It’s interesting what happens when you are placed (or place yourself) into a world completely different from what you’re used to. After a while, your brain starts to make adjustments. The length of time varies for everybody–I have a feeling it has a lot to do with how open-minded a person is and what his or her past experiences include–but eventually, we all adjust. Studies have shown that being totally immersed in a foreign language is the best way to learn it, and although I believed that before I arrived in Costa Rica on Sunday, today I can say that I know it to be true from personal experience. Although…
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No Hablo Español
As I walked around Alajuela, Costa Rica yesterday, my thoughts and feelings were in opposition. On one hand, I was focused on being very, very careful. Being a woman, walking around a strange city all alone and not speaking the language (not to mention the glaring lack of street signs anywhere, plus my lack of a cell phone with International capabilities), I knew I had to be extra careful. I kept my purse tightly under my arm and held onto the straps as an extra measure. When I took my camera out to grab some pictures, I was quick about it and then shoved it deep down into my purse…
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The Brits Are Coming! Very.com Hits The U.S.
If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a hundred times: I have a foreign fetish, especially when it comes to two countries in particular. England is one of them. My fascination started with the royals back in the Charles and Di days but gradually spread to other areas as well, like Duran Duran and the others who were a part of the ’80s British Invasion. As an adult, I finally got to England for my first time in 2006 and would love to go back NOW. British fashion? Never thought much about it. HOWEVER, that was before I had heard of Very.com. Very.com, a British company now accessible to…
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The Rules of British Royal Succession Change, And I Bore You To Death By Writing About Them.
Today is a great day. Not only is it Friday, but some rules that were as antiquated as…well, let’s just say they’re really old (as in, from the 17th century!) have been changed to reflect general 21st century beliefs and thus hints at the modernization (finally) of the British Commonwealth. (Note: If you’re new here, you may not have known that I am a total FANATIC about the British monarchy. It’s a blessing and a curse: don’t be scared. I’m harmless.) First, the rules as they were: Succession rules indicated that boys were given precedence to the throne over girls, just because they were, well, boys. Let me give you…
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Texten Sie Deutsch?
I started learning the German language in Middle School, eighth grade to be exact. I loved German class even more than I thought I would. After all of this time, I still remember some of the conversation examples used in the book, like “Wo ist Monika?” (Where is Monika?) “Im Boot.” (In the boat.) “Wo ist der Hut?” (Where is the hat?) “In der Stube.” (In the living room.) (Truly not literary masterpieces, but they helped us learn.) The following year I was a High School freshman in German II class and I was able to compete at the state level. (Yes, a state-level German competition.) Categories in the competition…
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Chinatown Square
The title of my post may be a little on the boring side, but I think you’ll agree that my photos make up for it. Yesterday I enjoyed my first (ever) visit to Chinatown on the near south side of Chicago, where I ate lunch with a friend. Being smack-dab in the middle of Chinatown Square was a lot like being in a whole other world: I guess that’s probably true of a visit to any city’s Chinatown. The culture, the sculptures, the signage, the sights, and the smells have a way of enveloping you in such a lovely way. Want more? I thought so.
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The Madness Continues…
When I showed you my secret obsession back in November, I got some great responses. And lost only a few readers, I think… When I live-blogged the Royal Wedding on April 29, I really did it more for my own amusement than anything else, but it happened to entertain a few other people too, which was nice. (It quickly became one of my most popular posts in my nearly-four years of blogging.) What I’ve learned is that you people may not all like the British royals as much as I do, but you seem to like that I like them as much as I do. It’s high time for another…
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Cruzing Chicagoland: The Bristol Renaissance Faire
Mention that you’re visiting a Renaissance Faire and you’ll be met with a couple of different reactions. One of them is a raised eyebrow and a slightly alarmed look. That usually comes from someone who thinks of a Ren Faire as a weird Star Trek-ish convention for 16th century fanatics. (No offense to the lovely @dearbadkitty, who is a Trekkie.) The other reaction is a wide-eyed, “I’m so excited for you” expression of happiness. That one comes from someone who has been to a Ren Faire. I took my trusty sidekick Michelle with me to do a “Cruzing Chicagoland” video shoot at the Bristol Renaissance Faire, which is located on…
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Going To The Abbey And They’re Gonna Get Married…
It’s Royal Wedding Day! Woot! I slept on the couch last night so that I wouldn’t be getting out of bed before 3:00 a.m. and waking up Jim, who wouldn’t be able to get back to sleep from the disturbance. Naturally I woke up early, in anticipation no doubt. My eyes sprung open at 2:37 a.m. This day, much like my hair after sleeping on the couch for the last 4.5 hours, will not be pretty. Let the live blogging begin… 3:01 a.m. I’m watching the coverage on NBC. I’m a Today Show junkie. Just learned that the titles bestowed on the newlyweds by the Queen will be the Duke…
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Live Blogging The Royal Wedding: It’s A Dirty Job, But Somebody’s Gotta Do It.
That’s right, I’m doing it. When the engagement was announced, I giddily recorded a video exposing my terrible “secret” and excitedly spoke about how I would make “big plans” for the wedding. I had intended to have some friends come and spend the night, or get a hotel suite in the city (seriously). Unfortunately but also very fortunately, my life’s bigger plans got in the way of making those big plans, and now here it is, less than twelve hours before Catherine becomes the newest Royal, and I’ve got nada. I had to plan SOMETHING. So I did. Due to the fact that I have a feeling Twitter is going…