
<img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-30-royal-names-in-spanish/5672431289_13e9eacafb_t.jpg" alt="Royal Seal of Reina Isabel" class="post-thumb"/>The Spanish news and gossip media has been aflutter lately with stories about the British royal family. It's reminded me about a really bizarre phenomenon when it comes to names of members of the royal family. For some reason they are translated into their Spanish equivalent. For instance, the current monarch of England is called _Reina Isabel_. She and her husband, _Principe Felipe_ have a son, _Principe Carlos_, who is next in line to the throne. _Carlos_ has two sons, _Principe Guillermo_ and _Principe Enrique_. That sounds so weird. In no other circumstance are names translated like this.  We anglophones do this, as well. Good luck asking a Spaniard about monarchs Phillip II, or the famous duo of Ferdinand and Isabella. Their real names were _Felipe II_, _Fernando_ and _Isabel_.

No doubt this tradition has very deep roots in power marriages across European kingdoms, but it hits my ears wrong every time I hear the Spanish news media speak of _Carlos y Camila_ and their new daughter-in-law, _Catalina Middleton_.


Royal Names in Spanish


![Missing Square](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-29-brainteasers-missing-things/200px-Missing_square_puzzle.svg.png)Today I wanted to share two of my favorite brainteasers. It's just by chance that they are so similar, both tricking you into thinking something is missing. Every few years, I forget the trick to the first one – because I'm smart like that – and it stumps me again. The latter puzzle is more of an optical illusion than anything else. Like all good optical illusions, understanding how it works doesn't ruin your ability to see it. 

### The Missing Dollar

Three men go to a restaurant for dinner and spend $25. Each man gives the waiter $10. The waiter keeps $2 as a tip and gives $1 back to each man. Thus each man pays $9, and so the group pay $9 x 3 = $27. The waiter keeps $2, making a total of $29. Where did the missing dollar go?

### The Missing Square

Both triangles are made up of the same pieces, but one has a missing square. Why?

[![Missing Square](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-29-brainteasers-missing-things/500px-Missing_square_puzzle.svg.png)](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missing_square_puzzle)

If you're stumped, click on the image to go to Wikipedia for the mathematical solution, or watch [this excellent video](http://www.flickr.com/photos/aparejador/5663914786/) that my friend, Ray, made, which demonstrates the solution.


Brainteasers: Missing Things


[![brain](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-28-in-politics-the-smarter-you-are-the-dumber-you-are/3214197147_a36c631f71_t.jpg)](http://www.flickr.com/photos/tza/3214197147/ "brain by TZA, on Flickr")As I've approached and entered my thirties, I've become increasingly interested in politics. Not that I would ever, ever participate beyond the ballot box or a donation, but as a spectator, I'm fascinated. Another of my interests in recent years is the psychology of decision making, belief, and logical fallacies. Of particular curiosity is the [growing ideological gulf](/2008/09/29/the-other-half-of-you-make-me-so-mad/) between the political left and right in the United States brought on by increased access to information.  The most interesting psychology experiments are those that prove our intuitions completely wrong, and we're wrong an awful lot when it comes to reasoning about issues not on the African savanna. Yesterday, one of my favorite neuroscience authors, Jonah Lehrer, published an article on [The Ignorance of Voters](http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/04/the-ignorance-of-voters/). In it, he quotes [an article](http://www.economist.com/node/18563612?story_id=18563612&fsrc=scn/tw/te/rss/pe) from _The Economist_ about a recent study conducted by Kimberly Nalder, of Cal State Sacramento, who surveyed Californians about Prop 13, a California voter initiative to apply a tax cap on _all_ property, both residential and commercial.

> Ms Nalder found that the best-educated (those with more than a master\\'s degree) were most likely to answer incorrectly that Proposition 13 applies only to residential property. Those with the least education (high-school dropouts) were most likely to get it right. Similarly, those who were already of voting age when Proposition 13 passed were most likely to answer incorrectly and the youngest correctly. The same pattern held for income, with wealthier respondents being more likely to be misinformed. Perhaps most intriguingly, the largest group among homeowners (who directly benefit from Proposition 13) were misinformed, whereas the largest group of renters (who do not benefit) answered correctly.
> 
> These results are puzzling and troubling. As Ms Nalder suggests, perception (as opposed to knowledge) of issues such as Proposition 13 appears to have more to do with â€œself-interest and a potential blindness to issues outside of one\\'s own experienceâ€ than with the content of the legislation. This would explain why those respondents who were â€œnon-citizensâ€ or â€œregistered elsewhereâ€ (probably recent arrivals) were more likely to give the correct answer than voters who are registered where they live.

How terribly, terribly depressing! The more you think you know, the less you actually know.

The reason for this, as Lehrer rightly points out, is our strong innate fact filter that simply ignores facts that don't resonate with our core beliefs. It is really, really hard to listen attentively to an argument against your position. I tried once, as a mind broadening experiment, to get into a regular habit of reading some Conservative Christian, pro-life, anti-gay-marriage blogs, and I must say that I failed miserably. It was horribly annoying, sort of the intellectual equivalent of that kid behind you on the airplane kicking your seat repeatedly; I wanted to either shout at them or change seats to the section where people have moral values more like my own.

And so here we are, condemned to view the world like fans from either side at a sporting match, as unfair and biased against our side. I can't really imagine that we'll ever find a solution to this natural information bias, but learning more about it can't hurt. In science, unlike politics, learning more about a topic is helpful.

This information, of course, is counter-intuitive and goes against your beliefs, and thus you will ignore it, because _you_ really _are_ an informed voter.


In politics, the smarter you are, the dumber you are


<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-27-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-2-of-7/5661156067_92e474e824_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="Swilken Burn Bridge">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-27-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-2-of-7/5661156067_8c09e81fd1_t.jpg" alt="Swilken Burn Bridge"/>
</a>

In June, 2011, I'm going on a golf vacation to Ireland with three of my best friends, Paul (my father), Jeff, and Jacob. Six years ago, we took a similar golf vacation to Scotland. At the time, I posted photos and commentary to a website that predated this blog. In preparation for our trip this year, I'm re-posting my commentary on that trip in October 2005.

On Sunday, October 9, 2005, the Kingdom of Fife Championship was officially begun. In an unbelievable display of daring, defiance, and bravery, Jacob proposed a (gasp!) _change to the itinerary_ which involved playing a course at [Carnoustie](http://www.carnoustiegolflinks.co.uk/) instead of playing the Anstruther Golf Club again. After much discussion, several whiskies, and minimal name-calling, it was decided to drive to Carnoustie, _without directions_, and try to play golf there, without a tee-time! After asking directions in several places (in some places twice), and a little bit of vomiting from The Committee, we finally arrived to Carnoustie Golf Links. Even with Jacob's charming good looks, we couldn't get a tee time on the championship course, but they did let us be the first non-members off on its lesser sibling, [Buddon Links](http://www.carnoustiegolflinks.co.uk/visitors/courses/buddon-links). Unfortunately, I forgot to take any pictures while playing, but it was a very nice course. After the first day, Jeff was leading by one stroke.

On the way back, we stopped at St. Andrews to introduce ourselves into the history that is The Old Course. Since the Old Course is a public park on Sundays, we could walk around and snap the mandatory pictures at our leisure.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-27-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-2-of-7/5661150809_0d4625620a_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Paul and the Road Hole Bunker">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-27-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-2-of-7/5661150809_852fe874cd.jpg" alt="Paul and the Road Hole Bunker"/>
</a>

Paul visits the Road Hole Bunker.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-27-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-2-of-7/5661720380_397713fd2d_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Foursome and the Road Hole Bunker">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-27-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-2-of-7/5661720380_3e5b24b4ca.jpg" alt="Foursome and the Road Hole Bunker"/>
</a>

A nice gentleman from Wisconsin offered to take a group picture with the Road Hole Bunker.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-27-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-2-of-7/5661156067_92e474e824_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Swilken Burn Bridge">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-27-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-2-of-7/5661156067_8c09e81fd1.jpg" alt="Swilken Burn Bridge"/>
</a>

The obligatory shot of the Swilken Burn Bridge.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-27-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-2-of-7/5661725752_32382bfe20_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Jacob on Swilken Burn Bridge">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-27-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-2-of-7/5661725752_1d23658126.jpg" alt="Jacob on Swilken Burn Bridge"/>
</a>

Jacob poses on a bridge that all of the world's best golfers have crossed.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-27-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-2-of-7/5661728172_a7e5cb0faf_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Paul on Swilken Burn Bridge">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-27-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-2-of-7/5661728172_3548e47513.jpg" alt="Paul on Swilken Burn Bridge"/>
</a>

Paul adopts the ["Jack Nicklaus" pose](http://img.thesun.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01085/18-07-2005-682a_1085178a.jpg).

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-27-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-2-of-7/5661730134_b0d875fe80_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Foursome on Swilken Burn Bridge">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-27-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-2-of-7/5661730134_0fd9f27773.jpg" alt="Foursome on Swilken Burn Bridge"/>
</a>

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-27-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-2-of-7/5661732852_d4ecd29193_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Jeff on Swilken Burn Bridge">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-27-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-2-of-7/5661732852_87261c5eee.jpg" alt="Jeff on Swilken Burn Bridge"/>
</a>

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-27-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-2-of-7/5661170263_f1c9107c18_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Erik on Swilken Burn Bridge">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-27-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-2-of-7/5661170263_5d2810c422.jpg" alt="Erik on Swilken Burn Bridge"/>
</a>

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-27-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-2-of-7/5661174101_158b88d7a8_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Swilken Burn Bridge">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-27-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-2-of-7/5661174101_4d29279740.jpg" alt="Swilken Burn Bridge"/>
</a>

The Swilken Burn runs under the Swilken Burn Bridge.

That night, back at the hoose, who comes in the front door for happy hour, but Tom Van Ordstrand and his buddy Marty! After happy hour, we walked down to the local "chippy" for some fish-n-chips. This particular chippy, [The Anstruther Fish Bar](http://www.anstrutherfishbar.co.uk/) is the winner of the "Best Fish-n-Chips in Scotland" award, and recently sold for a cool one million pounds. I have to agree, for fish-n-chips, it was excellent!

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-27-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-2-of-7/5661743424_743b99edca_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Tom, The Captain, and Paul">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-27-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-2-of-7/5661743424_13c0315cee.jpg" alt="Tom, The Captain, and Paul"/>
</a>

Tom and Paul pose with the Captain.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-27-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-2-of-7/5661177969_13a50f3520_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Jeff with Claret Jug">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-27-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-2-of-7/5661177969_51f819a38f.jpg" alt="Jeff with Claret Jug"/>
</a>

Back in the hoose, Jeff, with his one-stroke lead (with 90 holes still to play), practices his champion poses with the Claret Jug.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-27-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-2-of-7/5661180251_24e5f99951_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Jeff with a Suntory">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-27-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-2-of-7/5661180251_ee97b32fa2.jpg" alt="Jeff with a Suntory"/>
</a>

[For relaxing times, make it Suntory time!](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0335266/)

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-27-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-2-of-7/5661182419_46701e7d91_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Erik and Tom">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-27-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-2-of-7/5661182419_6ebfe407ca.jpg" alt="Erik and Tom"/>
</a>

Tom and Jeff tell some jokes.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-27-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-2-of-7/5661752082_878a205b8e_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Marty in da hoose!">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-27-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-2-of-7/5661752082_4dcee6bb86.jpg" alt="Marty in da hoose!"/>
</a>

Marty tells a few too.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-27-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-2-of-7/5661754370_501ab8d8d6_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Auto-Photography">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-27-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-2-of-7/5661754370_1ec141af3c.jpg" alt="Auto-Photography"/>
</a>

I know from experience that when auto-photography starts to seem like a good idea, it's time to stop drinking.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-27-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-2-of-7/5661756930_759ebb8c7a_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Jacob gets friendly with the claret jug">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-27-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-2-of-7/5661756930_83e21d0b3e.jpg" alt="Jacob gets friendly with the claret jug"/>
</a>

Jacob practices his Claret Jug kissing, just a little too passionately. Jeff, his inner teenager released by the whisky, gives Jacob some rabbit ears.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-27-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-2-of-7/5661191451_c71e6a1165_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Jacob and the claret jug">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-27-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-2-of-7/5661191451_5fa50c7ed1.jpg" alt="Jacob and the claret jug"/>
</a>

Jacob waits for a genie to appear.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-27-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-2-of-7/5661193189_a774c9df39_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Jeff and the claret jug">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-27-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-2-of-7/5661193189_483d5130a1.jpg" alt="Jeff and the claret jug"/>
</a>

Jeff wants to hold it again.


Kingdom of Fife Championship - Scotland 2005 - Part 2 of 7


<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-1-of-7/162254739_611cc3d0b3_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="Anstruther Golf Club">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-1-of-7/162254739_611cc3d0b3_t.jpg" alt="Anstruther Golf Club"/>
</a>

In June, 2011, I'm going on a golf vacation to Ireland with three of my best friends, Paul (my father), Jeff Fitzgerald, and Jacob Pittman. Six years ago, we took a similar golf vacation to Scotland. At the time, I posted photos and commentary to a website that predated this blog. In preparation for our trip this year, I'm re-posting my commentary on that trip in October 2005.

On Saturday, October 8, 2005, we arrived to the Captain's Hoose in Anstruther, Scotland. It's the house with the purple door. There is a spiral staircase from the front door to the attic. <a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-1-of-7/5658064565_81d41f7199_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="The Captain's Hoose">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-1-of-7/5658064565_ba733b48df.jpg" alt="The Captain's Hoose"/>
</a>

We later learned that "purple door" is a british euphemism for "strip club".

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-1-of-7/5658073329_5f6ede76e3_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Jellyfish">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-1-of-7/5658073329_dc44670fcd.jpg" alt="Jellyfish"/>
</a>

A jellyfish we saw on the beach at low tide.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-1-of-7/5658232683_778821510c_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Anstruther, Scotland Panorama">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-1-of-7/5658232683_8f1833b0d8.jpg" alt="Anstruther, Scotland Panorama"/>
</a>

A panorama of the main street of Anstruther and harbor.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-1-of-7/5658077653_83c475d580_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Jeff ATMing">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-1-of-7/5658077653_474afa3b22.jpg" alt="Jeff ATMing"/>
</a>

Jeff tries to work the Scottish ATM machine. Hey there, six-eyes!

That afternoon, we played the 9-hole course at the nearby Anstruther Golf Club. The word "picturesque" doesn't do it justice.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-1-of-7/162254739_611cc3d0b3_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Anstruther Golf Club">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-1-of-7/162254739_611cc3d0b3.jpg" alt="Anstruther Golf Club"/>
</a>

The tower is a monument to the club's members that died in the line of duty in World Wars I and II. The island in the background is the Isle of May.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-1-of-7/5658656398_89883d72e1_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Anstruther Golf">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-1-of-7/5658656398_bb525dd647.jpg" alt="Anstruther Golf"/>
</a>

Have you seen that _Genesis_ [I Can't Dance](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zb9UND65mto) video? Maybe it's closer to the _Abbey Road_ cover...

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-1-of-7/5658660436_38d93307a4_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Anstruther Golf">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-1-of-7/5658660436_bd3ba76651.jpg" alt="Anstruther Golf"/>
</a>

Jeff finishes the hole.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-1-of-7/5658666240_ffbbd15188_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Anstruther Golf">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-1-of-7/5658666240_846b014646.jpg" alt="Anstruther Golf"/>
</a>

How beautiful is that?

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-1-of-7/5658670968_659f510782_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Anstruther Golf">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-1-of-7/5658670968_c45c3cd8ef.jpg" alt="Anstruther Golf"/>
</a>

We learned that the term "links" when applied to a golf course refers to courses that are built in the land that "links" the land and the sea. In other words, you can't have a completely inland "links" course.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-1-of-7/5658099495_4e8223d06b_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Anstruther Golf">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-1-of-7/5658099495_c5373e6ec5.jpg" alt="Anstruther Golf"/>
</a>

Paul hammers a power fade out into the fairway.

<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="505" height="409" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/xwRzw3FlVZQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Paul hits a drive to the right.

<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="505" height="409" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/5nk8m8sawUk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Jacob hooks a drive on the "hardest par three in Scotland" and "plays it safe" into a neighboring hole's fairway. That's the par three down to the left, towards the sea, by the way.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-1-of-7/5658677512_019bffdfc0_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Anstruther Golf">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-1-of-7/5658677512_91c75c48e4.jpg" alt="Anstruther Golf"/>
</a>

Mr. Pittman, meet Mr. Gorse. They became good friends over the course of the week.

Alternate caption:

There's gorse on the course, of course, of course, and you're forced to hit into the gorse, of course. That is, of course, unless the gorse is the famou....oh nevermind!

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-1-of-7/5658115189_48fa4d5cd0_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Anstruther Golf">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-1-of-7/5658115189_d03fea94a9.jpg" alt="Anstruther Golf"/>
</a>

That's my skin-winning drive on this seaside par three.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-1-of-7/5658694310_02b59afbce_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Jacob in the wild">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-1-of-7/5658694310_3d8a38e5e4.jpg" alt="Jacob in the wild"/>
</a>

Jacob takes an unplayable lie.

Our practice round over, we head back to the hoose for happy hour.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-1-of-7/5658131755_cd8ea5491d_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Jeff Calculating">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-1-of-7/5658131755_0bef9fb404.jpg" alt="Jeff Calculating"/>
</a>

Jeff takes notes and admires the trophies.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-1-of-7/5658135693_1085b09744_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Relaxing in the Captain's Hoose">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-1-of-7/5658135693_65157fb0f7.jpg" alt="Relaxing in the Captain's Hoose"/>
</a>

Jacob and Paul watch "footy" on the "telly".

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-1-of-7/5658138555_fc996d3d10_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Actual Time">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-1-of-7/5658138555_e8ee2d98ff.jpg" alt="Actual Time"/>
</a>

Jeff grades Paul's itinerary as if it were a school assignment.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-1-of-7/5658142389_c8d409f821_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Fresh Breeze">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-1-of-7/5658142389_b412a677f8.jpg" alt="Fresh Breeze"/>
</a>

Jeff enjoys the Scottish sunset.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-1-of-7/5658146525_0aa01e7360_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Cooking in the Captain's Hoose">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-1-of-7/5658146525_32f7eb7f60.jpg" alt="Cooking in the Captain's Hoose"/>
</a>

Jacob takes charge in cooking some lambchops.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-1-of-7/5658150411_0461c22a57_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Liquor Corner">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-1-of-7/5658150411_97f4119460.jpg" alt="Liquor Corner"/>
</a>

The trophies find their place on the bar.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-1-of-7/5658727740_1f9a742de2_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Serving Wine">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-1-of-7/5658727740_ba219e3338.jpg" alt="Serving Wine"/>
</a>

Erik serves wine from his Spanish "bota".

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-1-of-7/5658730718_e14929ce99_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Jacob serves dinner">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-1-of-7/5658730718_51590f170d.jpg" alt="Jacob serves dinner"/>
</a>

Jacob serves some piping hot broccoli and lambchops.

After dinner, we went out on the town.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-1-of-7/5658734486_843bc6770d_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="The Committe Advises">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-1-of-7/5658734486_46c167d4e3.jpg" alt="The Committe Advises"/>
</a>

The Committee makes an excellent point.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-1-of-7/493459218_df85f4daa7_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Pubbing in Scotland">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-1-of-7/493459218_d667041e27.jpg" alt="Pubbing in Scotland"/>
</a>

Erik and Jacob toast their 23-year friendship.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-1-of-7/5658737968_48b1da3114_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Paul and Jeff">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-1-of-7/5658737968_6e1c72a20c.jpg" alt="Paul and Jeff"/>
</a>

The Old Toms are too thirsty to pose.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-1-of-7/5658749046_011ea9762e_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Jeff Chooses Karaoke Song">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-1-of-7/5658749046_c2eb560973.jpg" alt="Jeff Chooses Karaoke Song"/>
</a>

Jeff thumbs through the karaoke book.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-1-of-7/5658752752_83957244bd_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Jeff singing karaoke">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-kingdom-of-fife-championship-scotland-2005-part-1-of-7/5658752752_1045999ab9.jpg" alt="Jeff singing karaoke"/>
</a>

Sing us a line, Dr. Pud!

We finally pulled Jeff away from a certain career as a pop artist and went back to the hoose to prepare for the first day of the tournament.


Kingdom of Fife Championship - Scotland 2005 - Part 1 of 7


<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-princess-william-and-prince-kate/5656615449_f42155da98_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="Princess William">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-princess-william-and-prince-kate/5656615449_408d42e636_t.jpg" alt="Princess William"/>
</a>

As much as I've been trying to avoid it, I've been unable to avoid seeing pictures of these two British faces around the news. There was something about this one photograph that struck me as being perfect for a Photoshop trick I've been wanting to try, called face switching. Sure, enough, their faces were angled just right such that it was really quite a trivial operation for someone with a rudimentary understanding of layer masks. If the royal wedding coverage gets too annoying, just imagine it's _this_ lovely couple instead.  <a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-princess-william-and-prince-kate/5656610789_d53607d1dd_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="William and Kate">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-26-princess-william-and-prince-kate/5656610789_25c17e5c8c.jpg" alt="William and Kate"/>
</a>

I had to double check that I hadn't pasted one jawbone over another because they look so identical, but I hadn't. The shape of the jawbone on each belongs to the body.


Princess William and Prince Kate


![Chris Hondros](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-25-a-good-friend-remembers-chris-hondros/Chris%2BHondros%2B40.jpg)On April 15, 2011, I was struck by the photograph on [this news article](http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/apr/15/libya-regime-change-analysis). The caption attributed it to a photographer for _Getty Images_ named Chris Hondros. I'd never heard of him, but, when [I tweeted about it](http://mini.erikras.com/post/4640448987/i-tip-my-hat-to-chris-hondros-for-this-photograph), I specifically mentioned his name. If my good friend, Kevin McCloy, hadn't been on a Facebook hiatus, he might have seen my message about Hondros and proudly told me that Chris Hondros was one of his best friends from college.

Five days later, on April 20, 2011, Chris Hondros was [killed in an RPG attack](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42682853/ns/world_news-mideastn_africa/) by Libyan government forces in Misrata. I heard immediately via Facebook from my friend, McCloy, and the next day it was the top news story across the United States. The following day, _The Big Picture_, the one news photo blog you should subscribe to if you subscribe to no other, by _The Boston Globe_, published [a stunning series of Hondros' photographs](http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/04/photojournalist_chris_hondros.html).

This YouTube video, featuring Hondros, is probably a pretty good example of what day to day life is like in Libya for a photojournalist: a mixture of terror and boredom. I'm such a coward that I back away from the monitor to watch videos like this.

<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="505" height="314" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/9jmwXX4WDC8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

And this short documentary on Hondros is fascinating.

I'm pretty sure Chris Hondros did more for Humanity in his 41 years than most people who die of old age.

Okay, enough from me. With permission, I'd like to share an essay written by one of Chris Hondros' best friends, Kevin McCloy. All that follows are McCloy's words.

### A tribute to Chris Hondros

What can I say about Chris that hasn't already been said by so many? He touched so many lives that it seems like my words would be a tiny light in a stadium filled with the flashing bulbs of thousands of cameras, drowned out amongst the glare and glitter. But that is what makes Chris special to me: No matter how famous he became, no matter what high and mighty circles of power he orbited, no matter how many people he could call friend or call him friend, he always, always had time for me, a humble small-town high school history teacher. I first met Chris in the fall of 1989, when we both were living in University Towers at NC State University. I don't actually remember the very first moment I met Chris, probably because we were both in a state of illegal inebriation. What I do remember is that there was no awkward or slow development of our friendship. We became instant friends. I was proud to claim part ownership of the "Bar" in Chris and Craig Blasberg's room. And when I say bar, I mean bar. There were dozens of liquor bottles and mixers, shakers, strainers, genuine bar tumblers, stainless steel shot measures, salt and sugar liners...the whole nine yards. Chris and Craig were proud of their mixing routines, (ala "Cocktail" the movie) and I was instantly welcomed into their lives. (Chris made a notation in a journal I kept of our trip to England together back in '95, where he wondered if alcohol was the international language of friendship. I think it is.) For the next three years, I counted Chris as one of my best friends if not the best friend I had. He, Craig, Greg Campbell and I went to Daytona Beach for Spring Break in '90, and to this day the memories of that trip are still indelibly etched into my mind. We hung out together, we partied together, we traveled together. He always inspired me to do things that I didn't think I could do. For Chris, there was never an "impossible" thing. There were only those things that hadn't been accomplished yet. He replied to "You can't do that," simply with "C'mon Kevin! Let's do it!" Even then, I knew his charisma was magnetic. He drew people to him, but never in a domineering way or to attract attention. He made everybody feel natural, as if they had known him for their entire life. And then I graduated. I got married. I had children. I moved away to a small town. I got a steady job teaching. I settled down from my "wild college" days and worked and raised a family. (All of which I am proud of and enriched by, don't get me wrong.) But Chris kept right on going. His life at times seemed to me to always be on the edge of failure. I remember visiting him in Raleigh a year or more after I graduated, and he was living in a hallway of a house that had been turned into apartments off of Hillsborough Street. His closet was a refrigerator box, and his bed was a sleeping bag on what looked like a prison mattress. I remember thinking, "Wow..not me." But Chris never seemed fazed by it. His car (when he had one) always seemed like a piece of junk. He lived out of a suitcase. (When he packed for a 10 day trip to England with me, he had everything he needed for the entire trip in a carry-on and his camera bag. He washed his clothes in the sink every other night. I was flabbergasted. But he was already a world traveler, and I was a green-behind-the-ears neophyte.)

Our lives seemed to be so different and I wouldn't have been surprised if we drifted apart and never talked again like so many of my friends I had from college. But, he never forgot me and I never forgot him. We would go six months or more with no phone calls (or even emails, which we both discovered when I got on AOL back in '93. To his last day, that is the email I sent mail to, hondros@aol.com.) Then we would email, then call, he would send me a postcard that was actually one of his photographs with the mailing info on the back, or he would send me a packet of photos, and the contacts would become more frequent until we at last hooked up again, somewhere. He would come to my house, or I would drive to Raleigh, or we would meet half-way somewhere. And no matter how much time had gone by, the last conversation we had was picked up as if no time had passed at all. No matter how different our lives were, we never lost that fundamental respect for each other and the core of our friendship. And in a very real way to me, I think that is why we stayed such close friends. We lived vicariously through each other. I'm sure Chris had other married friends, friends with children and stable, stereotypical jobs. But, I always felt, (and part of Chris' charm is that he never gainsaid me on this) that our bond was our yin/yang relationship. I was endlessly fascinated by his life and his career. He was a world traveler, jetting around, going to dangerous places and doing important work. As his career took off, I was deeply thrilled for him, and sinfully proud of the fact that I could call him friend. I constantly visited his website. I used his photos in my classes. I bragged about him to my friends and my students. I invited him to my classes. He did seminars for my students on international events. I grinned like the Cheshire Cat as my students sat enraptured by his storytelling (and good looks.) "This is my friend," I thought. He made me cool in the eyes of my students, and I will admit that it made me feel good.

And I like to think that I provided a balance to Chris in his life. He was the consummate bachelor to my status as husband and father. He helped me to move to my new house, the first I bought and I marveled at some of his "apartments." He had adventures, I had a domestic life. And we always, always kept up with each others lives. The last time I saw Chris, I visited him in New York in the fall of '09. I stayed with him a couple of days. He was already famed and rewarded for his amazing work, yet he treated me like he always had, his close friend. While I was there, he held his first party at his new apartment, his "housewarming" party as he called it. I still remember thinking how small it was... 900 square feet, and he called it large. I felt almost dwarfed by the personalities there, the editors and award-winning photographers and journalists. I was a small-town kid who was now a small-town grownup with a small-town job. But nobody treated me that way, especially Chris. During my time there, we talked about endless things. As those who knew Chris can attest, he could discourse on everything with knowledge and confidence, and I found him intellectually fascinating. But, I got the feeling during that trip that something was changing about him. We even discussed it. He was ready to settle down. He wanted to be a father, and he felt that although time wasn't run completely out yet, he needed to set the stage. We discussed how it was interesting that our lives seemed to coming back together and crossing paths. My children were growing up and would be out of the house in just a few years, and he hadn't even had any yet. I was looking forward to a time when I had done everything I could for my kids and the next steps for my wife and me would be without them, and he was contemplating what it would be like to be married and have kids. We parted as we always had, with hugs and warm wishes and demands from each other to call, email or contact sooner than six months later and I flew back home to NC. I never saw him face to face again. The last time I talked to Chris on the phone was this spring, and he told me he was engaged. I was ecstatic for him. I could imagine him with a wife and kids. We talked of his plans for the future, and I told him that I was looking forward to giving him advice for once because I already had been through children. I knew that the woman who captured his heart had to be an amazing woman, and I was looking forward to meeting her and their wedding. I thought I had all the time in the world till then. He had gone to all these dangerous places and came out every time without a scratch. And then of course came that terrible day when I first found out he had been taken from us. I am not ashamed to say that although I am a 41 year old 255 lb grown man, I wept like a baby. I haven't cried like that since I lost my father. Chris' loss was a loss for the world, for the people he helped, for his friends, for me, for his family, and especially for his fiance, and I wept for all of them. I wept for all the memories that I will never get to share with him again, all of the advice that I could have finally given him about having kids and all of the things that we could have still shared. But most of all, I wept for the children that he will never have, never hold and never raise. I wept for the fact that the world will not see what amazing kids he and his wife could have brought up. I am weeping still. Of course the world keeps turning. Lives are lost every day for noble and inane reasons. I will forever admire Chris for his nobility. He died doing what he loved, doing his best for people he had never met in a way that few others can ever match. He left behind loved ones, and we will miss him terribly. But the greatest thing about Chris is that he was so loved because he was such a great soul. He made all of us better for having been in our lives. I will never forget him. I can only hope that whatever comes after this life, I will see him again sitting there with a chess set, a set of drinks on the table already mixed, his crooked grin and his smooth voice welcoming me with a sweep of his hand to the seat opposite him, and we will talk forever about everything. Goodbye my friend. Goodbye Chris. Rest in peace brother. Chris Hondros 3/14/1970 - 4/20/2011


A good friend remembers Chris Hondros


<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-25-first-glimpse-of-offspring0002/5655344846_3613f95352_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="Take me to your leader!">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-25-first-glimpse-of-offspring0002/5655344846_818eeebf63_t.jpg" alt="Take me to your leader!"/>
</a>

Today we saw the first episode of the second season of _Pregnancy_. It was Marga's twelve-week ultrasound. There was an eerie sense of déjí  vu in the same corner of the hospital with the same nurses and same 12-week-ultrasound doctor as [the last time](/2008/09/17/procreation/). Just like last time, I was blown away by two distinct facets of our visit. 

### They can see inside my wife!

Although I have some vague understanding of the physics behind sonography, it is still completely amazing that we can "see" something in complete darkness without the use of electromagnetic waves (I mean, particles). The computational trickery to emit a certain frequency, hear the echo, "focus" the frequency to a certain depth, and construct an image from it is absolutely amazing.

It's also interesting how the human brain can more or less understand the three dimensional shape it's seeing, even though the ultrasound monitor is only giving you a slim two dimensional sliver of the image. It kind of reminded me of [Flatland](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/014043531X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=eriksblog07-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399349&creativeASIN=014043531X). The still images just don't do justice to the motion-inducing 3D perception you get from looking at the monitor.

### There's a little human in there!

Academically, I have the whole mammalian reproduction thing pretty well grokked. I know where babies come from. On the other hand, **_HOLY CRAP THERE'S A LITTLE TINY HUMAN BEING LIVING INSIDE MY WIFE!!_** Until you've actually seen a modern day obstetric ultrasound performed, you can't really understand how weird it is to have them stick a wand into one human and find another human inside. It's very Matryoshka. I think I could attend a thousand ultrasounds and never get over how utterly (uterally?) amazing it is that human beings can grow and live inside one another. As a Y-chromosome carrier, I'm both relieved and disappointed that I will never experience sharing my body with anyone.

Without further ado, I present the internet debut of my second child, currently known as Offspring0002.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-25-first-glimpse-of-offspring0002/5655343682_85900700d2_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Offspring0002 Sonogram">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-25-first-glimpse-of-offspring0002/5655343682_5e59723329.jpg" alt="Offspring0002 Sonogram"/>
</a>

Ultrasound images are notoriously "Rorschachy", but I think this is a profile shot with the head on the right looking up, and the body on the left. Except that the dotted line look like vertebrae, so perhaps I'm wrong.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-25-first-glimpse-of-offspring0002/5655344442_c108a039df_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Offspring0002 Sonogram">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-25-first-glimpse-of-offspring0002/5655344442_12d0ed23b1.jpg" alt="Offspring0002 Sonogram"/>
</a>

This is a face-on shot, which looks eerily like the pop-culture [alien](http://www.flickr.com/photos/italian_joey/163940487/) face, especially [when rotated](http://www.flickr.com/photos/erikrasmussen/5655344846/).

The important news from the doctor is that A) there's only one of them (**_WHEW!!_**), and B) it looks perfectly healthy. It'll still be another two months until we know Offspring0002's sex. Until then, we'll just have to wait.


First Glimpse of Offspring0002


<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-21-spanish-lesson-estar-de-rodriguez/5640085987_b1e6466d57_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="Spanish Question">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-21-spanish-lesson-estar-de-rodriguez/5640085987_bb571b3115_t.jpg" alt="Spanish Question"/>
</a>

This is one of the more curious Spanish expressions to me. I think it was first introduced to me by my Spanish friends in England when my future wife traveled alone to Spain for a wedding and I had to stay behind because the British immigration officers were getting uneasy with me going to and from Spain so much. Here's a brief definition of the expression, followed by a longer explanation I've gathered from some internet research:

> **estar de Rodrí­guez**: adj. the state of being left at home alone to work by one's spouse (wife, typically) and children, while they go on vacation.

### Background

The phrase originated in Madrid in the 1960's and 1970's, at the end of Franco's dictatorship. During this era of Spanish history, there was a huge divide between the sexes in terms of social responsibilities and rights. A woman, for instance, could not open a bank account without her husband's or father's signature. Men were the primary breadwinners of the household and were considered completely inept with household chores. Women stayed at home raising the children, buying groceries, cooking and cleaning.

During these two decades, jobs were scarce, and it was very common – the norm, even – for families to leave the small agricultural countryside towns to go live in a big city, where the man could work a blue collar factory job. As a result, almost everyone in Spain has a hometown, referred to as _el pueblo_, that they are originally from, and many people still retain a house there. What the Spaniards I've met most often do with their vacation time is go back to their hometown. Thus, there are little dormant towns dotted across Spain, consisting of empty houses and a handful of year-round residents, that burst to life with emigrated residents during certain festive times of the year, such as Easter, all of August, and All Saints Day, a day when most Spaniards go visit their relatives' graves. As will all traditions like this, eventually this ebb and flow of Spaniards to the countryside will cease, as younger generations feel less connection with their parents' and grandparents' hometowns, but it still has another generation or two of life in it.

### Origin

Back when women were primarily housewives, it was common for the women to take the children (via bus or train, I suppose, since few women of that era ever learned to drive) back to the hometown a little early, before her husband got off work for vacation, and return later. Thus there were these times on the edge of vacations when the man would be home alone, left to fend for himself with whatever cooking abilities he possessed. And _that_ is what it means to be _de Rodrí­guez_.

### Today's Meaning

There is a sense of playfulness to it, as in, "The wife's gone, so I'm free to go out and party with my bachelor buddies!" The most equivalent English proverb is, "When the cat is away, the mice will play!" Personally, I use it as a time to leave empty beer cans around the house and then spend the last day cleaning the place up so all is spick and span when the cat my lovely wife gets home.

As women gain more and more equality in Spain, and men take more household and childrearing responsibilities, this phrase is also beginning to be apt for women to use as well.

### Why Rodrí­guez?

The most frustrating aspect of this idiom is that nobody seems to know why the surname Rodrí­guez was chosen. It's one of the most popular surnames in Spain. I'd like to think that it originates from one particular neighborhood in Madrid, where some fellow's wife and children left him and he went wild with his freedom. So all the other men, when left temporarily by their families, would joke that "I'm like Rodrí­guez \[for a few days\]", referring to that one individual.

This morning, my wife and daughter left to go to my wife's parents' hometown for a few days for Easter and left me home to work. _¡Estoy de Rodrí­guez!_


Spanish Lesson: Estar de Rodrí­guez


<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-19-dramatic-moonrise/5628855704_727e7fb1e2_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="Tonight's Moonrise">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-19-dramatic-moonrise/5628855704_ed8ea00674_t.jpg" alt="Tonight's Moonrise"/>
</a>

Two nights ago, we were sitting in the living room, and Marga exclaimed, "Whoa! Check out the moon!" It was just peeking up over the tree-lined hillside to the east of our house. I ran to get my camera and snapped several pictures during the minute I had when the natural satellite was still behind the trees. Only one of them came out very good.

The following night, I decided that, if the weather was willing, I'd be ready to photographically ambush the moon as it rose over the trees. As anyone who has [tried it](/2008/02/21/total-lunar-eclipse/) will tell you, lunar photography is not easy. A moon that looks huge to the eye ends up only hitting a few pixels on your CCD. I've tried [various hacks](/2008/01/16/diy-telephoto-lens/), but this was my first attempt with my new 200mm lens.

I should've written down my camera settings from the night before. Instead I just made a guess before the moon came up and it turned out that the brightness of the moon was too much to get any crater detail in my video. Oh well. I'll have to keep at it. After all, it's just now the start of the season when I can leave a window open for an hour at night.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-19-dramatic-moonrise/5628855704_727e7fb1e2_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Tonight's Moonrise">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-19-dramatic-moonrise/5628855704_ed8ea00674.jpg" alt="Tonight's Moonrise"/>
</a>

My best shot from two nights ago.

Here's my very short video with overly dramatic music:

<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="505" height="314" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Us8Xly0sx3k" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

It's also [available in 1080p HD](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Us8Xly0sx3k&hd=1) if you roll that way.


Dramatic Moonrise


Over the past several weeks, as a project for his own personal blog, a colleague of mine, [Cole Watts](http://idreamintech.com/), has been interviewing me about my blogging over email. It was a fun experience, as I've never been interviewed as if I knew something about anything, well, [almost never](/2010/03/02/patetica-fonetica-debut/). I suspect many of my readers might be wondering these exact questions about me, but perhaps not. Here, reproduced with permission, in its entirety, is [Cole Watts' interview of Erik Rasmussen](http://idreamintech.com/2011/04/18/tech-today-erik/), blogging expert.

![Erik, living it up in Spain](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-18-interview-with-a-blogger/3762447462_69d9798ed5_m.jpg)Most of us daydream about traveling but many of us will often not leave the United States. I\\'ve recently had the opportunity to be a coworker of Erik Rasmussen, who took the idea of traveling and ran with it. Erik currently resides in Spain and is known to some as an [American in Spain](/). 

CW: According to your blog â€œAn American in Spain,â€ you\\'ve been blogging since roughly 2006. During those early days, did you ever imagine that you would be doing this five years later? What was your early inspiration that told you I\\'m going to do this?

I\\'ve been blogging in one form or another since the 20th century. When I went on an [internship abroad program](http://www.iaeste.org/) to Denmark in 1999, I began keeping a journal of my adventures, which I would send weekly to my parents as an alternative to sending emails about how I was doing. With my permission, my father began posting these to the internet at his place of work, and by the time my six month stay was over, I had quite a weekly readership. When I moved to England in 2001, I used my domain and a server I had access to to post photos and brief stories about various trips I took. In 2005, I began to notice websites called â€œblogsâ€ and realized that the idea fit my personal publishing habits very well. I used a Mac app called iBlog for a year before I grew to hate it. I switched to Apple\\'s iWeb for a month, but quickly moved to WordPress, and I\\'ve been very, very happy with WordPress as a blogging platform ever since.

So I guess the answer to your question is that I can\\'t remember ever NOT â€œdoing thisâ€. Sharing my experiences with my family and friends – and most importantly, with my future self – just feels so natural to me now. I\\'d surely miss if I had to stop.

CW: You mention blogging has basically become a natural extension of your life and anyone whose visiting your blog will notice that you hardly go three days in between posts, but how do you decide what is â€œblog worthyâ€ or not? Is it just something that strikes you at the moment or do you have a set schedule/cycle when it comes to writing and posting?

Most of the times when I hit â€œpublishâ€, I have absolutely no idea what the following post will be about. Sometimes a day goes by and I\\'m convinced that there\\'s just nothing else to blog about, but then something always happens. Something someone says gets me thinking, or my kid does something adorable, or someone\\'s behavior nudges me towards a rant, or I happen to take a pretty photograph. There\\'s always something.

Part of what enables me to be so prolific is that I have very little rules set for the kind of content that is â€œblog worthyâ€. I guess my only rule is that I should be able to write at least a paragraph about the topic for it to warrant a post rather than just a Twitter/Tumblr/Facebook status. Sometimes I envy bloggers with a themed blog, about _just_ about politics or cooking or programming or parenting or photos or travel, but then I realize how hard it would be for me to blog only about one topic and I\\'m grateful for my lack of structure. No set schedule and no set topics.

CW: Having a blog often means that we often open ourselves to the world, both good and bad. I\\'m curious, especially for someone whose blogged as long as you have and who seems to blog about anything and everything, have you ever had an issue with a troll or has anyone gotten angry over anything you\\'ve said. How do you handle issues issues like this and/or do you have plans set up if anything like this does ever happen?

The only person that has ever let me know that they were offended by something I wrote is my wife, and in those circumstances (there is no one I would less like to offend), I have edited my post to rectify the situation. Now, if I think she might find something offensive or too personal, I will have her read a draft before posting. Oh, and I also have a cousin that gets really incensed when anything about him or his family is put online, so I\\'ve had to censor him out of a few posts.

Occasionally there have been commenters who have been looking for an argument ([example](/2009/07/23/will-a-cactus-absorb-radiation-from-your-computer/)), and I enjoy a good rhetorical sword fight every now and then. I particularly like it when my fellow readers pick up a sword and battle with me. I try not to be too offensive, but I also will call a social norm stupid when I think that it is and feel that I have arguments to back my case.

CW: I also have to ask about your tumblr blog and social media in general. How has Twitter, Facebook, and the various other social media platforms affected your traffic and your blogging philosophy. Personally, I believe that social media is the ultimate delivery platform for blogs, links and content in general, but I\\'m interested in hearing your take on how social media as you\\'ve definitely been involved in this longer than I have.

I more or less answered this question in my post cleverly entitled [Social Knot Working](/2011/02/19/social-knot-working/). Twitter, Facebook, and Tumblr are great, but it\\'s frustrating that there are so many social networks one feels obliged to participate in. Facebook has more users, but is less open to non-users (those two are causally linked). Twitter is open to everyone, but not used by many people. Tumblr is great for very short link and photo sharing, but doesn\\'t have built-in comments. Each service has its pros and cons and I can never decide which is my favorite.

As for how social media has affected my traffic, I\\'d really have to say that it hasn\\'t much. I think most of my traffic comes from RSS subscribers and people that aren\\'t even savvy enough to use RSS and just visit my blog via a bookmark. I\\'ve seen my posts get comments a little sooner after publishing because I have Feedburner set up to tweet my posts as they are published, but that\\'s about it.

Oh, and I did [get dugg once](/2008/10/07/digg-virginity-lost/). That was particularly exciting because it crippled one of my employer\\'s internet pipes for about a day.

CW: Okay, Erik one more question and I\\'ll let you go. What advice can you offer to fellow bloggers? Are there any tips or tools that you recommend that a blogger should know about or use.

Hmm.. Well, it depends on the objectives of the blogger. If you want people that you don\\'t already know to read your blog, then it\\'s important to be generally interesting. Photos of your friends and kids are okay, but the way people will find you is by providing some useful information or opinions about a topic that someone might be searching for. Another good way is to make insightful, funny, and interesting comments on others\\' blogs. One of the most rewarding results I\\'ve had from blogging is making friends with some fascinating people all over the world, most of whom [I\\'ve never met](/2008/03/15/friends-ive-never-met/).

The trick to maintaining readers\\' and search engines\\' interest in you is to provide regular content. Once a month isn\\'t enough, once a week is better, and several times a week is even better.

As far as technology goes, I can\\'t praise WordPress enough. I haven\\'t used many of its competitors, but as a reader, I have a clear preference for WordPress, and, as a blogger, I\\'ve never wanted a feature that WordPress didn\\'t have but another blogging platform did. I highly recommend it.


Interview With A Blogger


[![Nora Riding Elephants On The Moon (cropped face)](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-13-nora-riding-an-elephant-on-the-moon/5616761442_0c824dddfc_t.jpg "Nora Riding Elephants On The Moon (cropped face)")](http://www.flickr.com/photos/erikrasmussen/5616761442 "View 'Nora Riding Elephants On The Moon (cropped face)' on Flickr.com")Late last year, a blogrollmate of mine, [Jagosaurus](http://hillbillyplease.tumblr.com/), turned me on to a project by an acquaintance of hers, [Dustin Timbrook](https://www.facebook.com/pages/Drawing-a-Day/163620843675938), an artist, musician, and all around creative guy. As a challenge to himself, he announced that he would attempt to do one drawing each day, of absolutely anything that was requested of him. Jagosaurus submitted this request:

> I'd like to see something involving any of the following: hippo, cuttlefish, penguin, octopus, praying mantis. They don't _have to_ be playing poker and smoking cigars. Really they don't. I mean, that would just be silly.

Timbrook produced this: [![Hippo, cuttlefish, penguin, octopus, praying mantis playing poker](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-13-nora-riding-an-elephant-on-the-moon/150585_165417730162916_163620843675938_305448_2648481_n.jpg)](https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=165417730162916&set=a.164012753636747.33848.163620843675938&type=1)

You've got to admit he pretty much nailed it.

After following his project on Facebook for a month or two, I decided I'd request a drawing. As I recall, the price at the time was $20 for a black-and-white drawing, or $40 for a color drawing. I sent the payment via PayPal and emailed him the request. It took him almost three months to get to me, but he finally drew my drawing. He will be stopping his Drawing A Day project soon because he has been unable to live up to the challenge in its title, but I'm very glad I got my request in while he was still going.

My request was:

> Please draw my daughter, Nora, riding an elephant, one of a herd, on the moon.

My request was right around the time I did [this artwork](/2011/01/05/elephants-and-vocabulary/) myself. It wasn't easy to find a photograph of Nora to send him since I hardly have any, but I sent him a link to my [my Nora Flickr photostream](http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=nora&m=tags&w=23585397@N00&s=rec). It looks as though he combined the hair and dress in [this photo](http://www.flickr.com/photos/erikrasmussen/5597909004/) with the sunglasses in [this photo](http://www.flickr.com/photos/erikrasmussen/5602723793/) to produce his masterpiece.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-13-nora-riding-an-elephant-on-the-moon/5615943037_f181a5bfda_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Nora Riding Elephants On The Moon">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-13-nora-riding-an-elephant-on-the-moon/5615943037_8328c3d17e_b.jpg" alt="Nora Riding Elephants On The Moon"/>
</a>

I absolutely love it! Bravo, Dustin. Thank you very much!


Nora Riding An Elephant On The Moon


<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-12-domestic-appliances-in-the-us-and-europe/5613773328_d592c3e7f4_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="Dishwasher Controls">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-12-domestic-appliances-in-the-us-and-europe/5613773328_2f610f97e4_t.jpg" alt="Dishwasher Controls"/>
</a>

My blogrollmate, [Simon](http://simonlitton.wordpress.com/), shared [this article](http://www.slate.com/id/2290317/) with me today, by a US citizen who has lived in Europe for a decade, about the superiority of American domestic appliances. I must say that, after having spent a decade myself living in four houses and a dormitory in Europe, I agree completely.

Allow me to address my experiences with a variety of appliances.

### Refrigerator

Like the kitchens and houses they are used in, American refrigerators are considerably larger than their chilling European counterparts. What most annoys me about European refrigerator design is the complete disinterest in making ice. Here in Europe, I'm stuck with the old refill-the-ice-tray methods of the refrigerators of my childhood. The last two decades of innovative American ice automation technology is nowhere to be found on this side of the pond. There's just no demand for it. Europeans like their beverages warm.

The only thing superior about European refrigerators is the average quality of beer they keep.

### Dishwasher

Dishwashing machines are relatively rare in Europe. My current house is the first one I've lived in with a dishwasher, none of my Spanish family members have dishwashers, nor do their houses have a place for a dishwasher, since the spot in the kitchen where any American would clearly assume is for the dishwasher, is always where the clothes washing machine goes. I've certainly never heard of a washing machine in an American kitchen; in America we have special laundry rooms for the washer and dryer, which I'll get to in a minute.

Our dishwasher has four different places you can set the dial: A, B, C, and D. So to do a normal load, _of course_, you have to set it to B. When it gets to D, it's done. That's all the people that sold us the house knew, and that's all I know. The door to the little compartment inside the door where you put the detergent is broken in the open position, so we just throw in the little block of soap anywhere into the dishwasher. Despite all these faults, it does an excellent job of cleaning dishes.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-12-domestic-appliances-in-the-us-and-europe/5613774744_c643de46bf_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Dishwasher Controls">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-12-domestic-appliances-in-the-us-and-europe/5613774744_8c6699e828.jpg" alt="Dishwasher Controls"/>
</a>

Our dishwasher control panel.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-12-domestic-appliances-in-the-us-and-europe/5613773328_d592c3e7f4_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Dishwasher Controls">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-12-domestic-appliances-in-the-us-and-europe/5613773328_2f610f97e4.jpg" alt="Dishwasher Controls"/>
</a>

What on planet Europe could those symbols mean? A does something with water (or is it air?), B does the same thing as C, but with a tail, and D (or is it e?) moves something somewhere.

### Clothes Dryer

There are almost no clothes dryers in Spain, and not many across Europe, and I can tell you why. It's what my wife says every time I suggest we use it: "Why pay for the electricity to dry the clothes when you can just hang them out for a few hours and spend nothing?" To be honest, I don't have a compelling answer to that question. There are a few reasons, and I'm reminded of them every time I visit The Motherland. Clothes that are tumble dried are softer and need considerably less ironing than clothes that are line dried.

The whole point is moot, however, since our dryer has never worked in the entire time we've had the house. The previous owner claimed to have never used it, so I suspect it may never have worked. It does a great job in getting the wet clothes really, really hot, but does nothing with the water. It annoys the crap out of me to have so much valuable kitchen volume wasted on a big functionless appliance.

### Washing Machine

All my experience with washing machines in Europe has involved having to run each load twice. You put in the clothes, put the powder detergent in a little slide out tray, turn it to the desired setting, and press start. If you don't catch it at just the right moment in its rinse cycle to put in the liquid softener, then you have to turn it off, turn the knob back to its rinse cycle, put in the softener, and start it again. In theory there's another compartment in the tray where you can put in the softener at the same time as the original detergent, but on the three washing machines I've had, that has never, ever, ever worked.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-12-domestic-appliances-in-the-us-and-europe/5613776046_a326eaa61f_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Washing Machine Controls">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-12-domestic-appliances-in-the-us-and-europe/5613776046_08ef9e98ca.jpg" alt="Washing Machine Controls"/>
</a>

You need the Rosetta Stone to decipher the washing machine hieroglyphs.

Actually, I think I know what these are. For whites, we set it to 1, and it goes longer and with hotter water (the 90, 60, 40 must be liters, where you can set it to 2 or 3 if you have a smaller load?) before rinsing (step 4), spinning (step 5) and stopping. For coloreds, we set it to 6, and it goes through a shorter cycle with cold water and stops after 10. I assume 11 and 12 are for some super short cycle, but we never use that.

### Garbage Disposal

I suspect most Europeans have never even heard of a garbage disposal, a blender that sits in the drain of your sink to chop up organic waste so it can fit down the drainage pipe. When I first got to Europe, I thought, "What do you mean I can't put potato peels down the drain?" As in most things (but not hybrid cars, strangely), the Europeans are much more environmentally friendly than the Americans. This is not because Europeans are fundamentally better or smarter people, but that they have had millennia to develop a culture more suited to close-quarters living, which by necessity needs to keep the environment clean, and the American way of life is all about cheap wide open space.

### Television

Spain is just now, in 2011, starting to get a few channels broadcast in HD, but they are pay channels that I can't see. And my cable provider doesn't seem to be making any effort to give me more pixels. It's unclear to me what the reason for this technological lag is. There must be some political issues holding back the broadcasters, because it's certainly not that the Spaniards especially want to watch their _fíºtbol_ in low definition.


Domestic Appliances in the US and Europe


<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603680088_5a93ea89af_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="Green Dress">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603680088_f4e09aa9dc_t.jpg" alt="Green Dress"/>
</a>

Before my current blog, I hosted static web pages with photos and comments to share my travels with my family and friends. What follows are adventures I had, photos I took, and comments I wrote in August 2001, when I went to visit my girlfriend, Marga, in her new apartment in Walsall, England. Four months later, I would end up moving there and living there for almost four years.

A few thoughts about what you're about to see... Wow, we look young! I still retain a little of this photo-caption-photo-caption style in my present day blogging. At the time, I was really preoccupied with the whole "driving on the left" novelty; the original post had another video that was just us speeding down the motorway with the cars going the other direction on our right. Ten years later, we still have some of these clothes...how embarrassing. And finally, _**this**_ is why I blog: so I can look back at photos and thoughts like these. Okay, without further ado...

This past week I went to visit Marga in England. When I arrived, I was given an hour or two to sleep and then Marga and I went down to Oxford to meet up with some of her friends that had driven there earlier. We got there in time to search for the Bed & Breakfast and then go out dancing.

## Oxford

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603671826_c1733e7615_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Rocio, Aitziber, Carlos, Maria">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603671826_31280d83cb.jpg" alt="Rocio, Aitziber, Carlos, Maria"/>
</a>

Waiting outside the dance club. The guy at the door was keeping count of how many people were inside. Even with this precaution, it was pretty packed, but not uncomfortable. From left to right: a girl's head who Aitziber had asked to take their photo, some English bloke that had helped us find the club and enjoyed practicing his Spanish, Rocio (her name means "dew" in Spanish), Aitziber (Marga's roommate), Carlos, and Maria.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603088189_233a73d6bc_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Rocio, Aitziber, Carlos, Maria">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603088189_8ca7242b38.jpg" alt="Rocio, Aitziber, Carlos, Maria"/>
</a>

We tried again with the blonde out of the way and everyone looking at my camera. The English fellow would rather look at Rocio.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603672530_5fb661aba1_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Marag, Maria, Aitziber, Rocio">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603672530_9bd0ca2916.jpg" alt="Marag, Maria, Aitziber, Rocio"/>
</a>

Dancing and drinking. From left to right: Marga, Maria, Aitziber, and Rocio.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603672858_ae417a8716_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Marga, Maria, Erik, Rocio, Carlos">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603672858_740e47705a.jpg" alt="Marga, Maria, Erik, Rocio, Carlos"/>
</a>

Marga, Maria, me, Rocio, and Carlos.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603089269_161b6e4f9d_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Erik and Marga">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603089269_aeea0595a0.jpg" alt="Erik and Marga"/>
</a>

Me and Marga...okay, so I had had a little to drink...

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603089613_b4ed50e94a_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="B&B Room">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603089613_c78c32f7b9.jpg" alt="B&B Room"/>
</a>

The next morning in the B&B. Aitziber wanted to try my camera. Marga and I decided to spend Sunday in Oxford because we had arrived so late on Saturday. The others drove over to Cambridge. I knew from past experience that the cities are pretty much the same with Oxford possibly being better. Too bad about the overcast weather.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603089917_7ab0baf01a_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Some Oxford College">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603089917_6306622379.jpg" alt="Some Oxford College"/>
</a>

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603090569_35e3ecc9a9_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Buying Postcards">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603090569_4e146d81c4.jpg" alt="Buying Postcards"/>
</a>

This might be my favorite picture from the whole week. This is Marga shopping for postcards.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603090901_ae112d94fc_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Boat Captain">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603090901_99f5f56956.jpg" alt="Boat Captain"/>
</a>

We rented a rowboat and meandered along the canal. It had been a long time since I had rowed and it took me about 15 minutes to get the hang of it again. This is Marga enjoying the ride in the back of the boat and occasionally shouting "Cuidado!" ("Look out!") when I got to close to a tree. The canal was quite tough to maneuver because of all the trees jutting out from the sides.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603091291_e0c3f60da6_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Rowing">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603091291_c5ef8412be.jpg" alt="Rowing"/>
</a>

Marga charging ahead at ramming speed at some English (and I think Canadian) women.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603675570_22208873d3_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Very European">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603675570_7f4b55bf61.jpg" alt="Very European"/>
</a>

What a European!!

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603091887_570a47bb71_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Some Oxford Garden">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603091887_08573f9c29.jpg" alt="Some Oxford Garden"/>
</a>

The guard only let one person at a time walk 30 feet forward from here and photograph the inside of this college. I took full advantage (see panorama below).

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603092231_72b10e81df_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="The Thames">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603092231_8a9b2debae.jpg" alt="The Thames"/>
</a>

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603092593_04d9216b28_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="The Head of the River">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603092593_a1353ee983.jpg" alt="The Head of the River"/>
</a>

The Head of the River. I guess it's a restaurant and pub but I didn't get to enter. I'd love to, though.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603092877_e7c3d68575_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Erik and Marga">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603092877_f92b557c62.jpg" alt="Erik and Marga"/>
</a>

Camera at arms length

## Walsall

For the rest of the week, Marga had to work, leaving the house at 5:30 every morning. On various days, I took trips from the house (easily using a nearby bus stop) into "the city" (Birmingham - the second biggest city in England) or into downtown Walsall, the suburb of Birmingham that Marga lives in.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603093201_fbd4d51e2d_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Wallace and Gromit">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603093201_2ea604fd8e.jpg" alt="Wallace and Gromit"/>
</a>

A hedge shaped like Wallace and Grommit that I saw. I think this is in Solihull, another suburb of Birmingham that I ventured into.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603093627_91e920d8c8_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Jesson Close Apartment">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603093627_96e4920b2d.jpg" alt="Jesson Close Apartment"/>
</a>

The main room of Marga's apartment (the dining room and the living room).

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603678184_b1718670e4_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Jesson Close Apartment">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603678184_5559506258.jpg" alt="Jesson Close Apartment"/>
</a>

A look from the other side of the room.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603678624_7ef3b28a42_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Jesson Close Apartment View">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603678624_b051963995.jpg" alt="Jesson Close Apartment View"/>
</a>

A look out the living room window at a nearby sports field.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603679050_d8b796a739_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Jesson Close Apartment Window">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603679050_babb4b6353.jpg" alt="Jesson Close Apartment Window"/>
</a>

A look directly our the living room window. The sports field was on the left of what is shown here.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603679634_8a1f1a756a_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="More Mobiling">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603679634_5973ec42a4.jpg" alt="More Mobiling"/>
</a>

Marga on the phone in the living room, photo taken from the bedroom window.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603680088_5a93ea89af_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Green Dress">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603680088_f4e09aa9dc.jpg" alt="Green Dress"/>
</a>

Okay, maybe this one is my favorite... (er...I mean..."favourite")

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603096471_0c58f9aeac_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Making Breakfast">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603096471_54e4058a88.jpg" alt="Making Breakfast"/>
</a>

Marga preparing breakfast. Looks like a finger got in there...oops.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603096925_9c8620e4b7_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Eating Breakfast">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603096925_324d3715e0.jpg" alt="Eating Breakfast"/>
</a>

Marga consuming breakfast at a little table in the corner of the kitchen.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603681572_69a31bd1c9_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="The Punto">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603681572_3b1b023e23.jpg" alt="The Punto"/>
</a>

Marga leaving for work in her Fiat (the car in the middle). Marga came home and we went out to walk around the Walsall City Centre.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603097839_d4f6d4a591_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Driving the Punto">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603097839_1561895eed.jpg" alt="Driving the Punto"/>
</a>

Marga is an excellent driver, even on the left side of the road. She let me drive back from Walsall one evening when the traffic was light. Very difficult! In the round-a-bouts, I was simply going where Marga pointed and stopping when she said to. I still don't really understand them, especially the double round-a-bout ("figure 8"?) near her house.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603098401_1d94018cda_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Steering Wheel on Wrong Side">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603098401_85dcb4f2ec.jpg" alt="Steering Wheel on Wrong Side"/>
</a>

The Fiat interior

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603682846_3c2951c2db_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="What lane are we in?">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603682846_21a236f37f.jpg" alt="What lane are we in?"/>
</a>

A photographically clever shot.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603099241_59217dd697_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="The A34">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603099241_ee215c693f.jpg" alt="The A34"/>
</a>

Driving on the wrong side of the road.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603099597_bc27a3f484_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Walsall">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603099597_a600ac5da6.jpg" alt="Walsall"/>
</a>

Getting into downtown Walsall.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603684016_718231b191_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Walsall Town Hall">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603684016_786dc44f46.jpg" alt="Walsall Town Hall"/>
</a>

An attractive building in downtown Walsall

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603100497_301856aafc_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Walsall Bus Stop">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603100497_fb02a2022c.jpg" alt="Walsall Bus Stop"/>
</a>

We decided this picture would be entitled, "El Autobus y Otras Cosas" ("The Bus and Other Things"). :-)

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603100907_da99a9181d_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Marga">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603100907_9e842965c6.jpg" alt="Marga"/>
</a>

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603101377_f199f6ef2e_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Jesson Close Apartment">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603101377_1ebc0038cc.jpg" alt="Jesson Close Apartment"/>
</a>

Marga's building from the parking lot as I was leaving.

## Panoramas

My new digital camera has a feature that lets you line up multiple shots so they can be easily be merged together into a panorama by the software that came with it. I like what I've seen. You really must click on each image to get the full effect. If you download IE6, it will size the images down to fit inside your window.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603686840_0433df5f64_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="panoramaOxford1">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603686840_34b312ebe3.jpg" alt="panoramaOxford1"/>
</a>

A little blurry, but this is one of the colleges at Oxford.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603103833_fb8542bd58_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="panoramaOxford2">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603103833_2e92a459de.jpg" alt="panoramaOxford2"/>
</a>

An Oxford street. "High Street", I believe.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603688638_27cb292154_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="panoramaOxford3">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603688638_d141895ea2.jpg" alt="panoramaOxford3"/>
</a>

The college at Oxford where we had to take turns walking forward to take pictures.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603689236_c91410dcf4_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="panoramaBedroom">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603689236_da99f72f1b.jpg" alt="panoramaBedroom"/>
</a>

This is Marga's bedroom. Too bad about the lighting...

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603102175_8ae85b3d85_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="panoramaKitchen">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-09-oxford-and-walsall-august-2001/5603102175_4efae866b2.jpg" alt="panoramaKitchen"/>
</a>

180 degrees of Marga's kitchen. This one is really like turning your head from side to side as you scroll.

## Videos

<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="505" height="409" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/hVkpOdeQC-I" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>


Oxford and Walsall, August 2001


<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-08-im-fine-thank-you/5597841235_d325b1f13c_o_d.png" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="I'm fine, thank you. Video thumbnail.">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-08-im-fine-thank-you/5597841235_4e3284c0e1_t.jpg" alt="I'm fine, thank you. Video thumbnail."/>
</a>

Recently, [I mentioned](/2011/04/04/conquering-the-english/) that Nora now knows how to respond to "How are you?" with "I'm fine, thank you." Yesterday, she looked so cute in her dress and pigtails that I decided to interview her on a few things to see how her conversational skills are developing. She did need a little coaching, even on questions she definitely knows the answer to. I can't help but giggle every time she says "I'm fine. Thank you!"  I highly encourage you to stick around for the homophone-tastic punchline at the end of the video. The live studio audience seemed to enjoy it, at least.

<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="505" height="314" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/zh53a-wnjIY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>


I'm Fine, Thank You

Nora Turns Two


<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-06-noras-second-birthday-card/5595771570_1bbbe5c64c_o_d.png" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="Nora's Second Birthday Card">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-06-noras-second-birthday-card/5595771570_7bef8fbab6_t.jpg" alt="Nora's Second Birthday Card"/>
</a>

I've [mentioned before](/2010/12/31/cards-by-joyce/) how amazingly talented my grandmother is at making greeting cards. For Nora's second birthday, my grandmother not only made a beautiful card, but also totally nailed Nora's ability level for following a story, and made the surprise at the end a photo of the person Nora most likes to look at: herself. The card itself, was the most fun Nora had opening her birthday presents. Luckily I caught some of the magic on film.  

<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="505" height="314" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/i6r6lbjWEvk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

When she identifies characters from the front, _osito_ means "little bear" in Spanish, and is the term for all teddy bears.


Nora's Second Birthday Card


<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-04-conquering-the-english/5588236245_4aecfc4448_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="Reflected Playground">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-04-conquering-the-english/5588236245_aa1a660c4b_t.jpg" alt="Reflected Playground"/>
</a>

Nora's English has been improving by leaps and bounds lately, which is due to many factors, but I think the fact that her American grandparents visited for a week and that her Spanish grandparents haven't visited for a while made a big difference, by enabling/forcing us to use English primarily at home. Little by little, I have been requiring more of her when she asks for things. When she wants her hands cleaned, she used to get away with just saying "_sucio_", but since then we've stepped through "_sucia mano_", "dirty", "dirty hand", and now up to "My hand is dirty." We've climbed a similar ladder for cookie requests, from "_más_" through "more", "_más_ cookie", "more cookie", "cookie please", "more cookie please", "May I have more cookie?", "May I have more cookie, please?", to finally, "Daddy, may I have more cookie, please?" 

### Possession

One thing that amazes me is Nora's understanding of possession, specifically which objects in the house belong to which person. When she's "helping" do laundry, she can correctly identify the owner of each sock, shirt, underwear, pants, and dress in the laundry basket. Granted, the difference in sizes of the household members is pretty significant, but I'm still impressed. And it doesn't stop with clothes. Phones, electronics, umbrellas, hats, keys, and even foods that only one person eats can be identified as Mommy's or Daddy's or Nora's. When my parents visited, my mother brought some homemade candy that she makes and gave some to my sister-in-law and some to us. Nora only saw the tupperware container given to her aunt. Several days after they had left, she saw our identical tupperware container and said, "Tí­a Belén's!", identifying that object as belonging to her Aunt Belén.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-04-conquering-the-english/5588236245_4aecfc4448_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Reflected Playground">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-04-conquering-the-english/5588236245_aa1a660c4b.jpg" alt="Reflected Playground"/>
</a>

### Surprises

This past weekend, we had the following exchange:

> Me: Hello, Nora! Nora: Hello, Daddy! Me: How are you? Nora: I'm fine, thank you.

What blew my mind is that I'd never taught her the proper response to "How are you?", but out it came, with a "thank you" on the end! The best guess we have is that she picked it up, after some non-trivial parsing, from a pre-school song that Marga and Belén's English teachers taught them (and they sing to Nora) that goes something like:

> Good morning, good morning, good morning, how are you? I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm fine, thank you.

The second surprise occurred last night when I was bathing Nora. After her bath, I dried her off and was putting on her skin lotion. I was massaging it into her back when Nora let out an "Ahhhhh!! Very nice!" What?? I don't recall ever saying that in any similar context around her, but out it came.

Today when she was climbing the ladder to the slide at the local playground, she was saying "Very nice!" after climbing each rung. I was so proud!

### Imagination

Watching her imagination develop might be my favorite part of parenting so far. She plays with her dolls and has them talk to each other and treats them _just_ like we treat Nora. She says things like "Sit down in your chair," "Do you want some soup?", "Do you have pee-pee?", etc. However, she talks to her dolls almost exclusively in Spanish, which shows that she's more comfortable in Spanish and understands that it's the _lingua franca_ in these parts. Even so, I am absolutely thrilled with her English skills lately.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-04-conquering-the-english/5588240605_68efbf2c23_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Playground fun">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2011-04-04-conquering-the-english/5588240605_8d28881330.jpg" alt="Playground fun"/>
</a>

Ahhhh, very nice!


18 posts from April, 2011