Aug. 21st, 2004
For a change
Aug. 21st, 2004 02:03 pmWell, I haven't written anything real for a while, so I figure it's time for another post. No, not my childhood this time, even though that's a topic I could talk about forever. I suppose that is because the other people I talk with is my family, and they all have been there and know the stories.
But this time, lets do something a little more up-to-date.
What did I do yesterday? I helped break in a neighbor's apartment. That was fun!
OK, not to give you the wrong impression, it was the neighbor who had to break into her apartment. She had gone out and forgotten the key inside, so she came to me to help her. We got the ladder and she climbed on the balcony, and got in from there. Fortunately she had left the balcony door open. This lady is very good at forgetting her keys. One time, she rang my Mom up to come over and unlock her front door. We don't know how she did it, but she had managed to be inside the locked apartment, with the key in the lock outside. She didn't have an exlanation for it, either. And last week, she had to call a professional to open the lock.
Now she has come to the conclusion it might be a good idea to give us a key to her door, so she doesn't have to rely on open windows or call somebody anymore.
I shouldn't laugh, though. It isn't so long ago I managed to lock myself out. I was home alone and had to take our dog for a walk. So we went out, and I didn't lock the apartment door (it has a knob that turns, so I could have gotten in again). I walked downstairs and out of the house and closed the front door. Then I realized I hadn't locked the apartment door and wanted to go back in. And then I realizedI didn't have my keys.
Now, there are two other families living in the house. But nobody was hometo let me in. So I took the dog for a walk (it wasn't her fault I was stupid, I figured) and tried again when I came back. Still nobody home. So I sat around in front of my own door waiting for somebody to come home. It was the people living downstairs, fortunately, and not my family. They would have rubbed that story into my face for weeks. But it is quite a funny feeling.
I have been lucky, though, Nothing really bad ever happened from me forgetting to lock or unlock doors or to take my keys. I have left my car unlocked several times, but who'd steal a Mitsubishi that's ten years old and has a rather bad scratch on one side? I got the scratch from hitting a guard rail on a winter day on the Autobahn, trying to be on time for an exam even though I had taken an hour longer than usual already. OK, so I was going a bit fast for the road conditions, and it wasn't really a smart idea to pass another car, meaning I had to use the left lane that had not been cleared at all, or very little. But at least I only hit the guard rail and no other car. And I didn't spin around, managed to keep the car straight. I was very proud of that! I came an hour late to the exam, and my professor thought it might be better not to start, as I would have had only half the time of everybody else and to say the truth, my nerves weren't really in the state of concentrating on an exam. So I walked around the uni and the library for a while and drove back home. Actually, I only broke down when I pulled in my parking spot at home. I had managed to stay somewhat calm as long as necessary, and I was really proud of that, too.
Jeez, but that wasn't what I wanted to talk about. *shakes head* Keys was the topic!
Now, the funniest key story in my family is one that happened to my brother. It's one of those stories that are only funny years later. He managed to break off a key. Unfortunately, it was the key to our front door at the place we used to live, and he broke it off when trying to open the door. So one part of the key was stuck in the lock and we couldn't get it out. We teased him with that, but only starting a few months later. Before, my parents were rather sensitive about the topic. I'm not quite sure, but I believe getting somebody to open a door and repair a lock wasn't that easy in GDR. Plus we had to get a new key.
So, a long post about nothing at all, really. I hope you enjoyed following the weird windings of my mind.
Oh, and by the way: The German dressage riders have won their 18th Olympic gold medal (no, not all this year!)
But this time, lets do something a little more up-to-date.
What did I do yesterday? I helped break in a neighbor's apartment. That was fun!
OK, not to give you the wrong impression, it was the neighbor who had to break into her apartment. She had gone out and forgotten the key inside, so she came to me to help her. We got the ladder and she climbed on the balcony, and got in from there. Fortunately she had left the balcony door open. This lady is very good at forgetting her keys. One time, she rang my Mom up to come over and unlock her front door. We don't know how she did it, but she had managed to be inside the locked apartment, with the key in the lock outside. She didn't have an exlanation for it, either. And last week, she had to call a professional to open the lock.
Now she has come to the conclusion it might be a good idea to give us a key to her door, so she doesn't have to rely on open windows or call somebody anymore.
I shouldn't laugh, though. It isn't so long ago I managed to lock myself out. I was home alone and had to take our dog for a walk. So we went out, and I didn't lock the apartment door (it has a knob that turns, so I could have gotten in again). I walked downstairs and out of the house and closed the front door. Then I realized I hadn't locked the apartment door and wanted to go back in. And then I realizedI didn't have my keys.
Now, there are two other families living in the house. But nobody was hometo let me in. So I took the dog for a walk (it wasn't her fault I was stupid, I figured) and tried again when I came back. Still nobody home. So I sat around in front of my own door waiting for somebody to come home. It was the people living downstairs, fortunately, and not my family. They would have rubbed that story into my face for weeks. But it is quite a funny feeling.
I have been lucky, though, Nothing really bad ever happened from me forgetting to lock or unlock doors or to take my keys. I have left my car unlocked several times, but who'd steal a Mitsubishi that's ten years old and has a rather bad scratch on one side? I got the scratch from hitting a guard rail on a winter day on the Autobahn, trying to be on time for an exam even though I had taken an hour longer than usual already. OK, so I was going a bit fast for the road conditions, and it wasn't really a smart idea to pass another car, meaning I had to use the left lane that had not been cleared at all, or very little. But at least I only hit the guard rail and no other car. And I didn't spin around, managed to keep the car straight. I was very proud of that! I came an hour late to the exam, and my professor thought it might be better not to start, as I would have had only half the time of everybody else and to say the truth, my nerves weren't really in the state of concentrating on an exam. So I walked around the uni and the library for a while and drove back home. Actually, I only broke down when I pulled in my parking spot at home. I had managed to stay somewhat calm as long as necessary, and I was really proud of that, too.
Jeez, but that wasn't what I wanted to talk about. *shakes head* Keys was the topic!
Now, the funniest key story in my family is one that happened to my brother. It's one of those stories that are only funny years later. He managed to break off a key. Unfortunately, it was the key to our front door at the place we used to live, and he broke it off when trying to open the door. So one part of the key was stuck in the lock and we couldn't get it out. We teased him with that, but only starting a few months later. Before, my parents were rather sensitive about the topic. I'm not quite sure, but I believe getting somebody to open a door and repair a lock wasn't that easy in GDR. Plus we had to get a new key.
So, a long post about nothing at all, really. I hope you enjoyed following the weird windings of my mind.
Oh, and by the way: The German dressage riders have won their 18th Olympic gold medal (no, not all this year!)
(no subject)
Aug. 21st, 2004 03:52 pmI wish I was in Maine.
OK, nothing so unusual about that. But I wish I was in Maine today, right now (that should work even with the different time zone), and not just anywhere in Maine, but in Brunswick. Thomas Point Beach to be quite exact.
Because today is the 21st, and today there are the Maine Highland Games. In Thomas Point Beach.
I've been there before, and it was just so much fun, and really interesting.
As it is the 21st, it also is
altonwings' birthday. I need to write him a Happy Birthday in a comment.
OK, nothing so unusual about that. But I wish I was in Maine today, right now (that should work even with the different time zone), and not just anywhere in Maine, but in Brunswick. Thomas Point Beach to be quite exact.
Because today is the 21st, and today there are the Maine Highland Games. In Thomas Point Beach.
I've been there before, and it was just so much fun, and really interesting.
As it is the 21st, it also is
I just checked the LJ memes. Nobody has a crush on me, and nobody on my flist did the trust level thingie, so I don't know if anybody trusts me.
Apart from that, I'm rapidly getting bored. I'm gonna download the msn messenger and hope for some diversion while doing that. Maybe a little virus to keep me company.
Apart from that, I'm rapidly getting bored. I'm gonna download the msn messenger and hope for some diversion while doing that. Maybe a little virus to keep me company.
OK, now I have installed the msn messenger, and if that thingie works as I think it should, my user name is dream_labyrinth. A fact that must surprise you greatly.
Apart from it going offline from time to time and the fact that I have to login every few minutes, it might work.
Apart from it going offline from time to time and the fact that I have to login every few minutes, it might work.
the list virus
Aug. 21st, 2004 11:27 pmUsually, I don't make lists. But there is apparently a list virus, and that's contagious. (well, wouldn't be a good virus if it wasn't)
So I made a list today of things I'm planning to do this coming week.
It's very ambitious, and it's main purpose is to keep me from being online 24/7, but it contains some things Mom and I never get around to do usually, so it can serve more than that one purpose.
Monday: clean kitchen cupboards and fridge, inside and outside
Tuesday: all bathrooms, including inside the closets
Wednesday: whole apartment - getting rid of cobwebs (old house and summer = tons of spiders), dusting, vacuuming
Thursday: clean stairs from top to bottom with brush (old stones, gotta do that from time to time)
Friday: garden work my brother is supposed to do but wouldn't anyway.
I also need to go to the sports studio two times this week I'm paying a monthly fee, and if I go less often, I'm not getting enough for my money. There's going to be some shopping, take stuff to dry cleaning, pick up pictures from my sister's wedding (copies for family). That kind of stuff.
I also have some things to do the week after that, like cleaning the windows upstairs, cutting back the vine from the windows, that kind of stuff.
Will keep me busy and the telephone/internet bill on a reasonable level.
And now I'm going to bed.
So I made a list today of things I'm planning to do this coming week.
It's very ambitious, and it's main purpose is to keep me from being online 24/7, but it contains some things Mom and I never get around to do usually, so it can serve more than that one purpose.
Monday: clean kitchen cupboards and fridge, inside and outside
Tuesday: all bathrooms, including inside the closets
Wednesday: whole apartment - getting rid of cobwebs (old house and summer = tons of spiders), dusting, vacuuming
Thursday: clean stairs from top to bottom with brush (old stones, gotta do that from time to time)
Friday: garden work my brother is supposed to do but wouldn't anyway.
I also need to go to the sports studio two times this week I'm paying a monthly fee, and if I go less often, I'm not getting enough for my money. There's going to be some shopping, take stuff to dry cleaning, pick up pictures from my sister's wedding (copies for family). That kind of stuff.
I also have some things to do the week after that, like cleaning the windows upstairs, cutting back the vine from the windows, that kind of stuff.
Will keep me busy and the telephone/internet bill on a reasonable level.
And now I'm going to bed.