Birthday and Stimmung!

The faculty of Linguistics celebrated its 40th birthday. Interestingly, the Dean said a healthy minded individual would either become sarcastic and develop a grim sense of humour or turn mad. The food would have been sufficient if only one out of three would have been hungry. Sadly, the event started too early to go home and have food, and it took too long (2.5 hrs) for not becoming hungry. After about one hour all drinks were drunk as well. This was despite the fact that Germans don't drink as they have to drive a car ("Driving a car is not a privilege, it's a right"). I marked the celebrations with Nanaimo bars. The next sentences subtly provide some background information on Nanaimo. They were invented on Vancouver Island, more precisely in Nanaimo which is right opposite Vancouver across the Strait of Georgia. The British Columbia Metro ferry service connects Departure Bay (Nanaimo) and Horseshoe Bay (Vancouver) as well as Duke Point (Nanaimo) and Tsawwassen (Vancouver). Having used the word Metro, you should be aware that there is a German company which owns the rights of this word. Recently, they stopped Microsoft from using the term Metro design with regards to Win 8. Microsoft now calls it modern UI. I wonder how long it takes them to realise that parts of Paris' transport system and an administrative body of Vancouver might infringe their proprietary rights. And don't say they wouldn't, they are German.

Later that month, some people celebrated the day of reforming the church. Specifically making it the Lutheran church (remember that episode where Lisa Simpson jumps up happily as she realises the people living on her tooth are Lutherans?). Well, the whole thing is accompanied by a specific kind of bread roll. In theory, this bread roll is only available on the day and resembles the Luther seal. Though, there have been reports of the rolls being sold on other days of the year. As far as I am concerned the bread roll is the most important thing. Well, being here I am surrounded by people who enjoy their cars more than anything, i.e. carharrt, carholic and Catholic. One of them was passionately dubious about the baked thing. His argument started with pointing out that Luther was actually born in Koblenz (rather than in Eisleben as the many others might believe, nevermind) and from this he produced some argument I can't remember. The baseline was that it just can't be right to eat the thingy. Despite my plans to dance on the following day (All Saints accompanied by state ruled dancing prohibition), I just lied in bed trying to cure a pneumonia/cough/cold thing. As usually in this country, I was refused medical treatment. I was told to go and maybe see a chemist or whatever. If it wouldn't be manageable by them, they could make an appointment with the GP. In situations like this, you can shout: Stimmung! to express your serious fun and to engage others in the fun as well.
On a slightly different note, being from East Germany does not constitute a circumstance of birth, upbringing, religion, sex, ethnicity, race, caste, disability, age, dress, culture or sexual preference. Thus, laws of equal opportunities are not applicable and discriminating against these people is just fine (Hon. 17th Chamber of Stuttgart Magistrates Court: Aktenzeichen: 17 Ca 8907/09). Stimmung!