My Life

SEMI – FINALE!! OHHH!! FINALE!!

One thing about Germany is that it’s huge into Football (Soccer). Today, they had the quarter final match against Argentina. Against all the odds, they won – 4-0. I could hear my neighbors in the building cheering, the vuvuzelas going, and fireworks being shot off for each goal. Everyone is quite pleased when the German players win – and being that this is a very young team – even happier when it’s against a powerhouse like Argentina. Let’s just say that as a non football fan, it’s very difficult to NOT get caught up in the fever. I was here 4 years ago when Germany hosted the world cup – and remember the craziness then.

This time around, we’re going to the Semi – FINALE!! It’s not sure yet who it is we’re playing against – but … That’s just fine. I too am getting caught up in the enthusiasm and am rather enjoying seeing everyone walking around in Black, Red, and Gold – along with the flags. So, in brief honor of their win today, I thought I’d introduce you to a bit of the German football culture – in the form of a song which everyone has been singing today:

Lyrics (with my rough translation):

Chorus:

1 und 2 und 3 und 54, 74, 90, 2010 (1 and 2 and 3 and 54, 74, 90, and 2010)
ja so stimmen wir alle ein. (Yes, we are all together one)
Mit dem Herz in der Hand und der Leidenschaft im Bein, (with our hearts in our hands and the passion in our feet)
werden wir Weltmeister sein.(we want to be the world champions!)

Wir haben nicht die höchste Spielkultur. (we don’t have best known playing culture)
Sind nicht gerade filigrant. (but we’re not flagrant)
Doch wir haben Träume und Visionen (Yes we have dreams and visions)
und in der Hinterhand ‘nen Master Plan. (and a way for our master plan)
Für unseren langen Weg aus der Krise (which will take away the crisis)
und aus der Depression, (and remove from depression,)
lautet die Devise: Nichts wie rauf auf den Fußballthron! (we believe there’s nothing like the football throne!)

Die ganze Welt greift nach dem goldenen Pokal,(The whole world reaches for the golden cup)
Am Kap der Guten Hoffnung probieren wir´s nochmal (At the cape of good hope we’re trying again)
Wir als Gast in Südafrika (we’re all guests in South Africa)
Wird unser Traum dann endlich wahr.(where our dream becomes reality.)

Beim ersten mal war’s n Wunder, (First time’s a miracle)
Beim zweiten mal war’s Glück, (The second’s with luck)
Beim dritten mal der verdiente Lohn (The third is earned)
Und des nächste mal wird`s ne Sensation (and finally world sensation…)

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Bad Hair Cut

So, I went to get my hair cut today and took the following picture to the hairdresser’s to get my cut:

I loved this hairstyle, and desperately wanted to have it recreated – after having waited 4 months for the last bad haircut to grow out. She said she understood… Only, she didn’t. She took some razor shears (thinning shears) and just started hacking at my hair…. the end result was an uneven mess:

That didn’t look anything close to the photo I showed her. The thing is I told her repeatedly to stop thinning my hair (it’ll keep it from curling) and that she had to stop. She kept going anyhow. By the time I got home last night, I was livid, and had left without paying. Why should I? she just kept hacking my hair to hell. For the rest of the night, each time I walked by the mirror, I was bursting into tears.

The thing is that I’ve had bad haircuts before. I know that this isn’t the end of the world – and that despite it all, this is just a bad hair day (cut? Year?) – there ARE bigger problems. I keep telling myself it could be worse, to give it a few months, and it’ll grow back out. I know I was overly emotional, and over tired – especially when I couldn’t sleep and just kept harping on this bad experience. I even went so far as to go buy a couple hats, because I think this looks so wrong.

I debated going back in the morning and yelling, but I think it won’t do any good. After the fact, she claimed she “didn’t understand me”. WTF? Um.. if you don’t understand, you don’t cut. I mean really?!? How do you not understand “I want this” and hold up a picture of myself with the haircut. GERR!

I’m going to try to mess with it in the morning – when I have more patience, and I feel better. Otherwise, do you think anyone will notice if I shave my head and put on a hat? At least that would be intended….

Update – the morning after. Still don’t like hair. At least not bursting into tears when I look in a mirror anymore. Progress – right? After much straightening by a flat iron, lots of product, this is as close as I could get to tame – and will be wearing a “hat” for the rest of the summer.

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