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Saturday, June 14, 2008
My one week anniversary
I'm still recovering from jetlag. Last night, I fell asleep on the couch relatively early (probably around 11), but I woke up at least a dozen times during the night. I finally got up close to 6 and moved to the bed. However, the comfort level wasn't much better.
I don't know if I've explained German beds before, but I'll risk repeating myself. Let me just say that German beds are HARD. They have thin mattresses and they're about as comfortable as a slab of concrete. Also, the linens they use are different.
They by-pass sheets altogether and use down comforters instead. Each side of the bed gets their own comforter, which you sleep on top of, and a pillow. Then there is one blanket that goes across the entire bed. At the moment, I'm sleeping on top of both comforters and using both pillows, but I still can't get comfortable.
They should definitely invest in egg crates and sleep number mattresses.
Anyway, today I spent the afternoon with Dan and Kelli and their favorite couple, Sonja and Bryce. The best way to describe the four of them together is kind of how we act when we have mini-sorority reunions (i.e. when someone gets married or comes in to visit) or our intern rotation group.
They're comfortable with each other, they're loud and they use goofy voices.
Much to their credit, I only felt like the 5th wheel a handful of times. They've gone on several vacations together and have been hanging out for a year so naturally they have their own inside jokes, etc. All four of them were really good about explaining what the heck they were talking about so I would still feel included.
Anyway, we went to this great little town/village along the river and took care of business straight off the bat – we ate lunch. We went to this great restaurant and sat on the deck overlooking the river. I had a radler, which is half lemonade, half beer (it's fabulous) and of course, a bratwurst with fries. One thing is for sure, I'm not going to go hungry.
Afterward, we went hiking – I know you probably can't picture me hiking, but I was! – We went up to a couple of smaller castles on the hill. The first had a wicked set of stairs and you spent half the time in the dark trying to find the next step. When we went back down all you could hear were feet shuffling. Each of us was trying to shuffle to the first step so we wouldn't fall down the stairs!
The view at the top was beautiful because you could see the nearby town and river. The only sad part was all of the graffiti and carvings that were in the wood at the top of the tower. On the one hand, it's really disgraceful and takes away from the natural beauty and history of the place. On the other hand, I couldn't help but be intrigued by the carvings. There were plenty of hearts with names inside and I kept wondering what happened to the couples who visited in 1985 and felt the need to carve their names in a castle. Did they get married and come to visit once a year? Is this where they had their first date? Or maybe where he proposed? Or did the whole thing end in divorce? Or turn out to be just a fling? Maybe the "f- you" written in blue over the heart happened three months after the initial carving?
Of course, while I'm thinking these things everyone is ooohing and aaahhing over the view. I have to pull myself back together so I can make it down the stairs.
Next, we venture to a second castle further in the woods. By this point, I'm thinking I should've worn better shoes. There aren't many guardrails and it's a long way to the base of the hill. We finally make it to the second place and admire the view from a slightly different angle. Then we decide to hike up the stairs one more time.
Keep in mind these stairs are very narrow, very steep and made of stone. They also have old handrails attached to the stairs, but they could easily fall off. I learned the art of holding the rail to keep your balance, but not putting any of your weight on it so it wouldn't be tempted to break loose.
Now the final set of stairs leading to the tower were made of wood and didn't have a backing so you're foot could easily go through the stairs and get stuck. For me, this is a GIANT RED FLAG. I mean, really, how old are these stairs? When was the wood installed? Is this really safe? Is that stone going to break my fall? Hell.
Kelli and I are the last two to climb the stairs and she's behind me bringing up the rear. Halfway up the stairs I decide this isn't a good idea, but can't stop because Kelli is right there. I keep going and pray there is a magical elevator inside the tower which will take me back to sweet solid ground.
To top things off, there's not much to see once we get up there. Just a few more windows and a higher view…of the same thing we've been looking at. Ah and no elevator.
So it's time to go back down and Kelli and I are bringing up the rear again. I'm trying to steady myself because at this point, I've already looked down and am feeling nauseous. What the hell was I thinking? Earlier Dan had noticed I wasn't "digging" the wooden stairs and assured me they were probably 10 years old and completely safe. So when Sonja yelled back up to tell us one of the stairs had just broken, I nearly fell out.
Are you serious? Kelli looked at me and said yes, she was completely serious. So we walk down these steep, rundown stairs and about halfway we get to the broken step. CRAP. Someone had stepped on the step and broken it in half.
I gingerly step one side and realize it won't hold my weight even temporarily. Had I stepped down on it, I surely would've broken through the entire step and fallen to the stone ground below. Instead I stretched my legs to the step beyond the broken one and braced myself with my arms between the wall and the rail. Thank the Lord I have been blessed with long legs.
I get to the bottom and heave a huge sigh of relief when I start walking on solid ground again. Owning a castle would be cool, but I wouldn't want this one!
But before I continue with our shenanigans, let me say that I really enjoyed walking around the old castle ruins today. I know it's crazy, but walking around the woods and climbing old castle stairs is cool. At least the unbroken sets of stairs…
Around 4 p.m. we decided to head back toward the car.
Next stop – Kelli and Dan's for some red wine and backyard golf. Well, the guys played golf and the girls lounged and chatted. We were absolutely exhausted. Hiking on a full stomach is tiring.
Anyway, Sonja and Bryce end up leaving to go to a work party and I stayed to have dinner with Danelli (it's like TomKat or Brangelina). Kelli and I practice my German while Dan runs to the Reve for supplies. I can now say my alphabet and the numbers 1-10. Granted, I still have to look at the words while I say them but progress is progress!
We had a kind of appetizerish dinner where there's a plate of different types of cheeses and one with meats and two types of bread and guacamole, etc. Anyway, basically you make different combinations. For example, I had toasted sunflower seed bread coated with an herb cheese and a bruschetta mixture on top. It was delicious.
Ah and Kelli and Sonja have agreed to teach me how to cook. Sonja is 100% Italian and promised she could teach someone "kitchen-challenged" like me. Kelli is going to teach me basic cooking skills.
Anyway, I got home close to 10 and now it's a little after 11. I'm tired. I think I'll probably go to bed now and see if I can actually catch some zzz's!
Friday, June 13, 2008
One week down!
This morning I rode the streetcar to work and learned what to do if the "walking man" sign that tells you to cross the street doesn't work. You wait until there's a large group of people and then you all walk out into oncoming traffic at the same time. One man held his hand up to tell the oncoming traffic to stop and yield the right of way to us.
Normally, I wouldn't willingly walk in front of a moving vehicle, but I didn't know how else to get to work. Fortunately, all of us made it across the road safely. Well, except for that one old woman. She got clipped because her walker got stuck and the driver didn't anticipate her sudden stop.
Just kidding.
Today was a training holiday for our service members so there were only civilians working along with a few high-ranking people trying to catch up on work. I finally got my badge so now people will know I'm allowed to roam the property without being questioned. The issuing official said I should feel special because I get a badge with a red stripe, which is only for very important people. I found this amusing because not five minutes before, she had asked me what my title was and I didn't know the answer. Public affairs specialist? Manager? Supervisor? I decided to go with Public Affairs Officer. I'm the only one there, what can they say?
Eventually I headed over to the transportation center to check on my household goods. I should expect them the last week of July or first week of August. It seems like an awfully long time to go without the rest of my shoes. You know and furniture and all that…
I met up with Kelli for lunch (Taco Bell) and then we went down to the main street, called the Hauptstrasse, to look at two apartments.
First, let me say this is a prime location. This is where all of the nice clothing stores are, where all the pubs and restaurants are and where people our age like to spend their time. It's right off a streetcar line so I'll have easy access to public transportation and if you walk in the other direction you'll run right into the castle.
Next, the landlord is fantastic. He and his wife seem like very nice people and they have a great track record with the housing office. The landlord kind of reminds me of a mix of Tim Robbins and Anderson Cooper.
The first apartment we saw was a maisonette, which I think means a split level place. It was about 900 sq feet and we think it was on the 3rd or 4th floor. It's really hard to tell because it's a winding staircase and I forgot to count. Once you hit the second floor you really try to concentrate on
On the bottom floor there are two nice-sized bedrooms and a bathroom. The top floor has a nice open kitchen with an area for a kitchen table and a small balcony. The living room is cozy and if you look out the windows you can see the Hauptstrasse.
It was a nice place, but the carpet on the first floor was kind of dingy and the bathroom was too small for my taste. So we headed over to the next building, which is really only across the street.
This apartment is also on the top floor and about 1200 sq feet. Again, Kelli and I didn't count the floors, but we think it's probably five or six stories high. At least, that's what my thighs were screaming at me. Did I mention there aren't any elevators?
Also, this building is really cool because it was built in 1780. The winding staircase is actually made out of stone and it's the oldest set of stairs in Heidelberg. By the time we reached the top we were short on breath and slightly dizzy.
This apartment is all on one level, which I think I prefer. There's a huge master bedroom with a bigger bathroom, a smaller spare bedroom (which would be a great place to write) and an L-shaped kitchen. There's room for a dining room table in one part of the "L" and the actual kitchen makes up the other part.
The living room is a nice size with high ceilings and you can see the beams of the roof – it gives the room some character for sure. When you look out the window you can see Heidelberg Castle to your left and the church right in front.
The only problem is that the ceiling is leaking in the master bedroom. Something happened when it rained and they've called someone to fix it. The apartment would be ready by the end of next week.
It also already has furnishings and the landlord said I could either use them until my furniture comes in or keep it for the duration of my stay. I thought that was nice.
Also, both apartments come with parking garage spaces. Another requirement met!
Although, there is one downside. Four to six flights of stairs is bad enough when you're just carrying a purse. Think about carrying up a suitcase! Granted, I won't have visitors 365 days a year, but the trip up is going to be brutal. If any of you are thinking of coming to visit (and I hope you are!) make sure you pack light!
Anyway, so now I'm debating whether or not I should take the second apartment. I really love the apartment, the location and the vibe that I'm getting.
However, people have mentioned I should wait to see if something better comes along. Then again, what if I give up the apartment and nothing else comes along? I have to decide by Monday because we only get to "think" about each place for a few days. Then the housing office opens it back up to the public so other people can rent the apartment. Decisions, decisions.
I did talk to my dad about it briefly and he said if it feels right I should just do it. You gotta have the feel good vibes, you know?
Anyway, enough about that. I've just turned on the television and it looks like Friday night prime time TV includes American Gladiators. Not the really awesome old one, but the new one hosted by Hulk Hogan. What's up with that?
OH and one more thing. When I got home from work I walked to the grocery store and bought yogurt, fresh bread and salt tabs (they're for the washing machine – something about the hard water) all by myself!
I was so excited I ate both pieces of farmer's bread (hey they were small!) with jelly for dinner. I guess you could call it untoasted toast.
I had been waiting to get fresh bread because it's so addicting. Once you've had it, you've got to have it again. Did I mention there is a bakery right across from my potential apartment? This may become a deciding factor…
Thursday, June 12, 2008
House Hunting, Farewells and Football
All of the locations are in downtown Heidelberg and come with either a parking space or a garage spot, which are my two biggest requests.
Much to my surprise, I was able to see one of the apartments within the hour. The housing team gave me a map and some directions and sent me on my way. I was a little nervous at first because I had to switch streetcars, but it all worked out in the end. The only problem with finding your way around is that the street signs aren't located in very visible locations. You may find them on the side of a building or you may not find them at all. Fortunately, my directions were good enough to get me to the right street.
The apartment is actually located in a nice part of town with easy streetcar access, but I didn't get a warm and fuzzy feeling. One, I'm really lazy and the apartment is on the fourth or fifth floor sans elevator. I can't imagine carrying bottled water, groceries or luggage up and down those stairs. Two, it was the top floor of the building so all of the ceilings were slanted because of the roof. It made me feel claustrophobic. Finally, I know buildings in this part of town are old, but this apartment just looked worn out. I decided to pass.
I made my way back to the office just in time for the hail and farewell party. I didn't know the person who was leaving, but I was told I should come and meet people and eat the free food. Done and done.
This wasn't like any farewell I've ever been to. Yes, they say a few words and get an award – that's not weird. The weird part was when it was time to eat. Everyone filled their plates and sat in chairs along the wall. They all kind of talked to their neighbor. I don't know about anyone else, but I'm used to mingling and having small groups form to talk about the latest gossip…
It just wasn't user-friendly. Needless to say, I ended up next to one of our deputies and he made me feel like a total idiot. Why I would know he was not only a deputy, but a such and such advisor is beyond me. But apparently, he felt I should've known and should stay in my lane. He wasn't rude about it, but I got the message. Later I discussed this with someone else who explained no one really knows whose lane is whose because so many people play dual roles for both our organization and higher HQ.
It's terribly confusing.
However, I have gotten past it and decided not to feel bad anymore (y'all know I'm a dweller). Why should I feel stupid for not knowing who he is? I've only been here since Monday! For crying out loud…
Anyway, I also spent some time talking to Ivy (the one with the awesome apartment). Apparently he knows someone who has a killer place downtown and there's about to be an opening. I'm going to check it out tomorrow - fingers crossed.
He also mentioned he likes my shoes :) It made me think of DINFOS – y'all know what I'm talking about. Anyway, it just reaffirmed how much I love my silver metallic shoes. Every time I wear them, people notice them. I think it's because when the light hits them the right way, it bounces off and temporarily blinds them, but I'm not sure.
I also saw some guys at the streetcar stop checking out my shoes. Which leads me to believe one of three things:
1) You don't see many people in Germany wearing silver metallic heels so you have to stare.
2) You've been blinded and it's like looking into the sun. You just have to do it again.
3) They think I'm a prostitute.
Now let me expand on number three. A few years ago, a good friend of mine studied abroad in France. She told me the heat was unbearable and she decided to go out in shorts and a halter top. Well in Europe, most women don't wear revealing clothes. In June, women wear long skirts, long pants/shorts or capris. Anyway she started to notice that men were following her down the street so they could watch her walk in her shorts. Eventually, someone pointed out that the men thought she was a prostitute. All because of her clothes!
Maybe the same goes for shiny shoes! Okay, it's a stretch…but you never know!
This afternoon didn't amount to much. I managed to find a trash can. Do you know how sad it is to have to ask someone for a trash can? Yeah…Now imagine that being one of the most productive things you did the last half of the day…
Okay, I technically did more than that, but it really felt like things were dragging. To be fair, I did manage to scrounge up some post-it notes and a steno pad.
I was really looking forward to this evening because the Euro Football Championship has started and Germany was playing tonight. I was supposed to meet up with Kelli, Dan and his co-workers so I could see the "crazy" football fans, but it started to rain.
We had reservations at an outdoor location so they decided to move to an indoor bar. Unfortunately, it was already full by the time they got there. In the end, we went to a café which was actually two buildings away from the apartment I had looked at earlier in the day.
Which was exactly why I thought I could safely navigate a car full of people there.
I was riding with Kelli and Dan and we were running late. While the others were looking for a place to go, we were stuck in traffic going into Heidelberg. One of the girls was on the phone with Kelli trying to explain how to get to the place and I recognized the street name from earlier today. It's one of the spokes on this huge roundabout. Dan was thrilled because they had left their GPS and
weren't 100 percent sure of the location.
So we get to the roundabout and nothing looks familiar. I was pointing at the streetcar (since that's how I got there) and said we should just have to cross the street and shazaam – we'll be there. So he goes in that direction and of course, it's wrong. So now we're going the wrong way and we don't know how to turn around. We end up about 20 minutes in the wrong direction, finally turn around and then try the roundabout again.
Of course, I feel horrible because I told him to go the wrong way. Plus, tension in the car is high because we're late and we're lost in a city that doesn't believe in street signs.
Being the genius that I am, I realize I was turned around and we should've gone in the opposite direction. Duh, streetcars run two ways like the metro, I just had it backward. At this point, all you can do is laugh. And be grateful beer is on the way.
We go into the café and meet up with his co-workers, who are all very nice, but I still feel uncomfortable. I'm trying to learn German phrases and I do pretty well for the most part, except when I'm around his co-workers. It's one thing to struggle with German in front of Americans. It's an entirely different thing to struggle with German in front of Germans.
Plus, they all look at you when it's time to order to see what you're going to say. Things I can normally say suddenly become jumbled and incomprehensible. Then you just feel foolish.
I also have an issue with setting unreasonable expectations for myself, which makes it worse. I mean, yes, I've only been in Germany for 6 days and no, I've never taken German classes, but is it so unreasonable to expect myself to be fluent by the end of the week? Is it? The answer is YES. I should be happy I can order beer and ice cream, not sad I can't speak German as well as...you know, Germans.
I've really got to work on getting some patience and on making realistic expectations. We're always hardest on ourselves, right?
I think I may look into a German tutor. You know someone who could actually take the time to teach me the right way to say things and would actually speak slowly enough to where I could understand them. That would be fabulous and well worth the money.
In the end, I still had a good time. The beer was good, the pizza was good and the people were friendly. The only downside was that Germany lost. They play again next Monday.
Tomorrow is a training holiday for everyone but civilians. I think I'm going to wear jeans and have ice cream for lunch. Just thought I would end on a happy note.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Hump Day
Today I woke up to the sound of birds chirping and a really annoying German alarm clock. I knew almost instantly it was going to be a half and half day. Half enjoyable, half irritating. I should really look into becoming a fortune teller.
I was really excited this morning because I was going in for my housing briefing. You can't look for a new apartment or house until you check this block. It took a little over an hour, but by 10:00 I was ready to meet with a counselor and pick out some available spots to go view. Since we're in Germany, the housing office takes care of just about everything. They show you the listings, you visit them, you pick the one you want and it's yours. Easy as pie.
However, since I'm Jen things didn't quite work out the way I had planned them. Remember how I mentioned the half and half day? Half enjoyable because I had a meeting with my counselor right off the bat, half irritating because once I sat down with her we both realized there was an issue.
One, I was misinformed by another department and didn't have the rates I needed to start looking for a place to live. Two, my orders were missing a very important phrase which ensures the government will pay for my housing. Oy vey.
So I had to re-book my appointment for tomorrow and my little spirits were crushed. Bummer. I spent the next hour or so trying to straighten everything out so I would be set for tomorrow. After that, I headed toward the PX to buy pantyhose, which I'm sure you wanted to know, and then waited for the shuttle to take me to work.
I get to work and realize my sponsor is unavailable so I head to my office and run into the girl who had shown me my office in the first place. Remember, she's the one who said I should go out with her over the weekend, but I thought it was a pity friend date?
As it turns out, she was uber-friendly today and we chatted in the parking lot for awhile. Then I headed to my office to sort through everything. I spent a good half an hour just untangling wires and cords from my keyboard, mouse, phone, etc. During this time a couple of people stopped by and introduced themselves, which was nice. Except, after they said who they were and how excited they were I was finally here they started giving me stuff to do. Keep in mind I have no working computer, a dead phone, zero access to email and for all intents and purposes, a non-functioning office.
Oh and for my fellow PA/PR brethren, the only AP Stylebook I could find was from 1994. CRAP.
Then my new next door neighbor stops by to ensure I'll be at the 4:30 meeting. Who the hell holds a meeting at 4:30? Especially in this line of work? It's time to go home! Anyway, I told her I didn't know anything about it, but that I would be there.
By this time it's about 1:30 and I still haven't eaten lunch. The bad part is that I wasn't even hungry. Y'all know I'm ALWAYS hungry. Must be jetlag.
So I eat a granola bar and head out to do more in-processing work. I think I walked the entire complex at least three times going from building to building. Now I'm at the health screening checkpoint. They need my old medical records, shot files and my first born child. What the hell.
Ah and since this is a four day weekend (they have training holidays over here – not me) they won't be able to help me until next week, which delays my security badge. Sigh.
Fully defeated I head back to my office so I can go to the meeting I know absolutely nothing about. I was assured I would just have to sit there and smile so they could introduce me. Like that ever happens.
So we're in this meeting and she introduces me and someone calling into the meeting starts tasking me! I was completely blown away. Long story short, I'm traveling next Tuesday to a health fair. I'll let you know how that turns out. Honestly, I think it will be a good experience and I'm glad I get to go, but I really felt bombarded.
They really needed a PAO. I know they've told me that multiple times, but I'm really starting to FEEL it now.
After the meeting I met up with the girl I was talking to earlier – we'll call her Megan – and she offers to take me to her friend's place downtown so I can scope out the area.
We stopped at her apartment on the way – which is huge – and it turns out we have a lot in common. We both read the Harry Potter series, she owns the movie Bridget Jones' Diary and we stopped on the way to get wine. This could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
Her friend's apartment – we'll call him Ivy because he kind of reminds me of Phi Delta Theta Ivy – has an AMAZING apartment. This place is huge and it's centrally located. The ceilings are sky-high and he has a number of balconies. There is no reason this one man needs this much space. Although he did say his ping-pong table would take up one room. Anyway, I'm immensely jealous…
And immensely embarrassed - some of you may enjoy this bit – Ivy was wearing a t-shirt (this guy is really built) and some basketball shorts. Well, the way he's standing in the kitchen is really odd and his shorts keep bunching up in the front. I couldn't stop staring. Seriously. Every time I looked at him I would see the weird shape of his shorts out of the corner of my eye and have to look. It just got worse because I kept thinking about it and you know how that goes. Hell, if you think about blinking you start to do it consciously. Anyway…
It wouldn't have been so bad, but I'm pretty sure he caught me. When we sat down to eat, he went to put on pants. I was so busted. He probably thinks I'm a total perv. I thought y'all would appreciate that, especially those of you who know about the tour guides :)
He also had a friend over who is taking a course in the area this week. They're both nice enough, which remember, is the half that is enjoyable. However, as always, things take a turn for the worse.
The irritating half just has to step in.
Most of the time, people try not to offend strangers. Right? Well, MOST of the time. Anyway, they started talking about living arrangements and the one friend decides it would be beneath him to live alongside enlisted personnel. EXCUSE ME?
I will not go into the details of everything that was said, but I nearly laid him out. So did Megan. Naturally, Ivy leapt to his defense. It was terrible. He said he was sorry for acting like an asshole, but he didn't want to live next to people who were just "getting out of jail time".
Needless to say, we left shortly after that. I was thoroughly disgusted with his behavior. For someone who claims to be "highly educated" he sure was an idiot.
Now I'm back at my lovely apartment and trying to wind down. I had another restless night and I've really got to get some sleep. This is borderline ridiculous.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Work: Day 2
Today was another day of in-processing at work. There is a long checklist I have to complete which includes things like mandatory training (ugh), security and computer access stuff. I finished the first two (sort of) this morning before lunch.
I say I finished the mandatory training, but really all I did was schedule it. Apparently, I have to take a hospitality training course that lasts half a day. Crazy. I wonder if that's why everyone has been so nice?
For example, today I waited for at least half an hour for the security people and had a very nice time talking to a guy who was out-processing. He was telling me all about the fun times he had at the clubs and bars and random trips to Paris. Too bad he's leaving – he probably would've been a lot of fun.
Another example – when I finally made it into the security office they were "very professional" as Uncle Tony would say until I told them I am the new PAO. All of a sudden both of them leapt from their chairs and starting jumping up and down. They were so excited! Why security would be excited about a new PAO I'm not sure, but they were.
Then they proceeded to tell me how I don't have big shoes to fill. In fact, they said they were more like sandals. I almost feel sorry for the guy who was here – people did not care for him at all. They were calling him a fake PAO - Which I guess really isn't all that nice...
However, it all balanced back out when I met a nice guy who helped me register for some of my training. He was more than happy to sit and chat about work and family, etc.
I am definitely starting to feel more and more like this was the right decision. One thing I have noticed is that everyone I've run into is more than willing to sit and have a conversation with you – no strings attached. The guy who made my ID card, the specialist I called for help, the lady administering the training – it doesn't matter. They're all uber-friendly.
There are really only three explanations –
1) I'm so used to rubbing elbows with rude people in DC, the average friendly person suddenly seems like an above-average friendly person.
2) Everyone has adopted the more relaxed, enjoyable German lifestyle.
3) The hospitality training paid off.
Either way you slice it, I think I'm going to enjoy working here. Plus, I met my boss today and although we only chatted for about 10 minutes, he seems like he'll be a great supervisor. He's very forward-thinking and believes in the power of good public affairs. Right on.
Also, his admin. is great. I think I overheard her talking to someone else in the office about how young I am, but she balanced it out by saying I'm much cuter than the last guy.
I like her already.
I also had my first DFAC experience today. It's not worth writing about. All I'll say is that today was Chinese day and I'll probably pay for my meal later. Not in Euros.
Oh and I bought my monthly pass for the Strasse so I can ride back and forth stress-free. Yay! It's kind of like an above-ground metro, but ten times cleaner. You wouldn't think riding the Strasse home from work would be a big deal, but I felt so accomplished. Wow, I can get to work and get back home all by myself. It's the little things we take for granted in the States that can be so rewarding over here.
Kelli came over this afternoon and showed me around the local grocery store, Reve. It's so interesting to go into a German grocery store because even the way they package food is different. Not to mention all of the different wursts - white wursts, spicy wursts, marinated wursts. YUM! There are dozens of fresh cheeses, lots of fresh bread and tasty cookies. I heart the Reve.
Kelli's husband Dan met up with us afterward and we all went to dinner in Leimen, which is where I'm living. The European Soccer Championship is going on right now so we sat outside and watched the big screen with several other people. I had this amazing banana beer – seriously, it was delicious – followed by some killer ice cream. Life is good. Expanding belly is bad.
Anyhow, things are getting better. My housing briefing is tomorrow so maybe I'll get some idea of where I'm going to live. Exciting.
Hope all is well,
My first day as an OCONUS employee...
Happy Monday! Today was my first day of "work" as an OCONUS employee.
Early this morning (0900), my PA supervisor picked me up at the Keller Residence. He isn't what I expected looks-wise, although I'm not really sure what I expected…he's just not it, you know? Anyway, he's a nice guy and he dropped me off at the CPAC office near the shopping center.
My appointment was at 1000, but when I got there they said it was at 0900 and I was late. I still believe it was for 1000 and should double-check my old emails to confirm I was correct – Fortunately, they didn't write me on the calendar for either time so they had to see me. Go figure.
Everything went smoothly, but the financial stuff was kind of an issue. Apparently, they'll advance you money for your lodging, but not for food. This really isn't an issue since I'm just taking care of me. But they said when you find a place to live you usually has to put down two months' rent for a deposit plus your first month's rent. They don't help with this so they offer up to six pay periods of your salary as a loan. Of course, you have to pay it back. Things are really starting to add up…. So I've decided not to worry about it until I have to – otherwise, I'd probably have an aneurism.
On a positive note, I ran into someone else at the CPAC office who was transferring onto post. As it turns out, she'll be working in the same complex as me! She's very nice AND she's single! Finding single friends over here is going to be a lot like dating I think…Anyway, she's been in Germany for a while and said it's very hard to find single people to go out with so I think we'll meet up at some point for dinner. Yay!
After all this, I was pawned off by CPAC onto a poor unsuspecting Soldier who also needed to go to the ID card office. He was my "escort". Too bad he and his wife are moving to Texas – he was nice. So I waited around for about two hours to take care of my ID card (my picture is WAY worse this time) and caught the shuttle to my building.
Of course, once I get to the bus stop I have no idea where to go. I just walk into a random office and ask to use their phone. As it turns out, it's one of our offices. The guy I was talking to said he thought public affairs was non-existent. Great. On top of that, my sponsor doesn't pick up his phone so I ask where his office is and wander around the complex until I find him. Keep in mind it's hot, there are lots of stairs/hills and there is no AC. Tomorrow, I'm wearing a bathing suit to work.
At the office I met his deputy, who was wearing cowboy boots, black wranglers and a cowboy hat. No joke. He's as nice as can be though and he took me over to where I'll be working. Our first stop was to meet the adjutant, who has been doing a lot of the PA work. She's really cute, about my age and very busy. After she showed me my office she told me we should hang out over the weekend because there aren't very many people our age in the area. I think we may go to the movies or meet up with some other "young" people.
Oh and have I mentioned enough times that I'll have my own office? CRAZY! Granted, it's an absolute wreck. They just put carpet down so none of the electronics are hooked up and there are binders piled high. I need to go in and weed through the trash.
Apparently, most of it is going to be trash. The guy before me didn't do squat. As it turns out, he wasn't even a PA person. He was some random guy who got thrown into the position because he was web-capable. Which is such a joke because I don't even care for their Web site. Anyway, they said he just made up random tasks for himself and goofed off.
He left in January, but the deputy said he quit working in August and to be honest, he probably didn't do much for the past 3.5 years. On the bright side, anything I do should look fabulous. On the down side, there's going to be a lot of creating from scratch.
Also, I asked the deputy if there would be some sort of list of tasks or expectations and he said he wasn't sure. I'm all about working outside the box, but I'm hoping there's some sort of guidance at some point – geez.
But moving on – so the PA supervisor and I leave early so I can buy some VAT forms. Whenever you buy something on the economy that's more than 100 Euro they encourage you to use VAT forms because it takes off the tax (which is 19% - ouch!). Then we stop by the Keller Residence office (where I'm staying) so I can drop off the forms. One of the guys who works there has excellent English and is very nice and helpful.
So naturally, when he calls me thirty minutes later I'm a little confused. Wow, he's really concerned about my stay, right? WRONG. Scatterbrained Jen left her wallet on his desk. CRAP.
So I haul my butt over there as fast as my legs will take me. Thank goodness I remember how to get there – it's across the street and around the corner and down the hill etc…
I grab my wallet, which was just as I left it, and ended up talking to the guy for about an hour. He suggested we grab coffee downtown sometime so he can show me the area. He's convinced I should live downtown near the river because I'm single and only fuddy-duddies with families live in the burbs. He's so funny.
When I got back home I started Rosetta stone and now recognize the words for woman, horse, auto, plane, elephant and young boy. You can only imagine the small sentences I can now piece together.
Ah and then I fell asleep on the couch until Kelli called and woke me up. She's volunteered her husband to pick me up tomorrow because she doesn't want me to ride the streetcar until someone has gone with me. It's really for the best because I would have to buy a ticket from the conductor and I have no idea what to say.
Tomorrow should be another long day of in processing. Maybe I'll go to my office to air it out – it's kind of musty.
Hope all is well!
Monday, June 9, 2008
My move to Germany...
CRAP. That is a less vulgar version of the word I was thinking when I landed in Germany. Remember how y'all kept asking if I was nervous or overwhelmed or insane and how my response would always be how I was still kind of in shock and it hadn't really hit me I was leaving the States?
Well…it finally hit me.
But first…
The plane ride wasn't so bad.
I was in nearly the last row of the plane, but I was in an aisle seat and sat next to a very cute boy who was probably about 13. I said hi to him and he said bonjour, so I assumed he was French. However, all of the flight attendants were speaking French and he spoke to them in English so maybe he thought I was French? I don't know, it's very confusing and not really part of the story anyway. Although I feel like I should say he was a very good row partner and didn't make me get up once so he could use the restroom. His bladder must be huge. But I digress…
Like I was saying, I was absolutely fine on the plane. They were showing the movie 27 Dresses which proved a nice distraction for a couple of hours. When we landed, we stopped on the tarmac and we all deplaned outside, which I thought was odd. On the bright side, they opened doors at both ends of the plane so I went from the last seat to being one of the first ones out. We loaded onto shuttles, which took us to another part of the airport.
I was wandering around looking for baggage claim, which wasn't all that hard since they also had signs in English, and at this point I'm still fine. Then I get in line to show my passport to security and I start feeling a little squeamish.
The officer waves me up and says good morning in German. I'd write it here, but have no idea how to spell it. At this point, I start feeling sort of uneasy. He scans my passport, stamps it and hands it back saying good-bye. Naturally, I go to take it, but accidentally fling the passport back at him. Not good. I mutter an apology and head toward baggage. By now, I'm feeling edgy. My brain is beginning to absorb the idea I will be around Germans, who speak German whereas I don't. Not to mention, my French does not come in handy because none of their words are similar. You would think I would've realized this before I left the country, but I must've blocked it out. At this point, I have one of the many, "oh CRAP" moments.
Kelli and Dan were waiting for me right outside of customs and I was so grateful they were there. They pushed my "oh crap" feeling to the background for a while. They are two of the nicest people and I really enjoyed spending the day with them. They also seem to genuinely enjoy spending time with each other which is so nice since so many people are unhappy with their relationships. I can honestly say, I was also a little jealous and really missed Brandon yesterday. Doing this move with someone else would have been so much easier because you have someone to lean on for support. Oh well, Dan and Kelli will just have to adopt me or something :)
Anyway, so they helped me lug all of my suitcases up to my temporary apartment. I'm on the fourth floor and there aren't any elevators. My apartment is HUGE. It's a two-bedroom with a full bath and a half bath. There are these huge windows and they have special blinds that can make the rooms pitch black in the middle of the day. After brushing my teeth and a quick change we headed to downtown Heidelberg where all of the shops are. We walked around and made our way to a restaurant for a late lunch. I had a beer, a bratwurst, sauerkraut and fried potatoes. It was awesome.
Now Dan is a teacher and one his co-workers was throwing a grill party that evening. They invited me along since I was still standing (apparently, they didn't make it long their first day because of jetlag) and I went to keep Kelli company since she really doesn't know his co-workers very well.
The drive itself isn't bad, but we have no idea where we're going. The TomTom could only help so much and then we were on our own. We drove up and down these tiny streets (if you can even call them that) on this huge hill looking for the party, but had zero luck. Eventually, we call Katarina, one of the other teachers who lives in the area and we meet up with her.
We went up into her apartment, which is the standard 300 sq. feet. I know what you're thinking because I was thinking it too – 300 sq. feet? That's a glorified living room, how the hell do you fit an entire apartment in there?
But apparently that's fairly normal and to be honest, she made it work. Go figure.
So she joins our car and we go off looking for the party again. She's very nice and fluent in English, which is helpful… at least when she was talking to me. We end up going down a windy road that looks desolate – had we been in Texas I'd be afraid of getting shot for trespassing. Katarina sees a woman walking her dog and asks her where to go in rapid-fire German. Apparently, we were going the right way. It kind of makes me think of Little Red Riding Hood in the forest – We all agreed later we never would gone down the odd path except Katarina was sure we were going in the right direction. And of course, she was right. When in Germany, follow the Germans. Odd concept, right?
So we get there and there are only a handful of people standing around. The party started at 6, we got there at 7 and we later found out most people wouldn't show until 9, which makes absolutely no sense. I mean, there's late and then there's LATE.
I stuck with Kelli the whole time we were there and met a number of Dan's co-workers. Most of them spoke decent, if not excellent English and were very nice. By this time, I was on a downward spiral and about to fall out due to lack of sleep, but they understood. We left the party a little before 9 so we could hit the commissary on post so when I woke up I wouldn't be starving without any food in the house.
By the time I got home it was probably around 930. I tried to get online, but my laptop was out of juice and I had to buy an adaptor so I could plug it in. I also realized I couldn't use the hair dryer I brought so my hair "air-dried" this morning. Needless to say, it doesn't work all that well…
I passed out on the couch reading my book and was barely able to get up to go brush my teeth.
Right before I went to bed, I realized how quiet it was and how alone I was and that's when I had a mini-breakdown. It only lasted about 5 minutes, but the stress hit me and I had to cry it out. All I could think was, what the hell have I done?
Fortunately, my inner Jen told the emotional Jen to shut the hell up and to be more positive. I read my book to get my mind off of everything and then I passed out.
I woke up around 8 this morning because I had fallen asleep with the light on and I thought it was about 2 o'clock in the afternoon. I was able to shut the light off and sleep for another four hours. Then I made myself get up so I would be ready for Kelli and Dan.
They picked me up close to 1 and we went to Mama Rosa's (their favorite Italian place) for lunch. We sat outside on the deck and watched tennis. There were three courts right in front of us with club players getting their game on. They were really dedicated and played through the freak hail storm we had in the middle of lunch. Ah and I had a beer :) and a Mama Rosa pizza, which is authentic Italian pizza and absolutely delicious.
Afterward, we went to the PX where I could buy things like hangers and phone cards and then back to the commissary for more food shopping. I also ran into Natasha from DINFOS at the PX which is so random! I was so glad to see another friendly face though and we agreed to have dinner in the near future.
I also called my new boss to let him know I was alive. He is going to pick me up tomorrow for work - yay!
That's pretty much my weekend in a really long email – sorry! I think one of the most difficult things is the language. I've never heard anything like it and it's really hard to imitate. I'm getting by on the basics – please, thank you, good bye. I'm definitely going to need to take classes. This is hard.


text:
NP girls kick off D-II soccer season
NP girls kick off D-II soccer season
NORTH PROVIDENCE – As an assistant coach on the Shea High boys' soccer team for the past four seasons, Kabba Joof was fortunate if he could find some free time to watch his children play for their respective North Providence middle and high school teams.
Last year, he managed to catch a few games of the North Providence High girls' soccer team, which featured his daughter, Agi, and was competing in its first season in Division II, and Joof liked what he saw of the Cougars, who ended up finishing in a tie for fifth place with North Smithfield and losing a last-minute heartbreaker to Mount Saint Charles in the D-II quarterfinals.
This season, Joof is the Cougars' head coach, replacing Brendon Vallee, who is now coaching at Ricci Middle School, and Joof is working with a 20-player roster with six seniors, six juniors, and six sophomores, most of them back from last season's 9-4-2 team.
Five starters graduated from that squad, including Third-Team All-State midfielder Amanda Nye and three-time All-Division stopper Kayla Prior, but Joof, whose squad fell to 1-2 last Thursday night by dropping a 2-0 decision to Burrillville at the Cougars' Serio Field, believes he has the talent that could come together and fetch the Cougars their sixth straight playoff berth.
"Definitely, one of our goals is to return to the playoffs," he confirmed, "but I really want to see these girls be consistent and improve during the season. I think next year, with the juniors that we have now, we're really going to compete. I'll definitely set a higher bar then, but this year, I'm just trying to make sure they understand my philosophy of the game, really play the game the way it's supposed to be (played), and make sure we're improving."
Defensively, the Cougars' goalkeeper is back in sophomore Ashley Siravo, who posted six shutouts last year, and the "D" in front of her is also strong and features senior Gabrielle Granata, junior tri-captain Nicole Mendoza, and classmates Jeanette Kazarian, who also plays in the midfield, and Agi Joof. Senior tri-captain Alana Gonzalez, who is expected to be a key piece of the defense, is currently sidelined with an injury.
The center midfield is in very good hands with a pair of returning All-Division players, senior tri-captain Aria Amico, who scored a team-high 12 goals last season and made a verbal commitment to continue her soccer career at Stonehill College in Easton, Mass., and junior Sydney Daignault. Playing alongside them are sophomore Raffaella Brunetti and freshman Sophia DiMarzio, and the forwards are junior Jessica Rizzo, who netted eight goals last year, and senior Savannah Tallmadge.
Rounding out NP's roster are seniors Rebecca Madjoucoff, who is the backup goalkeeper, and Catherine McNeil, junior Mariam Sanusi, sophomores Juliana Hall, Sophia Jeter, Taylor McDonald, and Krystal Baez, and freshman Adriana Galvin.
The Cougars kicked off their Labor Day weekend and their D-II season on a high note by cruising to a 5-2 win at home over Rogers. The Cougars, who rolled out to a 3-0 halftime lead, received its scoring from Rizzo, Kazarian, Brunetti, and Galvin, as well as two assists from Brunetti and 10 saves from Siravo.
On Tuesday, Sept. 5, the Cougars were dealt a 5-1 loss to defending D-II champion Scituate at Manning Field, as Amico netted an unassisted goal in the opening half and Siravo finished with 16 saves, and two nights later, the Cougars suffered their defeat to the Broncos in a game that saw Siravo turn away 13 shots, but the Broncos' Morgan Bassett net a goal in each half.
"Out of all the teams we've played so far, Scituate has been the best," reported Joof. "Everyone on their roster is really good – even the subs coming in off the bench. They're very, very organized, they're physical, and they're quick. Their field is a short field, so they know how to use that field, and they play the long ball, which for their field, is very effective and works well for them."
The Cougars are currently on a mini road trip that saw them play Tiverton on Tuesday night. On Thursday, they will bus to Westerly for a 6 p.m. game, and the following Monday, they will pay a visit to one of their longtime rivals, West Warwick, in a 3:30 p.m. contest.
"This is going to be a very good season," said Joof. "I'm seeing improvement every single day. We're working hard and we're trying to build something special here."

subset: commoncrawl


text:
In modern life, waterscape everywhere, but these waterscape in our lives and what role it played is summed up the following three points:
1. landscaping artificial waterscape space is created to build the space and the environment an integral part, is mainly composed of a variety of shapes of water.
The basic shape of the flow are mirror pond, stream, stack flow, waterfall, water curtain, fountains, springs, ice tower, water film, mist, orifice flow, Zhu Quan, etc., if the above basic shape to be a reasonable combination, but also waterscape form different attitude.
Waterscape with music, lights graceful form of dynamic sound and light three-dimensional flow modeling, not only to conceal, contrast and enhanced construction material, artistic effect structures, art sculptures and the specific environment and atmosphere, but also beautify the living environment of the action
2. Improving Community Climate
Waterscape project can play a role similar to the sea, forests, grasslands and lakes, such as purification atmosphere, make the atmosphere even more scenic clean, new, moist, so that visitors merry mood, spirits, eliminate irritability, which is due to:
(1) gardenWaterscape project to increase humidity near the atmosphere, specially in the hot dry region, its role is more obvious.
(2) Garden Waterscape project near the atmosphere increases the negative ions, reducing the number of bacteria suspension, improve health atmosphere.
(3) waterscape engineering can greatly reduce the amount of dust in the atmosphere, so the atmosphere fresh and clean.
3. The integrated application resources
When Waterscape project planning, in addition to give full play to the foregoing effect, but also the overall situation, comprehensive thinking, rational distribution, as far as possible to carry forward the following functions:
(1) The application of the spray nozzle cooling effect, so Waterscape project serves as circulating cooling pool.
(2) the application pool large volume, flow and oxygenation can play a role in preventing the erosion of water quality, so as to serve as fire water storage tank or green.
(3) The role of water oxygenation, aquarium doubles as the pools.
(4) Applications waterscape project flow and change shape specially suitable for children restless, aggressive, hydrophilic properties, the pools serves as a children's pool.
(5) Applications waterscape engineering features to attract large numbers of tourists, the parks, shopping malls, exhibition halls, playgrounds, dance halls, museum and other advertising to attract customers to promote.
(6) Garden Waterscape project itself can become the operator of the project, a variety of water features play.


text:
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text:
April Fools and Fish
Hello Blogland!!!! how is everyone this fine first day of April?? This will be a short post-I wanted to share some WEIRD April's Fool cards with everyone and do a style comparison.
First up-the weird. I was researching vintage April Fool's Day cards and noticed that almost all were a)French and b) involved fish. I couldn't wrap my head around fish=April Fools so a quick trip to Wikipedia solved the problem.
From Wikipedia:
In Italy, France and Belgium, children and adults traditionally tack paper fishes on each other's back as a trick and shout "April fish!" in their local languages (pesce d'aprile!, poisson d'avril! and aprilvis! in Italian, French and Dutch , respectively). Such fish feature prominently on many French late 19th to early 20th century April Fools' Day postcards.
The April 1 tradition in France, Romandy and French-speaking Canada includes poisson d'avril (literally "April's fish"), attempting to attach a paper fish to the victim's back without being noticed. This is also widespread in other nations, such as Italy, where the term Pesce d'aprile (literally "April's fish") is also used to refer to any jokes done during the day. This custom also exists in certain areas of Belgium, including the province of Antwerp. The Flemish tradition is for children to lock out their parents or teachers, only letting them in if they promise to bring treats the same evening or the next day.
I was going back through my archives and just wanted to post a side by side comparison of what I wore Easter 2012 and what I wore Easter 2013.
Wow what a difference a year of blogging and visiting everyone's FABULOUS blogs and all of your encouragement and inspiration has achieved!!
I am so shortening any skirt that isn't a full-on maxi skirt this week!!
Have a great evening and I'll be back tomorrow!!


text:
Unfortunately we have some sad news to report–our neighbor, Ms. Eva Perdue succumbed to a long struggle with cancer on Friday, September 30, 2016. Ms. Perdue was a long-standing community member and was also one of the daughters of Mr. Moody, the founder and first president of the Mechanicsville Civic Association. Ms. Perdue is survived by her partner Nagejuan Hernandez, who resides at 254 Doane Street SW, Atlanta, GA 30315.
The family is seeking the community's assistance with Ms. Perdue's funeral arrangements. Members of the community who wish to assist with the cost of funeral and memorial services may contact Goolsby Mortuary at 1375 Jonesboro Road, Atlanta, GA 30315 or by phone at (404) 588-0128.
You can find more information here.


text:
Sen. John KerryJohn Forbes KerryShould President Trump, like President Obama, forsake human rights in pursuit of the deal with a tyrant? GOP Senate report says Obama officials gave Iran access to US financial system Democrats conflicted over how hard to hit Trump on Iran MORE's (D-Mass.) anticipated move to the State Department would leave the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in the hands of Sen. Robert MenendezRobert (Bob) MenendezSchumer: Obama 'very amenable' to helping Senate Dems in midterms The Hill's Morning Report: Can Trump close the deal with North Korea? Senate must save itself by confirming Mike Pompeo MORE (D-N.J.), who has consistently bucked the White House on Cuba and Iran.
Menendez is next in line to take over the panel if Sen. Barbara BoxerBarbara Levy BoxerThe 'bang for the buck' theory fueling Trump's infrastructure plan Kamala Harris endorses Gavin Newsom for California governor Dems face hard choice for State of the Union response MORE (D-Calif.) opts to keep her chairmanship of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, as is widely expected. That would give Menendez a key role in approving diplomatic nominees and international treaties — crucial leverage to demand a tougher stance against America's foes.
"I think he'll give folks in the administration something to think about before they cross him, frankly."
The son of Cuban immigrants who left the island before the communist revolution, Menendez has joined other Cuban-American lawmakers in trying to block President Obama's overtures to the Castro regime. Freshly minted as the head of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee in the spring of 2009, he blocked the president's nominees to head the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the White House Office of Science and Technology and threatened to vote against a $410 billion spending bill to avoid a government shutdown.
Provisions allowing Cuban-Americans to visit relatives once a year and ending limits on the sale of food and medicines to the island, he said on the Senate floor at the time, put "the omnibus appropriations package in jeopardy, in spite of all the other tremendously important funding that this bill would provide."
Menendez was able to extract a promise from the administration to narrowly interpret the Cuba language. He's kept up his criticism since then, decrying an "obvious double standard" for Cuba when compared to U.S. condemnation of the Soviet gulag during a recent Senate hearing and accusing the State Department of giving a "totalitarian regime … a platform from which to espouse its twisted rhetoric" by providing a visa to Fidel Castro's niece, Mariela.
The fiery rhetoric is in sharp contrast to Kerry's steadfast support for Obama's foreign policy agenda, notably in successfully pushing the New START nuclear arms reduction treaty with Russia through the Senate. Kerry, who is respected for working across the aisle despite his unimpeachable Democratic credentials, won the support of Republican Sens. Dick Lugar (Ind.), Bob CorkerRobert (Bob) Phillips CorkerOn The Money — Sponsored by Prudential — Senators hammers Ross on Trump tariffs | EU levies tariffs on US goods | Senate rejects Trump plan to claw back spending Senators hammer Ross over Trump tariffs GOP senator demands details on 'damaging' tariffs MORE (Tenn.) and Johnny IsaksonJohn (Johnny) Hardy IsaksonOn The Money — Sponsored by Prudential — Senators hammers Ross on Trump tariffs | EU levies tariffs on US goods | Senate rejects Trump plan to claw back spending Senators hammer Ross over Trump tariffs Overnight Finance: Senators introduce bill to curb Trump's tariff authority | McConnell calls it 'exercise in futility' | Kudlow warns WTO won't dictate policy | Mulvaney feud with consumer advocates deepens MORE (Ga.) on his panel.
Menendez, for his part, has been a tough Republican critic on domestic issues, repeatedly denouncing the party's plans to turn Medicare into a "voucher," for example. While not a traditional hawk — he voted against the 2002 Iraq war resolution— he is close to Republicans on several foreign-policy issues.
"When we were moving important legislation on Cuba, I think Bob MenendezRobert (Bob) MenendezSchumer: Obama 'very amenable' to helping Senate Dems in midterms The Hill's Morning Report: Can Trump close the deal with North Korea? Senate must save itself by confirming Mike Pompeo MORE was one of two or three people who actually understood the legislation," said Noriega, an American Enterprise Institute fellow who helped draft the Helms-Burton law tightening the Cuba embargo in 1996, when Menendez was still in the House. "He's a very tough, serious, intelligent guy. I think he'll bring all those strengths at an important time to that job."
Menendez has also consistently called for a tougher approach to Iran. He coauthored, with Sen. Ron Kirk (R-Ill.), an amendment to the defense authorization bill targeting the Central Bank of Iran, which cleared the Senate earlier this month despite the White House's concerns.
His office declined requests for comment.
Bradley Bosserman, the director of the Middle East and North Africa program for the liberal think tank NDN, said Obama and Kerry "know that productively engaging our European and Asian allies in a global campaign to isolate Tehran economically and diplomatically is the best policy."
"There are others, though, who believe that an endless series of new, supposedly tougher sanctions is the best way to appear 'strong on Iran,' " he said. "Sen. Menendez has demonstrated an enthusiasm for leading this group and has shown no apprehension about publicly clashing with the administration over the issue. The problem ... is that their zeal to look tough discounts the realities of implementing complex sanction regimes that are coordinated with our allies — countries with diverse and distinct abilities to quickly comply with new sanctions."
A Senate Democratic aide counters that Menendez was focused on Iran long before it became a household issue. Over a two-decade career on Capitol Hill, the aide said, Menendez has acquired more depth on a broad array of foreign-policy issues than almost any other lawmaker, including helping write legislation responding to the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and leading hearings to revamp U.S. development aid.
"To focus on two issues [Cuba and Iran] is a very narrow way of looking" at his career, the aide said. "He is vocal and strong about anything he cares about. That's one of his strengths."
Menendez has been under several ethical clouds, however.
The senator made national news this month when one of his interns was arrested and revealed to be an illegal immigrant and a sex offender. And his decision earlier this year to block Obama's nominee to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit, New Jersey federal judge Patty Shwartz, was seen by critics as retribution for her companion's probe into Menendez's potential conflict of interest with a Federally Qualified Health Center during his 2006 Senate run.
Menendez eventually lifted his hold on Shwartz and denies being motivated by payback. He has also said he did not know of his intern's legal status.


text:
On this Thursday morning, I receive the wonderful email of my sales record, notifying me that I can happily celebrate my birthday this weekend, and can finally look at my bosses in the eyes.
Yes because I've achieved my sales target.
And I realised, this is how my life is gonna be from here on, every month, every quarter.
Anyway! As I was saying, finally, I can heave a sigh of relieve & celebrate me & Sherlyn's birthday.
Thankful for the two hours long case delay that allow me to sit here at coffee bean of TTSH, sorting out all the details once & for all.
No more bouncing of ideas here & there. Indecisiveness annoys me very much & I don't allow that in my life.
Thankful for a very compromising co-birthday-BFF for always going with whatever I planned (yes I did ask for her opinion of course!).
Everything's pretty much settled, other than my sudden realization that I haven't cut a birthday cake for the longest time & I haven't had a cake that I can call mine for the longest time!
If my memory serves me well, my last birthday cake was the (self proclaim) famous Candy cake for my 21st birthday:
And then, none for the next 3 years :(
But! The sad thing is, it's kinda too late for such beautiful customized cake already. It would be really mean of me to insist any baker to do it for me on such short notice.
So I guess boohoo, no cake this year.
Maybe on my 26th.
Anyway, I'm super NOT excited about the birthday celebration because it consist of wearing bikini in public for 3-4hrs T_T
Remember how I was saying back in August that i have an entire month of September to lose weight and it considered chicken feat?
Ya well that kinda failed. My thighs have become more bff than ever and there's no way to separate them.
Anyhoooo, one more day to weekend! Though I have a presentation on Saturday, but f it, just get it over & done with!


text:
House Leased
- About this property
- Explore Spring Farm
Butlers Pantry and Upgraded Walkin WardrobeProperty ID 1710894The search is over, this four bedroom home is not your standard spec home.
Features include:
- downlights throughout
- duct air conditioning
- tiles throughout traffic and living area
- carpet to bedrooms and media room
- builtin wardrobes to three, upgraded walkin wardrobe to main of double size with mirror and drawers
- stylish bathrooms, ensuite to main
- open plan kitchen with pendant lights and access to butlers pantry
- huge living area with access to alfresco
- media room
- internal access to double garage
- beautiful timber framed double doors to main bedroom
Bonus features include:
- high ceilings
- NBN hub
- monier roof tile
- glass canopy rangehood
- cabinets in laundry
- security alarm
Landscaping and fencing yet to be completed.
Blinds and kitchen appliances yet to be installed.
Well priced, this home wont last long.
Property will be fully fenced prior to commencement of tenancy.
To view the property please register your details, click "Book An Inspection" and follow the prompts.
You will also be sent updates, along with new properties available to your criteria.
Please ensure you arrive at the beginning of the inspection, inspections run for a 15 minute period.
You can submit an online application at www.t-app.com.au


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Home News & Events
The grounds of Belfast City Hall will be packed with free family fun activities on Saturday 28 April to celebrate Councillor Nuala McAllister's, Lord Mayor's Day.
Belfast's First Citizen is inviting everyone to join in the festivities and celebrate 'Global Belfast' on the front lawns of City Hall between 12noon and 5pm.
There will be something for everyone to enjoy including multi-cultural arts and crafts, live music, dance, street theatre, face painting and much, much more.
Looking ahead to the exciting day of events, Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Nuala McAllister said:
"My Lord Mayor's Day celebrations are shaping up to be an action packed afternoon of exciting activities for all the family to enjoy.
"The theme for my year in office has been 'Global Belfast' and I have experienced first-hand the amazing work the people of Belfast are doing to showcase our great city to the World. We may be small but we punch well above our weight in competing with other major cities across the Globe.
Acting National Director, Autism Initiatives NI, Eamonn Slevin said:
"We are excited to take part in celebrating the Lord Mayor's Day this year in Belfast. It is a great opportunity to showcase the Autism Specific services that we offer to all communities in Northern Ireland and a chance for people to meet some of our great team.
"We will be hosting inside one of the four marquees on the grounds and hope that everyone will stop by to learn more about the work we do and how they can help."
Visitors will be able to try their hand at learning a new language through fun activities with Wee Love Languages. And explore far off lands with tales and drama from around the world with the Story Trekkers from the Lyric Theatre.
Everyone can put their agility to the test through interactive yoga and hula hooping workshops with ArtsEkta or visit the wonderful world of virtual reality and create amazing Global Belfast animations on the Wheelworks Art Cart.
Children and young people can join in the fun at our sensory play area, becoming Mini Explorers celebrating festivals and cultures from around the world with bubbles and fun and colourful lights.
International students from Queen's University will be bringing along their global selfie booth and you can mark your country of origin on their giant interactive map.
And the Lord Mayor's nominated charities will also be on site, sharing information about the great work they are doing throughout the city and beyond.
Entry into the event is free and is on a first come first served basis.
For more information, you can visit the events page at
The thoughtfulness and generosity of people just like you help us to make a huge difference to the lives of those people we support - thank you so much.
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okay, so i'm a coffee addict.
if i had to defend myself i would say that i am addicted to the experience, and i merely enjoy the substance. but i don't have to defend myself.
one morning not long ago, i had some extra time to kill before i needed to be at work, enough time to make the trek down to starbucks. it was a grey, nondescript kind of day, and a caramel macchiato would have definitely made an improvement. as i pulled in to the only starbucks with a drive-thru in the area i noticed it was uncharacteristically dark, and while the sign next to the door clearly stated that this cafe opened at 7am, someone had neglected to get the memo to everyone involved.
by the time i had gotten out of my car to pull on the door to see if, perhaps, this was just a cruel trick, and there was indeed coffee brewing inside, four other cars had gathered in the parking lot, all with the same goal.
the only logical thing to do at that point was to travel the 34 seconds west, to the next closest starbucks, so i got back into my car & did just that, the lead camel in this coffee caravan. as i cut through the theatre parking lot, marveling at my enterprise, and planning to be the first into the store so that no more time than necessary would separate me from my coffee, i couldn't help but feel a little bit smug.
as i pulled up to the second darkened cafe, i couldn't help but think that perhaps it was some sort of conspiracy. five cars had turned into seven. seven cars carrying people who just wanted their morning coffee. seven cars shot down again.
it was as if the coffee gods were throwing a challenge: how far were we willing to go? never one to back down to a challenge, for me, in that instant it became not about the caffeinated substance itself, but rather the quest to attain what had been so far denied. i watched as some gave up, driving away defeated, to whatever their day had in store. but i wasn't about to let it beat me.
the next starbucks was about six minutes down the road, so i headed off in that direction, now with only two cars behind. but it was no longer about winning, now it was about the simple quest for coffee and the refusal to be denied.
twelve minutes later i was back on the road and headed for work, coffee firmly resting in the drink holder of the car and proud of accomplishing what had turned into a journey of sorts when it hit me.
what if i pursued God with the same tenacity that i did that caramel macchiato? what if i refused to let discouragement and set backs derail me, and just doggedly refused to be satisfied by anything less than truth, justice and the passionate pursuit of my Creator? what if i refused to let the way things are determine the way they could be?
what if...
grande non-fat caramel macchiato.
What To Do in a Crisis of Faith
5 hours ago


text: Bill Tomlinson wrote: > Does anyone know of a way to kill or hide the Apple Menu in FB5? Next time Bill Tomlinson wrote: > I just wanted to hide the zeroth menu. There might be another way to accomplish your goal if you would share why hiding the system-wide Apple menu is required. Generally( forgetting for the moment system stuff and kiosk mode ), the Apple menu is not meant to be removed by application programs and IIRC the Finder loads a nib for it. Notice code such as the following impacts only the App menu and not the Apple menu: '--------- apple menu "About MyWonderfulApp...;-;Preferences.../," menu _appleMenu, 1, _disable menu _appleMenu, 3, _disable DisableMenuCommand( 0, _kHICommandQuit ) HandleEvents '--------- Targeting the 'zeroth' menu ( AFAIK ) does not provide access to the Apple menu. Share the goal of hiding the Apple menu and maybe an alternative approach will be suggested. Brian


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A 22 year old woman was admitted at our epilepsy unit in status epilepticus. On examination, seizures were characterised by a confusional state with little response to external stimuli, and recurrent, brief, tonic motor manifestations lateralised to the left side. Family history was negative for epilepsy and metabolic disorders. Full term birth was uncomplicated and first psychomotor developmental milestones were normal. In the past medical history there was no sign of any metabolic diseases. There were no reports of cognitive dysfunction or personality disturbances. At the age of 16, the patient presented with epilepsy, which was characterised by two types of seizures: global tonic seizures, which occurred yearly, and brief episodes of loss of contact without any other manifestations, which were rare. The patient was treated for many years with 20 mg of clobazam twice daily. The awake EEGs that were performed routinely during the years of treatment with clobazam showed normal background rhythm with rare epileptiform discharges, characterised by irregular 2–3 Hz spike and wave complexes and localised over both frontal-central regions. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain, which was performed at the age of 18 years, showed no abnormalities.
On the day of admission at the epilepsy unit, the patient had an urgent EEG that revealed continuous, rhythmic spikes or spike and wave complexes over both frontal-central regions with right predominance. Emergency drug treatment with intravenous lorazepam 4 mg was performed twice with a 15 minute interval, but there was no change in the clinical status. Therefore, after 30 minutes, intravenous phenytoin 1000 mg was given by infusion over a period of 20 minutes, and then an infusion of 750 mg of phenytoin was set up for a period of 24 hours. Clinical symptoms and EEG abnormalities rapidly improved and completely resolved after 40 minutes from the start of the administration of phenytoin.
Nine hours later, while the medical observation was still ongoing, the patient developed an episode of clouding of consciousness, which was preceded by prodromal symptoms, including tachycardia, sweating, light headedness, and irritability. On examination, there was reduction of alertness, confusion, and tachycardia. Pupils were of intermediate diameter and reactive to the light. No focal neurological signs were observed. EEG monitoring did not show any abnormalities. Emergency blood tests revealed severe hypoglycaemia (<20 mg/dl). Prompt correction of the hypoglycaemia was obtained by the intravenous infusion of 50 ml of 50% glucose, and a consequent recovery of consciousness occurred. Phenytoin infusion was then withdrawn and oxcarbamazepine was titrated. In the following days no further episodes of hypoglycaemia were noticed. The patient was therefore investigated with the oral glucose tolerance test, which showed normal levels of plasma glucose, immunoreactive insulin, and immunoreactive insulin/plasma glucose, and with an abdominal CT scan, which did not show evidence of pancreatic insulinoma.
We have described a patient who experienced a severe episode of hypoglycaemia induced by intravenous phenytoin, which was administrated at the doses recommended for the treatment of status epilepticus.1 It is known that phenytoin interferes with carbohydrate metabolism.2 Indeed, it may inhibit the release of glucose stimulated insulin and induce a consequent hyperglycaemia. The ability of phenytoin to inhibit insulin release has been suggested to be related to the blockage of Ca2+ uptake via voltage dependent Ca2+ channels.3 For this hyperglycaemic propriety, phenytoin has been often used in the treatment of hypoglycaemia induced by inoperable insulinomas.4
Beside the well known hyperglycaemic effect of phenytoin, it has been reported that high doses of the drug can induce hypoglycaemia. In particular, a recent study reported a case of hypoglycaemia secondary to an acute voluntary intoxication with 20 g of phenytoin. The authors suggested that the hypoglycaemic episode might be attributable either to an escape from the inhibitory effects of phenitoin on insulin secretion or an increased sensitivity of the tissues to insulin.5 The striking finding of our case is that the hypoglycaemia is induced by a therapeutical dose of phenytoin, and, to our knowledge, this is the first case of severe hypoglycaemia during treatment with phenytoin for status epilepticus. In this case we have indeed excluded a different aetiology of the hypoglycaemia. In particular, a possible effect on glycaemia produced by status epilepticus,6 has been considered not relevant, because the status epilepticus was partial and resolved nine hours before the onset of hypoglycaemia. However, what caused hypoglicaemia when a therapeutical dose of phenytoin was administrated is unclear, and further studies are needed to fully investigate the effects of phenytoin on charboidrate metabolism.
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• Thursday, February 19: Pizza & Professionals (Buckman 102, 12:30-1:30 p.m.) Come learn about CBIZ-MHM — who they are, what they do, and about some of the positions they typical hire… and, enjoy free pizza! What a deal! All students interested in learning more about the company are welcome to attend.
• Tuesday, February 24: 2015 Career & Internship Expo (Canale Arena, 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.) This semester's expo features 58 (and counting) companies seeking to fill a variety of full-time and internship positions across many different majors are already confirmed, and more are expected! Make plans to be there! Dress professionally and bring plenty of resumes. Employers already scheduled to attend include: Achievement Schools, Aflac, ALSAC/St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Alzheimer's Association, Aspire Public Schools, AZO Inc., Barbara K. Lipman Early Learning Center, Bartlett City Schools, Becker CPA Review, BRIDGES/Bridge Builders, Capital Financial Advisors, Catholic Diocese Of Memphis Department Of Education, CBRE, CBU Department Of Education, Church Health Center, Collierville Schools, Cordova Safety Products, ECS Federal, Inc., EdR Collegiate Housing, Enterprise Holdings, Ericson Group, Inc., First Tennessee Bank, Flintco LLC, Freedom Preparatory Academy Charter School, Gateway Group Personnel, Gestalt Community Schools, GRAD Academy Memphis, Green Dot Public Schools, KIPP Memphis Collegiate Schools, Kroger, Lasallian Volunteers, Leadership Preparatory Charter School, MassMutual, Medtronic, Inc., New York Life, Nike, NovaCopy, Outback Steakhouse, Raymond James Financial, Regional One Health, Regus, Robert Half – Accoun temps, Sedgwick, ServiceMaster, Share One, Shelby County Schools, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Social Security Administration, Stabilit America dba Glasteel, Teach For America, TEKsystems, The West Clinic, Thomas & Betts, United BioSource Corporation, WKNO-TV/FM, WMC-TV, YES Prep Public Schools, Youth Villages, Inc.
• Wednesday, February 25: Choosing A College Major Workshop (Montesi Executive Center, 3:00-4:00 p.m.)
• Thursday, February 26: Careers In Sports Networking Luncheon (Canale Arena Skybox, 12:15-1:50 p.m.)


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A Beka Language
Grades We've Used: 2nd, 3rd and 4th
A Beka's language program uses a workbook for each grade. The teacher's guide has different activities to reinforce concepts. Many of these are geared towards classroom use but are easily adapted to a home school environment. Grammar is covered as well as how to use an encyclopedia and dictionary. Students are also taught to write reports. Oral exercise books are also available which are a brilliant way to teach auditory learners, especially if the every day grammar your child is surrounded by isn't the best.
Items can be purchased individually or in grade packages.
Marie's Review (Mom):
In A Nutshell: Can't be beat for grammar and punctuation skills, but if you value a heavy writing curriculum, it needs to be supplemented.
More Detail:
At first I loved this language program. The drills and instruction are excellent, and Grace especially is getting a superb grasp on grammar. I don't know if any other curriculum can beat it for learning grammar, punctuation, parts of speech, etc.
It can be, at times, overwhelming for Lainey, but I think that's her and not necessarily the program. I took her to a tutor last October to get extensive testing done, since she was struggling so much with school. When I went in for the conference, a comment was made that she was well behind expected grade level in that she had no idea how to write a paragraph. No topic sentence, no logical layout… I wanted to say, "But we completed the curriculum – and that stuff wasn't in there!"
And it's not. At least not that we've encountered so far.
I went home and immediately flipped through the books, then checked out the scope and sequence online. Where's the creative writing? The character webs, plot diagrams, limerick layouts…? I didn't find it in the reading program, either. I finally found some listed under cursive writing (which I admit we abandoned in favor of more history and science). I flipped through the cursive writing book but I couldn't find anything that fit my definition of creative writing.
Yes, there are activities such as "write a sentence using it's" but to me that's not enough. The section on how to write reports left Grace scratching her head and she still had no idea how to plan a report out (and FYI, we couldn't find a good, old fashioned encyclopedia anywhere, not even at our huge local library). Maybe my kids are just more visual than most and need the bubble worksheets that I had as a kid. These are notably absent from A Beka (and yes, originally we all hated worksheets, but now I realize Lainey needs them, and with some subjects, Grace does too).
The fill in the blank worksheets really help solidify concepts, but I also think kids will learn best when they are creating their own sentences. In order to do that, they need to write, write, write.
We tried Writing Strands, and I really liked it and wanted to continue with it, but I feel like they're still missing something. We may go back to it next year. I've just purchased BJU's 3rd grade English and so far it looks like exactly what I was looking for. No, the grammar doesn't look as strong as A Beka's, but it has the visual layout worksheets and the character webs and everything else I expect from a language program.
Again, I know families that do extremely well with A Beka and some that just don't want heavy writing, but the language program left me disappointed. So will we use A Beka Language next year? Probably not, despite its excellent grammar instruction, unless I find a writing program I really like to go with it.
Grace's Review (4th Grade): I liked learning how to write a letter. I love to write. I like the exercises and think they do a good job teaching me proper grammar.
Lainey's Review (3rd Grade): It's medium hard. I like alphabetizing, but hate addressing envelopes.
Christian Friendly: Yes ~ A Beka is a Christian based curriculum
Sensitive Readers: N/A


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Unless you've been living under a rock or perhaps at Edmon Low, you know about the Chris Brown scandal. I wanted to share some thoughts on how this event was handled in the world of social media, primarily in the entertainment industry.
A week ago as the Grammys unfolded, word was spreading fast that the music artist Chris Brown had been arrested. Initial thoughts may have been that it had to be a misunderstanding. But soon enough pieces of information came in at an alarming rate- "Assaulted a woman", "turned himself into authorities", "woman confirmed to be Rihanna", "Rihanna admitted to hospital" "Brown's career over" and so on. The most efficient communicators (in my opinion) were E! News and the famously outrageous celeb blogger, Perez Hilton. They had a constant flow of Twitter and blog updates confirming facts and discrediting rumors. With scandals like this, it's hard to know the truth. I think these sources did a good job in getting as much as they knew out to their audience. You've got two extremely popular music artists involved, which means huge fanbases desperate to get the scoop.
I think celebrity bloggers and entertainment channels are meeting the needs of their audience with effective communication. They cover the territory of what's going on in Hollywood, which is a big job to undertake. Despite that some couldn't care less about what's going on with celebrities, there is always a large enough group of those who do. When those in the spotlight make these kind of mistakes, they're letting a lot of people down. Not to mention sabotaging their career that they have worked so hard for. Honestly I can't think of what Brown could possibly do next to salvage his image. As I mentioned before, he did issue a statement which can be read here.
Personally, I have been a Chris Brown fan from the beginning. He's an excellent singer as well as dancer. I enjoy his music. But with the events that have occured, I can't say I'm much of a fan anymore. Could anyone really? Some are defending Brown saying Rihanna "provoked" him and what he did was a simple "dumb choice" because he's "just a kid." I know that I obviously don't know the full story, but from what I do know, I won't be supporting him any time soon.
This event has also brought to light the issue of domestic violence, not that it wasn't ever discussed before, but there is a renewed interest in the affects of violence. Possibly a good outcome? It is giving the organizations that stand up to violence and abuse an even bigger audience. Brown had opened up before about abuse in his past pertaining to his father. Is family to blame? It's a tough issue. One organization, V-Day, is gaining a lot of attention and response because of what's happened to Rihanna. V-Day is "A Global Movement to End Violence Against Women and Girls." Visit their site to get more information. http://newsite.vday.org/
Hopefully within the next few months, the media will continue to be effective communicators about how each of the artists are coping and what they're planning to do next. Please feel free to leave any thoughts on this or visit some of these sources to get more of the scoop:


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"Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower."
— Albert Camus
It's autumn in New England! Here's a picture I took today on my run as well as a quote I really like.
This is such a quick post because I was ABOUT to fall asleep and then I remembered my 30 Day Challenge. Well, I didn't post much but it's something!
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