| Sunday, March 18, 2007 |
| 999 Things - German is fun! |
Wow. I haven't added to my was-supposed-to-be-added-to-regularly-and-get-super-long-list. Since I am busy doing a lot of not terribly intresting things, I'll share a couple things with you that make me really happy to speak the German language. If any of you have never considered learning a second language, I highly recommend learning a few words of something just for the fun of it. Words that seem dull as dishwater in your native language will often take on a whole new light and wonder in another! Really! Taking the time to learn another language is one of the greatest gifts I have given myself. So here's a couple fun German words I'd like to gift you all with. Happy Sunday everyone :)
81. The German version of 'in the middle of nowhere' is im Arsch der Welt, which means 'in the ass of the world.'
82. A Thingamajig is a Dingsbums (when pronounced it sounds like dings-poomps). When I first got here, everything became a Dingsbums.
83. Names Jutta (sounds sorta like Utah, but with the stress on the first syllable) and Knut (K-noot). There was a story on the news a couple days ago about a baby polar bear in a German zoo, whose name is Knut. He was so adorable I've decided to replace cute with Knut, because it's just more fun to say ;)
84. Darn! = Quatsch! (Kv-ah-ch!)
85. As a knitter, I love that German patterns call picot trim Mausezähnchen (little mouse teeth).
86. Quotation marks are sometimes referred to as Gänsefüßchen or 'little goose feet'
87. All nouns are capitalized. It's amazing how things as mundane as Nosespray or a Hamsandwich (this would be a super compound Noun in German) seem more important somehow with a big, fat capital Letter.
88. Although I don't have much of a sweet tooth, one of my favourites at the bakery is a Bienenstich or 'bee sting cake' - named so because of the honey glaze on top.
89. A vacuum cleaner is a Staubsauger - literally dust-sucker.
90. If something is really great, you may hear someone say that it's Affengeil or 'horny as a monkey'!Labels: 999 Things |
posted by tatjana @ 9:22 p.m.   |
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| Tuesday, December 19, 2006 |
| 999 Things - Where the hell I've been |
Things have been busy busy busy, and I've been up to all sorts of things, some crafty, and mostly otherwise, to the point where when I think of blogging I just don't know where to begin. So I'll just take the few minutes I have right now to give an idea of what I've been up to and hopefully I'll find a bit more time soon for pictures and details.
71. I was in bed, dying slowly, with not the strength to pick up two needles, let alone two needles and yarn. Most importantly though, I had ample time to practice looking as pathetic as possible, which immediately resulted in Bunny taking over all cleaning duties indefinitely!! MwaHaHaHA!!
72. I was in the car, howling country tunes, happily looking forward to my birthday destination, and driven of course, by above mentioned Bunny.
73. I was in Munich, my favourite Germany city! On my birthday! I had the prerequisite krug of beer with my schnitzel lunch (which was the best ever and I'm not even that big on schnitzel), then examined the Christmas market in minute detail.
74. I was still in Munich, but the second day we went to Tollwood, which is Munich's 'alternative' Christmas market. There you can buy organic Glühwein (mulled wine) and all sorts of esoteric doodads. Lots of handmade goodies, but unfortunately bad lighting, so although I will have pics to show, none are of the things here :P
75. I was in Bad Tölz!! This is a lovely little town south of Bavaria, where my father happens to have been born. It was such a joy to wander through their small Christmas market and then explore all sorts of little allies in between the beautifully maintained and/or restored buildings which are several hundred years old. We tried to find the actually old farmhouse where my dad was born, but unfortunately either he had the house number wrong, or it got torn down to put up the relatively new medical centre. I'm hoping it's the first option, because I'd really like to go there with him and look for it together :)
76. I was at our own local Christmas market, where I made some lovely new friends. One of Bunny's co-workers apparently has a gaggle of girlfriends who are just as nutty as me! It was great. Not to be too critical of Germany, but I've never felt so at ease hanging out with a group of Germans before. And considering I've been here 3 years now, that's really saying something.
77. I was also at work, of course, with about a bazillion things to do. And of course I had to remember to feed my co-workers, since I had run away for my birthday. Here, instead of a co-worker bringing a cake or something for you for your birthday, you are expected to bring food for everyone. It wouldn't be so bad if I didn't have about 20 people in my department and take the train to work. But happily, Bunny gave me a ride my morning back, and helped my bake the carrot cake, which turned out awesome as well as a basket of yummy scones I just found a great recipe for.
78. I was not at my work Christmas party, because it happened to take place while we went to Munich and there was no way of planning around it, but there have been lots of other Christmas gatherings. It's been years since I've had goose dinner, but thanks to lovely dinner parties this year, I've already had two! I'm just a sucker for a good roast bird!
79. And yes, I was at yet another Christmas market, this time in Esslingen, which is one of the towns/burroughs/I'm not really sure which make up the greater Stuttgart area. Esslingen is really pretty, having a lot of great old building which make for a lovely atmosphere, and best of all, half of the market is medieval! I've gushed about such things before, and I could hardly keep myself from giggling at all the people in garb and the games they had for the kiddies. They even had a kind of ferris wheel made out of wood and iron, with 6 troughs that the children could ride in. It was operated by a huge crank on the side and rather weary looking peasant. I tried really hard to get a picture, but there were so many people we could hardly move, let alone get clear shots of anything.
80. Last, but not least, I was buying a tree! Woohoo! Due to visits back to Canada and other less substantial reasons, we have not had one of our own before. But this year I just couldn't hold out any longer. Plus, it will be my first non-plastic tree ever! Traditionally, trees are decorated on Christmas eve here (thought no longer done by everyone) so we only got ours this past weekend, and she's still waiting in the yard to come in. We will be decorating tomorrow with some great bits I found on ebay and hopefully some handmades too :)
  Labels: 999 Things, Life |
| posted by tatjana @ 1:32 p.m. |
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| Wednesday, November 01, 2006 |
| 999 Things - Small Joys |
Since my last addition to the list was very doom and gloom, I thought it would do me good to think of things that have made me happy lately.
61. My new sweater dress! I'm not as much of a clothes horse as I used to be, but occasionally I really get a kick out of buying myself something pretty and girly. This dress is definitely that. Also, I think it's the shortest thing I've worn since I went to a friend's 'white trash' costume party about 5 years ago :D
62. Having breakfast with Bunny. During the week I rush to get ready and run out the door because of the long commute and always eat on the train, leaving him on his own. But on weekends or holidays (like today!) he will often get up before me and make us eggs benedict. So yummy, and really nice to sit and enjoy it with him.
63. Spending the day in beautiful surroundings. This can be in nature, or in historic areas, which there are a lot of here. Today we spent the afternoon wandering through the woods, which was great, but have no pictures, so instead I'll show you one of another beautiful day a week or 2 ago when we went to Tübingen.
64. A bucket of candy. My mom is totally the sugar/fat/anything good police so the little girl in me still gets a little excited at a pile of junk food. I don't even have a sweet tooth, I think it's just a sense of something forbidden ;) And since we didn't end up having any trick or treaters this year, guess what I'm stuck with?
65. Trying/making new things. In the last month or 2 I've gone to classes to try stained glasswork, metalwork and lampwork. Being a total textile girl, it was so exciting to work with totally different materials. Here's a pic of the pendant I made, with 2 beads I found to fit. I was hoping to have 3, but have not found one to fit in the smallest spot, so I may just use one. What do you think? If you click on my flickr pics there another of the pendant naked, plus another of my wonky glass beads! It was great fun making them, but will not be something I'll be pursuing.
66. This video. I found the link on a blog, but don't remember which one. And it led me to a similar one of a girl who did her own Free Hugs campaign in Toronto, my full-of-wikkid-awesome-people-hometown :D It made me cry, especially when she describes the children just running up and attacking her. So sweet!
67. A happy cat. Except for our first cat, which we lost, Abby and Lily are my first none-caged pets. I hope I will never get so used to them that I am not absolutely delighted whenever they roll around in front of me purring like lawnmowers because they're just so happy I'm home.
68. Traditional German knitting patterns, like these I found on ebay. So cute! The cablework on some of these cardigans is just to die for. My biggest problem now is deciding which one I want to make since I'm in love with several and they're really not a jiffy knit. What do you think? This one? Or maybe this one? I really love the back. And then of course there are some drool worthy socks and my favourite, the über sexy legwarmers for men! LOL
69. A good idea. Don't you just love it when you think of something great to make? You just get all worked up and pleased with yourself, and feel more motivated to get stuff done. I just thought of what I could do with a shrunken sweater that seemed to tiny to be used for anything, even a purse! So I'll make mittens! I can picture them perfectly and if I can manage to get a whole pile of stuff done at work, I can take make them this weekend instead of working like last weekend!
70. And last, but not least, doing things for others. I think there are few things in the world than can so easily bring such a sense of satisfaction and well-being. It's practically selfish! I'm really enjoying knitting things for Dulaan, and although work has been crazy the last week or so, I am making time to spin and knit more things. I'm really happy with the latest to be done, as they're my first mittens, and I love how the rainbow handspun knit up. I hope they will make a child happy :)
  Labels: 999 Things, Randomness |
| posted by tatjana @ 7:28 p.m. |
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| Thursday, October 19, 2006 |
| 999 Things - Depression |
I've been wanting to post this for a few days now, but have been putting it off (along with a lot of things) because it's really difficult for me to talk/write about. But I think it's important that I do, for my sake and maybe also so that those of you who visit regularly know where I wander off to sometimes when my blog goes dead for a week. I hope it doesn't come across as wierd that I'm adding it to the list, but it is a list about me, and sadly, this is a pretty big part of my life. Besides, this makes it easier for me to write all this. Little steps :)
51. I have suffered from depression more or less my entire life. I went to a psychiatrist for the first time when I was 5 because I told my parents I wanted to die.
52. My parents were never able to deal with this. As far as I can tell, I got little or no therapy at that time and my parents did their best to ignore the whole thing. When I would shut myself up in my room and cry for hours (which was often) their response was 'What do you have to cry for?'
53. As a teenager, the addition of hormone fluctuations made things worse and I sought help on my own. I got put on anti-depressants and saw a psychologist who would nod off during or sessions. She was not a big help.
54. My high school years are a strange split between the two lives I lead. I did everything I could to be a well-balanced, well behaved student and daughter at home and school during the day, then would take off nights, which were a blur of drugs and drinking.
55. My only real support was my best friend, who I met when I was 15. Having alcoholic parents, she had run away from home and was also often depressed. We did our best to keep each other in check, while providing company on all those nights when we needed to drown ourselves in anything that would make us forget how awful we felt.
56. If we had not had each other, I shudder to think what would have become of us. She was the one who stopped me from cutting myself, I was the one who made her eat. We dragged eachother to school even when we horribly hungover, and told one another that we would get through this and make something of ourselves.
57. After about 3 years of scraping by in school, together we decided to clean ourselves up and strive for a goal: we wanted to go to university. In spite of all our problems, we both loved learning and believed in educating ourselves. In addition, going to university meant I could finally get away from the critical eyes of my parents. We both sought help again for depression, and with some medication, a whole lot of will power and each other, we both got into the schools we wanted. This was a big step for both of us in learning that our problems didn't have to ruin our lives.
58. Being at university really helped give me the confidence and strength to deal with my depression better. It was still a struggle, but I didn't feel like it owned me any more. I had goals to strive for, and, I hoped, would have a career helping people that was worth living for. I wanted to work in agriculture in developing countries. I wanted to help feed people. Having always had difficulty with my self worth, it was easier for me to strive for things for the sake of others. It still is.
59. I was over the moon when I learned I was accepted to do a MSc in Tropical Agriculture here in Germany. All I could think of was all the things I would learn that I could pass on to others who needed help. Unfortunately, after working with a international development research agency as part of my degree, I was no longer sure. I faced not only disorganization, but also exploitation of native workers, while the foreign researchers lived the good life, people who only focused on getting their next grant rather than helping people, and lots of money spent on projects that helped noone. I can't even begin to describe the effect this had on me. I don't know how I managed to complete my degree, this disillusionment left me shattered. I was a mess.
60. I have since managed to crawl out of that hole, but it has not been easy. Being here in Germany, away from my friends back home has added to the strain. Try as I might, I have not been able to connect to anyone here apart from my partner and his family. I am, and will likely always be, a teeming bundle of raw emotions, while most people here rarely show any (at least in this region). I find it not only hard to understand, but it makes me feel doubly vulnerable and all the more difficult to try to socialize and live normally when all I want to do is crawl into a little hole and hide.
Phew. So that's me. A part of me, anyway. I hope it wasn't too depressing. The bright side is, I try to remember that I've achieved a lot in spite of everything and this no longer has the power over my life it once did. I may still be fighting, but I am winning.
Labels: 999 Things, Life |
| posted by tatjana @ 12:20 p.m. |
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| Thursday, September 28, 2006 |
| 999 Things - Inspiration |
It's been a few days since my last post...I came down with a cold on the weekend and have been just exhausted all week as my body crawls its way back to health. So there has been no crafting of any kind going on, in spite of a burning desire to make something really awesome. But alas, in addition to my poor physical condition, I have not been of good crafting mind lately, my pencil and sketchbook leave me sad, a look at my yarn or fabric stash bewildered. I'm hoping with my more or less returned health, I can spark a flame of creativity on the weekend and just make something. My hands are just itching to be used and if I don't make something soon I will just lose my mind. So, to get me and maybe others going, here are some of the things that bring me inspiration.
41. Niki de Saint Phalle - I first encountered her (terribly famous but unbeknownst to unarteducated me) work when I went to Vienna and stumbled on an exhibit. I saw a Nana and just squealed. Something about these figures just speaks to me in a way that little art does. I think because there's something so alive about them. There is a huge Nana in the Zurich train station. It is utterly amazing. It is enormous and hangs over those coming through the main entrance like some great technicolor feminine avenger.
42. Alphonse Mucha - When I look at his work I can't help but think there is no such thing as women, only goddesses. We are all goddesses.
43. Björk - I've been a fan ever since she came out with her first solo album when I was 14. Admittedly, she is an acquired taste (and has become more so) but I don't think of what she makes as music as much as auditory art. When I listen, I close my eyes and see the landscapes her music creates. I can imagine what it's like for animals who see by radar, the sounds I hear are like the echoes of mountains, forests and bodies of water.
44. I stumbled upon this a few days ago, and am still in awe.
45. Mehndi - Well, almost anything about Indian culture really, I can think of no other with the same variety and colour. But the endless mehndi designs out there all just beg to made into beautiful permanent things instead of being washed away after a few days or weeks.
46. Glass - I could look at glass for hours. Things like this or this or this.
47. John Galliano - Most people would not consider fashion art. In most cases I would agree, except for this man's haute couture.
48. Frida Kahlo - Not much to say really, just an amazing woman and artist.
49. Fernando Botero - I find his exagerated and rotund style irresistable, and find it fascinating how he can use such childlike figures to portray things like violence in his home Colombia, or the torture of prisoners in Iraq.
50. There should be a knit designer here. I can't think of a knit designer that inspires me, although I wish there was. Maybe I just don't know enough of them? If anyone could mention a couple lesser known ones, maybe I could find one :)
For now I'll say, what with Oktoberfest in the air (Stuttgart has the Volksfest, Germany's 2nd largest festival) I've been thinking a lot about Trachtkleidung (tradition German clothing). Aside for Lederhosen and things, this also includes beautiful knit patterns. Here is an example, I will try to find a better one though.
 Labels: 999 Things |
| posted by tatjana @ 5:01 p.m. |
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| Friday, September 15, 2006 |
| 999 Things - on Fall |
31. Fall is definitely my favourite season. I think of the colours, the joy of charging through a pile of leaves, that crisp feeling in the air, the new beginning of another school year.
32. I miss Canada the most in the fall. The thought of a grove of red maples, their leaves blazing, really tugs on the heartstrings.
33. I find things still feel off schedule here. There is no Labour Day weekend to bookmark the back to school, and the children aren't seen on their way to school until after the middle of the month.
34. But there is one school tradition I get a kick out of....on their first day of first grade the children are sent with a Schultute. I think this is a great idea, as it seems to help kids not feel scared or sad about going.
35. Another thing I love about fall is the squash. This is still a relatively new vegetable in German cuisine, but there are now several kinds available at the farmer's markets, at least in fall, and I stock up while I can.
36. Right now I have a spaghetti and a butternut squash to make on the weekend.
37. I like spaghetti squash simple. I just halve it, scrape out the insides, and bake it in the oven with veggie broth in the centres. When it's done I just mix in what's left of the broth while I scrape the fibres out and add butter (plus salt, since butter here is unsalted). I've tried lots of other recipes, but I still like it this way best.
38. Butternut squash is always soup to me, with cream, cinnamon and a bit of cayenne pepper. So yummy! My best friend and I made it once with Scotch bonnets and overdid it a bit...everyone loved the soup, but had to eat with tears streaming down their cheeks :D
39. A popular fall activity here which I've been meaning to do forever, is muchroom hunting. Because there is a lot of light rain and overcast skies, it makes for great mushroom weather and we see them everywhere when we go on walks in wooded places.
40. I only know a few mushrooms, not enough to feel safe picking them to eat. But I love wandering around in the fall admiring their many forms and colours. Flowers bloom in spring, but mushrooms bloom in fall!
Labels: 999 Things |
| posted by tatjana @ 1:23 p.m. |
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| Monday, September 04, 2006 |
| 999 Things |
21. I make a fish face sometimes when I'm bored and not really thinking...kinda like this, but I don't usually cross my eyes unless I'm doing it to show someone else.
22. I sigh alot when I'm feeling kinda melancholy. Really deep, wistful kinda sighs. I don't even realize I'm doing it til Bunny asks me what's wrong.
23. I call my boyfriend Bunny, because I think it's funny. He didn't like it until I spent a week calling him much more embarassing alternatives . Now it's totally his name! haha!
24. He calls me Lion because I couldn't stop dancing and singing along to this.
25. Bizarrely, I could listen to that song all day.
26. I do not know how to play any instruments.
27. I took music for a year in high school, during which I was condemned to the trombone.
28. This is a great instrument, but not for me because I have short arms. Taken from a site explaining how to tune a trombone:
Seventh position -- About an inch and a half past the stockings. his is as far as most people can reach.
For short arms: Use tips of two fingers releasing thumb from brace to reach seventh. Move right shoulder in. Extremely short arms may need to tie a string from finger to brace and "throw" the slide.
Yeah, throw the slide. That worked real well. I won't even tell you the number of times I got a little over-zealous and cracked some innocent clarinet player in the back of the head.
29. I secretly longed for the trumpet, and traded for one every time we had a substitute teacher.
30. I found the trumpet much easier to play, even with the small mouthpiece, and have ever since been convinced that if given the chance I could have been a musical genius.
Labels: 999 Things |
| posted by tatjana @ 1:27 p.m. |
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| Monday, August 28, 2006 |
| 999 Things |
11. I am a cat person.
12. I sing when I'm happy, sometimes even in tune. Mostly old jazz songs and showtunes.
13. I bake a mean double chocolate chip cookie.
14. I learned to knit from my boyfriend's mother a few months after I came to Germany. I'd wanted to learn for a long time.
15. I taught myself to sew things by hand when I was about 10 or so, but I didn't get a machine til I was 15.
16. My last year of high school I studied fashion design.
17. I couldn't deal with how competitive the fashion business is so I left my creative pursuits to study plant biology at the University of Guelph.
18. Although I spent all that time studying plants, I tended to focus on the microscopic aspects, things that plants do that we can't see. That's why I'm really lousy at identifying plants, but I can tell you all about the different chemical compounds they produce to fight bugs and diseases.
19. I actually miss spending lots of time in a lab.
20. I decided to do a masters degree in agriculture because my fascination with all the untapped potential in plants gave me the conviction that there were better ways to manage the plants we eat, for us and for the environment.
Labels: 999 Things, Memes |
| posted by tatjana @ 9:54 a.m. |
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| Friday, August 25, 2006 |
| 999 Things? |
A lot of blogs have a link somewhere to an 'About Me' page or a list of personal facts. Somehow I never got around to doing that, so just to make it a little different, and make use of my brand new categories (woohoo! I've been trying to find out how to do this with blogger for forever, I'm such a geek, I'm going to come up with a whopping 999 things about me! (Hmmm, narcissistic much?) But not to worry, doing it all at once we be a bit much for all concerned methinks so I will make mini lists, once a week or whenever I get the urge really, and (here's where my fun new categories come in!) they will all go into their little category until I reach 999.
So without further ado, the start of my list:
1. I was born in Toronto, Canada to a German father and an Ecuadorian mother.
2. Strangely, although I could always tell my mother had an accent, it wasn't until I was a teenager that I realized my dad has one too.
3. I speak 3 1/2 languages, English, Spanish, German, and a rusty French.
4. Even though I grew up in a big city, crowds stress me out and I much prefer small towns.
5. It is not uncommon to hear me talking to inanimate objects (with great enthusiasm even). If I do this with an object that is not my own, there's a damn good chance I am moments awaying from purchasing said item so as to have it all to myself.
6. I am an insatiable bargain hunter. Me in the middle of a 'Going out of business' type sale (you know the kind, where they're practically just giving stuff away) is kinda like Fred Flintstone in a casino (Bet-bet-bet-bet-bet!!).
7. I have been living in Germany for 3 years.
8. When I first got here, the dialect in this area (Schwäbisch or Swabian) drove my absolutely bonkers.
9. I now find it highly entertaining.
10. Almost noone ever called me by my full name until I moved here (I was Tut or Tati), and I still find it wierd sometimes.
Psst! Anyone else with a blogger blog who wants categories too, the super duper fabulous code can be found here. It's a bit of a pain to categorize old posts, because you have to go back and put a tag into them, but I like this method better than the one that uses del.icio.us and just gives you a list of links to the entries.
Labels: 999 Things |
| posted by tatjana @ 6:13 p.m. |
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