Well, after talking about it for what seems like years, I've finally made the final move to having all my cyber 'stuff' in one (convenient? - if you can spell my name - may not be any easier than Harbaugh Hurlyburly, but hey ... it's branding, right?) locale ... www.kristenvermilyea.com.
Not only will you find my blog there, but film and television clips, a few songs, some photos and great stuff from guest bloggers as well as other random people/thoughts/stuff ...
As it will likely be another year before the site is what/where/why/how I'd like it, please bear in mind that it (like me and us all - awww) is a work in progress and one which I am vowing to make a priority as the twilight of my 30's is upon me and I'd like to start of my 20's (yes, in Switzerland you get younger, not older! Hooray!Sigh - if only ...) with at least one project actually finished and not just floundering in/on my 'to-do' list (currently there are 322 items on said list. I'm not kidding ... No wonder it's such a chore to face each new day ...)
For those of you who would like to see the site that started it all, (I insist it stays up as it's so pretty and pink and so well done - site building and design is v. different now, but when this was designed by Shawn Gross almost 10 years ago (?! can that be true?) it was truly cutting-edge.) check out www.kristenvermilyea.us
I am a bit sad to leave Harbaugh Hurlyburly as I still love the name despite it being not at all easy to remember, spell or make sense of ... still ...
Thank you for reading HHB this past year (and a bit). I've loved your comments and ideas - I hope you'll come over to the new site and continue to be amused/educated (ha.) and warned.
19 January 2009
08 January 2009
3 things i saw today and one observation
While riding the bus home from my 4th day of German class today, (going well, thanks - had 1st test today. got a 29/30 ... so lame - I forgot the word for country .. it's land ... sooo lame ... but I think I had one of the top scores in class so that's pretty cool...) I saw a polar bear riding a bike.
We kept catching up to him and then stopping at a busstop or stop light and he would pedal away. It was great. His feet (paws) were all white and matted down with mud from the wet road and when we managed to pull ahead of him, I saw that the head was not just a hat made to look like a head it was a full head with snout and all - I don't know how he (I guess I don't know for sure even if it was a he - but it would have been a v. large, tall she ...) was able to see and not crash into the bus, but he was v. steady on the bike. Everyone, from young to old snickered and giggled as we kept playing cat and mouse with him. Unfortunately, I don't think there were many kids on the bus - how they would have loved to see him!
I just want to know what he was doing in that suit and why ... and how and where to get one -
As we rode past the athletic fields by the University, I saw a bunch of little kids (under 7) on little plastic sleds laughing hysterically as they 'rode' down the 'hill'. The thing that made this sight so great was that the 'hill' was all of about a 1 degree grade. One would not likely even notice it if you were to walk down this decline, but it was enough for these kids - who I'm v. sure know that there are killer hills only about a 10 minute walk away - to have a blast on this v. cold day. Good stuff.
Lastly, when I stopped at the Migros - one of the 2 major grocery stores in ZH (the other being Coop) - to get a few things for dinner this evening, I was v. rudely encroached upon by a v.old and feisty woman. She could not seem to wait the 3 seconds it was taking me to pick out 4 clementines so literally elbowed her way infront of me and when I met her eye, she gave me a look which seemed to say, "What...? I'm not sure how long I've got anymore and I'm sorry, but
I need some clementines... do you see that guy behind me? My husband? Well he's likely got less time than me and if I don't get the clementines fast, he may wander out into the street or forget who I am, okay? Someday you'll understand and you'll push past younger produce-pickers too. Really." Our eyes only met for a few seconds but she really did seem to say all that.
I kept running into her and her shuffling husband in random aisles - they apparently shop like me - with no plan, pattern or logic - wandering from aisle 1 to 4 to 2 to 7 and back to the produce aisle again to see all the pretty colors together .... (oh and the fresh bread is baked in wafting-distance from the produce too - I'm not sure if this motivates her but it does me - if I can't eat it, I will always still try to smell it ...).
I wish I had my camera to show what she looked like. Thin, thin, thin. skinny stick legs donning too-short black pants with fishnet stockings sagging around her bony ankles and bunion-covered feet stuffed into 3 inch high block heeled pumps.
She wasn't wearing a fur coat as so many people (men and women) here wear, but a shiny, puffy, red coat that matched her red nails. She leaned on the cart while taking what I call tiny little 'Bette Midler' steps (I'm happy to show anyone who needs a demonstration...). All the while, her tall, surely formerly striking husband in his overcoat shuffled about 10 steps behind her, watching and obediently waiting.
Her hair was not white but blonde blonde blonde with barely any visible roots. Her make up was in place but barely - like it was starting to creep out of place and wander around her face - her red lips over-ran the natural lip-line and her pink cheeks had fallen from the apples to the sunken hollow beneath, but she was strangely beautiful.
I love that so many older people here really get 'dressed'. I used to dress up everyday. So much so that when I was in jr. high and high school, people always thought I was either older than I was or, in the case of college - a professor. Ha. I used to take such pride and got up early to create a new hair 'do', match my shoes to my purse, my hose, iron everything, etc... I still make an attempt but certainly not all the time and when I do it still seems no where near as polished as I used to be on a daily basis. I think I was the last kid to own jeans. I refused to wear pants for years. Odd kid.
But living here has inspired a new-found desire to rediscover this old me. I have yet to make more than a half-assed effort, but I'm thinking about it. I'll be sure to post photos if/when I ever really pull myself together...
We kept catching up to him and then stopping at a busstop or stop light and he would pedal away. It was great. His feet (paws) were all white and matted down with mud from the wet road and when we managed to pull ahead of him, I saw that the head was not just a hat made to look like a head it was a full head with snout and all - I don't know how he (I guess I don't know for sure even if it was a he - but it would have been a v. large, tall she ...) was able to see and not crash into the bus, but he was v. steady on the bike. Everyone, from young to old snickered and giggled as we kept playing cat and mouse with him. Unfortunately, I don't think there were many kids on the bus - how they would have loved to see him!
I just want to know what he was doing in that suit and why ... and how and where to get one -
As we rode past the athletic fields by the University, I saw a bunch of little kids (under 7) on little plastic sleds laughing hysterically as they 'rode' down the 'hill'. The thing that made this sight so great was that the 'hill' was all of about a 1 degree grade. One would not likely even notice it if you were to walk down this decline, but it was enough for these kids - who I'm v. sure know that there are killer hills only about a 10 minute walk away - to have a blast on this v. cold day. Good stuff.
Lastly, when I stopped at the Migros - one of the 2 major grocery stores in ZH (the other being Coop) - to get a few things for dinner this evening, I was v. rudely encroached upon by a v.old and feisty woman. She could not seem to wait the 3 seconds it was taking me to pick out 4 clementines so literally elbowed her way infront of me and when I met her eye, she gave me a look which seemed to say, "What...? I'm not sure how long I've got anymore and I'm sorry, but
I need some clementines... do you see that guy behind me? My husband? Well he's likely got less time than me and if I don't get the clementines fast, he may wander out into the street or forget who I am, okay? Someday you'll understand and you'll push past younger produce-pickers too. Really." Our eyes only met for a few seconds but she really did seem to say all that.
I kept running into her and her shuffling husband in random aisles - they apparently shop like me - with no plan, pattern or logic - wandering from aisle 1 to 4 to 2 to 7 and back to the produce aisle again to see all the pretty colors together .... (oh and the fresh bread is baked in wafting-distance from the produce too - I'm not sure if this motivates her but it does me - if I can't eat it, I will always still try to smell it ...).
I wish I had my camera to show what she looked like. Thin, thin, thin. skinny stick legs donning too-short black pants with fishnet stockings sagging around her bony ankles and bunion-covered feet stuffed into 3 inch high block heeled pumps.
She wasn't wearing a fur coat as so many people (men and women) here wear, but a shiny, puffy, red coat that matched her red nails. She leaned on the cart while taking what I call tiny little 'Bette Midler' steps (I'm happy to show anyone who needs a demonstration...). All the while, her tall, surely formerly striking husband in his overcoat shuffled about 10 steps behind her, watching and obediently waiting.
Her hair was not white but blonde blonde blonde with barely any visible roots. Her make up was in place but barely - like it was starting to creep out of place and wander around her face - her red lips over-ran the natural lip-line and her pink cheeks had fallen from the apples to the sunken hollow beneath, but she was strangely beautiful.
I love that so many older people here really get 'dressed'. I used to dress up everyday. So much so that when I was in jr. high and high school, people always thought I was either older than I was or, in the case of college - a professor. Ha. I used to take such pride and got up early to create a new hair 'do', match my shoes to my purse, my hose, iron everything, etc... I still make an attempt but certainly not all the time and when I do it still seems no where near as polished as I used to be on a daily basis. I think I was the last kid to own jeans. I refused to wear pants for years. Odd kid.
But living here has inspired a new-found desire to rediscover this old me. I have yet to make more than a half-assed effort, but I'm thinking about it. I'll be sure to post photos if/when I ever really pull myself together...
05 January 2009
Elf means 11
Made it through my first day of German class. Shockingly, I was late (sooo not my fault - Mark was supposed to wake me up at 7:30 but decided to let me sleep until 8...). So we didn't get a 'first day of school' photo as I had envisioned, maybe a 2nd or 3rd or end of the 1st week of school photo ... we'll see (depends on if am looking good or not).
After getting lost and being so close to where I was supposed to be, I found the buliding and ran up to the office hoping they would give me the room number and I would only then be about 7 minutes late ... well, one woman looked at my paperwork and then entered a bunch of info into the computer and started shaking her head and speaking 'not English'. I kindly emplored, "if you'll just tell me the room number, I can come back and we can discuss other details at the break..." (smiling charmingly, of course). She ignored me and went to get another woman and this other woman informed me that the class was full and that I had not taken the test.
Test? What test? Mark registered me online and he can read German and said nothing about a test. When was I to take this test? And what about James? Did he need to take the test? He signed up for the class days after me - only 2 days ago. (James is James Moffatt, the great guy who originally hired Mark at Zuirch and has since left his position there and has the month of January off. He spoke excitedly about how we could drink wine and ski and go on little adventures while our spouses - both of whom speak German fluently - worked. Well, we spent Christmas day and a few fabulous days after with James and Lorna and I mentioned that I was planning on registering for the German class at Migros and Lorna jumped on that train, suggesting that it would be a great time for James to take a class as well. Though I'm sure he'd deny it, I felt him glare at me just then and I think he watered down my drinks for the rest of the night. So James heeded the 'boss' advice (his name for her, not mine) and signed up and was there early for the first day like a regular suck up.)
By the time the 3rd woman got involved I looked at the clock and it was now 9:25. I was ready to cry or blow a gasket and figured that I would go get some coffee and find out when the break was for the class and talk to James then and he'd be a peach and help me figure something out.
Just when I was about to give up all hope, the 4th woman, who was listening all along, said that James came 1/2 hour early and there was one space left so they didn't give him the test and let him in. (He, like me had already registered online but apparently this is just something to make you feel as though you are signing up - you still need to register in person ahead of time?!@%$) She took my paperwork and said we'd go up to the class and see if there were any spaces left and if so, then I could hopefully stay. (Again - when we registered online - there was plently of room ....)
I felt like a military kid whose parent had just been transferred to a new base and who was being led by the hand into this class full of strange, mean kids who would throw spit balls and whisper and to a teacher who would never forgive her not starting at the beginning of the year (day). I stood there with everyone gawking at me (including James) while my chaperone spoke in German at lighting speed with the teacher about me.
After what seemed like 10 minutes, the woman smiled and pushed me into the classroom while shutting the door behind her. I apologized (in German - I learned this early as I am often doing things for which I need to apologize) and went and sat in an empty seat next to James while the teacher, Sylvia said something about sitting next to my boyfriend. I protested briefly while James left me hanging in the wind but I didn't want to get into the whole 'James-is-my-husband's-ex-boss-who-has-January-off-because-he-doesn't-start-his-new-job-until-February-and-he-thought-he'd-take-the-class-with-me-instead-of-skiing ....'
After that beginning, I figured I could handle what came next so I put on my 'focus-hat' (it only works for about 20 minutes at a time,but without the hat, I'm only good for about 3 mins., tops) and listened to the German-only intruction and followed along in the workbook with the pretty pictures and spoke to Bruno and James who were my 'sprechen' partners (everyone else only got one - I have 2!).
I learned to say things like, 'my name is..', 'I am from...' 'what is your name...?' and how to count to 20 and a trick for going above 20 (the Germans say 2 and 20 and so on... of course they do.)
We had a proper break for 1/2 hour about 1/2 way through the class and James and I went to a little cafe near Hooters and had a coffee and a little cake. (So much for starting the healthy eating today...) Maybe I'll have learned enough German after my month of intensive classes to apply at Hooters. It sure would make me feel good to finally be a contributing part of the family. And think of all the great writing/charater material I would get! Hmm ....maybe...
Our teacher, Sylvia got a little warmer after our break and I decided that I didn't hate her, which is good as I really want to like this class and not be a quitter.
I won't say that the time flew, but it didn't drag either and in my book that is a v. good thing.
I think my favorite part of the class was learning that elf means eleven. I am v. proud of myself for not making one of my assinine jokes when she said and wrote 'elf'. It made me giggle on the inside and that was enough for today. It is funny, right? A little? Please? Is this thing on? Is anyone out there?
So now I have one hour of homework and did most of it on the tram home after buying 2 new wine glasses (I broke yet another good one this weekend ... shocking, I know) and a baby doll for my neice Kaitlyn's 1st birthday in a few weeks. (Note to self - you are ahead of the game buying it so early -birthday is the 31st - don't screw it up as always by not mailing for a few weeks ...)
I need a German/English dictionary to finish the rest of my vocab homework and will likely use the computer as all we seem to have here is the 'Jiffy German Phrasebook' which is not really working so far. (Lucky James and his electronic dictionary ...)
I will go back to school tomorrow and perhaps I'll even wake up early and put on a pretty frock and make Mark take a pix of me so you can all see how cute I am going to school and all. We'll see.
I'll just make sure I set my own alarm and try to go to bed before elf.
After getting lost and being so close to where I was supposed to be, I found the buliding and ran up to the office hoping they would give me the room number and I would only then be about 7 minutes late ... well, one woman looked at my paperwork and then entered a bunch of info into the computer and started shaking her head and speaking 'not English'. I kindly emplored, "if you'll just tell me the room number, I can come back and we can discuss other details at the break..." (smiling charmingly, of course). She ignored me and went to get another woman and this other woman informed me that the class was full and that I had not taken the test.
Test? What test? Mark registered me online and he can read German and said nothing about a test. When was I to take this test? And what about James? Did he need to take the test? He signed up for the class days after me - only 2 days ago. (James is James Moffatt, the great guy who originally hired Mark at Zuirch and has since left his position there and has the month of January off. He spoke excitedly about how we could drink wine and ski and go on little adventures while our spouses - both of whom speak German fluently - worked. Well, we spent Christmas day and a few fabulous days after with James and Lorna and I mentioned that I was planning on registering for the German class at Migros and Lorna jumped on that train, suggesting that it would be a great time for James to take a class as well. Though I'm sure he'd deny it, I felt him glare at me just then and I think he watered down my drinks for the rest of the night. So James heeded the 'boss' advice (his name for her, not mine) and signed up and was there early for the first day like a regular suck up.)
By the time the 3rd woman got involved I looked at the clock and it was now 9:25. I was ready to cry or blow a gasket and figured that I would go get some coffee and find out when the break was for the class and talk to James then and he'd be a peach and help me figure something out.
Just when I was about to give up all hope, the 4th woman, who was listening all along, said that James came 1/2 hour early and there was one space left so they didn't give him the test and let him in. (He, like me had already registered online but apparently this is just something to make you feel as though you are signing up - you still need to register in person ahead of time?!@%$) She took my paperwork and said we'd go up to the class and see if there were any spaces left and if so, then I could hopefully stay. (Again - when we registered online - there was plently of room ....)
I felt like a military kid whose parent had just been transferred to a new base and who was being led by the hand into this class full of strange, mean kids who would throw spit balls and whisper and to a teacher who would never forgive her not starting at the beginning of the year (day). I stood there with everyone gawking at me (including James) while my chaperone spoke in German at lighting speed with the teacher about me.
After what seemed like 10 minutes, the woman smiled and pushed me into the classroom while shutting the door behind her. I apologized (in German - I learned this early as I am often doing things for which I need to apologize) and went and sat in an empty seat next to James while the teacher, Sylvia said something about sitting next to my boyfriend. I protested briefly while James left me hanging in the wind but I didn't want to get into the whole 'James-is-my-husband's-ex-boss-who-has-January-off-because-he-doesn't-start-his-new-job-until-February-and-he-thought-he'd-take-the-class-with-me-instead-of-skiing ....'
After that beginning, I figured I could handle what came next so I put on my 'focus-hat' (it only works for about 20 minutes at a time,but without the hat, I'm only good for about 3 mins., tops) and listened to the German-only intruction and followed along in the workbook with the pretty pictures and spoke to Bruno and James who were my 'sprechen' partners (everyone else only got one - I have 2!).
I learned to say things like, 'my name is..', 'I am from...' 'what is your name...?' and how to count to 20 and a trick for going above 20 (the Germans say 2 and 20 and so on... of course they do.)
We had a proper break for 1/2 hour about 1/2 way through the class and James and I went to a little cafe near Hooters and had a coffee and a little cake. (So much for starting the healthy eating today...) Maybe I'll have learned enough German after my month of intensive classes to apply at Hooters. It sure would make me feel good to finally be a contributing part of the family. And think of all the great writing/charater material I would get! Hmm ....maybe...
Our teacher, Sylvia got a little warmer after our break and I decided that I didn't hate her, which is good as I really want to like this class and not be a quitter.
I won't say that the time flew, but it didn't drag either and in my book that is a v. good thing.
I think my favorite part of the class was learning that elf means eleven. I am v. proud of myself for not making one of my assinine jokes when she said and wrote 'elf'. It made me giggle on the inside and that was enough for today. It is funny, right? A little? Please? Is this thing on? Is anyone out there?
So now I have one hour of homework and did most of it on the tram home after buying 2 new wine glasses (I broke yet another good one this weekend ... shocking, I know) and a baby doll for my neice Kaitlyn's 1st birthday in a few weeks. (Note to self - you are ahead of the game buying it so early -birthday is the 31st - don't screw it up as always by not mailing for a few weeks ...)
I need a German/English dictionary to finish the rest of my vocab homework and will likely use the computer as all we seem to have here is the 'Jiffy German Phrasebook' which is not really working so far. (Lucky James and his electronic dictionary ...)
I will go back to school tomorrow and perhaps I'll even wake up early and put on a pretty frock and make Mark take a pix of me so you can all see how cute I am going to school and all. We'll see.
I'll just make sure I set my own alarm and try to go to bed before elf.
03 January 2009
3 days into the new year and already breaking resolutions...
I had promised myself that I would write/blog daily in the new year. Nothing like beginning the year with broken promises to oneself...
So many things I've wanted to blog about - people/trips/Zurich adventures and just the fabulous oddities of my life ... somehow, the more that time passes, it just seems like it's not 'news' anymore. But maybe that's just the wrong attitude.
Tomorrow I will pull myself up by the proverbial bootstraps and get down to business.
Stay tuned.
So many things I've wanted to blog about - people/trips/Zurich adventures and just the fabulous oddities of my life ... somehow, the more that time passes, it just seems like it's not 'news' anymore. But maybe that's just the wrong attitude.
Tomorrow I will pull myself up by the proverbial bootstraps and get down to business.
Stay tuned.
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