The Tyra Banks show, Walmarts, and of course, the family

Dallas has been a great getaway from cold and uptight Berlin. It's got wide-lanes, pickup trucks that have quirky bumperstickers (like one on a Ford F-150 depicting Calvin from Calvin and Hobbes peeing on a Dodge logo) and sometimes cool spray-paint art on the back window of the cab (like a picture of the same pickup truck at a rad sunset driving up a rocky hill to a virgin Mary statue). Totally Texas. I didn't realize how Texas Texas was until I came back. But then again, I feel totally at home, since, Texas is my home. Quite an alienating yet familiar experience.

Instead of the compact, efficient Lidl's (THE European grocery store), with suspiciously cheap and diverse items (the one next to my apartment was selling a 50 Euro guitar set across the aisle from the zucchini), Walmarts, with their strategically located "Supercenters," their "Everyday Low Prices," and their inimitable IT inventory and distribution system (do you believe it? Walmart uses satellites in outer space to gather and coordinate information!) occupy the main shopping venue in good 'ole North Texas. Instead of Lidl's requirement for shoppers to deposit a Euro to obtain a shopping cart, Walmart has people (it used to be nice old people) give out shopping carts and sometimes a smile. Anyway, I went their the other day and was amazed. I had the choice between two different types of broccoli (which looked exactly the same but were priced differently) and saw other people in the store checking out Armor All auto care supplies, Sunbeam bread cookers, contact lens solution, and women's lingerie - all in the same place! I was shocked! Oh, and it was really awesome to see Ben and Jerry's in their normal pints for $5.00.

Some things haven't surprised me about home. Of course, my parents still veg on the couch after work, watching VHS format Korean soap operas. It seems like it's always the same soap opera, just with different pretty Korean actresses and feminine actors - with the same kind of emotional piano music (the type with a lot of arpeggios and agreeable, but "this-music-can make-you-start-crying-any-minute" type music). Well, there were a few surprises. My parents sometimes fall asleep on the couch so that the video plays itself out, and the TV automatically resumes. I walked into the kitchen today and heard the Tyra Banks show on, and I assumed my parents had just fallen asleep long enough to let the video play out, but my dad, to my surprise, says something, and I look over to see him watching attentively to Tyra Banks talk about the new trend in mid-range necklace and jewelry for the shopping season. hahaha. what a funny guy.

Well, it's good to be home, but I've pretty much done all the fun things to do in Dallas - eat good food, watch movies, and drive around. There are a lot more things I could do here for fun, like go to the mall or eat more good food at different restaurants, but in sum, it's been pretty boring here. I might go to Houston over the weekend to visit the Yoons, so that'll be fun. Look forward to seeing Paul and Acacia!