20 Aug 2018, 5:43 am
auntblabby wrote:
roaches, they scuttle so quickly that the only way I can deal with them is a vacuum cleaner. I remember in the army we were besieged with the little blighters, and since we were tasked with repainting the latrine [army talk for lavatory], a gross amount of those buggers were permanently entombed in a thick layer of red enamel paint.
Those toilets sound really full on. There is something satisfying in just covering grime in paint though. I remember my dad randomly repainting the kitchen once cause he couldn't be bothered to clean it. The roaches in Japan were super fast and they flew. The ones in Cairo were slow and sluggish and didn't fly. I would relish throwing them out of the window - I lived on the 30th floor - and watching their descent.
auntblabby
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Joined: 12 Feb 2010
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20 Aug 2018, 5:47 am
elsapelsa wrote:
auntblabby wrote:
roaches, they scuttle so quickly that the only way I can deal with them is a vacuum cleaner. I remember in the army we were besieged with the little blighters, and since we were tasked with repainting the latrine [army talk for lavatory], a gross amount of those buggers were permanently entombed in a thick layer of red enamel paint.
Those toilets sound really full on. There is something satisfying in just covering grime in paint though. I remember my dad randomly reprinting the kitchen once cause he couldn't be bothered to clean it. The roaches in Japan were super fast and they flew. The ones in Cairo were slow and sluggish and didn't fly. I would relish throwing them out of the window - I lived on the 30th floor - and watching their descent.
wow
you've gotten to live in lotsa different places! 
my brother in 'nam told me about those nasty flying [and BITING! ] Asian cockaroaches [what they called 'em in the army]. they presently infest parts of florida when they hitched a ride on a Malaysian cargo ship.
20 Aug 2018, 6:02 am
auntblabby wrote:
elsapelsa wrote:
auntblabby wrote:
roaches, they scuttle so quickly that the only way I can deal with them is a vacuum cleaner. I remember in the army we were besieged with the little blighters, and since we were tasked with repainting the latrine [army talk for lavatory], a gross amount of those buggers were permanently entombed in a thick layer of red enamel paint.
Those toilets sound really full on. There is something satisfying in just covering grime in paint though. I remember my dad randomly reprinting the kitchen once cause he couldn't be bothered to clean it. The roaches in Japan were super fast and they flew. The ones in Cairo were slow and sluggish and didn't fly. I would relish throwing them out of the window - I lived on the 30th floor - and watching their descent.
wow
you've gotten to live in lotsa different places! my brother in 'nam told me about those nasty flying [and BITING! ] Asian cockaroaches [what they called 'em in the army]. they presently infest parts of florida when they hitched a ride on a Malaysian cargo ship.Ouch, never been bitten by one! Yikes!
Yes, I am pretty restless... I have lived all over. One day I am going to build a home from scratch though probably somewhere out in northern Maine or rural Japan and just stay put!
auntblabby
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20 Aug 2018, 6:08 am
elsapelsa wrote:
Yes, I am pretty restless... I have lived all over. One day I am going to build a home from scratch though probably somewhere out in northern Maine or rural Japan and just stay put!
I am guessing you speak fluent Japanese. my late mother was Japanese. I was too dumb to learn any from her.
northern maine is pretty harsh. japan is very expensive in terms of American/Japanese exchange rate. my mother never could afford to visit after she left there.
20 Aug 2018, 6:15 am
auntblabby wrote:
elsapelsa wrote:
Yes, I am pretty restless... I have lived all over. One day I am going to build a home from scratch though probably somewhere out in northern Maine or rural Japan and just stay put!
I am guessing you speak fluent Japanese. my late mother was Japanese. I was too dumb to learn any from her.
northern maine is pretty harsh. japan is very expensive in terms of American/Japanese exchange rate. my mother never could afford to visit after she left there.No, I speak pidgeon japanese. I am fluent in Swedish and English and my Japanese and Arabic are both abysmal - especially as I mix them. I do emphasise with you and your mum, my children don't speak Swedish. I feel terrible not having passed my language on to them but there were so many other factors and my eldest was so close to me and had stranger anxiety towards her dad I didn't want us to have a "private language" on top of everything else. But I have regrets there.
It has been 15 years since I was in Japan when I lived and worked there. Haven't been able to afford to go back since...we are going back next spring for cherry blossom season for the first time courtesy of rich and generous in laws.
Did your mum cook Japanese food for you?
auntblabby
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Joined: 12 Feb 2010
Gender: Male
Posts: 113,699
Location: the island of defective toy santas
20 Aug 2018, 6:26 am
elsapelsa wrote:
auntblabby wrote:
elsapelsa wrote:
Yes, I am pretty restless... I have lived all over. One day I am going to build a home from scratch though probably somewhere out in northern Maine or rural Japan and just stay put!
I am guessing you speak fluent Japanese. my late mother was Japanese. I was too dumb to learn any from her.
northern maine is pretty harsh. japan is very expensive in terms of American/Japanese exchange rate. my mother never could afford to visit after she left there.No, I speak pidgeon japanese. I am fluent in Swedish and English and my Japanese and Arabic are both abysmal - especially as I mix them. I do emphasise with you and your mum, my children don't speak Swedish. I feel terrible not having passed my language on to them but there were so many other factors and my eldest was so close to me and had stranger anxiety towards her dad I didn't want us to have a "private language" on top of everything else. But I have regrets there. It has been 15 years since I was in Japan when I lived and worked there. Haven't been able to afford to go back since...we are going back next spring for cherry blossom season for the first time courtesy of rich and generous in laws.
sounds like with your facility for languages, you might have been able to get a military position at the defense language institute here in Monterey. there is a sorta cherry blossom festival here in Washington DC also, around the tidal basin. I useta go there when I was in the army [it's where I was stationed]. my mother regretted that she wasn't able to have a private language with us kids.
20 Aug 2018, 6:45 am
auntblabby wrote:
elsapelsa wrote:
auntblabby wrote:
elsapelsa wrote:
Yes, I am pretty restless... I have lived all over. One day I am going to build a home from scratch though probably somewhere out in northern Maine or rural Japan and just stay put!
I am guessing you speak fluent Japanese. my late mother was Japanese. I was too dumb to learn any from her.
northern maine is pretty harsh. japan is very expensive in terms of American/Japanese exchange rate. my mother never could afford to visit after she left there.No, I speak pidgeon japanese. I am fluent in Swedish and English and my Japanese and Arabic are both abysmal - especially as I mix them. I do emphasise with you and your mum, my children don't speak Swedish. I feel terrible not having passed my language on to them but there were so many other factors and my eldest was so close to me and had stranger anxiety towards her dad I didn't want us to have a "private language" on top of everything else. But I have regrets there. It has been 15 years since I was in Japan when I lived and worked there. Haven't been able to afford to go back since...we are going back next spring for cherry blossom season for the first time courtesy of rich and generous in laws.
sounds like with your facility for languages, you might have been able to get a military position at the defense language institute here in Monterey. there is a sorta cherry blossom festival here in Washington DC also, around the tidal basin. I useta go there when I was in the army [it's where I was stationed]. my mother regretted that she wasn't able to have a private language with us kids.
I regret it too regarding the private language.
I lived in D.C. too!
I had a research position on capitol hill and loved it so much. It is the perfect city. The way the mall just has galleries and museums and no shops. I hate shops! I just love the lay-out and feel of the city. Jazz in the sculpture garden at the weekends. Best of all, underneath the library of congress there was this marvellous underground system which was just so spooky and sprawling and atmospheric all at once. People said it was my idea of heaven and they were probably fairly close.In an alternate reality, without kids and family responsibilities, I would have extended my research and still be there!
auntblabby
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Location: the island of defective toy santas
20 Aug 2018, 7:03 am
elsapelsa wrote:
I regret it too regarding the private language. I lived in D.C. too! I had a research position on capitol hill and loved it so much. It is the perfect city. The way the mall just has galleries and museums and no shops. I hate shops! I just love the lay-out and feel of the city. Jazz in the sculpture garden at the weekends. Best of all, underneath the library of congress there was this marvellous underground system which was just so spooky and sprawling and atmospheric all at once. People said it was my idea of heaven and they were probably fairly close. In an alternate reality, without kids and family responsibilities, I would have extended my research and still be there!
I had a research position on capitol hill and loved it so much. It is the perfect city. The way the mall just has galleries and museums and no shops. I hate shops! I just love the lay-out and feel of the city. Jazz in the sculpture garden at the weekends. Best of all, underneath the library of congress there was this marvellous underground system which was just so spooky and sprawling and atmospheric all at once. People said it was my idea of heaven and they were probably fairly close. In an alternate reality, without kids and family responsibilities, I would have extended my research and still be there!in an alternate reality I would not have been there, but uncle Sam had other ideas and there I was, a poorly paid army private who could not ever afford to live on the economy even then [1980s], so I spent most time in the army barracks. I suspect you saw a lot more of the big town. I wish I knew about the subterranean digs at the LOC. I thought their subway system then was pretty neat, small-town me had never seen anything like it, it was [when first constructed] used by Gene Roddenberry while filming a 70s sci-fi flick. for the rest of my life I've been reacting against living in army barracks [open bay with 50+ other stinky hooting rowdy army privates].
20 Aug 2018, 7:25 am
auntblabby wrote:
elsapelsa wrote:
I regret it too regarding the private language. I lived in D.C. too! I had a research position on capitol hill and loved it so much. It is the perfect city. The way the mall just has galleries and museums and no shops. I hate shops! I just love the lay-out and feel of the city. Jazz in the sculpture garden at the weekends. Best of all, underneath the library of congress there was this marvellous underground system which was just so spooky and sprawling and atmospheric all at once. People said it was my idea of heaven and they were probably fairly close. In an alternate reality, without kids and family responsibilities, I would have extended my research and still be there!
I had a research position on capitol hill and loved it so much. It is the perfect city. The way the mall just has galleries and museums and no shops. I hate shops! I just love the lay-out and feel of the city. Jazz in the sculpture garden at the weekends. Best of all, underneath the library of congress there was this marvellous underground system which was just so spooky and sprawling and atmospheric all at once. People said it was my idea of heaven and they were probably fairly close. In an alternate reality, without kids and family responsibilities, I would have extended my research and still be there!in an alternate reality I would not have been there, but uncle Sam had other ideas and there I was, a poorly paid army private who could not ever afford to live on the economy even then [1980s], so I spent most time in the army barracks. I suspect you saw a lot more of the big town. I wish I knew about the subterranean digs at the LOC. I thought their subway system then was pretty neat, small-town me had never seen anything like it, it was [when first constructed] used by Gene Roddenberry while filming a 70s sci-fi flick. for the rest of my life I've been reacting against living in army barracks [open bay with 50+ other stinky hooting rowdy army privates].
That does sound fairly intense and an experience I don't have. Can't even quite imagine it (being stuck in the open bay with so many people). I was there in 2006. So a different city too. But I am sure the subterranean level must have been there all along!
20 Aug 2018, 9:32 am
Hello, Darkness, my old friend...
The_Face_of_Boo
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Joined: 16 Jun 2010
Age: 41
Gender: Non-binary
Posts: 32,886
Location: Beirut, Lebanon.
20 Aug 2018, 9:53 am
elsapelsa wrote:
auntblabby wrote:
elsapelsa wrote:
Yes, I am pretty restless... I have lived all over. One day I am going to build a home from scratch though probably somewhere out in northern Maine or rural Japan and just stay put!
I am guessing you speak fluent Japanese. my late mother was Japanese. I was too dumb to learn any from her.
northern maine is pretty harsh. japan is very expensive in terms of American/Japanese exchange rate. my mother never could afford to visit after she left there.No, I speak pidgeon japanese. I am fluent in Swedish and English and my Japanese and Arabic are both abysmal - especially as I mix them. I do emphasise with you and your mum, my children don't speak Swedish. I feel terrible not having passed my language on to them but there were so many other factors and my eldest was so close to me and had stranger anxiety towards her dad I didn't want us to have a "private language" on top of everything else. But I have regrets there.
It has been 15 years since I was in Japan when I lived and worked there. Haven't been able to afford to go back since...we are going back next spring for cherry blossom season for the first time courtesy of rich and generous in laws.
Did your mum cook Japanese food for you?
What made you learn some Arabic?
20 Aug 2018, 11:44 am
The_Face_of_Boo wrote:
elsapelsa wrote:
auntblabby wrote:
elsapelsa wrote:
Yes, I am pretty restless... I have lived all over. One day I am going to build a home from scratch though probably somewhere out in northern Maine or rural Japan and just stay put!
I am guessing you speak fluent Japanese. my late mother was Japanese. I was too dumb to learn any from her.
northern maine is pretty harsh. japan is very expensive in terms of American/Japanese exchange rate. my mother never could afford to visit after she left there.No, I speak pidgeon japanese. I am fluent in Swedish and English and my Japanese and Arabic are both abysmal - especially as I mix them. I do emphasise with you and your mum, my children don't speak Swedish. I feel terrible not having passed my language on to them but there were so many other factors and my eldest was so close to me and had stranger anxiety towards her dad I didn't want us to have a "private language" on top of everything else. But I have regrets there.
It has been 15 years since I was in Japan when I lived and worked there. Haven't been able to afford to go back since...we are going back next spring for cherry blossom season for the first time courtesy of rich and generous in laws.
Did your mum cook Japanese food for you?
What made you learn some Arabic?
An aspect of my PhD was on Muslim communities.
The_Face_of_Boo
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Joined: 16 Jun 2010
Age: 41
Gender: Non-binary
Posts: 32,886
Location: Beirut, Lebanon.
20 Aug 2018, 2:10 pm
elsapelsa wrote:
The_Face_of_Boo wrote:
elsapelsa wrote:
auntblabby wrote:
elsapelsa wrote:
Yes, I am pretty restless... I have lived all over. One day I am going to build a home from scratch though probably somewhere out in northern Maine or rural Japan and just stay put!
I am guessing you speak fluent Japanese. my late mother was Japanese. I was too dumb to learn any from her.
northern maine is pretty harsh. japan is very expensive in terms of American/Japanese exchange rate. my mother never could afford to visit after she left there.No, I speak pidgeon japanese. I am fluent in Swedish and English and my Japanese and Arabic are both abysmal - especially as I mix them. I do emphasise with you and your mum, my children don't speak Swedish. I feel terrible not having passed my language on to them but there were so many other factors and my eldest was so close to me and had stranger anxiety towards her dad I didn't want us to have a "private language" on top of everything else. But I have regrets there.
It has been 15 years since I was in Japan when I lived and worked there. Haven't been able to afford to go back since...we are going back next spring for cherry blossom season for the first time courtesy of rich and generous in laws.
Did your mum cook Japanese food for you?
What made you learn some Arabic?
An aspect of my PhD was on Muslim communities.
And I bet you gave up, like 99% of the Europeans I know who tried to learn Arabic but pathetically failed.
20 Aug 2018, 2:39 pm
auntblabby
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Joined: 12 Feb 2010
Gender: Male
Posts: 113,699
Location: the island of defective toy santas
20 Aug 2018, 6:27 pm
The_Face_of_Boo wrote:
And I bet you gave up, like 99% of the Europeans I know who tried to learn Arabic but pathetically failed.
if you would be so kind, what is your opinion as to the nature of difficulty some westerners have with your language- the alphabet, or grammer/syntax, or something else?
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