Wednesday, January 26, 2011

I always feel like somebody is watching me....

At some point during my mission, someone read this article to me: The Germanic Stare Down (do read it, it is quite funny). I laughed so hard that I cried because, from my experience, it is so true! I can't even count how many times as a missionary we would sit down in a train and it felt like everyone on the train was staring at us. At the time, I thought maybe it was just the long dress and the name tag. Now I know better.

There is an older single lady who lives in our apartment building. Her windows face the street (which happens to be where all the trash and recycling bins are). She has lace curtains and plenty of time to look out the window.


Today, I was taking out the trash and recycling... Now, I'm not sure what part of that chore is interesting to watch.... Was it me struggling to get the bin open because it was frozen shut? Was it me lifting the box where we store all our paper to be recycled up over my head to dump it in the bin? Was it me trying to get all the recycling dumped before the lid snapped shut on its own (it does that sometimes)?


Whatever the reason, this neighbor watched me the whole time. When I glanced up at her window, there was a sudden movement and the lace curtains fell shut...... hmmmmm, yeah, like I'm going to somehow not notice that tell-tale sign that someone had been watching....


Somehow it seems like a game - watch until you get caught. I don't know. However my solution is that the next time I see her watching, I can just wave up at the window. I'm pretty sure that will catch her off gaurd :)
Now, to be fair, not all Germans are this way. The ones who are, usually have some reason for it...
(the photo is from the article "The German Stare Down")

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Robin - the Man behind the Mystery

People always ask "What does Robin do for work?" The answer I usually give is "Er ist Elektroniker für Gerät und Systeme" which usually leads to a reply of "huh?" (specially if they don't speak any German. So, what does Robin do at work all day? Here are the answers from Robin himself to solve the mystery.

Building Entrance

Erin: Robin, what did you do at work today?
Robin: Well, first I went to my desk to plan the day.

Robin's desk


Erin: Then what?
Robin: Well, then I took a nap.
Erin: What!?!??!
Robin: Ha, ha ha. I used the Laser machine to engrave information into a PCB (printed circuit board - if you don't know what a circuit board is, Google it). We engrave things like dates, serial numbers into them before we send them out to our customers. This helps us with quality control and to troubleshoot any issues in the future.

The laser machine. Much better than your common laser pointer. It works a lot like an ink jet printer... only it engraves. Laser envy anyone?

Erin: Cool, so you could engrave something on my fingernails?
Robin: Uh, just if you hold still.
Erin: Just kidding... so, what next? I see you have some pictures here of some other equipment....
Robin: Mostly, these machines are to configure, test, and adjust air flow sensors
Erin: Hi, I'm dumb.... what?
Robin: The air flow sensors will be used for paint-robotics in the automobile industry.
Erin: yup, still stupid. So, what about the next picture? Looks like more lasers.

Testing Equipment

Robin: Yes, this is a very expensive machine. It uses lasers and sensors to place tiny electronic components on PCBs. Basically, I program the computer to place each component in the right spot. Sometimes there can be hundreds of pieces and they must all be placed exactly. Once the machine is programmed, I just babysit it while it runs - I change out the boards when it finishes one, make sure it has enough to eat... I mean components to place, and just make sure it runs the way it was programed. Once the components are placed, we have a special machine that creates a lot of heat to fix the components in place. Then the PCBs are ready to used.

Tiny components being placed on a PCB.

Erin: Well Robin, that was all very interesting. Do you ever have time for lunch?
Robin: Why, yes I do. My nice wife even makes my lunch for me every day :)
Erin: Extra brownie points for her.
Robin: That pretty much explains the basics.
Erin: Thank you for explaining. I'm sure all our blog readers will enjoy it - all 4 of them.

Thank you for joining us today to learn more about Robin - the man behind the mystery.

Friday, January 21, 2011

Hello New Friend

The new computer is here!!! :) I am very, very (super-duper) excited. We ordered a Dell because we could get it with an English OS and Keyboard (which I really need. The German one is just not the same... they have a few extra keys, the Y and Z switch places, and a few other things which just make it hard for me to type!)

It isn't the fastest, coolest, all the bells and whistles computer, but it is what we need and what we could afford... and it is shiney.
Oh, and it has a the 10-key pad... and a HUGE screen... good sound (premium is how they described it)... and a clear picture (I never knew how unclear my other computer was until I got this one).


So what will we do with my old friend? First we are getting all the data off the hard drive. Then Robin is going to take it apart. I think he is pretty excited about that (maybe more excited for that than having a new computer...)

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

For the Birds!

Please excuse the plethora of seemingly similar pictures... I couldn't choose just one! I like them all. Several weeks ago, Robin brought home some bird food for me to put out on our balcony. After several attempts to get the bird food to stay where we put it, Robin came up with the idea of stringing a wire across the balcony and hanging the bird food on it. The food has not been missing since. We also get the added benifit of watching birds come eat the food. I especially like the birds because they are blue and yellow - my two favorite colors.

Two little birdies eating. One of the birds seems to always be upside down when he eats. I don't get it, but maybe he just digests better that way.

One trick the birds have is to eat some seed, and then spit some out. It's like they choose the seeds they like, and if they get one they don't like, they spit it on the ground. Nice birds, very nice.

One lone bird eating upside down


Three birds! One on the blue wall, one on the wire, one eating.

Two birds: one on the wall, one about to eat

One bird about to have a snack!

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Now, if only I had one of these at home

So, I have back problems... and have had for a while. That is another story, for this story we will talk about a trip to the doctor for my back problems. Robin and I went to see the doctor to see what could be done about my back. The doctor checked and could see that I was (really, really) out of alignment. He adjusted my back in a few places and told me that he wanted me to have a massage on his new WATER MASSAGER. He said it was expensive like a car (probably an Audi...). So I went to the machine - it was like a waterbed and it had jets of water used to massage. I got to spend 15 minutes getting a massage. I must say it wasn't too bad. Yeah for Germans and their love of wellness. Would I do it again? Sure. Would I recommend it to a friend? Sure. Now, if only I had one of these at home in my living room.......

Under the Earth

Last weekend, Erin and I (Robin) explored caves near where we live. The caves are called Tropfstein Höhle (or drop stone cave) . People around here really love and protect it. The cave was discovered in 1971 and has since become a UNESCO Geopark site. The stone formations in the cave are formed by water drops over hundreds of years (stalactite formations). In the pictures below, it looks like ice, but it is really stalactite (hard and smooth like rock... not that we touched it - that is against the rules :) ). (Oh! Taking pictures was also against the rules, but we asked after our tour and the tour guide said we could)

This form is called Wedding Cake because it looks a bit like a wedding cake. In real life, if you use your imagination, it even looks like there is a bride and groom on the top.

Proof that we really were there, not that we just stole these photos off the internet.

Check out the barbed-wire fence! This was serious barbed wire. You can only get into this cave with a guide, but some how there were people who broke off pieces of the stones and stole them! To solve the problem, the city put up barbed wire... since then there have been no pieces stolen.

I (Robin) was there too :)


~ Written by Robin (Erin helped)


Friday, January 14, 2011

Stephanotis

This is the plant that has flowers that make Erin happy. Not because they look special, but because the smell takes Erin back to Hawaii. The flowers are gone for now, but we hope for many more flowers in the spring.

We have been taking special care of this plant - we keep it cool and spray it with water. We read the plant needs that during it's dormant season to help it blossom later.

~ Written by Robin (and a little bit by Erin)

Monkey Bread - A Barnhart Tradition

What do you eat on Christmas morning?
The Barnhart family makes (and eats) Monkey bread. I (Robin) could delight in that tradtion this year... however, we had Monkey bread on New Years day.

Erin bakes it, Robin eats it. (Side note from Erin: I made the monkey bread and had a few pieces... I went to take a shower and when I came back, it was all gone. GONE. ALL OF IT! There is only one other person in our house, so I will let you guess WHO ate it.) Robin gives Monkey bread two thumbs up. He will be happy to eat it again.

For those who don't know what Monkey bread looks like, here is a recipe with a picture: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Quick-and-Easy-Monkey-Bread/Detail.aspx


~ Written by Robin (and Erin)

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

The loss of a friend

My laptop died - it was the motherboard.

I turned the computer on one morning, and it started up like normal, but a few moments later the processor processed one last time and the computer gave up the ghost.

We took it to a computer repair shop to see if anything could be done.

They told Robin the bad news. He told me. I asked if we could have a nice funeral for it... maybe buy it some flowers.

Silence on the phone.

"Erin.... it's a computer"

Oh! and here I was thinking it was my friend..... well, no funeral for Laptop then... We will save the funeral expenses and be buying a replacement sometime soon.... until then, Robin is sharing his computer with me.

Gingerbread Houses

We decorated Gingerbread Houses with the Pfarrkircher family on Christmas Day (1. Christmas). Tobi and Jessy made the one in the middle. Jörn and Gottfried made the one on the right. Robin and I made the one on the left (well, Robin actually did most of it, I was on the web cam with my family in the US).




Yes, I am posting this over two weeks after the fact because my computer decided to take a permanent holiday - it died.