About school .... oh my ....

Flogged from ozratbag2The School and Year you graduated:Ferdinand-Porsche-Gymnasium, Stuttgart-ZuffenhausenI didn't graduate. I got kicked out. ;-)Nickname in high school?Sibs (and don't call me so - I hate it)Sport you were into?Fencing and horse riding.Had a circle of friends?No, actually not. I was a loner.Best subject?Germanworst subject?Latin, English and mathematics. My English and the Latin teacher were convinced, I'm a total failure when it comes to language ...A teacher you owe life lessons to?Most of my teachers I didn't like - and it was mutual. But my teacher for religion was a wonderful, very elegant and warmhearted woman and I remember something she told us as we were 14 or 15 years old. It was - roughly translated: "Girls, you have a big capital in love. Don't spend it in small change."Describe in one word...The German system is a bit other as the American, therefore ...Freshman (year 6): outsiderSophomore (year 8): strugglingJunior (year 9): out of schoolYour best friend was?Freshman (year 6): Sabine, Catherine (but she never was in my school)Sophomore (year 8): Sabine, Ilse (two years my senior), CatherineJunior (year 9): Ilse, CatherineCatherine (actually her name's "Ekaterini" because she's Greek) are still friends. We were in contact during her studies in Oxford and we visit us regularly though she lives now in Bruxelles (there's her job) and Kreta (there's her husband) and I in Stuttgart and London.Ilse and I lost contact after she married and moved from Stuttgart to Frankfurt. A short while after I moved to Duesseldorf and for years we didn't hear from each other. But two years ago a local newspaper in Stuttgart wrote an article about me and two days after my phone rang and a still familiar voice laughed in my ear: "Bylle, here's Ilse. I'm back in Stuttgart and I read this article ..." She's now living only 10 minutes away from my place in Stuttgart und whenever I be there, we see each other.Worst friend:Actually two - the girls with the "B": Britta and Beatrix, nickname "Trixi".Britta was my "favourite enemy" - she always tried to get the boys I was interested in and she never let slip an opportunity to talk lousy about me behind my back. So I took my revenge in flirting with the boy she was heavily after - and unfortunately I got him! He looked great, but he was an absolute bore, always only talking about soccer, himself and his great doing in the last soccer game. Trixi was actually Ilse's "special friend". She lived next door to Ilse, their mothers were friends and therefore Ilse's mother always demanded Ilse should spend time with Trixi. Besides we - Ilse and I - were always told by her mother and her grandmother, how nice Trixi always looks, how polite she is, how wonderful she does in school and how great her success once will be. We couldn't stand it because we knew, that Trixi is a snake - always smiling one in the face, always just waiting until one shows the back for talking badly. And so I have to admit, that Ilse and I even today like to talk about how an idiot Trixi is - and that I really enjoy, that oh-so-wonderful-clever-pretty Trixi got her first child as she was 19, that she's now a single mother of three, divorced, still living at her parent's place and that I, the person she named more then once "a born loser" is obviously a bit more successfull then her.How was the prom/Year 12 Farewell?I wasn't there. I had to leave school after my 8. year. As my class celebrated their "Abitur party", I was already having a job.Any achievements?[grins] Actually the only thing one could see as a kind of "achievement" was an essay of mine which got my German teacher in some trouble. She didn't want to give me a note for it because she meant I couldn't have done it all by myself. It was - so she said - much too good for a 14 year old girl. My father - mostly not on my side in matters of school because he adopted my teachers opinion about me - went ballistic as he heard that. He went to the school gouvernors, he wrote to the newspaper and in the end I got my "outstanding" for the thing.Were you popular?Yes and now. On the one hand I got some "admiration" from my class mates for being courageous with teachers. I was for two years speaker of my class, elected by the class mates. But on the other hand I never felt "popular" and close to the other kids in the class. Mostly I felt as an outsider - and I certainly was one because I didn't like popular music, I wasn't wearing the "right" clothes (courtesy of my mother - she hates jeans and she wanted her girl to look "like a girl". So I got always silly dresses and skirts - and hated, hated, hated it. I don't know how the other kids thought about - I wasn't one they would have dared to make jokes about. For this my sharp tongue was to much feared. But this didn't change the fact that I felt lousy in this clothes - and one of the happiest day of my unhappy youth was the day in my 14.year as my wonderful grandfather came in the shop where my mother and my grandmother were just buying new clothes for me - dresses and skirts of course. Grandfather looked to the stuff they had selected, he looked to me and he said: "Sibyllia, let's go." He took my hand, looked again to the ladies and said: "You don't like jeans. I don't like jeans. But it's not our taste what counts. Therefore I go to buy the girl a jeans now." And so he did - and even more: On this day I got a compliment from him for my eye browes. It was the first compliment I ever got about something on my appearance and it came from a man whom I admired and loved with all my heart) and I even dreamed other dreams as my class mates.Best song that reminds you of high school?As funny as it may sound: Bach's Christmas Oratorium. I sang it once with the school's choir and it was one of the moments I felt happy during my school days.

It's still question time. ;-)

This time it was ozratbag2 who gave me the pleasure of questioning, so here we go:The questions:1. You're given the chance to make any decision you want to make for the duration of a single day. What would you choose to do with such an unlimited opportunity?2. Do you have a favourite object/book or toy from childhood that you've kept as a memory?3. What was your first job and how long did it last?4. Can you tell me a specifically German proverb or saying and why it was the first one to spring to mind?5. Have you ever visited a psychic and were they way off the truth or accurate? (you don't have to tell the predictions)And now the answers (and yes, I'm trying to use this lj cut thing)1. Honestly? Uuuh .... ahem .... okay, the truth: I'd try to get the lord and master spend the day with me in bed. ;-) And if I couldn't do that, I'd probably go to a bookshop, buy myself a lot of new books and march then happily to the next nice coffee shop for some nice reading. Afterwards I'd trot home for a nice bath and more reading.2. No, I haven't. My memories are in my mind, I hardly keep any stuff. I remember: My old teddybear - a blue one - is still somewhere in our house in Stuttgart and so is the doll ("Dorle") I got as a child. But I don't know exactly where they are - I would have to ask my mother. She's more "sentimental" about such things as I am.3. The first work I earned money with was stuffing advertisment papers in envelopes. I did this during the holidays for my father's company. My first employment was ages before - when I was 17 I became an apprentice for publishing assistent at my father's company. I was there for 2 1/2 year. Then the apprenticeship was ready - and I was very quick in moving to the next job in an advertisment agency.4. Oh my - that's hard because I'm just so in English ... yet I think about ... and get first a Latin saying (doesn't help me much, does it?) ...a German one ... ah, here we go: "Ohne Musik waere das Leben ein Irrtum" ("Without music live would be a mistake"). It's from Nietzsche and it came to mind because it's on a card picked on my wall. ;-)5. I only was once to a psychic - for coming over a dentist's phobia. He was pretty right in what he said about.

Susanna, I'm with you again. ;-)

Mmm, I am Lemon Flavoured.I am bitter and twisted. Expect from me acerbic humour and sharp commentary. While I may seem nasty at first, I'm actually quite good company if I like you, so long as you don't mind a bit of cutting to the chase. What Flavour Are You?

and once again: The interview game

Yet this time I'm to play the game with questioning pigwidgeon37 and ozratbag2.First Susanna aka pigwidgeon37 - she was the first to ask me, so she'll be the first to be asked by me. ;-) 1. If you could choose a place to live without thinking of money, job, friends or family - where would you live? 2. Congratulations: You've won 10 millions. Now, what you're going to do?3. It's a rainy sunday afternoon. You're in your favourite Kaffeehaus and there you see him: A very handsome man - just the type you like. He seats - all for himself - at a table, reads a book and it's even a book you like. He doesn't wear a ring, he doesn't look as if he'd wait for a lady friend, but as he recognizes your looking at him, he smiles - a bit shy, but it's a real smile. And he really looks nice ... and interesting. Actually he looks like a man you'd like to be with. What will you do?4. You've got the handsome man from the Kaffeehaus - at least for something like a start. But now, after your first and great dinner together, he tells you he must go on a journey for the next four weeks. Yet he's really interested in you and he wants to get to know you better. Therefore he asks if you'd lean him three things from you: Your favourite book, your favourite CD and your favourite movie. What will you give him?5. What do you like about your appearance? And now to ozratbag2 - and I hope I'm not too indiscrete. ;-)1. The famous good fairy comes along and so you've got three wishes she'll fullfill you. What would you like to get?2. Like Susanna: You were in the Kaffeehaus und there you've met this very handsome, nice guy. He asked you for dinner, you went with him. The next day your best friend is calling and she asks you, how dinner was. Your very first sentence is: "Forget it. I don't want to meet this idiot again..." What happened? With what could a guy drive you away at the first evening?3. Lucky one: It seems you're a witch and even a very talented one. So you're to become an animagnus. What do you think which animal you'll become?4. And once again the good fairy is coming to you. This time she'll give you an opportunity to spend one evening with whomever you like - if alike or not. With whom you'd like to have your dinner?5. It's so nice: You're on a visit at my place. I'm glad you're here, but unfortunately I have to go to an appointment for two hours and because it's about business, I can't take you with me. So you have to spend the two hours at my place. It shouldn't be hard to get yourself entertained here because I have a big library, a pc you can go online with, a dvd player with a lot of great movies and a big collection of cds. Besides you could go for a swim in our pool or play billard. What would you do? I'm looking forward to your answers, dear. ;-)

The interview game

In former times it was always me questioning people, but last year I got my first chance: I was interviewed by a German broadcasting company. Yet the questions weren't about me, but about a book I wrote (exactly: The book's a biography and my "subject" became 70 years old the very day. So I was interviewed about him). Nevertheless it was kind of fun. So I wanted do another interview - and pigwidgeon37 gave me a go in the interview game. This make me now the next candidate for doing interviews - so here the rules for the game:1 - Leave a comment, saying you want to be interviewed.2 - I will respond; I'll ask you five questions.3 - You'll update your journal with my five questions, and your five answers.4 - You'll include this explanation.5 - You'll ask other people five questions when they want to be interviewed.And here, pigwidgeon37s questions plus my answers:1. What do you like most about London?That it is the place where my lord and master lives?No, just kidding - I'm sure I'd love London even without loving an "adopted Londoner" too. And the reason is a mixture I can hardly describe (I even would have a problem in German with doing so). The one thing I love about London is history. It's a place on which I feel in a very special way connected to European history, to my roots. In certain London districts I got always a feeling as if every house, every stone, every wall breaths history. And there's so much to look at in London. I think I'll never become tired of all the beauty this city holds - like Parliament, St. Pauls, the after brand churches (I really love them), Westminster. But London - and this is the next thing I find so very special and wonderful about - isn't a museum. London is one of the most alive places I've ever knew. It changes daily, it's always new and exciting and it seems to burst with creativity. Although I'm far away of being interested in clothes - I love walking through London and looking to people. You get every kind of people here: Very, very elegant women with a style you hardly find in another place (okay, okay - perhaps with the exception of Paris), old-fashioned, but nevertheless great dressed men, young people wearing the most extravagants and interesting outfits. And the next thing I really love about London is "culture" - theatres, concertos, the opera, even the musicals. You can't get such a lot of different events in one evening at another place, methinks. 2. When visiting a new city, what interests you most?History - historical places are always first. I love to visit old churches, castles and buildings and mostly by coming to a new city, I've already an "agenda" from what I've read before. I'm absolutely not interested in shopping or something like that - from my experience it doesn't make a big difference if one shops in London, Paris, Stuttgart or Los Angeles - except perhaps for a few regional specialities (though I must say I always buy tea in Stuttgart - not only because it's cheaper as in London, but because the Germans are obviously more demanding in tea, so the offering of real good German shops is mostly higher in the quality). Except from running around in old churches and castles I love to watch the life in a city. Seating a street caf?, looking to people, hearing their accent - I think it gives me a "feeling" for a city. And I like talking to people like the Fiaker drivers (in Salzburg and Vienna I have had long and nice conversations with them), the waiters (I rarely visit cities during their "tourist season". I mostly come before or after, so the people there have more time to talk), the guy in a shop. This often brings me to getting tips about restaurants or other places tourists hardly get - and I love this. Besides I'm mostly traveling with P. - and he's a kind of "pied piper". Let him loose for a few hours in a foreign place - and he comes back, having five new friends who are very keen to show him things like the work space of a boat maker in Venice, the place where wonderful fabrics are done, the restaurant, hidden in a tiny street, where the grandmother of one of the guys he met is cooking wonderfully and such things. 3. Who is your favourite German/Austrian/Swiss author?You're going to like this, Susanna. ;-) I have two favourites and both are Austrians: Stefan Zweig and Friedrich Torberg. Besides I'm a typical German and so I'm of course in love with Goethe - especially the "Faust". And I like Schiller's plays - especially "Don Carlos".4. Do you have a favourite conductor?</ib>In former times I'd have say Sergiu Celibidache. But since he's death, I'm with Brits: Sir Neville Marriner and Sir Simon Rattle.5. If you could travel back in time, which era would you choose?</ib>Oh heavens - that's a very difficult question. Actually I like the time I live in very much, so I never felt a wish to be in another time (especially not in being a woman there - I think for us women this time is one of the best). Yet if I could go to another time for a few days, I'd like to visit Rome in the time of the Emperor Augustus or perhaps Italy during the Renaissance.OK, friends and everybody else--leave a comment if you want to be asked five questions :)

Online again

Sometimes small things are able to make one happy - such as a functioning data line. Ours didn't work in the morning, so I called the phone company. There I got a lady who was obviously very busy with chewing a gum and sounded as if she'd want to be cast in a soap opera (as the bitchy visitor from America). She mumbled something like: "Yeah, I know - we're having big trouble with your line ...", didn't think of something like apologizing (we're paying for this f******ing line and this not too less, so I think something like "We're sorry, but we can't serve you at the moment" could be appropriate) and didn't have a clue if and when the "big trouble" would be solved. But she promised me she would call if she'd heard something new about. She didn't - it was son who discovered we're online again. Son and I were quite happy about, only son's father was mumbling something like: "What did I do to deserve living with a house full of online junkies?" I really don't know - I always wonder too how he deserves having a brillant son and a clever girlfriend. ;-)

The stolen book meme

As it's widely known: I can't resist a meme.So here we jolly go: The book meme ...Title in bold = the books I've read(but having read them doesn't always mean I've liked them too)1. The Lord of the Rings, JRR Tolkien2. Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen3. His Dark Materials, Philip Pullman4. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams5. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, JK Rowling6. To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee7. Winnie the Pooh, AA Milne8. Nineteen Eighty-Four, George Orwell9. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, CS Lewis10. Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte11. Catch-22, Joseph Heller12. Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte13. Birdsong, Sebastian Faulks14. Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier15. The Catcher in the Rye, JD Salinger16. The Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame17. Great Expectations, Charles Dickens18. Little Women, Louisa May Alcott19. Captain Corelli's Mandolin, Louis de Bernieres20. War and Peace, Leo Tolstoy 21. Gone with the Wind, Margaret Mitchell 22. Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone, JK Rowling23. Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets, JK Rowling24. Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban, JK Rowling25. The Hobbit, JRR Tolkien26. Tess Of The D'Urbervilles, Thomas Hardy27. Middlemarch, George Eliot28. A Prayer For Owen Meany, John Irving29. The Grapes Of Wrath, John Steinbeck30. Alice's Adventures In Wonderland, Lewis Carroll31. The Story Of Tracy Beaker, Jacqueline Wilson32. One Hundred Years Of Solitude, Gabriel Garcia Marquez33. The Pillars Of The Earth, Ken Follett34. David Copperfield, Charles Dickens 35. Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl36. Treasure Island, Robert Louis Stevenson37. A Town Like Alice, Nevil Shute38. Persuasion, Jane Austen39. Dune, Frank Herbert40. Emma, Jane Austen 41. Anne Of Green Gables, LM Montgomery42. Watership Down, Richard Adams43. The Great Gatsby, F Scott Fitzgerald44. The Count Of Monte Cristo, Alexandre Dumas45. Brideshead Revisited, Evelyn Waugh46. Animal Farm, George Orwell47. A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens 48. Far From The Madding Crowd, Thomas Hardy49. Goodnight Mister Tom, Michelle Magorian50. The Shell Seekers, Rosamunde Pilcher 51. The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett52. Of Mice And Men, John Steinbeck 53. The Stand, Stephen King54. Anna Karenina, Leo Tolstoy55. A Suitable Boy, Vikram Seth56. The BFG, Roald Dahl57. Swallows And Amazons, Arthur Ransome58. Black Beauty, Anna Sewell59. Artemis Fowl, Eoin Colfer60. Crime And Punishment, Fyodor Dostoyevsky61. Noughts And Crosses, Malorie Blackman62. Memoirs Of A Geisha, Arthur Golden63. A Tale Of Two Cities, Charles Dickens64. The Thorn Birds, Colleen McCollough65. Mort, Terry Pratchett66. The Magic Faraway Tree, Enid Blyton67. The Magus, John Fowles68. Good Omens, Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman69. Guards! Guards!, Terry Pratchett70. Lord Of The Flies, William Golding71. Perfume, Patrick Suskind72. The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists, Robert Tressell73. Night Watch, Terry Pratchett74. Matilda, Roald Dahl75. Bridget Jones's Diary, Helen Fielding76. The Secret History, Donna Tartt77. The Woman In White, Wilkie Collins78. Ulysses, James Joyce 79. Bleak House, Charles Dickens80. Double Act, Jacqueline Wilson81. The Twits, Roald Dahl82. I Capture The Castle, Dodie Smith83. Holes, Louis Sachar84. Gormenghast, Mervyn Peake85. The God Of Small Things, Arundhati Roy86. Vicky Angel, Jacqueline Wilson87. Brave New World, Aldous Huxley88. Cold Comfort Farm, Stella Gibbons89. Magician, Raymond E Feist90. On The Road, Jack Kerouac91. The Godfather, Mario Puzo92. The Clan Of The Cave Bear, Jean M Auel93. The Colour Of Magic, Terry Pratchett94. The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho95. Katherine, Anya Seton96. Kane And Abel, Jeffrey Archer97. Love In The Time Of Cholera, Gabriel Garcia Marquez98. Girls In Love, Jacqueline Wilson99. The Princess Diaries, Meg Cabot100. Midnight's Children, Salman Rushdie101. Three Men In A Boat, Jerome K. Jerome102. Small Gods, Terry Pratchett103. The Beach, Alex Garland104. Dracula, Bram Stoker105. Point Blanc, Anthony Horowitz106. The Pickwick Papers, Charles Dickens107. Stormbreaker, Anthony Horowitz108. The Wasp Factory, Iain Banks109. The Day Of The Jackal, Frederick Forsyth110. The Illustrated Mum, Jacqueline Wilson111. Jude The Obscure, Thomas Hardy112. The Secret Diary Of Adrian Mole Aged 13?, Sue Townsend113. The Cruel Sea, Nicholas Monsarrat114. Les Miserables, Victor Hugo 115. The Mayor Of Casterbridge, Thomas Hardy116. The Dare Game, Jacqueline Wilson117. Bad Girls, Jacqueline Wilson118. The Picture Of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde 119. Shogun, James Clavell120. The Day Of The Triffids, John Wyndham121. Lola Rose, Jacqueline Wilson122. Vanity Fair, William Makepeace Thackeray123. The Forsyte Saga, John Galsworthy124. House Of Leaves, Mark Z. Danielewski125. The Poisonwood Bible, Barbara Kingsolver126. Reaper Man, Terry Pratchett127. Angus, Thongs And Full-Frontal Snogging, Louise Rennison128. The Hound Of The Baskervilles, Arthur Conan Doyle129. Possession, A. S. Byatt130. The Master And Margarita, Mikhail Bulgakov131. The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood132. Danny The Champion Of The World, Roald Dahl133. East Of Eden, John Steinbeck134. George's Marvellous Medicine, Roald Dahl135. Wyrd Sisters, Terry Pratchett136. The Color Purple, Alice Walker137. Hogfather, Terry Pratchett138. The Thirty-Nine Steps, John Buchan139. Girls In Tears, Jacqueline Wilson140. Sleepovers, Jacqueline Wilson141. All Quiet On The Western Front, Erich Maria Remarque (in German, of course) 142. Behind The Scenes At The Museum, Kate Atkinson143. High Fidelity, Nick Hornby144. It, Stephen King145. James And The Giant Peach, Roald Dahl146. The Green Mile, Stephen King147. Papillon, Henri Charriere148. Men At Arms, Terry Pratchett149. Master And Commander, Patrick O'Brian150. Skeleton Key, Anthony Horowitz151. Soul Music, Terry Pratchett152. Thief Of Time, Terry Pratchett153. The Fifth Elephant, Terry Pratchett154. Atonement, Ian McEwan155. Secrets, Jacqueline Wilson156. The Silver Sword, Ian Serraillier157. One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, Ken Kesey158. Heart Of Darkness, Joseph Conrad159. Kim, Rudyard Kipling160. Cross Stitch, Diana Gabaldon161. Moby Dick, Herman Melville (I didn't manage the entire thing, but I remember it as the most boring book I've ever read!) 162. River God, Wilbur Smith163. Sunset Song, Lewis Grassic Gibbon164. The Shipping News, Annie Proulx165. The World According To Garp, John Irving166. Lorna Doone, R. D. Blackmore167. Girls Out Late, Jacqueline Wilson168. The Far Pavilions, M. M. Kaye169. The Witches, Roald Dahl170. Charlotte's Web, E. B. White171. Frankenstein, Mary Shelley172. They Used To Play On Grass, Terry Venables and Gordon Williams173. The Old Man And The Sea, Ernest Hemingway174. The Name Of The Rose, Umberto Eco175. Sophie's World, Jostein Gaarder (stupid, stupid, superficial crap!) 176. Dustbin Baby, Jacqueline Wilson177. Fantastic Mr Fox, Roald Dahl178. Lolita, Vladimir Nabokov179. Jonathan Livingstone Seagull, Richard Bach180. The Little Prince, Antoine De Saint-Exupery181. The Suitcase Kid, Jacqueline Wilson182. Oliver Twist, Charles Dickens 183. The Power Of One, Bryce Courtenay184. Silas Marner, George Eliot185. American Psycho, Bret Easton Ellis186. The Diary Of A Nobody, George and Weedon Grossmith187. Trainspotting, Irvine Welsh188. Goosebumps, R. L. Stine189. Heidi, Johanna Spyri 190. Sons And Lovers, D. H. Lawrence 191. The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Milan Kundera (this was one of the favourite books of my ex-husband. I never could stand it) 192. Man And Boy, Tony Parsons193. The Truth, Terry Pratchett194. The War Of The Worlds, H. G. Wells 195. The Horse Whisperer, Nicholas Evans (don't believe a single word about horses which is in this book! Evans doesn't have the slightest clue about horses and their behaviour!) 196. A Fine Balance, Rohinton Mistry197. Witches Abroad, Terry Pratchett198. The Once And Future King, T. H. White199. The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Eric Carle200. Flowers In The Attic, Virginia AndrewsNow I wonder: Was it Pratchett fan who did this meme?