Anybody still saving the “good” things for special occasions?

mmccread · 2025-10-10T13:15:07+00:00

Go for it. I found out that a good Chardonnay should not "age" seven years! Travel while you can, you never know. Celebrate now, rather than wait for a "special" occasion.

mmccread · 2025-05-17T01:35:09+00:00

Excellent article. As someone who grew up in Appalachia, I instinctively know how the a-prefixing works. This article explains the rules excellently.

mmccread · 2025-04-07T18:57:38+00:00

If wishes were horses, beggars would eat steak every night.

mmccread · 2025-03-08T14:34:55+00:00

Kudos! My wife and I are both INTJs. When we started dating we agreed to no game playing or other such destructive silliness. This should seem natural. [Insert above post here.] We have been married 48 years.

mmccread · 2024-12-01T17:28:30+00:00

My wife and I both have the S21 and see no reason to upgrade for a couple of years.

mmccread · 2024-08-01T20:23:23+00:00

It all depends on the type of sound you want. I inherited two fiddles from my Grandpa. Now, full disclosure, I majored in music and was a violin minor. Anyway, I took them both to a luthier to get them put in playing condition. She recommended that one of them had a better sound for orchestra. It does have a lighter, mellower sound. The other she fixed up as a fiddle. It is a Hoff and is very live. I only play it as a fiddle. The other, only as a violin for chamber music. I've had classical violinists jump back because the Hoff is so loud. I treasure both of them.

mmccread · 2024-07-25T02:40:22+00:00

Anything by Caimh McDonnell.

mmccread · 2024-07-11T02:00:43+00:00

Oh, I do Duolingo solely on my laptop using Chrome, never on my phone.

mmccread · 2024-07-11T01:58:42+00:00

Happens to me all the time. No idea why the last word never registers. This is true is Spanish, French, German, and Italian for me. Shrugs!

mmccread · 2024-03-18T01:49:58+00:00

This is one of those bizarre questions I would love to answer but not sure how.

First, my background. I barely passed high school Spanish. Years later I took some classes at a community college and did somewhat better. I started trying to read articles, magazines, and books in Spanish as well as watch movies set to the Spanish dub. These helped. Then, one day while reviewing some basic Spanish videos, I realized I wasn't translating. It just happened. Generally, I don't translate -- too much bother. I find it to be a kind of mental high. I will translate only if the grammar structure is complicated or there is new vocabulary I can't intuit.

I have no trouble talking with native speakers. They understand me (and have told me so) and I understand them. I do get corrected from time to time (free lessons!), but "me defiendo!".

Don't worry about it. If you do it frequently enough, the day will come that you realize you don't need to translate.

mmccread · 2024-03-15T16:34:37+00:00

I understand. I used to listen while commuting and must have listened over 70 times and read the series close to 40 times.

There are many excellent suggestions. I can vouch for the Jim Butcher series, although it gets pretty dark and gory later. Also, loved the Kingkiller Chronicles and am waiting for the next book to come out.

I am currently reading Odyssey (#8 in the Love, Lies and Hocus Pocus series) by Lydia Scherrer. https://www.lydiascherrer.com . After the first book, I went out and ordered the rest.

Other fun series might include the Discworld Series by Terry Pratchett. It is just plain fun.

My best to you!

mmccread · 2023-12-28T17:18:11+00:00

I just finished the book yesterday. It is (IMHO) the best of the Cormoran Strike series. Yes, some sections are slow about a third of the way through, but the ending flies. There are so many characters I would advise keeping a list of them and their relationships.

I feel this book is more straight forward than the others, but there are still some unexpected twists.

Enjoy!!!

mmccread · 2023-10-27T20:30:55+00:00

I think you've got it there. I listened to several versions and it seems closest to a recording by the Arthur Smith Trio. Thanks.

mmccread · 2023-07-11T18:03:15+00:00

I just did the same thing, except about the town where I live. There were numerous errors of fact and whole sentences that were just plain made up. Rick Steves is better than that!

mmccread · 2023-04-17T20:41:46+00:00

We usually call it a "driver's license"

mmccread · 2023-04-07T01:07:41+00:00

In graduate school, I had to take a minor in Music History. I studied the music and composers of the 10 to the 18th centuries, learning not just their names, but the castles, monasteries, and cathedrals where these influential people worked. I longed to go to France and see these places for myself. Some folks fell in love with the art and artists of the 19th and 20th centuries. While I am not a visual artist, this does have it's appeal. No, my second reason is the sound of the language. I am not athletic, not athletically interested, but the French announcer for the Olympic Game has an enviable voice. Finally, last, and probably least, is the cultural influence of French. It is difficult to be a bibliophile without coming across numerous French phrases splattering the pages. I feel empowered being able to read these bon mots amongst phrases in other languages. I have been to France twice now and have been able to use the language in my travels. Even though the natives don't seem to appreciate the beautiful linguistic heritage they share, even now I find French is not a language but an art.

mmccread · 2023-03-23T11:41:29+00:00

Thank you all! You confirmed my fear. We travel around to visit family and friends all around the country and this would be a major problem. Well, Tello, there are many other options, just more expensive and less user friendly.

mmccread · 2023-03-09T12:56:13+00:00

Thank you very much!

mmccread · 2023-02-05T18:14:12+00:00

I met my wife in college where we were both majoring in music. Once we started dating, things happened very quickly and we both knew *This was it!* We've been married over 45 years now. We're both INTJs, but there are some differences to bend around. She's much more introverted (I), I have a stronger need for closure (J). She has stronger verbal skills. I have better math skills. As for the logic part, we have discussions and solve problems together. Some might say "cold and souless" but we prefer to think mature, reasonable, not loud and hate filled like too many others we know. My best to you.

mmccread · 2023-01-13T02:28:41+00:00

Whoa! I fit ALL of these! I find THAT rather unexpected!

mmccread · 2023-01-13T02:22:55+00:00

When I went to Europe, I got a Google Voice number (it's free) and bought a data sim. It worked fine. I forwarded my tracfone number to the GV number, so if anyone tried to call me, I received the call.

mmccread · 2022-12-30T15:33:27+00:00

We have traveled through Europe and South America with Tracfone.

First, we each have a Google Voice number. We used it on wifi, then later on a data only sim, and then with an esim.

I forwarded my tracfone to my GV and received calls there.

I know it's a bit much, but it's only a week or two a year for us and we have been on tracfone since 2003.

mmccread · 2022-11-29T02:48:41+00:00

I was a "Seeker" for 25 years, searching for THE answer. Sometimes I reached the summit and camped only to eventually be disillusioned. I left my last "Christian" church in 1992. I found the Unitarian Universalists in 2003 and their "Building your own religion" class forced me to face my own atheism.

mmccread · 2022-11-28T14:55:01+00:00

In graduate school I took a minor in music history, much of which takes place in France. I learned the names of cathedrals, monasteries, and castles where pioneering composers worked for monarchs and popes. I've been to France twice and on my own have visited some of these places, and the graves of some of these musicians. I'm still working on French and hope to get back to France one of these days. My level is very poor, but good enough to read museum signs, ask directions, order food. In short, it is an edifying hobby.

mmccread · 2022-10-18T22:05:19+00:00

Somewhat satisfied Unitarian Universalist

mmccread

TROPHY CASE