Myth: Squirrels do not exist in Switzerland. Throughout this year, everyone that I know (non-Swiss) here believe that squirrels don't exist in Switzerland. Or at least in Neuch. One was even trying to describe such a creature to a local without any success. Must have been the bad French that caused the confusion.
Fact: Yes they do! And I saw one outside my apartment. It was small, scared of people (unlike in crazy K-town/downtown T.O.) and brown (instead of grey - like I'm used to seeing at home). Apparently I was really lucky to see it. I mean, they don't roam freely like at home, they just hang out in the forest here, but my place is almost in the forest, so I was lucky.
Also, a couple nights ago, I was walking home pretty late at night (so it was dark outside), and I saw two little neon green lights beside one of the fountains in my neighbourhood...they were so small they looked like little LED lights that turn on with on/off switches or something. I thought it was weird though, because the fountain doesn't run on electricity and I'd never seen lights on the fountain before, but whatever.
I kept walking home and in the grass I saw more little green lights. I thought that maybe there's some Swiss toy/item that's like a glow stick and some young people just scattered these little pieces all over the place. It just looked neat though (you know me an my star/glowing things/lit up things obsession). Like little green stars on the ground. I was so intrigued...could this be an organism? I used a twig to poke at one, but it didn't move. There was another "one" close by and it moved though. It was so dark that I couldn't see the blades of grass or anything, just a glowing light.
So, I've come to learn that I have an encounter with glowworms, and that I should feel lucky (again), because they only come out in areas which have not been polluted with pesticides and other chemicals. No wonder I've never seen any in T.O. Oh and they're always in pairs. A cute little buggy couple. I wonder if I poked the guy or girl...and if the other one was coming closer to fight me off from taking away his/her lady/man. How sweet.
Friday, June 24, 2005
Sunday, June 12, 2005
Four Blondes
Four Blondes, by Candace Bushnell
Thinking that I could use another "easy reading" book, I picked up this "chick-lit" book by the same author of the now super famous Sex and the City.
I was disappointed. I actually thought this book was really boring, and I had to flip through most of it to get to anything that seemed remotely interesting.
I finished the book so I'm glad that I got to read another book, but I didn't enjoy it at all. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.
Thinking that I could use another "easy reading" book, I picked up this "chick-lit" book by the same author of the now super famous Sex and the City.
I was disappointed. I actually thought this book was really boring, and I had to flip through most of it to get to anything that seemed remotely interesting.
I finished the book so I'm glad that I got to read another book, but I didn't enjoy it at all. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.
Monday, June 06, 2005
Easy does it
Over the past three weeks, I've been typing up little thoughts on my computer and saving them for when I was ready to post again. I'm back, and have posted most of my thoughts.
The most important post it yet to come. I haven't finished it yet, partly because "it" isn't over. It'll be a long one, but I'm not quite ready to deal with it yet.
The most important post it yet to come. I haven't finished it yet, partly because "it" isn't over. It'll be a long one, but I'm not quite ready to deal with it yet.
Chocolate trials
Written: Sunday, June 05, 2005 @ 8:18pm
I was having some friends over for dinner, and decided that dessert would be an ice cream sundae extravaganza. Being in the land of all things chocolate, I opened up my cupboard and saw some uneaten chocolate bars and thought that I might be able to turn them into some gourmet chocolate sauce.
Breaking up the bars of chocolate and putting them into a microwavable mug seemed smart enough and everything seemed to be working out alright. I was concerned that I’d burnt the chocolate because it was smoking a little, and when I tasted it, it was a little weird, but I figured it was because of the fact that I’d melted dark chocolate bars. Dark chocolate being something that I’m not too fond of. Adding a little bit of water and sugar made it a lot better.
I decided though, that if I didn’t like it very much, I probably shouldn’t try to serve it to my guests. So, a couple milk chocolate bars later and the same sort of set up, I’m ready to go. Sort of. See, I melted it first, and then had to let it sit around, and so the once solid, now liquid chocolate had become solid again. Luckily enough, as I was busy being a bad hostess and talking on the phone with someone, my friend decided to sit the cup in hot water (double boiler) and liquefy the chocolate again.
It all worked out.
The next day, as we were chatting, we thought it would be fun to use my concoction as a chocolate fondue (something actually non-existant here in fondue land – go figure, the chocolate fondue was thing made up by non-Swiss people).
Let me tell you, this is a bad thing that I was creative one day and decided to melt chocolate. When boredom and my sweet tooth takes over, you better believe if I’ve got some fruit lying around, I’ll be dunking it in chocolate being warmed in a pot of hot water.
Lovely.
I was having some friends over for dinner, and decided that dessert would be an ice cream sundae extravaganza. Being in the land of all things chocolate, I opened up my cupboard and saw some uneaten chocolate bars and thought that I might be able to turn them into some gourmet chocolate sauce.
Breaking up the bars of chocolate and putting them into a microwavable mug seemed smart enough and everything seemed to be working out alright. I was concerned that I’d burnt the chocolate because it was smoking a little, and when I tasted it, it was a little weird, but I figured it was because of the fact that I’d melted dark chocolate bars. Dark chocolate being something that I’m not too fond of. Adding a little bit of water and sugar made it a lot better.
I decided though, that if I didn’t like it very much, I probably shouldn’t try to serve it to my guests. So, a couple milk chocolate bars later and the same sort of set up, I’m ready to go. Sort of. See, I melted it first, and then had to let it sit around, and so the once solid, now liquid chocolate had become solid again. Luckily enough, as I was busy being a bad hostess and talking on the phone with someone, my friend decided to sit the cup in hot water (double boiler) and liquefy the chocolate again.
It all worked out.
The next day, as we were chatting, we thought it would be fun to use my concoction as a chocolate fondue (something actually non-existant here in fondue land – go figure, the chocolate fondue was thing made up by non-Swiss people).
Let me tell you, this is a bad thing that I was creative one day and decided to melt chocolate. When boredom and my sweet tooth takes over, you better believe if I’ve got some fruit lying around, I’ll be dunking it in chocolate being warmed in a pot of hot water.
Lovely.
Tuesdays with Morrie
Written: Wednesday, May 25, 2005 3:23pm
Tuesdays with Morrie, by Mitch Albom
Read on recommendation from the same source as usual.
I’d heard of this book before, but had obviously never read it. I think this book may be one of the fastest books I’ve ever read. The pages were just turned so easily, and I didn’t feel like I had to stress out when reading through the story. It just flowed so well, and I didn’t feel like taking any breaks or anything. It must be what people call “an easy read”.
Maybe it’s because I’m still in the stage of “I want to make a difference in people’s lives and be an inspiration” part of my life (a stage that I hope I will never grow out of), but I liked this book.
I really liked the book. And you may have realized it takes a lot for me to actually like something.
I can only hope that I meet someone in life like Morrie (maybe I already have, but just don’t realise – or should I say, cherish it yet), or that I can be a Morrie.
Read the book. I can’t really say much more about it, because it’s just one of those things that for some reason leaves me at peace, without having anything to say.
Tuesdays with Morrie, by Mitch Albom
Read on recommendation from the same source as usual.
I’d heard of this book before, but had obviously never read it. I think this book may be one of the fastest books I’ve ever read. The pages were just turned so easily, and I didn’t feel like I had to stress out when reading through the story. It just flowed so well, and I didn’t feel like taking any breaks or anything. It must be what people call “an easy read”.
Maybe it’s because I’m still in the stage of “I want to make a difference in people’s lives and be an inspiration” part of my life (a stage that I hope I will never grow out of), but I liked this book.
I really liked the book. And you may have realized it takes a lot for me to actually like something.
I can only hope that I meet someone in life like Morrie (maybe I already have, but just don’t realise – or should I say, cherish it yet), or that I can be a Morrie.
Read the book. I can’t really say much more about it, because it’s just one of those things that for some reason leaves me at peace, without having anything to say.
The Five People You Meet In Heaven
Written: Thursday, May 26, 2005 9:56am
The Five People You Meet In Heaven, by Mitch Albom
Read on recommendation from the same source as usual.
After quickly reading Tuesdays With Morrie, I thought I’d try another book by the same author and give it a whirl.
I read this one just as quickly. It’s another small book with a nice sized font, so don’t think that I’m all of a sudden a reading machine.
I liked this book as well. It was kind of interesting seeing how everything related to each other and how the “journey” of the main character unfolded. Nothing spectacular in terms of plot or anything, just a good read. I’m convinced that everything in life (good or bad – or at least they may seem good or bad at the time) happens for a reason, but often it’s not until something else happens that you realise why the previous event(s) that may have been so tough to deal with happened. Or sometimes you can’t figure out why something happened, but you just know that it’s been another experience chalked up, another battle wound, another learning moment.
Anyway, I say read the book. I enjoyed it.
The Five People You Meet In Heaven, by Mitch Albom
Read on recommendation from the same source as usual.
After quickly reading Tuesdays With Morrie, I thought I’d try another book by the same author and give it a whirl.
I read this one just as quickly. It’s another small book with a nice sized font, so don’t think that I’m all of a sudden a reading machine.
I liked this book as well. It was kind of interesting seeing how everything related to each other and how the “journey” of the main character unfolded. Nothing spectacular in terms of plot or anything, just a good read. I’m convinced that everything in life (good or bad – or at least they may seem good or bad at the time) happens for a reason, but often it’s not until something else happens that you realise why the previous event(s) that may have been so tough to deal with happened. Or sometimes you can’t figure out why something happened, but you just know that it’s been another experience chalked up, another battle wound, another learning moment.
Anyway, I say read the book. I enjoyed it.
The Ninth Life of Louis Drax
Written: Wednesday, May 25, 2005 2:10pm
The Ninth Life of Louis Drax, by Liz Jensen
Read on recommendation from what seems to be my book source here in Neuch.
A small book, this one took me a while to get into. I’d started reading it a long time ago, but for quite some time didn’t open it to continue the story. Luckily, once I’d finally started reading again, the story seemed to pick up pace and my reading drought changed (as it always seems to).
With everything in my life, it seems that reading comes in waves. I’ll start getting into a rhythm and I’ll be able to keep reading for quite some time, but then if I stop for whatever reason, it takes me awhile to get started again. In high school I attempted to start running everyday. I kept a running tally of how long it lasted on the wall of the school Yearbook office, but now I forget what it summed up to. 11 days? I have no clue. I forget things easily (another character flaw that I’ve often lamented). Same goes for my attempts at trying to get a six pack. Or running on the treadmill in the basement. Even watching TV while running doesn’t help matters. I think I’m pretty good at controlling myself from seriously porking out on Swiss chocolate. I have resolved to try every single chocolate bar at least once during my stay in Switzerland, but gradually. Although, if I start eating the stuff, I seem to continue for a couple days and then stop again cold turkey. Seems like I either snack on peanut butter constantly or not at all. Does that mean I’m a binger?
Back to the book.
I wasn’t really sure where the plot was going as I started getting into it, which I guess was a good thing, because it kept me interested. Once I started feeling comfortable with the style of the book and I guess starting to understand what the author was trying to do, the rest of the story was pretty predictable.
It’s a neat book I guess. I didn’t LOVE it, but I’d recommend it to others to read.
The Ninth Life of Louis Drax, by Liz Jensen
Read on recommendation from what seems to be my book source here in Neuch.
A small book, this one took me a while to get into. I’d started reading it a long time ago, but for quite some time didn’t open it to continue the story. Luckily, once I’d finally started reading again, the story seemed to pick up pace and my reading drought changed (as it always seems to).
With everything in my life, it seems that reading comes in waves. I’ll start getting into a rhythm and I’ll be able to keep reading for quite some time, but then if I stop for whatever reason, it takes me awhile to get started again. In high school I attempted to start running everyday. I kept a running tally of how long it lasted on the wall of the school Yearbook office, but now I forget what it summed up to. 11 days? I have no clue. I forget things easily (another character flaw that I’ve often lamented). Same goes for my attempts at trying to get a six pack. Or running on the treadmill in the basement. Even watching TV while running doesn’t help matters. I think I’m pretty good at controlling myself from seriously porking out on Swiss chocolate. I have resolved to try every single chocolate bar at least once during my stay in Switzerland, but gradually. Although, if I start eating the stuff, I seem to continue for a couple days and then stop again cold turkey. Seems like I either snack on peanut butter constantly or not at all. Does that mean I’m a binger?
Back to the book.
I wasn’t really sure where the plot was going as I started getting into it, which I guess was a good thing, because it kept me interested. Once I started feeling comfortable with the style of the book and I guess starting to understand what the author was trying to do, the rest of the story was pretty predictable.
It’s a neat book I guess. I didn’t LOVE it, but I’d recommend it to others to read.
Drogerist
Written: Saturday, May 21, 2005 @ 3:50pm
There’s a job that is unique to the Swiss Romande region. A droguerist works in a store and gives health advice. So you go into the droguerie and maybe say something like: “boy, has my skin been really itchy lately, and I’ve been really tired as well.” Then the droguerist recommends creams/lotions or vitamins or whatever other remedies that may help to make you feel better. A droguerie also has perfumes. Some believe that a droguerist is the first line of defense. If you have any problem, you go there first and then if they say it’s something serious, you go to a doctor. The droguerist will give you advice but may recommend that you see some kind of specialist. They don’t give medication. They need to know about everything. Nutrition, anatomy, medical issues, sickness, beauty care…it’s sort of like a very knowledgeable salesperson at Shoppers, but they’re not a pharmacist. You know how you see a doctor when you’re sick and want to get better? It’s sort of like you see a droguerist when you’re healthy to maintain your health.
Sort of.
I don’t completely understand what a droguerist is.
There’s a job that is unique to the Swiss Romande region. A droguerist works in a store and gives health advice. So you go into the droguerie and maybe say something like: “boy, has my skin been really itchy lately, and I’ve been really tired as well.” Then the droguerist recommends creams/lotions or vitamins or whatever other remedies that may help to make you feel better. A droguerie also has perfumes. Some believe that a droguerist is the first line of defense. If you have any problem, you go there first and then if they say it’s something serious, you go to a doctor. The droguerist will give you advice but may recommend that you see some kind of specialist. They don’t give medication. They need to know about everything. Nutrition, anatomy, medical issues, sickness, beauty care…it’s sort of like a very knowledgeable salesperson at Shoppers, but they’re not a pharmacist. You know how you see a doctor when you’re sick and want to get better? It’s sort of like you see a droguerist when you’re healthy to maintain your health.
Sort of.
I don’t completely understand what a droguerist is.
Swiss BBQ
Written: Saturday, May 21, 2005 @ 3:28pm
Last night I went to a Swiss BBQ. A friend’s birthday, she had kindly invited me to help her celebrate it (it’s actually today, so HAPPY BIRTHDAY!).
I’m not a camper or anything, so my only experiences with BBQs have been machines in people backyards and the few instances that we’ve BBQed on a permanent grill in a park. This BBQ would be different. In their backyard was a fireplace, and attached to it was a device that you could attach a grill to. It was so fantastic. Not only was the fact that there was a fireplace outdoors appealing (just think of how wonderful it would be to sit outside in front of the fire), but it was really neat to watch the grilling take place.
There was SO much food. Meat, veggies, potatoes, corn on the cob, salads, drinks, mini pizzas, this amazing dried mango that I have to ask where they got it from, ice cream, cake, coffee, champagne, chips and other snacks…it was fantastic.
Although we started snacking at 5:30pm-ish, we didn’t actually start putting anything on the grill until 9pm. By 11pm we were still grilling and eating. I could see the night continuing on for much longer, but I had to get home at a relatively decent time to rest.
I’m quite proud of myself. Of course the whole evening was conducted in French and I’m not very good at mingling and meeting people. I’m actually a really shy person (or at least on first impression). And then when friends get together (youthful friends especially), the chit chat goes faster and faster. I admit that I didn’t follow every single conversation that happened that night, but I think I did pretty well!
Because there was a fire, I was telling people about how we toast marshmallows (because I hadn’t seen any marshmallows here in Switzerland). In candy stores they have marshmallow candies, but not the plain ones for hot chocolate or for toasting. Conveniently enough, there were marshmallows in the house (the multicolored, twisted, candy ones) and so they thought it would be exciting to try to toast them. I was surrounded by a lot of skeptical people. The coals weren’t quite hot enough to toast the marshmallows, and I wasn’t close enough to the fireplace, so a toasting rookie awkwardly stuck some marshmallows on skewers into the fireplace not sure what to expect. I felt so bad for her. She was so confused. I mentioned that the coals probably weren’t hot enough, and we probably needed to get the fire going again. In the meantime, people experimented with tealight candles. Yup, it wasn’t too bad. Mine worked out pretty well I thought. Helpful hint: candy marshmallows lit on fire very quickly. But if you’re a toasting regular, you’ll know this isn’t always a bad thing. Let it char for a bit if you desire and just blow it out. There were a lot of panicked yelps and awkward laughing, because flaming marshmallows wasn’t in their comfort zone. How funny different cultures are. I tried to explain the novelty of s’mores, but I think it was a lost cause. They couldn’t understand why you would mix those three objects together. They also don’t have graham crackers here, so that didn’t really help. Any generic cracker/biscuit still seemed like an odd thing to meld with chocolate and marshmallow. Luckily we didn’t try to make any that night. I didn’t want to think us American/Canadians were too weird or anything. So the toasted marshmallow thing didn’t go over very well. The birthday girl seemed to really like them, but every one else just looked confused. One girl wouldn’t try them. I’ll blame it on the fact that we used the wrong kind of marshmallow, although I’m sure it really doesn’t make that much of a difference.
It was yet another wonderful experience. Seeing how a different culture runs a BBQ, what kinds of foods they eat, spending time outside relaxing and chatting and meeting new people, seeing the sky suddenly become dark, candles and of course the obligatory 15 minutes of rain and the mad dash to save everything from being soaked. The is what life is all about. New experiences.
Last night I went to a Swiss BBQ. A friend’s birthday, she had kindly invited me to help her celebrate it (it’s actually today, so HAPPY BIRTHDAY!).
I’m not a camper or anything, so my only experiences with BBQs have been machines in people backyards and the few instances that we’ve BBQed on a permanent grill in a park. This BBQ would be different. In their backyard was a fireplace, and attached to it was a device that you could attach a grill to. It was so fantastic. Not only was the fact that there was a fireplace outdoors appealing (just think of how wonderful it would be to sit outside in front of the fire), but it was really neat to watch the grilling take place.
There was SO much food. Meat, veggies, potatoes, corn on the cob, salads, drinks, mini pizzas, this amazing dried mango that I have to ask where they got it from, ice cream, cake, coffee, champagne, chips and other snacks…it was fantastic.
Although we started snacking at 5:30pm-ish, we didn’t actually start putting anything on the grill until 9pm. By 11pm we were still grilling and eating. I could see the night continuing on for much longer, but I had to get home at a relatively decent time to rest.
I’m quite proud of myself. Of course the whole evening was conducted in French and I’m not very good at mingling and meeting people. I’m actually a really shy person (or at least on first impression). And then when friends get together (youthful friends especially), the chit chat goes faster and faster. I admit that I didn’t follow every single conversation that happened that night, but I think I did pretty well!
Because there was a fire, I was telling people about how we toast marshmallows (because I hadn’t seen any marshmallows here in Switzerland). In candy stores they have marshmallow candies, but not the plain ones for hot chocolate or for toasting. Conveniently enough, there were marshmallows in the house (the multicolored, twisted, candy ones) and so they thought it would be exciting to try to toast them. I was surrounded by a lot of skeptical people. The coals weren’t quite hot enough to toast the marshmallows, and I wasn’t close enough to the fireplace, so a toasting rookie awkwardly stuck some marshmallows on skewers into the fireplace not sure what to expect. I felt so bad for her. She was so confused. I mentioned that the coals probably weren’t hot enough, and we probably needed to get the fire going again. In the meantime, people experimented with tealight candles. Yup, it wasn’t too bad. Mine worked out pretty well I thought. Helpful hint: candy marshmallows lit on fire very quickly. But if you’re a toasting regular, you’ll know this isn’t always a bad thing. Let it char for a bit if you desire and just blow it out. There were a lot of panicked yelps and awkward laughing, because flaming marshmallows wasn’t in their comfort zone. How funny different cultures are. I tried to explain the novelty of s’mores, but I think it was a lost cause. They couldn’t understand why you would mix those three objects together. They also don’t have graham crackers here, so that didn’t really help. Any generic cracker/biscuit still seemed like an odd thing to meld with chocolate and marshmallow. Luckily we didn’t try to make any that night. I didn’t want to think us American/Canadians were too weird or anything. So the toasted marshmallow thing didn’t go over very well. The birthday girl seemed to really like them, but every one else just looked confused. One girl wouldn’t try them. I’ll blame it on the fact that we used the wrong kind of marshmallow, although I’m sure it really doesn’t make that much of a difference.
It was yet another wonderful experience. Seeing how a different culture runs a BBQ, what kinds of foods they eat, spending time outside relaxing and chatting and meeting new people, seeing the sky suddenly become dark, candles and of course the obligatory 15 minutes of rain and the mad dash to save everything from being soaked. The is what life is all about. New experiences.
Movies watched
Started compiling list on Saturday, May 21, 2005 @ 4:53pm
DVDs watched since Friday, May 13th
Ray (DVD extras)
The Incredibles (+ extras)
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (+ extras)
Shrek 2 (+ extras)
Uptown Girls
Bowling for Columbine (+ extras)
Some recent episode of Joey and Will & Grace
The Aviator
The Best of Friends, Vol. 1
The Best of Friends, Vol. 2
Dirty Pretty Things (+ extras)
The Best of Friends, Vol. 3 (+ extras)
Friends – Season 2, Disc 1
Friends – Season 2, Disc 2 (+ extras)
Friends – Season 2, Disc 3 (+ extras)
Friends – Season 2, Disc 4 (+ extras)
The Best of Friends – Season 3
Shallow Hal (+ extras)
In America (+ extras) …a fabulous film! Watch it…
Pirates of the Carribean (+ extras)
Malcolm X
Sideways (+ extras)
DVDs watched since Friday, May 13th
Ray (DVD extras)
The Incredibles (+ extras)
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (+ extras)
Shrek 2 (+ extras)
Uptown Girls
Bowling for Columbine (+ extras)
Some recent episode of Joey and Will & Grace
The Aviator
The Best of Friends, Vol. 1
The Best of Friends, Vol. 2
Dirty Pretty Things (+ extras)
The Best of Friends, Vol. 3 (+ extras)
Friends – Season 2, Disc 1
Friends – Season 2, Disc 2 (+ extras)
Friends – Season 2, Disc 3 (+ extras)
Friends – Season 2, Disc 4 (+ extras)
The Best of Friends – Season 3
Shallow Hal (+ extras)
In America (+ extras) …a fabulous film! Watch it…
Pirates of the Carribean (+ extras)
Malcolm X
Sideways (+ extras)
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