Childhood memories Today during my lunch break I joined a colleague who wanted to buy a birthday present for her younger brother. We went to a shop where I saw some yo-yo’s with Super Mario print near the cash register. This immediately reminded me of my childhood. When I was a kid, there was a time when every kid had a yo-yo to play with. A special challenge was learning tricks with your yo-yo. For this there were special "Magic yo-yo's" in almost every imaginable colour to buy, even yo-yo’s which glowed in the dark. I think the yo-yo I had was “responsive”, which means the yo-yo comes up on its own. For advanced users there was/is also an "unresponsive" variant. With an unresponsive yo-yo you have to learn a trick to get the yo-yo up again, the so called "bind". Did you also play yo-yo when you were younger? I still remember that it was a lot of fun for me back then and I remember it with pleasure.

Guess who is looking for a new yoyo on Amazon now. :D

Downvotes of notebook entries Lately I have noticed that notebook entries which users write here to practice their language skills are voted down by other users. I don't understand why some people downvote (sometimes demanding) texts that are used for practice. The users often try hard to choose their texts and write about topics they are interested in. I think it's a pity that some posts get a thumbs down here.

What do you think?

The last days of Michelangelo I have tried to translate the German version of a poem by Michelangelo Bonarroti. Of course, there is also an original version in English, which hardly resembles mine. I just wanted to try it. "My life's course is now complete. After sea storms and on a shaky boat, in that port where, after our death, we stand up for everything we have ever done. And I recognize how with flattery delusion art was an idol to me, who commanded me, how this delusion blazed so wildly in me and how fragile human desire and plan. The dreams of love, cheerful, hollow and empty, as twofold death approaches me, what are they now? One death is surely prepared for me. Painting and chiselling does not help here any more, the soul wants to rest in God's love, which spreads its arms for us far on the cross."

These days... Today it’s a wonderful sunny day, I’m sitting in the office, the boss is on his way to Hamburg and I have absolutely nothing to do. I work on the 43th floor and have a beautiful sight over the city and the countryside around. When I’m watching out of the window I geht in the mood for going outside and enjoying the nice weather. Unfortunately I can’t go at this point. I don’t like them much, these days on which the time doesn't pass. I prefer to have a lot to do than nothing. Maybe you know that as well? These phases of running idle when you don’t know how to kill the time. Of course it would be nice to just be able to go home. But that is not possible. Anyway, a colleague and chief who is just a few years older than me just made me laugh cordially telling me proudly that he has learned on new years eve how to open a beer bottle with a knife. Now I have to look how to pass the time until knocking-off time in a meaningful way. I have asked some colleagues whether I can help someone with something. But nobody needs help at the moment. I was just wondering for a minute whether it would be very unapologetic to continue reading my book, but then I decided to practice some English. Most likely time passes faster this way, too. At least I hope so. After all, this also benefits my employer.

Adaption or own convictions? What everyone thinks is far from good. A new position in the company is filled. The new employee is expected to take up his or her position responsibly. It is assumed that he respects the past of the company, correctly assesses the present and considers future development. From the very first day, the new employee tries to establish a good relationship with his colleagues. He should advise and support them, but also - if necessary - correct them. Just a matter of course? Obviously not. The newcomer is of the mind that a current social trend is not sufficiently respected. He considers this trend to be good, but does not ask himself whether everything that is "in" is also good. Another warns against following this trend. His arguments are ultimately convincing. He is reluctant, but is listened to. The newcomer has to back down. Conviction instead of adaptation? Martin Luther King wrote in his last book: "I refuse to decide what is right by means of a gallup poll on the trend of time (...) I would rather be a man of conviction than a man of adaptation. Sometimes in life you develop a conviction that is so precious and significant that you insist on it to its end." Often many people react according to the motto: "Everybody does that". We oppose it: If someone in the situation has the courage to point out the consequences of a wrong decision and its negative effects, that is responsible. One may not immediately thank him for his intervention. But after some time, it goes without saying: "It was good that we did it like this! To remain silent, even if a negative development can be foreseen, is irresponsible and even cowardly. How much adaptation is healthy and when is it better to hold one's own convictions? An important question.

Grateful in every situation? It is good to be grateful. And there is always at least one good reason for it What am I actually thankful for? Right now and in my life as a whole? With this question I first have to think. My current life situation is not ideal for me - I've been feeling better. But at the end of the day we rich Europeans have every reason to be grateful. That's why I whine "at a high level", isn't it? The longer I think, the more unpleasant my ingratitude becomes. Many people in the world have to endure a hail of bombs. I sit comfortably in my apartment and slurp tea. And not just any. In the supermarket I trust, I can choose from a variety, so I will probably never try all varieties. If there is not something for my spoiled palate, I can alternatively order exotic products from distant countries on the Internet, which will be delivered to me comfortably after some time - I just have to get out of my armchair to open the door for the postman. Health insurance ensures that I don't get a 50,000 euro bill if an operation should become necessary. And even in case of unemployment nobody has to starve. The German state takes care of itself. I fall gently. Gratitude has fascinating effects Of course, a lot of other things come to my mind for which I can be thankful. But even as I write down these few points, I notice that something is happening inside me. No emotional explosion or anything. But somehow it lifts my mood. And that's not surprising, according to the latest research. Scientists have found that people who practice gratitude with the help of a diary, for example, have measurably more optimism. Physical symptoms such as headaches or muscle tension are reduced. They sleep better and rarely have to see a doctor. We are talking about a 25 percent increase in happiness levels!

Visiting Iceland It is a big dream of me to visit Iceland someday. I love the beauty of nature, enjoy being outdoors and find it totally interesting to discover new countries. Iceland has beautiful landscapes, is famous for its geysers, waterfalls and hot springs and I would love to experience the country in different seasons. Once in summer, when everything is blooming and green, and of course in winter. A special highlight would be to see the northern lights. Unfortunately I couldn't find anyone who would like to accompany me on such a trip. Most of my friends prefer to spend their holidays in warmer countries that are more popular for tourits. A lot of them like to have "beach holidays". Of course, I could travel alone. But I find that more boring than with someone else. I also have terrible fear of flying and don't know how I would survive a flight alone with someone holding my hand. By the way, I find the Icelandic language very interesting. Some words sound very cute. For example, a panda bear is called "Bambusbjörn" in Icelandic. A funny word. I like it.

"Lost" Talents I remember me drawing a lot when I was a young girl. I had talent and art was always my favourite subject at school. At home I sometimes spent hours drawing a picture. And the results were always very good. One day our art teacher in class asked us to draw our shoes. We had had sports lessons before, so I took my sports shoe, put it on the table and drew it as well as possible. I succeeded well because I got a very good mark on the picture. My mother was so enthusiastic about the picture that she had to proudly show it to everyone in the family. That was almost a little embarrassing for me. I was 11 or 12 years old at that time. Painting and drawing was then like a passion for me. When I was in the 9th grade, I painted a large mural of Harry Potter and the other characters of the story on the wall in a staircase of the school together with two classmates. Our work made it into the local newspaper. Today, when I sit down in peace and try to draw a picture, I have the feeling that I have forgotten everything. Unfortunately, I only draw very rarely because I lack the necessary peace and time in everyday life. I have often wondered whether one can lose former talents? But it's probably simply because you don't do a certain thing so often anymore and lose the exercise. I would like to have more time for it, but as an adult it is often not so easy to get everything under one roof. Maybe some of you know that too. By the way, I still have the picture of my sports shoe at home. :)