So here goes:
Dear American Public,
DONALD TRUMP? Are you KIDDING ME? May I have any documentation that could possibly prove your sanity at any level? I understand, politicians can be very dramatic clowns, but a tv-celebrity millionaire is a bit much, don't you think? I looked at what he has to say (which hurt my eyes to read/watch, but was the fair, bi-partisan way and he said on the Today show,"The world laughs at us, they won't be laughing if I'm president."
.............
Really? Really? You don't think they will be? NOOOO, I mean how on earth could they laugh at the USA after they have elected a tv-show millionaire celebrity with the number one show on NBC, who is really just doing this stunt to boost his ratings (I hope)?! I could never see that, could you?
Yes, america, yes I'm pretty sure EVERYONE would be laughing. Ha, and my host family was scared about you electing another Bush, oh pleeeeeaaaase, they didn't give you enough slack, when is everyon going to realize that America is sooooo much more creative than that.
But on a serious note, this is a plea from a tree-hugging sissy liberal to the beautiful country that I came from and I love: if you care for America, if you love America, if you want America to live a long, healthy life, at the very least, do not even fathom such a revulting idea as to elect this man. (Note that I can't even manage to put the word "vote" and this man's name in the same sentence because it causes me physical pain.)
Concerned for your health and hoping you are getting better,
Deni
PS: I have more serious messages coming your way very soon.
Dienstag, 19. April 2011
The redhead cleaned her room partially on sunday...
...but the results of this "cleaning" that took placed have not last two days.... or at least, not very well.
I think I might have to change my living habits....
You might be asking yourself, "Deni? Room cleaning? Why?"(... afterall, it is a rare occurance) But to that I would have nothing to say but "TOMORROW IS WEDNESDAY!" Why is Wednesday improtant again? OH RIGHT, Deni's mommy comes on Wednesday the 20th of April in Stuttgart Airport!!!
(HAPPINESS!)
So Yes, Deni has to face up to the sloppiness of her existence-- and who knows? Maybe in the next few hours I will learn a good enough concealing charm to make everything seem tolerably liveable!
In other words the Easter Break started today (YIPEEE!) after a schoolday and a field trip to the Rosenburg Museum in Stuttgart (which was rather lovely, despite my cravings to fresh air and sweet summer heat that was readily available outside the building.), I was free..... I went home, I read and finished "To Kill a Mockingbird", which was quite a lovely book, sat outside, and juggled. The most eventful moment of the day was probably when Janne (my host family baby sis) decided it would be fun to choke on a peice of Maultasche!! (EEK!) She is now fine, but at the time it twas of course rather scary. Luckily, however, every person within this house can do the baby Heimlich Maneuver!! Which just goes to show you how really freaking important it is to learn these things when you have a baby. Trust me, it the best idea ever.
But of course, being the baby she is, janne cried a little, but afterwards was immediately hungry, which I wouldn't be, and wasn't the one time that I did nearly choke to death. She's smiley and not even sore in the throat. She is now sleeping and I am the man with the monitor (that is to say, the young lady with the babysitting responsibility) which is just fine with me because we just borrowed the new DVD of the first part of Harry Potter 7 from our neighbors and I can see it for the 3rd time! (:
Shout outs to those of my lovely home that our currently in Disney World singing! And shout out to YOU, whoever you are, thanks for reading!
I think I might have to change my living habits....
You might be asking yourself, "Deni? Room cleaning? Why?"(... afterall, it is a rare occurance) But to that I would have nothing to say but "TOMORROW IS WEDNESDAY!" Why is Wednesday improtant again? OH RIGHT, Deni's mommy comes on Wednesday the 20th of April in Stuttgart Airport!!!
(HAPPINESS!)
So Yes, Deni has to face up to the sloppiness of her existence-- and who knows? Maybe in the next few hours I will learn a good enough concealing charm to make everything seem tolerably liveable!
In other words the Easter Break started today (YIPEEE!) after a schoolday and a field trip to the Rosenburg Museum in Stuttgart (which was rather lovely, despite my cravings to fresh air and sweet summer heat that was readily available outside the building.), I was free..... I went home, I read and finished "To Kill a Mockingbird", which was quite a lovely book, sat outside, and juggled. The most eventful moment of the day was probably when Janne (my host family baby sis) decided it would be fun to choke on a peice of Maultasche!! (EEK!) She is now fine, but at the time it twas of course rather scary. Luckily, however, every person within this house can do the baby Heimlich Maneuver!! Which just goes to show you how really freaking important it is to learn these things when you have a baby. Trust me, it the best idea ever.
But of course, being the baby she is, janne cried a little, but afterwards was immediately hungry, which I wouldn't be, and wasn't the one time that I did nearly choke to death. She's smiley and not even sore in the throat. She is now sleeping and I am the man with the monitor (that is to say, the young lady with the babysitting responsibility) which is just fine with me because we just borrowed the new DVD of the first part of Harry Potter 7 from our neighbors and I can see it for the 3rd time! (:
Shout outs to those of my lovely home that our currently in Disney World singing! And shout out to YOU, whoever you are, thanks for reading!
Freitag, 15. April 2011
The redhead thinks it is very cold today...
... because, I mean, come on! it was almost like we were basking in summer. And now? I'm freezing!
I have a few things today, however, that warmed me up considerably.
The first is that I took my science test today and it wasn't soooo bad and it's out of the way. (If I am right, I believe we only have one left) the best part about studying was that I could do it with my class on the computer! Don't worry parents of the world, I know what you are thinking, "Oh, right, she was "studying" on the computer" but it's true! We have a closed group page for our class on facebook where we can discuss stuff and... I don't know if you've ever heard of etherpad, but it is the bomb! So *SIGH OF RELIEF* that's over, now I just have to study for my history test on monday and clean my room for my mother's arrival and everything should be fine.
Other happy things warming me up this cool friday afternoon: The governor of Montana.
Governor Brian Schweitzer, a democrat who last election suddenly found himself with a majority republican House and Senate, has registered a cattle-brand with the Department of Livestock. However, this brand, that leaves the word "VETO" clearly upon it's prey, is not headed for any animals, unless of course you count the the many "frivolous, unconstitutional," and public opinion contradictory bills, as he described them, that have suddenly landed upon his desk. On Wednesday he took the bills out, branding them before a large crowd with his new hot iron.
And all I can say to that is... "Oh America, how I miss you."
Your crazy people and your fantastic characters, your problems and your great ideas, this exchange has given me so many reasons to love you and hate you, but overall, the want to make you the best for the people who stand by you.
I have a few things today, however, that warmed me up considerably.
The first is that I took my science test today and it wasn't soooo bad and it's out of the way. (If I am right, I believe we only have one left) the best part about studying was that I could do it with my class on the computer! Don't worry parents of the world, I know what you are thinking, "Oh, right, she was "studying" on the computer" but it's true! We have a closed group page for our class on facebook where we can discuss stuff and... I don't know if you've ever heard of etherpad, but it is the bomb! So *SIGH OF RELIEF* that's over, now I just have to study for my history test on monday and clean my room for my mother's arrival and everything should be fine.
Other happy things warming me up this cool friday afternoon: The governor of Montana.
Governor Brian Schweitzer, a democrat who last election suddenly found himself with a majority republican House and Senate, has registered a cattle-brand with the Department of Livestock. However, this brand, that leaves the word "VETO" clearly upon it's prey, is not headed for any animals, unless of course you count the the many "frivolous, unconstitutional," and public opinion contradictory bills, as he described them, that have suddenly landed upon his desk. On Wednesday he took the bills out, branding them before a large crowd with his new hot iron.
And all I can say to that is... "Oh America, how I miss you."
Your crazy people and your fantastic characters, your problems and your great ideas, this exchange has given me so many reasons to love you and hate you, but overall, the want to make you the best for the people who stand by you.
Donnerstag, 14. April 2011
The redhead is impressed and stressed....
(OMG Rhymage!)
I am impressed with... YOU GUYS!
Here's the deal with this blog thing: This month is the most popular month for my blog since... well November. I have collected 154 views in the last 14 days! (craziness)
My audience is over all mostly from US but in the last week and during this month so far Germany is winning.... I guess my classmates are reading my blog.... which is silly, but makes me happy.
Other than that there appears to be quite a few people from Japan reading... which is also rather silly, but makes me happy too.
Now for the stressed/excited part:
Internet, please tell me, I KNOW you are excited for me that I can FINALLY cuddle my mommy after MONTHS of seperation. I just can't wait to show her this little world that I live in. It is so funny to think that she knows nothing of a world that is so familiar and homey to me. Just a few hours until the weekend! (:
I am impressed with... YOU GUYS!
Here's the deal with this blog thing: This month is the most popular month for my blog since... well November. I have collected 154 views in the last 14 days! (craziness)
My audience is over all mostly from US but in the last week and during this month so far Germany is winning.... I guess my classmates are reading my blog.... which is silly, but makes me happy.
Other than that there appears to be quite a few people from Japan reading... which is also rather silly, but makes me happy too.
Now for the stressed/excited part:
- 1. I have a science test tomorrow that I have spend most of the afternoon studying for and freaking out about, respectively.
- 2. I have a History test on Monday that I'm not sure how much i should study for because, dude, last time i learned everything and used NONE of it because our History teacher just made us read a text and answer four questions about it (<---silly + pointless).
- 3. I am starting on Saturday in a home game... ON THE FIELD. I'll be playing the left wing! (I'm so excited but also scared that I will totally suck...)
- 4. MY MOTHER IS GOING TO BE ON THIS SIDE OF THE ATLANTIC OCEAN, IN THIS COUNTRY, IN THIS HOUSE, BY MY SIDE IN FIVE DAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Internet, please tell me, I KNOW you are excited for me that I can FINALLY cuddle my mommy after MONTHS of seperation. I just can't wait to show her this little world that I live in. It is so funny to think that she knows nothing of a world that is so familiar and homey to me. Just a few hours until the weekend! (:
Mittwoch, 13. April 2011
The redhead has been brainwashed...
I mean it in all seriousness. You know that post I did a few days ago about earworms?..... Well this is worse. If you are a parent or an onkel or aunt or older brother or sister you will know what I am talking about when I say:
I HAVE BEEN BRAINWASHED BY BABY BOOKS.
You know what I'm talking about. That one or those couple books that your child/little sibling loves. the one you have read 6324593874596230475092834759734 times a billion and counting to them?
The brainwashing began in my earlier days as an aunt in which I loved to read to nephew. It was a distraction technique and became a loving short colorfully drawn literature. I would sit on the floor, legs crossed as he plopped down comfortably in the crevice between my knees and because this tiny baby boy (that I miss so dearly as I describe this) was still so tiny, I would set my head over his shoulder and whisper the secret codes that built stories into his smiling ears. He would always sit in awe throughout the story (unless it was boring in which case he would throw it on the floor or skip to the last page as I attempted to read) and then clamber up to retrieve another vollume from his tiny book shelf.
The first book I memorized was "I am a Bunny" by Ole Risom (which is a very funny name). It began "I am a bunny. My name is Nicholas. I live in a hollow tree. (next page) In the spring I like to pick flowers. (next page) I chase the butterflies and the butterflies chase me." and so on. Once was never enough for this book. Oh no. In fact the story was so inexhaustable that I must have read to him no less than 5 times within each sitting, over and over. Elijah read many books this way and as he grew older they changed and he would point and began to say the words. But around this stage I left leaving him with a small stuffed black bear with a brown nose that was later dubbed "Deni-bear".
But in losing my nephew in physical presence, I got a hostfamily baby sister. Reading to her was barely different aside from the fact that the majrity of the books were in German. And it was with me again. In the midst of the day i will find myself needing to tell someone about Bär und Tiger und die Tigerente (Bear and Tiger and the Tiger-duck, the characters of a popular children's author Janosch) or I will recite "Wenn kleine Tiere wütend sind" (when small animals are angry) to a passerby. There is, however, a strange difference between our fairy tales at home and the fairy tales of Janosch and, in discussing it with my host family, we have found no other explanation but that the great artist Janosch was most likely high when he wrote these books
I'll give you an example. My host family sister's favorite book to read with me is called "Wie der Tiger lesen lernt" (How Tiger learns to Read) (You can click here to read the original text with me in german). At a certain point in this book we always read a part that in english is something like:
Or how about "Das große Vorlesebuch" (The Big Book for reading aloud) in which the first short story is about a man who calls himself Birdman and catches bird because he is jealous of their freedom and ability to fly. In the last few paragraphs of the story he is granted a wish by the the King of the birds to be a bird and, because he wasn't specific enough, he is turned into a penguin. Then, because the Birdman lives in the desert and penguins need fish to survive, he dies and then years later the scientists find proof that there was once water in the desert because a penguin had lived there. AND THAT IS IT! He just dies and is (false) scientific data! Like, what the heck?!
There are of course normal german kids books, it just seems that Janosch has pretty strange ones sometimes, no idea. but anyway, I love you guys, hope you don't stumble upon any brainwashing books (or do I? (do blogs count?))!!!
THE ADVENTURES OF THE REDHEAD TO BE CONTINUED............
I HAVE BEEN BRAINWASHED BY BABY BOOKS.
You know what I'm talking about. That one or those couple books that your child/little sibling loves. the one you have read 6324593874596230475092834759734 times a billion and counting to them?
The brainwashing began in my earlier days as an aunt in which I loved to read to nephew. It was a distraction technique and became a loving short colorfully drawn literature. I would sit on the floor, legs crossed as he plopped down comfortably in the crevice between my knees and because this tiny baby boy (that I miss so dearly as I describe this) was still so tiny, I would set my head over his shoulder and whisper the secret codes that built stories into his smiling ears. He would always sit in awe throughout the story (unless it was boring in which case he would throw it on the floor or skip to the last page as I attempted to read) and then clamber up to retrieve another vollume from his tiny book shelf.
The first book I memorized was "I am a Bunny" by Ole Risom (which is a very funny name). It began "I am a bunny. My name is Nicholas. I live in a hollow tree. (next page) In the spring I like to pick flowers. (next page) I chase the butterflies and the butterflies chase me." and so on. Once was never enough for this book. Oh no. In fact the story was so inexhaustable that I must have read to him no less than 5 times within each sitting, over and over. Elijah read many books this way and as he grew older they changed and he would point and began to say the words. But around this stage I left leaving him with a small stuffed black bear with a brown nose that was later dubbed "Deni-bear".
But in losing my nephew in physical presence, I got a hostfamily baby sister. Reading to her was barely different aside from the fact that the majrity of the books were in German. And it was with me again. In the midst of the day i will find myself needing to tell someone about Bär und Tiger und die Tigerente (Bear and Tiger and the Tiger-duck, the characters of a popular children's author Janosch) or I will recite "Wenn kleine Tiere wütend sind" (when small animals are angry) to a passerby. There is, however, a strange difference between our fairy tales at home and the fairy tales of Janosch and, in discussing it with my host family, we have found no other explanation but that the great artist Janosch was most likely high when he wrote these books
I'll give you an example. My host family sister's favorite book to read with me is called "Wie der Tiger lesen lernt" (How Tiger learns to Read) (You can click here to read the original text with me in german). At a certain point in this book we always read a part that in english is something like:
For the life of me I don't understand how any of the book fits together at all, but I mean, whatever maybe you have to be high to understand perfectly."My father is a clown, but my father says 'I am a bear, I am a bear!' and my mother calls 'Come, let's play bear and tiger', my father is the bear, my mother is the tiger.... My mother calls 'I am a Tiger, I am a Tiger.' and springs upon my father. My father laughs and growls like a bear. Then my mother starts to sing!"
Or how about "Das große Vorlesebuch" (The Big Book for reading aloud) in which the first short story is about a man who calls himself Birdman and catches bird because he is jealous of their freedom and ability to fly. In the last few paragraphs of the story he is granted a wish by the the King of the birds to be a bird and, because he wasn't specific enough, he is turned into a penguin. Then, because the Birdman lives in the desert and penguins need fish to survive, he dies and then years later the scientists find proof that there was once water in the desert because a penguin had lived there. AND THAT IS IT! He just dies and is (false) scientific data! Like, what the heck?!
There are of course normal german kids books, it just seems that Janosch has pretty strange ones sometimes, no idea. but anyway, I love you guys, hope you don't stumble upon any brainwashing books (or do I? (do blogs count?))!!!
THE ADVENTURES OF THE REDHEAD TO BE CONTINUED............
Dienstag, 12. April 2011
The redhead would have posted yesterday but....
But yesterday the internet wasn't working in our house AT ALL. I think that Christian, my host dad, could have fixed but I also think that my host family were secretly trying to starve me of my internet drug because they felt it was unhealthy.... which, well... I understand. I do have a problem.
The last few days the weather here has been intoxicatingly summer-like. It makes me wantto break free of school... it makes me feel all hippie-like. I mean, WHY IS THE MAN HOLDING US BACK FROM OUR MOTHER EARTH, MAAAANNN? However today it is rainy and coldish which is bad for my mood but good for my productivity (I have a science test on friday (bleckkk)).
As far as new things go, there aren't many. I've been chilling with friends and going to school. I'm excited for Saturday this week because supposedly I will be starting!!! We're gonna kick butt.
I also volunteered in history class on monday. We're talking about Galileo and the progression of science in the MiddleAges/Renaissance periods and how the church wasn't too thrilled about it. At any rate, we read this text written by Galileo (well, written by him in his language which was then translated in german) about how Science was not the opponent to Religion but in fact the opposite.
Humans have always and will always be lookeding for answers and meaning in everything. In result of this human trait we first had Religions, stories and ideas of how the world worked and why things were the way that they were. Giving the powers of the universe to more human-like beings to relate ourselves to nature and the earth more effectively such as Zeus in greek Mythology (or Jupiter in Roman) who controlled weather with his thunder and lightning bolts. It gave a purpose to storms (Zeus is angry and wants to punish us). Religion and Mythology (the way I view it) were the foregrounds for science, they were imaginative theories about everything, the only problem was that there was no real "proof" for these claims and ideas except for maybe word of mouth that some distant relative had seen it happen or that the gods were so mighty or so humble that they would never show themselves to mortals for fear of this and that. When science arrived on the scene it was a new way to discover things so that there was also proof!
So we read this text right? And my history teacher looks up at us all and asks us if Galileo was a religious person. Noone was paying any perticular attention to anything except theirown doodles and books and eraser soccer, so I was like,"Hey, what the heck? why not?" I raised my hand......is that proper english? Somehow "raised" sounds weird... ok I put up my hand (how's that?). When he called on my I explained in the best way I could that I thought Galileo thought himself religious in a different way from the church but also kind of the same, because the church worshipped God and God made nature and science came from facts about nature, so in that sense God was the same as science. I think Galileo was right. He also seemed really cool. Too bad the church didn't think so.
So finally after I said all this and was finished my history teacher was kind of astounded and then complimented me on my answer saying that it must of been rather hard for me to come up with with my lingual disadvantages, which I know he meant nicely and encouragingly but I couldn't help feeling a tad bit annoyed at the way he said it, I mean, I'm not dumb, I just can't always express myself the way I would like to.
AGHH. I really should go study or else I won't get a good grade on this test! (GR)
My Mommy will be here in 8 days! GAH! I so excited (:
The last few days the weather here has been intoxicatingly summer-like. It makes me wantto break free of school... it makes me feel all hippie-like. I mean, WHY IS THE MAN HOLDING US BACK FROM OUR MOTHER EARTH, MAAAANNN? However today it is rainy and coldish which is bad for my mood but good for my productivity (I have a science test on friday (bleckkk)).
As far as new things go, there aren't many. I've been chilling with friends and going to school. I'm excited for Saturday this week because supposedly I will be starting!!! We're gonna kick butt.
I also volunteered in history class on monday. We're talking about Galileo and the progression of science in the MiddleAges/Renaissance periods and how the church wasn't too thrilled about it. At any rate, we read this text written by Galileo (well, written by him in his language which was then translated in german) about how Science was not the opponent to Religion but in fact the opposite.
Humans have always and will always be lookeding for answers and meaning in everything. In result of this human trait we first had Religions, stories and ideas of how the world worked and why things were the way that they were. Giving the powers of the universe to more human-like beings to relate ourselves to nature and the earth more effectively such as Zeus in greek Mythology (or Jupiter in Roman) who controlled weather with his thunder and lightning bolts. It gave a purpose to storms (Zeus is angry and wants to punish us). Religion and Mythology (the way I view it) were the foregrounds for science, they were imaginative theories about everything, the only problem was that there was no real "proof" for these claims and ideas except for maybe word of mouth that some distant relative had seen it happen or that the gods were so mighty or so humble that they would never show themselves to mortals for fear of this and that. When science arrived on the scene it was a new way to discover things so that there was also proof!
So we read this text right? And my history teacher looks up at us all and asks us if Galileo was a religious person. Noone was paying any perticular attention to anything except theirown doodles and books and eraser soccer, so I was like,"Hey, what the heck? why not?" I raised my hand......is that proper english? Somehow "raised" sounds weird... ok I put up my hand (how's that?). When he called on my I explained in the best way I could that I thought Galileo thought himself religious in a different way from the church but also kind of the same, because the church worshipped God and God made nature and science came from facts about nature, so in that sense God was the same as science. I think Galileo was right. He also seemed really cool. Too bad the church didn't think so.
So finally after I said all this and was finished my history teacher was kind of astounded and then complimented me on my answer saying that it must of been rather hard for me to come up with with my lingual disadvantages, which I know he meant nicely and encouragingly but I couldn't help feeling a tad bit annoyed at the way he said it, I mean, I'm not dumb, I just can't always express myself the way I would like to.
AGHH. I really should go study or else I won't get a good grade on this test! (GR)
My Mommy will be here in 8 days! GAH! I so excited (:
Freitag, 8. April 2011
The redhead has an earworm....
Ohrwurm. This was one of the first words I learned upon coming to Germany, mainly because I have songs stuck in my head SOOO OFTEN. It can be fun though. What I love is when they take you one strange trains of thought.
For example: tonight I had "Yellow Submarine" stuck in my head by the Beatles (uhmm.. DUH) andI'm perplexed as to how one can have neighbors in a land of submarines... and also how they knew the sky was blue from underwater... and how many people own yellow submarines just because of that song, I mean, if I owned a submarine, it would be yellow.....
What I really hate though is when you only know a small tiny little peice of a song but it is so addictive that you revisit it and revisit it anyway. Like in this song by Kina Granis, I have had nothing but the "I will love youuuu, I will love youuuu, I will love you" stuck in my head all day with nothing else to conjure from the depths of my memory. So then I just pick a different song to distract me that I at least know all the lyrics too. Maybe "somewhere over the rainbow" or "Ghost of a Corporate Future" by Regina Spektor.
The White Stripes or Kimya Dawson are also always nice to get stuck in your head. Or how about German rap? Peter Fox is good, Prinz Pi sometimes too. maybe Die Atzen.
Either way it's all good when one is in a certain mood and needs a song, and it can always annoy when it's all you can think.
For example: tonight I had "Yellow Submarine" stuck in my head by the Beatles (uhmm.. DUH) andI'm perplexed as to how one can have neighbors in a land of submarines... and also how they knew the sky was blue from underwater... and how many people own yellow submarines just because of that song, I mean, if I owned a submarine, it would be yellow.....
What I really hate though is when you only know a small tiny little peice of a song but it is so addictive that you revisit it and revisit it anyway. Like in this song by Kina Granis, I have had nothing but the "I will love youuuu, I will love youuuu, I will love you" stuck in my head all day with nothing else to conjure from the depths of my memory. So then I just pick a different song to distract me that I at least know all the lyrics too. Maybe "somewhere over the rainbow" or "Ghost of a Corporate Future" by Regina Spektor.
The White Stripes or Kimya Dawson are also always nice to get stuck in your head. Or how about German rap? Peter Fox is good, Prinz Pi sometimes too. maybe Die Atzen.
Either way it's all good when one is in a certain mood and needs a song, and it can always annoy when it's all you can think.
Donnerstag, 7. April 2011
The redhead wore a sundress to school today.
Because here it is about 24 degrees celsius, which is rather warm, almost like, summer warm!
I know America, you are severely jealous, but I mean, you guys get out of school for summer vacation two months earlier, so don't be whinin'. (at this moment I am sticking my tongue out at you)....
I'm usually not a big proponent of dresses of any sort, or at least I wasn't until I learned the secret of wearing dresses comfortably from my best friend: wear a pair of shorts underneath! Wear very short shorts and you can do whatever you want without worrying about your knickers (heehee, british word) showing! Plus you can come up and flash people you know who are very proper so that they think you are actually going to flash them with yo underwear, however in actuallity it's not a big deal. It's funny.
But even with this rule I have strict reservations to dresses:
1. I must be able to move freely in it.
2. It must be at least down to the tops of my knees.
3. I do not wear high heels, so it needs to be a dress that goes with comfotable footwear.
I don't really wear dresses. I refused to when I was little, but then again I also screamed my lungs out when someone tried to give me pony tails, and I always pretended I was a boy named Denis.... I hated barbies to the point of intense violence towards them (such as decapitation) and I hung with boys, I played hot wheels and lego. I wanted to be big and strong and fearless, and, not that I couldn't have done that as a girl but it always seemed to me that at least in books and TV shows and Movies the boys were strong and the hero and saves the girl and falls in love with her. I just didn't want to be girly, and dresses were girly and girly seemed to mean weak in those days.
The main reason I really hated dresses for a while though, was because of the first time I ever wore a dress of my own free will.
I think I was probably around the age of six. The dress in question was a tank-top purple dress that was covered in various smiley faces. It was really hot outside, mid-summer. My mom was coming home soon and I decided I would dawn a dress for her afternoon home coming. It wasn't a particularly special day, I just felt like it. I went out with my sisters in our backyard, waiting, and as I waltzed out to the edge of our steep orchard hill a bee landed on my hand and stung me. It took effect immediately I began crying and yelling because, well, it hurt. We got into the house and put some ice on it but my hand was swelling to a Hagrid-worthy size (Harry Potter reference Hagrid is a half giant), an unsafe size. All I remember is that everyone was freaking out and someone called emergency people and they came and treated my and I was better. But I learned that day that I was allergic to bees, something that I grew out of, but was very scary in my early days at recess.
I guess my brain just connected dresses and deadly bee stings, but I grew out of that too now. in a dress I can be just as strong as I want to be and happy and jumpy and independent. YAY!
Have a smiley weekend!
Deni
I know America, you are severely jealous, but I mean, you guys get out of school for summer vacation two months earlier, so don't be whinin'. (at this moment I am sticking my tongue out at you)....
I'm usually not a big proponent of dresses of any sort, or at least I wasn't until I learned the secret of wearing dresses comfortably from my best friend: wear a pair of shorts underneath! Wear very short shorts and you can do whatever you want without worrying about your knickers (heehee, british word) showing! Plus you can come up and flash people you know who are very proper so that they think you are actually going to flash them with yo underwear, however in actuallity it's not a big deal. It's funny.
But even with this rule I have strict reservations to dresses:
1. I must be able to move freely in it.
2. It must be at least down to the tops of my knees.
3. I do not wear high heels, so it needs to be a dress that goes with comfotable footwear.
I don't really wear dresses. I refused to when I was little, but then again I also screamed my lungs out when someone tried to give me pony tails, and I always pretended I was a boy named Denis.... I hated barbies to the point of intense violence towards them (such as decapitation) and I hung with boys, I played hot wheels and lego. I wanted to be big and strong and fearless, and, not that I couldn't have done that as a girl but it always seemed to me that at least in books and TV shows and Movies the boys were strong and the hero and saves the girl and falls in love with her. I just didn't want to be girly, and dresses were girly and girly seemed to mean weak in those days.
The main reason I really hated dresses for a while though, was because of the first time I ever wore a dress of my own free will.
I think I was probably around the age of six. The dress in question was a tank-top purple dress that was covered in various smiley faces. It was really hot outside, mid-summer. My mom was coming home soon and I decided I would dawn a dress for her afternoon home coming. It wasn't a particularly special day, I just felt like it. I went out with my sisters in our backyard, waiting, and as I waltzed out to the edge of our steep orchard hill a bee landed on my hand and stung me. It took effect immediately I began crying and yelling because, well, it hurt. We got into the house and put some ice on it but my hand was swelling to a Hagrid-worthy size (Harry Potter reference Hagrid is a half giant), an unsafe size. All I remember is that everyone was freaking out and someone called emergency people and they came and treated my and I was better. But I learned that day that I was allergic to bees, something that I grew out of, but was very scary in my early days at recess.
I guess my brain just connected dresses and deadly bee stings, but I grew out of that too now. in a dress I can be just as strong as I want to be and happy and jumpy and independent. YAY!
Have a smiley weekend!
Deni
Mittwoch, 6. April 2011
The redhead wonders what feminism is.
I know the original meaning and definition that feminism has. A feminist supposedly believes in gender equality, they believe that regardless gender or sex (there is a difference between the two) all people should be treated equally!
Under this definition I am a feminist.
My classmates probably saw this title and rolled their eyes, "Great, she's talking about feminism again."
Just wait, be patient, it gets interesting I promise.
I should start by mentioning that not all people who refer to themselves as feminists do not act as feminists. These people do not actually act for the equality of sex or gender, but want and work for matriarchy (the opposite of patriarchy or a society where women "rule" over men). They treat feminism as a revenge mechanism on the male population to equal out all those years of patriarchy that women had live through.
This is not feminism nor was ever feminism, it is an extremism that cannot be tolerated. Two wrongs does not make a right, that is, revenge is ugly and perhaps worse than doing what was bad in the first place that suppposedly "deserves" this revenge, because those who put it into effect have seen and felt the original pain of the original state.
When I was growing up, I was obnoxious. I was loud, and thought what I had to say was the most important. I was a kid, an only child taught that everyone loved and thought I was cute and funny and wanted to hear what I had to say, so I said it. I was selfish and proud and prejudice. Some might say today I am the same, obnoxious, annoyingly know-it-all. I will not say that I am not loud, or eager to share my opinion because as I am myself, I can be biased, however I would like to think in the last few years, if not the last few months in Germany I have learned better to listen. I used to be intolerant to undecideness towards feminism, I knew many a girl that did not want to say she was a feminist, I would bombard until they gave in, I would angrily glare at those who uttered sexist jokes against women, but laughed whole heartedly at those against men.... I was unrelenting, and incredibly hypocritical. Veerrry stubborn- I'm still very stubborn, but I understand the undecideness towards feminism. There are many women who are "feminists" and display it in an aggressive attack on men (perhaps I was one of them, in which case I apologize), who wants to be part of that?
I like making sandwiches for my friends, for my family. Sometimes the people you love deserve a well-made, loved, and cared PB&J after the hard day of work. I would not blink before doing such a thing for someone I love. I have made sandwiches for men, and in the future I intend to as well. But then again the people I do make sandwiches for don't yell at me to "make them a sandwich, WOMAN, why aren't you in the kitchen?" or if they do it is always playfully intended and not maliciously. sometimes we just have to be a little less sensitive about things, breath in, breath out, live on.
I don't mean shove things down peoples throats anymore, I shall never do it again. I do not want to fight a grown-up debate by whining and screaming and pushing and acting like a child that doesn't have their own way. It is crude and dumb and political, and I am not a politician, I am a person.
Hope you guys had a great weekend! Here is it 24 degrees Celsius, which is actually rather hot. (Where did the new warm spring days go, it seems like we sprung from super cold to super hot!? Ick : P)
Under this definition I am a feminist.
My classmates probably saw this title and rolled their eyes, "Great, she's talking about feminism again."
Just wait, be patient, it gets interesting I promise.
I should start by mentioning that not all people who refer to themselves as feminists do not act as feminists. These people do not actually act for the equality of sex or gender, but want and work for matriarchy (the opposite of patriarchy or a society where women "rule" over men). They treat feminism as a revenge mechanism on the male population to equal out all those years of patriarchy that women had live through.
This is not feminism nor was ever feminism, it is an extremism that cannot be tolerated. Two wrongs does not make a right, that is, revenge is ugly and perhaps worse than doing what was bad in the first place that suppposedly "deserves" this revenge, because those who put it into effect have seen and felt the original pain of the original state.
When I was growing up, I was obnoxious. I was loud, and thought what I had to say was the most important. I was a kid, an only child taught that everyone loved and thought I was cute and funny and wanted to hear what I had to say, so I said it. I was selfish and proud and prejudice. Some might say today I am the same, obnoxious, annoyingly know-it-all. I will not say that I am not loud, or eager to share my opinion because as I am myself, I can be biased, however I would like to think in the last few years, if not the last few months in Germany I have learned better to listen. I used to be intolerant to undecideness towards feminism, I knew many a girl that did not want to say she was a feminist, I would bombard until they gave in, I would angrily glare at those who uttered sexist jokes against women, but laughed whole heartedly at those against men.... I was unrelenting, and incredibly hypocritical. Veerrry stubborn- I'm still very stubborn, but I understand the undecideness towards feminism. There are many women who are "feminists" and display it in an aggressive attack on men (perhaps I was one of them, in which case I apologize), who wants to be part of that?
I like making sandwiches for my friends, for my family. Sometimes the people you love deserve a well-made, loved, and cared PB&J after the hard day of work. I would not blink before doing such a thing for someone I love. I have made sandwiches for men, and in the future I intend to as well. But then again the people I do make sandwiches for don't yell at me to "make them a sandwich, WOMAN, why aren't you in the kitchen?" or if they do it is always playfully intended and not maliciously. sometimes we just have to be a little less sensitive about things, breath in, breath out, live on.
I don't mean shove things down peoples throats anymore, I shall never do it again. I do not want to fight a grown-up debate by whining and screaming and pushing and acting like a child that doesn't have their own way. It is crude and dumb and political, and I am not a politician, I am a person.
Hope you guys had a great weekend! Here is it 24 degrees Celsius, which is actually rather hot. (Where did the new warm spring days go, it seems like we sprung from super cold to super hot!? Ick : P)
Samstag, 2. April 2011
The redhead has some questions.
Recently I heard a few questions posed.
Interesting questions.
The first was: "What motivates you more, love or fear?"
Now at first look, I would say love. Love for my family, for myself, for my world, and so I want to make a better life for all of them. Love is my motivation for my life in general. To meet people I can love and people who can love me. But isn't it the same?
I love my family and because of that I fear that something might go wrong. I fear a bad life for them, for my friends, for me, because I love them. If someone put a gun to my friend's head, what motivates me to hurt that someone, to want him far away? It is love for my friend, it is fear that he would be gone.
Love motivating the betterment you want for that love, the safety, the strength of the connection. Fear motivating the destruction of that which causes the fear or destroy the trgger inside yourself that makes you fear it. They are two entirely seperate entities that follow one another like dominos, if you have love, you have fear, if you have fear, you have love, and so I am motivated by both, as they come, often, together.
second: "What is the meaning of life?"
To me, the meaning of life is to leave things behind that matter. To change things somehow, maybe just in a small way that changes life for someone else. But I feel that there is no general meaning of life, because meaning of life is relative to the life it is talking about, in other words, everyone has there own meaning of life that depends on what they believe it is. I might have a different one than you, you from him, him from her, and so on. We are every changing beings living in an ever changing environment and so through these conclusions the meaning of life is different like the people and places and takes on transformation like they do over years or seconds. What is yours?
Interesting questions.
The first was: "What motivates you more, love or fear?"
Now at first look, I would say love. Love for my family, for myself, for my world, and so I want to make a better life for all of them. Love is my motivation for my life in general. To meet people I can love and people who can love me. But isn't it the same?
I love my family and because of that I fear that something might go wrong. I fear a bad life for them, for my friends, for me, because I love them. If someone put a gun to my friend's head, what motivates me to hurt that someone, to want him far away? It is love for my friend, it is fear that he would be gone.
Love motivating the betterment you want for that love, the safety, the strength of the connection. Fear motivating the destruction of that which causes the fear or destroy the trgger inside yourself that makes you fear it. They are two entirely seperate entities that follow one another like dominos, if you have love, you have fear, if you have fear, you have love, and so I am motivated by both, as they come, often, together.
second: "What is the meaning of life?"
To me, the meaning of life is to leave things behind that matter. To change things somehow, maybe just in a small way that changes life for someone else. But I feel that there is no general meaning of life, because meaning of life is relative to the life it is talking about, in other words, everyone has there own meaning of life that depends on what they believe it is. I might have a different one than you, you from him, him from her, and so on. We are every changing beings living in an ever changing environment and so through these conclusions the meaning of life is different like the people and places and takes on transformation like they do over years or seconds. What is yours?
The redhead enjoys strawberries!!!!!
So... first off, if you haven't noticed, my page has a new look! (If you haven't please get your eyes checked.)
The Spring is here, and if you live in Germany, and you were unsure about the whole "spring" thing yesterday, you know quite assuredly today. Today was NOT a spring day, no, no, today, was SUMMER DAY.
So like any good little German-American I broke out the Birkenstocks and H&M jean shorts (:
I bought strawberries and raisins and walked a little. I have a game today at 2. It will be a perfect day for something of that sort, my only problem being that I might actually need to use sunscreen today! (*Gasp*)
In other important news, I am not sure if I have mentioned, but I AM SOOOO TOTALLY STOKED FOR THE WOMEN'S WORLD CUP!!!!!!! Today the USA Team is in Britain for a warm up match against the UK and this June/July the women's world cup will be hosted in good old, fantastically beautiful Germany! This is one of those things I can really bond and fight about with my soccer team, because of course, they can't accept the truth that the USA is gonna smoke every single one of those teams, I mean really, let's be honest.
For my birthday I asked for nothing but a copy of "To Kill a Mockingbird" and a USA Women's Soccer Jersey for the Frauen WM (Weltmeisterschaft=World Cup)! And I am still waiting anxiously to recieve this beautiful jersey my parents have sent me. It is not their fault, it just seems that piority mail goes really quickly from continent to continent but takes three weeks to get from Frankfurt to Stuttgart. This is 1) very annoying and 2) very expensive! If you ever send me things first of all, say it is a gift!! (or we have to pay extra to recieve it (if it's something expensive anyway)) Secondly never send priority mail, it takes so long anyway that it's not worth it.
Hope you guys have a great weekend! And watch the soccer game today! SMILES (:
Deni
The Spring is here, and if you live in Germany, and you were unsure about the whole "spring" thing yesterday, you know quite assuredly today. Today was NOT a spring day, no, no, today, was SUMMER DAY.
So like any good little German-American I broke out the Birkenstocks and H&M jean shorts (:
I bought strawberries and raisins and walked a little. I have a game today at 2. It will be a perfect day for something of that sort, my only problem being that I might actually need to use sunscreen today! (*Gasp*)
In other important news, I am not sure if I have mentioned, but I AM SOOOO TOTALLY STOKED FOR THE WOMEN'S WORLD CUP!!!!!!! Today the USA Team is in Britain for a warm up match against the UK and this June/July the women's world cup will be hosted in good old, fantastically beautiful Germany! This is one of those things I can really bond and fight about with my soccer team, because of course, they can't accept the truth that the USA is gonna smoke every single one of those teams, I mean really, let's be honest.
For my birthday I asked for nothing but a copy of "To Kill a Mockingbird" and a USA Women's Soccer Jersey for the Frauen WM (Weltmeisterschaft=World Cup)! And I am still waiting anxiously to recieve this beautiful jersey my parents have sent me. It is not their fault, it just seems that piority mail goes really quickly from continent to continent but takes three weeks to get from Frankfurt to Stuttgart. This is 1) very annoying and 2) very expensive! If you ever send me things first of all, say it is a gift!! (or we have to pay extra to recieve it (if it's something expensive anyway)) Secondly never send priority mail, it takes so long anyway that it's not worth it.
Hope you guys have a great weekend! And watch the soccer game today! SMILES (:
Deni
Freitag, 1. April 2011
The redhead is a fan of babies.
....or Toddlers...or just kids...
Why?
Kids are very easy to connect with, especially here. Sometimes I can't express myself properly in a conversation with an adult. I just... don't always have the vocabulary to vocalize my opions of my ideas, and I always try, but that never guarantees a connection. Kids are miles apart from adults. They are not especially interested in poltics or morals or huge important conversations. In fact, I at least as a child moaned at the thought of the news or a conversation where I had nothing to say. It was boring. It was like being forced to listen to the conversational equivalent of spinach... blechhh.
To connect with a child, you have to smile at them, show them that you see them, maybe play a quiet peeking game, where you hide your face as if you are shy and look up every so often to see if they are looking at you and if they are to hide quickly. Children just want to play, they see everything as a giant sugar-coated possibility, they see the potential of things that adults would never think to contemplate. Like how a blanket is a cape that makes you suddenly a super hero, because really all you have to do to be a superhero is to believe that you are.
Everytime I have met a child here I have always gotten on with them incredibly. All they want is attention, all I want a simple human connection. So I play, playing is simple. Playing does not really need words, it does not have defining rights and wrongs. When you are playing you cannot look stupid.
And maybe that is why I love the sandbox, maybe that is why I build castles out of legos, and be a superhero. Because no matter what I do, no one will tell me "no", no one will laugh at me for doing something unusual, no one will realize that I "don't belong". We will play, and we will sing and stomp and smile and build and destroy and talk about colors we like and adventures we hope to go on.
Quote of the Day: "
Why?
Kids are very easy to connect with, especially here. Sometimes I can't express myself properly in a conversation with an adult. I just... don't always have the vocabulary to vocalize my opions of my ideas, and I always try, but that never guarantees a connection. Kids are miles apart from adults. They are not especially interested in poltics or morals or huge important conversations. In fact, I at least as a child moaned at the thought of the news or a conversation where I had nothing to say. It was boring. It was like being forced to listen to the conversational equivalent of spinach... blechhh.
To connect with a child, you have to smile at them, show them that you see them, maybe play a quiet peeking game, where you hide your face as if you are shy and look up every so often to see if they are looking at you and if they are to hide quickly. Children just want to play, they see everything as a giant sugar-coated possibility, they see the potential of things that adults would never think to contemplate. Like how a blanket is a cape that makes you suddenly a super hero, because really all you have to do to be a superhero is to believe that you are.
Everytime I have met a child here I have always gotten on with them incredibly. All they want is attention, all I want a simple human connection. So I play, playing is simple. Playing does not really need words, it does not have defining rights and wrongs. When you are playing you cannot look stupid.
And maybe that is why I love the sandbox, maybe that is why I build castles out of legos, and be a superhero. Because no matter what I do, no one will tell me "no", no one will laugh at me for doing something unusual, no one will realize that I "don't belong". We will play, and we will sing and stomp and smile and build and destroy and talk about colors we like and adventures we hope to go on.
Quote of the Day: "
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