22 July 2004

1) So I did laundry the other night in my new building, and I had pangs of residual guilt, despite the fact that there was no laundry schedule, and I wasn't violating any building rules. I have to admit that I kept looking over my shoulder as I did unscheduled laundry at 10 p.m. I think I always used to feel guilty about *not* doing laundry, and now I have to fight feelings of guilt about doing laundry...

2) My German continues to progress very slowly, and I have reached the level of a caveman with a severe learning disorder. I had a conversation in a shop where I often go the other day. the first time I went there, the shopkeeper and I conversed in complex pointing and pantomime. Now, we speak like a Homo sapiens trying to communicate with a slow-witted Neanderthal. Roughly translated:

Him: Welcome! Something something....
Me: Hello! Me want one piece pizza. Please.
Him: One piece of pizza? Something something something all?
Me: No. Also one thing tiramisu.
Him: Something big or small something something?
Me: Yes, big. Big tiramisu.
Him: OK, yes. Something something something?
Me: Sorry? Also a spoon, please.
Him: Of course, a spoon. Something something dog?
Me: Pardon?
Him: Where is your dog? You have a dog.
Me: Oh, yes, exactly. Him in office.
Him: Very good. Something something from?
Me: Pardon?
Him: Where are you from?
Me: Ah, me American, but mine parents are Chinese.
Him: Chinese. Very good. Something something all?
Me: Sorry?
Him: Is that all?
Me: Yes, thank you.
Him: Here is your change. Good bye, and thank you!
Me: Thanks for everything. See soon!

3) I could not for the life of me find the phone jack in my new place. Finally, out of desperation, I emailed the prior tenant to ask him where it was, and he replied that it doesn't look like a phone jack, because it's an old jack which needs an adapter, and it's in the back of a cupboard in the corner of the living room. How was I supposed to know that I was looking for something that doesn't look like a phone jack that is hidden inside a cupboard??

4) The Swiss complain about how high their taxes are, and as much as I like to complain about things, I can't say that I sympathize with them on this one. I pay about 15% of my gross salary in taxes, but when I leave Switzerland, I should get part of that back. I'll take 10-12% in taxes over 40% in taxes any day.

5) Hot slang tip: "super" is the word of choice here, pronounced the way the governor of California would say it: "sooo-pah." "This apartment is sooo-pah." "The food here is sooo-pah." Maybe it will catch on in the U.S.