*according to Sean Give out – as in, “Sean gave out to me for yesterday’s blog post.” After – as in, “Sean’s after coming home from work.” Well – as in, “I’m doing well today – not good, because if I were doing ‘good,’ I’d be Wonderwoman.” Biscuit – as in, “This hard thing that […]
The Acquisition of Language
Things I Am Not Allowed to Say*
*according to Sean Chancer – as in, “I can’t believe they tricked me out of two euro; what little chancers.” Knacker – as in, “I saw some tracksuit-wearing knackers throwing snowballs at an old lady.” Ye – as in, “Quiet, the pair of ye.” Like – as in, “What a little chancer, like.” So – […]
Spelling Bee
“I’m bored.” I say. “Can we play a game?” “Okay,” he says. “What do you want to play?” “How about shiritori?” “I don’t know; I’m off shiritori lately.” “Really? But it’s so much fun.” “Eh.” “How about another kind of spelling game then?” “Oh, bollocks. You know I can’t spell. Why don’t you spell words […]
Fun (ふん）in the Snow
Last weekend, there was snow, snow, everywhere. Snowmen dotted the streets and we became jealous, desperate to feed the kid within us. So we stomped into a park and started making a snowman of our own. Then we realized it was hard work making a snowman, and changed the design to a wedding cake. We […]
The Blacker the Tea
I never drank tea before I moved to Japan. There, it came in shades of green and black and barley; iced in the summer, steaming in the winter. Tea straight up, sometimes with bitter leaves or bright green powder swimming about in the smooth ceramic cup. Dozens of varieties in the store – loose, bagged, […]
Gab Gab Gab
From Johnnie Fox’s – a 211 year-old pub high up in the Dublin Mountains: I believe this is what they mean by the Irish gift of the gab.
Card Cake
Sean’s mother: Bring some of the chocolate cake on the train with you. It’s a long ride back up to Dublin. Liv: Oh, I’m fine. Thank you! Sean’s mother: Ah, go on, sure. Sean: Yeah, go on. Bring some cake witcha. Sean’s brother: Do you want some cards to bring with you on the trip? Liv: Oh, […]
Please, Sir. May I Have Some More?
My friend Sean’s grandfather is a hale and hearty 80 years old. He talks politics, walks upright, drives at night, and makes his own jam from the fruits and berries in his garden. He serves that homemade jam with his homemade bread when he sits us down for tea. What an absolutely lovely man. We […]
Sea or Nil?
It’s an exciting time to be in Ireland – native, tourist, or foreigner. It’s a time of debate, a time of political discontent; it’s the second time the Lisbon Treaty has been offered to the Irish public. I’d read a bit about it in various blogs before arriving, but once I stepped out of the airport, […]
What Stinks?
The great thing about apartment hunting with Sean is that we can discuss our thoughts in the relative privacy of the Japanese language. For obvious reasons, this wouldn’t have worked in Japan. And, sure, it could drastically backfire against us. 例えば： Realtor: And here you have the kitchen. Mind you, it’s part of the living […]