Quotes of the evening with my American friend who lives in Amsterdam, which involved several bottles of wine:
"Republicans are Shoney's. Democrats are Chili's. I would way rather eat at a Chili's than in Shoney's but they aren't really all that different."
On the subject of whether I am politically correct or not: "If you were a book you would be a Jane Smiley novel."
I later pointed out if he had really wanted it to sting, he would have said I would be a Barbara Kingsolver novel.
En español, dios mió no tengo idea si los comentarios traducirán o no.
Erik, mi amigo gringo que vive en Amsterdam dijo después de mucho vino:
“Los Republicanos son Shoney’s [una cadena de restaurantes bastantes comunes.] Los Demócratas son Chili’s, [otra cadena un que tendria un poco mas variedad (por ejemplo: fajitas.)] Prefiero comer en Chili’s pero los dos no son tan diferentes.”
Sobre el sujeto de que si soy políticamente correcto o no: “Si fueras una novela, serías una novela de Jane Smiley.”
Y lo que le dije es que si el quisiera realmente lastimarme, el diría que yo seria una novela de Barbara Kingsolver.
Apologies to each of these very fine novelists. I would love to be one of their books.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
I'm not a President but I play one on TV
I don't love Maureen Dowd, but this column is really funny.
"The people who want English to be the official language of the United States are uncomfortable with their leaders being fluent in it."
"The people who want English to be the official language of the United States are uncomfortable with their leaders being fluent in it."
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
In Amsterdam
It's pretty here, they have lots of good cheap wine and cheese and cookies. I heard David Sedaris read tonight. Really I can't complain.
Es lindo acá. Tienen mucho vino y queso muy baratos. Y galletas. Escuché David Sedaris leer hoy. De verdad no me puedo quejar.
Es lindo acá. Tienen mucho vino y queso muy baratos. Y galletas. Escuché David Sedaris leer hoy. De verdad no me puedo quejar.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Everything is the same
Nada de novedades. Sigo con postulaciones de trabajo, pasando tiempo con mis papis, monopolizando al compu de mi Papi. Extraño a Cuenca hoy. Nada mas.
Nothing much to report. I continue to apply for jobs, hanging with my folks, using my Dad’s computer much more than he should really tolerate. Missing Cuenca. That’s it.
Nothing much to report. I continue to apply for jobs, hanging with my folks, using my Dad’s computer much more than he should really tolerate. Missing Cuenca. That’s it.
Friday, September 05, 2008
Esta semana incluyó postulaciones para trabajos, y llamando a las viejitas de Greensboro para conversar sobre Barack Obama. Escuché el acento de mis tías y mi abuela en el ritmo y sonido de sus voces. Mucha de mi lista que estaba basada en inscripciones como Demócrata o Independiente y apoyó a Barack, pero algunas señoras, no. Una mujer me dijo que prefería colgar de un árbol que votar para Obama. Esta lenguaje tiene un significado bastante fuerte en el sur de los Estado Unidos porque refiere a nuestra historia brutal de linchas que hasta el ultimo siglo era demasiado común. Yo dependí a mi buen comportamiento sureño. Este acento puede ocultar un montón de otras emociones aunque parezca muy cordial. Simplemente le dije, - OK, muchas gracias por hablar conmigo. Que tenga un buen día.
No hay como cambiar la idea de alguien así.
This week was job searching and calling little old ladies in Greensboro do persuasion calls about Barack Obama. I heard the rhythm and the cadence of my grantmother's and my aunt's voices in theirs. A lot of my list came from voter registration as Democrat or Independants and a bunch of them supported Obama. But not everyone. One woman told me she would rather hang from a tree than support him. I found this to be a little too referential to our bloody and all too recent history of lynchings here in the South and had to depend on my southern good manners, where the twang masks a multitude of other emotions aside from civility (I didn't know how to say that in Spanish...) "Thank you so much for talking to me. Have a nice day." There is no way to change someone like that.
Ugh.
No hay como cambiar la idea de alguien así.
This week was job searching and calling little old ladies in Greensboro do persuasion calls about Barack Obama. I heard the rhythm and the cadence of my grantmother's and my aunt's voices in theirs. A lot of my list came from voter registration as Democrat or Independants and a bunch of them supported Obama. But not everyone. One woman told me she would rather hang from a tree than support him. I found this to be a little too referential to our bloody and all too recent history of lynchings here in the South and had to depend on my southern good manners, where the twang masks a multitude of other emotions aside from civility (I didn't know how to say that in Spanish...) "Thank you so much for talking to me. Have a nice day." There is no way to change someone like that.
Ugh.
Monday, September 01, 2008
Fin de semana larga
Viernes fui a trabajar para Obama, visitando las casas en College Hill, un sector cerca del Universidad con casas lindas y viejas. La mayoría de personas son liberales, pero a pesar de eso, hablé con un