Thursday, July 24, 2008

Cultural Exchange

In case you need some catching up, yesterday this site was crawling with German au pairs. It was an invasion, folks - think Paris in 1940. Except friendlier, of course. Lifestartsnow was kind enough to come back to the comments section and explain yesterday's influx of Krauts. (Ha, ha! Kidding! Just some American humor there! We're as funny as our refrigerators!)
on the au pair website i wrote that your fridge is a prime specimen for an all-american fridge. many future au pairs expect some ken and barbie life with picture perfect everything. well, any american fridge i saw looked like yours so my guess is that THIS IS AMERICA! right there, between the jars of salsa and the pickles and that strange empty space in the upper right corner of the door.

Well! I was honored! Yesterday I got to represent America! Me and my little blog!

And then I ambled by Lifestartsnow this evening and read a somewhat more complete explanation for the link:

...this is so american, really! everyone who goes abroad notices how big these [refrigerators] are and they are always, always, always full (unless the head of the house is on some sort of diet). and i strongly believe that you could live out of this thing for a very long time…until you get salmonella poisening or some other disease that makes you puke or poop. so american! so that’s the story. this is a very famous fridge by now, i tell ya!

So, now I'm just trying to figure out if it is the puking and pooping that is "so american!", or the salmonella poisoning.

And how did she know about the salmonella poisoning, anyway? I never told anybody.

But thanks, franzi, for all the visitors, and for the European perspective on American refrigerator habits! And if you're ever in the neighborhood, make sure to stop by - I'm sure there will be something to eat.

*********************

Amy won the opened jar of mayo yesterday for correctly identifying this post's title as coming from Ginsberg's poem "Howl." Would you believe she doesn't want the prize? I would offer it to Bia, who came in second, but she cheated by Googling the phrase. Tsk, tsk...

Which takes us to Ann, who came in third. Ann? Want some mayo?

But now I would like to know why no one mentioned the derivation of yesterday's post title. Can't I have a little appreciation for my creativity here? Slackers.

25 comments:

  1. At least you can read the source of your foreign hits. I'm getting loads from Italy (and some from France) because my sandpaper letters post was linked to by an Italian Montesssori-themed blogging mom. Mind you, I'm flattered, but I can't read a word of her blog. I wish I could. It looks interesting.

    ReplyDelete
  2. If there is a large decrease in German au pairs coming to the US, we will know who is to blame!

    ReplyDelete
  3. It's "water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink" but honestly I don't know where that's from. Melvill maybe? (I never read Moby Dick.) "Mutiny on the Bounty"? Now I'm curious.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I got a few hits from Azerbejan. I don't understand WHAT people there are searching to get sent my way... if you're tired of Germans, dump 'em off on me. I'm from German stock myself.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Perhaps you could ask the Krauts for a picture of THEIR fridge and impress your children with how good they've got it at your house, The Land of Good and Plenty. They would be so grateful!


    What's that? Stop laughing so hard, I can't hear what you're saying when you're wheezing and clutching your sides.

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousJuly 24, 2008

    That's so funny. My fridge has maybe 5 things in it right now. We use up everything, and I have it all worked out so that I run out of stuff the day before I go to the store. My freezer is quite full and I could definitely live out of it for some time, but it's all meat bought on sale. Otherwise we pretty much only eat fresh stuff, so our fridge gets a lot of flux.

    ReplyDelete
  7. AnonymousJuly 24, 2008

    Memarie,

    You work it out so you run out of food the day before you go shopping? I (sort of) do that, too! Hmm. Except I run out of things, procrastinate a few days, and then shop out of desperation (or wait another day and beg the Man to do the shopping). So I guess I "work it out," too, but presumably with less grace and planning than yourself!

    ~Autumn

    ReplyDelete
  8. The title of the post is a derivation of a line from the Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge (a very cool poem, by the way.)

    I'm glad you are our refrigerator ambassador to the world. Better you than I!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Rime of the Ancient Mariner, isn't it? Or Moby Dick...

    Maybe if I list every peom/novel about seafaring I'll win?

    Except this is a Miracle Whip house - NO Mayo shall disgrace my fridge!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I like the idea of seeing what's in a German fridge. It couldn't possibly have less in it than mine. I bought groceries yesterday and the thing is still mostly empty. I must be doing something wrong. . .

    ReplyDelete
  11. I was SO gonna say Rime of the Ancient Mariner, but I'd be lying. They didn't even have salsa in Coleridge's time.

    Wow, a famous fridge. I can't top that.

    ReplyDelete
  12. AnonymousJuly 24, 2008

    But Faith, I want to see your fridge too, and you know why . . .

    ReplyDelete
  13. AnonymousJuly 24, 2008

    You've gone global, lady. Embrace your international fame!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Ok...how does one get to be such a bloggy success that the folks come a' swarmin' in from other countries?

    Umm I am outta mayo. I'll take it if Ann isn't willing. :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. All my fridge has in it are 8 packages of Shrimp Curry Salad made by Neptune's Naturals b/c Costco is soon going to stop carrying it in place of their new Cheaspeake Salad. Why yes, the kids would be at their dad's this week....

    next week maybe I'll put real food in it!

    ReplyDelete
  16. The Mariners Rhyme, but he is talking about water, not salsa. Are you happy now? Do I get a prize? I didn't google it or read the comments ahead either.

    ReplyDelete
  17. We thought that one was way too easy; The Rime of the Ancient Mariner!

    My fridge is sad that it's not typically American enough for the Germans!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Your fridge has gone global-you rock.

    ReplyDelete
  19. they should see my nasty fridge. send them my way.

    ReplyDelete
  20. It's from something something Ancient Mariner, by somebody or other.

    All this time, I've been taking your cleverness for granted. I am deeply sorry.

    Which, now, I'd better learn to say in German.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Wow. Impressive diplomatic effort. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  22. LMAO!!! I won MAYO!!! I think you should donate it to a local science fair or something, don't you? In the interest of science? WAIT!! LET'S send it to GERMANY, to the au pair folks, so they can see a genuine American product that (by then) might contain something that causes poop and puke? WHAT SAY YOU?

    ReplyDelete
  23. You're SO global ;)

    You'll be shocked to see the tiny European fridges over here! And don't think we're skinnier here, because there is no room for leftovers in the fridges, we have to eat it all at once ;)

    ReplyDelete
  24. LOL..... you are international. WOOT. WOOT.

    ReplyDelete
  25. I can't believe that you are famous!!! Also they shouldn't generalize. Mine is empty and disgusting all at the same time. Should I post it as proof, to dispell any miconceptions.

    ReplyDelete