Random exploits and exploitations in CH

Hello everyone!  I have been busy doing many things, random things.  Each of them not really worthy of a blog themselves, but together, they make a rather disjointed one.  lol

So I joined the Professional Women's Group of Zurich and the first meeting that I went to was a guest speaker named Petra Wuest.  She is the author of several books--all in German.  I had my money out to purchase one, but that would have been a dust collector in the bookshelf for sure.

Her message was really interesting.  I found it inspired me to do some thinking about the next phase of my life.  She talked about making a personal brand that was recognizable and would appeal to the senses in a positive way.  Meaning, that when people (your boss, your colleagues, your friends, your associates, etc.) think of you they have a sense of pleasing association.  Further, that when they are thinking of activities and possible work assignments, your name would pop into their minds with a tag of competence and creativity--whatever you have decided to make your brand.

She likened it to Porsche or a local coffee maker called Nespresso.  Whether you ever wanted to own one of these or not, the mental image was one of quality and it carried a message with it--it pleased the senses.

The brand is not something that you can make up off the top of your head.  You have to  ponder and set your aim so that everything you do is geared to enhance this brand.  The power was in being true to your brand, once you set it.

It was really fascinating stuff.  I wanted to offer to be part of the translation team to get her books into English.  In the meantime, I'll have to pore over my notes.

Wild Irish roses

One of the really fun things that the meeting added to my CH experience was a set of Irish gals that I met up with.  I was standing around in the pre-seminar chat and meet and network time as I usually do....feeling like a bit of a wallflower.  I realized I only had myself to blame for that so the next gal that walked past me was going to be greeted and I would begin a conversation.

The next gal to walk toward me was a six-foot lively Irish maid. Her name was Aedin Nic Chonchradha. (How's that for an authentic Irish name?) We hit it off right away and then four or five of her friends showed up and there was an instant party.  We were laughing and clearly the rambunctious group of the professional women gathering.

Aedin is in the red, and the artist is the gal with red hair.

One of the gals was having an opening for her art in a few days.  I was invited, but I had the commitment to the play across the country in Basel and did not make it to the opening.  Plans for future meetings and social events would surely have been set at the opening.  I will have to contact these gals and invite them to join me on a really fun event I have found on the Internet. (I apologize for not naming each of them at this time, but my notes are back in Kloten and I'm in Neuchatel at this time.)

Stay tuned as I either go by myself or talk a few friends into going with me, but I found this guy who conducts a walking Zurich Ghost Tour every Thur, Fri, or Sat night until mid October.  I will have to get busy and get plans made.  :)

Up to my usual mayhem in the kitchen

In preparation for a trip to Neuchatel this weekend, I spent a bit of time in the kitchen today.  Firstly, I had some bananas which were getting a bit brown and that always means....Banana Oatmeal Bread!!!  Yum!  I had my sister, Betty Ruth, go by my house and take a picture of the recipe which she then sent to me.

I went to two different stores to purchase all the ingredients.  The most troubling ones were brown sugar, baking soda, and baking powder.  At issue is the packaging--it's all in German, French, or Italian.  Not English.

I was rather pleased with myself when I got home because my landlord (who reads German) told me that the items I had purchased were the ones I needed except the sugar.  It wasn't "brown" sugar, it was brown RAW sugar.  I knew that, but the clerk in the grocery store was adamant that it was brown sugar.  And my ability to explain raw, unprocessed sugar to him didn't get us anywhere.  lol  Thankfully, my landlord had a box of brown sugar on hand and was willing to lend me a cup of sugar.  Rather neighborly.  :)

Banana bread got made and I cooked it a little bit under time....like Joe tells me he likes it when I make it.  It's slightly moist in the very center.  The outside edges are very nice and most of the loaf is normal.  It was accidental. I wasn't used to the oven and cooking in CH. Not bad for a first attempt.  :)

 The other item I made this morning was a big bowl of potato salad.  I have been invited to a housewarming BBQ and I offered to bring something.  The hostess suggested a salad and was excited when I offered traditional American potato salad.

It's mostly like I make, but the flavors are a little different.  Mayonnaise, pickles, mustard, etc. are slightly different tasting over here.  And, per my usual, I overcooked the potatoes so it's almost like a mashed potato salad....there are some chunks of potatoes, but some are broken down.  My family always eats it up and there's never any leftover, but I really wanted this potato salad to be great!  I will have to settle for "pleasing for a family gathering."

I should have known from her random cutting comment

One task I wanted to get done before heading to the festival and housewarming party was to get a haircut.  My hair was getting a little bushy and didn't curl into it's normal waves anymore due to its length.  Time for a trim.

I know that everything in Zurich is very expensive so I went to two different salons in the neighborhood to check out pricing.  The first one said it would be $57 for just a wash and cut.  Wow.  I went to a second salon.  They were happy to book me an appointment and the price for a wash and a cut at their salon was $84.  Yikes!!!  I skedaddled right out of that salon and was glad I had found the first one.  

Even better news....as I went to pay when the cut was completed, she announced that there is a welcome-to-the-salon discount for first time customers.  I only paid $37 instead of $57.  Nice.

Now the cut....

The hair stylist that was going to cut my hair is the one who had the best English in the salon.  She interviewed me about my haircut and I was able to show her a small film I had from my hair dresser in Arizona which I took so I could show it to someone in CH as I knew I'd be here long enough to need a haircut.

So I showed her the video and we talked.  She said she planned to leave this area long and that long... and ended by saying, "I'm always glad to cut the hair of someone whose hair is short, rather than long.  They are used to a shorter cut and don't get so upset if the cut is short."

How did I know this was some sort of ominous prediction for my future?

Yep, sure enough, when she got finished with her cut, fully half of my hair was on the floor.  There was practically more hair on the floor than there was now still on my head.  lol

Oh well, she was a cute gal and she gave me a $20 discount.  :)