<p>We’re headed off to family reunion for the weekend. ShawWife arrived two days ago, but the rest of us are taking a shorter trip because ShawD has to study for her last final. Since she transferred, she has only A’s and A-'s and I think she is trying to emulate ShawSon and have no B’s at all. But for her last final, she had had two tests this summer that required learning what was on 350 ppt slides each and the final had 600 new ones, so she was responsible for material on 1300 slides. She definitely stresses (she sometimes has hives from the stress) but got a 95.</p>
<p>Germany. Folks can sometimes seem brusque in Germany but some of that has to do with language construction I think. Some of it has to do with a frankness – if you ask them whether something is good or not, they won’t pull any punches whereas Americans will try not to offend you. I don’t find people rude when I am in Germany. German tourists, on the other hand, are not infrequently loud, drunk, and unintentionally rude. Especially if you get a bunch of German men on a holiday, they seem to let the normal rules of social behavior go. In places like the coast of Spain, people steer clear of Germans. Here’s an interesting take: <a href=“`Raucous, rowdy' German tourists get etiquette lessons - Taipei Times”>http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2004/08/25/2003200155</a>. </p>
<p>Getting my first taste of school craziness, my class which I thought was on one day is on two, and one of them is a Friday. Seriously a nursing school does not understand that asking for every Friday off is a no no? I will have to trade for weekends. I stress about this a lot. next semester should be better.
I am partially german too, but now I know where I get my tell it like it is, get myself in trouble, all the time personality. I am like the kid who says “but the emperor is naked” like anyone really wants to know.
Today is D2 21st birthday, she is such a sweet girl. we are taking her friends to dinner, then she is off. to hopefully behave</p>
<p>NM – This isn’t quick, but it has been a tremendous hit with everyone: buy a book of pictures of the place where they grew up. (Images of America is one series, but there are others that aren’t in a series at all.) I got my dad three (pretty inexpensive) picture books related to old Rockaway and Queens, and he loved them so much he asked that I get them for my uncles. He loved showing me pictures out of the books and talking about his memories of those spots. Second only to getting him a ticket to the baseball All-Star game in the list of best-ever presents. Did the same for my MIL on Dallas. </p>
<p>My mom’s mother was 2nd generation but 100% German. Yes, she was…blunt. Quite blunt. </p>
<p>One thing that stands out is when my aunt (her daughter) had her son, as soon as Grandma saw him she said “Something is wrong with that kid.” No one could believe Grandma could be that unkind. But yet, after many years of denial, my aunt finally admitted that he was mentally challenged. It was the shape of his head that Grandma focused on. (And perhaps my aunt would have benefited from a kinder approach from her mother.)</p>
<p>I don’t think I shared with you that Son received a job offer from his internship. It is truly perfect. He can do it all on Sundays - only 5-6 hours a week, but it pays about twice mininum wage; that should keep him in spending money. It’s only about 5 miles further from his school than it is from our house. With any luck, all future jobs he takes will be “skilled” vs. unskilled. (His title is “Lead Technician” for a department of a church; in reality, he’s the only media technician for that department, but he’s still pleased with the title.)</p>
<p>Good morning. Kudos to pieson, nm d2, and the rest of the gang who are kicking it ;)</p>
<p>Shaw, that article was interesting. I think in general there are lots of folks who do not consider the culture they’re entering while vacationing. I am thinking in particular of two of my American pals with whom I had a great deal of difficulty in Tangiers convincing ether of them to cover up a liitle and leave off on the bling. Both cause undue attention in the Casbah :)</p>
<p>My two Canuk travel pals are slightly savvier travelers but in their case its likely because they’ve received training along the way as both were at some points journalists and one frequently foreign. In th latter case, culture is treated as an occupational hazard…so HR actually programs for it with some news organizations.</p>
<p>DTE, I often resemble your remark too in terms of unvarnished candour…and also have a German line in my family tree. But it might be our birthdays too (I know you are either the same day or day before me) because I actually once had an astrological natal chart done and I swear it said that I would “learn much later in life to develop tact” and referred to my love of unvarnished truth Boy, does that one get me in trouble. OTOH, some seem to value it because I do get asked to opine a great deal when it suits!</p>
<p>So, mcson is beleagured but moved…Thursday was a long day for him. Mch and I took pity and found ourselves helping him unload around 11 pm. We then had a late night family swim to celebrate. We were too busy with work to do anything yesterday, so he has quite a bit of sorting to do today. I don’t know how one kid has amassed such an enormous collection of musical instruments, PAs, speakers, mixing boards, microphones and esoteric all tech devices in such a short lifetime, but the ground floor of the pool house looks like a tornado hit a sound studio where an orchestra played!</p>
<p>Hey! Congrats to pieson, and NM D2!! Great news!
Happy belated b-day to DTE D2 and hats off to kmc for help with the move. (I have a nephew working in the same filed; his apartment is just as you describe your pool house…all the time!)</p>
<p>Congrats on the job to pieson! and congrats to NM’s D2 for passing the CPA exam; even if you assume/believe that such things will happen, it’s always nice to get that confirmation.</p>
<p>On both my father and mother’s side there is a lot of German ancestry; one of the reason my kids studied German in school (when in many ways Spanish would have made more sense). D2 and I are trying to speak German and usually have to fill in with an English word at about the same point. I’m amazed, though, at her increased facility – even though she claims she didn’t get as fluent as she’d wanted. </p>
<p>Congratulations to NM D2!
MP I have had a number of discussions with sons talking about them finding their way. Adolescence extends into 20’s these days, and many of them are getting on track a little later. good going pieson
We took D2 and 9 friends out to dinner at a nice restaurant in Boston. cake, presents and roses. She seemed to be enjoying herself. Then she went back to her apartment with her friends and we went home. I think the night went well. I know I have said this about 20 or 30 times, but she is a sweetie, and her friends are also so nice. All were very personable, dressed nicely, and appreciative. </p>
<p>I think my tell it like it is personality is in direct conflict with my inability to tolerate hurting others. So it is constantly at odds with itself. I am kind and not mean, but even then I underestimate people’s desire to know the truth. Something that has high value for me. I am not that popular at work, considered nice, but no one wants to play name that dysfunction. It is a shame as I feel it could be so different, and people do get unnecessarily hurt by the culture. But the few in power like the status quo, and so there it is. I was no naïve when I was younger thinking if they only knew they would change. So Kmc I totally jive with your reading, that would be me. I hold my tongue, a lot, say uh huh , a lot, nod and smile. It amazes me though, the number of people who I know dislike each other, and act like best friends. I cant go that far. I focus on the work and my integrity. I rarely do social events, I prefer people I know who like me for me. Sometimes the environments I am forced into, just try my soul, I think when you are an empathetic person you are at such odds, no force field , I am surprised I am not agoraphobic. Interesting though, when it comes to my family I have no issue, speaking my mind at all. haha</p>
One more thing to celebrate tonight!</p>
Boy, does that one get me in trouble. OTOH, some seem to value it because I do get asked to opine a great deal when it suits!</p>