December 18, 2013 by suzannesmom
The other day I was chatting with my three-year-old grandson about language. I can’t remember how we got started, but I found myself talking to him in “Goose Latin,” which was all the rage when I was about 10. He listened with a bemused look on his face and then said politely, “I don’t know that language.”
I may not be able to speak anything but English and a few lines of French poetry, but I do love learning about language. So I appreciated receiving this tidbit from the Economist magazine on how language interacts with personality.
The reporter RLG writes, “Many multilinguals report different personalities, or even different worldviews, when they speak their different languages.
“It’s an exciting notion, the idea that one’s very self could be broadened by the mastery of two or more languages. In obvious ways (exposure to new friends, literature and so forth) the self really is broadened. Yet it is different to claim—as many people do—to have a different personality when using a different language. A former Economist colleague, for example, reported being ruder in Hebrew than in English. So what is going on here?
“Benjamin Lee Whorf, an American linguist who died in 1941, held that each language encodes a worldview that significantly influences its speakers. Often called ‘Whorfianism,’ this idea has its sceptics, including The Economist, which hosted a debate on the subject in 2010. But there are still good reasons to believe language shapes thought. …
“Bilinguals usually have different strengths and weaknesses in their different languages—and they are not always best in their first language. For example, when tested in a foreign language, people are less likely to fall into a cognitive trap (answering a test question with an obvious-seeming but wrong answer) than when tested in their native language. In part this is because working in a second language slows down the thinking. …
“What of ‘crib’ bilinguals, raised in two languages? Even they do not usually have perfectly symmetrical competence in their two languages. But even for a speaker whose two languages are very nearly the same in ability, there is another big reason that person will feel different in the two languages. This is because there is an important distinction between bilingualism and biculturalism.
“Many bilinguals are not bicultural. But some are. And of those bicultural bilinguals, we should be little surprised that they feel different in their two languages.”
If you’re interested, there’s a great deal more explanation at the Economist, here.
Photo: Alamy
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Benjamin Lee Whorf, bicultural, bilingual, economist magazine, language, linguist, multilingual, personality, postaday | Leave a Comment »
December 17, 2013 by suzannesmom
Did you catch Luke Runyon’s story about a trend in suburban housing that sites homes near farms for the fresh food? It was at National Pubic Radio today (courtesy of Harvest Public Media).
According to Runyon, “There’s a new model springing up across the country that taps into the local food movement: Farms — complete with livestock, vegetables and fruit trees — are serving as the latest suburban amenity.
“It’s called development-supported agriculture, a more intimate version of community-supported agriculture — a farm-share program commonly known as CSA. In planning a new neighborhood, a developer includes some form of food production — a farm, community garden, orchard, livestock operation, edible park — that is meant to draw in new buyers, increase values and stitch neighbors together.
” ‘These projects are becoming more and more mainstream,’ says Ed McMahon, a fellow with the Urban Land Institute. He estimates that more than 200 developments with an agricultural twist already exist nationwide. …
“In Fort Collins, Colo., developers are currently constructing one of the country’s newest development-supported farms. At first blush, the Bucking Horse development looks like your average halfway-constructed subdivision. But look a bit closer and you’ll see a historic rustic red farm house and a big white barn …
“When finished, Bucking Horse will support more than 1,000 households. Agriculture and food production are the big draws, [developer Kristin] Kirkpatrick says. Land has been set aside for vegetables. There will be goats and chickens, too, subsidized by homeowners. Soon they’ll be hiring a farmer for a 3.6-acre CSA farm. There’s also a plaza designed for a farmers market, and an educational center where homeowners can take canning classes.”
Sounds like fun. Read more.
Photo: Serenbe Farms
Paige Witherington is the farmer at Serenbe Farms, a 30-acre certified organic and biodynamic farm adjacent to a housing development outside Atlanta. It’s one of more than 200 subdivisions with an agricultural twist nationwide.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Atlanta, bucking horse, colorado, Ed McMahon, farm, food access, fort collins, Harvest Public Media, luke runyon, paige witherington, postaday, serenbe farms, subdivision, suburbs, urban land institute | Leave a Comment »
December 16, 2013 by suzannesmom
Photo of Tommy Martian carrying a Tilefish: Doug Kuntz
For some great photos of the fishing industry the way it was, check out a photo essay at Narratively on “The Last Fishermen of Long Island,” by Doug Kuntz and Tara Israel.
Writes Israel, “A few miles west of the big commercial fishing docks in Montauk you will find the baymen of East Hampton. Working in small crews, sometimes even individually, these families have been fishing the waters of their ancestors for nearly 400 years, using the same methods that were passed to the early European settlers by Native Americans.
“The same few crews, usually comprised of fishermen (and a few women) who are related to each other, set pound traps out in the bay, while a smaller number haul nets out of the ocean. …
“If you ask any of these men to describe how they lift the pound traps or set the nets in the ocean, they usually reply with, ‘You have to see it to understand.’ ” Read more here.
The elegiac text blames regulations that were devised to limit overfishing by bigger outfits but that catch all fishermen in one net. It’s a requiem for a vanishing way of life.
Photo of Chet Kent and a blowfish: Tara Israel
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged blowfish, chet kent, Doug Kuntz, fishing industry, fishing regulations, postaday, Tara Israel, tilefish, tommy martian | Leave a Comment »
December 15, 2013 by suzannesmom
Last night as we pulled into our snowy driveway, a rabbit ran in front of the headlights. I thought he must be hungry and cold. But this morning, I saw that he hadn’t found the celery I put out, and the apple was buried.
Here is the celery and a few other recent photos: a church’s advent wreath, a frosty leaf, a suitable wreath for a coffee shop, my dogwood in snow, winter footwear on the MBTA subway, and Rudolph cookies.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged advent, celery for bunny, mbta, new england, photograph, photos, postaday, Rudolph cookies, snow, subway, winter footwear, wreaths | 2 Comments »
December 14, 2013 by suzannesmom
A while back, I wrote about the BBC National Orchestra of Wales launching a series of concerts to bring the joy of music to deaf children and adults, here.
I’ve been thinking about that lately. If you don’t love Christmas music, you might say that people who have hearing loss are better off at this time of year. But I like that there are so many initiatives to help the deaf enjoy Christmas music and other sorts of music.
Did you see this Clarke Canfield story in the Boston Globe? He writes about a sign language interpreter of lyrics who is adding a whole new level of fun to rock music — delighting the hearing and nonhearing alike.
“Teaming American Sign Language with dance moves and body language, [Holly Maniatty] brings musical performances alive for those who can’t hear,” he writes, “Her clients are a who’s who of rock, pop, and hip-hop: Bruce Springsteen, Eminem, Mumford and Sons, Jay-Z, Billy Joel, Marilyn Manson, U2, Beastie Boys, and Wu-Tang Clan, to name a few.
“Along the way, videos of her fast-motion, helter-skelter signing have become popular online.
“There’s the video of Springsteen jumping down from the stage at the New Orleans Jazz Fest and joining Maniatty and another interpreter. There, he dances and signs to ‘’Dancing in the Dark.’’
‘‘ ‘Deaf people were commenting, “Oh, the Boss knows he has deaf fans. That’s awesome,’’ ‘’ she said. ‘When artists connect with their interpreters, they also connect with their deaf fans.’
“In another video, rap artist Killer Mike approaches Maniatty in front of the stage after noticing her animated signing.
‘‘I’ve never seen that before .”… At a Wu-Tang performance, Method Man took notice of her signing, came down from the stage, and joined her.”
Read all about it here. See her dancing with Bruce Springsteen here.
Photo: Robert F. Bukaty/Associated Press
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged BBC National Orchestra of Wales, bruce springsteen, Clarke Canfield, deaf, holly maniatty, postaday, Robert F. Bukaty, rock music, sign language, signing | Leave a Comment »
December 13, 2013 by suzannesmom
Erik is in no danger of giving up Sweden. Today he and Suzanne took my grandson to a Santa Lucia celebration in a friend’s house, and Erik helped with the singing and wore a pointy hat that I never knew was part of the deal. (I always thought the Santa Lucia ceremony was just about a girl with candles in her hair.) Swedish customs are living on in Rhode Island.
In Queens, New York, customs from home countries are not only flourishing but being passed to new generations. I liked a story on the topic by Lynnette Chiu at Narratively.
“As soon as the children conclude their routine,” she writes, “the 300-capacity ballroom echoes with the sound of coins hitting the dance floor. The young boys in lederhosen and girls in scarlet dirndl dresses break formation and a scramble ensues to collect the loose change and dollar bills tossed their way by family and friends. The joy is in the gathering rather than the gains; as per tradition, they obediently deposit their loot in the outstretched aprons of the dance group’s older girls.
“While the movements of Die Erste Gottscheer Tanzgruppe—The First Gottscheer Dance Group—are the occasion of the day, it’s the older generation who are doing most of the afternoon’s dancing. …
“Meticulously set tables accommodate pitchers of Hofbrau, wine bottles and cocktail glasses, leaving the family-style platters of chicken cutlet, pork loin and all the trimmings jostling for real estate. …
“What began as a place to preserve and celebrate Gottscheer culture has now become a go-to locale for other communities in [the Ridgewood neighborhood of Queens] to nurture their own traditions. Along with numerous quinceañeras—rite of passage fifteenth birthday parties for Latin American girls—Gottscheer Hall hosts the gatherings of the Ridgewood Nepalese Society, and recently opened its doors to the Ridgewood Market, where artsy vendors hawk vintage wares and DIY baubles.” Read more at Narratively.
Photo: Aaron Adler
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Aaron Adler, culture, customs, Gottscheer Dance Group, Lynnette Chiu, narratively, Nepalese Society, old country, postaday, Queens, quinceañeras, Ridgewood Market, santa lucia, traditions | 4 Comments »
December 12, 2013 by suzannesmom
Here’s what I did on my day off from work.
First I went with Erik and my husband to see my middle grandchild take a swimming class. The class is held at an assisted-living facility, and Erik thinks it’s ideal because they keep the water warm, something babies appreciate as much as old folks.
Along the side of the pool is a long window that gives a view of the Seekonk River through the trees.
Then we went to watch Erik become a citizen. I have been to one other naturalization ceremony, which I blogged about here, and I feel qualified to say that they are moving. Today we had 32 new citizens from 19 countries.
The administrator who delivered the citizenship oath was surprised that there were two Swedes, unusual in Rhode Island. One was Erik. The other, an acquaintance as of today, may come with his family to tomorrow’s Santa Lucia at the home of a Swedish friend Suzanne met through the baby music class.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged ceremony, citizen, immigration, naturalization, postaday, swede, swimming lesson | 6 Comments »
December 11, 2013 by suzannesmom
I’m adding Julian Peters to the blog roll on your right. He’s a genius. A graphic artist from Canada who has chosen to illustrate some of the greatest poems ever. At least, some of my favorites.
Matthew Gilbert did a spread about Peters and his work on T.S. Eliot’s “The Love Song of Alfred J. Prufrock” for the Boston Globe. Illustrations that could break your heart. I am in Matthew Gilbert’s debt for this gift of happy-sad. Read his essay, here.
Below are a few frames from Peters’s “La Belle Dame Sans Merci,” by Keats, a poem I can’t read without hearing my father’s voice choke up on my cassette tape.
Go to Peters’s website, here, and luxuriate.
Art: Julian Peters
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged art, artist, boston globe, canada, comics, graphic, john keats, julian peters, la belle dame sans merci, Love Song of Alfred J. Prufrock, matthew gibert, t.s. eliot | 2 Comments »
December 10, 2013 by suzannesmom
And speaking of Korea, the culture in the south might as well be on the other side of the world from North Korea.
My husband and I, lifetime fans of Broadway musicals, may sometimes feel concerned that the audiences are mostly old folks like us, but in South Korea, musicals are cool. Young people dig them.
Patrick Healy writes for the NY Times, “The packs of young women arrived 90 minutes early for the evening’s show: Murder Ballad, a rock musical that flopped off Broadway in July and then opened here four months later in an all-Korean production.
“They wanted time to shoot smartphone video of Seoul’s newest theater, built inside a shopping mall, and start scoring autographs: of actors, sure, but lighting operators and makeup artists too.
“Or anyone, really, working on American musicals, whose head-spinning popularity here has changed the game for New York producers looking to extend the lives of their shows.
“Seoul has become a boomtown for American musicals, with Korean and Broadway producers tapping into an audience of young women raised on the bombast of Korean pop and the histrionics of television soap operas.”
Bombast and histrionics? Now, wait just a minute, here! Hmmm. I guess musicals can be bombastic, like opera. But the kind I like are more thoughtful and quirky.
Recent shows we enjoyed were Side Show, which I talked about here, and
Brian Crawley and Andrew Lippa’s take on A Little Princess, a story by the author of the Secret Garden.
Come to think of it, both Side Show and A Little Princess had moments of bombast and histrionics. I guess I don’t notice that anymore.
Photo: Lim Hoon
Korean actors in the Seoul production of Wicked.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged a little princess, andrew lippa, brian crawley, broadway, culture, musicals, patrick healy, postaday, secret garden, south korea, theater | Leave a Comment »
December 9, 2013 by suzannesmom
Photo: MediaBistro.com
One day when I was reading the paper I saw a photo of North Korea. It was beautiful in a lonely sort of Edward Hopper way, showing a street that was empty of almost everything generally seen on streets, just a couple people in a hurry and blank walls of buildings, one pink, one blue.
I really wanted to buy a copy, but in spite of sending a twitter message, I never did figure out how to reach the photographer, David Guttenfelder. Since then I have seen other fans on his Instagram site asking for copies of North Korea photos.
According to Guttenfelder’s official website, he “has spent all of his career as a photojournalist working and living outside of his native United States. He began as a freelance photographer in East Africa after studying Swahili at the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania. As an Associated Press photographer he has been based in Kenya, Ivory Coast, India, and Japan. … Born in the U.S. state of Iowa, he graduated from the University of Iowa with a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology, African Studies, and Journalism.
“He now lives in Tokyo as AP’s chief photographer for Asia.”
In a National Geographic article that Elizabeth Krist wrote called “Reality On A Need-to-Know Basis,” Guttenfelder talks about his photo collection of “North Korean artifacts,” odd little bits from his hotel rooms and from banquets and events he has been allowed to attend. He is a frequent visitor and has an unusual amount of access.
The artifact pictures are a lot of fun. Check out a few, and follow the photographer on twitter: @dguttenfelder.
“North Korean artifact #155. A book of piano sheet music for a North Korean songs found in the town of Sinpyong, DPRK. The title is, roughly, ‘My Nation’s Bright Moon’ ”
“North Korean artifact #156. Hotel room key, Rajin, DPRK.”
“North Korean artifact #157. Toilet paper roll with no hole in the center.”
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged @dguttenfelder, David Guttenfelder, DPRK, Elizabeth Krist, north korea, photography, postaday, Reality On A Need-to-Know Basis, Sinpyong, travel | Leave a Comment »
December 8, 2013 by suzannesmom
The Arab world is divided on whether Jennifer Grout is an interloper or the reincarnation of their beloved Egyptian chanteuse Umm Kalthoum. Last night she placed third in the Beirut-based “Arabs Got Talent.”
You will be hearing a lot about this young American singer of classical Arabic songs, who is wowing judges without being able to speak a word of Arabic. If nothing else, she is giving the show international recognition. This story is from Agence France Presse (AFP).
Having taught herself to sing “the Arab world’s best-known, most difficult songs,” says AFP, Grout gave contestants in “Arabs Got Talent” a run for their money.
In early December, “Her blonde hair loose and without a sign of make-up, the 23-year-old appeared before a panel of judges to audition for the ‘Arabs Got Talent.’
“When Egyptian film star and panel member Ahmed Helmy asked her in Arabic what her what her name was, she didn’t have a clue what he was saying.
“But then she began to play the oud and sing a classic by Egyptian diva Umm Kalthoum, ‘Baeed Annak’ (Far From You).
“She stunned the audience, enunciating every word to perfection as her voice effortlessly navigated the quarter-notes that make Arabic music so distinctive. …
“As a 20-year-old student in Boston, Grout says she ‘came across an online article about Fairouz” [a Lebanese singer often referred to as ambassador to the stars].
” ‘I listened to her and watched a video of her, and I was just really intrigued and mesmerised by her voice. So I decided to start exploring Arabic music more,’ Grout told AFP.”
Read more about her discovery of Arab music and the classical instrument called the oud three years ago and how she ended up competing on a show in Lebanon, here.
Photo: Joseph Eid/AFP
Jennifer Grout, a contestant in the pan-Arab TV show “Arabs Got Talent”, poses for a photo at the MBC television station studios in Zouk Mosbeh, north of Beirut, on December 4, 2013.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged agence france presse, Ahmed Helmy, beirut, competition, egypt, Joseph Eid, lebanon, music, postaday, singer, Umm Kalthoum, Zouk Mosbeh | 2 Comments »
December 7, 2013 by suzannesmom
I was thinking about “evaporative cooling” as I got out of the shower this morning and shivered.
In summer’s heat it’s nice how the evaporation of water on your skin cools you down, but in winter, the process is not so welcome.
Still, the principle is something that innovators in hot climates think about a lot, applying it to keeping produce cool so it lasts longer.
Stephanie Buglione, at Nourishing the Planet, has a story on this concept. She focuses on a nonprofit group called Practical Action and how it is using something called zeer pots to reduce food waste.
She explains, “Practical Action, a nongovernmental organization that works with farmers in Southern Africa, Latin America, and South Asia, encourages the use of earthenware refrigerators called zeer pots to help prevent post-harvest food waste. The pot-in-pot refrigerator design keeps fruits and vegetables cool by harnessing the principle of evaporative cooling. These pots can extend the shelf life of harvested crops by up to 20 days by reducing storage temperature.
“The design consists of a large outer pot and a smaller inner pot, both made from locally available clay. Wet sand is added between the two pots and is kept moist. Evaporation of the liquid in the sand draws heat out of the inner pot, in which food can be stored. …
“Zeer pots can provide flexibility for farmers by enabling them to store crops and sell in response to market demand, which can translate into greater income. Extended shelf life also translates into longer-term food sources for farmers and their families. Ultimately, this inexpensive and low-tech system can help farmers and low-income households save food and prevent waste.” More.
Sometimes the best technology is the simplest.
Photo: Noor Khamis/Reuters
Nairobi, Kenya. Many Africans are challenged to keep their fruits and vegetables fresh if they lack electricity for refrigeration. Zeer pots are a low-tech solution that uses the principle of evaporative cooling.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged africa, earthenware, electricity, evaporative cooling, food waste, Noor Khamis, nourishing the planet, postaday, pot-in-pot, Practical Action, refrigeration, shelf life, Stephanie Buglione, storage, zeer pot | Leave a Comment »
December 6, 2013 by suzannesmom
Gaelic McTigue, at All Things Bright and Beautiful in Waitsfield, Vermont, fills orders from around the world to create painted wooden ornaments. Here she is in her shop. Below is a bear ornament that she signed for two of our grandkids. (We got a Swedish elf ornament for our Swedish-American grandson’s tree.)
I’ve included a couple other seasonal photos: the Hampton Falls, New Hampshire, tree at Macy’s, the brass band starting to warm up at the craft market.
For a nice Advent carol, check out composer Jeff Fuhrer’s “What Are We Waiting For?” on http://www.soundcloud.com. I tried to upload the MP3 he sent but couldn’t figure out how. Catchy tune.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged all things bright and beautiful, christmas, composer, gaelic mctigue, international, jeff fuhrer, music, ornaments, photographs, photos, postaday, soundcloud, Vermont, waitsfield | Leave a Comment »
December 5, 2013 by suzannesmom
Francesca has published Pen Pal, an e-book for middle grades through adults. $3.99. (Paperback available by January 1.)
I can’t recommend the book highly enough. It’s the story of two unlikely pen pals who turn out to have a lot in common and, though living a world apart, actually end up helping each other in times of crisis.
Em is a girl in a marginalized community on the southern U.S. coast (think “Beasts of the Southern Wild”) who puts a message in a bottle. The message is ultimately received by Kaya, a young woman in a place that is an amalgam of Asian countries where minorities have struggled to preserve their language and culture. Kaya is a political prisoner because of her advocacy.
It’s an amazingly enjoyable and compelling story, not as didactic as I may have made it sound. Francesca even went to tutor English in East Timor last summer, capping off several years of research about various locales in Asia and on the Gulf Coast.
Here is the message in the bottle starts it all off:
“Dear Person Who Finds My Message,
“I live in a place called Mermaid’s Hands. All our houses here rest on the mud when the tide is out, but when it comes in, they rise right up and float.
“They’re all roped together, so we don’t lose anyone. I like Mermaid’s Hands, but sometimes I wish I could unrope our house and see where it might float to. But I would get in trouble if I did that, so instead I’m sticking this message in a bottle. If you find it, please write back to me at this address. Tell me what the world is like where you are.
“Yours truly,
“Em”
Francesca says, “The ebook of Pen Pal is out in the world at three out of the four locations it’ll be available at–Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo.”
If you like the book, enjoy its special website, here. And spread the word.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged asia, e-book, em, Francesca Forrest, Gulf Cost, kaya, novel, pen pal, postaday | Leave a Comment »
December 4, 2013 by suzannesmom
Here’s some good news about south Chicago.
Aaron Cynic writes at Shareable, ” ‘Communication, collaboration, cooperation—those are skills, not just words,’ said Salim Al-Nurridinn, founder of the Healthcare Consortium of Illinois, while standing at the gate of the Cooperation Operation (Coop Op). As the sun slowly began to set on Chicago’s South Side, more than 100 people were gathered in front of a fence surrounding a brand new community garden. …
“What was once a toxic vacant lot is now home to raised garden beds filled with kale, basil, tomatoes, cabbage, carrots, and even a few stalks of corn. Many of the beds are made from repurposed boats donated by a nearby marina, a partnership that another local community organization called Friends of Pullman helped to broker. …
“Since the group began building the garden, long-time residents of the Pullman Neighborhood have been a part of the process. Charles Winston, who has lived in the neighborhood for decades, said he began volunteering his time from the beginning.
“ ‘I just came on over,’ he said. ‘I saw people over here so much and said, “I should be over here volunteering my services too.” If we can get everybody to do that, it’d be a wonderful thing.’ ” More.
The Christian Science Monitor collects stories like these from all over the world — and there are lots of them — and features them in the Making a Difference section of the online paper.
Photo: Shareable
Salim Al-Nurridinn cuts the ribbon to open a new community garden created by volunteers on Chicago’s South Side.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged aaron cynic, brownfield, Charles Winston, community garden, community organizing, Cooperation Operation, Healthcare Consortium of Illinois, postaday, pullman, Salim Al-Nurridinn, south chicago, vacant lot | Leave a Comment »
« Newer Posts - Older Posts »
Suzanne's Mom's Blog 