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I <3 Austria. Their trains rock, their street signs make sense, but most importantly their airline allowed me to change my ticket hassle-free, no trouble, after I waited on hold for about ten minutes, serenaded by the gentle strains of the Blue Danube and other waltzes of the Viennese persuasion. They may not have the reputation as the most exciting country in the world, but at least I can claim kinship to an efficient and orderly people. Now let's just hope that their planes are as punctual as their trains.
Last night, I watched the final rounds of the Ontario Spelling Bee, full of cute little nerds. For those of you who've seen Spellbound, this was a touch less dramatic, though just as interesting, even if the Pronouncer annoyed me. Again, the word choices puzzled me; among tough ones like "schizophrenia" and "coiffure" (at least two kids tried to spell it starting with a q) were "appetite" and "apathy". Another word that came up was "moussaka", which the lady pronounced ma-SA-kuh, when I've always heard and said mou-SA-ka. At least six kids, I think, tried it, usually starting with ma- before the boy who ended up with 2nd place spelled it correctly. It was interesting because nearly two thirds of the contestants, I'd say, were either of Chinese/Vietnamese or Indian descent, as were most (if not all) of those eliminated by moussaka (Giant Baked Dish, 500HP, 5d12) -- you have to wonder how many of them had ever come into contact with Greek cuisine. (The boy who got it was white.)
After putting it off for far too long, I finally have a squeaky-clean bathroom. It's amazing how tenaciously towel fluff clings to the corners -- it's as though it's trying to become part of the paint.
Now that that's done, I can sit around being lazy for the rest of the evening, thinking about (but not working on) the costumes I still need to make, and the dishes that I really need to do.
Last night, I watched the final rounds of the Ontario Spelling Bee, full of cute little nerds. For those of you who've seen Spellbound, this was a touch less dramatic, though just as interesting, even if the Pronouncer annoyed me. Again, the word choices puzzled me; among tough ones like "schizophrenia" and "coiffure" (at least two kids tried to spell it starting with a q) were "appetite" and "apathy". Another word that came up was "moussaka", which the lady pronounced ma-SA-kuh, when I've always heard and said mou-SA-ka. At least six kids, I think, tried it, usually starting with ma- before the boy who ended up with 2nd place spelled it correctly. It was interesting because nearly two thirds of the contestants, I'd say, were either of Chinese/Vietnamese or Indian descent, as were most (if not all) of those eliminated by moussaka (Giant Baked Dish, 500HP, 5d12) -- you have to wonder how many of them had ever come into contact with Greek cuisine. (The boy who got it was white.)
After putting it off for far too long, I finally have a squeaky-clean bathroom. It's amazing how tenaciously towel fluff clings to the corners -- it's as though it's trying to become part of the paint.
Now that that's done, I can sit around being lazy for the rest of the evening, thinking about (but not working on) the costumes I still need to make, and the dishes that I really need to do.
