I hate DVD's as well. I bought my girls the HP three movie set last year for Christmas. Somehow we managed to completely not watch SS until about two months ago. Two whole chapters in the middle were unwatchable. I am stuck with a brand new movie that will not play correct. It is my fault for waiting so long to watch that particular disk but I would expect them to at least leave the factory working.

I know tapes had problems as well but not like DVDs. When I rent them, getting one completely functional is the exception. They almost always have some problem or another.

Meggie, sweetie...there's NEVER a wrong reason to hate Walmart!

Oh Fawkesey, no! I held out on the DVDs for as long as I felt I could. The next best thing? There's always a next best thing that I can't afford. lol Besides, if DVDs were the next best thing, what's the next next best thing going to be like? Scary thought....oh, and yeah, James uses his XBox for a DVD player in his room. The TV in there is so old it only has a VHS hookup so he runs the XBox thorugh the VCR. Sometimes the DVDs work, sometimes not. Can't figure that out either.

Greg, Oh I hate it when that happens! It makes perfect sense though--you all probably watched SS/PS so many times on VHS that once you had it on DVD it just became a part of your library until you actually felt like watching it again...and then, it didn't work.

Well, we got "Resident Evil" at Walmart, and it had a scratch--brand-new in the case and it had a scratch. So we took it back and exchanged it. The next copy was fine. Then I got a copy of "Clear and Present Danger" on DVD. It was awful. Played like a pirated VHS! Seriously...wavy lines, fading from light to dark. So I took that back and got this "Oh we can't give you your money back because of copyright laws."

And I'm like, "Dude, this IS a pirated video and WALMART bought it."

"Well, you can exchange it for another copy of the same movie."

"For another DVD that sucks just as bad because they're ALL pirated!"

I got the 'I just work here, don't yell at me look.' So I'm stuck with it.

I still can't figure them out...last week I rented "War of the Worlds" and it played fine the first time. Then the second time I tried to play it, it kept stalling-just going from frame to frame in the first chapter. So I had to forward it a chapter and then it worked fine.

I don't get it, I'm so confused!

I'm with Jim on that one, i've never had any problems with the DVDs, maybe once or twice, but i exchange it, then it works fine! must be the american ones...i reckon that DVD's are so much better than VHS...so rewinding! Half my life before DVD seemed to be rewinding videos!

I've even left them on the floor for ages and it still works fine! Ours must be sturdier or something....or maybe it's the actual DVD players...

Psh, looks like everybody had to actually do some work while VTM was down. Poor babies I'm on break until January, so I sit around all day and do nothing. Haha Actually, I'm bored out of my mind and I would have gotten a job if it weren't for the darn ankle (which is being fixed Dec 19! ). The funny thing is that I still seem to be programmed to wake up at the same time as during school, so I've been finding myself running on about three hours of sleep a lot lately.

Greg, your daughter sounds like my sister when she was younger... Or even now, to some extent When she was eight or nine, she told my mum that she wanted to go to a spa and have her nails done with the ladies. She's a laugh. For St. Nicholas Day today, my brother and sister and I all got religious medallions that used to belong to our grandpa who died earlier this year. Apparently my siblings both got regular saints, while I got Jesus. My sister took one look at it and said, "I know why you got that one! It's so because you're the firstborn!"

Hehe - I just did something really funny. *chuckles* Didn't quite solve my writing problem, but whatever. Have a laugh...
me reading aloud
I had a huge post the other night - about all those movies and crying all the time when I watched A.I. and telling you that Artificial Intelligence really is my favourite subject at uni and evrything - then it got lost and I was too frustrated to type again. Had quite some juicy remarks about men in skirts, actually. *lol*
Maybe it's good it never made it here. But whatever. *lol*
I am doing better - I guess you see. I still have no time for reading or writing or anything besides child and uni and household. But I'll make it eventually.

Hugs, Nadja

Ahhh...such a soothing voice! And your English is really exceptional, Nadja! Does that mean the new chapter is up? I'm on my way to go check! Glad to see you've been feeling better, sweetie.

Edit:Oh, I see! Interesting idea, Nadja! You have a very easy voice to listen too. Very exciting stuff happening! Are we about to meet lammergeirs? Okay...this is probably in the wrong thread. Just pretend I put this in the S&B thread.

So, uh...DVD's...yeah, they blow.

Not up yet, no. Sorry. I am doing my very best though. Just put up the very first paragraph because everybody is waiting.
But thanks for your compliment - I haven't been speaking english in ages. I guess it'd get better if I'd talk to some native speaker on a regular base. Hm.
I'll have to see about that one exam tomorrow and in case I don't have to do it, I will be able to write tomorrow. Yay. So cross your fingers, okay?

Until then, Nadja

i love your voice! I wish i had that voice! And it's very good english! but with an american twang but i guess thefilms you see and TV shows in english are from the US so that makes sense?

Have you ever thought about doing 'talking books?' like reading books onto tape for the blind at the like? You have such a nice voice! really soothing!

how did you get your voice up on the net btw? (is intrigued!)

Glad that you're feeling better Nadja! I still feel poopy Meh... starting my chapter...finally...but as i'm in a funk, it's pretty hard....

oh well....

Hey Everyone! I'm Baaaaack! (having a terminator moment. . .sorry)

I'm suffering from sever jet-lag now, so this won't be long. I have to catch up on the five more pages of the archived thread and the four pages of the shiny new thread. As if my eyes aren't tired enough!

In short. . the trip went well. ..very fast paced. I didn't get time to see much, but when I download my pictres i'll post a couple (if they're even worth it. . .)

I hope everyone is doing funky-good. (did i mention I was tired?) Welcome to all the people I don't and goodnight to all the people i do!

Janet

Yay! Janet's back! Hope you get well-rested! I'd love to hear all about your trip when you have time!

It's nice to see Flutters checking in as well. Sounds like you're doing things right, hon--family, future, and friends--in that order are they important. We can wait while you take care of the first two--I'm so glad to hear you're not feeling so ill anymore!

Hi Janet!
Good to have you back. I want to know all about your trip.

Nadja, you have such a beautiful voice! I wish I had a voice like that and that my english would sound better, but after being in New York for a year I didn't get a chance to speak for four years and then we had this terrible english teacher who only spoke swissgerman with us, so here I go feeling very frustrated whenever I talk to Jim because I a) make mistakes b)can't talk fast enough c) sound like a swiss (that's the worst part). I have to go live in an english speaking country again and then maybe everything will come back.

I'm glad you're okay again.

I should study but I'm not in the mood.

Maybe I'll go and buy some presents!

Hi Everybody

Hi Doctor Nick!

ahem...*excuse the simpsons moment there.*

Hey Nadja, nice to see you back on here and good to see your concentrating on the important things. I have to concur with everyone else, you do have a really soothing voice! and your english is really excellent.

Hey Janet, your back! and your front your both here!

*wait a second, is that tumbleweed i see spinning across the street! *

Jet lag is always worse flying west, so get yourself well rested up before telling us all about your trip, i cant believe the weeks gone so quick! it must have been the same for you guys.

Now Olivia,
a) everyone in England makes mistakes, i make mistakes all the time, in fact most people in England dont even bother talking properly! You are very good, your english is excellent.
b)like that matters! You have to talk slow anyway, im a bit slow on the uptake you see
c)since when was sounding like a swiss woman a bad thing?! its not,

have a nice day everyone!

Janet glad to see that you're back! Yeah flaying west is the worst for jet lag...urgh! thankfully it's normally flying home eh? don't waste time sleeping on your holiday eh?

Yeah Olivia, hardly any one in England can actually speak english properly, it's one of the hardest languages ever, full of unpronouceable, unspellable words....not as much a gaelic though, man living in scotland means you get to ultimate in that, lol, in aberdeen, there's a place called 'Auchinyell' try and say that when you're drunk for the first time...

Yeah, english, it's full of stupid things like should have not should of and the like that no one pays attention too until you write that essay and your searching and searching for the proper english.... i'm not bitter honest...so you just give up and write any old poop until someone claims not to understand it....i hated writing essays at school....

I don't know how people learn english, when i and other native english speakers have so much difficulty! i don't pretend to know english properly! guess what the word Defenestration means?

Dictionary definition: An act of throwing someone or something out of a window.

Um....Why do we need a single word for that? why can't we just say, i'm going to throw this out the window, instead 'i'm going to defenestrate this...' weird-ness eh?

Thank you, that's really nice of, but it still bothers me.

Just so you know, I think german is a very difficult language too and there are many people who can't speak it without making a mistake. All my students have a problem with the recognition of the 'Genitiv', I don't know why, but they just don't get it. It takes me hours and hours to explain it and then when I ask them again, they don't know. *sighs*

'Defenestration' in english they have about a hundred different words to describe something. I could have guessed that from latin, 'de' away/off, 'fenestra' window.

It's always good to know latin.

Ummm...I'm going to go completely off-topic for just a mo' and remind everyone that while 'tis the season to be jolly, it doesn't mean you have to be, and there's nothing wrong with you if you aren't!

Some of us are dealing with some problems and I want to lend my support, and to say it's OK if everyday of the rest of 2005 isn't a red-letter day...the holiday season is really built up into this time when we put a lot of expectations on ourselves, and we often can't live up to them. It doesn't mean we're weird.

So if the tinsel doesn't sparkle as brightly...if you have the urge to throw pushy fellow shoppers in front of a lorry...you're not alone.

Olivia...I love German. Yes, the 'der,' 'die' and 'das' can be hard, but if you practice them enough you get a 'feel' for them and can usually tell if you've done one wrong. And I love the spelling for the most part, I think it's so much easier than English words. Oh...and the lovely word "Gemutlichkeit" (hope I spelled that correctly) that takes dozens of words to describe in English...there's no equivalent for that delicious word.

I tried to take French and started freaking out right away! Very hard! lol

Ygraine and I were just talking about accents recently too...I said I liked Sean Biggerstaff's accent (he played Oliver Wood), but to Ygraine, he didn't have an accent! And she recently saw "Fargo" and asked if I sounded like that! lol Sad thing is, I probably kinda do.

When I was taking German classes at university, we had a teacher and three students from Chemnitz (our sister city) come to visit. We spoke in German for awhile, then switched to English. What blew us away was that the students spoke in American accents, and the teacher spoke in a beautiful British accent. She said it was just popular to teach English in Germany with an American accent now, and in her day it was taught with a British accent. I thought that was fascinating.

Sean Biggerstaff doesn't have an accent! really he doesn't! he sounds normal! *sigh* ok...i sound a bit like him...a wee bit, i do live in scotland! lol

Yeah, about what Dacry said...winter blows. I would offer my support too, but you'd probably just get me going

'Ahhhhhhhh!!!!'

Loads of you already know this, but i have SADs Seasonalt affective disorder, and i have it seriously bad, and this year seems to be worst than the last. it's basically when a person can't function in winter and they sink into a depresstion. not helped that i'm greeted by this everyday, that photo was taken in September/october...so it's ten times worst now. pitch black at 3:30pm

So blah....

And yes...i want to learn German too! I didn't though when i had the chance too though...i learned spanish instead.

But if you wanna give me a PM or something if you wanna push someone (or yourself) in front of a bus feel free too to (drop me a line..not throw yourself infront of a bus....that would be bad!), and we can cry on each others (virtual shoulders)

Oh my gosh Nadja , that installment sounds excellent!! I hope you get it up soon. Do you know you have an American accent? Is that because of whoever it was that taught you english, or is that the way everyone learns in Germany? You really do have a great reading voice

Helen, that pic doesn't look bad to me at all, its kinda moody and interesting. I quite like dark clouds like that, although you can keep the cold! I prefer it when its like that but still in the 20's (celcius)

I think it must be American CD's and DVD's that are the problem. I've bought loads of both over time and have only ever had one CD that jumped when it played. I think they beat VHS hands down! I do miss Albums though, you know, the vinyls. I have a huge collection which include stuff right back when mum and dad used to buy them. Some of them are so funny! I dont know what they were thinking, but for some reason mum and dad have a small collection od Hawaiin music Must have been the "in thing" at one time I guess. lol. I have some brilliant Albums that you just couldn't get anymore. Loads of Kiss and Sex Pistols and 70's and 80's Albums like Marc Bolan and DePeshe Mode and Devo and ... well, lets just say it goes on and on. Unfortunately I dont have a turntable

You know Razz...I think Hawaiian music must have been a big deal , because I remember it being on TV all the time when I was a kid. Don Ho. He was really popular. I'll bet some of your parent's records were of Don Ho.

Albums were fun, weren't they. The jackets for them were works of art!

Funny how much things change and how much they stay the same. We still do the same things--listen to music, watch movies, but on new technology. And most of the time I don't feel the new technology is enougn of an improvement to warrant having to change out my entire collection AGAIN *sigh* and buy all new.

Like I said though--I'm weird. I collect old cassettes. lol

Ygraine, I cheat at Christmastime. Since it is likely I will spend this Christmas alone just like I did last last Christmas (OK, I take that back, I went to a friend's house last year and had the joy of listening to her little bratty grandchildren whine and cry about how they didn't get enough stuff--ugh ), I have no intention of buying Christmas presents until after Christmas. Of course, then you have to fight off hordes of post-Christmas bargain hunters...a person just can't win! Actually...I think I'll stick to my original plan...mail order!

*lol*
Yes, of course I know I have an American Accent. It's pretty weird with me, I love copying all sorts of accents (especially German ones, as there are so many). I used to have a beautiful British accent and it was always dear Nadja who had to read Shakespeare aloud in class. But then I moved to the states. *cough*
After being laughed at for like two weeks I decided I needed to change something. I went to Montana... *cough* And ever since then people could not tell I was German. Some woman from Boston actually told me I could not possibly be from Germany - but from Alabama. *lol*
Yeah, well, I had my passport ready at all times to prove I was telling the truth. *chuckles*
But I havent spoken to somebody from the US since 1999... so I had a long break speaking English. And I've seen so many Brithish movies lately I have the feeling I got mixed up. *lol*
Maybe I should just go ahead and record the same paragraph while trying to speak British. That would be a laugh, I guess.
And German, too, maybe? Quite some people around here who can speak German, I realized. By the way, Darcy, it is Gemütlichkeit. You can also spell it Gemuetlichkeit.
And you're the first person I've ever heard who found German spelling easy.

So you're not happy with the quaity of your DVDs? Weird... I have no problems. Okay, I don't own too many DVDs... (Harry Potter 1-3, Sense and Sensibility, Galaxy Quest, Dark Harbor, Augsburger Puppenkiste). But I never had trouble with them. I bet they will last longer than the "Rainbow Bride" VHS (which must have been watched about 50 times by now).

Ygraine, I can totally relate to your feelings. But you know what really helps? Don't laugh... Tanning studio! With the SADs you have too few serotonine in your body, or rather melatonine won't be changed into serotonine. Usually the sunlight does it. But we don't have that much sunlight nowadays. Tanning studio really helps a lot, the rays do the very same thing.
You could go like twice a week for five minutes or so - not to tan, but just for the ray. It helps me a lot! I know it's not that cheap. But it helps...

I think quite a few people asked when the next chapter will be up - to be honest, I don't know. Maybe I get to sit down and write tonight, but I won't promise anything, because there's too much uni going on for now, and I don't even have half of my christmas presents. *sigh*
I don't dare to post on my thread, because I never updated ever since it since I opened the second thread, and still I have as many comments as I would have had if I had updated. Weird.

Okay, cross your fingers, need to talk to some professors now...

Flutters

Okay, so I'm not going to catch up on all your old posts. I tried, honestly, but I just can't remember anything I read. Sigh. So sorry.

My trip was fast-paced and (hold on, something's beeping on my desk.. . ok. ..just my phone) tiring. I only got to see Hyde Park in London, but since that's kind of big, it was good. I had to lead my group around, because for some reason they thought I knew what I was doing. Big shocker for them! I got them to and from the hotel, though, and only lost two people who are probably still trying to get off of the tube. Kidding. Cardiff was quite nice. I missed the castle tour, but got to wander around on my own for a bit. The museum was nice, but I wish I could have taken pictures inside. Rotten museum moniters! Amsterdam was. . .interesting. I didn't get to go to the Van Gogh museum. That was quite sad. I didn't even get to see any Vermeers. Also quite sad. What did I get to do? I got to go around with my group and sing here and there. I got to miss out on three nights sleep. I got to experience shin-splints from walking. I did have fun, though. Really. I promise to get some pictures up soon. (Looking around for my camera. . . where did I put that thing?)

Just because I'm sure you're all wild with curiosity. . .defenestration isn't a word you would use in casual conversation. It's a word used in police reports or experiments, used for documentation. Don't worry about all those obscure technical terms. Unless you're a linguist. Then you have to worry about all of them.

Flutters, I still have to listen to your voice. It's all the rage on here!

As for languages, I know some French. Enough to get by. I can understand much more than I can speak. . . On my trip, I met a French woman who didn't speak any English. . .I could understand that she wanted a cd of the youth choir. . .but I couldn't tell her where to find it. I ended up having to drag her all around. Hmm. . .so I sincerely hope I understood her properly. Sorry French Lady!

I'd actually love to learn Gaelic. I got a course, but it looks scary. Lots of sounds that I can't make!

Well, that's it from here. I'm slowly coming out of my stupor of jet-lag. I'd still like to sleep for two days straight. My kids aren't cooperating.

Janet

Hi passerby, welcome back! Have a Butterbeer!
What Gaelic course are you using? Is it Irish, Scottish or Manx Gaelic? (I guess it's Irish, because there are many more learning materials in Irish than in the other branches of Gaelic). I had lessons once, but got quite dishearted on my visits to Scotland and finding that the language was almost dead and hardly anyone cared for preserving it.

So you were in Amsterdam as well! Pity I didn't know, or we could have met!

--Annie.

Guys, I was really fast in making up my mind today. *sigh* Usually I take ages to come to a desicion - and today it took me four hours.
I will move in January!

Just that that whole radiator-problem isn't solved yet and the appartment is cold and... awe...
So we went and looked at another appartment. Four rooms, yay! It's an old house, built around 1900. But inside it's okay. Just the small windows... but it seems to be really comfy. It has flair, I guess. Gemütlichkeit.
Most important thing: it has a bathtub! Great. *chuckles*
A bigger kitchen, a bigger bathroom. The living room is a lot smaller than the one I have now, but Maiden CurlyCrown's room will be huge. And it has red carpet! She was so excited! *lol*
I am so glad we will have a seperate bedroom if my family wants to stay overnight. *sigh*

But it'll be a lot of stress, added to my exams. And the way I have to uni/ kindergarten will be the same. Just we're closer to the centre of our town. 3 minutes walk to the pedestrian precinct. Not too bad, eh? Right now it's a ten minutes drive with the car... and we finally get out of this huge greyish ugly building. 60 appartments in one building, and there's five of them here. Not exactly nice, I guess.
With the new house it's only three appartments, and there's a swing and a sandbox in the backyard.

I hope I did the right thing... *sigh*
But my boyfriend liked it a lot, he said 60% move, 40% stay here. And my ex looked at the appartment, too. He really knows about houses and all the stuff around. How they are supposed to be built and everything. And he liked it too.
My friends already offered me their help. *sigh*
I really should be glad. But I am anxious. Awe...
No time for being depressed, I guess.

What do you think? Will I be sorry for all the stress I just loaded upon my shoulders?

Flutters

Flutters, I think it's a great idea! Yeah, it'll be more stress, but in some ways, it'll be oK because it isn't more mental stress, just the hustle and bustle of packing. The move is always the worst part--and you have guys to help you! lol

I'm a gypsy though--I love to move every three years or so. Just for a different layout, different view from the window. It's actually really refreshing. It's fun to find new places for old things, almost like redecorating. And it's a good opportunity to think about what is really worth taking with you and what should be got rid of.

I know it'll be stressful for a just a very few days, but I think you'll like it. It's nice that your daughter is excited about it too. My son dreaded this last move we made--he loved the town we were in, his friends, etc. But he found old friends here, and made new ones, and now he's fine. But your daughter is already liking the idea.

Gemütlichkeit!

This is the first apartment I've been in in about forever that I'm heading into my fourth year of staying in! I love the layout though, and the view...and it's warm. A bit too warm in the summer, but you can't have everything. lol

I think you'll like the distance convenience in your new place. It's nice having everything close by, and it sounds much more charming than grey concrete.

Janet---what's wrong with kids these days? Don't they know you need rest? I'm glad you got to go to Europe, but I wish you'd had more time. I've always wanted to go, never have gotten to go...if I do go, I want to stay awhile and take my time--at least a month! Ah, one can dream...hope you're feeling more chipper soon!

Bumblebee--you were in Europe too? Everyone gets to go but me... lol

And greg--I still am trying to get over the fact that ANTS nest in your movies! That is just plain bizarre!

It's a good question, Nadja....here's my take on it. Moving can, indeed, be a stress on you and your family, but so can being unhappy with the place you live. If you don't feel like this apartment you're in now is a place where you can find sanctuary, for whatever reason, and really leave the stress of the rest of your day at work or Uni or what have you behind you, then you should find a place where you can do that. I've been having a lot of problems adjusting to living in a climate and geography that I absolutley hate, but it was much worse when I was crammed in a tiny apartment I also hated. Now that we've moved into this house, I really feel like something here is mine, and like I have a comfort zone. That has helped all my other problems feel smaller, you know? However, we rallied a bunch of our friends to help us move our furniture, and it was all done in a matter of of a few hours, which helped us to focus on the fun things, like where to hang our favorite pictures. See if you can't wrangle a bunch of people to help you move, and offer to host a little pizza party or give a beer to everyone who helped out when all the work is done to "break in" the new place. Best of luck, sweetie!

It seems no matter where you go around the world, things remain the same. Landlords not fixing broken items seem to be a universal constant. They are real good at promising things but somehow never follow through.

I think you did the right thing Nadja. Heat in winter where you live is kind of important. It does not sound like your landlord is in any hurry to fix the radiator. Plus it sounds like a much better place for your daughter. I am sure she will spend much time playing in the backyard.

We moved our office last summer because the landlord was real good at raising our rent and not fixing the building. The building we are in now was built in the 20's. It has got 80+ years of problems and an even worse landlord but that is offset by the cheaper rent. Plus the landlord thinks he can lock the tenants out of the building air controls. He just was not counting on having an engineer tenant who knew more about the systems that his contractors. Everytime he goes around and sets the building controls and locks them, I just come behind and fix the controls for our floor the way we want them.

The ants thing is weird. They were there when the builder left and will not go away. They are not the typical Florida fire ant. They do not seem interested in going after the food. All they want is a dark area that does not get disturbed much. I switched ant traps about six months ago and I think I just about have them gone. It so far has been the only poison to have any affect on them. They have never really bothered me too much because for the most part you do not know they are there but when they pick a tape of my children as babies I go nuts and start hunting them down and getting rid of all I can find.

Oh, it's not the landlord's fault really. I HAVE a new radiator by now. Just that it is too small to heat up the living room. It WOULD do IF the appartments to the left and right were rented. But they are empty, so no warmth from there. Plus I live on the first floor, and of course nobody heats the basement. So no warmth from five of six sides, I guess. And it doesn't matter whether the person who lives in the appartment on the second floor heats - because warmth always rises up, right?

Meggie, could you please turn on your MSN? I could need some vocabulary help.
Thanks.

Flutters

Oh Nadja, there's nothing worse than a cold flat in winter! Brrrr!! I hope that you get the nice flat that you were looking at.

My job interview went alrigh, so that's good, i will know by tomorrow so fingers crossed eh?

Janet, the strange noises are easy once you get used to them Living in scotland you get used to them, so it's fine me saying it. But i had no training how to do, and i'm sure they'll tell you how at your course.

What you have to do (well, what i do) when you want that strange throat noise is to put your tounge at th back of your throat and arch it up, then make a noise at theback of your throat like you're going to spit at someone. then of course say the word!

Ok, it's easier than it sounds. And yes, you'll spit at first, but you'll get used to it.

Gaelic was the baine of my exsistence as a child, you turned the TV on and you were like 'Oh cartoons! Yay!...oh no, wait, Gaelic! Urgh!'

Razz, it''s horrid in Aberdeen! that pic was taken in summer, so it's ten times worse now.

What does Aberdeen have to offer...Hmmmm:

Annie Lennox is from here!
Er...we have a beach?
Annie Lennox is from here!
ummm....The chips are ok...
Annie lennox is from here!

Sweet dreams are made of this...moving away from Aberdeen...

Did you know they we the real lyrics? lol

I'm bored! I should study but I'm bored.

Anyway, if you guys should ever come to Europe (again ) be sure to come to Switzerland. I know it's not as exciting as Paris (what a great city!) or Rome or London, but it's nice here and if you're interested in the middle ages, we have a lot to offer.

I lived twice on a different continent and I always missed the mountains, the liberty, oh and the cheese. 'Gemütlichkeit' that's the right word. In swissgerman we would say 'Gmüetlichkeit'.

As for languages, I've had french for seven years, so I teach it at this school I work, it's a beautiful language, then I had italian as a main subject at school too and I'm quite suprised that only after 4 years at school I can understand a diary written in medieval italian. As my dad is spanish I can speak spanish too. We swiss learn a lot of languages as we're a country with four national languages: german, french, italian and rhaeto-romanic ( I had to look that up).

I'll stop with my lecture now, it's just that Iamb bored!

Nadja, I think the idea of moving is a good one!

I'm all for moving! (starts packing boxes. . .oh, wait. . .not me moving. Sigh.) Every few months I switch the layout of my furniture for a fresh perspective. It'll be a tad stressful while packing the boxes, but you can also look at it as a purging time. Get rid of stuff that you don't use, won't use, and never knew how to use in the first place.

My gaelic course is on tape . . .(looking franticly at bookshelf). Can't find it. Don't know what company does it. I do remember it was Irish-Gaelic, though. I'm a lot of help, I know.

Bumblebee . . .I'm bummed that I didn't get to meet you! I wish I'd known you were close. It would have been more fun that the boat tour. I really shouldn't say that. The tour was WARM! We ate dinner at Der Nissen (I think that's how it's spelled). We filled up the entire restaurant. Crazy.

My favorite European city so far is Rome. I could have lived there easily. Paris was okay (are they done riotting yet?), but I think it was too metropolitan for my taste. I have to live somewhere that I don't have to dress to the nines and comb my hair everyday. Okay, so I comb it everyday, but it rarely looks combed by the end. Sigh. Florence was too . . .well, Florence. I liked Venice, but really. . who actually lives in Venice? Assissi was cool, but too high up. Let's see. . .Seltz, Fance was awesome too. It was great being so close to French stuff and German stuff. I've been a few other places too, but I rarely get time to enjoy them for all they're worth. I love to travel, can you tell?!

Oh, speaking of warmth in winter reminds me. . .While in the Netherlands, we were out in the country where most of the roofs were thatched (is that normal?). Some of those houses were only heated by fireplaces. Let me just tell you that I have returned home much more thankful for my central heating. Oh, and shower curtains.. . Should I send that hotel a plan? They really do keep the water off of the bathroom floor. Really.

okay, my spelling is getting worse and worse. It's making me nauseous so I'm going to go!

Take care!
Janet

Aww, you guys all speak lots of different languages (or at least more than one!) fluently. This makes me feel stupid again Not really, but I've been taking French for six years, and I can barely understand it at all. And then I can count in German and Gaelic. My knowledge of other languages is not good... But I don't think that many people do speak another language well in the States, actually. We should, but since we don't get to use anything but English on a daily basis we lose the skills.

So true, Meggie!

You actually have a much better chance of becoming a Canadian citizen if you speak both English and French.

But here in the States, the emphasis is on Spanish. A lot of places, like libraries, don't want to hire you if you don't speak both. Many government jobs require it, because so many of our recent immigrants don't speak English, and a lot of people never learn it.

I was told, when I was at the university, that if I wanted to go on in History, like a Master's or Ph.D., that I'd better learn German and French. That's for a study of European History--You wouldn't need that to study American history.

You know what cracked me up? Well, I've always loved Europe, wanted to live there, study the history...but what Europe wants are professors of American history! So to get a good job teaching in say, Germany, I'd be better off getting a Ph.D. in American History. Life is full of strange quirks, I swear...

Here in Switzerland we have very seldom classes in american history. I don't know why.
It's really true and it makes sense Darcy that if you want to get a master or a PH.D in history you have to speak german and french, or you won't understand the sources, italian is very helpful too. I don't know how your system works but we can't study history if we don't have a latin degree too.
I just love history! It's the best thing to study.

Take care!

That sound you were talking about.. like pronouncing. Is it the same you use when you pronounce certain whiskeys? Glendronach for example?
Awe, dang it. I should have gone out with my man yesterday - I let the chance of having a 15yr Laphroigh cask pass by... *sigh*
Stupid me...

Hehe, passerby, I know what you are talking about. I usually redecorate my place when I am really angry. Moving furniture helps a lot. *chuckles* My friends already call me nuts. *lol*
I am glad both my sister and my mon thought moving was a good idea, and I spend quite a lot of time on the internet, checking out ikea-pages. I love ikea! *lol* My appartment is full of their furniture.
I hope to be able to raise the money I need to buy a small table for the kitchen and chairs, and some shelves for the bathroom and curtains - but that's about it. And then there's christmas. *chuckles*
I guess it'll be fine somehow.

Languagewise.. oh, I wanted to take french in seventh class. But my mom didn't agree and forced me to take latin instead. How much I hated it... *shivers* And that teacher we had... growl... Picture Snape and make him ten times worse... I had a friend who was black... you can't possibly imagine the things he called her - and they let him get away with it. *sigh* I know five students left school because of him. He was gruesome... and he thought he was cool - which was probably the worst part.

Okay, gotto go now. *wave*
Hope you guys have a great day!

Flutters

Flutters -- that's great news! Don't worry too much about the stress thing ... I don't think you'll be sorry, the new place gives you a chance to throw out things you don't like, say farewell to bad things in the old place that you couldn't change, and start afresh with something new just waiting for your favourite ideas ... the place is just waiting to get your signature and become just the way you like it. A lot of positive energy can come from this, and it's great to have control. Sure, it's a lot of work, but it sounds that your friends and partner are there for you to help, so you won't be doing all the hard work alone!
Small windows have a lot of advantages ... lots of extra wall space for pictures, bookcases, etc ... it makes the house warmer in winter and cooler in summer ... and you don't have to spend a fortune on curtains ... lol

Darcy -- it's pretty easy for me to be in Europe, because I live there. London, Amsterdam and Paris are all within a few hundred miles of where I am ... just a few hours travel ... although it's been a long time since I was in Paris, staying there is such a rip-off.
I'm the opposite of a gipsy, I guess, living in the same house for more than a quarter century. After many years feeling that the house was just a place to go and sleep, and living my life mostly somewhere else, I totally renovated the place and now I really like being there.

Janet -- now I'm really sorry we didn't meet. It would have been so easy. Next time (lol, yeah, as if we've got the leasure and the money for frequent world trips) let me know, I have some off-the-beaten-track suggestions that my visiting friends really liked. Sorry you didn't get to see the inside of the castle. Did you like the stone animals on the bridge? Have you been able to sample the Welsh language? (oh dear, you made me want to go there NOW!) Coincidentally, I just got a postcard from a friend who lives in Cardiff ... he makes his own and got a zany sense of humour.

Ygraine, I do have to apologise ... I'd forgotten you were in Scotland, and you might have been taken aback a little by my remark that it seemed that few people in Scotland cared about preserving the language. This is just because when I went to An Comunn Gàidhealach in Inverness it was so depressing. This was long before there was such a thing as the Internet that offers warm communities for small interest groups. It's better now, but at the time it was almost impossible for me to sustain an appetite for Scottish Gaelic from a distance. You really have to hear it to make sense of the spelling ... here's a lovely tongue-twister : Balach beag bìodach a' bocadaich air bàrr baraille. (A tiny wee boy jumping about on top of a barrel.)

Does anyone know of a group called "the Bothy Band"? My record "Old Hag You Have Killed Me" has some wonderful Gaelic songs on it. (One more to convert to the computer, thanks for reminding me!) I found these samples on Amazon : Fionnghuala and Tiochfaidh An Samhradh (summer will come)

--Annie

No offence taken!

Although you'd be surprised about how many people speak it, they just speak english too! I know what you mean about it not being persevered, but believe me when people do care. It's in the news often, and my local primary school has a Gaelic Unit in it. And today, said unit came and sang to us (at my placement) in gaelic and did some dancing.

It's an awful shame that it's dying out, but i must admit it's not the nicest sounding language in the world

i learned spanish at school and got quite a good grade in it, but it's all gone now, can only remember, 'Hello my name is...'

Flutters, yes, you do make those sounds when you say Glendronach, although i don't think they do in the adverts....hmmm.

Annie....i attempted to say that tounge twister....didn't happen.

I really must learn gaelic, if only so i can watch cartoons and understand them when having my tea! lol! (That's when they're on btw)

Okay, I'm going to have to word this carefully so as not to sound to snobby and irreverent. I think its "pants" as our dear Helen would say, that such an emphasis is put on Spanish here in the states. Its a required course in high school, at least two units, and I live in Tucson, AZ which is right near the border. The state spends three million dollars every year on guarding the border and sending the 1/3 of people they actually catch or who die in the desert back to Mexico. The other 2/3 of them are here working illegally and taking all of the jobs, because they'll work really cheap. They have absolutely no need to learn English. Every sign has the same thing written in Spanish below it, and most employees and officials, etc, speak Spanish. This bothers me. Why are we making it so easy for all of these illegal immigrants? They cost us millions of dollars and take our jobs and don't pay taxes. There are whole cities on the border where Spanish is the official language of the city. American cities. It is against the laws of these cities for their police force to work with border patrol at all. Suspicious, yes? Meanwhile, the Mexican government is rejoicing in what they're calling "the silent reconquest of America." Whoa. Thats pretty ballsy. I totally understand why its so important for smaller European countries to leatn the language of their neighboring countries. It seems that there is a lot of travel between countries. But then those people either go back to their own countries, or learn your language, yes?
It also bothers me that when Americans travel, they very rarely put any effort into learning the language of the place they're going. They're just like, "You guys speak English, right?" Very arrogant.

Okay, I'm done now.

Ygraine -- well, it isn't enough to know how to pronounce it ... it isn't called a tongue-twister for nothing! I can't do it... I get stuck in the middle.

I'd love to spend some time in Scotland again ... go back to Cannich and walk the Dog Falls trail and along Glen Affric to Kintall ... or fly up to Kirkwall and Sumburgh again ... stopping in Edinburgh on the way, of course. Go in a pub and just listen to Greenock accents that make me think of Billy Connelly. Go to the Outer Hebrides to hear people who are native Gaelic speakers. If only I had unlimited travel funds, what wonderful journeys I could make! You are so lucky to be closer to all that wonderfully unspoiled wild nature!

--Annie.

Bumblebee--Why did I have this idea you lived in NYC? Weird.

Olivia--Usually the jobs I've looked for are in Australia or New Zealand these days, though Europe was my destination before. And it's the same thing. They want professors of American history to come from America. lol But you're right--my prof told me I'd have to at least know German and French in order to research old documents.

As for Latin, it's still taught here in the States, but it's increasingly rare. My local university, the largest in the state, does not teach it. They teach Lakota (our major American Indian tribe), but not Latin. A couple of generations ago though, it was really popular, because anyone who studied any branch of medicine had to take it. To me it would make perfect sense to study it, because people of culture in the past used to read and write in Latin. So I'd need it to study their letters and works! I guess I feel like I'm too old to want to deal with all of the red tape involved in getting a Ph.D. now. I'd be in my 50s before I even got it, and how much further in debt?

Fawkesey--I understand your frustration, it's a HUGE problem! I wonder what will happen with this proposed 3,000-mile fence? I wonder how we'll afford that? We have some Mexican people up here, but they're pretty rare. My niece is married to a guy from Mexico, but he came up here with his family when he was 11. He's a nice guy--a good dad. And his folks used legal means to come here. I feel bad for the people trying to come up here, too. They are ripe for exploitation. And why do they want to come here? It's not like this country is the be-all and end-all. Things must be pretty bad where they are for them to risk so much.

Bah! Silly bookshop didn't guve me a job well...it would involve making sandwiches, and i'd probably get fired do to eating them on duty....oh well.

Yes, i am soooo desperate for a job, I'm even considering appying for BT, this is not good!!

You may ask yourselves, why I would think this: British Telecom, good reputable company, hard to get jobs from...Not in Aberdeen it isn't.

BT here, employs any one, and basically the whole of there staff go to the same club i go to. It's the ultimate in: 'I cannot find a job' company. I know about....20 people who work/ed there. If i can't get a job there....i'm unemployable.

Any way, languages....I really have nothing else to add to the topic about languages except that i can't speak them...barely even english (is it a bad thing that i was about to type Sandwiches there? )

Hmmm....does any one have any good job interview tips that a sane human person would use, not those silly things they showed you on school videos...strange man...person *remembers scary interview tips video*

Helen, a lot of employers like it when you ask knowledgeable questions about thier company. Not like, "So, what do you do here?" But more along the lines of "I've read that Sal's Sandwich Shop gives excellent employee benefits, such as giving their worker two free sandwiches a day; how does this compare with other sandwich shops?" Okay, so that was not the best example, but you get the picture. Oh, and wear a red lipstick, because that's supposed to mean your a powerful person. I'm sure you're supposed to wear more than just lipstick, but they didn't mention anything else. Hmm. I guess that would get you a job somewhere. . .

My pictures are officially uploaded. Not organized, but at least they're on the computer. My Christmas tree is officially up too. The ornaments are in process (mainly the process of me putting them on and the kids taking them off), but hey! It's there and lights are all twinkly.

Now I have to go, sigh, work. . .

Janet

The best job interview tips I can give you are these...
First of all, dress your best. Find a flattering, professional looking outfit to wear and put on a little makeup, try to fix your hair, etc. Its really amazing, but looking professional will make you sound more professional, even if you can't put a coherent sentence together.
Secondly, practice a quick way to describe and introduce yourself.
"I come from a large/small family and enjoy working with people"
"I'm a very earnest person, and a quick learner."
"I'm very eager to begin a career, and I feel like I have something to contribute to your company..." blah blah blah..
Rehearse two or three little "sound bites" like this and try to use them in the interview. A couple of well worded sentences will really go far in helping them remember you positively, and forget all those "uhh's" and "um's".

Best of luck , Helen!

My boyfriend, who never ceases to amaze me by doing things completely the opposite of how they're normally socially done, actually has gotten jobs by being entirely honest about how he expects to be treated by the company. He goes in dressed nicely and everything, but he lets them know pretty much off the bat that if they treat him without common courtesy, he'll leave. It's managed to get him three jobs pretty much all in a row, without fail. I'm not sure if he's been hired simply because the interviewers were all so shocked at this behavior (instead of the usual sort of fawning that goes on during job interviews...very guilty of it myself) or if they were impressed that he wasn't intimidated by them holding the future of him being hired or not over his head.

I guess what I'd have to say in the sum of this is don't be afraid to let them know that you'd like some things out of the job, like respect. Bosses that think they can walk all over you aren't fun!

Oh cheers for all your tips...I wish i could have got 2 free sandwiches a day! And Janet have you see legandaryfrog flash cartoons by any cahnce Sal's sandwich shop lol

If you haven't then you have no idea what i was talking about, and therefore ignore me. lol.

I'm at my mum and dad's and I'm bored...i don't know why i'm still here, except the prospect of getting some free food.

My mum is taking an unnatural intrest in my education yet again! Man, it's so annoying!

And yes, Darcy, are you a physic?

This has nothing to do with the posts that came before me but I just have to share!!

I had the strangest experience ever in a theatre today. I was sitting waiting for the movie to start, all the adds had run, and the previews, then this really tacky guy and girl up on the screen start playing around in the waves on the beach, and I was thinking "Gawd ... whens the movie going to start?" and this woman behind me yells out angrily "Come on!" all grumpily and huffy, then she stands up and yells "Oh come on! Whens the movie going to start?" even louder and madder than before, and everyone's either staring at her in disbelief or trying to ignore her completely in the hopes that she'll come to her senses and sit down, the the camera on the couple on the beach in the add spins round and a director, peers into the lens (looking at the audience) and says "What's the problem?" My mouth just dropped open!! So she yells "Cant you just get on with it?" and he says "Well, we're trying to show our product here", and she says "Haven't you had enough time to get the message across?" still sounding angry, and I'm thinking I've slipped into the twilight zone when they start having this full on conversation.

Turns out it was an add for Swinbourne Uni, and it was bloody brilliant! Really funny and weird, and boy did it stick with me when I left the cinema. Everyone clapped the girl when it was over, but wow! What a way to advertise something!!

Lol, Heather! That's a great story! Wow, that would stick with you, wouldn't it? I actually love watching the previews of a movie but I think its a little much now that they've started having Pepsi commercials and what not before the films. Grrr...

Oh wow! Razz that sounded amazing! But, are you thinking about going to that uni now? because i find that that happens all the time, i love the advert...but i have no desire to buy the phone, car lunchbox, whatever they're advertising, so in all that, although entertaining for me, it didn't actaully work....lol...

I was just thinking, has any one here really put their foor in their mouth....you know...majorly?

Cos for some reason Razz's story reminded me of this time where me and my friend Anna were meant to meet up with our mate Ben for a drink...this was ages ago, ad we texted him, and texted him going...'where are you? are you still coming? Phoning him, leaving messages on his voicemail going 'You were my cool dancing budding, now you're just a snubber!' then hours later it turned to worry, so we were like 'are you ok? not dead are you? we missed you!'

Any way curious...the next day i finally get a text from him saying. 'Hi, sorry about last night didn't you get my text? my best friends mum died last night so i was comforting her, really sorry...'

we felt rather guilty, but i didn't get his text! luckily he didn't mind getting loads of crazy voicemails and stuff...lol feel sorry for his mate though....

Sorry, that was my random story....that and i was like to a mate of mine....Oh do you know david, blah blah...'

'Yes,' he said...'and i hate him,' than he went on about how much h hated David that he was a prat, a bully etc you know the whole nine yards, and finally he asks me...'Oh, how do you know him like?'

'Um...he's my cousin...'

That was funny!