Thursday, April 24, 2003

Es Rockt das Haus, Wenn Mann Deutsch Kann

Es tut mir leid. Ich habe nur jetzt erkannt, dass ich seit drei Tage nichts geschrieben habe (I’m sorry; I realized only now that I haven’t written anything for three days). Did I get the word order right? Hmmm…

Oh man, I think I’m going through a German phase all over again. lol. It’s not my fault, I’m telling you (nothing is ever the Yaz’s fault, just so ya know). A couple days ago, I ran into a high school friend, Aaron. He actually attends the same college I do, but shoooooot, I’m the queen of slackers when it comes to keeping in touch with friends. If you ask me, though, he’s majorly flaky too. Psshhhh. Summer plans came up, and nerd child that I am, I was whining about the four classes that I’ll be taking…OMG, I STILL HAVEN’T REGISTERED FOR THEM!! Arrrgggh. Be right back.

Ok, the Yaz is back. Registered for my four classes. Summer session 2 is all cool, but I’m waitlisted all through summer session 1…number 16 on the waitlist for one class, and number 20 for another. *sigh* Serves me right for remembering this now, geez. lol. I better get into those classes though, or I’m screwed.

Anywayz, while I wander through campus in the sweltering heat this summer and beat my brains out trying to study on the third floor of the library and field cell phone calls from my Ummy asking me if I’ll be coming home in time for dinner, Aaron, on the other hand, wird durch Deutschland reisen (will be traveling through Germany). I’m so jealous, man. He and another friend from high school, Ben, are planning the trip together, and I’m already scared, because that crazy kid Aaron is looking wayyy too gleeful at the prospect of driving auf die deutsche Autobahn (on the German freeway, which, in case you didn’t know, has no speed limits whatsoever, or so I hear). Talk about psychotic. I remember once, long, long ago, I had to catch a ride home with Ben, and that crackhead child raced through the treacherous curves and hills and dips of the street I live on at about 45 mph, which even I, speed demon that I am, don’t have the guts to do. I just squeezed my eyes shut and tightened my grip on the door handle. :-p

Speaking of German, this morning I ran into my German professor from freshman year while on my way to class. I called out, “Guten Morgen! Wie geht es mit Ihnen?” but of course that wasn’t sufficient for his purposes; I actually had to stop and make real conversation. Which kinda sucked, cuz I think he was on a mission to make me prove I know German beyond the standard “good morning, how are you?” lines. lol. Actually, he’s been on a mission ever since freshman year to get me to major in German. Ja, Mann, no lie. So while I stumbled through my now-increasingly-meager repertoire of German small-talk, he regarded me with an assessing gleam in his eye and finally, thankfully, interrupted me to ask, oh-so-casually, “So when are you graduating?”
“Next year, in June,” I answered warily.
“Ahhhhhh,” he exclaimed, “Well that’s plenty of time to maybe consider doing a major in German, no?”
“Wellll,” I stalled, “I’ve barely just figured out my real major; I’m not sure I’ll have time for German...”
“I recall you were a bright student,” he wheedled. “How about a minor, maybe?”
I squinted uncertainly and said I’d think about it. He gave me a wide grin in return, hugely pleased at this small success, and continued on his merry way, after advising me to review the subjunctive case and come see him if I have any questions about the German minor. Heh. Did I mention the fact this whole conversation was auf Deutsch? I need to brush up on the whole language, me thinks. Or, forget that…I should just learn Spanish. Way more useful for California purposes, yo.

I love German though, just cuz everything sounds so funky. Who needs to learn cuss words when you know German? It's so whack. I can just say anything, and it'll sound like I'm cussing people out. That was so evil though. Muhahahaha. Yes, I know i'm a crackhead, what can I say. I come by it naturally, too. I think I was dropped on my head as a baby. That would explain everything, seriously.

So I have midterms next week. Very sucky. And because I always get all stressed out to the max when test time comes around, I’ve been barricading myself up on the third floor of the university library for the past couple of weeks and trying to be productive…“trying” being the operative word here. Good news: I got 100 pages of reading done today. Bad news: I still have another 100 pages to go for that class. Worse news: I have about 5 chapters and another couple hundred pages of combined total reading to do for my other classes. *SIGH* Word of advice from the Yaz, everyone’s favorite slacker child: Don’t be like me. And, oh yeah, studying sucks. Not like you didn't already know that, though.

This whole studying deal is way more productive when I stay late on campus. Otherwise, I drive all the way home, eat dinner, and go, “Yay! Bedtime!” Not a good way to go. Being at home is sooo not productive. Which is why I came home at midnight last night. Today, I got home at 11 p.m. Same reaction from the parents both nights, either way. Ummy gave me a reproachful look as I walked through the door, shook her head disapprovingly a few times, followed me up and down the hallway and relayed the activities and household news of the day while I put my stuff away, practically smothered me with hugs and kisses, and fussed over me as if I’ve been gone for a month. So cute, my mama. Hahaha. My dad squinted closely at my face and said in surprise, “You’re awake! I was expecting you to be half-asleep!” Darn; sorry to disappoint you. lol. Dude, I can stay sooo late on campus and be wide awake, but the minute I come home I just wanna crawl into bed. I wish I could stay in the 24-hour room at the library; I’d get so much done. My parents would probably have a heart attack though. lol.

The only reason I’m even awake right now is become I’m on the computer. Duh. There’s something about the internet that’s so conducive to pulling allnighters. :-p My daddy-o came wandering around about an hour ago, urging me and Shereen to head off to bed. So funny though, cuz he has the funkiest arguments:

Daddy: You should go to bed soon. It’s terrible thing to see you all over-sleeping in the morning.
Me: What are you talking about?? We leave home while
you’re still asleep.
Daddy: *sheepish grin*


You know, I kinda miss my psychotically hilarious posts. All of my relatively recent posts have been kinda serious. I hope I’m not losing my touch. Whoa, that’d be scary, yo. I need to get back into my psychotic stage. Maybe after my midterms are over, insha’Allah. :):)

While I’m in this German phase, I might as well end with this nice German quote I found posted on some anthropology professor’s office door last year. I looked it up online, but it’s been attributed to so many different people that I’m not quite sure whom to rightfully credit. Either way, good stuff to think about:

"Statt zu klagen, dass wir nicht alles haben, was wir wollen, sollten wir lieber dankbar sein, dass wir nicht alles bekommen, was wir verdienen."

(Instead of complaining that we do not have all that we want, we should instead be grateful that we do not receive all that we deserve.)