Truly nothing interesting has happened the last few days. Whereas Satan is currently punching you all in the face with 200 degree weather (or so I hear), it's been 55 degrees and raining here, so basically, I'm freezing and I want to die. What else? Hmm...I was bored today so I baked homemade fruit roll-ups, and they're delicious. And it turned out to be ridiculously easy. All you do is chop up a shit ton of fruit, stew it in a little water until it's super soft, add sugar, then blender it (or, if your host family is lacking a blender, mixer it). Then you spread it out on wax paper, throw it in the oven at 150/170 degrees, and bake. For 8-10 hours. Until it's leathery. Then cut. So really, make sure you have a lot of time to kill. But the end result is most excellent!
In other news, from what I understand, America is currently about to explode because there's a debt ceiling problem? I don't actually know that much about it, because our news is consumed with the bombings/shootings in Norway, and when Debt Ceiling conversations do happen on the German news, they're filled with such technical economical lingo, I check out almost instantly and go back to reading my second-grade-level story book. So if someone wants to explain it to me in a nutshell, I'd be thrilled. Basically what I need to know is: should I convert my entire bank account to euros before the dollar hangs itself?
What else what else. I'm showing up uninvited to the Portuguese consulate later this week, in the hopes that I can get a Portuguese ID card and sort of my visa issues. So basically, it's sure it be a disaster and stay tuned for the good stories.
Grad school applications have got me so anxious I don't know what to do with myself.
Did I mention it's been 55 degrees and raining and I'm ready to send myself the same way as the dollar?
Things I want:
--a summer
--the dollar not to implode
--a puppy, or at least a fish.
I did actually try to buy a fish the other day, but the shemale at the pet store told me a) that beta fish are happiest in pairs, b) that they need 30 gallon aquariums, and c) fishbowls are a myth that exist only in tv and films. My fishbowl at home takes personal offense to that. So I must go on a quest to find the Elusive German Fishbowl, and also wait until after we come back from Denmark so my fish doesn't starve to death.
Also, Claire and I Skyped last night, and it was glorious. I also got really teary when I saw her face, which I wasn't actually expecting, seeing as I don't actually like her very much. I could smell her over my internet connection. The moral of the story is you people should download Skype and talk to me goddamit. It's freeeee!
OH! Remember the Is it Gay, or Is it German guy from this post? I saw him again today, standing on the side of the highway, wearing the same clothes I spotted him in initially, talking to someone who wasn't there. As it turns out, he wasn't gay or German, he was just insane. So the IIGOIIG scoreboard is currently at 1 for German, 0 for gay, and 1 for crazy and homeless.
Umm...here, this song has been on the radio and I can't get it out of my head. Not sure if you've been getting on the American radio stations, but it's really catchy:
I'm out of straws to grasp at. Hang in there, America!
8 comments:
So pretend the US government is just like a normal person. This person has a budget, but writes quite a bit of wiggle room in that budget, because they've always got credit cards for more spending. And when they run out of credit, they can always get a new credit card. Every single year, Congress raises the debt ceiling, basically saying, "Yeah...we're going to extend our credit limit...maybe take out another card." This pretty much is standard because we pay off everything in interest, just like a normal person does.
But not just any person - a SUPER GREAT SAVER. A person who ALWAYS pays their bills on time. That's why we've got great interest rates. Other countries (i.e. "credit card companies", in the analogy) are willing to lend to the US at great interest rates because we never default on our debts. We always pay them back, which is good for them, and we get money up front for our own infrastructural, social, and innovation projects. Yay!
Except...now we might default. Which would mean our interest rates would go up, US treasury bonds (which many Americans, either consciously or through their 401K investments, depend upon for their retirement savings), will not be as well backed, and America would be "that dude who I lent money to and totally didn't pay it back."
The Republicans have a valid argument - it's not safe to keep racking up all this debt, just like it isn't for a person to live off of credit cards. But to flat out not make the payment would have some very serious implications, from the immediate (social security and military checks issues in IOUs) to the long-term (penalties passed down to taxpayers, etc.)
-SB, forthcoming PhD in Economics/listens to lots of financial podcasts.
a) you're amazing
b) is the dollar going to die, and should I transfer my entire bank account to Germany where it will be safe in euros from the dollar's self-destruction). I have to transfer the money anyway, but if the dollar does implode, I'll lose a ton of money in the conversion.
Hmm...I'm not a financial adviser, so I don't know. That seems like a pretty drastic move though. My guess is that they'll work out a deal in the next few days, possibly even tonight (there's a press conference in 1.5 hours), which would be good. Also, the euro isn't exactly stable either - Germany and France are dealing with Greece, and Italy and Spain are having issues. Que sera sera?
Okay, good to know! Converting my bank account to the yen tomorrow!
The next verse of that song:
"I wish I could keep you locked in chains in my basement, I'd bring you cat food everyday. No one will ever know you're down there, because it's only you and me. Mh."
Moral of the story: if you date a European rockstar, you may wind up chained in the basement.
1. i experienced tears of pain not joy from speaking to you im guessing you expierienced the same
2. i think what the fish lady ment was she thought you whould kill the fish so she thought of the best excuse she could to keep you from buying one
3. tell the greeks to pay their taxs...problem solved
4. i hope the fruit roll ups pull out your teeth just so you can take advantage of socialized medacine
5. im staring at me skirt with the trees on it thinking the only shirt i have to wear with it tomorrow is the panda one WIN!!!
6. i need to bake cookies on friday and i have to do it alone FAIL
7. i still didnt mail your letter...sorry
Funny, I've just bought two love birds because the zoo shop guy I talked to (who was definitely gay AND German) told me I should always buy lovebirds in pairs. (I have named them Yin & Yang, btw.)
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