I went out for drinks this afternoon/ evening with my two best friends from work :) It was amazing. We were expecting more guests to join us, but no one showed. And to be honest, I'm quite glad they didn't. We enjoyed nearly four hours of eating, drinking, talking, and LAUGHING. Similar to what we do at work (minus the drinking, quite obviously).
It was tonight that we discussed (among other things) catchphrases-- you know, the things that you hear the same people say over and over again.
In particular, we discussed our catchphrases. We collaborated and decided that my own personal key catchphrases are as follows:
"This is the greatest ____ ever!" (Insert noun: likely to be day/night/week.)
"Did you know..." (I like fun facts and I offer them as often as possible.)
"I tell you that to tell you this." (I usually have a story or twelve, and one story often leads to another. This is my go-to segue.)
I assume that there are many different types of people with many different types of catchphrases. If the above three phrases are the ones my best friends know me for, then I'm quite satisfied. Thank you, Sarah and Ariane, for giving me "the greatest night ever!"
To my dear readers: what's YOUR catchphrase? I can't wait to hear your responses :)
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Day 12: Mon Petit Schmetterling
This summer, a Guatemalan mime told me that he considered "butterfly" to be the most beautiful word in any language. I agree.
English: butterfly
French: papillon
Spanish: mariposa
Filipino: paruparo
Portuguese: borboleta
Italian: farfalla
Romanian: fluture (pronounced like "future," but with an L)
Greek: petaluodia
Russian: babochka (sound familiar?)
Sign language: "interlock thumbs, and flap hands like wings" (haha)
Danish: sommerfugl
Since I've been studying German lately, I've been caught saying "Schmetterling" on random occasions. In turn, my dear coworker, Ariane, has begun saying "Schmetterling" as well. It's safe to say that there are plenty of "Schmetterling"s flying around our office (pun intended).
Below is a snippet from one of the many conversations she and I had today. Please disregard any and all speeling arrers/ grammatical errors. Also, bear in mind that these are "fun" conversations, typed quickly, with a high level of frivolity.
Me [1:21 PM]: discuss THIS. pow.
Ariane [1:21 PM]: pow right in the kisser
Me [1:21 PM]: (i punched you with my words)
Me [1:21 PM]: haha
Ariane [1:21 PM]: more like you stung me in my heart
Me [1:22 PM]: and ever since i was a Fox 17 news celebrity this morning all i've been doing is laughing
Ariane [1:22 PM]: can i have your autograph?
Me [1:24 PM]: papillon is french for butterfly
Ariane [1:24 PM]: i know
Ariane [1:24 PM]: the dog has ears like a butterfly and that's why they called it that
Me [1:24 PM]: un joli papillon (my beautiful butterfly)
Me [1:24 PM]: ohhhh! nice
Me [1:25 PM]: i was very lost for a second
Me [1:25 PM]: i prefer mon petit schmetterling
Me [1:25 PM]: i was ilke whose dog? what? who named their dog schmetterling?
Please note-- between 1:22 and 1:24 PM, you see a short pause. During this "intermission," I took the liberty of signing my autograph for Ariane. Attention: Deutsch-speakers, please move past the massacre of German grammar (should be "der Schmetterling") and just enjoy the work of art as is. I think the incorrect definite article adds a wee bit of character, no?
English: butterfly
French: papillon
Spanish: mariposa
Filipino: paruparo
Portuguese: borboleta
Italian: farfalla
Romanian: fluture (pronounced like "future," but with an L)
Greek: petaluodia
Russian: babochka (sound familiar?)
Sign language: "interlock thumbs, and flap hands like wings" (haha)
Danish: sommerfugl
Since I've been studying German lately, I've been caught saying "Schmetterling" on random occasions. In turn, my dear coworker, Ariane, has begun saying "Schmetterling" as well. It's safe to say that there are plenty of "Schmetterling"s flying around our office (pun intended).
Below is a snippet from one of the many conversations she and I had today. Please disregard any and all speeling arrers/ grammatical errors. Also, bear in mind that these are "fun" conversations, typed quickly, with a high level of frivolity.
Me [1:21 PM]: discuss THIS. pow.
Ariane [1:21 PM]: pow right in the kisser
Me [1:21 PM]: (i punched you with my words)
Me [1:21 PM]: haha
Ariane [1:21 PM]: more like you stung me in my heart
Me [1:22 PM]: and ever since i was a Fox 17 news celebrity this morning all i've been doing is laughing
Ariane [1:22 PM]: can i have your autograph?
Me [1:24 PM]: papillon is french for butterfly
Ariane [1:24 PM]: i know
Ariane [1:24 PM]: the dog has ears like a butterfly and that's why they called it that
Me [1:24 PM]: un joli papillon (my beautiful butterfly)
Me [1:24 PM]: ohhhh! nice
Me [1:25 PM]: i was very lost for a second
Me [1:25 PM]: i prefer mon petit schmetterling
Me [1:25 PM]: i was ilke whose dog? what? who named their dog schmetterling?
Please note-- between 1:22 and 1:24 PM, you see a short pause. During this "intermission," I took the liberty of signing my autograph for Ariane. Attention: Deutsch-speakers, please move past the massacre of German grammar (should be "der Schmetterling") and just enjoy the work of art as is. I think the incorrect definite article adds a wee bit of character, no?
Some background: On my way to work this morning, I stopped at Biggby Coffee on Stadium Dr., where the Fox 17 News van was parked. Inside, they were conducting an interview, and of course I tried my best to get on camera (it was only appropriate). That's where we get the term "Fox 17 News celebrity" that I reference in the conversation above.
All in all, any day in which I make a name for myself (Das Schmetterling) is a good day. Gute Nacht, meine Freunde. Bis morgen!
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Day 11: Curse You, Sarah MacLachlan... I'm Emotionally Spent!
It's the holiday season, so of course we see an influx of those commercials. You know the ones. I'm talking specifically about the ASPCA commercials that show pictures of the forgotten, locked-up puppies, all the while playing some terribly depressing song that YANKS at your heartstrings with a minor key and brilliantly wistful lyrics. Give me a sad, one-eyed puppy dog face, mix in some Sarah MacLachlan, and I'm done for.
Sometimes I think it's the vegan in me rearing its head. Perhaps it's just the fact that I'm human-- whether omnivore or herbivore, chances are you've been moved by the ASPCA commercials at some point in your life.
I've always been a supporter of Humane Societies and animal rescue groups. However, since I struck gold with my dear golden-haired Harper in June of 2009, I've become an even greater proponent of adopting an animal vs. buying purebred. Don't get me wrong, I know some absolutely marvelous purebreds (my dear nephew-dog Cooper is most certainly the apple of my eye!). But if you take the time to stroll through the cold gray aisles at your local animal shelter, there's a 125% chance that you'll feel the urge to take one of the animals home with you.
And if I haven't made this point clear enough already, I will now. Harper was truly a treasure-- an anomaly when it comes to rescued dogs. Rescued animals often come with some baggage-- perhaps they don't trust humans, or maybe they've got some very real behavioral issues (and often, their "baggage" is for good reason; it's possible they've been abused/ mistreated in the past). I was incredibly lucky to have found Harper-- she was housetrained, friendly, SMART, easily trainable, and trusting. I'm not sure what her history was, but she was the perfect dog for me.
In the future, I'll definitely adopt another dog-- not now, I'm not ready. But I urge any of you, if you're looking to make an animal addition to your home, to check with local animal rescue groups or animal shelters. A couple excellent websites to check out are the ASPCA website and Petfinder (I actually found Harper via the Petfinder website, where she was listed under the "adoptable dogs" of Saginaw County Humane Society.)
If you can't bring an animal into your house for some reason, consider other ways of helping animals in need:
Please oh please-- SAVE the animals! I personally can't bear to see one more ASPCA commercial. Let's all do our part to get rid of the heartwrenching slideshows interspersed throughout our sitcoms.
Sometimes I think it's the vegan in me rearing its head. Perhaps it's just the fact that I'm human-- whether omnivore or herbivore, chances are you've been moved by the ASPCA commercials at some point in your life.
I've always been a supporter of Humane Societies and animal rescue groups. However, since I struck gold with my dear golden-haired Harper in June of 2009, I've become an even greater proponent of adopting an animal vs. buying purebred. Don't get me wrong, I know some absolutely marvelous purebreds (my dear nephew-dog Cooper is most certainly the apple of my eye!). But if you take the time to stroll through the cold gray aisles at your local animal shelter, there's a 125% chance that you'll feel the urge to take one of the animals home with you.
And if I haven't made this point clear enough already, I will now. Harper was truly a treasure-- an anomaly when it comes to rescued dogs. Rescued animals often come with some baggage-- perhaps they don't trust humans, or maybe they've got some very real behavioral issues (and often, their "baggage" is for good reason; it's possible they've been abused/ mistreated in the past). I was incredibly lucky to have found Harper-- she was housetrained, friendly, SMART, easily trainable, and trusting. I'm not sure what her history was, but she was the perfect dog for me.
In the future, I'll definitely adopt another dog-- not now, I'm not ready. But I urge any of you, if you're looking to make an animal addition to your home, to check with local animal rescue groups or animal shelters. A couple excellent websites to check out are the ASPCA website and Petfinder (I actually found Harper via the Petfinder website, where she was listed under the "adoptable dogs" of Saginaw County Humane Society.)
If you can't bring an animal into your house for some reason, consider other ways of helping animals in need:
- Volunteer at a local shelter by walking/ bathing/ feeding the animals.
- Donate unused toys to your local shelter to keep adoptable animals entertained!
- Donate newspapers to the shelter to be used for kennels.
- Volunteer your time to be a foster parent to an "in-between" animal-- it can be very rewarding :)
- Report any cases of known or suspected animal cruelty/ abuse.
- DONATE! Cold hard cash is obviously one of the best ways to help your local shelter or rescue group. Any and all donations, no matter how small or large, are useful.
- Spay/ neuter your animals! This cannot be stressed enough.
Please oh please-- SAVE the animals! I personally can't bear to see one more ASPCA commercial. Let's all do our part to get rid of the heartwrenching slideshows interspersed throughout our sitcoms.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Day 10: Musical Chairs
Day 10 already! This 21-day challenge is just about halfway done. And it hasn't really been that difficult, save this past weekend (I was out of town and didn't have the best internet access where I was staying... but I persevered). My point: the daily post isn't so bad.
Quick recap of today: they're currently painting the walls of the Snack Bar located directly across the hall from my office (SB2). If you recall, my coworkers and I choose to eat at SB3 (down the hall from my office). There are generally many people who eat at SB3; fewer people eat at SB2-- but still a good number of people. Since they're painting SB2, those who normally dine at SB2 are eating in SB3.
Despite the fact that we're all adults and don't have "assigned seats," we're creatures of habit and choose to sit in the same seats, at the same tables, as often as possible. Every so often, someone will be sitting at "your table" in SB3, and you'll have to sit somewhere else. Maybe that screws up your day, maybe not.
TODAY... because of the painting in SB2 and the sudden influx of diners in SB3 (my home turf), there were nearly no tables available. So at morning recess, we had to sit at the corner table-- which normally belongs to the group of carpenters. So they had to sit somewhere else. Same thing at lunch-- no tables available! For both morning recess and lunch, it seemed like every group's seating arrangements were discombobulated. All day long, we were all discussing how "off" we felt as a result of our screwed-up seating. Funny how something like that can flip your world around.
Remember grade school, when your teachers gave you assigned seats and it was the worst thing imaginable? Look at a professional place like my workplace-- we need to sit in the same seats every day. Walk into any college classroom and I guarantee you that most of the students sit in the same seats every day. How have we progressed so far? Not only do we accept "assigned" seats, but we crave them!
Hopefully tomorrow will go more smoothly-- and if not, at least I'll be mentally prepared :)
Despite the fact that we're all adults and don't have "assigned seats," we're creatures of habit and choose to sit in the same seats, at the same tables, as often as possible. Every so often, someone will be sitting at "your table" in SB3, and you'll have to sit somewhere else. Maybe that screws up your day, maybe not.
TODAY... because of the painting in SB2 and the sudden influx of diners in SB3 (my home turf), there were nearly no tables available. So at morning recess, we had to sit at the corner table-- which normally belongs to the group of carpenters. So they had to sit somewhere else. Same thing at lunch-- no tables available! For both morning recess and lunch, it seemed like every group's seating arrangements were discombobulated. All day long, we were all discussing how "off" we felt as a result of our screwed-up seating. Funny how something like that can flip your world around.
Remember grade school, when your teachers gave you assigned seats and it was the worst thing imaginable? Look at a professional place like my workplace-- we need to sit in the same seats every day. Walk into any college classroom and I guarantee you that most of the students sit in the same seats every day. How have we progressed so far? Not only do we accept "assigned" seats, but we crave them!
Hopefully tomorrow will go more smoothly-- and if not, at least I'll be mentally prepared :)
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Day 9: Photographical Evidence
Despite the sinister title, this blog is actually going to be quite lovely. No, it's not blackmail or paparazzi shots. On the contrary, I'm posting pictures of my weekend: photographical evidence of a lovely German Christmas (and German is pronounced "Cherman," as spoken by a true Frankenmuther).
Though I say "Frankenmuth" because it's more widely recognized, I'm technically from Frankentrost, a small community just north of Frankenmuth. Frankenhilf (now called Richville) is a community just east of Frankentrost. Confused yet? There's one more-- Frankenlust. Why do all these names sound similar? Each community was founded in the mid-1800s by a Franconian pastor (Pastor Loehe) from Bavaria. Each name means "___ of the Franconians." For example, Frankenmuth means "courage of the Franconians;" Frankentrost means "consolation of the Franconians;" Frankenhilf means "help of the Franconians;" and Frankenlust means "joy of the Franconians." Heartwarming, yes. And a wee bit interesting, too-- if you're into that sort of thing (and I am).
My dad still lives in Frankentrost, and my mom lives in Frankenmuth-- right in town. So this weekend, because I was staying with her, it was easy to drive around town and take pictures (like I mentioned in my last blog). Each photo is a pretty accurate depiction of Frankenmuth around Christmastime. You should know that driving through Frankenmuth looks a lot like how one might imagine old-world Germany to look like. Nearly every building (and I mean nearly every building) looks like it came straight out of Bavaria-- yes, even the Dollar General and McDonald's. The horse-drawn carriages clip-clopping down Main St. add to the whimsical atmosphere of this tiny town. And though I can't remember ever enjoying working in Frankenmuth, I thoroughly enjoyed visiting this weekend.
Though I say "Frankenmuth" because it's more widely recognized, I'm technically from Frankentrost, a small community just north of Frankenmuth. Frankenhilf (now called Richville) is a community just east of Frankentrost. Confused yet? There's one more-- Frankenlust. Why do all these names sound similar? Each community was founded in the mid-1800s by a Franconian pastor (Pastor Loehe) from Bavaria. Each name means "___ of the Franconians." For example, Frankenmuth means "courage of the Franconians;" Frankentrost means "consolation of the Franconians;" Frankenhilf means "help of the Franconians;" and Frankenlust means "joy of the Franconians." Heartwarming, yes. And a wee bit interesting, too-- if you're into that sort of thing (and I am).
My dad still lives in Frankentrost, and my mom lives in Frankenmuth-- right in town. So this weekend, because I was staying with her, it was easy to drive around town and take pictures (like I mentioned in my last blog). Each photo is a pretty accurate depiction of Frankenmuth around Christmastime. You should know that driving through Frankenmuth looks a lot like how one might imagine old-world Germany to look like. Nearly every building (and I mean nearly every building) looks like it came straight out of Bavaria-- yes, even the Dollar General and McDonald's. The horse-drawn carriages clip-clopping down Main St. add to the whimsical atmosphere of this tiny town. And though I can't remember ever enjoying working in Frankenmuth, I thoroughly enjoyed visiting this weekend.
![]() |
| This is one of the back roads through town. You should see Main St. |
![]() |
| Main St. in Frankenmuth (and yes, this photo was taken while I was standing directly in the middle of the road) |
![]() |
| Main St. Frankenmuth |
![]() |
| Zehnder's Restaurant (famous for its family-style chicken dinners) |
![]() |
| Bavarian Inn Restaurant, also famous for its family-style chicken dinners |
![]() |
| Bavarian-style McDonald's |
![]() |
| Bavarian-style Dollar General |
![]() |
| Yes, even the Tim Horton's has a Bavarian design. |
![]() |
| the Christmas display along the river through town |
![]() |
| one of the very many Nativity scenes along Main St. |
Day 8: Frohliche Weihnachten!
Frohliche Weihnachten ("Merry Christmas" in German) to all of you! If I had a nickel for every time I heard/saw that little German phrase today, I'd have enough to pay for a trip to the ACTUAL Germany (and not "Michigan's Little Bavaria"). But since I'm still ever-so-broke, Frankenmuth will have to tide me over for now. Funny how you don't realize what a cool town you come from until you've been gone a while (and I haven't even been gone that long yet).
If you've never had the chance to take a trip to Frankenmuth, you should. And if you can do it around the holiday season, you get bonus points. If there's one thing people associate Frankenmuth with when I tell them where I'm from, it's Christmas. Frankenmuth, MI, boasts the world's largest Christmas store (Bronner's Christmas Wonderland).
One of my favorite feelings EVER is the one I got this on Friday night when I drove into Frankenmuth. Upon entry into town, one sees this huge store, buzzing with activity and bursting with light from the millions of Christmas lights hanging in and around the store.
Tonight I drove around town and took photos of some of the coolest places around town, and all the best light displays. Frankenmuth, tourist town though it may be, is completely safe and peacefully quiet at night. Tonight, probably because it's Christmas and everyone in Frankenmuth was at home, gathered around their Tannenbaums (Christmas trees), the entire town was silent. There was so little traffic that I was able to park my car right on Main St. and stand directly in the middle of the road and snap away with my camera. Funny how different Frankenmuth is from cities like Kalamazoo. Granted, I love Kzoo. But today was filled with hearing my dad and Oma (grandma) banter in German as we drank beer after church (yes, we're German and that's how we roll), eating "stollen" (German bread made with rum-soaked nuts and fruits), and hearing "Frohliche Weihnachten" wished to dozens of people. And I doubt there are too many other places besides Frankenmuth where that could happen.
Right now, I'm sitting in my mom's living room and we're watching "Meet Me in St. Louis." And little Tootie, the youngest daughter in the movie, is elated to be living in St. Louis. "Wasn't I lucky to be born in my favorite city?" she asks at one point in the movie. Thank you, dear Tootie. I totally agree.
If you've never had the chance to take a trip to Frankenmuth, you should. And if you can do it around the holiday season, you get bonus points. If there's one thing people associate Frankenmuth with when I tell them where I'm from, it's Christmas. Frankenmuth, MI, boasts the world's largest Christmas store (Bronner's Christmas Wonderland).
One of my favorite feelings EVER is the one I got this on Friday night when I drove into Frankenmuth. Upon entry into town, one sees this huge store, buzzing with activity and bursting with light from the millions of Christmas lights hanging in and around the store.
Tonight I drove around town and took photos of some of the coolest places around town, and all the best light displays. Frankenmuth, tourist town though it may be, is completely safe and peacefully quiet at night. Tonight, probably because it's Christmas and everyone in Frankenmuth was at home, gathered around their Tannenbaums (Christmas trees), the entire town was silent. There was so little traffic that I was able to park my car right on Main St. and stand directly in the middle of the road and snap away with my camera. Funny how different Frankenmuth is from cities like Kalamazoo. Granted, I love Kzoo. But today was filled with hearing my dad and Oma (grandma) banter in German as we drank beer after church (yes, we're German and that's how we roll), eating "stollen" (German bread made with rum-soaked nuts and fruits), and hearing "Frohliche Weihnachten" wished to dozens of people. And I doubt there are too many other places besides Frankenmuth where that could happen.
Right now, I'm sitting in my mom's living room and we're watching "Meet Me in St. Louis." And little Tootie, the youngest daughter in the movie, is elated to be living in St. Louis. "Wasn't I lucky to be born in my favorite city?" she asks at one point in the movie. Thank you, dear Tootie. I totally agree.
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Day 7: Better Early Than Never
I hate breaking the rules. Scratch that-- I hate breaking tradition. Therefore, I really don't approve of celebrating a holiday early.
This year, like the last few years, my family celebrated Christmas early in order to accommodate my sisters' plans (and please understand that I'm not complaining about this). And somehow, this year it seemed that I minded a little less.
For the first year in quite some time, I felt complete harmony while celebrating Christmas. Last year, one integral member of my immediate family failed to show up-- while we were all waiting-- and I have yet to hear a reason for the absence. This year, on the other hand, we all were there. And we were all laughing. And smiling. And sharing. And helping one another. (Am I making you sick with all this ridiculous sweetness yet?)
Ridiculous though it seems, it warmed my heart. Maybe the day wasn't completely flawless (the same member who forgot to show up last year was 2.5 hours late this year). And after all, I don't know what was going on beneath the surface of all the happiness that was being exuded today. Maybe there was more conflict than I actually saw. But that's my point.
From where I was sitting, I saw a happy family. And this year, I feel like that's all I needed. I needed to spend Christmas with a happy family. A joking, sharing, laughing, happy family. My absolute joy this Christmas season didn't come from the tasty vegan food I stuffed myself with today, nor from the wonderful gifts I received from my family today. It came from every smile, every hug, every joke, every bout of laughter that I shared with my family today. There's nothing I could ask for that would have made me any happier than I was while I was just watching my family in action today. No, we're definitely not perfect. We've got our quirks (for example, Melanie had to be told numerous times to "get your Hulk hands off the rocking chair so Dad can sit down"). And no, we don't always get along. But today was the perfect example of how any family can move past whatever could be pulling them apart, and just enjoy a holiday together. It's true-- there's no place like home. And as long as I'm around to spend time with my family on this beautiful earth, I'm going to do my best to enjoy it. Merry Christmas (eve) to you and your family. I hope this holiday season brings you as much joy as it's brought me.
This year, like the last few years, my family celebrated Christmas early in order to accommodate my sisters' plans (and please understand that I'm not complaining about this). And somehow, this year it seemed that I minded a little less.
For the first year in quite some time, I felt complete harmony while celebrating Christmas. Last year, one integral member of my immediate family failed to show up-- while we were all waiting-- and I have yet to hear a reason for the absence. This year, on the other hand, we all were there. And we were all laughing. And smiling. And sharing. And helping one another. (Am I making you sick with all this ridiculous sweetness yet?)
Ridiculous though it seems, it warmed my heart. Maybe the day wasn't completely flawless (the same member who forgot to show up last year was 2.5 hours late this year). And after all, I don't know what was going on beneath the surface of all the happiness that was being exuded today. Maybe there was more conflict than I actually saw. But that's my point.
From where I was sitting, I saw a happy family. And this year, I feel like that's all I needed. I needed to spend Christmas with a happy family. A joking, sharing, laughing, happy family. My absolute joy this Christmas season didn't come from the tasty vegan food I stuffed myself with today, nor from the wonderful gifts I received from my family today. It came from every smile, every hug, every joke, every bout of laughter that I shared with my family today. There's nothing I could ask for that would have made me any happier than I was while I was just watching my family in action today. No, we're definitely not perfect. We've got our quirks (for example, Melanie had to be told numerous times to "get your Hulk hands off the rocking chair so Dad can sit down"). And no, we don't always get along. But today was the perfect example of how any family can move past whatever could be pulling them apart, and just enjoy a holiday together. It's true-- there's no place like home. And as long as I'm around to spend time with my family on this beautiful earth, I'm going to do my best to enjoy it. Merry Christmas (eve) to you and your family. I hope this holiday season brings you as much joy as it's brought me.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)













