Daylight Carbs

Trends are there to be obeyed and so we finally cut back on carbs after dark... but there are the occasional daylight meals.

So later today we are invited to a birthday tea. Since we have never been to such an event we have no clue what is being served, we thought stocking up on carbs for lunch might not be the worst of ideas...

Penne with broccoli topped with cherry tomatoes slow fried in sage and butter from milk of Piedmontese cattle.

Sonntag

Marting does it all the time, so for once I may do so as well... this was this Sunday's lunch:



Later, when the champagne has worn off, one might find us at the lido Mythenquai, before we'll had to see Race Horse Company's Petit Mal at the Theater Spektakel:

Dealing with Cutlery or the Lack Thereof

I am not talking about the basic differences of dealing with cutlery by Americans and Europeans. Others wrote about that conclusively (read about). I am talking about my intercultural competence being constantly challenged by the lack of basic cutlery here in México. At home in cosily boring Switzerland my cutlery concerns are being restricted to occasionally having to eat with a knife, of which the handle is not hollow (and thus not well balanced). Here in México I'm hardly given the opportunity of a knife at all. If so, I'm not even expecting a sharpened one anymore. What one can expect is a spoon or a fork at best. If you address this subject with Mexicans they point out that the tortilla acts as spoon in their culture. Fair enough, but I still find it rather challenging to eat bone-rich meat with just a fragile plastic spoon and a floppy tortilla.

Location:Morelos Sur,La Huacana,Mexico

Buff Urs

I don't know if the strength workouts finally stared to show some effects, but this Monday while drying off my back at the gym, I tore apart my towel...



It was my favourite towel, because, as old towel do, it absorbed pretty well. I got it in 1983 for my confirmation. So it might had been a tiny bit threadbare...

I *heart* Metal Boxes

I have this thing for metal boxes. Like I almost always carry a small metal box with some vital stationary equipment like pens, pencils, crayons, sharpener, eraser an a small ruler:



Thus I was even more exited when I saw the latest complimentary amenity kit by Lufthansa:

Noah's Tulips

On Monday, I came to the conclusion that my office needs to be gayed up seriously. Thus I bought a bunch of flowers and placed them on my desk.



It took me over a day to realise that there are always two tulips of the same kind in it. I still do ask myself what this might mean.

Weekend in Bed

We have been rather lazy this weekend, actually we spent a lot of it horizontal. On Sunday evening we could not even be arsed to cook and ordered* some pizza. We'd never ordered food in before. Unlike Toño, I at least used cutlery to eat mine.



* via the internet, since we had to get up to get a phone.

Guests Meet Cord

Our new guest berth has arrived.



That is, when you are granted the honour to be invited to our tables or if you just have the chutzpah to invite yourself, and if you can't make it home because you just liked Toño's selection of wine a bit too much, then you might end here:



The name of this bed sofa is Cord. It a product of Danish Softline, designed by the architects Flemming Busk and Stephan B. Hertzog, who also created the chair Hello for Kylie.

Work-to-rule

I think everybody who is risking his neck for a few coins every workday and is not self-employed is suffering from crappy organisational structures. Or at least so do I. Thus I read the statement by a business consultant, trying to sell his organisation improvement method, with a tiny bit of satisfaction:

For works councils and labour unions threatening with work-to-rule has become an effective leverage, because everybody knows that nothing gets done if everybody sticks to the rules of the organisation.

That's it for work till Monday. Me - out - now.

I can't help it...

...but I consider ships like this one oddly fascinating.



... but I never quite trust double themed restaurants.

Inspired by Don Draper

I so got inspired by Mad Men's Don Draper.



No, I did not take up smoking again, hoist a few in the office (openly) or commit adultery. But I started to have a one week supply of pressed shirts in my drawer.



Well it's already Thursday, so I'm down to two shirts.

My Year of the Tiger

A Chinese friend from Malaysia has sent me my (Goat) horoscope for the Chinese year of the Tiger:

Good Year

Intro
There are 4 lucky stars and 4 bad stars. There is an even number of stars this year and the good stars are indeed very good like Tian Xi and Tai Yang so as to give you changes this year but things are a lot smoother than last year’s.Everything is a lot more stable.

Money & Work
You may find it hard to save money this year and it may be an important issue to you. However do remember that we have a method where we save money every 1st day of the month and then spend the rest. Try saving your money in your favourable colour bank then observe if the money stays there and grow.

Health
This year, your health luck is not so favourable but then better than last year’s!

Love & Family
If married, be mindful of your emotions and watch how they can cause quarrels even in a stable relationship. If single, there is a little romance and there may be a little arguments with your parents though.

The Metal year of the Tiger will last from February 14, 2010 till February 2, 2011.

Early Appreciation

I cycle to work and the first thing I face when entering the premises is to cross 6 rails (that have been out of operation for almost a decade) while turning to the right. After parking the bike, I have to walk along 16 parking fields for cars to reach the entrance. Especially the first step is great fun at sub zero temperatures (I did break some bike parts due to this some years ago).

One of the values my caring employer has proclaimed itself is appreciation. So I always get a good impression of the appreciation that is show towards cyclists before I even clock in.



Picture taken with Hipstamatic, equipped with Helga Viking lense, on Blank film. Hipstamatic has been introduced to me by Borstal Boy.

Screwed

It kind of comes with life, we are getting screwed, at least occasionally, and not always in a good way. Nevertheless, I feel sorry for this Ganesh. He has been screwed twice and at least once not in a good way.

Home Alone

I think recession finally got hold of me. But I reckon, I have to go back 2 years that you understand, what I'm talking about.

Toño's caring employer is the organizer of the award show for the cream of the crop of Swiss wines. This prize was awarded the first time two years ago. The award show was followed by a gala dinner at the 5-star Bellevue Palace in Bern. The dinner went over 5 courses and was accompanied by 10 top short-listed wines. Toño did not only manage to get me on the guest list, we also got a big complimentary room at the Bellevue Palace.



Last year, I was given a schedule: from 5 pm till 6:15 pm I had to work as cloakroom attendant. From 6:15 pm till 8 pm I was a scene shifter, changing one tasting set to another. From 8 pm till 11 pm I was tending the bar at the tasting. For all this, dress code was stricly "black". At the end I received a warm handshake, a kiss and a box of leftover wine.



Well this year, I was asked to stay at home, while Toño has to do all work alone before he will drop into his single bed at a 3-star hotel.

I'm just following the herd

It looks like everybody is answering these 65 questions and who wants to stand apart more than absolutely necessary...

1. First thing you wash in the shower?
First I let my body get drenched by the flow, after that I follow a top to bottom approach.

2. What colour is your favourite hoodie?
All my hoddies are blue.

3. Would you kiss the last person you kissed again?
Yes, and I hope I will never get bored of it.

4. Do you plan outfits every day?
Yes, as it has to be adapted to my anticipated activities of the day.

5. How are you feeling RIGHT now?
Questioned.

6. What's the closest thing to you that's red?
Handle of a screwdriver, which I needed to loose the brake of my bike (I think it got stuck due to the nastily cold weather) ¦¦edited¦¦ the pads were worn down

7. The last dream you remember having?
It is one I had with 5, which included 5 m high pink cats, which slashed people with blades they had instead of the usual paws. Where they passed, the ground submerged into a pink flood.

8. Did you meet anybody new today?
Not really.

9. What are you craving right now?
A working brake on my town bike. ¦¦edited¦¦ cute bike mechanic fixed them, new craving: cuddling with Toño

10. Do you floss?
I should.

11. What comes to mind when I say cabbage?
Russia.

12. Are you emotional?
The older I get the worse it gets.

13. Have you ever counted to 1,000?
I might have.

14. Do you bite into your ice cream or just lick it?
One should not bite in things than can be licked.

15. Do you like your hair?
Its' a bit of a nuisance actually.

16. Do you like yourself?
More often than not.

17. Would you go out to eat with George Bush?
Next...

18. What are you listening to right now?
The fan of my computer.

19. Are your parents strict?
My siblings had cleared the path for me.

20. Would you go sky diving?
I don't see the point of sky diving.

21. Do you like cottage cheese?
I eat it, but I wouldn't kill for it.

22. Have you ever met a celebrity?
Only D list ones.

23. Do you rent movies often?
Once is not often enough to say yes, thus no.

24. Is there anything sparkly in the room you're in?
Do I pass as sparkly?

25. How many countries have you visited?
38, but I've never crossed the equator. I'm afraid of the sun shining from the wrong side.

26. Have you made a prank phone call?
In the army we used to call two different insurances or banks and then connected the two called on the switchboard, and eavesdropped on their reaction. We were very bored at the switchboard.

27. Ever been on a train?
I have been renewing my yearly subscription for the all-year all Switzerland ticket for 26 years. I might have been that I actually used that ticket occasionally.

28. Brown or white eggs?
To make Easter eggs, I prefer whites, apart of that I'm quite indifferent.

29. Do you have a cell-phone?
Unfortunately, and there are two of them.

30. Do you use chap stick?
During winter and always when it's too late.

31. Do you own a gun?
Not any more.

32. Can you use chop sticks?
I failed a bit when eating spare-rips.

33. Who are you going to be with tonight?
Toño.

34. Are you too forgiving?
Occasionally.

35. Ever been in love?
Yeah and it is not supposed to end.

36. What is your best friend(s) doing tomorrow?
Swimming and cuddling with me.

37. Ever have cream puffs?
*googles cream puffs* Yes.

38. Last time you cried?
While watching episode 5 of glee.

39. What was the last question you asked?
To the trough? (meaning: Do you join me for dinner?)

40. Favorite time of the year?
The beginnings of the seasons.

41. Do you have any tattoos?
No and no desire to get one.

42. Are you sarcastic?
Never, that would be such a nasty trait.

43. Have you ever seen The Butterfly Effect?
No, but butterflies affect me.

44. Ever walked into a wall?
I prefer doorposts and poles.

45. Favorite color?
Blue.

46. Have you ever slapped someone?
Yes. But I strangled somebody only once (because of an Easter egg).

47. Is your hair curly?
The once I give a chance to be it.

48. What was the last CD you bought?
Touch by Yello

49. Do looks matter?
I do not mind when it comes with the package.

50. Could you ever forgive a cheater?
Officially? No.

51. Is your phone bill sky high?
I hate talking over the phone. The text part is far higher than the voice part of the bill.

52. Do you like your life right now?
Yes, I do.

53. Do you sleep with the TV on?
Snoozing does not count as sleeping, does it?

54. Can you handle the truth?
Depends.

55. Do you have good vision?
A tiny bit better than the one of a mole.

56. Do you hate or dislike more than 3 people?
I'm bad at hating but since it includes "dislike", yes.

57. How often do you talk on the phone?
As rarely as possible, with rare exceptions.

58. The last person you held hands with?
Toño.

59. What are you wearing?
Blue merino polo by howies, wifebeater by Hanro, corduroy trousers in a undefined colour, brown American Apparel briefs, wool socks, black Lacoste trainers, a watch, a ring & contacts.

60.What is your favorite animal?
Bears & cats.

61. Where was your default picture taken at?
Munich

62. Can you hula hoop?
I guess not.

63. Do you have a job?
I get paid for showing up regularly.

64. What was the most recent thing you bought?
Lunch.

65. Have you ever crawled through a window?
Yes. In the army we usually had to throw a hand-grenade first, and the crawling part should had been closer to a jump. Which I not really managed.

Scarlet

While I was ironing, I put on old records and got kind of lost in memories. I don't listen quite often to Swiss music, but it happened today. There is this one song from 1992, which is IMHO like one of the best love songs ever. It's is called Scharlachrot (scarlet):

Die isch ja filmryf, die Szene i dere Frytignacht.
Dr Mond isch es wysses runds Loch
u luegt zur Wösch us wien'i.

Hie bini lang elei gsi u ha Fläsche ghöut,
Schtunde zeut i däm viu z'grosse Bett
u ha gseh wie sech d'Wäut wacker dräit...
nume nid um mi!

U jitzt bisch du cho, grad jitz, woni's nümm hätti dänkt,
u luegsch dry, wie wenn's öppis z'gwinne gäb
für die u für mi:
Im schlimmschte Fau nume'ne Nacht!

I boue mir mini Tröim uf
rund um di,
u male se scharlachrot a.
I brönne mir di Name
z'mitts i mis Härz.
Chönnt schwöre, dass i ewig blybe
we üs nüt drzwüsche chunnt.
-- Büne Huber

That could have come straight from a film, this scene on that Friday night.
The moon is like a round white hole
and is scowling like I am.

Here I was alone for a long time, emptying bottles,
counting hours in this far too big bed.
and have been watching how the world revolves valiantly...
only not around me!

And now you came, just now, when I had given up hope,
and you are looking like there is something to win
for you and for me:
At the worst only a night!

I'm building my dreams
around you,
and I'm painting them scarlet.
I'm burning your name
into the middle of my heart.
I could swear that I will stay forever,
if nothing cropped up.

Thankfully, I could also brand a name into my heart: Toño. And today Toño is celebrating his birthday. Unfortunately, there no present big enough to express my gratitude to Toño. As a humble attempt, I dedicate today this song to Toño

Qui vivra verra

I'm currently parted from Toño. We will not see each other for 180 long hours. No no, we did not have a tiff. We are parted for money - that is, business trips keep us from seeing each other.

This weekend, Toño has to represent his caring employer at the wine fair Vinea and residing in the tower of this lovely hotel, as he told me earlier over the phone.



I wish I could enjoy the tower with Toño. Whatever, in twelve hours I will be on my way to Scandinavia. And on Monday, while I'm away, we will get a visitor.



This is Gerardo. He is a friend of Toño from La Huacana, Toño's home town in México. Gerardo will stay with us for two weeks. So I will still have a chance to see him, if I'll survive the keelhauling.

Office Flower - The Sequel

On August 7, I discovered that my office plant had started to bloom. Then it looked like this:



Meanwhile the flower has evolved quite a bit.



Why are there red and blue sub-flowers? How many layers are there still hidden? Does it consume humans? What is this?

1.5" of Fame

While Toño had been properly interviewed, I also got some rays of the limelight. Or at least my elbow, which made it on television for about 1.5 seconds.