October 2007

How I’m Related to Henry Higgins (or my Linguistic Pedigree)

How I’m Related to Henry Higgins (or my Linguistic Pedigree)

Prof. Peter Ladefoged was the student of David Abercrombie, who was the student of Daniel Jones (of whom the real life model of Henry Higgins was based). Prof. Ladefoged actually trained Rex Harrison for his role in the movie.

Prof. Peter Ladefoged (who died recently at the age of eighty in 2006) was the adviser for (now) Prof. John Ohala who was the advisor for (now) Prof. Jeri J. Jaeger which means that if we were to order it

Daniel Jones (Henry Higgins) taught
David Abercrombie who taught
Peter Ladefoged who taught
John Ohala who taught
Jeri J. Jaeger who is now teaching
me.

if any of that pedigree wants to start kicking in…now would be a really, really good time.

What a day.

Who says we’re not making progress?

So today in class (Grammar and Lexicon, right after Phonetics) one of the straight kids was telling me (proudly) how he want to Club Marcella (the local Gay club in Buffalo) this weekend, and he’s going on telling me about it and he then imparts this gem:

Him: “Yeah, and then this guy starts dancing behind me, grinding his cock and stuff and I got really offeneded…”
Me: “Well…you were at a Gay club…”
Him: “THAT’S NOT THE POINT…The point is, that if I were Gay, I’d TOTALLY be the TOP and here he is thinking I’m the Bottom…like…what the fuck, right?”

…progress…bizarre, perhaps…but I still call this progress none the less. My overall response to him was “don’t knock it ’till you try it.”

Who says we’re not making progress?

So today in class (Grammar and Lexicon, right after Phonetics) one of the straight kids was telling me (proudly) how he want to Club Marcella (the local Gay club in Buffalo) this weekend, and he’s going on telling me about it and he then imparts this gem:

Him: “Yeah, and then this guy starts dancing behind me, grinding his cock and stuff and I got really offeneded…”
Me: “Well…you were at a Gay club…”
Him: “THAT’S NOT THE POINT…The point is, that if I were Gay, I’d TOTALLY be the TOP and here he is thinking I’m the Bottom…like…what the fuck, right?”

…progress…bizarre, perhaps…but I still call this progress none the less. My overall response to him was “don’t knock it ’till you try it.”

I forgot how nice a paycheck is…

This isn’t to say I haven’t been making money…but pretty much, all of the stuff I’ve done for the past couple of years has been freelance of some sort…I haven’t worked a corporate Job in a bit…and it was nice to get handed a paycheck with Hillel of Buffalo in the corner to deposit the other day…mostly…because this meant I’m able to afford going down to see the Dalai Lama…

…I’m working on a real post…I’m also working on Vegetables and Hummus…so depending on when I finish, that post may or may not be tonight…

I got an upper body massage today from a licensed massage therapist…oh man, I don’t know why I don’t take advantage of that more often…especially since it’s free.

Okay…back to nourishment…

I forgot how nice a paycheck is…

This isn’t to say I haven’t been making money…but pretty much, all of the stuff I’ve done for the past couple of years has been freelance of some sort…I haven’t worked a corporate Job in a bit…and it was nice to get handed a paycheck with Hillel of Buffalo in the corner to deposit the other day…mostly…because this meant I’m able to afford going down to see the Dalai Lama…

…I’m working on a real post…I’m also working on Vegetables and Hummus…so depending on when I finish, that post may or may not be tonight…

I got an upper body massage today from a licensed massage therapist…oh man, I don’t know why I don’t take advantage of that more often…especially since it’s free.

Okay…back to nourishment…

Lacrosse Jocks, Tibetan Mid Terms & Workouts of Various Kinds…

Lacrosse Jocks are perhpas my favorite kind of Jocks (the people, not the fashion piece…well, sometimes people are also fashion pieces…just not for the intents and purposes of this post). I mean, I love guys who play football…but that mostly because they have the lace-up pants and the chest piece…but there’s something about Lacrosse players that is just…wonderful…

Anyway, there’s a Lacrosse Player (and he also does Kung Fu) in my Tibetan Class. Physically, he’s hot…personality wise, he’s Adorable (sort of like a golden retriever)…it’s a winning combination.

I hate what ifs…so today I asked him “so, you’re straight…right?” and he goes “yeah” and I was like “oh, okay…Good…” and he goes “why” and I went “because I wanted to know if I were to ask you out for coffee if it would be Coffee…or coffee…” and he took it well. So much better to ask and find out that he’s either straight, taken (either way), or just get turned down all-together than to go “I wonder what could have been.”

Anyway, we sat down and took the Tibetan mid-term (while not wishing to draw down the evil eye, I do think I did well on it…how well is yet to be determined). During class break he asked me how my weight cutting routine is going (I’m going for lanky and strong, not muscular and bulky…I like dating muscular and bulky…I just don’t like that look on myself) and I told him how it was going (how much KCal I’ve cut, what I’ve been doing, diet, cardio) and he offered to show me his routine after class.

So after class we snuck into one of the rooms in the basement of the law school and he showed me how to do his work out, quick…powerful, targets all the areas that I need targeted and it’s all body resistance so I can do it anywhere, without a machine…I was quite pleased…and of course, hearing him breathe…deeply…as his body moved like a snake on the floor do pushups…was also a pleasant sensation that I’ve allowed to permanently etch on the back of my mind.

So if anyone is on the market for a hot athlete, smart (studies Chinese and Tibetan), slightly taller than me (which isn’t saying much, since I”m 5’5″) and adorable…come to class; he gets an A+ rating (highest rating possible)…sadly though, he plays for the other team…so Ladies, he’s all yours…fellas, well…we lost a good one to the dark side.

…but I did get a new work out routine from it!

Lacrosse Jocks, Tibetan Mid Terms & Workouts of Various Kinds…

Lacrosse Jocks are perhpas my favorite kind of Jocks (the people, not the fashion piece…well, sometimes people are also fashion pieces…just not for the intents and purposes of this post). I mean, I love guys who play football…but that mostly because they have the lace-up pants and the chest piece…but there’s something about Lacrosse players that is just…wonderful…

Anyway, there’s a Lacrosse Player (and he also does Kung Fu) in my Tibetan Class. Physically, he’s hot…personality wise, he’s Adorable (sort of like a golden retriever)…it’s a winning combination.

I hate what ifs…so today I asked him “so, you’re straight…right?” and he goes “yeah” and I was like “oh, okay…Good…” and he goes “why” and I went “because I wanted to know if I were to ask you out for coffee if it would be Coffee…or coffee…” and he took it well. So much better to ask and find out that he’s either straight, taken (either way), or just get turned down all-together than to go “I wonder what could have been.”

Anyway, we sat down and took the Tibetan mid-term (while not wishing to draw down the evil eye, I do think I did well on it…how well is yet to be determined). During class break he asked me how my weight cutting routine is going (I’m going for lanky and strong, not muscular and bulky…I like dating muscular and bulky…I just don’t like that look on myself) and I told him how it was going (how much KCal I’ve cut, what I’ve been doing, diet, cardio) and he offered to show me his routine after class.

So after class we snuck into one of the rooms in the basement of the law school and he showed me how to do his work out, quick…powerful, targets all the areas that I need targeted and it’s all body resistance so I can do it anywhere, without a machine…I was quite pleased…and of course, hearing him breathe…deeply…as his body moved like a snake on the floor do pushups…was also a pleasant sensation that I’ve allowed to permanently etch on the back of my mind.

So if anyone is on the market for a hot athlete, smart (studies Chinese and Tibetan), slightly taller than me (which isn’t saying much, since I”m 5’5″) and adorable…come to class; he gets an A+ rating (highest rating possible)…sadly though, he plays for the other team…so Ladies, he’s all yours…fellas, well…we lost a good one to the dark side.

…but I did get a new work out routine from it!

When Home’s Just a Thousand Miles Away

When home’s just a thousand miles away
Matan Ar’ye Schwartz

Your body of stone, stoic coming in from behind…do not turn your face from me/your breathe wrapping around me like a blanket:I hear your voice calling me as you haunt me in my dreams, following me, beckoning to me as you leave me once again in tears: the feeling of a lovers embrace/all I want to do is hold you one more time:to see you once again…to tell you that you look so beautiful tonight.

But you have me walking these streets in this industrial wasteland; so cold now as the sun vanishes with the coming winter as I start to shiver/every step I take away from you hurts more than the one before it. I can’t breathe as I’m overtaken by you and I just wanna go home, but I’m walking these streets under the moonlight because I fear what awaits me in my dreams. It hurts so bad to wake each day alone as I fight the morning light for just a few more minutes of memories: one, a hundred, a thousand hours not enough to recall and recount every moment I’ve spent with you:each day I have to wait to touch you again becomes an eternity/intolerable cruelty I must endure before I can once again reunite with the only love I have ever truly known.

A thousand fears run through my mind:if I should die before we meet again a thousand fates I’d rather suffer than to never be with you once more…if only for one last day…for one last moment.

Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, Jerusalem

My heart aches for you…Israel with your shores of blue and the forests that surround you like emeralds as birds rise to the sky bringing with them prayers that roll off the lips of children….markets full of people and food and in the desert life sprouts forth while midnight lovers embrace under waterfalls and in the cloak of night their love shines through the darkness.

The music of everyone’s soul audible to all who take a moment to stop and listen as camels traverse the land like boats in an ocean. As the world spins, changing all around them: the further things change the more some things stay the same…Jerusalem, you remain intrepid…and I’m holding what love you’ve given me in my heart and it’s what’s keeping me going until I can come home to you once again.

When home’s just a thousand miles away.