Slumdog Sweep and Basel Passions.

This week has been fairly uneventful. On Sunday evening, I watched the Oscars. When I say "evening" I mean morning, because they didn't actually begin until 2:30am here, ending at 6am. It was sort of surreal to see the red carpet in daylight, when my daylight had ended ages ago. I was glad to see that Slumdog had such a killing, and of course, Ben Stiller's Joaquin impression. 

Fasnacht preparations are underway. On Wednesday was the traditional guild exchanges and meetings, and there were a lot of groups marching to each other's "clubhouses." Met a photographer from the Basel Historical Society, and he was telling me of some of these traditions. Hopefully in the next few weeks, we will be able to get together, and he will be able to bestow me with some more knowledge about Basel. Here's some "beverage" preparation set outside the Zum Schnabel.

And a Safran guild member before the march.

Things That I Love Here

—Eating lunch by the river, having birds waiting around you to see if you will drop anything.

—The view from the Münster overlooking Kleinbasel and the Mittlerbrücke.

—Finding new alleyways in areas that you've walked a million times.

—The Mittendrin. Ran into two people that I know when I was there on Wednesday night, which is just so cool to me, since I don't know that many people in this city. It is such a casual place to get a coffee or drink and just chill. I can be found here reading and journaling. I want to pack this place up and bring it back to Cincinnati, although it will be great to be back at Rohs again.

—Tea. I think my love for tea may have triumphed my love for coffee. There is a place called the London Tea Huus, and they greet me with open arms now. I am a committed customer. 

—The "H" bread shop. That is what I call it, mostly because my brain just sort of shuts down when I see the long list of letters that is supposeofly only one word. The "H" bread shop on Andreasplatz is literally a hole in the wall, looking like it came out of Hansel and Gretl. The walls are stone, there are wooden benches and tables inside, and they consistently have good recommendations on fun new breads to try. There is just something about going to a bakery for bread, flower shop for flowers, cheese stand for cheese, that I just love.

—Piadina

—Stumbling across Swiss-geniusness, such as this USB-Swiss army knife combo

—People sitting outside to drink there coffee, even in winter. Shops even provide blankets to encourage this.

This is it for now. I have a lot of stories to tell, hopefully time to write them down soon. As for now, schönnenabend.

Cookie Caper

So this is clearly a Lindsey story.

I walk to work pretty consistently. I have calculated that I walk nearly 4 miles round trip to/from work daily (that is, if I am not running late and must guiltily grab the tram). Every time I walk, I pass the Herzog and de Meuron studio, and see people seriously, diligently working. No Gmail breaks, no Wikipedia, just serious work. And everyone is individually plugged into their iPods, and probably off in some other world, not realizing that real people are really living on the outside of this glass tank. They seem like some sort of caged specimen. 

So. I pity them. I know how it is to be completely consumed by work. I also know how great it is to have people visit you and bring you break food. I was telling this to my neighbor as we were walking home, and told him that I really just wanted to make them cookies. I didn't know if that would be creepy, or if they thought I would be doing something sketch like poison or something, but I just wanted to be nice. When we reached the H+dM studios, he stopped a man going in, and started talking Swiss German. I of course understood only keywords like "Ohio" and "graphic design," but knew he was telling them of my cookie bailout desires. The man responded, "We like cookies! Yes! Anytime, cookies are good."

So. On Monday night I planned to make them all-American chocolate chip cookies, and I went to the grocery store to find the ingredients. I never knew how much I depended on pictures on packaging until this experience. There were about twelve types of flour, and I couldn't find baking soda to save my life. Cookies did not happen on Monday, out of literacy issues. Vanilla comes in little test tube vials and not a bottle. Domino, somewhat moist brown sugar doesn't exist here, and I couldn't even find chocolate chips in this chocolate hub. So by Thursday I had looked up the necessary word translations online and got the closest ingredients, and decided I would cut up my own chocolate chips. There are some shortcuts you can do in cooking, improv cooking, but in baking you usually have to be pretty dead on. I was scared that I would fall short, but in the end, they looked like cookies and tasted pretty close. I think the brown sugar I got wasn't completely right, but it all worked. 

So. Friday after work, with a bag in tote, I walked my normal route, and just had to start laughing at the absurdity of it all. I rang the bell, and stood there trying to figure out what I would say. First, I must talk English. I have no chance in German. Second, how do I explain this, and not look like a complete psychotic nutcase? Then, a guy approached the door, and I just started spilling and stuttering about how I am from Ohio, a graphic design student, see them working so hard, blah, hoping something would make sense. He said to come back on Monday, so that the women in the reception office could distribute the cookies. It felt like the Wizard of Oz. I told the man, well, I have them now, and pointed at the bag. So he just sort of shrugged, unlocked the door, and brought me to this woman, where they proceeded to discuss what to do, in Swiss German. I just sort of chimed in, "Do you care if I just bring these cookies to the people in that glass room over there?" They didn't care, so I just sort of went over there, and knocked on the glass. A woman opened the door, the entire room of 8 of them just looked at me, like who are you and why did we just let you in. So I went through my spiel again, and then pulled out a plate of cookies. One guys eyes got really wide. He was like, "Are those homemade?" And I said ya. It was really quiet for awhile, and when I had gone around and given them all, they just sort of held it, looked at it, probably in wonder and suspicion. I was like, "Umm... I can eat one with you if you feel like this is really creepy or something." And then in a sort of unison they all took a bite. I think when they realized I was harmless, they warmed up and started asking me question about my schooling, about Fasnacht, why I am in Basel, etc. One woman invited me to get a drink with them later sometime, so that we could really talk, and when they had their project finished. 

We took the leftover cookies into the kitchen, and I met some other people there. It was definitely awkward the entire time. But I went home with the biggest smile on my face. I still can't believe I did that. Now, I am wondering if when I walk by on my way to work, if I should wave. 

Hope you got a good laugh. Love.

A Table Full of Papers, A Mind Just As Cluttered

I am sitting at my dining room table, freezing. I have about a million documents open on my desktop, and papers scattered all around me. It is only 7pm, but I am curled up by candles, sipping on Mövenpick deliciousness, and sad to see it get dark, a sign that it is still winter. I am typing, which always makes me colder, and I am thinking about investing in some gloves without fingertips, or making my own "alteration of glove," like in The Royal Tenenbaums.

It is kind of sad that I haven't been blogging regularly. I think I will hit my peak sadness when I return and see I didn't bridge my worlds. This is uncomfortable for me, to have these two worlds, and not understand how to connect them, and ultimately find I have become a square peg that no longer fits into any of the round holes of my life. I will leave here, inevitably, and have to face the moat of the Atlantic head-on. There is a quote I often recall, that says "In the depths of winter I finally learned there is within me an invincible summer." BrainyQuote.com claims it is from Albert Camus. I am trying to reconnect with this invincible summer, a warmth that transcends location and forgives mistakes. I am so cold. Until then, I remain blinded by this hat.

...

It is something about my personality, that I see it as a weakness to stop and think, when heck, it is inevitable that we all need to rest at some point. This quarter, I just don't have the drive or energy to run around all over Europe... and that is ok. And it is ok, too, to blog when I haven't gone on some epic journey. So, not in failure but in necessity, I have stopped a bit, trying to catch up with myself.

On last Sunday afternoon, I made a small Germany journey to the Vitra Museum in Weil am Rhein. It is such a small town right on the border. When I see the Gehry building in the middle of a giant field, it somehow gives my heart hope for Napoleon, that we may have a signature architect pop up on County Road X at some point, too. It is a total anomale, really. I wanted to go back to see the George Nelson exhibit, famous for his furniture collaborations with Herman Miller and his clocks with Howard Miller (yep, they are related). 

Usually, when I go to a museum, I am just thrilled to be able to recall date, maker, blah-blah, but that day, I was somehow convicted of this "name game" philosophy. Who cares, right, if I know that this is a George Nelson or a Corbusier or Bill? In the end, where does that get me? The real question, is what was their passion? And why did they do it at all, to get them to this deserving, memorable status? And is that legit? I have a newfound respect and love for George Nelson. Yea, I like his coconut chair and the ball clocks (he was the guy to realize that we read time by the position of the hands, and not necessarily from the numbers), but the way he looked at people and process to find a solution is unreal. Usually I bypass the audio booths, just because I think it's boring, but I actually sat down to listen to some lectures that were fantastic. The obvious nerdy designer in me now comes out. 

Sidenote: my iTunes just shuffled into the past, by playing "Walking in Memphis" by Marc Cohn. This song makes me think of summer, driving (riding) in the Honda Accord. 

Here is a photo of a current Globus display:

I have been having some really wonderful conversations at work recently, about politics and financial things, and just plain life. I love this. I love working at a small firm, really ridiculously small, and enjoying these conversational perks. 

Basel is cold. In the past few days, I have seen three other people with larger UGG-like boots. The first week I wore mine, and realized the trend has yet to hit Europe, that I am some sort of poser pioneer, by accident. It will be interesting to see if this trend blooms here.

The World As We Know It

What this world is coming to:

—the candy store on Barfüsserplatz is selling Oreos, a true sign of globalization

—Swiss private banks are no longer private (New York Times)

—Lindt is putting out pallets of their golden chocolate bunnies seven weeks before Easter.

My response:

—making my own American chocolate chip cookies 

—moving all my millions to the Caymans (kidding, obviously)

—doing cartwheels with my roommate in the living room, trying not to hit the vintage Panton lamp

Sankt Valentinstag in Zurich

Today was a cleansing day, a day to escape the routine of Basel and begin to open my eyes again. Here are a few pictures, and I will write again sometime soon.

Mossy Idiosyncrasies

Prepare for spasmodicy.

Just today I changed the background of my computer to a picture that I took this weekend. Of moss. 

People (in literature mostly, I think. I don't really know these people) say that a rolling stone gathers no moss. I think I subconsciously want this moss because I want some roots, even if only in pixelation. I enjoy the roll, but I am ready for some brawny roots, fruit from being stationary. And then, to not fear the moss when it does come.  

A few hours ago, it was raining. I love the smell of a fresh rain, and the patchy, grassy field that wants to be a park in front of my building had children dancing in it. So I opened all the windows, so I could really hear the rain and the laughter, and lure in the smell. So. Now it is cold and I am wearing four shirts and two pairs of socks, and succumbing to warm liquids. Swiss Mövenpick espresso is to die for, and I just bought an orange-vanilla tea that smells like dessert. With no caloric consequences.

You know you are catching European when you start typing "z" for "y" (my Euro work computer has them reversed, along with a lot of other keys).

Made homemade sushi with my neighbor and roommate on Friday. Shopping in the Globus Delicatessen (similar to Saks, I think), you stand a little straighter, pretend like you belong, and hide that you normally buy the off-brand or AKTION sale stuff at Coop. 

Went to Olten (the picture above), and then the Baum concert in Herzogenbuchsee (baby town in the middle of nowhere central Switzerland) on Saturday night, at the Altes Schlachthaus. The bar is actually a converted slaughter house, and they still have the hooks on the ceiling. It isn't quite as creepy as you would imagine. There was a real camaraderie between the band and the establishment, which I loved. Got to meet some people, and talk more about my opinions and hopes for America (the first thing people say to me is consistently, "Oh! Obama! Yea, Obama is the answer, he is going to turn it all around! You hate Bush, right?" I would prefer a "hello and how are you" rather getting grilled with how this single human can save the world, but I will take the conversation). Tasted Cynar (Chee-nar),an Italian liquor made of herbs and artichoke, and liked it!

Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan) in You've Got Mail says, "So much of what I see reminds me of something I read in a book, when shouldn't it be the other way around?" Even though I want to be a bookworm again, a fourth grade book maniac, rather, I am still more of a movieworm. My life seems to be a series of movie moments that become "reality" and then dim back into recollections. I am detached, looking at life through a camera lens on autofocus that can't seem to make up its mind. "...ever so strong that it's over and none of it ever was real."

Went to Lily's, an Asian restaurant that is cafeteria style, and in Kleinbasel, with Lisa on Sunday night before church. I can't explain how nice it was to find a place with decently priced and still delicious pad thai. Eating out in Switzerland can really hit your wallet hard. 

I met someone from Etritrea (near Ethiopia) last week at church, and got to talk with him a little more this week. I still don't understand fully why he needed to come here, but I am pretty sure it was not completely by choice. He has a large family, with one brother in Norway and the others back in Africa. It is amazing (and heartbreaking) to hear the hurdles he has to go through to establish a life here in Switzerland. Get some moss. I hope to hear more of his story soon.

The vote (that I spoke about from the previous post) passed with a JA! Ja-hoo!

Fun of the day:

—an old man with a big white wirey mustache and a beret

—a man waiting for the train, actually happy, smiling with bouquet of fair trade roses in hand

—small talk with the Coop cashier, in German

—breaking the crosswalk law to catch the tram

—making my brain work at work

Swiss-ues

Good evening. I wanted to start out by sharing with you a little of the political scene in Switzerland right now. On February 8th, the Swiss will vote on a key issue concerning their relations with the European Union. Because Switzerland is a direct democracy, if citizens get enough signatures on petitions, the issue can be brought to the Federal Council. [SIDENOTE: The executive Federal Council consists of seven officials elected by the Parliament, and the legistlative Parliament is elected by the people. Also, there are four major political parties.] Currently, Switzerland is not a member of the EU, a "neutral" island amidst the mass, but does have bilateral agreements for the "free movement of persons." This means that even though Switzerland is not in the EU, its borders are relatively easy to pass through, and people living in other countries can work here. People in Basel, Geneva, and Zürich are in general more liberal, and are accustomed to living in an international melting pot, while inland on the farms and in the mountains, there are more conservative viewpoints. Their fear is that if the borders are kept open, foreigners will take all of the Swiss jobs, mainly because they will work for less (which would still be more than in their home country, most likely). 

The other side is that if Switzerland continues to shut itself off from the rest of Europe, it will damage relations and trade, and Switzerland cannot be completely self-reliant.

My roommate has two plastic crows hanging on our balcony (this is common. There are crow window clings on large public windows, even, to warn the birds of the glass and to just keep them away). We have now named them Bulgaria and Romania (Bulghee and Romi), the newest members of the EU, because we wanted to invite them to stay with us and show our love to the foreigners. This vote will be very critical, to say the least, for the future of Switzerland. There are poster campaigns everywhere, and the liberal party even has people that are carrying around giant balloons that say "JA" on them, probably a yard in diameter.

Life has been very busy, (but with wonderfully fun things). This is my first evening home in awhile, and it was refreshing to make dinner and just enjoy the halt. Monday was dinner and violin lessons; Tuesday Bible study and birthday drinks at Eiopso with the Lindenhof; Wednesday dinner at my boss' [insert adjective for "breathtaking" here] house. It was about 42°F today, perfect for strolling on the Binningerstraße creek and dancing in the streets. I looked like even more of an idiot because I was carrying a 12-pack...of toilet paper! But who cares, let them laugh.

Saw a man picking up trash from the street with a pair of tweezers and putting it into a small ashtray since I last wrote. I think that is worth mentioning.

Music worth listening to: Kashmir (Danish)

Photography worth looking at: garrywaller.com 

Photography you are subjected to because you logged onto this site:

Liebe grüsse,

Linds