where you been kid?

So it has been awhile since I have posted, felt like I should get an update in before I head off next weekend to the meetup in Dresden.

I am currently in Zaragoza, Spain. It is a beautiful city - come to think of it I haven't been anywhere in Europe yet that has been ugly. I am staying at the Hotel Palafox. It is a great hotel, super service and centrally located to everything so I can walk around and get lost.

I slept in this morning, had an amazing (hand effects - ask me sometime) breakfast. The breakfast buffet introduced me to so many wonderful things and the variety of fresh fruit will bring me back. I then wandered off the hotel lobby to finish my book. I felt like taking my time today and was rewarded with a beautiful afternoon to wander the streets. The Spanish seem to have had better planners working on the designs for the road layout than most of the German cities I have been getting lost in.

Unfortunately my spanish is as bad as my german, so I spent a long day building up the nerve to enter a restaurant and get something to eat. I eventually chose Pasta Nostra. The food was good and their Tiramisu made me all warm inside.

As for my language skills - I have been in denial for several months now. I am scared to try my limited language skills - well shy - somewhere in my life I decided that unless I can speak the language it is better to keep my mouth shut. I wonder if that was drilled into my head by my french teacher. I pissed her off on a regular basis and have managed to only be able to read and write french - my pronunciation is horrible.

This actually explains a lot to me - I take language much like any of my other skills - if I can't do it perfectly then I practice till I have it well enough that I feel comfortable - and comfortable for me is defined as better than average. I refuse to play the guitar for anyone because I don't feel that I can play it well enough to sit with anyone - I am missing the opportunity to learn from others because I am shy/scared/stupid. The same goes for my language - I won't attempt to use it because I don't feel like I have enough of a grasp to be understood, and I want to be understood. First step is realizing you have a problem.

I read an interesting post the other day about learning a language. His ideas follow a scientific approach that makes sense to me. Suddenly I am filled with new confidence to try things out and see where they go. Wow - all this from wandering around Zaragoza - scared because I don't want to be insulting for not speaking the language.

okay then - guess that's done.

I have some questions now.

Why don't they have instruction manuals on bidets? The BDAB isn't up to date on the proper use of such devices and is curious. Maybe google holds the answer.

Why is Russia Television (RT) in english?

Why do the Spanish rename American things? i.e. New York = Nueva York, Cookie Monster = Monstruo de las galletas

Just wondering...