Author: Doug McCaughan

Father of 5. Juggler. Ticked off at blogger.com.
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Call the SPCA!

I saw something horrific today. The people mulching and landscaping the church where Amy has pre-school found a chipmunk. I know this because the guy jumped out in the road then back into the grass. His jump was after he kicked the chipmunk into the road and he got back into the grass when the chipmunk returned to the grass. Then he began stomping furiously.

I stopped the car. I wanted to tell him to stop but then I drove on. I like chipmunks, even the ones that bite my wife.

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Use it or loose it. And a question of etiquette

Languages I’ve tasted:

  • Spanish (4 years in High School, a couple of years at college, lived in the Spanish dorm a year)
  • Hungarian (Magyar – felt comfortable enough with the basics that I wanted to travel to Budapest on my own)
  • American Sign Language (some classes in college, hung out at TN school for the Deaf)
  • and I can say "Hello" in Arabic. (I said Arabic online! Alert Homeland Security!)
Sidebar

In college, I used to joke that if I could say "Hello" and "I love you" in every language that I’d never sleep alone. I made a good go of it too. Even that part about learning "hello" and "I love you".

My sign language is weird because I was trying to learn ASL but because I was hearing, the kids at TSD wanted to use signed English with me. Despite my pidgon sign, I was comfortable enough to take orders from the deaf and hard of hearing at a Shoney’s restaurant where I worked right out of college. Now I can’t even talk to my wife (but what does that have to do with sign language?). Through the University and working at The Foreign Language Division of The Learning Company, I also gained exposure to French, Japanese, Russian, German and Italian but not enough to claim any knowledge.

So, My question of etiquette: When I bump into someone Hispanic, I always address them in English. Sometimes I get that blank look that I would give if I were being addressed by someone not speaking English; you know, that agast, expressionless face as your mind reels thorough the relatively small number of words you may have in hopes that something rings a bell. My Spanish is not good enough to strike up a conversation but I can still make some appropriate greetings. What is appropriate? Assume they speak Spanish and say, "¡Buenos días!"? Ask if they speak Spanish, "¿Habla español?" Or just stick to the uncomfortable smile, head nod and hesitant wave?

I don’t hesitate to talk to anyone. My inclination is to speak in Spanish. Perhaps my vocabulary will return!

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March Blingo Frenzy Continues

Have you signed up with Blingo yet? No spam. No catches. Signup under someone and that someone wins too. More info.

Looks like I’ve been misspelling frenzy as freenzy so I get top ranking if you search for "blingo freenzy" but I have no placement on "blingo frenzy."

Looks like they had another frenzy Sunday afternoon.

for an hour in the afternoon we distributed 40 Visa Gift Cards valued at $25 each

We scored another movie ticket but turned it down in hopes of winning something better (think iPod…) since we are limited to winning 2 prizes per household per month.

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Today’s extremely profound statement

From Crouching Mommy, Hidden Laundry:

And, life is ENTIRELY too short to feel like you are a victim for an extended period of time.

That hits home. I am writing that under this week’s Franklin Covey quote in my planner:

Character is the basis of happiness and happiness the sanction of character.
–George Santayana

Everyday this week I will set aside some time to ponder these.