It's been an interesting year

I love this country but sometimes.....

For the most part, I love living in the UK. Actually for the 99.9% part, I love living in the UK. There is only one thing that drives me crazy. There are very few moments when the cultural differences between the English and the Americans actually gets in the way of having fun. It usually revolves around words and the way they are pronounced. Like when I say, "I'm eating tomato soup" and someone says, "oh, tomato soup". Ok that doesn't really translate on print, but maybe you get the point.

One word in which I've had trouble saying the English way is aluminum. And that's because it's not eve spelled the same. You see there is a history to the word in which I will inform you of now by way of the Online Etymology Dictionary:

Aluminum
1812, coined by Sir Humphry Davy (1778-1829), from L. alumen "alum" (see alum). Davy originally called it alumium (1808), then amended this to aluminum, which remains the U.S. word, but British editors in 1812 further amended it to aluminium, the modern preferred British form, to better harmonize with other element names (sodium, potassium, etc.).
"Aluminium, for so we shall take the liberty of writing the word, in preference to aluminum, which has a less classical sound." ["Quarterly Review," 1812]

So there you go. There is no "right" way. There is the American way and the snotty British way.

Don't get me wrong, it's not like all people are this concerned about how different we are from each other. It's mainly a few people at work....ok, one person at work.

One More Month!

Here's a trailer for you from Japan...just in case you are there

65th Anniversary of D Day

Again, just a few of the photos we took when we went to Normandy. This might have been the most amazing trip I've had since moving to England.

Honeymoon Photos

Just a few photos of our honeymoon in Spain! And when I say just a few I mean just a few. But if you're my friend on facebook I'll put more in an album.

Hands off Ladies

Just a typical day

Cordoba had a giant festival that words cannot describe! Ok, it was sort of like a State Fair minus the livestock and plus 100 Flamenco tents

These next two photos are the view from our top balcony in Gaucin


That's Victor pointing over the gorge in Ronda

At the Alhambra in Granada

Gibraltar rock and one of the monkeys

It's that time of year

Kids all over the US are graduating from High School. I highly doubt any of them are reading my blog but I thought I would post this video I saw on YouTube from a comedian who gave the address at his old high school this year. I don't remember a thing from my own ceremony but maybe if this guy was there, it would have made it more memorable

Soon enough

I've been crazy busy traveling around and it's just going to be a while before I post anything of substance. Sorry for the disruption. Just to keep you happy, here is something to make you smile in honor of our trip to France this weekend:





However, in all seriousness, we're off to Normandy for the 65th anniversary of the D-Day landings.

let's hope...

Let's hope next week the weather will be great: not to sunny, not too cloudy

Let's hope I don't get sunburned

Let's hope I learn something I didn't know before

Let's hope I get to have some good sex on my honeymoon (my blog is no longer PG)

Let's hope the food will be fantastic

Let's hope I don't drop the camera

Let's hope when I get back, it will feel like I'm coming home

Let's hope that just for one week the world is at peace

What is it like to take a vacation from your reality? I think about this a lot before I go on big trips. My reality for some people might seem like a vacation while for others it might just be a cheap place to stay in a foreign country. As for reality, is that even a possibility?

Because after all, there is no spoon.

We're going to Spain next week and I haven't a thing to wear.

How much to I want John Stewart to be on a legitimate news channel? As much as I want to watch a legitimate news channel: A LOT!! This interview really open my eyes about the Pakistan situation...and how much I love Obama's foreign policy.

The Zombie is Coming!!

if you can stand to watch this until the end, do it! I laughed so hard I cried! I can only imagine the nightmares these kids will have for the rest of their lives

Just finished watching this movie and I do believe you should put it in your Netflix queue! Loved it!

Various Wanderings

Here are a few places I've been in the past few weeks.

Play Up Pompey!

Old Fratton Park! It was a great game and I would LOVE to get season tickets!

Wardour Castle and a beautiful day in Sunny Old England.

Old Sarum near Salisbury. And when they say old, they mean old.

Pilgrim steps in Canterbury Cathedral. Worn for hundreds of years.

Kings Gate leading to Canterbury Cathedral

St Augustine: I've only read about him...history is unfolding before me

Altar at Mary's Chapel, St Augustine's Abbey in Canterbury.

Dressing for war at Dover Castle

Dover Castle on the White Cliffs of Dover

You need to rent this film...NOW!!

It's Wednesday night and we just watched Son of Rambow! I LOVE IT!! You will too. Have you seen it?

I can't believe this is three years old...

Why is it that John Stewart, presenter of The Daily Show on Comedy Central, is the only one who sticks it to the media? And after three years the only thing that has really changed is that Crossfire is no longer on air. There is a difference between free speech and treating the public like total idiots.

PS- I really hate the American media, especially Fox News, they are hurting the Country.

Four more months!

Why do I have to wait? Oh yeah, because Hollywood wanted to make more money. JERKS!!!

Friday...good?

Happy Birthday Victor!

He's one in a million!

Koln: again

I usually don't get in many photos but I like this one because it is only the tip of the iceberg!
And it really wasn't raining at the moment, so not sure why I have the hood up. I went to Koln whilst studying in Luxembourg but this time I got to make the walk to the top of the spire! It's over 500 steps, 95% of which are spiral. YIKES!

The Spinnstrube

Wandering the back streets of Dusseldorf we found this pub. It was about the size of an average living room with about 4 people inside and the most random decorations: including spinning wheels. My kind of place!