Inauguration of the Summer of Blogging

Here I go with my summer of blogging! Sorry for the delay.

I would like to begin by sharing quotes from someone who makes me laugh. Last week, he opened his show by declaring: "This is the dawning of the age of Colbertius (kohl-bear-ius)." Tonight the following got my goat: "Guests of the Colbert Report are housed in the luxurious Crashing With Friends." All this from the Peabody-award-winning satirist who invented the word "truthiness," which (rumor has it) appeared in a New York Times crossword puzzle last week. I love the guy!

So far, my summer has been very French. I am taking an intensive French language course: French for Reading Comprehension. Today I translated 375 words by Paul Riceour, which felt like a milestone. Class ends Thursday; I am taking the Religion Department competency exam on Friday. If I pass, I will have fulfilled both departmental modern language requirements. You see, I consumed a German grammar on the boat last summer:


Thus thorougly grammatified, and assisted by my knowledge of Dutch, I was able to wend my way through the German reading exam last summer.

In some ways, it is odd to learn to read a language without necessarily learning to speak it. Throw some Ricouer at me, and I and my 5-pound dictionary will have a little party. Throw my self toward France and ask me to order a baguette, and I will be overcome with fear and trembling. Hopefully someday I will have the opportunity to gain some confidence in baguette ordering et. al. That said, if anyone needs to buy some cheese in the Netherlands, I'm your woman!

EDITED TO ADD:
Colbert ended his Report tonight with the words: "I hope you've enjoyed watching me for the past half an hour. Now it's my turn to watch you." (followed by intense wordless stare)

2008: Cozy and Lazy

So far, I could best describe 2008 as cozy and lazy. I am in Elkhart, staying at the home of friends, one of whom authors the blood-stained lintels. It snowed 9 inches last night and hasn't yet let up. I am wearing my fuzzy orange slippers and typing this on a borrowed MacBook. I slept in, drank coffee, ate egg-bread (otherwise known as egg-in-the-hole) and a whole banana and some christmas cookies and bits of chocolate. I reclined on the couch and read. I talked on the phone. I chatted with my friends. Today has been cozy and lazy and pretty perfect. We are making chicken curry tonight, and continuing to stay in. Not leaving the house feels great.

I am bad at resolutions, New Year's or otherwise. In spite of that, I resolve to blog more in 2008 than I did in 2007. Seeing that I posted 54 times in 2007, a mere once-per-six-days posting average would achieve this rather modest goal. (I won't even bother to menton the scandalously infrequent 23 postings of 2006, and how easy that was to best last year!)

It seems appropriate to begin 2008 by reflecting on 2007. By far my most unique experience was my 12 day transatlantic journey by means of which I returned stateside from 5 years in the Netherlands. I took more than 1,000 photos during those 12 days (excessive, I know) all of which are available on my flikr account in the collection entitled "transatlantic voyage." Take a peek if you'd like, though I'll be posting highlights here for those not inclined to wade through the massive number of images.

Here's preview of what's to come...

IMG_3167, originally uploaded by polder.palooza.

the PZM Isolda, my 12-day home, docked in Cleveland on July 23, 2007


my parents, my bike, and myself, in my cabin


an example of the magnificent Polish food we were served


the view

If you've got to travel, travel slowly

Click here for an interesting discussion on the environmental benefits/detriments of slow travel. I must be honest, my motivation for traveling slowly had lots to do with the uniqueness of the experience, the dearth of cheap flights this month, and the fact that I can take 100 kg of baggage plus my bike along with me and less to do with my concern for Planet Earth. However, Planet Earth is potentially the most important of all considerations when considering how (fast) to travel. Oh, and here's a great FAQ regarding freighter travel.

6 more nights


I will be sleeping in my Dutch bed for 6 more nights. Whereupon I will embark upon 14 nights of sleeping aboard a boat much like this one.