Language hits and misses

I'm wondering why it's been a while since I wrote anything. I have scraps of paper around the house with little ideas on them, when something funny happens or I see something interesting. I'm a note maker, but don't always have the same notepad by my side, so there are several around the house with to-dos on them, sometimes by day or sometimes just random stuff. Like what was "write SS# in box 1" about? Or why did I remind myself to tell Kirk about St Hubertus, but never did? And who are MJ Hibbett and the Validators?

So let's see what we've got. First a few language notes ...

1) We were riding in the car, listening to the Peter Fox CD (see video below) and Vance said "He just said he has 20 children and his wife is beautiful." Wow! Vance understood the German. Hey, that might be a great way for me to improve my German, music! Then I realized ... Do you know how many songs in English I get the words wrong to? You do it too. Don't pretend you don't. I've even misunderstood the entire meaning of a song in English. There's a popular song on the radio here. I'm going to say the title is something about using Technology. I zone out. I only ever hear "I'm tired of using technology. I need you here in front of me." I file it away as a sweet song about modern love when geographically separated. Then one day I hear a few of the other lyrics. What did he just say? Then Eric tells me its a song about a guy and a stripper, and it ain't sweet at all. So I won't be learning German through song. Unless there is a School House Rock German series. If I can remember how a bill becomes a law and what the predicate of a sentence is .. I can remember my brats from my brots.

2) Yesterday I went to Toom. It's like a small-scale Lowe's. They had these Christmas greenery arrangements 50% off (who needs to read the rest of the sign. All I need to know is 50% off). There are some in baskets or in fan shaped bundles with Christmas candles, berries, glass ornaments. So I choose one for the front door. It's only going to be 3Euros. Sweet. Then I see one with a stone carved with praying hands. Those Germans. That looks like the praying hands you see carved on gravestones. Wait, huh? I look back at the sign. Now I recognize what must be the word for grave. Yeah, they are cemetery decorations. For the record, German cemeteries are little individually landscaped masterpieces. But I put it back, bought something that looked almost exactly like it for 3 times the price and went home. Yeah, I could've saved money, but how un-Christmas-y would that have been on my front door?

3) which reminds me of another language story. A few years ago when we lived in DC, I taught English as a Second Language to adults. I loved the class. On Easter I received flowers, a stuffed bunny and a beautiful card. Percy from Peru had picked out the card. He knew it was beautiful. He knew it had lilies. He knew it mentioned God. He didn't know enough to know it was not an Easter card. It was a condolence card. My loved one had gone to a better place with God. Which I guess is Easter, right?

4) (I have lots of language stories, but this one is a victory) Utilities here are paid monthly or quarterly based on what you used last year. Then once or twice a year you read your meters and send in a card to the electric or water or gas company. Recently we received the card to read the water meter for the first time. Usually they are postage-paid cards, but this one required a stamp to mail it to the Dielheim City Hall. Now, the German post office is 3 blocks from my house, 1 block past City Hall. So I decide to just take it to City Hall. All I have to say is "Is this the water office?" and hand someone a card, right? So I go in and use my practiced and perfected German phrases ... "Good morning. I'm sorry, my German is not good. Is this the water office?" No, it's across the street. Same thing to first office across the street. No, it's down the hall. Finally, Yes, this is the water office. He looked at the card and said "This is not correct." Now, all this has gone down in German and I've been okay. But, not correct? Now he's going to tell me something I may not understand. I should have just gotten the stamp. I know how to ask for a stamp. He's telling me something and pointing at the numbers I've written. It should be 300? (I've written a 6 digit number down there. He couldn't have said 300.) Luckily he has a water meter on hand and shows me. I've read the electric, or maybe the gas meter. Who knew you lifted the top on a pipe and there's a meter in there? Plus that's behind the water heater. So I still have enough German to say "Oh, I understand. I know this thing!" When I returned, the other people were mysteriously gone and there was one lone new guy there who spoke English to me (before I said anything. Apparently someone said "Hey, Phil speaks English. Phil we're taking a break. Can you watch the desk? And by the way, an American is going to come back in here ... Bye!")

Ok, this has gotten too long. More later. Tchuss! Love to all. - Val