cool, empathy, promise. That's me. Take it or leave it.

Fav place

My favourite place here in Zürich is a tacky one. One of the reasons I love it is that it is full of strange people. You come across exec's in ties, tourists, heroin-abusers, the underprivileged (local idiot, and if you're lucky he won't take his teeth out), the party animals, the drunks, the once-in-a-while visitors, in fact, life.

One of the reasons that I love this place is that everybody is welcome. I have been to many countries and many clubs, and most of them have bouncers. This place have them too, but the other way around. They will throw you out if you do not behave. Bouncers elsewhere will not let you in, unless you are "cool".

Don't get me wrong, I love "cool" people, in fact I'm one of them (I'd like to think:), but the coolest thing of all is to accept everybody. Even if they're not like you.

Todays word: difference

with a difference
describes something unusual, and more interesting or better than other things of the same type:
Try new Cremetti - the ice cream with a difference.

I met a man

Well, guess this is not a surprising topic. I do meet a lot of them. However, this guy is a bit different. I have now seen him three times. The first time he spent talking about how happy he is with his wife since 25 years. Fine.

Second time we met, he told me about his son. Apparently his son, who is now 19 years old, is gay. Bit of a problem it seemed like.

Tonight I met this guy again. He approached me, and we said hello. The fact that he remembered my name was a big plus. The gay son was no longer a "problem" he told me. Good for him. I told him that some of my best friends are gay. Sexual preferences? What do I care? What I care about are good people. They can fuck a goat for all I care (you know what I mean), as long as the goat is up for it :)

Drama queen

My ex is a drama queen. I don't say was, because he still is. Even though we split up. For example, he couldn't even go to bed without a drama.

"Normal" people would quietly sit on the bed, and then lie down. He would flip up the duvet, making the dust think they would be better off elsewhere, and throw himself on the bed. Considering that he is something like 115 kg, I am lucky that we split up. Don't think my bed could take it anymore.

Babe magnet

This blog item is directed to all men out there. If you wanna be a babe magnet (and I still have to meet a man who doesn't) you need to learn how to dance. The most boring and uninteresting-looking man gets attention from a woman when they can dance.

It is very attractive to watch a man who has the "moves". If he can get you to do the to-and-fro with determination and stamina, I guess the appeal to us women is that he can do it elsewhere too.

So, dance on men. It'll get you to where you want to be :)

Happily married?

Well, I wouldn't know. I never was able to stay with a guy more than 2 years. Think it's called something like attention deficit. I get bored easily. Thing is also I'm a serial monogamist (this word cannot be found in Cambridge dictionary, I just hope that you readers will get it).

It means that I stay with a man, one at a time. Since I'm not a teenager any more it means there have been a few. Only once in my life did I date two guys at the same time. Too tiresome, too much thinking and work. So, again, I'm a serial monogamist. Or whatever the word is...

Lawyer

I happen to know a lawyer. I know, not the type of people you would normally mix with, is it? Guess I'm lucky, since this one happens to have not only a sense of humour but also a life outside work...whaddayaknow.

Anyway, this one does, and he is cool (again, surprising isn't it? Lawyers play in the same league as accountants when it comes to sense of humour). Just love it when I'm proved wrong.

So, here's the link for the band he plays in: www.division-kent.com. And apparently his stage name is "Sky Antinori". All I know about Antinori is that it is one of the best wines I ever had. Italian in case you didn't know. And called Villa Antinori, as supposed to the lawyer friend.

Just love it when people have more than one thing to their personality...

Crank call

Somebody just phoned, wrong number. That is fine, but some time ago I had a breather. Quite a stupid such, since the calling number was displayed. I noted it down, looked it up on the net and noted the name of the person. Nobody I knew. Since it didn't happen again, I let it slip. But it's really uncomfortable when that happens. And what is the thrill for these people?

Dinner

The raclette evening tonight starts at 19.30, so have just got time to pour a glass of wine and blog a little.

Tomorrow I'll be doing the cooking. On the menu is plain iceberg salad with dressing as a starter. For main I'll be doing a little Asian-style stew, consisting of beef sliced into small pieces, peppers, courchette, mushrooms, carrot and lots of spices. This will cook together with soya sauce, and be served with rice. Easy to make, and is usually very good.

Suspect we'll have a glass of wine or three to flush it down :)

Topic?

I have a few topics I would like to write about, but I would much rather have you visitors ask for a subject. Anything you would like my opinion on? Since I seem to have opinions on most things, I would be happy to oblige :)

Americans - again!

Who are you guys out there? I can see you are on my blog. Few Europeans are awake at this hour. Are you enjoying it? Are you just browsing? Just curious.

Todays word: fly

fly (TROUSERS)
noun [C] (UK ALSO flies)
the opening at the front of a pair of trousers:
Hey Chris, your fly's undone!

Outfit

Ok, I have now decided about the outfit for the course start next week. I will wear cool black pants, a purple top, killer boots and a dangerously pink jacket. And a black hat (not a sombrero though).

This is daring, since further on in the course, we will appear in front of a video (is it still called video?) camera. I hate this. Did it many years ago. Have you ever seen yourself, or heard yourself? It's a friggin' nightmare. Doesn't sound like you at all, even though everybody says so.

Anyway, if I make a statement like this, I will have to live up to it when it comes to camera time. I think I am up to it. Scary? Sure. But sometimes you've gotta bite the bullet...

Live music vs the opposite

I'm not into music as such. I like some background sound at times, but I'm useless when it comes to knowing who's singing. I know, these days it's all about ipods and thingies, and I just couldn't care less.

However, live music is a different thing. I've been to jazz clubs (and I really do not like jazz, where's the melody?), blues clubs, all sorts of places. But what I really enjoy is the live type of music. And I did enjoy these clubs, because it was live.

I'm sorry, but I just cannot get excited about cd's, or whatever music is played. Unless it's live, I'm just not with it.

You may now shout "old!", but I don't think that's it. I've been the same all my life. Weird? Sure.

Fat

Every woman has moments where she feels fat. Sometimes it's just that time of the month, and it doesn't matter your weight, all women (and I dare say this) feel fat at times.

The best way to get over it is to see somebody who is really, really fat. Like obese. I saw one woman this evening. She was BIG. Makes me feel slim and beautiful. Great recipe. Comparison, therein lies the answer.

Feminism - yeah!

I am the born feminist, absolutely. But it was a long time ago I realized that talking didn't help much. No, to do a career is what matters. Latch on to people you admire and trust, above you in the hierarchy, and take it from there. Needless to say you have to work hard.

A little luck helps, but mostly I think it is hard work that does the trick. And don't forget to be pushy. If women in general want to succeed, don't expect to be treated like a "lady". Mix with the boys, but with integrity. You will be respected, and hopefully successful.

However, there is a glass ceiling. I'm not stupid. I realize that. Women are seldom invited to the board room. And that is a bloody disgrace. "These things take time" I have heard too many times. I was told that back in 80's. Now 30 years later it is still the same for the oldies. And unfortunately the oldies are in charge.

Well, guess there is no way to go but forward. So, women, make a career!

Trust statistics?

Tricky question. There must be something to it, but I don't trust statistics explicitly. For example, the number of visitors to my blog (according to the sitemeter I subscribe to) have gone up remarkably. Could it be that somebody wants me to feel wanted, and therefore visit the site several times a day? Just in order to bump statistics?

I hope not. Being a positive (most of the time) person I choose to believe I have been "discovered" :) And hey, if that's the case, I am honoured.

The Swiss

The Swiss are a funny lot when it comes to partying. They have a tendency to do it on their own. I don't mean going out on your own, because that is perfectly normal. What is odd is that they stay alone when out. Seldom talk to anybody (unless they know them beforehand, or unless they are drunk).

When I go out, I do so to meet people, have a good talk, party together, share something. I wonder if that makes me or the Swiss strange?

Introvert is the middle name of the Swiss.

Ironing board

As somebody once expressed it: I have the Rolls Royce of ironing boards. Was just ironing and got to think about how many times I've seen people iron on shitty ironing boards and with a less than good iron. That is so bad. For something that you do so often, it is important to have the right equipment.

Same with the bed really. You spend a lot of time there (maybe not always sleeping :) ??), so make sure you have the right tools. Hahaha!

What to wear?

I have mixed feelings on this one. On one hand, it is important to make a good impression. On the other hand, I'd like to be me.

I remember a mentor who said to me: "I will sell them the moon". My response was, "well, won't they be disappointed when they only get me?".

Will probably choose something in between. Like casual pants with a smart jacket, nice top and a scarf. Or something...suggestions? For the course.

Strategy seminar

I'm off on a course for 10 days, starting next week. It's called Strategy seminar whatsit whatsit :)...It was a long time ago somebody invested in me enough to send me on a classroom course.

It'll be interesting I'm sure. Perhaps I'll even learn something!

Weekend plans

It's not often I have plans for the weekend before the weekend actually arrives. But I do now. Tomorrow it'll be raclette at a friend's place, and Saturday another friend is coming to my place. She has been on a long holiday on the other side of the world, and will bring photos.

I suspect we'll have a glass of wine or two, and catch up on things that happened since we last met.

Look forward...

Blondie joke

Stuck On An Island

A blonde, a brunette and a redhead are stuck on an island. For years, they live there, and one day they find a magic lamp. They rub it, and sure enough, out comes a genie. The genie says "since I can only give out 3 wishes, you may each have one" So the brunette goes first, "I have been stuck here for years, I miss my family and my husband and my life - I just want to go home." POOF, she is gone. The redhead makes her wish, "This place sucks, I want to go home too." POOF, she
is gone. The blonde starts crying uncontrollably. The genie asks, "What is the matter?" The blonde said, "I wish my friends were here."

Todays word: sustenance

sustenance (FOOD)
noun [U] FORMAL
1 food:
During this freezing weather, the food put out by householders is the only form of sustenance that the birds have.

2 the ability of food to provide people and animals with what they need to make them strong and healthy:
A stick of celery does not provide much sustenance.

Impulsive

Love impulsive people. Just got an sms (very late here in Europe) from a friend in Germany. She asked if I would like to come and visit over the weekend, since she and her band has a performance. Unfortunately I have plans already. But love the impulse, and wish more people were like her.

In vino veritas

This I certainly know what it means. In wine you see the truth. Oh yes, you do. Thing is, that when you're slightly under the influence, you express things that you do not dare when sober. These things may be over-the-top, and expressed in a way that is slightly unappropriate, but has nevertheless a core of truth to it.

In my home country we have a saying (translated): "From children and drunks you hear the truth".

So, in vino veritas :)

Confused again

Here was I thinking that blogging was no good. Veni vidi vici kind of thing. I came, I saw, I conquered (not sure about the latin spelling, so forgive me for not being Einstein). Have been trying hard to blog on a daily basis, and share my life.

I now understand how hard it is to be a writer. Not much feedback, and yet a lot of work. Few of them (the writers) are laughing all the way to the bank. I don't laugh at all, since my blog is non-profit :(

However, when I left it for two days, and then logged on again, I had 17 visitors in one day. Wow! All of a sudden I gear up again, since apparently somebody is liking what she/he sees. Great!

I will do my best!

Instant gratification

I'm one of them. People who expects instant gratification that is. I have trouble with waiting for small things. For big things I can wait forever. What does that make me?

Patience is not for me, unless it concerns something I really want. It was a long time ago I felt that. So, for now, everything is within reach and instant...isn't it?

Todays word: extravaganza

extravaganza
noun [C]
a large, exciting and expensive event or entertainment:
a musical/dance extravaganza
a 3-hour extravaganza of country music

Kick

I know I have been slow on blogging the last few days. Just didn't feel I had anything to say. Now when I see I had 16 visitors today, I get re-energized. You push me to perform. This is a good thing. Haven't felt that in a while.

Keep on pushing people...I need it :)

Älplermakkaroni

Yes, I know, to most of you reading it doesn't make sense. But this is a recipe for Macaroni from the Alps. And when described, it doesn't sound tasty at all. But trust me, it is. We had it last Sunday, and it is (rightly cooked of course) very good. For the German speaking crowd on the blog, here's the recipe:

http://www.patyuellendahl.hpg.ig.com.br/d/rezepte.htm#alp

Scary neighbour

I have a really scary neighbour. He lives across from me, and has a balcony, as do I. When I moved in here 3 1/2 years ago, my friends and I tried to make contact by toasting, by saying something but no response whatsoever.

Some time ago I met my other neighbours in my house (yes, it's right, we do not exactly mix on a daily basis here in this house. I only talked to them for the first time after 3 years. Lots to say about anonymity in this country I tell you). Anyway, they had exactly the same experience, and they have been living in this house for 7 years.

My friends and I have named him "Smoky Joe", since that seems to be all he does. Every 5 min he goes on the balcony to smoke. One wonders why, since he lives alone. Just a thought, but why not smoke indoors? My neighbours have named him "Hangman", since they think he is the type.

Whatever is the case, it is scary. In the time I lived here, I have seen him on the phone twice and having visitors twice. I think the visitors were his Mum and sister. What a sad life.

Back on plus

In Zürich it has been very cold lately. Minus degrees. Celsius. Now we're back on plus, not much, but still.

In my dream world the seasons would exist of spring and summer only. Or just summers. 25 Celsius, that's the ideal temperature. Lots of sunshine, fresh fruit and veggies, warm water to swim in, a permanent tan, sunbleached hair...wow, I'm just dreaming, ok? Dead tired of this winter.

What to do to cheer one up? The outing on Sunday was good. Lots of candles indoors. The odd drink. Seeing friends. Painting the town red occasionally. Anybody has a better idea?

The Alpes

Had an outing last Sunday, and went to the Alpes. It was scary and exciting at the same time. We first took a cable car up the mountain, 73% steepness (!!) I was told it is the steepest in Europe. Wow! We then proceeded to the very top, with the help of two ski lifts.

It was beautiful up there. Sun was shining above the clouds, about -5 Celsius, glittering snow and lots of beautiful people :)

Stopped by this place for a drink and snack:
http://www.hotel-stoos.ch/

A fine day out!

Todays word: entertainment

entertainment
noun [C or U]
shows, films, television, or other performances or activities that entertain people, or a performance of this type:
There's not much in the way of entertainment in this town - just the cinema and a couple of pubs.
FORMAL This season's entertainments include five new plays and several concerts of Chinese and Indian music.

Todays word: weary

weary
adjective
1 very tired, especially after working hard for a long time:
I think he's a little weary after his long journey.
Here, sit down and rest your weary legs.

2 weary of bored with something because you have experienced too much of it:
I've been going out with the same people to the same clubs for years and I've just grown weary of it.

weary
verb FORMAL
1 [T] to make someone feel tired:
Children weary me all day with their constant inquiries and demands.

2 [I] to start to feel that something or someone is boring:
Some people never seem to weary of eating the same type of food every day.

Words

How do I choose "todays word?". Well, mostly it is because I meet people and it triggers my thinking. Tonight, for example, I met a man who is in radio (broadcasting). Apparently he has a local radio station.

This gets my imagination going. His name is Tom (not really, but I'm not to give out any real names on this blog), and he is 38. Looks much older though. Nice outfit, jeans, cool shoes and smart jacket. Before he approached me, I did look at him.

However, if you think this is going to end "happily ever after" you're reading the wrong blog. Not. But we did have a nice talk, and who knows?, we may meet again.

I figured you out...

finally, I figured the Americans out. They are fantastic, but with low stamina. They act on impulse, on the spot, but do not stay the whole marathon.

Apart from present company as you say (my friends i.e.) I believe this to be true. Would welcome challenges though...

Todays word: broadcast

broadcast
verb [I or T] broadcast or US ALSO broadcasted, broadcast or US ALSO broadcasted
to send out a programme on television or radio:
Radio Caroline used to broadcast from a boat in the North Sea.
The tennis championship is broadcast live to several different countries.
FIGURATIVE I'm leaving but please don't broadcast (= tell everyone) the fact.

broadcast
noun [C]
a television or radio programme:
a radio/television broadcast
We watched a live broadcast of the concert.

Unpredictable

Yesterday I was unpredictable. I didn't go out, despite that is was Friday. What was wrong? Just didn't feel like it. Worrying. It's not like me. I put it down to winter depression or similar.

So, gonna make up for it tonight, and am on my way soon.

Bit of a problem though. I promised to go with a friend on an outing tomorrow. He will pick me up at 10 am. 10 am! That is friggin' early. But a promise is a promise, so I'll be there. Brighteyed and bushytailed? No promise :)

How do you find me?

I have been browsing the recently published blog items, but wasn't on there myself, even though I published an item. How do you guys who comment on my blog (who doesn't know who I am) find me? Big mystery to me.

Birthday

I just called the man I know who turns 94 today. He had his children and grandchildren visiting so it wasn't a long call, but he was happy that somebody outside the family remembered. I said: "I don't know anybody who has turned 94 who is still going strong, of course I had to call".

He said things were good, and it felt like talking to somebody close to my own age. Sometimes life is amazing, isn't it?

Todays word: booze

booze
noun [U] INFORMAL
alcohol:
The party's at Kate's on Friday night - bring some booze.

booze
verb [I] INFORMAL
to drink alcohol:
Have you been out boozing again?

boozy
adjective INFORMAL
drinking or containing a lot of alcohol:
a boozy night out

boozer
noun [C]
1 INFORMAL a person who drinks a lot

2 UK INFORMAL a pub:
the local boozer

Project

A few years ago I was working on a mighty big project here in Europe. We were planning a get-together for the main players. In this deal, there were 60+ countries involved, but only 7 that mattered. So, I placed a call to my colleague in the US, and invited her over to Europe for this meeting. She is over 60 years old.

Do you know what her reaction was? Only an American would get this. She said: yes, I do have a passport. I would venture to guess that any other nationality would have said, yes it would be nice, or no I can't make it, or something else than talking about having a passport.

Where I come from, you have a passport from the day you are born. When you are little you appear in the passport of your Mum's. And from talking age you have your own.

Now, comments from Americans on this blog item would be interesting...

Americans!

Just had a comment on the blog. No, it doesn't "bother me" at all that Americans are commenting on my blog. I love comments. And believe it or not, some of my best friends are Americans. But it just goes to show that you're really easy to wind up :) (apart from being ignorant)

Please, keep on commenting. I will answer every one of them.

OK, I'm back :)

Gave the previous topic a think, and here are my thoughts:

Yes, there is indeed a difference. The word difference here being the main word. Nothing is really good or bad, just (you guessed it!) different.

I will not make a list of traits of various nationalities, that's not the point. The point is to have an understanding that we are not all the same. The time it gets tricky is when we are far away from each other. I think in Europe (for example) we have a good understanding of each other, even if we do not always think the same. However, in Asia and Africa (for me) I have little knowledge about their habits, languages and ways of doing things.

But, I think we can all agree that Americans are the most ignorant :)

Visitors

Seems like I have the odd American visitor to my blog. I wonder why? Is it because Americans are more curious (browsing the net), more bored (nothing better to do), or just because they are more spontaneous (commenting on my blog, which is how I know)?

I don't know, but I do think there is something to be said about different nationalities, different mentalities.

Will have a think about the topic, and be back.

My biggest fan...

isn't even on internet. She is my aunt, and she loves my writing. Perhaps it is because she's the only one I write to (paper letters, that ancient thing, remember?).

Too bad, I could use the encouragement :)

Three guys!

Got invited out by three guys tonight that I met in town. They were all of the same nationality (not mine) and had all studied together (dentists). Needless to say I declined politely. What did we have in common? Absolutely nada. Apart from the one guy I know and he's really nice, but it wasn't enough to trigger my involvement in a (drunken?) night in town. Perhaps I'm losing out, but so be it.

Todays word: bugger

bugger (ANNOYANCE)
noun [C]
1 UK OFFENSIVE a silly or annoying person:
Well you shouldn't have drunk so much, should you, you daft bugger!
The stupid bugger's given me the wrong ticket!

2 INFORMAL used to or about someone that you feel sympathy for:
The poor bugger has nowhere else to sleep.

3 US INFORMAL a person or animal, especially a young one that you feel affection for:
He's a cute little bugger, isn't he?

4 UK OFFENSIVE something that is very difficult or annoying:
This tin is a bugger to open.

bugger
exclamation UK OFFENSIVE
used to express annoyance:
Oh bugger, it's raining!

Pain

It's amazing what pain can do to your mood, your sense of humour, your wellbeing. Today for the first time in 2,5 weeks, my foot is much better. Therefore I feel a whole lot more cheerful.

The drug from the doctor didn't help at all. What helped was to stay in, off my feet (well, foot, but I'm not much for stomping around on just one of them). Keep your fingers crossed it won't come back!

Always complain?

Sometimes it pays off to complain. Since I live abroad, but still have my VISA-card connected to my home country bank, the bank in all its wisdom decided to fedex my renewed card here to Zürich. Apparently post offices in other countries are not reliable (which is a loada crap if you ask me. The mail system here in Switzerland is really really good and much better than where I come from).

Anyhow, not only did they fedex the card here. The bank also charged me a hefty sum for the privilege of receiving my new card. Without asking me first! So I complained, and now they will refund the charge.

So, guess conclusion is: complain when you have a specific issue, but do it politely. Works (almost) every time.

Todays word: hip

hip (FASHIONABLE)
adjective hipper, hippest INFORMAL
fashionable:
The bars and cafés in the old part of the town are frequented by hip young students.

Schnapps

Never did I realize that you could have dual use of schnapps (a strong alcoholic drink resembling gin). Not until I hit my head on the bookshelf this morning, plugging in my pc.

Ran to the freezer to get some ice. No ice. But a left-over tiny bottle of schnapps since Christmas. Grabbed it and pressed it to my forehead. Great. Now I just have a tiny sore spot, but no swelling.

The use you have of schnapps:) Hurray for alcohol!

Judg(e)ment

We all judge other people, don't we? On what grounds? Appearance, sure. Words, sure. Acts, sure. Weird, isn't it, that we would probably all be better off being blind. Because again, like mentioned in previous blog item, it's all about being a good person. It's not about what you look like, but how you act. Am I wrong?

Well, it has been known to happen, but this time I think I'm right.

Watch

The day I stopped wearing a watch was the day I moved to Switzerland. There are watches and clocks everywhere. Not only in town, but on your computer, in your mobile phone, on the microwave, the clock-radio next to your bed, on text-tv...and so on.

Funny that is, that in the clock-country, you don't need one...

Hats

I love hats. Everybody who wears one, I look at these people. I even have a few myself, but seldom wear them. Why? Hats are cool. They make a statement. I am here, am proud of it.

Why is it that I'm such a scaredycat? With more questionmarks than answers? Is it that I have no opinions, or that I would like to leave the floor open to others?

So many questionmarks...guess the prerogative of a non-profit blogger :)

Who got the job?

Three accountants were interviewed for a job. The interviewer asked the same question to all three candidates: What is 2 + 2?

First candidate: 4.

Second candidate: I'm thinking this is a trick question so I will answer 5.

Third candidate: what would you like it to be?

Who got the job?

Que sera sera

...which I think means what happens happens, but not sure. Spanish speakers welcome to comment. Anyway, can you control destiny? I don't think so. I used to think you could, and acted thereafter. Now, when I've run into some "shitty things" I have changed my mind.

Still, to an extent, I think you can, but there are things you cannot control. And I've been told you have to learn to deal with it. This is exactly what I told other people. Before the "shitty things" happened to me.

From this I have learned never to say "I know how you feel". Because you never do. Feelings/grief/depression/bad moments, can never be compared. What you feel is unique. But also, of course, there are things you can share.

But only with people that you trust, and you feel can help.

Back in business

OK, since you guys out there didn't want to help, I had to venture out and get some inspiration. Think this blog, btw, is the biggest challenge I ever had. Seems like I have about 10 (regular?) visitors on a daily basis. The fact that I've only told my friends about the blog, it's not bad.

However, in order to get more readers/viewers/browsers/whatever, I realize I have to be more fun. So, like said, I ventured out tonight. To get inspiration. Watch out for the blog items (may not be the funniest you've ever read, but all I can muster just now).

Todays word: challenge

challenge (DIFFICULT JOB)
noun [C or U]
(the situation of being faced with) something needing great mental or physical effort in order to be done successfully and which therefore tests a person's ability:
Finding a solution to this problem is one of the greatest challenges faced by scientists today.
You know me - I like a challenge.
It's going to be a difficult job but I'm sure she'll rise to the challenge.

I'm so bored I could die...

is a famous comment from Sex and the City. Unfortunately she fell out a window, and did indeed die. I am not as bored. However, November and January seem to be the months I hate most. Nothing is really funny. It's cold, dark and miserable. Maybe sun therapy would be a good idea. It's just that I don't feel like travelling. Guess the alternative would be to sit in a white room with artificial lightning. How fun would that be?

People, help me out here! Share your (fun?) lives with me. Give me something to long for, to want, to wish for. Or just give me a good laugh. Look forward.

Dilemma

I kind of feel that I have a responsibility to write on this blog every day now, since I have visitors on a daily basis. On the other hand, when I do not feel that I have something to say it gets a bit silly.

Seems like inspiration comes in chunks. Certain days I cannot say enough, and other days it's empty or I just don't feel like it.

So, here's hoping that you still will visit regularly. Perhaps a few comments will trigger my inspiration?

Todays word: tedious

tedious
adjective
boring:
a tedious job.
The trouble is I find most forms of exercise so tedious.

Todays word: contagious

contagious
adjective
1 describes a disease that can be caught by touching someone with the disease or a piece of infected clothing:
The infection is highly contagious, so don't let anyone else use your towel.

2 describes someone who has a contagious disease:
Keep him off school till he stops being contagious.

3 A contagious feeling spreads quickly among people:
Fear is contagious.

The glass

Now, is the glass half-full or half-empty? Most of the time I think it's half-full. But there are times when I think the opposite. Are there people who are always positive? Or is it normal sometimes to feel down?

Personally I think if you never feel up, how would you know down? Or vice versa. But the question is how much of the time you feel up vs down. Ask yourself, are you really happy? If you are, how much of the time? In percentage?

What is normal here? Heck if I know. I just know that I wish to be happy all the time, but it isn't possible. Guess the answer is to try. Negativism is never attractive. And if you are the happy/positive type, please share. It's contagious!

Unexpected visit

Like I said in my blog item on Friday, sometimes the unexpected happen. It did to me and this is how it went:

Friday evening I ran into a guy I had a fling with some time ago. He wanted to go for a drink after the place closed. I said maybe. We both ended up talking to other people during the course of the evening, and when closing time was near, I decided to leave. He was busy talking to somebody so I just left.

Got home, blogged a bit, had a glass a wine, went to bed. Half an hour later the door bell goes. I got up, confused and sleepy, and decided not to open. However, after three rings, I did buzz him in. After all, you don't wanna wake up half the house.

Opened the door, and said: "what are you doing here?" (yes, it was the same guy). He said: "you didn't say goodbye when you left". So I said, "goodbye". He looked at me, and we both started to laugh at the same time. What could I do, but invite him in?

We had another glass of wine, listened to classical music (which it turned out that we both like) and talked for 3 hours. Nothing else happened (in case you wondered).

So again, Fridays are great. You never know what's gonna happen...

Todays word: assess

assess
verb [T]
to judge or decide the amount, value, quality or importance of something:
The insurers will need to assess the flood damage.
They assessed the cost of the flood damage at £1500.
Examinations are not the only means of assessing a student's ability.
It's too early to assess the long-term consequences of the collapse of the Soviet Union.
[+ question word] We need to assess whether the project is worth doing.

The US of A

When you have insomnia like I do, it is great to have friends on the other side of the Atlantic. All of a sudden, you get an email from somebody you haven't heard from in a long time. In the middle of the night (here). I am lucky, I have friends. If I did indeed believe in the bogus, I would say "god bless you", but since I don't I won't :)

Tiger

Woods that is. According to the news he has just bought a house for something like 40 million dollars. Imagine that. Most people do not earn that kind of money in a lifetime, and that is what he earns in 1/2 year. Wow! And that just for playing golf. Reasonable? Of course not. But it's capitalism. Enough people want to see him playing, therefore he gets sponsors and prize money.

Jealous? Not really. Just makes me think about how lucky I am, compared to lots of other people. And how difficult it must be for him. How does he know who are his real friends?

Did Jesus exist?

For the first time I am commenting on current events. And yes, of course he existed. There are lots of people with the name of Jesus in Spanish-speaking countries. Do I think the Jesus in the bible existed? Absolutely not. Walk on water? Only if it was frozen :) Give 5,000 people food with two fishes and whatsit? I don't think so.

Imagine what happens if you tell a story. When it has passed through generations it kind of changes, right? The whole God and Jesus thing is bogus. But generates a lot of money...and power...so feel free to be fooled.

Must you love relatives?

I guess not, but it's difficult isn't it? When you don't. Latching on to a previous blog item, I just have mixed feelings. What do you do when you try everything, but get no response? Decide not to love them anymore? Not that easy, is it? On the other hand, must you love somebody that you have nothing in common with?

I am confused. And the problem is that we cannot speak to each other. Well, honestly I can speak (probably too much at times), but the other party cannot. There is no connection.

Lots of question marks, but no apparent answer. Anybody?

Todays word: peculiar

peculiar (STRANGE)
adjective
unusual and strange, sometimes in an unpleasant way:
She has the most peculiar ideas.
What a peculiar smell!
It's peculiar that they didn't tell us they were going away.
UK The video on road accidents made me feel rather peculiar (= ill).

Sharp tongue

I was once told that I would never need toothpicks, since my tongue is sharp enough. This was some time ago, and I think I have mellowed with age. Not good. Wish I still had that sharp tongue. Will work on it.

The things you regret

One of the things I regret is when I do not say what's on my mind. Mind you, there are lots of times when I regretted what I did say, but that's another blog item.

Typical example is when I was at Schiphol airport the other day. The Japanese girls in front of me had trouble understanding the EU vs non-EU allowed purchases (which is perfectly understandable, I have trouble myself sometimes). The cashier woman was used to this, and explained it in quite rapid English. The Japanese girls didn't quite get it, so another woman (who apparently worked there, but was idling by) replied to her in a really snotty way "she already explained it to you!".

Then an American guy behind me in the queue stepped in and explained again, in a much nicer way.

I so wish I had opened my mouth to say "excuse me, but you would be more useful opening another counter, than standing here being unfriendly to customers". Why didn't I?

I guess sometimes you just don't react quickly enough. I felt so sorry for the Japanese girls. And I really do wish I had said what I thought. I will better myself. Next time I will!!

Class and style

Last year (28 Dec) I asked for opinions on class. The comment below was submitted:

"The classiest people I know are kind, nonjudgmental, good listeners, nondiscriminatory, would never knowingly hurt anyone...generally good human beings. These characteristics win my vote over style and attitude any day."

Now, this I think is very good indeed, and couldn't have said it better myself. I think class and style are normally connected with appearance and what you look like. This is, in my opinion, not the case. Even though I've learned that an appealing appearance doesn't hurt.

So conclusion: I don't care what you look like, what I do care about is how you act!

Friday is phone call day

Friday's are the typical phone call days for me. The time I think of friends and relatives, and want to wish them a good weekend. For me the weekend starts at 19.00 on Fridays, when I pour a glass a wine, sit down to relax, and begin to phone. This always makes me feel good. A whole weekend stretching in front of you, a good chat, and then...who knows? That's what makes it feel so good. You never know. The uncertainty, the challenge, the everything-can-happen-feeling. Fantastic!

Winter landscape

Christmas greeting from my aunt and uncle. The cats name is Nisse.

Me in the morning

Well, the piccie was funny, but doesn't seem to work on blogger...as said, you learn something new every day!

Todays word: contemporary

adjective 1 living, occurring, or originating at the same time. 2 belonging to or occurring in the present. 3 modern in style or design.

noun (pl. contemporaries) 1 a person or thing existing at the same time as another. 2 a person of roughly the same age as another.

— ORIGIN Latin contemporarius, from tempus ‘time’.

This time the source is: http://www.askoxford.com/?view=uk since the Cambridge site all of a sudden requires a password.

Todays word: friend

friend (COMPANION)
noun [C]
1 a person whom you know well and whom you like a lot, but who is usually not a member of your family:
She's my best/oldest/closest friend - we've known each other since we were five.
He's a family friend/friend of the family.
This restaurant was recommended to me by a friend of mine.
We've been friends for years.
José and Pilar are (good) friends of ours.
We're (good) friends with José and Pilar.
She said that she and Peter were just (good) friends (= they were not having a sexual relationship).
I've made a lot of friends in this job.
He finds it difficult to make friends.

500 !!!

I am proud, look at the stat's:

VISITS

Total 500
Average Per Day 9
Average Visit Length 3:12
Last Hour 0
Today 2
This Week 65

PAGE VIEWS

Total 828
Average Per Day 14
Average Per Visit 1.5
Last Hour 0
Today 2
This Week 95

Cats

I know I promised to shut up...but whaddayaknow...about the Dutch. Just one final thing. In the pub, where my friend works, they have a cat. The cat they got from a refugee place, and he has only been there for 2 weeks. However, the cat has settled in and really, he lives there. His name is Jacobus, and he thinks that the more people the merrier.

He has a favourite chair where he sleeps, and it is not, as you might think, a chair closed to a wall (most cats that I have come across love to be in charge and be able to see what's going on) but a chair in the middle of the pub.

He (the cat i.e. not the friend) has a tendency to feel people. One of the regulars has Alzheimers. He's allowed to visit the pub once a week on Sundays. Whenever he comes, the cat cuddles up beside him. It's like he feels he's needed.

Anybody who knows me know that I am crazy about cats, so check out the website (they need all the money they can get!): http://www.romancats.com/
And now, no more about the Dutch...it's time to blog about another nationality...

Homecooked dinner

Had a fantastic homecooked meal tonight. My friend made "rösti", which is a Swiss/German dish consisting of raw potatoes, cut into long slim pieces and then fried in a pan. Done, it looks like a pancake. To that, he served homemade sausages (made by his farmer brother) and carrots. Delish!

Of course, with the meal we had some wine. Later coffee, and cookies made by a friend. I am lucky with all these friends who know cooking.

Escalators

A final thing about the Dutch, then I'll shut up. Escalators in Holland move slower than in any other country I've been in. The theory is that Dutch people are not used to changes in latitude, since their country is flat, therefore the slow movement. Anybody experienced this?

A bit better

Toe is a bit better thanks for asking. Not sure whether it is due to the medicine or me staying in not walking much. Perhaps the medication is the one that makes me feel a bit mellow and like I'm floating. Must be pretty strong stuff. But hey, who cares, as long as it seems to work. Plus it's a really nice feeling.

This evening a friend is stopping by to cook for me. Look forward to some good food, and a nice chat. Hurray for people who cares!

Todays word: TLC

TLC
noun [U]
INFORMAL ABBREVIATION FOR tender loving care: kindness, affection and attention:
He'll need a lot of TLC when he gets out of hospital.

Zürich is trendy and booming...

all according to a free Swiss magazine. Zürich sets trends, have bigger purchase power and life quality, the most modern telecom system, the 5th best university education in Europe (27th in the world) and is better than New York. (Quote: "In NY I had to spend 3 hours every day travelling to and from work. Here I get up at five (!), go walking (!), have breakfast, look at the sea (now, why you would do that so early in the morning is beyond me!) and still I'm in the office at seven.") Again, all according to this Swiss magazine.

Not sure I agree with all of the above, but it is certainly a really good city. The same magazine tells me that it takes 14 min of work to earn the money to buy a Big Mac, when in Mexico it takes 75 min and in Nairobi 185 min.

I assume that is if you're ms/mr Average. Who I by the way never have met.

Don't you just hate it?

When somebody else is right. When in Holland, we discussed whether Holland was bigger or smaller than Switzerland. I claimed that Holland was smaller. Guess what? I was wrong. These are the statistics:

Switzerland:
Area: total: 41,290 sq km
land: 39,770 sq km
water: 1,520 sq km

Netherlands:
Area: total: 41,526 sq km
land: 33,883 sq km
water: 7,643 sq km

The source is: http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html

Compromise

OK, so lover boy didn't like the epithet of lover boy. As a compromise I will from now on refer to him as latino boy (which, interestingly enough, he is...well, maybe not the boy bit :). The update is that he called me on New Year's Eve to wish me Happy New Year. Nice. Now, when we are both back in Switzerland, he has started to sms me. He is still not back in Zürich though, which gives me a bit of breathing space to think about what I want.

What do I want? I'm afraid the answer is wimpy. I wanna see him again. I probably should be shot, but who can control her/his feelings?

KLM

Nowadays when flying you don't even raise an eyebrow when a delay is announced. However, yesterday when flying back from Amsterdam I did indeed raise an eyebrow. This is how it went:

This is your captain. We are gearing up and plan to be in the air in about 10 min.

20 min later: This is your captain. We have a slight technical problem that is currently being investigated.

20 min later: This is your captain. We have now established the problem and are currently evaluating if we can fix it, or if we need to change the plane.

20 min later: This is your captain. We have now decided not to change planes, but to fix the problem. The problem is this: the safety belt on one of the cockpit chairs is not functioning and we cannot fix it. We will therefore swap the chair for one with a seatbelt that does work.

45 min later: This is your captain. We have now swapped the chair, and will be on our way in a few minutes.

Ended up being 2 hours late arriving in Zürich. But what the heck, at least the captain was safely fastened into his chair.

Going Dutch - a myth?

I think it is. I find the Dutch very generous. Even when I lived there quite some time ago, I found the same. This applies to money as well as being open and generous with their time and their social life. Even though I didn't know anybody when I moved there, I never felt alone during the nearly two years I spent there.

Also, they are the tallest people in the world. And I think they all were born on a bike. Biking in Holland is a dangerous business, but I guess only for the non-Dutch people. Which I am. However, when I was biking I never crashed once or had any type of incident in two years. Wonder if that says more about the Dutch than about me?

And the language? What can I say? When I first arrived there, the initial reaction was that learning it took a lot of spitting. Now when I hear it, I feel fondness. Perhaps it is because I now understand it, and I know the Dutch. Stepping on that KLM flight the other day, felt like coming home.

So, hurray for the Dutch! One of my favourite nationalities.

The Dutch

The Dutch are pleasant and funny people. Very direct and “not-beat-around-the-bush” mentality. This suits me fine.

A few examples:
1. When I asked my friend if he reads my blog, he said yes I did once. Then silence. Turns out he thinks that my writing is not up to scratch. Not sure whether it applies to my writing as such, or to the topics. Didn’t get around to ask. In my defence I must say that I do not aspire to get a price for this blog, but it’s about my life and it’s my writing, how can that be wrong? Guess I just get a bit hurt from knowing a friend cannot be bothered, but on the other hand, when I know this guy says something, he really means it. That is worth a lot.

2. At a party I was asked “if I may be so bold, can I ask how old you are?”. Of course I replied, only to get the usual polite response, “Oh, you don’t look like it”. Not sure whether I look younger or older though. Was kind of waiting for the follow-up question. It never came. Guess she just wanted to know my age. Bold? Absolutely. Direct? Absolutely. Did it offend me? Absolutely not.

3. Was approached by a friend of a friend. She said: “I heard that bad things happened to you lately”, to which I nodded. She continued to say “yes, isn’t it funny that when one bad thing happens to you, the others follow. I recently had my washing machine break down, and then all other appliances at home too”. Now, I really don’t think that the things that happened to me are in comparison, but at least she tried. She didn’t duck or avoid the issue. Guess I was a bit surprised by the fact that she knew, but I admire people who try. Sometimes they get it wrong, but hell, at least they tried.

Todays word: aftermath

aftermath
noun [S]
the period which follows an unpleasant event or accident, and the effects which it causes:
Many more people died in the aftermath of the explosion.

Doctor

Doctor said that he doesn't think anything is broken, since there was no trauma. He confirmed swelling and soreness, and said something like maybe "periosteo...". This can apparently be caused by too much walking (me, walking?) and wearing the wrong shoes, that applies pressure to the same place on the foot for too long.

We agreed on that I should continue with my self-medicating plasters (anti-swelling and analgesics), and he also gave me Voltaren medicine to emphasize the treatment in case it is an inflammation. If not better in 2-3 days, he will send me for an x-ray.

And hurray, no objection to some alcohol in connection with the medicine. Purely for pain-prophylactic reasons of course.

Toe

What a start to the New Year! Got a swollen big toe since before Christmas, and it doesn't seem to get better. Am now limping.

Love the doctors here in Switzerland though. Gave mine a call today to describe my problem. He said "I need to see it, when can you come?". So now I've got an appointment in an hour. In which other country do you have a healthcare system so flexible?