I like being silly and goofy. Especially when I am by myself and no one is around to watch. Am I alone in this or does everyone do this? I have to think no, when I see the serious, sad faces on the people walking past me on the street. Maybe if they took a time out from being so earnest, they could find the funny side of life.
Life is funny most of the time. Not a day goes by that I don't see or hear things that make me laugh. And I mean really laugh. Though snickering can be enjoyable, it isn't as great as laughing so hard that tears come or your sides hurt. Or uncontrollable giggles. Sometimes though, I find myself laughing at stuff that I almost feel guilty about, that might seem inappropriate for a 52 year old woman to laugh at. The guys at work notice this. They find it a bit odd that I am laughing at stuff they say, when usually other women wouldn't. Maybe because I have worked with men practically my entire life, I find their humor funny. But this makes me feel a tiny bit weird, like I don't fit in with other women. I guess I don't understand why they don't get mens humor. Heck, funny is funny. Are there any other women out there that feel this way too? Help me out here!!!
Being silly when you are by yourself is a different kind of thing. When no one is at home, I like to talk to myself, make goofy noises, make up silly rhymes, make funny faces in the mirror, dance around the house. I am glad we don't have a web cam in the house to record any of this. I do wonder though, does anyone else do this? I sometimes think they do, but no one wants to admit it cause it sounds so goofy. Then there are times when I think about getting real old and demented and wonder if this kind of behavior will take over. EEEK!
I also like to remember funny stories or situations in my head. You know the ones? Years after it happened, as soon as you remember it, you start giggling. Sometimes it isn't even stuff that happened to me, it is stories that other people told me. But I get pictures in my head and then there I go, giggling all to myself.
One of my favorite things about myself, is being able to make other people laugh. It isn't planned, just all ad lib. Some of it is light sarcasm, but I try to make it about myself. I look at other people and they have all kinds of talents and I figured out that maybe this was supposed to be my talent, since I couldn't paint or sing or anything like that. It isn't something I could get up on stage and do, it's just the every day exchange of conversation that I attempt to make funny. I wish it was as easy to be funny when I write, but it is a lot harder. The spontaneity is missing and I have to think way too much about it.
So write and tell if you like being silly too, so I don't feel so all alone! Tell me the goofy things that you like to do. And then we can all have a laugh together.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Thursday, May 15, 2008
The Earring Club
I like earrings. I like them a lot. This means that I strongly feel you can never have too many of them. There is nothing better than a fest, where there are stands full of earrings to look at and pick from to buy. My favorite ones are unusual, one of kind, different. Ones that stand out from the crowd.
But what I have recently noticed, is that there are other women like me. We like to have unusual earrings. Not just sometimes, but all the time. It is something that defines us. I am wondering if this is some sort of outward sign of our inner personality. Are we part of that group that marches to a different drummer? Or do we just want to be creative and lack real talent for painting or pottery making and this is our outlet. Perhaps it is a little of both.
I know I used to be a rebel, a flower child wanna-be, and somehow different from others. I never knew why or how exactly, but I always felt this rather deeply. As the years went by, I guess I got more conservative, I learned how to be responsible and be a mom, and an everyday person working in an everyday world. Part of that is wearing the uniform that helps you fit in. Though I recently got my first set of pearls from my husband and enjoy wearing them, there is still the part of me that wants the kind of job where I could wear outrageous, gorgeous, dangly earrings every single day. So, I compromise. I wear earrings that are gorgeous but small, kind of dangly, one of a kind, unusual colors and shapes, and hand-made if possible.
I had a thing for animals for a while and have a large collection. Zebras, fish, parrots, pigs, frogs, etc. I don't wear them too often, but I still like having them. When I worked at a daycare, the kids enjoyed seeing which earrings I wore each day, which was fun.
Now my favorites are murano glass, silver filigree, turquoise stones, mother of pearl, amethyst, green glass, ethnic, and so on and so on. I enjoy opening my jewelry box every morning and picking out what to wear. I guess some women are like that with shoes or clothes or their nails, but with me, it is just earrings.I also enjoy it when someone notices my earrings and says something about them. I always compliment women when I like their earrings. It is sort of a bond when we recognize this in each other.
So I came up with the idea that we should start an earring club. We women who like to wear our "special" earrings. Maybe we have more in common than just our cool earrings. I'm not quite old enough for the "red hat" club, and not real sure if I would fit in with any of the other "womens clubs" that are around. Perhaps there are other women out there that feel this way too. Lets get together and celebrate being different. Write and let me know if you are an "earring woman" too.
But what I have recently noticed, is that there are other women like me. We like to have unusual earrings. Not just sometimes, but all the time. It is something that defines us. I am wondering if this is some sort of outward sign of our inner personality. Are we part of that group that marches to a different drummer? Or do we just want to be creative and lack real talent for painting or pottery making and this is our outlet. Perhaps it is a little of both.
I know I used to be a rebel, a flower child wanna-be, and somehow different from others. I never knew why or how exactly, but I always felt this rather deeply. As the years went by, I guess I got more conservative, I learned how to be responsible and be a mom, and an everyday person working in an everyday world. Part of that is wearing the uniform that helps you fit in. Though I recently got my first set of pearls from my husband and enjoy wearing them, there is still the part of me that wants the kind of job where I could wear outrageous, gorgeous, dangly earrings every single day. So, I compromise. I wear earrings that are gorgeous but small, kind of dangly, one of a kind, unusual colors and shapes, and hand-made if possible.
I had a thing for animals for a while and have a large collection. Zebras, fish, parrots, pigs, frogs, etc. I don't wear them too often, but I still like having them. When I worked at a daycare, the kids enjoyed seeing which earrings I wore each day, which was fun.
Now my favorites are murano glass, silver filigree, turquoise stones, mother of pearl, amethyst, green glass, ethnic, and so on and so on. I enjoy opening my jewelry box every morning and picking out what to wear. I guess some women are like that with shoes or clothes or their nails, but with me, it is just earrings.I also enjoy it when someone notices my earrings and says something about them. I always compliment women when I like their earrings. It is sort of a bond when we recognize this in each other.
So I came up with the idea that we should start an earring club. We women who like to wear our "special" earrings. Maybe we have more in common than just our cool earrings. I'm not quite old enough for the "red hat" club, and not real sure if I would fit in with any of the other "womens clubs" that are around. Perhaps there are other women out there that feel this way too. Lets get together and celebrate being different. Write and let me know if you are an "earring woman" too.
Monday, May 5, 2008
My Baby is 18!!!!
Today is my little girls birthday. She gets to be a grown-up from now on. My little baby, the cutest one there ever was.
I looked out at the stars last night and started thinking about another night, 18 years ago. I hadn't met Bianca yet, and in fact did not know if I was having a boy or a girl, though I had my intuitions that it was a girl. I was so happy when I was told my baby was a girl, and I thought "welcome to the world, little Bianca". Oh, she was so cute, and she hardly ever cried either. She smiled and laughed early, especially for her big brother Clint, whom she adored. She was a joy to us all.
My little girl got bigger, but she stayed sweet and cute. She was smart though and clever, and was lots of fun. Every year, she just got better. I could never believe that I was this lucky to get such a marvelous child. What had I done right in my life to have deserved such a gift?
Now, today, she is a grown up and I look at her with different eyes then I did when she was a baby. She isn't dependant on me, she can go out in the world and make her own way, and she isn't all cuddly and adorable any more. But, she is so much more. She has tons of talents. She can draw and paint, she can dance, she has more style in her little finger than I could ever hope to have, she's still really smart and clever and curious about everything this world has to offer, she is confidant about trying new things, whether its climbing a rope course, white-water rafting, or tasting a new food, she is funny and likes to make people laugh, she can cook and bake, she sings well, and she has lots of friends who love her, she can run fast, she is quick at learning new things, and she devours books for breakfast, both German and English, with ease.
As I look at her now, such a strong, smart and beautiful woman, I feel so blessed that I got to be her mommy and that she has graced my life with so much love and laughter. So, today, on her 18th birthday, as she leaves her childhood behind and steps through the magic doors of adulthood, I wish for my Bianca the most wonderful life she can have, filled with adventure, possibilities, success and love.
I looked out at the stars last night and started thinking about another night, 18 years ago. I hadn't met Bianca yet, and in fact did not know if I was having a boy or a girl, though I had my intuitions that it was a girl. I was so happy when I was told my baby was a girl, and I thought "welcome to the world, little Bianca". Oh, she was so cute, and she hardly ever cried either. She smiled and laughed early, especially for her big brother Clint, whom she adored. She was a joy to us all.
My little girl got bigger, but she stayed sweet and cute. She was smart though and clever, and was lots of fun. Every year, she just got better. I could never believe that I was this lucky to get such a marvelous child. What had I done right in my life to have deserved such a gift?
Now, today, she is a grown up and I look at her with different eyes then I did when she was a baby. She isn't dependant on me, she can go out in the world and make her own way, and she isn't all cuddly and adorable any more. But, she is so much more. She has tons of talents. She can draw and paint, she can dance, she has more style in her little finger than I could ever hope to have, she's still really smart and clever and curious about everything this world has to offer, she is confidant about trying new things, whether its climbing a rope course, white-water rafting, or tasting a new food, she is funny and likes to make people laugh, she can cook and bake, she sings well, and she has lots of friends who love her, she can run fast, she is quick at learning new things, and she devours books for breakfast, both German and English, with ease.
As I look at her now, such a strong, smart and beautiful woman, I feel so blessed that I got to be her mommy and that she has graced my life with so much love and laughter. So, today, on her 18th birthday, as she leaves her childhood behind and steps through the magic doors of adulthood, I wish for my Bianca the most wonderful life she can have, filled with adventure, possibilities, success and love.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Far away Friends
As an expat, dealing with friends constantly moving away is probably one of the hardest things we have to deal with. At least it is for me. People come into your life, stay for awhile, then leave. You try to stay in touch, but it's difficult sometimes. So, this article is dedicated to all those friends that I miss.
My oldest friend, Susan, who lives in Texas. Friends since childhood, she means the most to me. We don't talk often enough, but when we do, it is just like we saw each other yesterday. I haven't seen her in about 16 years, so I do long to go visit her or have her come to Germany.
Two more friends from Ohio, Kathy and Kim, are also on my list of friends I long to see. Kathy and I used to have the best time, going out to eat, going to craft shows, and we had a blast in Hilton Head. Kim was my Army buddy and she was my sons first baby sitter when I had to go back to work. Every time I see her, it is like the years just fall away. We just laugh and laugh. Gosh, I miss her.
Then there are all those people I have worked with over the years that became friends. Some of them I still have contact with, and others, somehow got lost. There's Amah, from Ghana, who I worked with at Camp King. We had so much fun together and I have no idea where she is. Lisa, the hairdresser at Camp King. We spent lots of time together with our families and she too is lost out there in the world somewhere.
Melissa, who is now in Africa, was a tremendous help when we renovated the hotel that I managed. As we worked, we became friends. Lord did we laugh a lot. We were always so tired and dirty, but the project was so huge, that it was fun to watch it come to completion. I could have never done it without her help and support and good cheer. Though we email, it gets less and less as time goes by. She remembers my birthday though, which is amazing.
Cristina, better known as "Little Cristina from CSA". This woman has such a wonderful sense of humour and I do miss her. Working at the front desk with her was always such a joy as she always kept me laughing. She was another person who helped me intensively on my hotel renovation project. She kept everything in control, so I could concentrate on the project. I never had to worry about anything. Now she lives in the U.S. with her little baby girl and her husband. This is one friend where we do try and email and chat on the phone frequently. The most amazing thing is that she is 30 years younger than me!
Andrea, maid of honor at my 2nd wedding. We went through our pregnancies together, she was the only person who would watch my son, she came to the hospital and washed my hair for me after my daughter was born, she held my hand when I cried about being abused by my husband, we went on weekend trips together, I watched her kids for her, we did things together as families, and now I have no idea where she is. I wish I could find her.
Pat, who I met in the Army Reserve at my first drill weekend in Germany, back in 1986. We sorta have contact, but not really. Maybe I haven't tried hard enough. But we did so many things together, back when our kids were small, it would be a shame to just let it completely drift away.
Nikki, who worked with me at the hotel. She moved to Berlin, and I thought we would never see each other again. We were able to meet up again though, this past month when we went to Berlin. She and her husband had us over for dinner and we got to meet her little boy. It made going to Berlin that much nicer.
Ronda, one of my best friends when my daughter was little, she moved back to the states and somehow, we lost contact. That seems strange now, and if I had to do it over, I would have worked harder to keep the connection going. Now that we have email, I think it is easier. But boy, when I think back on how much we laughed together, I know how much I miss her. We both had alcoholic husbands and somehow we were able to joke about it all.
Alice, who also decided to go back to the states. But then turned around and came back a year later to get married. This is a friendship that I seriously messed up somehow and wish I could do it over. I used to consider Alice as my best friend. And now? We don't have contact at all anymore. I do know that I miss talking and laughing with her and wish I had been a better friend. This is live and learn situation and makes me sad.
So, to all my friends near and far, know that I think about you often and even if I don't keep in touch as good as I should, I still care about you.
My oldest friend, Susan, who lives in Texas. Friends since childhood, she means the most to me. We don't talk often enough, but when we do, it is just like we saw each other yesterday. I haven't seen her in about 16 years, so I do long to go visit her or have her come to Germany.
Two more friends from Ohio, Kathy and Kim, are also on my list of friends I long to see. Kathy and I used to have the best time, going out to eat, going to craft shows, and we had a blast in Hilton Head. Kim was my Army buddy and she was my sons first baby sitter when I had to go back to work. Every time I see her, it is like the years just fall away. We just laugh and laugh. Gosh, I miss her.
Then there are all those people I have worked with over the years that became friends. Some of them I still have contact with, and others, somehow got lost. There's Amah, from Ghana, who I worked with at Camp King. We had so much fun together and I have no idea where she is. Lisa, the hairdresser at Camp King. We spent lots of time together with our families and she too is lost out there in the world somewhere.
Melissa, who is now in Africa, was a tremendous help when we renovated the hotel that I managed. As we worked, we became friends. Lord did we laugh a lot. We were always so tired and dirty, but the project was so huge, that it was fun to watch it come to completion. I could have never done it without her help and support and good cheer. Though we email, it gets less and less as time goes by. She remembers my birthday though, which is amazing.
Cristina, better known as "Little Cristina from CSA". This woman has such a wonderful sense of humour and I do miss her. Working at the front desk with her was always such a joy as she always kept me laughing. She was another person who helped me intensively on my hotel renovation project. She kept everything in control, so I could concentrate on the project. I never had to worry about anything. Now she lives in the U.S. with her little baby girl and her husband. This is one friend where we do try and email and chat on the phone frequently. The most amazing thing is that she is 30 years younger than me!
Andrea, maid of honor at my 2nd wedding. We went through our pregnancies together, she was the only person who would watch my son, she came to the hospital and washed my hair for me after my daughter was born, she held my hand when I cried about being abused by my husband, we went on weekend trips together, I watched her kids for her, we did things together as families, and now I have no idea where she is. I wish I could find her.
Pat, who I met in the Army Reserve at my first drill weekend in Germany, back in 1986. We sorta have contact, but not really. Maybe I haven't tried hard enough. But we did so many things together, back when our kids were small, it would be a shame to just let it completely drift away.
Nikki, who worked with me at the hotel. She moved to Berlin, and I thought we would never see each other again. We were able to meet up again though, this past month when we went to Berlin. She and her husband had us over for dinner and we got to meet her little boy. It made going to Berlin that much nicer.
Ronda, one of my best friends when my daughter was little, she moved back to the states and somehow, we lost contact. That seems strange now, and if I had to do it over, I would have worked harder to keep the connection going. Now that we have email, I think it is easier. But boy, when I think back on how much we laughed together, I know how much I miss her. We both had alcoholic husbands and somehow we were able to joke about it all.
Alice, who also decided to go back to the states. But then turned around and came back a year later to get married. This is a friendship that I seriously messed up somehow and wish I could do it over. I used to consider Alice as my best friend. And now? We don't have contact at all anymore. I do know that I miss talking and laughing with her and wish I had been a better friend. This is live and learn situation and makes me sad.
So, to all my friends near and far, know that I think about you often and even if I don't keep in touch as good as I should, I still care about you.
Friday, May 2, 2008
Potsdam
While in Berlin, my daughter and I decided to take the "Insiders" tour to Potsdam. I had looked at a few photos online, and thought it looked like a really pretty place to visit. You know us Americans, we love to visit castles and palaces. The tour was supposed to last 6 hours and only cost 15 euros, so it sounded perfect for our last day in Berlin.
The trip to Postsdam on the train was pretty short, only about 20 min. About the first thing you see as you walk into the city center is a huge construction site. This was where the Imperial Palace was. East Germany, in its perverted, twisted thinking, had blown-up this fabulous looking building. Now, they are putting tax dollars to work to rebuild the whole thing. Looks like they have a few years to go before it is finished, but it will be a beaut!
We walked thru town and enjoyed seeing all the restored houses and buildings. It was actually quite pretty and interesting enough, that I thought about coming here for a couple of days, just to explore. There is even a Dutch neighborhood! We would have liked to have checked it out better, but there was some kind of Dutch/Tulip festival going on. Anyway, seemed like lots of stores were open on this Sunday and they all had interesting things to sell. I would have been content to roam around these streets for hours. I am happy to see this part of Germany come alive again, after so many years of being bedraggled down by the communists. It is a gem of a place.
Now on to the really cool sites. We walked to the park where the Sancoussi Palace is located. The park itself is so lovely that just wandering around it is peaceful. But, then you come upon this immense palace up on a hill and it does kinda take your breath away. It is massive and gorgeous at the same time. I think I would like to see it again in the summer though, when all the vines are grown out, as they were looking pretty bare this early in the year. The next time I come back, I do want to take a tour and see inside the place. We peeked through the windows and got a taste though. WOW.
Our next stop was the fantasy designed tea house. This was truly imagination gone wild. Have to say, it was my favorite place. All the gold, and the colors, and even the shape of the building, were so pleasing to the eye. It was whimsical but beautiful too. I have posted a photo of it here on the blog, so you can get an idea of it.
We wandered on through the park, stopping at Italian looking churches, villas that wanted to be ships, glass and gold creations by the wayside, extravagant bath houses, and of course beautiful plantings, trees, and water features. Seemed like everywhere you looked, there was something to catch your attention, something to make you go "ahhhh, will ya look at this".
Yes, we saw the graves of Fredrick the Great and all that, but that part wasn't as interesting to us. Though it was kind of amusing to see all of his dogs' graves and find that people had put potatoes on his gravestone. I found that overweird, but to each his own I suppose.
I certainly don't do justice to this beautiful, historical site with my words, but if you have a chance to get up to Berlin, make sure to set aside at least one day and go to Potsdam. I know that you will be happy that you did. This is one place that you will rave about to all your friends.
The trip to Postsdam on the train was pretty short, only about 20 min. About the first thing you see as you walk into the city center is a huge construction site. This was where the Imperial Palace was. East Germany, in its perverted, twisted thinking, had blown-up this fabulous looking building. Now, they are putting tax dollars to work to rebuild the whole thing. Looks like they have a few years to go before it is finished, but it will be a beaut!
We walked thru town and enjoyed seeing all the restored houses and buildings. It was actually quite pretty and interesting enough, that I thought about coming here for a couple of days, just to explore. There is even a Dutch neighborhood! We would have liked to have checked it out better, but there was some kind of Dutch/Tulip festival going on. Anyway, seemed like lots of stores were open on this Sunday and they all had interesting things to sell. I would have been content to roam around these streets for hours. I am happy to see this part of Germany come alive again, after so many years of being bedraggled down by the communists. It is a gem of a place.
Now on to the really cool sites. We walked to the park where the Sancoussi Palace is located. The park itself is so lovely that just wandering around it is peaceful. But, then you come upon this immense palace up on a hill and it does kinda take your breath away. It is massive and gorgeous at the same time. I think I would like to see it again in the summer though, when all the vines are grown out, as they were looking pretty bare this early in the year. The next time I come back, I do want to take a tour and see inside the place. We peeked through the windows and got a taste though. WOW.
Our next stop was the fantasy designed tea house. This was truly imagination gone wild. Have to say, it was my favorite place. All the gold, and the colors, and even the shape of the building, were so pleasing to the eye. It was whimsical but beautiful too. I have posted a photo of it here on the blog, so you can get an idea of it.
We wandered on through the park, stopping at Italian looking churches, villas that wanted to be ships, glass and gold creations by the wayside, extravagant bath houses, and of course beautiful plantings, trees, and water features. Seemed like everywhere you looked, there was something to catch your attention, something to make you go "ahhhh, will ya look at this".
Yes, we saw the graves of Fredrick the Great and all that, but that part wasn't as interesting to us. Though it was kind of amusing to see all of his dogs' graves and find that people had put potatoes on his gravestone. I found that overweird, but to each his own I suppose.
I certainly don't do justice to this beautiful, historical site with my words, but if you have a chance to get up to Berlin, make sure to set aside at least one day and go to Potsdam. I know that you will be happy that you did. This is one place that you will rave about to all your friends.
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