Nostalgia Tour

I suppose it’s a sign of getting old when people start visiting the places of their childhood. I’m going do that in April of this year. Hermann and I will be travelling to Trens, a tiny village in South Tyrol where I spent several holidays with my family when I was a child. We will stay in the same hotel which is still a family business, now run by the daughter of the previous owners. She still remembered me when we wrote to her. She and her brothers were already young adults at that time. It always felt like home when we were there, everyone was kind and patient with us children. Of course I’m aware that this feeling will most likely not return when I visit again, because so much has changed. The old half-farm-half-hotel has turned into a modern place during the past years – it had to, I guess. Nonetheless I’m looking forward to seeing it all again. Here are some photos:

1970 at a festival parade; I (aged 4) sit on my father's shoulders, my younger brother (aged 2) on my mother's (so I believe); on the right is my father's mother

1970: I wasn't afraid of the cows ;) The cows wore bells round their necks which I loved; still like to hear cow bells and I guess it is because of these childhood memories

1970: with my mother and brother

1971: on my 5th birthday in front of the hotel (wonder whether the bench and table are still there or not)

1971: at a festival parade with the hotel owner's daughter (the current hotel owner)

The Nazi King

75 years ago today, on 20th January 1936, the British Empire got a new king. It was Edward VIII who became most famous in the world for his tragic romance with the twice-divorced US-American Wallis Simpson. He was only king until December of the same year when he stepped down and later married Mrs. Simpson. Many people still admire his loyalty to the woman he loved or at least pity him for the “cruelty” of his family and government.

Yesterday I watched a TV documentary which showed the story in a very different light. Obviously the affair with Mrs. Simpson was not the main problem the British government had with him and when they forced him to step down this affair was only secondary. The main reason was that the King proved to be an admirer of Adolf Hitler and tried to influence the British policy accordingly. Even after he had stepped down and left Britain he continued to give all information he received about his country’s policy and military decisions to the Nazis. In return Hitler invited him to Germany and addressed Edward’s wife as “Royal Highness”, a title which the Royal Family denied her. There is evidence that Edward tried to get back on the throne with the help of the Nazis and wanted to establish an absolute monarchy in Britain. After the war he denied his admiration for Hitler and support for his regime.

Fortunately for Britain and the monarchy, his younger brother and successor, King George VI, was a very different sort of man. He was sensible and brave, happily married with two daughters - the older one is now Queen Elizabeth II – and he refused to leave London with his family, even when the German bombs hit the palace, because he wanted to stand by his people. Just recently he became a “film star” by “The King’s Speech” – actor Colin Firth (“Mr. Darcy”) was awarded a Golden Globe for this role.

How I Persuade People

Did this test recently:

You Persuade People Through Logic

You feel like facts should be enough to persuade people, and you always focus on making a reasonable argument. You never appeal to emotion - you feel like it's beneath you. You are much more concerned with evidence. Once someone is convinced of the facts, you show them the logical steps to reach your conclusion. You rather have someone totally convinced and persuaded than not, even if it is a lot of work.

How Do You Persuade People?

Blogthings: We're Not Shrinks, But We Play Them On the Internet

Call me Ms. Spock ;)

New Year, New Opportunies

I hope you had lovely holidays and your new year started smoothly! As I had posted before we spent the holidays with my family. We enjoyed it as always, but somehow I didn’t find time to do much on the computer – I didn’t continue with my novel during that time and I didn’t post on my blog as you can see.

In my last post I told you about my resolution, and I can tell you that until now at least I was able to keep it, even though several things happened which could have made me terribly worried. However, with GOD’s help I remained calm about these issues, which was completely contrary to my overanxious disposition.

I’m curious what this year will bring – and I’m sure it will not be boring :)

Don't Worry, Be Happy 2011

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. – Matthew 6:34

Usually I don’t have any New Year’s resolutions, because I know I cannot keep them anyway ;) However, I make these words by Jesus Christ my resolution for next year and I’m determined to keep it!

12 Days to go...

… until Christmas Eve! This is the day we celebrate Christmas here in Germany. On the day before Hermann and I will travel “home” to my family. Even though we are all grown up now and two of us four children are married (one with children of his own) and no longer living “at home”, we are still celebrating Christmas almost the same way as we did when we were kids. This is mostly owing to my father who still puts up the Christmas tree (which in Germany is usually not put up until Christmas Eve), decorates it and places the gifts in his living room. None of us is allowed to enter the room before the evening. In the evening we first visit the graves of late relatives and light candles there and then we return home. Our father goes into the living room and rings a bell, the same bell he rang when we were children and then we all enter the room. I enjoy celebrating Christmas this way, it brings back my childhood :)

2nd Sunday of Advent

Blog Reduction

Until now I have run five blogs; that worked well in my “previous” life, but since we moved (the new apartment still requires a lot of work until everything will be completed) and especially since I have started writing books again I simply don’t have time for this any more. Therefore I keep the two blogs I get most feedback on: “Leben auf der Sonnenseite” and “On Life’s Sunny Side” (this one). There will be no more posts on the other blogs.

If you have got...

... any German speaking friends who like to read romance novels, please let them know they can win a copy of my novel on my German blog. They can take part in the competition, no matter in which country they are living. Thank you :)

Progress

Meanwhile our apartment looks more like a home than like a building site. However, it is not over yet. The two bathrooms, one of the two kitchens and some small things still have to be done. I’m still busy unpacking boxes, but I’m confident that I will make it before December. Looking forward to putting up the Christmas decoration, too :)

Also my debut novel is out, you can see it on the Amazon.de website and if you know German you can even read parts of it there ;)