“We judge a person in less than the first two minutes of an encounter based on their appearance and behavior,” body language specialist Renate Mousseux says. “65 percent of our communication comes across in nonverbal expressions.” That’s significant.
Renate, my friend from nearby Fountain Hills, is unstoppable. Not only because she drives a Jaguar. She has achieved outstanding honors in foreign language (French, German) education. After her retirement from a busy high school and college teaching career, she ventured into BodyLanguage4Success.
Renate, or as she likes to be called “Renatle” in the Freiburg dialect, has commented close to 50 times on presidential speeches, criminal cases, and witness depositions at Arizona TV stations. She has read every book about body language that she could get her hands on. Now she delivers highly involving seminars to professional or social groups. Here is her take on Hillary Clinton for a Phoenix TV program:
And here is her piece on Trump:
Renate reads through the body language. She has eyes in the back of her head, her students discovered. “I could tell from far if anyone in class was cheating or not,” Renate says. “They called me Eagle Eyes.” Since she was a child, she liked to observe and imitate people. In college, she put funny mime acts on stage. Consciously or not, we all do it and read it—ever so sublimely.
“Body language doesn’t lie, especially not in the long run,” she says. She keeps the humor light and on its feet. When she models the stances, gestures, and facial expressions at a seminar, she draws the audience into some real life situations.
I have seen Renate in action many times. Her gigs are definitely charming and entertaining. She means every word she says. How is your handshake? Let’s see. She can give you good advice for an excellent first impression.
“Well, Schätzle, when you are with me, you don’t need to do this,” she tells me and gently pulls my hands from my hips. She caught me again. Hands on hips means a defensive attitude. Honestly, I didn’t mean to. Do I have to investigate my subconscious now?
Also beware of crossed legs, arms behind back, or someone stroking their chin. There is an explanation to everything, but one odd behavior alone does not make a “criminal.” I learned these features from Renate while taking notes for her book. We have been working on her life story, Renatle, A Mosaic of Life, for some time. Later this fall it will be ready for the launch.
Renate’s life story is an incredible adventure. She married into a Hollywood disaster, was down and out, and overcame some terrible blows. Yet she always stayed positive. Her turbulent story, a roller coaster of curve balls, will be available on Amazon soon.
Recently, her hometown paper, the Badische Zeitung published a write-up about her activities. CLICK on image.
“We always have to see the whole picture of a person and not judge them by a single feature,” Renate says. She has, among others, volunteered her skills for Find Me, a worldwide network of psychics working on missing person investigations.
Body language is active twenty-four hours a day. In company with people, you use body language as much as the other one. In fact, some 800 body language signals are emitted within a thirty minute conversation.
An Fräulein Anna Waldmann, Schmiedmeisterstochter
In Schönegg, Post Dietramszell, Oberbayern
Am 2. April 1917
Liebe Base! Die besten Grüße aus dem Lazarett sendet Dein lb. Vetter Seb. Disl . Zt. Festungslazarett II, Reliktenheim I, Saal I, Warschau
Viel Grüße auch an Eltern und Pumperer Zilly
To Miss Anna Waldmann, Master-Smith’s Daughter At Schönegg, Postmaster Dietramszell, Upper Bavaria
April 2, 1917
Dear Cousin! Fondest regards from the sickbay sends you your dear Cousin Seb. Disl. At this time from the Fortress Sickbay II, Infirmary 1, Room 1, Warsaw Many regards also to your parents and Zilly Pumperer
This is a postcard from World War I. One day I rediscovered my grandmother’s correspondence. MIND YOU: The man lies in a “Lazarett”, no telling what his wounds. I don’t think the generals would have excused him for the flu. And there he sends “best greetings.” Never mind, he was still alive. That was the important message in all postcards from the war.
Mighty Old Postcards
Growing up, I used to think, “Wow, these cards are really ancient!” I kept them together like they were, in an old tin can for tea, ever since I crossed over to the American continent. Now these postcards from the war are even more ancient. The older I get, however, the more these relics seem like yesterday. 100 years is not a long time. 100 years ago from 2016, I would have been in the middle of a World War like both of my grandmothers.
Anyway, my grandmother Anna seemed to have had galore of boyfriends, judging by the stack of postcards she received from soldiers. The pictures from the front lines were newsworthy and showed captured cannons, bombarded churches and all kind of technology of war. The backside contained brief pencil greetings, no complaints whatsoever. Everything always seemed to be good with the troops.
Mail from the Frontlines
My grandmother wrote many letters to the front lines and encouraged the “homeboys” who she grew up with. Her two brothers were drafted as well. Oma kept the postcards from the field in a neat stack, which are my treasure now. Writing to soldiers in Word War I was like sending care packages to Iraq and Afghanistan. I always wonder, did these young men come home to tell their stories? Did they perish in the trenches? St. Mihiel was near the Siegfried Line.
Erich Maria Remarque was born the same year (1898) as my grandmother. He went to war too, was wounded and wrote a book about his experiences: All Quiet on the Western Front. It wasn’t usually quiet for very long. The grenades hit with awful blasts. My grandfather never talked much about the war action. He served in the cavalry on the western front. After he returned unscathed, he had a cross made out of grenade shrapnel that he collected in the field. A token of thanks to the maker of us all.
I don’t have any postcards from World War II. But I heard from a German lady I just recently interviewed that she, at the time an art student, was also expected to send letters of encouragement to soldiers in the field.
Let’s hope we will never need any more postcards like these.
Geschrieben den 29. 5. 18
Will Dir kurz mitteilen, dass ich in Frankreich bin, geht mir bis jetzt ganz gut, und bin gesund, was ich von Dir sehe. Auf baldiges Wiedersehen, grüßt Dich Josef Lämmler
Josef Lämmler, Feld Rekruten Kompy. 4a
2. bayr. Inf. Division
Written on May 29, 1918
I just want to briefly let you know that I am in France. Until now I am doing rather well, and I am healthy, which also seems to be the case with you. Looking forward to seeing you again soon. Many greetings, Josef Lämmler
Josef Lämmler, Field Recruiting Company 4a
2. Bavarian Infantry Division
12. Juni 1918
Werthe Nanni! Komme heute endlich dazu, Dir zu schreiben. Bin noch gesund und guter Dinge und mit meinem allgemeinen Leben zufrieden. Seid ihr wohl schon fest an der Landarbeit. Wo ist dein Bruder Kaspar? Hoffe immer auf Glück und freu mich auf ein frohes Wiedersehen. Freundlichen Gruß sendet Franzi
June 12, 1918
Dearest Nanni! Finally I managed today to write to you. I am still healthy and in good spirits and content with the general circumstances of my life. I assume that you are already working hard in the farm fields. Where is your brother Kaspar? I am always hoping for luck and am looking forward to a happy reunion. Sending fond regards, Franzi
Let’s not deal with politics but character—A case study
Horoscopes and psychic methods are fun toys. I like to read my daily or weekly predictions, calculate my “daily number,” or watch out for the typical omens, such as a black cat. On the left, the Tyrolean Numbers, my newest discovery. Let’s do the wheel on Trump after I explain the basics.
Oooh, yeah, numerology. When I am having a really “interesting” day, I calculate my daily number to see if I should have expected everything to go wrong. Definitely. Everybody has his or her own pet peeves or superstitions. Unfortunately, I never made it far enough to calculate my ascendents, descendents, transcendents, or, for that matter, houses and angles, and the planets orchestrated therein. I am so failing as an astrologer. Astro-logic? Maybe there is no logic, but I find this sort of intelligence enticing.
Now, here we go again. I “discovered” the Tyrolean Wheel of Numbers. “Das Tiroler Zahlenrad” by Johanna Paungger and Thomas Poppe (Graefe Unzer Verlag). Based on a person’s birthdate numbers, this easy-to-remember method provides an analysis of personality, character, and talents. Johanna Paungger collected this traditional tool for healing and decision making from her childhood experience. She grew up in a small mountain community with little money but a lot of folk wisdom. The English version of her book is available from Simon & Schuster.
I have used the Tyrolean Numbers on the analysis of friends and family members and was perplexed how well it struck a chord each time. All you need is a person’s birthdate. What is it good for? It can be a decision help in childrearing, partnership, or business deals. It helps you think about people you are dealing with.
The Tyrolean Wheel of Numbers has five pairs of numbers and five colors. The numbers of a birthdate are entered in the wheel by color designation (see below); zeros are only entered as parts of double digits (10, 20, 30 etc.); years are only counted as the last two digits (zeros ignored in, for example, 2003 = 3)
North: 1 & 6, color blue = intellect, creativity, new inventions, sensibility, analytical capacity; water is on the move and finds its way; looking beyond the current horizon; professions are journalists, scientist, pioneer, or diplomat; negative: may feel lonely, bored or anxious; easily offended; may show attitudes and power lust
East: 3 & 8, color green = compassionate clarity, diplomatic and pedagogical, shows musical and “green” talents, caring, harmonious, generous, hopeful; great success in healing and agricultural professions; negative: can be pedantic, meddling, nosey; stubborn regardless of consequences; wasteful; may give too much (depletion)
South: 2 & 7, color red = passion and temperament; charismatic and entertaining; early risers, talented dancers, enthusiasm; inspiring and motivating; great problem solvers; tend to gather awards and recognitions (public life); professions are in religion, show business, philosophy, art; negative: can be despotic, arrogant, tight wad, extravagant, exaggerating, overly dramatic, or depleting him/herself
West: 4 & 6, color white = business acumen, well versed with money, rational, reliable, enduring; talented in the crafts; driven for success; critical and ambitious; keeps up relationships well; professions are builder, mechanic, pilot, lawyer, inventor, merchant/business; negative: contradictory, pedantic & petty; materialistic, corruptible, destructive; egocentric and power hungry; manipulative; critical to others, but easily offended himself
Middle: 5 & 0, color yellow = centered character, reliable and self-reliant, trustworthy, deep spirituality, rooted in traditions, taking care of people; born as natural helper; enduring; professions: farming, forestry, geologist, mother, (sincere) merchant; negative: spendthrift and wasteful; brooding in deep thought; tolerating too much without protest; detached from reality.
Let’s do the Tyrolean numbers, for example, on D Trump, born June 14, 1946. As you can see, we filled all the numbers into the blue and the white areas. The green, red, and yellow talents and personality traits do not factor. Disclaimer: the “missing” areas don’t mean that the person entirely lacks these capabilities; he/she can also work on developing the missing traits to complete all areas. It will take conscious effort to balance every personality.
Now let’s ask the colors. Is this person creative and a “starter”? Yep. Does he come out “reborn” after sinking the Trump Mahal? Definitely. Is he a visionary? In business, all right, to his own pocket’s advantage. Is he clear in speech? Might seem so, but too simple. Is he good in business? Duh. Is he a good builder? Right, he does real estate for a living.
Other questions: Is he a good boss? Well, yeah, if you suck up to his vanity or like to be fired, because the corporation (so human???) is always right. Does he like sharing? Are you kidding me, he wouldn’t have come this far if he did. What about love and passion? Move that over to the “white” business side (for money, yes). But he takes care of kids and exes from his empire by making them CEOs in his enterprises.
And here comes the “middle.” It’s not there. This person might create constant fuzz and buzz and wealth just to make sure he confirms through bank accounts and the mirror effects and adulation through indentured servants, and the media he buys—that he EXISTS. He is NEEDY for attention and extremely smart. A dangerous combination.
Now go, Donald, develop your better sides. You have a lot of work to do. Stay cool, stay in business. Stay out of government.
Someone is playing the (sorcerer’s) Apprentice game. He wants to win at all cost.
He knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.
He manipulates the “judges” (voters) at all cost. But this is not a game.
He brings out the worst in all of us.
Donald, you are so fired in my book! Stop selling the constitution back to people who wrote it in the first place.
Harry Rusk was introduced into the Country Music Hall of Fame by Bob Everhart at LeMars in 2015.
Harry Rusk is a widely known country music artist and Nashville performer from Alberta, Canada. He is a Native American from the Slavey tribe, born at Fort Nelson, British Columbia. In his autobiography “Beyond the Bend of the River,” Harry wrote down his painfully honest and sometimes heartbreaking life story of discrimination and survival. He is one of the very few people remaining who grew up in the traditional trapping lifestyle of the Pacific Northwest.
In his youth Harry suffered from tuberculosis and was hospitalized at total bedrest for four years. Both his parents and brother perished from TB. Through all the early tribulations, the country singer who got inspired by old-time star Hank Snow, cherished any small kindness given to him as a great treasure. He was not fond of the heartless Catholic missionaries, who almost refused to give his mother a Christian burial. Then, in 1975, Harry found Jesus. Since then he uses his musical talent for his ministry. But I haven’t gotten that far in his book yet. I have enjoyed one page after another of insights into a much varied life of self-determination.
Because I just went to the Unlimited Potential graduation party, and I saw that the programs are effective and have changed lives. Ask Maria Angeles (below).
I don’t ever want to miss Unlimited Potential’s End-of-the-Year Celebration. Why? I have never seen any happier people than at that party. The sweet taste of learning success produces grand smiles on these graduates’ faces. More than sixty women and men, and about 20 preschool children, rejoiced in their education awards.
Brooks’ School’s multipurpose room teemed with festively dressed graduates and their families. They were not the typical students—poverty-level moms, day-laborer fathers, or low-income Latinos from many walks—but they stuck through one year of English and Life Skills instructions.
For the happy occasion, the women had chosen to color-coordinate their outfits: The first-year students dressed in teal tops and black bottoms, the second-year class in blue tops, and the evening students in all-black. The littlest of the Unlimited Potential program wore costumes in yellow, like little chicks just hatched. Performing their songs, rhymes, and dances, they stole everybody’s heart.
This celebration was a concerted effort. Participants had put their planning and cooking skills together and provided all of the catering themselves. Enchiladas, posole, rice, you name it, this party stimulated the senses with tasty aromas.
Sandra Amarillas, the first-year teacher, shared: Daytime classes had excellent attendance, but evening course students struggled after a hard day’s work. Struggles are surrounding many of these participants: making ends meet, at a loss about children’s school progress, rejection on the job quest, medical challenges, and many other obstacles. Yet Unlimited Potential’s equal opportunity education, support, and resources were an invaluable experience to them. As in previous years, participants were seriously committed and eager to learn.
What does Unlimited Potential do, what does it mean? Education is a basic human right, but too many individuals are excluded from this privilege. So UP’s program reaches out to a segment of the working-poor, predominantly Latino population in Phoenix to provide them access to knowledge and life skills.
It takes a whole village to raise a child. Yes, but it also takes parents with a keen awareness about how to guide their children to build a better future for themselves and all of us. Education makes individuals more productive and societies better.
“Thank you, thank you, for helping my mom!” a man spontaneously addressed me. He came up to me because he noticed that I was taking my volunteer photographer pictures. It felt good to be thanked, but I said, “Not me, thank these teachers here. They made it all happen.”
The man dressed in a guyabera shirt was Ivan Valdez. “My mom learned English so well and many other things. She was able to get a job. She is now working in manufacturing.” Maria Angeles felt very accomplished about her change in life.
Women Progress from Survival English to Self-Reliance
Everybody has a favorite charity. Mine is Unlimited Potential, a grassroots adult literacy and ESL program for the working poor in Phoenix. The teachers there perform little miracles every day, and not a penny is wasted. Nonetheless, UP is struggling and can use help of any kind. For the 2014 fall semester UP needs dictionaries and workbooks. Please buy one on GoFundMe! Thank you!
Lidia, a program participant, brought me tamales one day, made from her special recipe con chiles y chocolate. (She was simply too nice, I might have mentioned my appetite—they were ricissimo.) In her tiny village Arroyo Tomate in Oaxaca, Mexico, Lidia grew up with 7 siblings and other family members in a rackety shack. There was no running water, the roof was leaking, and grocery shopping was a daytrip on foot to the nearest town. After she joined her husband in Phoenix, she felt helpless and alone. She spoke barely any Spanish—only her native Chinanteco—but she eagerly absorbed every new English word in Sandra’s class at UP. Lidia was a beaming lighthouse of gratitude.
What a story! Only one of many. Most of the participants at UP come from a day laborer background and can barely afford medical care or school supplies. At UP these immigrant women learn their daily ABCs, while their toddlers and preschoolers follow their own structured programs. They want to improve their families’ lives.
Every time I visit a UP class, the passion and eagerness for learning is palpable. Profesora Sandra, who sat in a student chair herself some years ago, teaches survival English in her class via practical lessons about libraries, public transportation, parenting, nutrition and healthcare, talking with doctors and teachers, and community resources. So the women experience, “I am not alone any more.” The companionship at UP boosts their self-confidence. In the second year, Monica Garcia solidifies the basic skills with role-play scenarios to practice speech, grammar, civics and real life communication.
Stop here, we—you and I—really had it good. We could rely on a lot of resources, help, education, and chances in our upbringing and professional track. So I thought I should share my education in publishing to put together newsletters and a website. That was about eight years ago. The women at Unlimited Potential have always impressed me. They are struggling, they have little education, they speak in broken English, but they seem grateful and undaunted. They are bravely learning to navigate American society. Here are several more reasons why Unlimited Potential has stuck on me.
UP means “Unlimited Potential.” It also means “up.” Given the opportunity of education, anybody may flourish into an excellent person if they work hard. UP’s alumni have raised their families well, started businesses, and gone to college.
UP’s founder, Jeanne Devine, impressed me with her boundless humanitarian spirit. She raised the UP programs courageously from a group of mothers surrounding their children’s Head Start program. The current Director, Lorraine Moya Salas PhD, is just as passionate a woman warrior.
UP promotes education. Education is the best form of charity because it breaks the cycle of dependence. “Don’t give people a fish, but teach them how to fish.”
UP is empowering women. As the husbands must chase after work, the family’s wellbeing and education rests in the women’s hands. I believe all women/mothers are nation builders, never getting enough credit.
UP puts immigrants on the road to success. When you are new to a culture and society, you have to relearn everything: rules and laws, shopping, doctors, business opportunities, and community life. Immigrants have to work twice as hard.
UP’s programs are in high demand. There is a 3-year waiting list for the core classes, and people who land a spot stay throughout the two years (85% retention rate). Many go on to GED exams and some continue in community colleges.
UP’s teachers are great success stories. First-year-teacher Sandra, as well as children’s teachers Maria, Graciela, and Irene are graduates of the program.
UP makes me feel happy and enriched after visiting there. The women are so inspiring in their quest for learning and improvement. I rediscover gratitude for what I have and know. I return enriched with motivation.
UP is a small organization—no overhead, where everybody matters a great deal, and no pencils are wasted. “Where everybody knows your name.”
UP makes me dream bigger to share more education. My next big dream: raise 100k per year to have 2 teacher salaries covered.
For now, it’s books for learning. If you would like to support UP’s program, buy a dictionary or workbook through Go Fund Me. Thank you for listening!
Teatime in India has its special ceremonies. Spiced tea, “chai,” is boiled, not brewed. Every family infuses its favorite aromas and has a protocol for making it.
My favorite cup of chai with milk cake
Chai has sometimes brought me back from the dead. No matter how tired I was from jetlag, this hot cup of brew revitalized me every time.
Chai time on the Indian continent is a time for bonding and celebration. Three Cups of Tea is the title of a book by Greg Mortenson about building schools in rural Afghanistan. Tea, in the predominantly illiterate society, had contractual power.
In the British movie comedy, East Is East, with Om Puri as strict Pakistani patriarch, tea plays an important role during marriage negotiations and fish & chip store breaks. The head of the family likes to show moderation by asking for “half a cup.”
My favorite spices in the chai
An Indian joke goes that if the lady of the house offers you “another cup of tea”, it is time to leave the party. However, hospitality usually overrules the ticking of the clock. So you might as well accept.
If somebody in India offers to make tea for you, their special kind, they want to spend time with you. Their cup of tea shows that they love you very much. So just sit back and enjoy.
For the longest time, I did not make chai. Why not? Simple. I wanted people to shower affection on me by making me a cup of love. But I also feared I’d make mistakes. Now since I learnt how, let me share some love with you.
Chai’s aromatic spices: cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, anis, peppercorn, star anise—and perhaps a mystery pinch of something else. Let’s make two mugs of chai. Here is how we proceed:
Measure 2 cups of water and set it to boil in saucepan. (It helps if the saucepan has beakers for pouring. Use a pan that is at least twice the quantity of tea.)
Add 2 crushed cardamom seeds, 1 inch cinnamon, one slice ginger, 1 clove, 5 anise seeds, maybe a pinch of black pepper—as the water heats up.
Add 2 tsp Taj Mahal tea leaves and 2 tsp sugar. Let this come to a boil.
Finally, add ¾ cup of milk and bring the chai twice to a boil again. WATCH IT! The milk might make the chai spill out. Lift the saucepan from the heating element before this happens, or lightly blow the foam down.
First the spices
then the tea leaves
then the milk
Now the tea is ready to pour into cups. Use a sieve to keep out the sediment. It is best to use a sauce pan with a beaker to avoid a mess.
Serve the tea with cookies, burfi, or chickpea snacks. Ready for a (re)treat? Take a chai time break! It is invigorating. Enjoy your tea time!
“We judge a person in less than the first two minutes of an encounter based on their appearance and behavior,” body language specialist Renate Mousseux says. “65 percent of our communication comes across in nonverbal expressions.” That’s significant.
“Well, Schätzle, when you are with me, you don’t need to do this,” she tells me and gently pulls my hands from my hips. She caught me again. Hands on hips means a defensive attitude. Honestly, I didn’t mean to. Do I have to investigate my subconscious now?
