photo credit: @happpyal via Unsplash
Today I’ll be answering a bunch of random questions. If anyone else has more questions, you can submit them here.
From Engie:
How much do you hate Donald Trump? Okay, fine, you don’t have to answer that, but what are your feelings about getting American citizenship these days?
OFF THE SCALE, to answer your first question. My thoughts on obtaining American citizenship are a bit complicated these days. I don’t regret getting it, but it has been difficult to feel patriotic about a country that I chose to make my home, which has been going down such a dangerous path. I don’t feel that the current administration represents me (or even wants to represent me, how f**ked up is that?). I am also very, very thankful that I was able to keep my German citizenship. Not that I would have given that up, if dual citizenship hadn’t been an option, but I have to admit that it’s a good feeling to have a place to escape to as a backup option.
From Chris:
What are you doing in your free time while furloughed?
Well, I am no longer furloughed (hallelujah). I kind of accidentally answered this question in a post last week, but I will recap. The first two weeks were a vacation for me, sort of, when my parents were here, and it was really good for my soul. I cannot tell you what I’ve done with my “free” time during the last four weeks. That is a blur. It’s not that I haven’t kept myself busy. I worked out, I baked, and puttered around the house, and the last couple of weeks, I blogged and read blogs like it’s my job, but I cannot point to anything really productive. I didn’t take any classes, finish a home project, or pick up a new hobby. Mentally, I felt distracted a lot, nothing felt right, and I just didn’t have the brain capacity for anything really productive.
Is your husband a furloughed worker too?
No, thankfully, he was not.
From Sarah:
What’s your favorite “typical” American food, and your least favorite, and has it changed over time?
I really enjoy a good burger. I don’t have it very often, but it’s very delicious if done right. My least favorite is probably donuts (gasp!). They’re just too sweet for me, like most American pastries. European baked goods are generally much less sugary, and my palate refuses to adapt.
I don’t think my taste has changed much over time, but one thing I didn’t like but have grown to also love on occasion is deep-dish pizza. I always said that thin-crust, Neapolitan-style pizza is my favorite, which it still is, but I can also appreciate a deep-dish pizza now.
I am doing NaBloPoMo this month. 30 blog posts in 30 days. Come join me. #nablopomo2025 Happy writing!
J
November 15, 2025 at 9:00 pmI’m not thrilled about my American Citizenship these days, to be honest. Trying to take the mindset of “I will claim it and protect it and save my country” but it’s hard sometimes.
I’ve never been furloughed, but I’ve been laid off, and I LOVED not working, but HATED the stress. I was out of work for about 5 months in 2009, and I still had to get up and get my daughter to school and walk our dog and cook, so I was never bored. But of course the stress of not knowing when I would work again, would get paid again, SUCKED.
Will you get back pay for the time you were furloughed? I HOPE SO, because that’s some BS otherwise. Of course, our government is a lot of BS.
I agree, I like less sweet desserts. Where are you on Indian desserts? They are even sweeter than US desserts. I love a good European dessert. When Mulder died, my Polish neighbors brought us a really delicious cake, and I was amazed at how good it was but not too sweet.
Tobia | craftaliciousme
November 16, 2025 at 12:06 amA good burger is just amazing.
I agree with the sugar thing. Everything so sweet. I had my issues with that.
I can only imagine the complicated feelings of US citizenship these days.
Martha
November 16, 2025 at 5:33 amThis was fun! I can’t stand the orange one, I don’t even like to speak his name, it just makes me sick. I feel the exact same way about pizza. Have a nice Sunday San.
Lindsay
November 16, 2025 at 5:43 amI’m so glad you’re not furloughed anymore, but so sorry that it happened. One of my closest friends was furloughed, as well, and it was so stressful. Also, such a great point on the sweetness of most American desserts; those aren’t my jam either – to the point my family still tells a story of me putting salt on a piece of cake in a restaurant as a 4 year old, haha!
Ernie
November 16, 2025 at 6:34 amI’m so glad the government shut down is over, and I sure hope you get back pay. Interesting about our desserts/pastries being too sweet. I’m a sweet tooth, so I’m here for it. I laughed at Martha’s use of ‘the orange one.’ These were good questions.
Nicole MacPherson
November 16, 2025 at 6:42 amI am SO glad you have dual citizenship.
I don’t really like doughnuts either. If there was literally nothing else to eat and I was starving, I’d eat one. But I’d never choose one.
Birchie
November 16, 2025 at 6:59 amI’m not having a problem filling my days since I stopped working. I can’t even find time to blog! With that said, I’m glad that you’re back to work.
I have a very strong sweet tooth, but I’m with you on donuts. They’re just not interesting enough to be worth it.
Sam
November 16, 2025 at 7:16 amI actually love donuts. They are incredibly sweet, and I still love them as an occasional treat. I do think the quality varies a lot though, so it has to be good! We’ve recently been on a pizza making spree and have been enjoying making deep dish pizzas since they are a little easier and less messy to make than how we made the more traditional variety. I can totally see how it would be hard to fill your time purposefully while furloughed–uncertainty is so, so tough.
Suzanne
November 16, 2025 at 7:43 amI love a good burger! And good pizza, whatever the crust thickness.
Your furlough time sounds plenty productive to me. It seems to me like more of a survival thing than a time to be Doing Things — kind of like the lockdown days of the pandemic. Some people were able to do amazing things with that time, but some people (like me) just had to do what we could to get through it, and I think both methods are valid. I’m really glad you are back to work!
SHU
November 16, 2025 at 9:18 amI’m so glad your furlough is over! I have been furloughed exactly once (during covid when we were mostly telehealth) and ended up starting BLP Podcast during that weird time (needed a non medical, non – covid-y outlet).
also, i pretty much enjoy ALL pizza. fancy, non fancy, thin, thick, Detroit, Chicago, NY style, euro style thin crust – it’s all so good. Ha!
Lisa’s Yarns
November 16, 2025 at 4:43 pmI don’t love donuts. It would be hard to find a good GF one so it’s good that it’s something I don’t love. My boys love them, though. That’s what we will serve for Taco’s 5th bday. They are quite a crowd pleaser and pretty inexpensive.
I don’t feel great about being an American these days. I’d love to hear what you think about the political landscape in Germany, too. It seems like the far right party is gaining popularity there, too. But hopefully Germans are smart enough to avoid electing someone like DJT.
Michelle G.
November 17, 2025 at 8:47 amI feel like I can love being American AND despise and oppose what is happening right now. I suppose that’s why I’m so sad – the country I love is being torn apart by an idiot. I have always thought donuts were disappointing. They look so pretty with their frosting and sprinkles, but they taste so greasy and sickly sweet!
Jenny
November 17, 2025 at 4:34 pmYes, one of the most disturbing things about the orange one (and his followers) is that if you don’t agree with him and his policies, you don’t count for anything. He’s only interested in representing his own people. How is that American?
Glad you are back to work!
Allison McCaskill
November 18, 2025 at 9:40 amIt’s not surprising that your time not working was a blur – if you have no idea of the end date and are not happy with the reason for no work it would be almost impossible to be anything less than anxious.
Doughnuts are a weird thing for me – every once in a while I really want one (only a really good one), and the rest of the time they sound kind of greasy and gross to me.
Stephany
November 19, 2025 at 4:54 pmYes to a good burger! I agree. A good one cannot be understated.
The thing I notice the most when I travel to Europe is how less sweet things are. Even Starbucks drink that you THINK would be super sweet are not.
I’m not much of a doughnut person, either, so I get it!
Anne
December 7, 2025 at 12:06 pmI love not-sweet things, so maybe I should move to Europe. (ANYWHERE but here, omg…) And you know I agree wholeheartedly with your political views. Sigh. I am glad you have a way out. I just wish I had the same. (Who knew “dual citizenship envy” would become A Thing?)