#followfriday
Because (a) I dislike feeling left out, and (b) I can’t resist being contrary, here’s a couple of #followfriday recommendations I’d've tweeted if I’d done it properly.
(Incidentally, I am using the construction I’d've on a daily basis. I love it. I hope this is a passing phase.)
I live here: SF is wonderful. I have this idea that I’d like living in San Francisco, and I’m not doing anything else with my life, so why not? But I can’t really try it out from 5,000 miles away. I can visit, when I can afford to do so, and I can read and watch and learn. So that’s what I do. I love finding out things about stuff, anyway, and it’s become the one ongoing project that doesn’t lose my interest.
Me being me, I’m keen to experience fully, fall in love completely. I want to get deep perspective, broad perspective, all perspectives. And the thought occurs that I’m not the first to like the idea of moving to this city, and maybe the natives are very tired of the newcomers acting newcomerly. I’m sensitive to how I imagine I’m perceived. Not wanting to fall into old traps (can’t avoid the new ones, sadly), I love reading and learning from these San Franciscans’ diverse stories. It’s not diminished my desire to move, and I can feel my newcomer’s worries dissipate.
Separated by a common language is also wonderful. The sidebar helpfully says it all—’observations on British and American English by an American linguist in the UK’—and gives the Shaw quote of the title—’England and America are two countries separated by a common language’. Again, I’ve simply been enjoying the examples, and the good writing. But perhaps I should delve into the archive and start taking on board some lessons. I like using my bastardized U.S.-UK-Ned version of English, but I’d like to take more control of it, get a better handle on cultural norms, and deviate from them at will rather than at random.
I reckon I’m liking these for very personal reasons, but I know good stories, good photos, and good old-fashioned linguistics appeal to more than just me. Enjoy.
