Americans are proud to be Americans. Germans are not proud to be Germans. That’s too nationalistic in their eyes, and I think their biggest fear is to be compared to the Nazis. Germany’s past is still a huge weight on the shoulders of today’s generation. I used to carry that weight as well. Every time […]

My neighbor was in tears. A big guy, 6′ 4″ tall, crying like a baby. I ran into him at the dumpster out in the parking lot.
“What’s the matter?” I asked him.
“It’s nothing.” He wiped the tears off his cheeks.
“Alright, I won’t ask then.”
“It’s my damn wife! I really don’t ask for much but once […]

Alright, I admit it: I love American Idol! It’s a fantastic show. Simon is a jerk but most of the time he is right. If I had to sit through thousands of auditions I would not only be a mean s.o.b., I’d reject 50% of the people the second they walked through the door. On […]

My boss asked me yesterday: “So how do you think the Bush-Merkel meeting will turn out today?” I almost dropped my 4×8 wood board and stopped looking busy for a second because the big event had totally slipped my mind. How’s that for a self-proclaimed blogger for American-German relations? That’s almost like Michael Moore forgetting […]

…does exist indeed. But it is far less unpleasant as many Germans make it out to be. It even can be useful. For example, if a woman should hear the sentence “I love your blouse!” more than three times within 24 hours it’s time for a new direction in fashion. The same goes for men […]

I forgot to mention that I went to see King Kong last weekend. When the loooong movie was over, so was the weekend. But I liked it. (No, I did not cry!)
Now, I heard about a silly accusation that the movie has a racial undertone. I must have missed it, although, there is a scene […]

Last night during dinner my Little Rib (that’s what I call my better half) informed me nonsensitively: “Your legs are too short.”
I couldn’t get the fork out of my mouth fast enough. “Excuse me?”
“Your legs are too short.”
“What makes you think that?”
“I have eyes. I noticed it the first time I saw you.”
“Oh really? It […]

Christmas in Germany is a little different compared to America. For a kid the Christmas season officially starts December 1st. That’s when your parents put up an “Adventskalendar” on the wall over your bed. It’s a special calendar filled with chocolate and each day you’re allowed to open one of the 24 little doors to […]