Archive for the ‘Thought of the Day’ Category

Not just another flower

Thursday, February 2nd, 2017

I will not be another flower, picked for my beauty and left to die. I will be wild, difficult to find and impossible to forget.

— Erin Van Vuren

Psychotria elate (Hot Lips Plant), not just another flower. www.walled-in-berlin.com

Psychotria elata (Hot Lips Plant), not just another flower, www.walled-in-berlin.com

 

Walled-In is my story of growing up in Berlin during the Cold War. Juxtaposing the events that engulfed Berlin during the Berlin Blockade, the Berlin Airlift, the Berlin Wall and Kennedy’s Berlin visit with the struggle against my equally insurmountable parental walls, Walled-In is about freedom vs. conformity, conflict vs. harmony, domination vs. submission, loyalty vs. betrayal.

For a sneak peek at the first 20+ pages of my memoir, Walled-In: A West Berlin Girl’s Journey to Freedom, click “Download a free excerpt” on my home page and feel free to follow my blog about anything German: historic and current events, people, places and food.

Walled-In is my story of growing up in Berlin during the Cold War. Juxtaposing the events that engulfed Berlin during the Berlin Blockade, the Berlin Airlift, the Berlin Wall and Kennedy’s Berlin visit with the struggle against my equally insurmountable parental walls, Walled-In is about freedom vs. conformity, conflict vs. harmony, domination vs. submission, loyalty vs. betrayal.

 

Flawed Human Character

Thursday, January 26th, 2017

Another flaw in the human character is that everyone wants to build and nobody wants to do maintenance.

— Kurt Vonnegut

 

For a sneak peek at the first 20+ pages of my memoir, Walled-In: A West Berlin Girl’s Journey to Freedom, click “Download a free excerpt” on my home page and feel free to follow my blog about anything German: historic or current events, people, places or food.

Walled-In is my story of growing up in Berlin during the Cold War. Juxtaposing the events that engulfed Berlin during the Berlin Blockade, the Berlin Airlift, the Berlin Wall and Kennedy’s Berlin visit with the struggle against my equally insurmountable parental walls, Walled-In is about freedom vs. conformity, conflict vs. harmony, domination vs. submission, loyalty vs. betrayal.

 

How to Handle Great Treasures

Thursday, January 19th, 2017

Some of our greatest treasures we place with curators in museums; others we take for walks.

— Roger Caras

 

The real treasures in our lives. Photo © J. Elke Ertle, 2013. www.walled-in-berlin.com

The real treasures in our lives. Photo © J. Elke Ertle, 2013. www.walled-in-berlin.com

 

For a sneak peek at the first 20+ pages of my memoir, “Walled-In: A West Berlin Girl’s Journey to Freedom,” click “Download a free excerpt” on the home page of http://www.walled-in-berlin.com

Open a Door to Allow in more Light

Thursday, January 12th, 2017

 

Whenever you read a good book, somewhere in the world a door opens to allow in more light.

– Vera Nazarian

 

Open a door to allow in more light. Photo © J. Elke Ertle, 2013. www.walled-in-berlin.com

Open a door to allow in more light. Photo © J. Elke Ertle, 2013. www.walled-in-berlin.com

 

For a sneak peek at the first 20+ pages of my memoir, “Walled-In: A West Berlin Girl’s Journey to Freedom,” click “Download a free excerpt” on the home page of http://www.walled-in-berlin.com

 

Seeing with new eyes

Thursday, January 5th, 2017

 

The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.

–Marcel Proost

 

Seeing the World with New Eyes, photo © J. Elke Ertle, 2014, www.walled-in-berlin.com

Seeing the World with New Eyes, photo © J. Elke Ertle, 2014, www.walled-in-berlin.com

 

It Takes Attitude

Thursday, December 29th, 2016

Attitude is a little thing that makes a BIG difference.

— Sir Winston Churchill

 

That's attitude! www.walled-in-berlin.com

That’s attitude! www.walled-in-berlin.com

 

For a sneak peek at the first 20+ pages of my memoir, “Walled-In: A West Berlin Girl’s Journey to Freedom,” click “Download a free excerpt” on the home page of http://www.walled-in-berlin.com

 

Age can be a good thing

Thursday, December 22nd, 2016

Age appears to be best in three things: old wood to burn, old wine to drink and old friends to trust.

— Anonymous

 

For a sneak peek at the first 20+ pages of my memoir, “Walled-In: A West Berlin Girl’s Journey to Freedom,” click “Download a free excerpt” on the home page of http://www.walled-in-berlin.com

Life is what we make it

Thursday, December 15th, 2016

So goes the saying, but according to Tehyi Hsieh

“Life is partly what we make it and partly what is made by the friends whom we choose.”

 

For a sneak peek at the first 20+ pages of my memoir, Walled-In: A West Berlin Girl’s Journey to Freedom, click “Download a free excerpt” on my home page and feel free to follow my blog about anything German: historic or current events, people, places or food.

Walled-In is my story of growing up in Berlin during the Cold War. Juxtaposing the events that engulfed Berlin during the Berlin Blockade, the Berlin Airlift, the Berlin Wall and Kennedy’s Berlin visit with the struggle against my equally insurmountable parental walls, Walled-In is about freedom vs. conformity, conflict vs. harmony, domination vs. submission, loyalty vs. betrayal.

 

The Shortest Words

Thursday, December 8th, 2016

The shortest words, like yes and no, require the most thought.

— Pythagoras

 

For a sneak peek at the first 20+ pages of my memoir, “Walled-In: A West Berlin Girl’s Journey to Freedom,” click “Download a free excerpt” on the home page of http://www.walled-in-berlin.com

To Hear the Truth

Thursday, December 1st, 2016

Sometimes people don’t want to hear the truth because they don’t want their illusions destroyed.

–Friedrich Nietzsche

 

For a sneak peek at the first 20+ pages of my memoir, “Walled-In: A West Berlin Girl’s Journey to Freedom,” click “Download a free excerpt” on the home page of http://www.walled-in-berlin.com