dotinthesky: (Default)
Dot in the Sky ([personal profile] dotinthesky) wrote2010-01-04 11:43 pm

Two Tribes

Two decisions for 2010:

1) To become vegetarian. Not right now though - I've got fish in the house and I might as well eat it rather than throw it away. I was a vegetarian before - for a year and a half (ten years ago) - but I didn't do it right (too much cheese). I think I'm ready now. Down goes my carbon footprint. Up goes my experiments with different dishes and spices. I think it would be a great learning tool, and a distraction from impending unemployment.

2) Enroll in the Institute Français and take an intensive course in February, followed by more dispersed classes throughout the year. And start giving Brasilian Portuguese lessons to [livejournal.com profile] wink_martindale, [livejournal.com profile] blu_bear and [livejournal.com profile] desayuno_ingles (or anyone else, really, who's interested.) Good teaching practice for me; good language to learn for you.

Enya, please sing to me throughout the night and don't let the Big Bad Insomnia catch me.
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[identity profile] commonpeople.livejournal.com 2010-01-05 10:46 am (UTC)(link)
Great! My little class is expanding. :-)

[identity profile] kevyn-kronycles.livejournal.com 2010-01-05 12:00 am (UTC)(link)
I used to listen to Enya all the time for a good night's rest...her music is so calming.

[identity profile] commonpeople.livejournal.com 2010-01-05 10:46 am (UTC)(link)
Calming... and sometimes hilarious too. ;-)
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[identity profile] commonpeople.livejournal.com 2010-01-05 10:25 am (UTC)(link)
Thank you, I'll check them out! The vegetarian industry here is quite good (unlike in Canada ten years ago, when I first tried it out), with plenty of quorn options, etc. Plus, I live in the Bengali neighbourhood, with all corner stores catering to vegetarians... I should be alright!

[identity profile] kirstenlj.livejournal.com 2010-01-05 08:44 am (UTC)(link)
Good luck with going vegetarian! :-)

We must definitely meet up when you finish work. I have a vegetarian recipe book (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Leiths-Vegetarian-Bible-Polly-Tyrer/dp/0747557160/) I will bring for you to have if you would like it?

[identity profile] commonpeople.livejournal.com 2010-01-05 10:23 am (UTC)(link)
Thanks! I was thinking about you this morning as I walked to work - wanted to pick your brains about your experience. I'd love to borrow/take the book off your hands! I'm free as of the 16th of Jan until the 27th (am visiting Hester on the 28th) so I'll be more than happy to meet you anytime around then. Perhaps a nice coffee shop downtown?

[identity profile] kirstenlj.livejournal.com 2010-01-05 11:48 am (UTC)(link)
Sure. Or we can check out the Museum of Childhood. Or the Horniman Museum is quite fun (and strange) if you fancy coming out a bit. I am free most of those days.

[identity profile] commonpeople.livejournal.com 2010-01-05 12:16 pm (UTC)(link)
Both museums sound like a good plan. There are some nice cafes around the Museum of Childhood which I can take you to! I'd also love to visit the Horniman - don't know it - so whichever is easiest for you.

[identity profile] kirstenlj.livejournal.com 2010-01-05 12:30 pm (UTC)(link)
I think they're about equal to get to.

The Horniman is quite ... uh ... eclectic (http://www.horniman.ac.uk/exhibitions/current.php) and has a mad collection of stuffed Victorian animals (including a crazy overstuffed walrus). Actually, maybe we should arrange a trip there in the spring or summer with a few people - it has a 16 acre garden (http://www.horniman.ac.uk/gardens/index.php) which is stunning and fantastic for exploring and having a picnic.

So let's do the Museum of Childhood this time. You will have to make sure the cafes serve Babycinos though :-P

[identity profile] commonpeople.livejournal.com 2010-01-05 12:56 pm (UTC)(link)
Aha! In fact, the cafes do serve babyccinos - K always laughs when he hears them getting ordered. ;-)

There's one right beside the museum which is vegetarian and plenty of seating space. Museum of Childhood it is! I'll be busy on Friday 22nd, but am free the days before that. Do any of those weekdays suit you?

[identity profile] kirstenlj.livejournal.com 2010-01-05 01:02 pm (UTC)(link)
The Monday or Tuesday of that week will be great.

Heh, I remembered you posting about them before :-) As silly as the name is, H loves them. They make him feel ever so grown up and we can't go past a coffee shop without him begging for 'Chino'

[identity profile] commonpeople.livejournal.com 2010-01-06 02:47 pm (UTC)(link)
Should we say Monday then? Let me know by text or e-mail what time is good for you. I look forward to seeing you!

[identity profile] kirstenlj.livejournal.com 2010-01-10 08:57 pm (UTC)(link)
Monday will be great.

[identity profile] wwidsith.livejournal.com 2010-01-05 02:39 pm (UTC)(link)
Man, I'd love to learn some Portuguese, if you can do anything online!

[identity profile] commonpeople.livejournal.com 2010-01-05 02:42 pm (UTC)(link)
These two websites are helpful!

www.sonia-portugueseforkids.com/index.html

hwww.sonia-portuguese.com/

[identity profile] yearning.livejournal.com 2010-01-11 11:16 am (UTC)(link)
wow, vegetarian! start collecting the Guardian Saturday recipes, I love them and Nico and I make those dishes on a regular basis.

I also want to take an advanced French course once I am in Germany - after my exam (or alternatively just go back to France). I would also like to teach German or English, maybe even as a kind of internship to get some teaching experience, once I am a bit more confident I will do a course for teaching German with the Goethe Institut..well, that's my plan so far.

[identity profile] commonpeople.livejournal.com 2010-01-11 11:26 am (UTC)(link)
I think those veggie recipes in the Weekend magazine are my favourite section. K has already been collecting them and we tried a few... so far, so good!

Bonne chance avec tes études. :-P

[identity profile] wink-martindale.livejournal.com 2010-01-11 08:35 pm (UTC)(link)
Yeah! Portuguese lessons! With caipirinhas! Not just lessons in making caipirinha though! But yeah!

[identity profile] commonpeople.livejournal.com 2010-01-11 09:00 pm (UTC)(link)
Wink, get back to work!