Random Thoughts: The Next Mutation

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Wandering_Fox

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MissUMana wrote:
flowersofnight wrote:
What's French for a half-caf skinny extra-hot no-slave shade-grown pumpkin soy latte with a flavor shot of vanilla and one-and-two-thirds flavor shots of cinnamon? I have allergies.
On appelle ça de l'eau minérale, histoire de ne prendre aucun risque. XD
How do you order a tall drip coffee, no cream? My coffee tastes are exceedingly boring XD

Holy crackers, I'm the must uninformed and boring person ever when it comes to ordering coffee o_O I go in and order a tall drip coffee and panic when they ask me to make a decision, like if I want room for cream... They need numbers like value meals so I can order a #3 and they'll know it's some incredibly fancy drink that I can't even properly pronounce, much less remember all the components that warrant a decision ^^;

::blowup::
 

flowersofnight

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I hate coffee actually. I used to get frappucinos (which are good because they're not really coffee) when I wanted to loiter in Starbucks, but they've closed or shrunk all the locations around here. If I can't loiter, I'm not buying the drink XD
 

MissUMana

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@Wandering_Fox : What you want is "un café long".

Actually there is no great variety in coffee here. And we don't use cream, only milk, hence "le café au lait".

@flowers : I don't hate coffee but it has to be light because I have a weak liver. I never drink fresh coffee, only Nescafé and a French specialty called Ricoré (it's a mixture of coffee and chicory).
 

Wandering_Fox

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Thanks MissUMana, I hope to go to France one day and this is one of those phrases I'd like to be able to say :)

I used to not like coffee and then I went to Japan, were people drink more coffee than water... We had it at work, every time I went anywhere with anyone... And if I didn't like coffee it would spark a conversation about how weird it is for someone from the city of Starbucks to not like coffee. So I developed a taste for coffee so I wouldn't be the center of attention because of my dislike of coffee ::meev:: That way, we could focus on other, more important matters, such as how every culture thinks commercials from other countries are infinitely weirder then their own.

I learned from a friend that if you have a crying child, you should show them the Fukafuka song, a new promotional commercial thatmothers in Japan swear stops kids from crying It doesn't work on psychological trauma, but according to Japanese friends with crying kids that I've talked to, it works like a charm. And at 2 minutes 14 seconds, even adults can tolerate it. Maybe. It's kind of a weird video and I'm not unconvinced that there's some brainwashing or subliminal messages going on in there. Or maybe the child just can't believe this exists in the world. Who knows, but if it works, it could be great!
 

MissUMana

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Wandering_Fox wrote:
I hope to go to France one day
That's when you'll be glad you trained as a kamikaze in Japan, hahahaha!

I used to not like coffee and then I went to Japan, were people drink more coffee than water... We had it at work, every time I went anywhere with anyone... And if I didn't like coffee it would spark a conversation about how weird it is for someone from the city of Starbucks to not like coffee. So I developed a taste for coffee so I wouldn't be the center of attention because of my dislike of coffee ::meev:: That way, we could focus on other, more important matters
You do tend to conform to people's stereotypes, don't you, otherwise it's an endless battle. Of course you can never be your true self in public, but it's much worse when you're living abroad. To people you're "France" or "America" and they'll be disappointed if you're too different from what you're supposed to be.

I learned from a friend that if you have a crying child, you should show them the Fukafuka song, a new promotional commercial thatmothers in Japan swear stops kids from crying It doesn't work on psychological trauma, but according to Japanese friends with crying kids that I've talked to, it works like a charm. And at 2 minutes 14 seconds, even adults can tolerate it. Maybe. It's kind of a weird video and I'm not unconvinced that there's some brainwashing or subliminal messages going on in there. Or maybe the child just can't believe this exists in the world. Who knows, but if it works, it could be great!
I'm sure it works! It's very soothing, and would catch a toddler's attention.
 

faith

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Argh so much interesting stuff! Marimo are sooo soooo cute! I would totally buy a bootlegged one :D
And now it makes sense that Sanji calls Zoro "marimo"...they usually translate it to moss-head, which isn't nearly as funny.
That song though, would have given child me nightmares.

I actually wrote that card out for my mother after going to the cafe down the street and explaining everything to the owner.
He was really nice and said he'd have to charge her extra, but he would do it. He showed us the coffees he uses and everything.
So the card was more a reminder than anything else.
Totally aware that if she went into an unknown cafe they would give her decaf and perhaps spit in it to boot lol

I personally horrify my colleagues by making my own american-style coffee with a funnel and filter, in all sorts of strange flavors.
Current are Peanut Butter Cup and Carrot Cake.
They have no problem telling me to my face that American coffee is cat pee/sock juice.
So I tell them that may be so, but at least we don't smell like cat pee and sock juice.
And then we respect one another for our ability to give and receive insults and the end.


Had another mom convo today. I asked her "What is green and can fly?"...an she shouts out

SUPER PICKLE

the answer is gum stuck to Superman's shoe.
But I'll be darned if Super Pickle isn't better.
She also washed her ziplock bags while I was at work...
 

MissUMana

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Du pipi de chat et du jus de chaussette? :lol:

It's not insulting, they're funny familiar phrases. In Brittany where I come from it's not small cups but big cups (des bols) of coffee we take for breakfast, and it's generally "du jus de chaussette". "Du pipi de chat" veut aussi dire "rien du tout".
 

faith

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It's more or less the same when I say they smell bad - they know it's a stereotype of the French.
We never say anything to actually insult one another.

But they really do think my coffee is horrific lol
 

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Jury selection took forever, but it was fun! It's interesting to sit in a group of complete strangers and share the same fate.

I was the first one in the hot seat. When I was questioned, the young lawyer asked me, "Why do you like Chinese literature?" Every lawyer after that referenced my love for Chinese literature and China in general. They were impressed by my education, my law school prospects, and the type of law I want to pursue. I felt like a nerd. When asked, "When people swear an oath to tell nothing but the truth, do they tell the truth?" I said, "No, they say what they think is the truth" and I was right, yay!

After deliberating for "five to ten minutes," which means thirty, the lawyers returned and I was chosen! I said goodbye to my comrades as I was escorted out, and for some reason the cute guy and I shared a look, haha.

Afterwards I went to the Taste of Times Square fair. Restaurants in Times Square gave out samples, so I went through it. I walked and I saw a fake waiter, a skeleton, a man in a cape, and of course it was the Jekyll and Hyde Restaurant stand. I loved the way it was decorated too. They were selling their desserts, rolls, etc. I took their brochure as a souvenir and when asked I said, "Oh I've already been here twice!"

I saw that O'Flaherty's Ale House and The Firebird, a Russian restaurant, had both closed forever. I used to walk down 46th street every day to class before moving to my current apartment, and I was used to seeing those restaurants. Their facades and signs were still there so I took pictures.

I was called to come in the next day, but when I arrived I was told it was postponed because they found out just then the judge couldn't make it. I don't get frazzled, but I felt a little bad I spent $20 on a taxi ride to get there a bit earlier just in case.

While in the taxi my mom sent me a picture from her work building, and the picture was the Empire State Building. She took it from a high place, the picture was cool, but I still thought to myself, "I can't believe it." I couldn't believe that this would still affect me. I remembered once in bed we heard a noise outside the bedroom and I said, "What was that?" He went out to take a look, and when he came back I was sitting there hiding my face with a pillow, and he laughed, saying no one was there. One of the times I did the "take all the sheets and the comforter," I left a small part of the sheet on his foot. I said, "That's your piece." After a minute I took it off his foot, and he said, "I swear that was the only thing keeping me sane. I can't handle it now." I asked him what he was going to do and he said while pulling me to him, "I have you to keep me warm!" I remembered him saying, "I don't want to be selfish with you" and I thought, "I guess this is for the best... even though it doesn't feel that way now." I know I'll be okay, but still, I feel as if I lost something.

After finding out the case was postponed, I sat down and called Ting Ting about my knee, which I'm finally going to have checked out. It's one of the lasting legacies from how sad I was during last fall. I wondered if Ting Ting would go to Coney Island with me. I was supposed to go in April, April 14, but of course that didn't happen.

I walked around the park near City Hall, and something that bugged me was how I was able to always see a building from the other side of the trees. I could never really get "lost" like in the parks in Shanghai. I sat down in front of the fountain, and I thought things such as, "Why am I still thinking about it? Why do things remind me of him still? I'm supposed to be Adela the Great." I sometimes pride myself on getting over a love relatively quickly, and this was lasting longer than normal. I wasn't sure why parties were just not the same these days. At the same time, I already knew it would be this way a few days after it ended for some reason. I thought, "What did I actually experience this time?" Nothing bad happened. I remembered sitting on the stairwell on that sad day and looking at Ting Ting who said, "I feel like this is different" and Odera saying she always thought this was like a movie. I thought I want someone even better, and I can't imagine this "next guy." It's a bit exciting in a way. Anyway, I sat there wondering about these things, why the memories creep up on me, before heading home.

I saw A Raisin in the Sun with Denzel Washington, and it was really good!

Later Brittany said she was watching Cosmos on the weekends, and I said I love that show. Dan showed it to me and it was perfect. I told her about my dinosaur projects, my interest in extinct species, etc. I once made my own Greek constellation story too, in elementary school, and drew her in the stars. I think the story was about a harpist who was so wanted by Hades that she was turned into a constellation. I love Cosmos. I told her Dan and I would watch it on the weekends, and the conversation would normally go with me going, "DAN!" and him saying, "COSMOOOOS." The last episode was wonderful once again.

I'm going to see Neil Desgrasss Tyson later today!

I came back from a wild night! I went to the MLB Fan Cave for a NYU alumni event which was awesome! I met two people in particular, Aaron and Serena. They both didn't know each other either, but Serena and I were already attached to each other by the hip after two minutes of talking. I have a way with Chinese girls. I could tell right away Aaron was interested (at least a bit!) in Serena by the way he acted towards her. The three of us played pool, ping pong, arcade games, photo boothed, and mingled.

The event ends and we go to a bar Serena thinks will have good dancing. We get there and it's dead! Serena and I had a mini war council in the bathroom. I said I'm still recovering from I Don't Know What. She said she's dating someone right now for a couple of weeks, but before she had a longer relationship and the guy broke up with her by telling her how annoying and emotional she is. That's rough! She thinks men are the more dramatic ones.

We left and found Aaron's friend at another bar, and she recommended us Dan's neighborhood, which was up north on the east. On the way I asked if I can peek through The Globe, but it was kind of empty. People were watching the hockey game and tables were on the dance floor. I said at a certain time it becomes crowded and people will start dancing.

We didn't find any good places though despite walking all the way. I felt weird walking in the area again because I was used to walking to Dan's apartment with him and passing all the same buildings.

We decide to walk all the way down again, across Manhattan, to Le Bain. It takes a while, but we finally make it! We easily get in and the dance floor on the second floor has a small pool, and tons of disco balls.

We went to the rooftop and it was very pretty. No one's dancing because it's still early, but the view is high and awesome. We sit for a while and have fun dancing on our own.

I'll skip the conversations. At one point there was this guy who caught my eye, who was standing there in a pink collar shirt and jeans with his friends. I said, "He's the only one here I think is cute." He really was! We dubbed him, "Pinkie." We caught eyes and I did think he was cute.

We go down to the dance floor again and now the place is poppin! We all dance for a while, and it gets more crowded, the music is great!

All of a sudden I see Pinkie and I told Serena. We kept dancing and I noticed him slowly make his way over to me. Aaron and Serena became SO OBVIOUS about me wanting to dance with Pinkie, they practically were pushing me next to him. Of course he caught on and we ended up dancing next to each other, and I knew he came for me. Aaron and Serena danced with each other and Pinkie and I danced next to each other.

We dance that way for what seems like forever. And it stays that way.

For half an hour Pinkie and I glance at each other and dance besides each other, and I'm not sure what he's waiting for. I could not be more open because I'm alone and facing him! And he saw me earlier on the rooftop! We keep dancing that way, until this guy out of nowhere swoops in, says hi, takes both my hands, and starts dancing with me. Pinkie immediately leaves and it all happened so fast that I kept dancing with this guy named Alex.

Alex said something about my hair and could tell I was Peruvian. He's Polish and Greek, but when he asked me to guess I said "Puerto Rican" because of the way he looked. I don't know, Hispanic? Haha. Either way I had to go, my mom was blowing up my phone. He asks for my number and I give it, but I'm vaguely annoyed at what happened with Pinkie. Why didn't he say something?

Serena, Aaron, and I sit down on a sofa and I'm bewildered. Things completely veered off course for me and I ended up dancing with some other guy who I'm not interested in. Serena said Pinkie immediately left when Alex swooped me away. We go on the dance floor and Pinkie returned, but by then it was too late and Serena had to go as well.

Outside they said maybe I should have been more active, but it wasn't a big deal. There will be more Pinkies. Serena then said she thought I was very obvious, especially since I was alone and she and Aaron had left me there and were being obvious themselves (they were embarrassing, haha!). Aaron said we both could have done something, and I'm good with that interpretation.

I talked later on with Serena and Maryanne and they thought I was pretty obvious the entire time. Serena said he should have been more brave. Maryanne thought he was weird, haha.

As for me, I do wish he had done something, and I want a man who will go after what he wants. Even if he needs a couple of drinks! Man, I do feel as if the forces of the universe are conspiring against me! The situation changed so drastically so quickly!

I asked Serena if she made any plans with Aaron. She said no, and I said, "Oh because I thought he thought you were cute." SILENCE. She then said he did ask her out, but she told him she was dating someone. I said, "I KNEW IT!" At least Aaron asked!

Well, what a night that turned out to be XD Honestly though, I think Pinkie should have said something.
 

Wandering_Fox

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MissUMana wrote:
You do tend to conform to people's stereotypes, don't you, otherwise it's an endless battle. Of course you can never be your true self in public, but it's much worse when you're living abroad. To people you're "France" or "America" and they'll be disappointed if you're too different from what you're supposed to be.
Oh yeah, this is absolutely true! I read an intriguing article about cultural norms and it claims that there are 2 types of social behavior: 本命 (Honmei) and 建前 (Tatemae). Honmei would be acting the way you want to act in a manner that expresses your personal feelings and tatemae would be to act and express opinions in a way that is expected of you. For example in a business meeting, a honmei person would give their honest opinion and feedback, even if it contradicted the boss, whereas a tatemae person would tailor their response to the boss and make sure their response was what the boss expected to hear. When you come from a country you are in a way an ambassador of your country and people often reform their opinions of other cultures based off the people from those countries that they meet. When you act differently than, say, people on TV, people really notice it and call you out on it because you make them question their preconceived notions.

The Random Thread is surprisingly enlightening from a cultural relations point of view this time around!
 

Cerceaux

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I've never been out of the country. I wonder if I would seem like an American.

Speaking of stereotypical tourists, I saw some Asian people at the mall laden with Coach shopping bags, and taking photos of the sign over the Abercrombie&Fitch store. ::meev::

I have a marimo, but I haven't changed its water in about 4 months so it's probably dead by now...
 

PureElegance

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After my first knee appointment (I have to go to my first physical therapy session next week) I went walking through the 50s towards Times Square when I see Aisha from Shanghai across the street. I waved at her and she saw me. We hugged and she said she's on her lunch break and she's trying to find something to eat. She says there is hardly anything in the 50s and I know! When I was taking LSAT courses in that area every day was a struggle to find a decent place that wasn't a fast food chain.

She's interning at Bank of America for the summer and she said it's been pretty intense. Right now she's in training and she goes into a room with a hundred other interns and all they do is learn about "banking" and "excel" through computer programs. I liked the way she said, "We learn about 'banking' and 'excel.'" She also said there are a few interns whose lives revolve around banking. I said, "BANKING IS MY LIFE!!"

She asks if I'm doing anything and I change course and we go find something to eat. After deliberation we decide on Chipotle since I had to go to jury duty again soon.

We sit for food and catch up. I go to a deli and buy orange juice and bring it back. When she sees it she says, "Oh yeah, I remember you liked your cartons." She remembered me loving the milk cartons that weren't frozen, and how I said I always had to have one. She remembered us freezing in the third floor lounge while studying.

I said Manhattan is such a small world (Why do people call it a concrete jungle? You can see the other side of the island down the street). I can't believe I run into old friends. I also said I'm not used to this downtime and she said to enjoy it. I know, the rest of my life will be hectic, but I still feel slightly guilty!

She asked if I'm seeing anyone and I said no, I'm kind of still recovering from something. She asked what happened and I asked if she knew Sahel. Since we all went to Shanghai together she did. I said Sahel and I went to a party and it ended around midnight. I was planning on going right home, but Sahel and her friend Maggie were deciding on whether to go to the after party or to The Globe for Sahel's friend's party. We decide on The Globe and Trisha from Shanghai is there too, and it's really nice. After dancing we sit down, Sahel and me, and from my right Dan comes and says, "You shouldn't be sitting down" and asks me to dance and I think, "Okay!" We danced for three hours and kissed and he was great! I see Sahel and Maggie getting their things and I go get my things. He asked if I was leaving and I said yes so he asked for my number. Two days later I get a text saying, "Hey it's Dan from The Globe." And did everything change from then on!

Aisha widened her eyes and said it was interesting because I wasn't looking for anything that night. She said, "So you can either thank or blame Sahel." I laughed and I said it was all great. I was really happy and he took me to these pretty places. He was always a gentleman and thoughtful, opening doors, catching me, interested in China and photography, that kind of thing. We saw The Lego Movie, this nerdy science show, walked through parks, by the river, arm in arm, talked every day, you know. It was really great. He did little good things for me, just like that, without hesitation." She said it was strange because I'm so positive about my time with him, and I said there was nothing bad to say. She had that "Awww ;_;" look. She asked what his life goals were. I said he's in finance, worked at Bank of America once like she is now ("Small world!" she said), but he said he's like me in that he's not sure and is still figuring it out. He likes the area of finance he's in now, but he doesn't want to stay in it forever.

She asked what kind of things we did, and I said, "For our first date he took me to a pretty restaurant, we talked for a few hours, and we went walking. We ended up at Bryant Park, which was really pretty and mostly empty, and he asked me if I wanted to walk through the park with him, so we walked through it holding hands, and she said, "That's precious! ;_;" I said we saw the ice skating rink, and we didn't know it was still open. He asked if I wanted to go ice-skating and Aisha said, "No! Aww!" I told her I thought to myself the day before it would be so cute if we went ice-skating, but I stopped myself. But it happened! Her eyes were wide the entire time. So, I said, we went ice-skating and it was the first time he ever ice-skated. She asked if he was a bad skater and I said, "Oh no, he was actually good and I was the one falling, and I had lessons! We ice-skated and he kissed me and it was wonderful." She said, "That's so beautiful and special! Oh my God! It started so beautifully. And who sees Bryant Park that empty??" I said, "I know! We just walked around and kissed at the fountain, you know, that fountain." She knows the one and said, "Oh that's beautiful. ;_;" I said, "Yeah, it was, and that date by itself made me really happy. It made me really happy." At that point I had tears in my eyes and I said sorry! She had that look Laura and Ting Ting had, as if someone died, haha. Remembering how good that night was made me sad.

I said, "Oh after the first date I thanked Sahel because that night by itself was so wonderful! That by itself was enough for me."

Aisha said sorry and it's okay to be sad. She thinks it's great that I know what I want and I do. She's glad I like it when people disagree with me, and I do. Maybe he came to show me how I should be treated, and I said I guess. She thought at least I wasn't thinking, "What did I see in him?? What a waste of time!" I don't think that at all! I told her he took me to all of these places in New York I never would have gone to on my own, and I was happy about that too. She's glad I'm so positive about the experience.

She thought it was like I said, you never really know a person. She also said who knows what will happen in the future, the universe works in mysterious ways. Law school is a whole other animal, or maybe my future husband will be someone I know or someone totally unexpected!

She was happy to hear I was making good memories with people I care about during my last months at NYU. It is interesting, to me at least, that all of this occurred during my final days of college. She said though that the ice-skating night was something special, and it will probably be left that way. She thinks it's okay to have that stand out. I said, "Oh, and while I was putting on my boots, I looked up and he was wearing my panda earmuffs, and I was laughing like, 'What are you doing??'" She said, "That's so cute, AW!!!"

We talked about her boyfriend, who is right now in South Africa. Back in Shanghai she mentioned to me that he had some control issues, and I did think he was weird for interrogating her on where she was and who she was with. I know I can't live like that. Maybe he's better now and she said she loves him. Oh boy! She said all the guys are chasing after me, and I laughed. Jenny said the same thing last night, "Look at you, got the boys chasing after you left and right!" I get that a lot and feel nerdy as a result.

Aisha and I talked more about BANKING and we walked to her building, hugged, and I went off to court.

I got to hear the three attorneys make their opening statements! I can't believe this is real life, haha. It was so interesting!! I can't talk about the case, but I'm already mulling it over in my mind. Afterwards I went walking around for a few minutes until getting on the subway. I went to Starbucks for my hot chocolate. I sat there and thought again, "I really was happy."

I went to the StarTalk Live show at the Beacon Theater to see Neil deGrasse Tyson. Robert F. Kennedy Jr, Jason Sudeikis, a comedian named Eugene Mirman, a professor (she was lame!), and Gyalwang Drupka. I learned so much about water, global warming, agriculture, comets, spiritual views on water, how to make a better world, teaching science, etc. What was great was that even though these topics can be serious and/or depressing it was so much fun, especially with the comedians! I was laughing so much at the jokes, especially the nerdy science ones. The Drupka also talked about gender equality and I loved that bit! I don't know, all of the guests (except the professor) were such interesting people. It was all very heartwarming too!

When it ended I got close to the stage where Tyson stayed to sign autographs, but he couldn't get to everyone. He sat on stage and talked about teachers, how they should get a generation interested in learning again, and I recorded it. My mom and I waited patiently in the back with other fans for Tyson and thirty minutes later he came out.

9ae5c898-bfc0-4245-b65c-4de740a49c7e_zpscb3aae97.jpg

I'M SO HAPPY. I swear I stared at this picture all giddy! I asked, "Can anyone take a picture of us?" He said, "That's what a selfie is for!" I'm happy and my mom got his autograph too! I just love this picture ^^~ Now I can say I was not even an inch away from him. I couldn't believe the guy I've been watching in Cosmos was right in front of me! I love this picture! :grin: Brittany said, "OMG YOU. YOUUUU. HOW." I love it!
 

Wandering_Fox

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faith

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Haha that's what I said to my mom last evening after I told her to sit somewhere and found her somewhere completely different when I came back. I keep losing her lol

@Cerceaux - I doubt it. No one really has any idea what "Americans" are like. So until you speak they'll have no clue.
 

MissUMana

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Today was a very special day here in Normandy celebrating the 70th anniversary of D-Day.

Those who lived it can never forget, and neither can we.
 

faith

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Did you go? I would have if we weren't already in Brussels.

Also, I have to rant about Karen Millen.
First, on a whim I tried on a pair of their boyfriend jeans.
I don't know if my body has changed, or if my taste has become worse from being in Europe too long, but I liked them.
You may laugh hanachan.


Second, the Karen Millen US branch is very poorly run.
By which I mean US HQ (most likely UK HQ too) and often the district managers use deceit, agression, and foul business practices against their employees and customers alike.
Anyone had this experience in another company?
I mean, I've worked for various companies from various countries, and NOTHING has compared to Karen Millen in terms of vile-ness.

For all intensive purposes it looks like they shut down their site for "renovation" a week before the End of Season sale started.
A few days later it came back.
They had removed all the products that would go on sale, and disabled the contact functionality.

A few days after the sale started, they re-added half of the missing products.
The other ones - the nice ones - I believe they sent back to Europe to increase their UK and French stock, since they're no longer on the US site and things that had been sold out in the UK and France are now available again.
They still haven't reactivated the contact functionality.

I asked the UK office about the disabled comment section and they said there are still some bugs in the site.
But it's obvious that it's not a bug because all they did was remove the drop down options for one of the mandatory fields.

Not only that, but I did a price comparison between the sites, and their coats are about 100 euro more everywhere outside of the UK.
Dresses are anywhere from 50-100 more.

I would boycot them if I didn't like their stuff so much :(
 

Blue Moon

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@ Flowers: Thanks! It'll be easier for me to get a new laptop. The only way I know how to fix it is with a sledgehammer.

---

Both my parents have heart disease and stroke. Both have high cholesterol and I have high cholesterol since I was in college. Am I doomed?
 

MissUMana

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Far away
faith wrote:
Did you go? I would have if we weren't already in Brussels.
No I didn't. You see everything better on TV and I don't like crowds. But my parents settled in Saint-Lô ("The Capital of the Ruins") in 1972 so I know a thing or two about D-Day and what came after. In fact if I didn't go to high school in Saint-Lô I may never have flown to America. My penpal wrote a random letter asking if someone would like to write because he had a special interest in WWII and D-Day. Since nobody would volunteer and I thought you just couldn't ignore such a request, I took his letter and wrote back.

Also for D-Day's 50th anniversary I was asked to translate the war diary of the Regiment that liberated Saint-Lô and you can never forget the words of someone who made it possible for you to live in a free country again.

So I don't really need to go. That past lives with me.
 

PureElegance

-eternite-
eternite
Joined
Jul 5, 2006
Messages
4,655
Location
In Klaha's Closet
I met Denzel Washington with my mom, haha. I had such a good time with her! A couple of days ago I bought this beautiful red, gold, black, and white dress at the annual big garage sale on my block for only $8. I saw it, went to tell my dad, and he told me to next time call him and not to leave what I want alone. What if I had returned and it was gone? Phew. I put it on at home and it's beautiful! It has a belt too, along with a scarf, and those colors are my colors! I wonder what I'll wear it for!

While walking through the street market with my dad I talked about jury duty life. I couldn't believe this was real! It's such an interesting and informative experience. When I was walking into court in single file with the other jurors I couldn't believe it was real. When the lawyers spoke to me I wanted to laugh, it was surreal! I maintained my serious face though and I can't believe it's real life! Now I get to hear evidence, expert testimony, and make a decision! Woah. It's so interesting and a great learning experience, for me at least. I've never been on the jury side before.

I was reading more about porn in China, and which was the most popular. Do it Yourself is becoming competition for Japanese porn, but Japanese porn is preferred since there's more of it and the Japanese women resemble Chinese women in body type. Then I read:
"A second reason for the Chinese preference for Japanese pornography is based on deep-seated political tensions between China and Japan. (Examples) Lu Wang, an undergraduate student from Beijing, tells me that he likes to watch the subjugation of Japanese women because it expresses his latent desire for revenge over the Japanese and their history of dominance over China."
*mindblown*

I'm also learning on about shorting stock, market capitalization, bonds, hedge funds, mutual funds, etc. ::squee::

My dad made a Taiwanese friend who he introduced me to. He invited us to his apartment, which was two blocks away, called, "The Victory." I got this feeling I heard this name for a building recently although I've never seen or been to the building. We went as a group to the lobby, and it was coming back to me. Dan and I were on a date and he asked where I lived again, and he said he was about to live in an apartment two blocks away in a building called, "The Victory." He asked if I knew it, I didn't, and I couldn't picture it either. He said, "We were so close to living two blocks away from each other," and I said, "Woah!" Now I thought, "So this is the building!"
http://www.thevictory.com/
In the elevator I thought about my conversation with Aisha. I thought actually, I learned 90% of what I wanted through Shanghai and Shanghai Strickland. I even told my friend around December that all that happened in Shanghai is the ideal, even though it wasn't completely reality and was part of the high, unique, great life we were experiencing, and she begrudgingly said, "Fine." What I wanted was for someone to be wonderful, nerdy, funny, confident, a gentleman, selfless, taking-charge, but now based in the present reality. I've had some really beautiful moments in Manhattan this year, making me change the way I see life here. Aisha asked where he was from and I said his father is Irish and his mother Assyrian and Sicilian. She asked what colors his eyes were then, and I said blue. His mother has dark hair, but he got the orange-blonde hair and blue eyes. I remembered us comparing hands and his were bigger than mine. I told Aisha, "I didn't want to say this out loud while this was happening, but it was as if Dan was a mix of everything I've ever liked in a guy and it was the weirdest thing." I told my friend at the time, "Is this what it's supposed to be like? I feel like I'm supposed to date a few frogs first" because I was surprised. I was so happy I was scared because of how disappointing life in Fall was despite its good moments. I once felt like the luckiest girl with him sleeping beside me, hah. All I have are happy memories, those feelings of excitement, seeing new places, wonderful dates, feeling happy with someone. That first date though, well! I guess it comes down to "you never really know." I wonder what the future will be like!

The Taiwanese friend showed me a bunch of his Chinese antiques which were gorgeous! One dark jade band was given to his father who was a high KMT official. Before the communists were going to enter the building, his father's friend opened the door in the back and said, "Go!" The father took the band right before he flew out the door and his friend shut it and let in all the communists. He said he's never going to sell the band. When he went into his bedroom, I checked the internet to make sure this was surely the building Dan and I talked about, and it was. I thought, "This is getting ridiculous now."

He came back and showed me some cheaper plates. He said Japanese things are "worthless." I said, "Oh, you mean these kinds of plates?" He said, "No, everything Japanese" and I said, "Oh, haha." Yeah, I get it.

Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag is AMAZING for having old English, Scottish, and Irish songs! With good singers too! I can't describe the certain folk voice you need to sing these songs well, haha. Some of my favorites:
Young Edwin wrote:
Come all you wild, young people and listen to my song
Which I'll unfold, concerning gold that guides so many wrong
Young Emma was a servant maid, she loved a sailor bold
He ploughed the main, much gold to gain
For his Love we've been told

He ploughed the main for seven years and then, he returned home
As soon as he set foot on shore unto his love did go
He went unto young Emma's house his gold for all to show
That he had gained upon the main, all in the lowlands low

My father keeps a public house down by the side of the sea
You go there and stay the night and there you wait for me
I'll meet you in the morning, but don't let my parents know
That your name it is young Edwin, that ploughed the lowlands low

Young Edwin he sat drinking till time to go to bed
Little thought the sword that night would part his body and head
And Edwin he got into bed and scarcely was asleep
When Emma's cruel parents soft into his room did creep

They stabbed him, dragged him out of bed and to the sea did go
They sent his body floating down to the lowlands low
As Emma she lay sleeping she had an awful dream
She dreamed she saw young Edwin's blood flowing like a stream

Father where's the stranger come here last night to stay?
Oh he is dead, no tales to tell, her father he did say
Then father, cruel father, you'll die a public show
For murdering my Edwin, that ploughed the lowlands low

William Taylor wrote:
William Taylor was a brisk young sailor
Full of heart and full of play
Until he did his mind uncover
To a youthful lady gay

Four and twenty British sailors
Met him on the king's highway
As he went for to be married
Pressed he was and sent away

Chorus:
Folleri-de-dom, de- daerai diddero
Folleri-de-dom, domme daerai dae
Folleri-de-dom, de- daerai diddero
Folleri-de-dom, domme daerai dae

Sailor's clothing she put on
And she went board a man-o-war
Her pretty little fingers long and slender
They were smeared with pitch and tar

On that ship there was a battle
She amongst the rest did fight
The wind blew off her silver buttons
Breasts were bared all snowy white

Chorus

When the captain did discover
He said "Fair maid, what brought you here?"
"Sir, I'm seeking William Taylor.
Pressed he was by you last year!"

If you rise up in the morning
Early at the break of day
There you'll spy young William Taylor
Walking with his lady gay

Chorus

She rose early in the morning
Early at the break of day
There she spied young William Taylor
Walking with his lady gay

She procured a pair of pistols
On the ground where she did stand
There she shot poor William Taylor
And the lady at his right hand

Star of the County Down wrote:
Near Banbridge town, in the County Down, one morning last July
Down a bóithrín green came a sweet colleen
And she smiled as she passed me by.
Oh she looked so sweet from her two bare feet
To the sheen of her nut brown hair
Such a coaxing elf, that I pinched myself
For to see I was standing there.

Chorus:
And from Bantry Bay up to Derry Quay
And from Galway to Dublin town
No maid I've seen like the sweet colleen
That I met in the County Down.

As she onward sped when I scratched my head
And I looked with a feeling rare
And I said, says I, to a passerby
"Who's that maid with the nut-brown hair?"
He smiled at me, and he said, says he,
"She's the gem of Ireland's crown.
She's young Rosie McCann from the banks of the Bann
She's the star of the County Down."

Well I've travelled a bit, but I've never been hit
Since my roving career began
But fair and square I surrendered there
To the charms of young Rose McCann.
with a heart to let and no tenant yet
Did I meet with in shawl or gown
But in she went and I asked no rent
From the star of the County Down.
Trooper and the Maid wrote:
A soldier lad came here last night
With riding he was weary
A soldier lad came here last night
And the moon was shining clearly

Bonnie lassie, will you gang with me
Bonnie lass, will ye lie near me
I'll get all your ribbons reel
In the morning ere I leave ye

She's takes the trooper by the hand
And leads him to her chamber
She's given him some wine to drink
And his love it flared like tinder
If they sang these songs at bars I would go all the time... I can't believe how old these songs are though. "Down Among the Dead Men," a cool song, is from the 1700s! "Ward the Pirate" is from 1680! "The Three Ravens" was first published in 1611 and is possibly older! "The Three Ravens" is such a cool song about death and ravens. You see, video games teach you things! ::batsu:: Now for this Irish classic...
All for Me Grog wrote:
All for me grog, me jolly jolly grog
All for me beer and tobacco
For we spent all our tin with the lassies drinking gin
And across the western ocean we must wander
YEAH! *adds every song to phone* They also have sea shanties for when you are sailing with your hearty crew. I can't wait to play the game... It's been one of my lifelong dreams to go sailing as captain with my crew and sing shanties (I'm serious). My favorites such as "Spanish Ladies," "Drunken Sailor," "The Coasts of High Barbary," "Roller Bowler," etc. are there too ::squee::
 
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