Five Things I Love About Germany

I spend so much time talking about all of my very interesting (read: crazy) encounters, annoyances and strange events here; it's just now occurred to me to spend more time thinking about the things that I absolutely love about Germany. So, without further adieu, I will present to you five things that I love about my adopted Fatherland.

1. My husband. Well, he's German. This counts.

2. The Landscape. There are so many gorgeous regions throughout the country, and I've only seen a small fraction of them. I do hope to remedy this in the near future. It all depends on what you love to do. I tend to gravitate towards more cosmopolitan areas, but believe me, the German countryside is absolutely breathtakingly beautiful in the summer, fall, and winter; it's still wonderful in the spring, but it may be a bit wet. In any case, if you're ever in the country, be sure to have your camera ready.

3. The Baked Goods. I know, this sounds so stereotypical, but facts are facts. German bakers know how to make delicious bread. It's torturous if you have a sensitivity to gluten, but guess what? More bakeries are noticing a demand for gluten-free or gluten-reduced breads… at least in my neighborhood. Just around the corner, I have the choice between fresh baked Brötchen made from 100% rice flour or from spelt flour at one of my favorite bakeries. My husband, of course, has a smorgasbord of breads to choose from, including tons of pretzel breads, pastries, cakes, and marmalade-filled donuts (known as Berliner, in honor of JKF after he famously said, "Ich bin ein Berliner." What says "American" more than a jelly-filled donut?), cookies and more. Germans don't know what "pies" are the way we Americans know them to be - rich buttery, flaky crusts encasing fruits or nuts; however, they still make pies, calling them either Kuchen or Torte depending on the recipe. For the USA version, I've had to learn to bake my own from scratch. A pretty handy skill, but the inconvenience of it has probably saved me from gaining 20 lbs.

4. Public transportation. It doesn't matter where you are, more likely than not, you're going to have access to affordable and (generally) reliable public transportation throughout Germany. This is absolutely AMAZING. No matter what your level of income, using PT is almost treated as though it's a civic duty here – which is a good thing. It's environmentally friendly, it lets you take care of things while someone else is driving, and especially on the weekends or late nights, provides a safe way for people to get home who could have otherwise been in a position to harm others. The German trains are most prevalent, but there are trams (trollies), buses and also opportunities to register share bicycles and cars. Of course, taxis and rental cars are also available everywhere.

5. The architecture. Some of the most beautiful buildings are right under your nose, so to speak. When you go about your day-to-day activities, it's very easy not to notice the beauty that surrounds you. I don't care where you live - there is always something new for you to discover and appreciate. You just have to take the time to do it, and look at your environment in a way that you usually wouldn't. I call this living like a tourist. I can always spot a tourist miles away because he or she isn’t looking straight ahead or around like locals do. They are always looking up and around. This was especially true in New York, where you could recognize immediately who was used to the skyscrapers and who wasn't. The same thing happens here in Germany. There are so many edifices that are literally centuries old, and they're absolutely beautiful, and it's worth remembering that as you walk around. Germany, France and Spain have done such a wonderful job of preserving historical buildings by restoring them and often also incorporating modern architectural works –usually in a tasteful and artistic manner. In my opinion, France has done an exceptionally wonderful job of balancing the historical with the modern, most specifically, in Paris.

I originally wanted to write the top TEN things that I love about Germany, but I don't want them to get a big head or anything. ;-) I hope to have more opportunities visit this subject again later – maybe I'll even incorporate a few pictures.

Have a great rest of the week.

xoxo CountryEuroCityMouse

©2012-2013 CountryEuroCityMouse™. All rights reserved.

Genius Overload

My husband and I went to an Apple store in Germany recently, and it was one of the most grotesque and surreal experiences of my life. While I do enjoy using their popular products, I'm not exactly fond of the company's marketing and promotional methods (and that's me speaking demurely). After our experience yesterday, though, it's also clear that sometimes it's a bit, well, stalkerish.

You know how when you walk into most Apple stores in the US, you know you've entered an expensive adult version of what a McDonald's play area used to be like in the early 90s? Happy Meals and Playtime! What could be better?

First of all, when we walked into this store, I felt like we had just walked into Willie Wonka's Chocolate Factory. I don't mean the one with Johnny Depp, where you know deep down, the dude is just having a good time pulling your chain; I'm talking about the original with Gene Wilder, who lovingly let his freakish Umpa-Lumpas have free reign all over the place. Their scary green hair and those horrible spray tans continue to make occasional cameo appearances in my nightmares to this day.

Anyway, the first Umpa-Lumpa, I mean, genius, greeted us at the door. "Wilkommen!" We casually looked at him and politely greeted him in return as we attempted to make our way toward the Macs. But wait! Apparently, you have to make it past the bouncer, first. He scuttled beside us and leaned forward a little too closely.

"Sind Sie zum ersten mal hier?" (Is this your first time here?)

"Uh, nein."

"Kennen Sie unsere Produkte?" (Are you familiar with our products?)

"Ja…"

"Gut! Gut!" He couldn't hide his pleased expression. We were in.

"Suchen Sie etwas bestimmtes?" (Are you looking for something in particular?)

I couldn't help but sigh in irritation and I barely restrained myself from telling him with a straight face that I was looking for a Panda bear.

"Nein. Wir wollen nur schauen." (No, we’re just browsing.)

"Oh, ok… Danke und viel Spass!" (Oh, ok. Thanks, and have fun!)

Under normal circumstances, this would read like a typical exchange of information. Perhaps he needs to collect data, or he just wants to steer you in the right direction. Here, the guy was empty-handed, and the store literally had more "geniuses" than customers. It was unnerving, like he was reluctant to let us go and was beseeching more human interaction.

After we had broken free of him, my husband started looking at the Macbooks. Within five seconds, a pimply face with a wide-eyed stare popped up before us, just like a teenaged Umpa-Lumpa with a shock of blonde hair.

"Hi! Brauchen Sie Hilfe?" (Need any help?)

My husband and I automatically replied, "Nein, Danke." He didn't leave.

"Haben Sie unsere Produkte schon?" (Do you already have some of our products?)

This was getting irritating. I was beginning to see why more Germans make their purchases through Apple resellers.

This was also quite different from my experiences elsewhere. Usually, we customers are hungrily prowling for someone to help us out, and as soon as we find one, we join the circle around said prey, ready to pounce as soon as the next customer leaves. I think to be a "genius" there, you must notate on your resume that you can run quickly and disappear at will.

Not the case in this store. As soon as one left, another genius came in his wake. We literally had four of them approach us within a 2-minute period. You would think that we would have been appreciative, and perhaps we would have been, if they hadn't made us feel like we were in a plastic cage in the center of a shark tank. Each and every one of them had large eyes with dilated pupils, and they were seriously twitching, vying for our attention. I'm not insinuating that they were on anything, but I had the strange feeling that they were suffering from huge withdrawal. So few customers; too many geniuses!

What happens to the geniuses when they aren't needed anymore? I hope for the sake of us all, Apple at least gives them some sort of rehabilitation to help them get re-acclimated to a life as – (hmmm, what does Apple call its customers? Let’s try an analogy: Apple is to geniuses as customers are to _________. Now you know another reason why I “love” the company’s PR so much.) Three of them, who looked at us woefully as we walked out of the store and onto the snowy street, seriously looked like they'd been brainwashed.

xoxo CountryEuroCityMouse

©2012-2013 CountryEuroCityMouse™. All rights reserved.

Breaking Bread

Making friends when you're no longer a student is a challenge, no matter where you live. It doesn't matter if you're relocating cross-country or you're moving to another part of a big city; the torturous ritual of "making friends" begins anew. When we were kids, it was much easier, I think, because if you didn't want to be friends with someone, you could justify it with one sentence: "I don't like Johnny because he picks his nose."

There. Simple as that – Johnny makes one crucial mistake, and like that, he's forever banished from your circle of friends. Well, at least until high school when he gives up the nasty habit and starts looking kinda cute.

As an adult, though, everything is more nuanced, more complex. I mean, it all starts with the fact that your pool has gotten smaller over time. Generally, it consists of your work colleagues and neighbors and then extends from there. Of course, you have your friends from school and college days, but for many of us, they can literally be thousands of miles away.

I've been really blessed to have made some great friends over the years while living abroad. While I initially made many of them through my husband, over time, I've made more on my own in various situations. A few of these friendships were toxic – I can recall three of them instantaneously – and I wisely ended them. However, the rest of my friendships have been tremendously rewarding and continue to evolve as the years progress.

For example, recently, two of our friends came over to visit us for the first time since we'd moved. They brought bread, French salt and a bottle of Portuguese red wine as housewarming gifts. Not only had they taken the time to put thought into what they would bring; they also made the effort to make something from scratch. What meant even more to me personally was the fact that they baked a loaf of Roggen (rye) bread because they had actually remembered my sensitivities to wheat (while rye isn’t gluten-free, it has a lower gluten content than wheat). Such thoughtfulness is really what stayed with me throughout the evening. It doesn't take much to let someone know that you think they're kinda cool and you wish them well. As a matter of fact, the most important way to do it is by paying attention and giving some of your time. And, to be quite honest, when we sat down and ate a really nice meal together, I found it to be super awesome experiencing friendship in the most archaic of ways – literally, "breaking bread" together.

By the way, bringing bread and salt (and wine) to a new household stems from very old Judaic and Slavic traditions; it wasn't until this encounter that I learned that it's also prevalent in Germanic traditions. Although the symbolism for the items may differ slightly for some, generally, we can still interpret it as it was shared in the American classic film It’s A Wonderful Life (1946):

Mary Bailey: Bread… that this house may never know hunger.

Salt… that life may always have flavor.

George Bailey: And wine… that joy and prosperity may reign forever.

Thanks, W.J. and B.P. for such a memorable evening!

xoxo CountryEuroCityMouse

©2012-2013 CountryEuroCityMouse™. All rights reserved.

Hello Again

Oh dear… It's been ages (ca. 2 weeks) since I've made an entry here, and anyone who knows anything about the most banal essentials of blogging, that is one big no-no. I fear that my entire readership has abandoned me, just as I had all of you, without any prior notice. Oops. So sorry about that.

On the other hand, though, I really embraced the time away. While I do love sharing my experiences with you here, it also often feels as though I'm having a conversation with myself in the virtual realm; fortunately, thanks to the rare posted comments and remarks in conversation from people I know, there is some proof that this isn't exactly true. So, here's to all of us for being here together in cyber space once again.

Happy New Year, by the way. I wish that I could say that since the calendar indicates that it's 2013, I've been at peace enjoying my life, but that couldn't be any farther from the truth. All signs are indicating that this is going to be a rodeo year – this meant in the most glorious of ways. Time will tell; that's for sure.

To start the New Year off right, I'm doing a 30 day cleanse, just as I'd done the year before. This ought to make me feel all healthy and fit, except it doesn't. For one, it's ten days into the year and I haven't yet made it back to the gym (of course, you know why because the gym can be really scary). On top of that, my husband, aka Mr. EuroMouse, decided to pick up a cold on the plane trip back home. Nothing like a man breathing heavily in the most non-sexual way ever lying next to you to keep a germaphobe like me up at night. And seriously, why is it that when someone has a cold, he insists on turning onto the side that faces YOU while sleeping, mouth agape? It's like I'm suddenly in bed with a Darth Vader impersonator. Oh, the unforeseen joys of marriage. 

xoxo CountryEuroCityMouse

©2012-2013 CountryEuroCityMouse™. All rights reserved.

At the Gym in Germany

It may seem to you that I am in desperate need of a calendar this Christmas, because I clearly can't differentiate between Wednesday and Thursday. Have no fear; I was just making the best of 12.12.12. No, actually, I thought I'd give myself 24 hours before posting about the latest culture-shock encounters I've had.

Fortunately, I'm a high-energy kind of person, so the best way to control the excess amount of energy is to go to the gym. Of course, here in Germany, that place is not commonly referred to as "the voluntary torture chamber", but the fitness studio.

I don't like to chat when working out. Unfortunately, I am hypersensitive, and my hearing, sense of smell and touch are especially acute. This is not advantageous, especially when working out at a public gym. For this reason, I checked the "not-interested" box on the questionnaire when asked if I would like to get to know more people when working out. Don't get me wrong, I love to meet new people; I just do not love smelling new people, especially sweaty, stinky ones. The last session, I had to move from my favorite machine to less-appealing one due to a man who reeked horribly. Even the sensorial memory of him has me gagging and cringing. This reaction is not polite, but, in my defense, it is also primarily out of my control.

A friend of mine also works out there; the inevitable time when we would meet finally came, and yes, it was awkward. Likely because I had never told him that I'm also at the gym, and when I saw him, he greeted me with a smile, prepared to exchange a few verbal niceties, whereas I merely returned a terse hello, averted my eyes and kept working out. Of course later, I contacted him explaining that when I'm in my zone, I am not at all the radiant social butterfly that I typically am. He said he understood, which I hope is true. I also forewarned him that if, for whatever cockamamie reason I should decide to go into the unisex portion of the sauna and we should meet, I will literally run away. See, in addition to those other keen senses, I have a pretty vivid visual memory as well. Woe to me should I put myself in a situation where I could possibly see my buddy's kibbles and bits.

You think I jest, but I once went into a steam bath there (wearing a towel - I am unabashedly prudish when it comes to public nudity; I will wear my towel in a sauna or steam bath no matter what you say). To my chagrin, I walked in on one of the personal trainers sitting on the bank, legs up, al natural. Yeah. Stunned, awkward silence initially, and then once he had the decency to put his legs down and I found my voice again, I just said something to the effect of "Ummm, I think I'll come back later." (Which I never, ever did.) But, to my advantage, I'd like to believe; I've been able to get some pretty nice deals from him since then. Can't say for sure, but it may have been because of that one moment in time…

My last session there was actually almost just as awkward. Remember what it felt like when you were in gym class in middle school or high school? Well, it's not much better at my gym. Most of us women are modest and turn away while dressing or, whenever possible, search for the least prominent place in the dressing room. Ladies, you know how it is. Well, I had just returned to my locker, and a woman was just finishing getting ready for her workout. I turned away and went about my business. Just then, another woman came in, stopped walking, and leaned against the wall, watching the two of us.

What in the world?

For those of you who know me, this is pretty much exactly what the look on my face was saying. There was no way on God's green goodness that I was about to disrobe, no matter how sweaty and gross I felt.

"Hallo… müssen Sie durch zu Ihrem Schließfach?" (Do you need to pass through to get to your locker?) I was pointed and specific in my query.

She smiled at me, still staring at us both. "Ach, nein. Machen Sie ruhig weiter!" (Oh, no. Just keep doing what you're doing!)

The hell I will.

I looked at her, looked back at my sweaty gym outfit and the towel I was going to wear to the showers. You know what? I said to myself. I think I can change in one of those teeny-tiny restroom stalls. Anywhere else would be more comfortable than there. As I was gathering my things, the woman tried to start a conversation. She asked the other woman what machine she liked best. The woman, wearing one shoe and holding the other in her hand, replied the treadmill, then somehow managed to wobble away faster than I could escape. Chatty Cathy then turned to me. "I can't wait for spring to come; can you? Then we don't have to wear all of these layers of clothes…" She stopped and then stared directly at me, expectantly, one hand pulling up her sweater and the other tugging at her pants.

My gag reflex is pretty good, I think, so I had that under control; yet, I couldn't suppress a small shudder of repulsion. Seriously, I don't talk to my friends when I'm in a gym. What would posses me to start a conversation with a staring stranger in the dressing room? I quickly mumbled, "Spring is great." before I escaped to the restroom stall, far away from my locker. Chalk another one up for socially awkward encounters abroad for CountryEuroCityMouse.

Ok, Chatty Cathy, I just have some words of advice for you. I don't think you're weird - wait, actually, yes, I do - but I mean, I don't think that you're a weirdo voyeur or something. I hope not. I would really like to think that you are a socially awkward person and you're trying to work on your friendship-making skills. Good for you for being brave and taking chances! However, when striking up random, pointless small talk, please refrain from doing so in the women's locker room with other women in various states of sweatiness and undress. This is NEVER the appropriate place for this kind of behavior. And staring is a perpetual no-go. If you would like to make friends, go to one of the classes that they offer with a star by it for "socially-engaging", or talk to someone who matches your stare just as excitedly as yours.

I tell you, boredom is a rare luxury here.

Happy Holidays, everyone!

xoxo CountryEuroCityMouse

©2012 CountryEuroCityMouse™. All rights reserved.

Old-Fashioned Mail

It's been a while, but I decided to take the time to write to one of my oldest friends. By writing, I do not mean posting on her Facebook wall or sending her an email. I actually mean to write a letter to her using old-fashioned pen and paper, and I will seal it in an envelope, mail it with a stamp and then wait ages for a response of the same kind.

It's a dying art, and in so many ways, unfortunately, I can see why. What exactly am I supposed to say in a letter that can't be shared via social media? Over the past few years, we've all been conditioned to say things that we find to be important, meaningful and poignant in 140 characters or less. The act of writing a letter is beginning to feel awkward to me, and I'm sad to say that of the few friends I have who make a concerted effort to write a letter now and then, our letters tend to get shorter and shorter as it seems that we have less and less to say.

Maybe it's a matter of impatience - when we have some really great news to share, we will hop online and blast it ASAP. We communicate quite regularly and even phone on occassion. But what happens to the days when you look in your mailbox and notice a lovely handwritten envelope among the not so appealing mail?

It's a trend that, in my opinion, is becoming more of a catostrophic practice. People have even stopped sending Christmas cards or Holiday Greetings of any kind! I understand that it's time-consuming or possibly expensive (if you don't make your own - which I don't), but the whole purpose of sending a greeting card is to show someone that you actually do care or appreciate them exactly because you take the time to send them something tangible. E-Greeting cards are convenient and "get the job done", but at what expense? You either send out a mass-email ("You're so special to me - all of you") or you copy and paste, replacing the name but send the exact same message. All of the romance of communicating through words using individualized physicality - your handwriting - is almost completely gone.

This season only comes around once a year, and for those of you who have friends and loved ones who are far away from home (either by choice or circumstances beyond their control), when thinking about sending your Holiday Greetings, it's especially nice to put that adage "'Tis better to give than to receive" to good use. I know I feel that way about advice. ;-)

xoxo CountryEuroCityMouse

©2012 CountryEuroCityMouse™. All rights reserved.

An English German Christmas Market (Weihnachtsmarkt)

Now that my most favorite holiday has already passed, I'm looking forward to celebrating my second most favorite holiday - Christmas. Let it be known that on Christmas Day, I'm in Florida. While you're out and about dreaming about a White Christmas, I'm ever grateful to be with my husband and family in a place where having BBQ in addition to the traditional holiday meal is a viable option.

One Christmas morning a few years back, my husband hoisted our nephew up on his shoulders so that the little guy could pluck an orange from my parents' tree in the front yard. I took a picture to commemorate the moment and it still makes me smile every time I see him wearing a little long-sleeved shirt and a pair of green shorts. Yep, to me, that's Christmas.

Not to say that I don't get my fill of German Christmas spirit before going to warmer places. Because I live in a very Catholic region of the country, Adventszeit is a very prominently celebrated time of year here. So, in addition to the decorations which have been up since SEPTEMBER in some stores (thanks to gross consumerism, and nothing else), the real celebrations are about to take place. One tradition that I truly enjoy and admire is the Weihnachtsmarkt, or German Christmas Market.

There is always a great possibility for you to eat, meet up with friends, drink mulled wine (Glühwein or vin chaud) or my personal favorite, the alcohol-free version often referred to as being "Christmas Punch", or shop for some lovely handmade crafts and other gifts. Nothing beats holding a nice warm punch in your hands in a wintry atmosphere, twinkling lights surrounding you above and below, laughter, animated conversations with strangers and friends alike, and almost everyone being in much more amicable moods.

Interestingly, we discovered a German Christmas Market along the Thames in London this past weekend. It was a fun and pleasant surprise to be able to kick off another chapter of the holiday season a little bit earlier than planned, especially because it also gave my parents another great opportunity to experience new German traditions in two European countries!

It's time to get those UNICEF greeting cards (or those from your favorite charity), and place those orders online - or better yet, with your favorite local mom and pop retailers… they do still exist, and with all of our help, they'll continue to do so.

Take care, and have a great week.

xoxo CountryEuroCityMouse

©2012 CountryEuroCityMouse™. All rights reserved.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is my absolutely favorite holiday. There are so many reasons why I totally love this event, and I don't care where I live or who I'm with - I'm bound to celebrate this day with joy, gratitude and excitement.

Celebrating Thanksgiving in Germany can really be an awesome experience. For me, it always has been. I love throwing dinner parties, and although they may seem a tad bit semi-formal at times (although, in my defense, there have only been a few times where I have actually used seating placements), most of the time, I try to make them as relaxing and welcoming as possible for all. When I was at the point where we were 19 people, including 5 children under the age of five, I drew the limit and decided to keep it between 4 and 10 from now on.

My husband and I celebrated with friends last year; this year, my parents are visiting us for the holiday! I'm convinced it's going to be the perfect American Thanksgiving - we'll celebrate Thursday evening in Germany, and then fly to London on Friday for the weekend. No better way to remember why the pilgrims were so thankful in the first place than on British soil.

In preparation for Thursday's feast, we're taking complete advantage of Germany's fresh, economical and delicious local markets. We bought 4.5 pounds (2 kg) of potatoes for a Euro 50! Afterwards, we ordered our turkey from our favorite poultry butcher, so we'll be able to pick it up early Thursday morning along with all of the fresh vegetables! Our menu is pretty straightforward, simple, and best of all, homemade. In addition to the must-have turkey, we'll have dressing, mashed baked garlic potatoes, salad, almond string beans, traditional gravy, cheese gravy, macaroni and cheese made with ricotta and three other cheeses, and cherry pie, muffins, rolls and brownies for breads and desserts. Yep, I hope that'll do.

It's such an exhilarating feeling preparing delicious foods and desserts for your family and friends, sitting at one huge extended table that generally only serves two, and knowing that the Christmas season is now really about to begin.

Of course, many people still proclaim that their most favorite holiday is Christmas; and there are many others who feel as though it is an infringement on their faith or lack thereof… To be quite honest, it would be quite lovely to have a holiday that can't be too grossly politicized or commercialized - no matter how hard many people try. For me, Thanksgiving is that holiday. I love focusing on the amazing cooking, enjoying the cold weather outside and the warmth and delicious scents that greet you as soon as you come through the door. There is a feeling of welcome, and as soon as you arrive, laughter erupts immediately followed by boisterous conversation, hugs and smiles. You're with your friends and family, and those few hours - or days if you're fortunate - are, in my opinion, a wonderful way to get a refill on the energetic goodness that Life is really all about.

Happy Thanksgiving with love from Germany!

xoxo CountryEuroCityMouse

©2012 CountryEuroCityMouse™. All rights reserved.

Eat There if You Dare (But I Wouldn't Recommend the Gyros)

Finally! The 2012 US Presidential Election is over.

Currently, the overwhelming feeling that I have is relief. Obama was fired up during his victory speech, and with it, he set the tone for the nation in a way that all parties need to embrace. The kind of deep passions that were awakened within us voters throughout the campaign need to shift from the negative nature to a more constructive gestalt. We are so much better than this campaign has allowed us to be portrayed.

This has been the most nerve-wracking, disturbing, emotionally charged election I have ever experienced in my life. Waaaaayyyy back in 2008, I can recall the media jumping the gun and being so self-congratulatory calling President Obama’s first-term victory the beginning of a “post-racial America”. Well, they couldn’t have been more wrong than that. This election campaign was not only starkly racially divided; it was also impassioned and divisional on so many incredibly polarizing issues. It was often sickening to hear, read and see such animosity and distain between supporters of the two major parties and smaller parties. These election years tend to bring out the best and the worst in people, but it’s especially disturbing to notice that more and more people are becoming quite comfortable with being beyond disrespectful publicly on any side of the fence.

The real threats of being wrongfully denied the right to vote, or to have to wait multiple hours in line to cast a ballot, or to be afraid that your vote would not count in the United States of America is a disgrace. The name-calling, mud-slinging swill fest has got to come to an end now, especially for those who disrespect the President with such ease and comfort.

In his concession speech, Mr. Mitt Romney took the high road – a path that many people on both sides have strayed far away from a long time ago. He was gracious, he acknowledged his genuine sense of disappointment and gratefulness for his supporters, and wished his opponent well and encouraged people to pray for the President, his family and our nation. As divided as the nation is now, Romney’s concession speech – however short and, according to reports, hastily put together – at least allowed him to march through it quickly and be able to walk away with his head held high. (Even if it took him over 90 minutes to admit his loss and, acknowledge that no matter how Karl Rove tried to reinvent it, math is math.)

Obama’s victory speech rocked. It was not cocky; it was personal, inspirational, impassioned and spoken with much hope, earnestness and maturity. Take the time to read the full text of his speech, but moreover, watch it. See how it resonates with you, no matter what your political affiliation or nationality.

Florida… my home state. The only “undeclared” state even though the election has already been decided. (*Sigh*)

Facebook: Please stop asking me to “like” candidates, their companies, and the news outlets that chose to endorse them. Actually, stop instructing me to “like” anything. I never went for that kind of stuff in high school, and I certainly don’t plan on starting now.

Now, for all of us (in one capacity or another), it’s time to get back to work.

 xoxo CountryEuroCityMouse

©2012 CountryEuroCityMouse™. All rights reserved.