Voting overseas

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Today I mailed my ballot because I'm an Ohioan! My vote means a whole bunch and I really matter! Every four years! And I also bought a book of stamps because you never know! 

And then I went to the grocery store (Bio Company) to buy supplies since tomorrow is a holiday (Reformationstag) and tomorrow we have off! 

Then I went to another grocery store (Konsum) to buy the things I couldn't get at grocery store #1! Lastly I bought toothpaste from Rossman, oooh yeah. 

I'll end this awkward post with non-specific kitty-related nonsense. Does anyone else's cat take an hour and a half finding the right spot on your lap? 

Where's my white collarless shirt from Fred Segal?

Oh, Clueless. Oh, Brittany Murphy. 

We live in a 55 square meter apartment (592 square feet) and oh have I ever mentioned that German (or maybe European, not sure) apartments rarely have closet space and actually more importantly, my German apartment does not have closet space? I mean legit closet space. Not a wardrobe that stands brutishly yet awkwardly in the corner.

Anyway.

Today (or maybe tomorrow sometime) I will clean out my figurative closet. I shall rid my closet from things that:
1. I haven't worn in 1 year.
2. confuse me
3. are only wearable under 3 or more conditions (i.e. it's raining, I'm wearing yellow shoes, I'm going to a religious ceremony of some sort and my hair is down. That kind of thing.)
4. fail to place me in the 20s age bracket
5. I bought during the months of September 2008-April 2009 in desperation since I only came to Germany with one suitcase of summer clothes.

I've already done this with my shoes and Bastian walked into the apartment and said, "Wow! We have so much more space now!"

This might be an exaggeration. Or it might not.

Favorite German words

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I can get by with my German. I'm at the worst stage--where I know enough to know how much I don't know.

I remember my first days in Germany, shocked that the German I'd learned in Ohio was different from the German they spoke in Germany.

Although I will add it's true that I live in Saxony. I will just leave it at that.

O Muse, tell me of the clueless heroine who travelled far and wide after sacking a liberal arts degree who tried to save her own life by buying apples but do what she might she could not for she was tripped up by sheer folly of the cashier's words: "Ein Euro-zwantsch."

At some point, a well-meaning native will assure you that German native speakers sometimes have trouble with the language too. And then you give up. Because good God, what chance do you have.

I still have my favorite German words.

Sommersprossen--summer sprouts--freckles
Nacktschnecke--naked snail--slug
Stinktier--stink animal--skunk
Unterteller--under plate--saucer (I like this word only because it is logical. I do not know why we call them saucers and have a problem explaining this.)
Handschuhe--hand shoes--gloves
Babyspeck--baby bacon--baby fat
Fledermaus--flying mouse--bat


Annoying False Friends

Gift--poison. Wrong associations every time. "Tödliches Gift? Why would anyone do that? Ohh."
Aktion--sale
Ambulanz--outpatient wing
Chef--boss
Mist--crap, as in aw, crap.

Pseudo-anglicisms that confused me for a little bit, some more than others
Handy--cell phone (Here is an article perhaps explaining the etymology; seems legit. Don't pay attention to people arguing in the comments. This seems to happen in every toytown post ever ever ever.
Mobbing--bullying
Oldtimer--an old car.
Public viewing--when everyone gets together at a pub or restaurant to watch soccer. Is there a word for this? The first time I heard "public viewing" thought of a viewing at a funeral. 
Happy end--happy ending (in a story, people). I hate that everytime I correct this, someone brings up a naughty massage parlor. So obviously, that phrase made it across the pond too.

Super useful:
doch--a one-worded monosyllabic contradiction.

Some letters

Dear Germany,
I will make you a deal. If you can give me more Halloween-related things, like trick-or-treating or haunted houses or fun-size candy bars, I will try very hard to learn the names of all 16 states and their capitals, plus extra effort will go into noun genders PLUS I will stop harboring negative thoughts towards people on the sidewalks who walk in 3-people-wide groups and don't get out of the way for a 159 cm girl carrying groceries. Deal? Deal.

Dear Sad Things That Just Happen Sometimes,
We know we need you every once in a while. Tragedy brings people together just as much as laughs and fun do. We do appreciate that we are growing closer while recognizing all the good things we have in our lives as well as the good-things-we-usually-think-of-as-only-ok-but-actually-they-are-really-good
things. We have new perspectives now. So we do appreciate this but ask for your understanding if we don't miss you too terribly much.

Dear Dresden,
Please point me the way to where I can find all the ingredients to make caramel apples. P.S. Do you have caramel apple suckers anywhere??

Dear Fellow Resident of my Building Who Also Tried to Buzz Someone in at the Same Time,
I'm sorry I hung up without saying anything else. I'm just awkward sometimes.

Dear Fall,
I keep calling you autumn because sometimes my students don't understand when I say that I like fall because then you sound like maybe I mean the gerund form of the noun and who would ever like falling? You are my favorite time of year. Thank you for letting me wear lots of layers and making me feel justified in buying new clothes. When you're in Germany you do not come with Thanksgiving but that's ok because we make Thanksgiving happen anyway even if it's not a day off like it is in the US. What was I talking about?

Dear Bastian,
Thank you for being here and for all that you're saying and doing. Even if you don't think you're doing anything, you are.
And thank you for making Thanksgiving happen every year too.
And thank you for being patient while I type this even though I still have to take a shower before we go to the grocery store.