Yearly archives of “2014

the iceland car game

The Iceland Car Game

A trip to Iceland is not a trip to Iceland without hours upon hours (upon hours) of driving.

Of course most of the time will be spent being amazed by the stunning scenery and wowing at phenomenal natural landscapes – duh!

But there will also be dull moments in which the sixth rainbow sighting in 30 minutes won’t look so magnificent.

The following game is exactly for those moments.

(click on the image to see a better resolution)

the iceland car game

infographic_consequence_buying_blender

[Infographic] Should You Buy a Blender?

When I bought my first blender I was full of hopes and dreams about it.

I thought I’d become a new, healthier man who exercises regularly and asks his friends “Is this BIO? Oh, right, it’s not, you can really taste the difference”.

The truth turned out to be a little different than that. If you’re considering buying a blender you should be aware of the unexpected, comical, useless, disappointing consequences and this infographic is for you.

infographic_consequence_buying_blenderI made this with Easel.ly

 What you want to happen

 

Becoming the new Gwyneth Paltrow

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Alanis_Morissette,_Thank_U_(Stéphane_Sednaoui)

The Indian Abduction or My first Bollywood movie

I started this post more than one year ago. I started it and then realized how painful and traumatic would have been to relive the time of my kidnapping; those three endless hours in which I got psychologically tortured by a bunch of Indian folks.

I wished I could erase this from my mind and pretend it didn’t happen.

I wished I could forget everything and not having to talk about it again.

I wished a lot of things, but then some days ago I found this in my mailbox.

 

bollywoodatbabylon

The movie theatre Babylon, in Berlin, is giving away free tickets for a couple of Indian movies and I can’t – I SWEAR TO GOD I CAN’T – let Bollywood make another victim. Read More

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Keep your friends close and your enemies’ closet

Sometimes miracles happen.

Not stuff like resurrecting the dead or being able to lick your own elbow, though. Nothing like that. I’m talking about those everyday gestures that surprise you in their simplicity, like a selfless act of kindness coming from someone you don’t expect.

Take my neighbour, for example.

She’s changing the furniture in her flat and instead of throwing everything away she’s decided to donate her old (but still respectable) closet to whoever wants it.

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It warms my heart, if I think about it. Read More

baby

[Quiz] Which Dirty Dancing Baby are you?

Warning! This is not Buzzfeed. If you wanna take this personality quiz you’re going to need a piece of paper and a pencil to note down your answers, like real men (and women!) do. If you’re a lazy bum, just go on Buzzfeed and find out if you’re a bad person (which you are, if you’re leaving this page).

I recently found out that my boyfriend has never seen Dirty Dancing and a part of me died forever.

The only thing I can do is honoring this undiscussable masterpiece and its protagonist with a quiz.

baby

 

Can you lick your elbow?

A) I cannot. I’m a failure.

B) Nothing’s impossible. Believe in your dreams.

C) Sure! Haven’t you seen my latest Facebook Album?

D) No, but I can lick yours if you let me

You run into that boy you have a crush on. You:

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the parent trap

The Parent (Jocks)Trap

It’s time for me to come clean before my mom leaks this on the internet.

The Parent Trap was by far my favourite movie as a kid.

the parent trap

In case you don’t know it, the story is about two twin sisters separated at young age (one lives with her dad, one with her mom) who meet for the first time at a summer camp and develop a plan to reunite their parents.

I guess what I found charming was the idea of meeting someone who is exactly like you, speaks like you, looks like you and  with whom you share an immediate, indissoluble bond. It sounded comforting. Read More

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It’s my party and I abruptly quit my job if I want to

Two weeks ago I turned 30.

Also, I quit my job. Not on the exact same day and not without having a plan B (FYI: I’m now working for Shopalike.it – YAY!), but it did nevertheless feel sudden and unsettling.

Over time the company changed names, faces, direction and pretty much everything you can think of, but I worked there for almost four years (way longer than my longest relationship!) and leaving was bittersweet.

What happened is that I got interviewed, was given the new job, resigned and BAM – two weeks later I was out of the door.

Since I haven’t had the time to properly mourn, I decided to write this post. It’s about the weirdest stuff I found on my very messy Desktop on my last day at the old job.

It feels like the boring flashback episode of a 90s sit-com, but what can you do about it?

A thoughtful (and creepy) Valentine’s Day Card

valetine day card

The day I considered a career change and researched hairdressers specialized in horses

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catherine_b

Catherine B – We Children of Alexa’s Food Court

In the beginning was Kreuzberg.

With its cozy restaurants, hipster cafés and mandatory vegetarian alternatives, this district of Berlin was the garden of Eden of lunch opportunities and thus a perfect location for any office. With an infinite range of healthy options, doing the right thing always came natural to me and my co-workers.

Moving to Mitte, right after that, was the real game changer. Whilst this district can seduce you with its neat streets and beautiful buildings, some parts of it don’t make the hunt for food an enjoyable process. On our first day at the new office, me and my friend Catherine wandered through a desert of hot concrete and pretty facades in search of something to eat.

We felt like Jesus: hungry, fatigued and about to be tested in the Wilderness.

After 40 days and 40 nights (actually we have a 1 hour lunch break, so it must have been 10 minutes) the devil appeared in front of us in all its tempting charme disputable architectural choices.

Alexa

Alexa by Nicolas Nova on Flickr

 

Alexa, one of the biggest malls in Berlin, whispered in our ears promises of high-in-carbs delicious lunches. We knew our diet was being tested and remembered that when Satan offered Jesus all the kingdoms of the World and their splendor, J was like “I’m fine, thanks.”.

Of course the “splendor” part couldn’t possibly include air conditioning, frozen yogurt or 20 minutes on an armchair that gives you a full body massage. And above all, it certainly didn’t include a food court. Read More

snuggie_sleepsnacking

Sleepsnacking – An Alarming Trend

The Disorder

The term Sleepsnacking indicates the uncontrollable urge to bolt down junk food while asleep.

Sleepsnackers can be completely unaware of their disease, sometimes for years.

Typical signs that a person might be a sleepsnacker are a subtle taste of chocolate, honey barbecue chips, Ben&Jerry Banana Ice Cream or peanut butter in their mouth upon awakening. Sometimes, even all of the above. To resist the temptations, products like a CBD Oil might be much healthier alternatives.

The Numbers

According to a Mongolian study, the number of people affected by Sleepsnacking has increased tremendously during the past 10 years and almost doubled itself in only five years.

The trend looks scary and unstoppable.

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Of course if we take out fictional characters like Liz Lemon or Ralph Winchester and anybody who’s not a celebrity (’cause why should we care?) the situation looks under control.

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Case Study Read More

8 expressions featured

8 Italian Expressions Having to do with Poop

One of the greatest things about living far from home is that distance brings clearness.

In particular, the less you speak your mother tongue, the more you start noticing tiny little things about it.

Sometimes it’s cute things, like the fact that the words sonnellino (nap in Italian) and burrone (Italian for ravine) sound pretty hilarious.

And then there’s those other times in which you realize something gross that will make you wanna return your passoport, like the fact that the language you’ve spoken nonstop for 26 years has kind of a poop fixation.

Here’s why.

poop_1

Pooping someone or Cagare qualcuno means paying attention to what somebody is saying or, more generically, to notice someone.

Usage Examples:

– How’s it going with Francesco? Has he asked you out yet?
– Not at all. He barely poops me….

OR

– …and after that could you please drive the kids to school?
– ……
– Hello?! Could you poop me?
– Uh?
– What’s on your mind lately? You’re so distracted!

poop_2

To make someone poop or Fare cagare a qualcuno means to Read More