Lost in Translation
This afternoon I ran upstairs to the office above us to drop off something for Bob. How difficult can that be to understand, right? But the guy who met me at reception had this look of "there's no one by that name here". The guy owns the place; I know he works there. So I said again that it was for Bob... Bob [last name]. That's when he realized who I meant. He said that my American drawl had him confused.
Hans happened to be with me. When we got outside, I asked how I could have possibly been misheard. He said that the guy thought I was saying "Barb" and then proceeded to demonstrate the proper Australian way of saying "Bob" which I cannot replicate in written form. We had a really good laugh.
Touched by a Child
I've been feeling a bit tenderhearted lately for various reasons, but this is one of those things that has moved me.
Sunday we watched an episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition featuring the Byers family of Oregon which apparently aired opposite the Super Bowl (Cheese Fest '08!) as well. Their little girl Jenessa had fought cancer before, but it had returned. She was such a charming articulate 8-year-old girl, and when they said that the cancer was now in her bones, I was overcome with sadness. I think because whenever I have lost someone to cancer, the bones was always the indicator that the end was near. That show is always tear-jerking, but I sobbed more than once.
They had mentioned that the little girl made videos and posted them to her website to help other kids with cancer. After the program was over, I naturally went to find it only to learn that she had passed away just this past December 28.
That family may never know the impact that they have had on people, not just me, but others too. Seeing the love spilled out and their great faith has inspired this household to shine a little brighter.
What's more, her nickname was "Boey", just like the song I wrote about below that has been stuck in my head. So perfectly orchestrated as a reminder.
Links So I Can Finally Close Firefox without Losing Them All
♠ Dining Down Under: Australian Recipes
♥ Craftzine: Bird Quilt - should I ever find the time and patience to take up quilting
♥ State Bird Patterns of Martha Stewart
♥ Dacia Ray maker of above quilt and crafter of greatness
♠ Mizuhiki Heart Knot at Craftzine - for Valentines?
♥ Zakka Life - maker of hearts and other things
♥ Decor8 - right up there with Design*Sponge in terms of home lust
♠ Visualizing the Bible via webel.net
♥ notmartha - I always stumble across notmartha and then forget and then restumble and forget
♠ Tiny Choices - It's true. Their posts about water bottles are just feeding my own paranoia.
♥ Brownie Points Blog - food blog with beautiful photos and great ideas
♥ Miss Ginsu - more food blogging and other stuff including a homemade bitters recipe. I'm so making that.
♥ Broccoli Beef Recipe - I used the ingredient search on allrecipes.com the other night to find something different to make with the items I had on hand, and it turned out to be really tasty.
♠ Invent Your Own Casserole - the basic steps to making a casserole
♠ What on Earth - a catelog I used to get
These were probably all found via the site one or two above it, so sorry for not giving props if you were the one who led me there.
This afternoon I ran upstairs to the office above us to drop off something for Bob. How difficult can that be to understand, right? But the guy who met me at reception had this look of "there's no one by that name here". The guy owns the place; I know he works there. So I said again that it was for Bob... Bob [last name]. That's when he realized who I meant. He said that my American drawl had him confused.
Hans happened to be with me. When we got outside, I asked how I could have possibly been misheard. He said that the guy thought I was saying "Barb" and then proceeded to demonstrate the proper Australian way of saying "Bob" which I cannot replicate in written form. We had a really good laugh.
Touched by a Child
I've been feeling a bit tenderhearted lately for various reasons, but this is one of those things that has moved me.
Sunday we watched an episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition featuring the Byers family of Oregon which apparently aired opposite the Super Bowl (Cheese Fest '08!) as well. Their little girl Jenessa had fought cancer before, but it had returned. She was such a charming articulate 8-year-old girl, and when they said that the cancer was now in her bones, I was overcome with sadness. I think because whenever I have lost someone to cancer, the bones was always the indicator that the end was near. That show is always tear-jerking, but I sobbed more than once.
They had mentioned that the little girl made videos and posted them to her website to help other kids with cancer. After the program was over, I naturally went to find it only to learn that she had passed away just this past December 28.
That family may never know the impact that they have had on people, not just me, but others too. Seeing the love spilled out and their great faith has inspired this household to shine a little brighter.
What's more, her nickname was "Boey", just like the song I wrote about below that has been stuck in my head. So perfectly orchestrated as a reminder.
Links So I Can Finally Close Firefox without Losing Them All
♠ Dining Down Under: Australian Recipes
♥ Craftzine: Bird Quilt - should I ever find the time and patience to take up quilting
♥ State Bird Patterns of Martha Stewart
♥ Dacia Ray maker of above quilt and crafter of greatness
♠ Mizuhiki Heart Knot at Craftzine - for Valentines?
♥ Zakka Life - maker of hearts and other things
♥ Decor8 - right up there with Design*Sponge in terms of home lust
♠ Visualizing the Bible via webel.net
♥ notmartha - I always stumble across notmartha and then forget and then restumble and forget
♠ Tiny Choices - It's true. Their posts about water bottles are just feeding my own paranoia.
♥ Brownie Points Blog - food blog with beautiful photos and great ideas
♥ Miss Ginsu - more food blogging and other stuff including a homemade bitters recipe. I'm so making that.
♥ Broccoli Beef Recipe - I used the ingredient search on allrecipes.com the other night to find something different to make with the items I had on hand, and it turned out to be really tasty.
♠ Invent Your Own Casserole - the basic steps to making a casserole
♠ What on Earth - a catelog I used to get
These were probably all found via the site one or two above it, so sorry for not giving props if you were the one who led me there.
Labels: links, Lost in Translation, stuff and stuff
Feb 05 2008, 08:58 pm
Ha! Ha! The same thing happened to me when I was an exchange student there. My dad's name is Bob. I was talking about my parents to my "host uncle," and I said Bob and Lynette, and he thought I said Barb and Lynette. He made the funniest face, but he went along with it, as if my parents were lezies. I didn't even realize it at the time.
10:25 PM
Feb 06 2008, 11:41 pm
I had a 'Bob'/'Barb' conversation with an Australian friend of mine in Brooklyn a few months back. I asked her if she can hear the difference. Of course she could, and she proceeded to repeat the Aussie version of 'Barb' over and over. There's like a beat in there, as though you're standing on one level and going to the next. I can't do it. Thankfully, I have yet to have a Bob/Barb experience here.
10:27 PM
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