Blog
Spanish Status Report: Day 1
I love Spanish.
I would like to say that the first day of Spanish was one of unadulterated pleasure, but I think my brain is in shock over the sudden switch from Korean. It was fun, but it is quite a difference. Any…
Sunshine and Studying
I feel like being outside.
This was a phenomenally beautiful day in New York City. It was the kind of day that makes me feel as though all I should do all day long is walk around Central Park and enjoy the sunshine, but since…
Spanish Harlem
I take a field trip to East 116th Street.
I have a cold, again. That often happens to me when I run a lot. Yesterday, before I realized it was coming on, I made a quick trip to Spanish Harlem, where I took pictures along East 116th Street as…
Repairing My Spanish
I have been saying things wrong in Spanish for years.
It has been beautiful and hot weather in New York, great for walks and runs, and also for repeat trips to the Upper West Side Apple store to visit the iPads and other nifty equipment. Brandt and I are contemplating…
Word Choice Matters
The seasons turn and some words are contemplated.
I took this picture in Washington Heights back in January, on one of the coldest days of winter. It is of a dentist’s office, and the sign second from the left reads, “Dentistas Especialisados en Pacientes Cobardes.” On the…
Pimsleur Mission Accomplished!
I finish the last Pimsleur Spanish lesson.
I have now finished all remaining Pimsleur lessons for Spanish, including Spanish Plus, which is the name Pimsleur gives to the 10 bonus lessons they offer beyond the usual Level III. Much of this work was accomplished over the weekend while…
Colombia in Elmhurst and Jackson Heights
I visit an extraordinary Spanish-speaking community in Queens.
Today I took a field trip to the neighborhood of Elmhurst, in Queens, and an adjacent sliver of Jackson Heights, because I had read that there was a significant Colombian community there. There was. And the visit was an…
Spanish Armor
In which Spanish, strangely, seems to protect me from pain.
Today Spanish shocked me by making a normally wretched occasion not only tolerable, but even pleasant. I have previously described my annual appointment with the gynecologist as one of my least favorite life events, but really, that does not compare…
Dictionary Size Matters
In a dictionary, do I go for more words, or less back strain?
Yesterday was a mind-numbingly beautiful day, and therefore it became errand day, because I had accumulated a bunch of trip-requiring tasks, and it is nicer to walk from place to place in mild temperatures and sunshine than in much chillier…
Spanish Sports and Supermen
I now have the vocabulary I need to talk about superheroes who like chess and baseball.
I estimate I did at least five hours of work today in Dorothy Richmond’s book Spanish Verb Tenses. I find the writing—yes, there is writing involved, even in a grammar book—to be sly and witty. I…