Sunday, September 8, 2013

The Sunday Currently XII

You know how a lot of bloggers post weekly lists of links they've found around the internets?  I can't do that.  I've tried, but I seem to be physically and emotionally incapable of sharing anything without also providing a lengthy commentary on it.  Thank goodness for The Sunday Currently!  So gird your loins, dear reads, and let's dive in...

the wedding DIY bug hasn't quite left me yet

listening... to the Last Night of the Proms on BBC iPlayer!  Part One is here and Part Two here, but if you can't listen to the whole thing - it's amazing, obviously, but it's also 3 hours long - then click over to Part Two and start at 1:01:00, where the patriotic finale begins.  The Proms are a summer series of classical concerts at the Royal Albert Hall in London, but the last one is always slightly lighter and more popular in content; they also broadcast it from huge screens in Hyde Park after a massive live concert for an event called Proms in the Park, and I have friends who go out every year in black tie to have a picnic on the lawn to watch.  Everyone (both in the Hall and in Hyde Park) brings flags and gets completely into the spirit of things, which is why you can hear the audience singing along to Rule Britannia and Elgar's Land of Hope and Glory and Jerusalem and the National Anthem.  I still haven't made it to the Last Night of the Proms but, as I wrote here in 2010, it makes my heart swell every time I hear the final pieces.

reading... Football Nation: Sixty Years of the Beautiful Game, by Andrew Ward and John Williams.  One major (and often true!) stereotype of English boys is that they're obsessed with soccer, but Jon isn't.  I mean, he knows a lot about it through osmosis, I guess, but that's about it.  We spent a whole meal on our honeymoon discussing the cultural and socio-political aspects of British football and its fans which, as an outsider, you can't help but wonder about.  (Or is that just me?  The whole thing is so foreign and the only way I know how to approach it is academically.)  So last week I tweeted at Greg Jenner - if you are an Anglophile and/or a history nerd and/or someone who appreciates excellent humor, you need to follow him now - and he recommended this book for a good introduction on the history of football in Britain and why its fans are... well, the way they are!

thinking... about how, as I've discovered more and more blogs written by Americans abroad over the past few months, I've been struck by how everyone understands "expat" in a completely unique and personal way; there's no one-size-fits all definition.  Living in another country can happen for so many different reasons and in so many different ways - through marriage, work, school, or asylum, just to name a few - and all those reasons and ways can complicate what you think of as your emotional home.  My friend Melanie wrote a piece for Pencil Tribe about what it means to be a Third Culture Kid and, even though it's an label I can't relate to, I'm excited to see where she takes her exploration.  As an expatriate and a repatriate, identities I truly believe I can claim concurrently, I find the concept of ownership of (or in) a culture absolutely fascinating!

hoping... that if you're an expat and you feel lonely, you read Belinda's musings from last week and take comfort in the fact that you're not alone.  With so many amazing bloggers all over the world, someone who understands what you're going through might be just on the other side of the keyboard!  That being said, it can be really hard to not have friendships with people in your area, and it's totally normal to get in a funk about it sometimes.  Don't feel bad about feeling bad - wallow in it for a while and then try these ten tips for making friends in a new place!  (The last one on that list is especially important.)

smelling... cinnamon French toast!  My parents are coming over for brunch, which makes me feel very grown up for some reason, and I'm making Smitten Kitchen's recipe with a blackberry sauce courtesy of my farmers market haul from yesterday.  My mouth is watering already!

wishing... Emily, Mike, and Cliff a very happy 10 month dogiversary!  C-dawg might be the sweetest and goofiest lab ever besides Charlie - I especially love how almost every one of Emily's recipe posts includes a photo of Cliff looking longingly at whatever she's making.  (Exhibits A, B, and C for your viewing pleasure, dear readers.)  It's classic.

wanting... to be in a healthy mindset for my half marathon next Saturday.  I loved all of your suggestions on my post last Monday, but somehow I psyched myself out afterwards and had a really uncomfortable run on Tuesday.  My runs since then have felt good - I even managed to run for the first 30 minutes of my Friday 4.5 miler with no walking, which is rare -   and I need to stay in that mental place for the next week!

loving... the conversation that KC has continued with her post on when to speak up if you read something online that you disagree with.  You know I have all of the thoughts on this, dear readers, but I don't actually have any of the answers!  KC asks, "If you are a blogger who really wants opinions, how do you get them? If you feel like you need to speak up about something, what triggers that and how do you deal with it?"  What do you think?  Head over to her blog and join the discussion!

linking up with siddathornton

40 comments:

  1. Are the British football fans that different from American college football fans? I mean, their particular ways of expressing their crazies are different, but I sort of thought it was a lateral different. Hmm. Maybe I should make Paul read that book and tell me ;)


    I love how your Sunday morning is spent thoughtful and developing ideas, and mine consists of stumbling through my exhausting-hangover (sadly, I was too tired to have a much-needed drink last night!). I did manage to walk both dogs. Fortunately they're both on physio doctor's orders for short walks this weekend!


    Happy Sunday!

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  2. I am interested to see what you find after reading that book. My husband, a native Swede, has had an fanaticism with Manchester United since he was 10. I am fascinated as well with his love for the team and the lengths he goes to to watch and be involved in the team. Went we went to Manchester last year we visited the stadium and I think it was one of my favorite things we have experienced together and a day we both cherish.

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  3. If you are not one for reading their have been some really interesting series done on English football fans and what exactly their team love and support entails. I know personally that going to sporting events in Sweden vs America is extremely different but I alas do not have the passion for sports to describe what the fans themselves feel.

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  4. Oh, I like to read, I just don't care about sports fans. Rabid fans (including my husband) ruin sports for me, so a program wouldn't interest me any more than the book! I grew up in the South and attended an SEC school, so the fans and traditions of American college football are deep-seated, and calling American college football a religion is not an inaccurate description! When we attended a Leeds United match whilst living in England the fans just seemed quite similar to the SEC fans I am used to seeing.

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  5. Even as an Australian, I feel so patriotic watching the Last Night at the Proms! It makes my heart swell with pride for this amazing country I live in.

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  6. I'm also a third culture kid and when I learned about the term, it seriously changed my life. Interested in reading more about reading your friend Melanie's post!

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  7. Thanks for linking the KC post! That's definitely something I've been thinking about a lot lately. I tend to go with the 'speak up unless spoons are low' approach, but it's not always easy.

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  8. One of my favorite memories of London is the night my friends and I went to Proms. Being poor college students, we sat on the floor in the upper hallways of Albert Hall and peered through the slats in the railing like curious children. My heart belongs to rock and roll, but that was some true musical beauty- it was so moving! I'd love to go again some time

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  9. and re: the KC post, I find this discussion super interesting because I don't read blogs for the sake of debate or controversial conversation at all. I certainly see the value of this type of blogging, but more often than not I find such debates to be wasted energy for the exact reason that KC pointed out. Besides, there's quite enough controversy in the real world to satisfy my need for indignation. I read blogs for the same reason that I read books- to escape :)

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  10. As the wife of a die hard Newcastle United fan I applaud you for reading that book, I think he has read the book. I actually much prefer going to premiership matches than American football games :)

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  11. honestly, college (and high school) football in the States is as foreign to me as professional soccer in England. They could be very similar for all I know - except you don't hear as much about hooliganism with American football fans as you do with British football fans, do you?

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  12. I've never been to a football match and I'm not really motivated to go, but I LOVE going to Twickenham to see the rugby! One time when Jon and I went, the USA 7s team was playing the English - that was fun to share :)

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  13. I just love how she approaches the whole thing! it'll be SO interesting to see where she goes with it.

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  14. SPOONS? WHAT SPOONS?


    seriously. I have never heard that phrase before - explain!

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  15. I am the queen of wasting energy on these things :P

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  16. I went to a late-night Prom a few summers ago - it was one of those 10pm £5 things and we stood in the middle and it was AMAZING! so much energy in the room.

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  17. oh man - Jon was trying to explain to me how northern football fans differ from southern ones, but it was simply too advanced for me! haha. I'll let you know what I think of the book!

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  18. I hope I didn't offend! That certainly wasn't my intent.

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  19. oh my goodness, not offended at all! you totally hit the nail on the head - it often is wasted energy. Jon gets SO frustrated with me when I huff and puff over something I've read on the internet.

    have you seen this? http://xkcd.com/386/ :)

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  20. omg that cartoon is me to a T! One of the docs I rotated with had the best advice on how to deal with fruitless debates {said in thick Indian-English accent}- "sometimes you just gotta let it go!" (: have a great Sunday!

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  21. Thanks so much for continuing the discussion, Betsy! After reading and discussing Belinda's blog posts on authentic voice, too, I'm starting to think that real dissuasion and commentary happens on blogs when we can write in our authentic voice, with confidence and overcoming fear. And no, I haven't figured out what that means, but I think I'm onto something. It's exciting!


    Enjoy your French toast. I love me some Smitten Kitchen!

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  22. Mmmm cinnamon french toast! I love Smitten Kitchen, but I haven't tried that recipe yet. Maybe I'll make it for breakfast for dinner sometime this week!

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  23. Spoons! I should link this article more often. I included it in an about me post I made on Tuesday, which... was really long. Possibly I should link the article every time I use the term, ha.

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  24. The wreath looks amazing!! Love the DIY!!!

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  25. That book sounds really interesting! I've gotten increasingly into soccer (I can't bring myself to call it football!) over the past few years, yet I'm still mystified at times by the international fervor. We definitely are a bit distanced from that whole way of life as people who have grown up in the U.S.

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  26. it was DEEEEEEELicious. and I had leftover of both the French toast and the sauce so I put them toegthr in a tupperware and it's going to be SO GOOD tomorrow morning :)

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  27. have you ever been to a DC United game? I hear they're crazy!

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  28. it's definitely a journey! I know I get so impatient so have the engaging and challenging discussion NOW but that not what everyone wants and I need to respect that. UGH.


    haha :)

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  29. That's a brilliant analogy! You really do have to decide, "How much energy do I have right now?" and "What is this going to cost me?" and "Is it even worth it?" If you're almost out of spoons...there are much better things to spend your spoons on. Thanks for sharing this article! And sorry for jumping into this conversation over here, but it's a near and dear topic to my heart right now!

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  30. I'm taking that xkcd comic from your reply to Georgia and using it the next time I talk about this issue. I know I'm going to have to talk about the things I've learned from you and from Belinda's blogging compass series and from Erika. This is why the blog world is awesome!


    And looking through all the comments here, I can see that you've created a space where people do feel able to discuss and comment, even when they have opposing views about the issue at hand. That's a great testament to you and to your blog. I only hope that I can do the same as I keep working on mine!

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  31. Mmmm... french cinnamon French toast sounds incredibly delicious :) Best of luck with the last of the 1/2 marathon training... I'm sure you're going to rock it! xxx

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  32. I have! They're actually what drew me into professional soccer. We're having an awful season this year, but sitting in the supporter section is still a crazy fun experience!

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  33. I have no idea why, but as soon as I read the words, 'cinnamon French toast' and 'brunch', I got all excited. I see a brunch in my future... :)

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  34. um. because it's brunch with French toast, obviously.

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  35. I support Fulham and love the matches - I think a good way to start undersatanding the cultural phenomenon of football is to go. In fact, I would say that Fulham Football Club saved my Dad's life - right around when he had major heart surgery Fulham managed to make it all the way to the finals of the Europa cup - going to the matches and being part of something so much bigger than himself - being there to support an underdog go on to do better than anyone said they could, I think all of that helped him recover. It brings a tear to my eye just to think of that season...

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  36. true - I haven't ever been and I should change that. it would definitely be an insight!


    I'm glad your dad's okay :)

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I love reading your thoughts and suggestions! Please do leave a comment so we can get to know each other better.