The cupboard under the stairs

I was outside yesterday and looked up at the roof of my house and saw in a corner a thread of a spider web. Only the longest thread. How do they do that? Do they always start with the longest and then weave it back and forth from their corner? Or do they work their way out? I found myself concluding that, since Spiderman is able to shoot his web, this must be based upon a truth about his namesake--the arachnids themselves. I could look it up, but I'd rather just ponder.

More importantly, however, I have been on a Harry Potter kick. Another one. Ok ok I will admit that I go through this frequently. This time it's worse, though, because half of the series is back in Utah with my closet Harry Potter fan friend. Anyway, I was recently watching the 6th movie. There is a scene in which Dumbledore is reminiscing about how much Harry has grown. I daresay that the entire world has seen the poor kid grow and will always remember him as the little boy in the cupboard under the stairs, just as Dumbledore. That's gotta be weird. What really gets me, though is that Harry responds, "You still look the same to me, Sir." Perhaps Harry needs new glasses. Dumbledore is literally not even the same man.

I'm not sayin'; I'm just sayin'.

Not as young as I used to be

So I am not as young as I used to be. But then again, no one is ever as young as they used to be. Hence I am currently sitting on a bag of ice. Oh dear. I recently returned to my childhood sport (tae kwon do). I am somewhat of a spectacle for three reasons. 1) I am an adult woman. 2) I am a black belt. 3) I am an American. Although I'm in a small town in Germany, the majority of participants are actually Russian. So now, in the midst of my learning Hoch Deutsch I get some genuine exposure to Russodeutsch. A couple of my new friends asked where I'm from. Answer: America (please do not be offended by this term. America is in the name of the country and there is no way in English to say United Statesen). Next question. "So are you American?" Answer, "uuuuh. yeah..." Third question. "So what is your native language?" By this point I'm thinking I must be misunderstanding the conversation seeing as it was taking place in German. One of the guys answered for me "American English". This is apparently a frightening prospect. Who knew? Anyway, back to the ice pack (which I have now traded out for a heating pad). Let's just say, it's a good thing I've had a week to recuperate, and at least I can walk now. Perhaps tonight I'll remember that I am, in fact getting up there. After all, my half birthday was on Saturday.

For anyone who does not understand the principle of half birthdays, please educate and reform yourself at once. This is a very important day in the year. For my half birthday I saw an Igel in the road. But it was only half of a gift from Mother Nature because by the time I got out he ran into a bush. Rude. Which reminds me. I had a fourth grade science teacher who hated the term "Mother Nature" and always told him that was not his mother's name. As many times as he said it, though, I could not tell you what her name actually was.

I'm not sayin'; I'm just sayin'.

Getting down with my Mexican roots

The everyone was chatting in my German class and the man sitting next to me turned and kept saying, "Mexico?"Since some other people had just asked me about traveling I thought maybe he was asking me if I'd been there. After all, that made much more sense than the other interpretation (which is that he was asking if I was from Mexico). Maybe he's never seen a Mexican before. When he then changed his tune and asked "America?" the latter interpretation was confirmed. Today, it dawned on me that it may not have been as ludicrous as I originally thought. Not only that but it was entirely appropriate considering... IT'S CINCO DE MAYO! So, of course, he was just getting pumped for one of the best holidays of the year and he could sense how pumped I was for it. Now. Before I go any further, I am aware that Cinco de Mayo is actually only celebrated in one city in Mexico and is a bigger deal in the US. But I still cannot express my love for it. So, of course, today I made some dip for my chips and played my latin music. Sigh.

I also wonder where the idea of neckties came from? I'm not hating on them. But who said that men should tie a piece of fabric around their neck with a triangular or trapezoidal knot in order to be formal? Who decided on this current shape after all of the other forms that ties have gone through in the history of men's fashion?

I also got a free sticker today.

I'm not sayin'; I'm just sayin'.

I don't wanna be a chicken

I can't get over how much I love the city center accordionists. They just kill me. Yesterday was much like any other day. But as I passed these two old men with cheesy grins playing a duet I found it contagious. I probably looked utterly insane as I proceeded on my way. On my way out, however, my ears were greeted by a familiar tune... The Chicken Dance. They were at it again and goading a small boy on. A few wanderers had gathered to listen/watch and I have since found myself wondering if there are German lyrics to that tune. And if there are, are they equivalent to the English? Did the dance come first or the lyrics? And don't you dare ask if the chicken came before the egg because that's a ridiculous question. Obviously the chicken. I have my reasons.

I'm not sayin'; I'm just sayin'.