Questions To Free Your Mind 11 - 20

Last week, I started this totally stolen (thank you, Jenni!!) 5-part journey to mentally prepare myself to the inevitable 1st anniversary of my 29th birthday (no, in truth, I am actually a little excited for this new decade of my life). Today, I am tackling part two (questions 11 through 20); if you have missed questions 1 through 10, you can find them here.

11. You're having lunch with three people you respect and admire. They all start criticizing a close friend of yours, not knowing she is your friend. The criticism is distasteful and unjustified. What do you do?
I would definitely stand up for my friend. I am that sort of people, I'll do everything for my friends and won't have it if others speak badly about them. And honestly, it would definitely decrease my esteem for the three people I'm talking to, because I can't stand people who talk badly about others behind their backs.

12. If you could offer a newborn child only one piece of advice, what would it be?
Never lose your confidence in the good.

13. Would you break the law to save a loved one?
I would break every law necessary to save the life or health of my loved ones. If they have simply brought themselves into a tricky situation because of stupidity, negligence, or even on purpose, I might help them enough to still ensure a learning effect, depending on who it is and what they have done, but I probably won't get myself into troubles.

14. Have you ever seen insanity where you later saw creativity?
Probably Monty Python. When I first watched Monty Python and the Holy Grail, I was about 12 or 13, I did not get it at all; I remember I thought "What the f***" for the entire movie. Today, I think The Montys are geniuses!

15. What's something you know you do differently than most people?
 Not sure, I'm pretty boring. I have a pretty distinct way I brush my teeth, but I'm not sure that this is truly unique. Maybe it's more OCD.

16. How come the things that make you happy don't make everyone happy?
Because I am me, and not everyone. I am happy with what we have, and don't constantly yearn for more. Some people don't understand that, but coming from a life where we really struggled, we consider ourselves incredibly happy.

17. What one thing have you not done that you really want to do? What's holding you back?
Travel more. Back when hubby and I were first married, the Army held us back. Now, with two little kids and part of the family being on another continent, we can't really do much city-hopping or spontaneous overnight-trips. But I know that once the kids are grown up, our time will come  :-)

18. Are you holding onto something you need to let go of?
Way too many grudges. I know it, and I also know that they are not worth it holding on to, but somehow I'm not ready to let go. I just am a person who hardly ever forgets and oftentimes also has difficulties to forgive. Not small things, but if I'm really hurt, I will never forget.

19. If you had to move to a state or country besides the one you currently live in, where would you move and why?
Scandinavia or Great Britain. GB because hubby speaks English and the countryside is beautiful. Scandinavia because the quality of life is equal or even a little better than in Germany and I love the wide, lonely countryside.

20. Do you push the elevator button more than once? Do you really believe it makes the elevator faster?
Depending on whether I'm in a hurry or not. If I'm in a hurry, I probably press the button more often, not because I believe tje elevater arrives faster, but because pressing the button keeps me occupied  :-)


If you're interested in Jenni's answer, please head over to her beautiful blog Flying on a Rainbow!

Week In Review - Ten Things Of Thankful (35)

I can't believe how fast last week passed. A lot happened, and I had to charge my phone twice, which rarely ever happens. But in between calling doctor's offices, town halls, developers, and water development offices, my phone needed some refreshment. Now, I need some refreshment as well, and since I still have too many vacation days left over from last year and a boss who's awesome, I'm off all next week and then some.

The ten things this week I am most thankful for:

1. Getting to see little baby again, and watching Lily and Violet seeing their new sibling. The two were so excited to get a picture at the end.

2. The great outpour of well-wishes when we announced the news on Facebook. I don't know why, but one of my favorite one was the Muslim blessing from a co-worker I met a few weeks ago during training week. And that from an Atheist. Yes, hormones are in full swing!

3. Not one but two movie dates with hubby on the couch. Star Wars sucked, but you never can go wrong with Life of Brian!!

4. Having a person on our side who knows the system and goes far beyond what he needed to do to help us finally getting water and gas into our house.

5. Getting good news from our doctor. The first trimester screening came back just fine.

6. Getting my vacation approved. I'm off until the 26th!

7. Having a dad who works for the health insurance and I know will find one way or the other to get the cost of the screening reimbursed to us.

8. Surviving the kiddy carnival party today!

9. Having the perfect Valentine's Day. Violet gave me a cute little flower she crafted in kindergarten, Lily made me a card, Richard gave me a rose someone gave to him at the store as part of their campaign (we have a don't spend money rule for V-Day), and I got Asian take-out for everyone, violating the V-Day rule but putting it on my "spend all of the first translation paycheck" list.

10. Receiving my first payment for the translations back in December! I still have €200 to spend, and parts of it will be shoes  :-)


Thank you so much for this link up, Lizzi!

House Update - Going Green?

After a long time, a much overdue house update:

Well, we're almost done, so close to being finished and able to move in, but as in the last months, the house hook-ups have stopped the progress. Last week, we finally got power in the house (as to quote the hubby: all the cords are hooked up in the power box and it's humming in there). Little did I know that what we REALLY needed to progress is water and gas to be hooked up so the heaters can be powered to dry the insulating floor layer completely.

Wednesday, our building site manager calls us, asking when they can finally continue. So I called the guy who's managing the hook-ups for all the houses, who informs me that the gas is to hooked up as soon as the paperwork at the notary is completed, in about two weeks (yay). Leaving us with water. He refers me to the town's development office, since the people at the water development office, who are supposed to hook up the water are stalling and besides that models of incompetence. I call the town just to be told that they can't do anything and that I have to call the people at water development office. So I call there, just to be told that all the office is waiting for is the guy who manages the internal development to tell them where to put the main meter. And the circle closes itself. Today, I simply didn't have the strength to fight the weirdness and unwillingness of some people; tomorrow, the insanity shall continue.

As I came home today, I was presented with a choice of a more interesting kind: which power plan to use. Our town gives you the option to select green-only power (in our case water power) to come to your home. It is about 0.6 cents more expensive per kwh than conventional power, but definitely an option to do something for the environment. 

Would you choose green power (sun, wind, water) over conventional (coal, fossil fuel/gas, nuclear power) if you had the choice?

Being Late For The Movies - Captain Corelli's Mandoline

Since I'm not reviewing books this year, I thought up this little new column. As some may now, 2, soon to be 3 kids leave little time for movie dates, especially taking into consideration a very picky husband. So it sometimes takes a couple of years to watch a movie that most others have seen back when it was at the theater. So, here is my much belated opinion to blockbusters or smaller gems in "Being Late for the Movies". 

Starting out with this movie I came across at my work's library the other day:

Title: Captain Corelli's Mandolin
Year: 2001 (pathetic, isn't it?)
Director: John Madden
Starring: Penelope Cruz, John Hurt, Christian Bale, Nicolas Cage
based on a book by Louis de Bernières

Source

Synopsis:
During the time of the Second World War, young men are leaving the little Greek island of Cellaphonia to fight the Italian army on the mainland. Mandras, the finace of the Island's doctor's daughter Pelagia leaves, promising to marry her upon his return. After an initial victory, the Greek army is defeated by the Italians and Germans, and Madras is missing.  Soon, the first units of the Italian military arrive on the island, among them the artist unit of Captain Antonio Corelli, who is soon quartered in the doctor's house. While being hostile and sceptic towards the foreign military in the befinning, Pelagia soon starts to develop feelings for the foreign officer. As Madras returns, Pelagia helps him to flee again from being captured by the Italians. Soon, the Greek citizens get used to the presence of the Italians, and a certain normalcy returns until more and more German troops arrive. Meanwhile, the Greek militia forms to free the island, while more and more German troops arrive. When Italy surrenders to the allies, the Germans insist on disarming the Italian soldiers before sending them home. Instead, all of them are executed by their former ally; only Corelli survives by chance, being saved by Madras and brought to the doctor's house. Pelagia and the doctor save his life and restore him to health; however, once recovered, he has to flee the island to not fall into the hands of the Greek militia. During Corelli's recovery, Madras learns that he has lost Pelagia. As the war ends, she decides to train to be a doctor himself, not having heard a word from Corelli since helping him escape. Years later, after an earthquake has destroyed much of the town, Corelli finally returns to his love.

My opinion:
 I loved the movie, even though both male leads, Bale and Cage, do not fill the shoes of their roles in the beginning. To me, they simply do not incorporate the overflowing energy of young Greek or Italian men. Only later, when the characters mature through the horrors they encounter, they become credible. Definitely recommendable just for the scene when the town's mayor blows off the Italian invaders with a curt little note of "F*ck you"  (believe me, it looks so much nicer in Greek letters!!)

Birthday Party Recap

Saturday was Lily's big party with her friends. We had 8 little girls plus the two "big" girls from downstairs. It was loud, and stressful, but also so rewarding to help creating a fun birthday party for our Lily!

Shaun the Sheep birthday cake

The birthday table

Lily unwrapping her gifts

Playing musical chairs

Needless to say, I dedicated Sunday to watching the Olympics and getting off the couch as little as possible. Note to self: get ear plugs for next year!!

Week In Review - Ten Things Of Thankful (34)

This last week was hard; I don't know how I would have made it through without having an afternoon of sleeping on Wednesday. And while today was crazy busy again, I'm looking forward to a whole lot of nothing on the couch (the Winter Olympics have started after all).  But despite the stress, there were plenty of things to be thankful fordurng those past days.

1. Having survived a birthday party with a good handful of over-excited 5 to 6-year olds. It was loud, it was crazy, and wild, but everyone had a blast. And that's what counts.

2. Lily passing her school entrance examination. She did awesome, exclaiming at the end that is was so baby-easy. Little snotter  :-)

3. Hubby being so patient with me, being a hormonal, always at the edge of a tantrum mess.

4. Vegetable soup.

5. Having been able to follow through with my resolution for 2014 and shaved my legs every single day this year so far.

6. The potential for an unexpected time off in a week. Need to get rid of those 15 days of 2013 vacation somehow.

7. Hubby came home from airing out the house and announced that it finally, FINALLY seems as if we had power at our house!! All the cord are hooked up and he heard a humming from the power box. So I'll notify out building site manager and see where we'll go from there.

8. The idea of taking a short trip to the U.S. in spring, before the heat is getting really bad and Lily inevitably starting school in September. I may become spontaneous after all one day!

9. Lily announcing that she had gotten a main role at her class's musical, which will be performed on Violet's birthday. Lily told me that she wants the musical to be her birthday present for her little sister. Got to love this girl!!

10. A fun night of D&D yesterday. It's been way too long since we've played!


I hope you all had a great week and an even better weekend!

Questions To Free Your Mind 1 - 10

Last year, Jenni over at Flying on a Rainbow did this 5-part questionnaire in preparation of turning the big 3-0. Being just a couple of weeks away from this milestone myself, I cheekily went over to steal it. If you like this questionnaire, please head over to Jenni's blog and read her answers!


1. How old would you be if you didn't know how old you are?
People usually guess me around 25, a little older when I tell them the ages of our girls. I sometimes feel like 8, being a worry-free child for an hour or so; sometimes I feel like 50, enjoying my weekends on the couch, going to classical concerts, etc. Mostly, I guess I feel about the age I am.

2. Which is worse, failing or never trying?
Definitely never trying is worse. Yes, failing is not easy, and not fun, but it also can teach us so much. It can show us a way to achieve our goal on a second or third try. Not trying is giving up from the beginning.

3. If life is so short, why do we do so many things we don't like and like so many things we don't do?
Because life is life. Most people my age have responsibilities, bills to pay, and sometimes even other people to take care of. But I believe that doing the things I may not always fancy now (don't want to get up at 6 am tomorrow!!) will give us the freedom to do the things we like eventually.

4. When it's all said and done, will you have said more than you've done?
Always. I try to follow up with my promises, but I do admit that I sometimes do forget, or life simply happens.

5. What is the one thing you'd most like to change about the world?
Wars, hunger, pain. There is the potential for everyone to live happy, but they are not, and that is a very sad thing. Children dying from disease and malnutrition while their parents have no opportunity to help them. Things like that should not happen, and it breaks my heart knowing that they do.

6. If happiness was the national currency, what kind of work would make you rich?
Translating books and spending much, much time with my family.

7. Are you doing what you believe in, or are you settling for what you are doing?
Well, being a hippie at heart, working for a large international corporation, have a lucky guess. But I'm a realist, so I am happy with the job I have because it provides for the family and I actually enjoy my work.

8. If the average human life span was 40 years, how would you live your life differently?
Would that mean I'd got to retire soon?? I would definitely not save as much for "later in life", therefore work less and spend more time with the family.

9. To what degree have you actually controlled the course your life has taken?
Well, the things I could control, I did as best as I could (can you say control freak??). I persued my school and college. I earned a second degree, getting a job that fulfills me. And I am very lucky with the things I could not control, like love and having a family.

10. Are you more worried about doing things right, or doing the right things?
Probably doing the right things. Especially with raising kids, it's so difficult to always know what's right. So we're going with what feels right.