Perception

Things people say to me #2

I need to change my newly started column, because it’s not just questions targeted at me but also just awkward and funny things people say to me:

Boy, about 12 years old: “Are you from Germany?”
Me: “Yes.”
Boy: “When I thought of Germany I always thought of Nazis, but now I know you and will always think of you.” He gave me the biggest smile as wide as he was.

Funny things I get asked #1

For a while now I’m never from wherever I live. Does this make sense? LOL
Back in Australia I should have started this column “Funny things I get asked”, because I got a lot of funny questions about myself or my ‘whereabouts’, but from now on I will start writing them down, because if they make me laugh, they might make you giggle, too!

The latest one (asked twice in less than two weeks):

Are you from England?

This is too funny! In Down Under people thought my English sounds American, here some people think it’s English… I think England has some of the strangest accents.. Well…I’m guessing 98% of the people I met haven’t been to England and most of those probably have never been outside the US, but if they think they cannot decipher where I’m from and it then must be England, it is too funny, because that’s how I made up my mind in Australia – don’t know what that accent is; must be English. But if it means “oh, you’re using vocabulary that I haven’t heard before, then it must be British..” I totally agree; I’m more English than American. Come on, the American English is really limited in the amount of words…but that’s another topic.

Successful date with tender mate Rudi on a rough mountain without power but unforgetable

My today’s personal recommendations by Amazon.com are very strange and make me think:

Curricle & Chaise – Romance needed? Yes! Good guess Amazon!
40 Unforgettable Dates With Your Mate – A date might be overdue, how did you know Amazon?
Rough and Tender – It’s just the question what we are talking about here… me?
Kindle US Power Adapter – Oh yes, my Kindle didn’t come with one and it also doesn’t last two months as it states, but I won’t get this tiny thing for this ridiculous price.
Life Management – I could use some of that please.
Mountain Woman – Yep, I guess that’s my soon new me.

Lead with LUV: A Different Way To Create Real Success – Am I not successful enough?
Waiting For Rudi – Who is Rudi?

Also:
A Man Walks Into A Bar – How about a missy walks into a bar? Haven’t done THAT for a while and am craving a drink with friends and mr.natey!

Circle Of Friends Cookbook – Friends…oh yeah, they are too far away and deeply missed.

The Vegan Slow Cooker – Could be my current answer to the American Fast Food. Also I’m eating more vegan than ever before (due to allergies and health reasons).

Fuel just leaped over $4

Okay – this entry is just for the record:

Tonight on Thursday the 12th of April 2012 the fuel price in the Waterville Maine area went over four dollars the first time.

4!

That’s a lot for around here…especially in the poorer Central Maine.
I also already feel that this is a high price although I have been here in Maine only since last July, but since then the price just rose so fast! Shortly after I bought my super-Subaru fuel was at $3.17. Only three months later it is at $4. That’s a quick rise!

I should add that the fuel price in the US is measured by the gallon, which is 3.8 liters.

While $4/gallon is still “cheap” compared to German fuel, which is around 1.70 Euro PER LITER (= $6.45/gallon!!), most people in the US, especially in rural areas like Maine, drive their car a lot more than in Germany. There is no public transport in about 90% of Maine and people often drive one or two hours to work. mr.Natey drives 1.5 hours to his work with a heavy duty Volvo wagon (which uses less fuel than my light Subaru…which really annoys me).

First I thought gas is so cheap here…compared to Germany, but I only get 300 miles (483 km) to the tank (60 liters?) and paying around $55 to fill it up. My beloved car gets 22 miles/gallon, which is a bit low (the mister and his Volvo get 28 miles/gallon, newer cars can get up to 50 miles/gallon).

Oh and yes, my car is also an automatic (I hate automatics…grrr), but I could not find a manual car that ticked all the boxes. Manual cars are way more fuel efficient…at least the older models. My car is a 92, good old boy, but I guess I still need to break him in a bit more to reach the estimated 24 to 29 miles per gallon. But even the latest 2011 model of the Subaru Outback Wagon (the one I was going to get), the fuel economy is not much better than mine; almost worse with only 18 to 25 miles per gallon. Now think of those heavy duty trucks and SUV’s that are driving around everywhere….I don’t understand how people are willing to afford them.

Well, imagine a carved wooden board that is hanging on Planet Cola’s header saying “we’re at 4 dollars per gallon”…knowing that the only way is up and tomorrow is Friday the 13th (by the way).

Does someone drive a hybrid or electric car yet?
Who rides his/her bike to work?
I never see people on bikes here. There are no bike lanes around here and the mister said riding a scooter is even too dangerous…sigh…I need a horse and a cart!!!! And I HAVE seen those in people’s yards! Yes, a little bit old Wild West is still alive, I tell ‘ya!