<p>I think a pancake reunion/union of veterans of this forum could be arranged either in NYC or DC is not beyond imagination…creative planning and lots of syrup…it may take a couple of iterations for all to meet but that would be very nice!</p>
<p>So Bears…my husband and I go through this still–particularly when he is on the phone. Last night on skype he was talking about something and I had to ask 4-5 times to repeat it or at least try it in spanish. the funniest problem we have is when he is speaking spanish but throws in an English term but has a weird spanish pronunciation. Vick’s Vapour Rub was 'beeeksvaypuuurrrrRUbe" all strung together with no accent on any one syllable…he had to show me the jar in the pharmacy so I knew what the miracle pomade was that his mother gave him in childhood. The kids laugh when he refers to a politician or something in English and ask him to spell stuff frequently. Unfortunately, even after 20 years my parents smile and nod and then corner me in the kitchen to ask me in whispers what my husband was saying. They are too English to hint that they don’t understand him. </p>
<p>Spanish has the benefit that even if you pronounce it with a strong american accent people can understand you. The main problem is that many words are very close to one another. In a stunning example of being wrong at the worst time…there was one spanish speaking catholic priest in Pittsburgh when we lived there. He was from Ecuador and, being a small country, his family knew my husband’s family. He baptized our son and, often, after mass the priest would come to our home for lunch to discuss ecuadorean politics, gossip, etc. If my mother-in-law was visiting he was guaranteed to be there. So…I decide on one of those Sundays to cook whole, stuffed trout (trucha). The priest managed to eat it so elegantly (just leaving a perfect set of bones) that I said something like “you eat trucha very nicely”…but unfortunately my pronunciation made me say “chucha” which is an important part of the female anatomy beginning with V. The worst is that chucha is more like the curse word equivalent in english that begins with a C! Can you imagine the reaction? The priest chokes and goes red. My mother in law is at first appalled and my husband makes everything so much worse by saying in spanish…“it’s true, you are an expert at eating chucha! did they teach that to you in seminary? do all priests know how to eat chucha?” My husband is usually an extremely serious and quiet guy so to have him teasing hte priest made it even funnier to hear him using profanity over and over again and then my MIL starts laughing until she cries and finally someone explains it to me. Apparently this story has flown around the family in Ecuador and even distant cousins ask …“tell us when you ate trout with Padre Romero!” when they meet me.</p>
<p>hehehehahahaheheheheh
I got sexy one, too.
Some Japanese expat are creative on naming their proud offspring.
I read somewhere some father named his son after the philosopher he admires: Immanuel Kant, being boy’s names that ending with “to” sound are common in Japanese name, it seemed cool, until well, most Japanese read that name as the sound of the word -female part called in very very bad way that start with “c”
Parents realized their mistake but it was too late.</p>
<p>I told him about “Kant” story along with his soccer buddy half Japanese boy named “Osamu” but his American dad could not pronounce it right and kept calling him “Osama”(it was pre 9/11)and an episode from Judith Hariss’ book, parents named their son after famous poet, only that poet was “Homer” (the boy was born pre-Simpsons) just to give him some idea how lucky he have been to be named as boring generic no-nail stick out won’t hammered down-sh.</p>
<p>There was an assignment to write about your given name’s origin when my kid was yep, you guessed it, with that prissy English teacher.
Of course he had to type “c” word entirely in the essay for the way of explaining why his name is generic and boring.
Did I get it for that one!!
Sometimes, seriously, I wonder we (mean Japanese? or just I and some expats with “issues”) really are all pervert.
There was this respected Japanese paper editor who talked about her mistake keep calling Mayor Koch wrongly until someone finally pointed out it is not same word that start with “c” and end with"k" even thou it looks and feel about same to us.
OK I am done, someone bring back to normalcy, please?</p>
<p>D is in finals mode too. H wanted to Skype, but she says there is no time, but she does fit in a phone call now and then. Only had 3 hrs of sleep 2 nights in a row, and then slept thru the alarm and missed her first class that day. Her problem is, is that she cant do the minimum she has to give 200% to everything . She did a project on Sybil and created a fold out book where you open it up to see each personality within, like Russian nesting dolls. I have no idea how long that took her, but the kids in crit told the prof if he didnt give her an A, he was an evil man! Art wins out over sleep everytime.
The airlines ticket game is always like Russian roulette. Book too early, the fares might go down, then youve paid too much. Book too late, and the cheap seats are gone. You lose either way. Amtrak is kinda the same way, depends on when you book. And if you want a sleeper (which I always do), dont wait until the last minute theyll be gone no matter how much you are willing to spend. </p>
<p>D sent me pic of a funny WW1 hat her prof was wearing (he wears something interesting every day), and I asked her if she knew what the slang was for that. She didnt, despite me being in the Coast Guard all these years. (We had a girl in our unit who refused to wear it because of its slang name). After I told her what it was (c*** cap), and she went and told the prof! Luckily he thought it was funny! </p>
<p>I’m up for pancakes - either NYC or DC is only a train ride away, just need time so I can get my sleeper!!</p>
<p>I am cracking up here. These stories are too good. Forget the normalcy and keep it up! I need the laughter.</p>
<p>Yes! NY or DC, I am up for it. If it’s DC, a bunch of us can ride together. I will drive. I may not post often but I think that’s because I’m more of a talker…in person would be great. I want a group photo for the scrap book. My kids are very interested in our “community” They are very impressed and feel the mods of CC should have given us our own forum by now. I told them we like it the way it is. A hidden gem.</p>
<p>I’ll do pancakes…either NYC or DC will work for me. I can drive or ride or come on my own… I’d even give the train a try. What time frame are we thinking of though? Holidays are tough for us we’ll be on the left coast for a while and I’m sure everyone ('cept me) wants to spend time with their launchees. So after the holidays wind down and everyone is back to school?</p>
<p>This has been a very entertaining conversation and I thoroughly enjoyed it! Bears, I agree with others that your descriptions and language skills are quite enlightened. And, if people can not understand and get annoyed or upset, well all I can say is they have that proverbial stick up their A_ _ (another body part)! I also find it funny that people talk about manga and samurai to you. I have a similar story, I guess. I am Jewish and one time I went to a friend’s red-neck family’s house for Christmas dinner. They had been told I was Jewish, so they would not offend me I guess (not that that would ever be a problem for me.) When I arrived, the father shook my hand and said “I love bagels”! I just smiled and thought “oy”, how will I get through the night. My friend was about to burst! </p>
<p>As for pancakes…I am equidistant from NYC or DC and have friends to stay with in both places! Would love to join you all.</p>
<p>Phillyartmom, Bagels?!! From the first minute?!! So, was it a loooong night?! LOL!</p>
<p>Gmom, yes, after the holidays! My kiddo goes back 1/8 but I would imagine some of the breaks end later in the month. It would be great to meet everyone in person!</p>
<p>Redbug, best of luck to your D on her finals. Her book project sounds amazing!</p>
<p>Drae, yes, I like that our thread is lost amidst all the other forums! We have a nice community here and I certainly felt welcome when I started to post. I look forward to checking the board every day!</p>
<p>great idea to meet you all in person!
I would be happy to fly to nyc or DC for that purpose. I am a little worry about my speaking with heavy Chinese accent but I can try to speak slowly.
I enjoyed all the story, it is amazing that we have this thread more than a year.</p>
<p>D is busy on her final projects also and we find out she could leave 2 days early and that did helped me to get a cheaper ticket.</p>
<p>We had a fine Thanksgiving but in the end I have too many “You should/You shouldn’t”, which made her upset complaining I treat her as a baby not as a grown up. Good thing is we finally get back to be friend now!</p>
<p>I wish to build a better relationship with her in winter break.</p>
<p>Her next year’s class registration is done, D will take “Math and drawing”, it is really a fun name. I am looking foeward her return in two weeks.</p>
<p>Hello everyone, just catching up. Very funny stories! It reminds me of my high school French teacher warning us about saying “I’m full” after eating a meal. In French it would translate as “I’m pregnant”! And she had heard people (even men) say it by accident several times. Not as funny as fammom’s story though. Anything involving a priest… I bet most of them could write books about funny situations they’ve been in. </p>
<p>And speaking of names… One of my D’s has a name that’s not unique, but is rather unusual in this culture and language. Since she was born, not one but TWO forms of birth control now share the same name or an obvious nickname form! Who could predict that? And D3 shares a name with the “ditzy” character on Friends. People would ask me if I named her after the ditzy character and I would have to say something like, “she might still be in diapers, but she’s actually older than that character”, but they usually wouldn’t get it. There is no being sure of anything with kids!</p>
<p>P.S. I would love to get together, either in DC, NY or somewhere in between. Looking ahead, the MICA open house is Feb 11ish so I’m busy then but I think that’s the only thing I have planned. Let’s do it!!!</p>
<p>D goes back January 18, so it will have to be after then. If its NYC, H will want to come too, but I can leave him sightseeing while we do pancakes!</p>
<p>D loves to do books for projects, and has her first kids book professionally published (she’s done 4 already, self published on my printer!) and finally available on Amazon. It’s an all picture book (no words, so transcends any language barrier) about a dog (corgi) who thinks the grass is greener on the other side of the gate. I don’t want to publish the link, because that gives away her identity, plus I’m not sure if that constitutes an advertisement, but if anyone is interested (makes a good Xmas gift for a young child or corgi lover) if you PM me, I will send you the link. I don’t think she would mind her identity known to this group.</p>
<p>phillymom
^that might be one of the original google hit I saw.
I am still eating 'em but now our obsession is candy cane Joejoe’s
[Candy</a> Cane Trader Joe Joes Cookies](<a href=“http://www.traderjoesfan.com/Trader_Joes/candy_cane_trader_joe_joes_cookies/details/]Candy”>http://www.traderjoesfan.com/Trader_Joes/candy_cane_trader_joe_joes_cookies/details/)
annual holiday special with frosting with finely ground candy cane.
This year however, they are more fresh more crunchy more moist (all together, you will know what I mean when you put whole thing in your mouth and chew) I’ve been buying few box at once continually thinking,
" oh maybe bring it to the party or something"
" send to kid/friends/families away"
then ended up eating all at my job.
speaking of my job, if it would become NYC, I could host it here if it’s planed ahead, during weekend and before or after the Toyfair (mid Feb)
I can not offer any accommodation but we can go out together and do sightseeing (or monster parade!! )
cooking pancakes would be a challenge. We might have to buy frozen one from TJ’s
[Gluten</a> Free Frozen Pancakes](<a href=“http://www.traderjoesfan.com/Trader_Joes/gluten_free_frozen_pancakes/details/]Gluten”>http://www.traderjoesfan.com/Trader_Joes/gluten_free_frozen_pancakes/details/)
^G-free!? how about it?
We have a waffle iron and I can do waffle but it ain’t same, is it?
we could split whatever Tj’s bill would become. It will be so much cheaper than eating out.
I will gladly eat any leftovers for exchange of all the trouble (which is actually nothing, you moms do dishes, yes? take out garbage?)</p>
<p>Switters (she got corgi as well) and smarty, mom4 are not in it yet?
or anyone else new or less frequent posters wanna join the club?</p>
<p>So…it ocurred to me as I read greenwitch comment that I really envied her the MICA open house…what fun to crash that weekend and pose as a MICA art-momma! Or, go to NY and pretend to be the parent of a Scholastic winner in March(?)…I felt I did not really take advantage of that opportunity and would like to rent a talented child to take me there to all the workshops and museums. </p>
<p>February 28-29 I am in NYC for a financial services conference. I don’t know what day I am presenting but I always go up early and avoid the evening “chit-chat” so nights are free and sometimes I skip the “keynote speakers” because they are so terribly arrogant and boring. How are those dates for a potential get together? </p>
<p>… hmm…coould be a nice way to break up the long winter? Does it crash the toy conference Bears?</p>
<p>just checked, the fair is Feb 12-15
p.p.p.perfect!!
This must be the sign, for you are the one looked at it as real possibilities, and why not? could you come ahead on 26th, Sunday?
how that work for everyone?</p>
<p>Late February sounds good to me and it is probably (hopefully) too late for any pesky interfering winter weather. That’s the weekend before the Philadelphia Flower Show begins too – I’ve only been there twice but I’m determined to go again.</p>
<p>Speaking of Trader Joe’s. We all LOVE the Candycane JoJos, probably too much! My nieces love them too and I’ve found myself in the past spending ridiculous amounts of money to ship them a few boxes for Christmas. So good to hear they’re even better this year, it may tempt me to go back to the post office as well as TJ’s.</p>
<p>I’ve bought their GF pancake mix before to make some for my Dad. It was quite good and reasonably priced too.</p>
<p>My other holiday cookie decadence - aside from the multitude of homemade ones - are Pfefferneuse. Glorious cookie, glorious word. Hopefully I spelled it right. The proper ones have the messy powdered sugar coating, not the more sedate hard icing.</p>
<p>Just got back from TJ’s - trying some new things: Pumpkin Cream Cheese spread and Smores Ice Cream Sandwiches (graham crackers w/marshmallow chocolate gelato and milk chocolate flakes). I’ll report. I also got ‘rabitos royale’ chocolate truffle filled figs as a gift for my friend. I’m afraid I am going to try them before they make into her hands. Should have gotten the JoJo’s to send to my Dad. I’ll have to go back. </p>
<p>That weekend in February works for me. S’s post winter session break ends on the 19th so I will have a room free if anyone needs a place to crash. We live just north of NYC…the bus to Port Authority stops on my corner.</p>