Waffles… New Shoe Dance… and Sunshine!

The sun was out for a brief time this weekend. It was so bright and shocking that it woke me up at 8 AM on Saturday (ok so it woke up the dog) and forced me outside to see if some big huge disaster was happening. Nope… it was the SUN.

A-M-A-Z-I-N-G.

It instantly put me in a good mood, prompted some cool eye fashion (sunglasses) wearing, and a need to be outside – no matter the temperature. Pleasant, but after a brisk walk (it was Decidely FREEZING outside) started me coughing and wheezing I decided to head back inside (I’m still getting over my cold) before I gave myself pneumonia or something.

I saw Lost season 4, episode 3 (OMG! Sayeed is in BERLIN in this one!!) , a movie, then decided to head into Berlin. I’d been looking for some new kind of dressy black walking shoes and after a couple shops headed over to the kudamm. Wound up with my shoes, a new set of comic books to start reading (hooray), a Newsweek, A Foreign Policy Magazine, and then, dinner at Ming’s Garden (Pot stickers and Orange Duck RULE!!)

Sunday, I woke up and headed into Berlin for a 1pm meetup for brunch. I HAD WAFFLES BABY. Yep, the only place in Berlin that has make your own Waffles. It took me 4 trains and 1 hour 15 minutes to get there, but the food was super and the chatting with some old and new friends was fun. We left at 4 PM (yeah, that’s 3 hours later) tipped our waitress well, and then were off for the night.

Considering I’ve had a hankerin’ for some waffles for the better part of a week (and no waffle maker) I was quite pleased.

One final walk of the dog and then I’m off to bed….

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Happy Valentine’s Day

Just wanted to wish everyone a very Happy Valentine’s Day. Since I’m single, I don’t really have much to say, other than that.

However, for a bit of lost in translation / Valentine’s Day humor, you may want to notice the name of the Candy pictured below….

Happy Hornies

They’re foam based candy in the shape of ice creams. Hard to tell here, but when you flip them over, they don’t look like ice cream cones – put it that way.

Thanks to Micha at work who gave them to me as a Valentine’s gift – knowing I’d have a laugh.

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War on Terror? Oh Really?!?

I heard today on the BBC news about how one of the worlds most wanted terrorists was murdered today by a car bomb in Domaskas, Syria.
His name – Imad Fayez Mugniya
While I don’t necessarily think that it’s a bad thing that he was killed – he was accused of several terror attacks including:
~ 1983 bombing of US embassy in Lebanon
~ 1983 bombing of Marine barracks in Lebanon that killed 241
~1985 hijacking of TWA flight 847
He was wanted on over 40 countries criminal lists.
Tonight, the US State Department made a statement – and I quote:
“The world is a better place without this man in it,” State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters. “He was a cold-blooded killer.”
This statement truly bothers me. As an American Citizen, I’m saddened and disheartened to see that we are treating this as a “good” thing.
If we, as America, are supposed to be FIGHTING the WAR ON TERROR, why is it we’re praising an ACT of TERROR for killing a TERRORIST?
Shouldn’t we, as America – and as the US State Department – condone the terrorist who provided and planted the car bomb – regardless of who was killed – and say we’re going to hunt down the perpitrator and bring them to justice – just as this guy – Imad Fayez Mugniya – should have been and as we were actively doing?
The answer, IMHO, is yes. As America, we should be above the “horray” stage – and in fact, we we should really be setting an example for the rest of the world. We should make a statement something to the effect of
“while the US is appreciative of the fact that this person is no longer going to be a threat, we are concerned for any act of terror that happens around the world – regardless of who is killed. We hope to find the perpitrator behind this and bring them to trial, just as the guy who did this will be discovered and brought to justice. “
Otherwise, we’re hypocritical and this car bomb has done three critical things:
a) Shown that we, the USA, do appreciate some forms of terrorism – but only if it takes out known terrorists. (thereby further undermining our credibility.)
b) Caused Syria and Hezbollah to accuse Israel of trying to start a war
c) Heightened tensions in the middle east even more – and further destabilized the region.
Something to think about….
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