More Tips for Reading Foreign Languages

These posts are (not so) quickly becoming a lesson in how not to read a foreign language.

I last posted about my Proust journey in April 2015...and have advanced no further since.  Not a single page.  Its pretty embarrassing really. 

enjoying a flat white at my favourite coffee shop - a treat for my troubles!

 I could reel off a whole bunch of excuses for my lack of progress, but why would I do that when I could jump straight back in to telling you about the magical world of Proust instead!  I've read a whole extra 20 pages now!!!

It is pretty hard going, but I feel like I'm making some progress and getting to know the characters finally.  Of course, I've been following my own advice from my last post also.  I treated myself to a flat white at my favourite coffee shop, then later enjoyed sampling a new variety of loose-leaf tea, put on some classical piano music to suit the tone of the story and lit my new favourite candle.  Little things. 

After all, it would be impractical to book oneself a trip to Disney Land as reward for getting through just a few pages, tough as they may be.

...maybe by the end!

...you may also notice the lack of dictionary!  Give the girl a gold star!  I'm still learning new vocabulary though.  I just noted new words down quickly along with the page number.  That way I can still revisit to retrieve the context.  

Keeping a note to check back the context is important though.  On a page describing smells (yes, a whole page! - Thanks Proust!) I came across a verb that, when I looked it up, seemed at first glance to have an awful lot to do with the use of a dildo (below, for your viewing pleasure).

I also remembered to make an effort to engage with the story.  In this instance this involved reading outloud (in non-public places) to keep my focus, making notes (as amusing and irreverent as I could manage) and taking the time to write this blog (hi!).  All to consolidate my learning.

So...consolidation ahoy!  Here are a few things that I took from these 20 pages.

Character - Grandmother

Granny is the original hipster!

She actively rejects anything that does not have enough layers of the intellectual about it.  A few examples:

• She thinks that simple reads are as useless and dangerous as sweets.
• She prefers old items, as she feels their disrepair makes them more useful (as items that can be learnt from).
• She will only accept photographs if they demonstrate something historic, such as a monument.  Otherwise they are vulgar.  She'd prefer a painting - even an inaccurate one - of a landscape to a photograph of one, as artistic expression at least adds an extra dimension to appreciate.
  
  my notes.  There was also a whole page for loose-leaf tea!

Character - Protagonist
Well...he's still a grumpy sod!  Every adjective relating to his emotions denotes some form of sadness.  

In these pages he discovered that he likes tea and madeleines.  The problem is that after three mouthfuls he finds that he can't match the euphoria of that first taste explosion, and is bitterly disappointed.

Upon reflection (which he does - a LOT!), he believes that what he enjoyed was not even the taste, but the association:  His Great Aunt had offered him a madeleine earlier that morning, so the experience held souvenirs of her, and by extension his house, his town, and - I imagine - the country, planet and universe.

remember to keep notes irreverent - rewording them and adding humour will help you to consolidate the text's meaning

Character - Great Aunt
Oh boy is this one doolally.  She will only speak softly because she's afraid that speaking loudly will break or displace something in her head.

She also likes to pretend not to sleep - at all - but has to constantly remind herself to run with this lie, and does so out-loud when she believes that no-one is listening.

Imagery

I encountered some beautiful imagery on this reading.  Below are a few of my favourites relating to a moment where the protagonist feels that his sadness is finally accepted by his family, rather than fought against:

"puberty of sadness"

"emancipation of tears"

He describes that this has the effect on his mother of making the "first wrinkles and first white hairs appear on her soul".
He also speaks of his world being "painted in different colours" then, to how it is now.

Vocabulary
...all hugely positive and life-affirming:

un bourreau - persecutor, torturer

immérité - undeserved, unmerited

un serin - dimwit

mesquin - petty, mean, miserly

dodu - plump, podgy, chubby
remâcher - to brood, to dwell
dévot - bigoted, sanctimonious, pious
un casanier - homebody

Colmore Food Festival, Birmingham

Colmore Food Festival takes place annually in Birmingham's Victoria Square.  It is a free-to-attend two-day event (with dishes capped at £4 each) that aims to showcase local business and Birmingham food.

Colmore Food Festival website

I attended this year, and found it to be a relaxed affair, with a traditional British summertime theme heightened by overcast weather, deckchairs and 1940s vocal harmony singers that would be sure to delight locals and tourists alike.

Victoria Square's floral war memorial

A British sense of humour was also present, courtesy - ironically - of an old-fashioned ice-cream cart being pushed by two French-style waiters blasting the theme tune to Fawlty Towers.  Occasionally they'd stop to tease passers-by with romantic gestures and dance routines set to "classics" by Boyz2Men and Peter Andre, before abruptly turning the Fawlty Towers theme back on and trundling off.

...and I haven't even got to the food and drink yet!

Chase rhubarb, vanilla syrup, lemon juice and apple juice cocktail from Bar Opus(One Snow Hill | Website)

My favourite part of this event, was finding a spot to sit amongst the picnic benches and white picket fences, or just on the concrete steps of the square, taking in the diverse smells around me as others ate and compiling my thoughts for this post.

Now, I'm only one person, so there was only so much that I could reasonably sample.  I couldn't possibly review all that this event had to offer but I've included below an account of my day's feasting (and a little more from my day's viewing) for your pleasure...

a flat white to go from one of my favourite local cafés, Java Lounge (124 Colmore Row | Website)

First up to tickle my palate was the handiwork of Miss Macaroon (Website).  This was actually my first macaroon experience - I'm a little late to the party.  I've seen these dainty delights gradually popping up and becoming staple treats in cafés, though, and noted that there now exist countless books dedicated to their art.

I wouldn't say I was disappointed, as such.  As the picture above demonstrates, these were very pretty and tasted wonderful - as advertised - and with a pleasant texture that reminded me of the chewy centre of a good meringue.  I can't help feeling, though, that with this variety of macaroon you're paying as much for the craftsmanship as for the taste, and personally I prefer my macaroons warm and of the coconut variety.  These were just a tad too sweet for me.  

I was impressed, though, with the array of flavours on offer by Miss Macaroon.  I sampled Strawberries & Cream, Chocolate, Salted Caramel and Lemon.

My macaroons accompanied a very informative wine-tasting talk by Hotel du Vin (24 Church Street | Website).  The session was presented from a kitchen set erected by the main stage, with a sommelier on standby to serve those taking part.

Even those not sampling the wine could reap the benefits of the experts' advice, as they broke down the taxes placed on wine, thus elucidating the benefits to spending just a £1-£2 more on a bottle of wine.  Not at all cynical and highly informative.

I had the pleasure, also, of sampling one of Hotel du Vin's dishes:  Piccante Chorizo Corndogs with Salsa Roja (above) - a marriage of spicy and sweet, served on a bed of rocket.

I also tried an offering from Nepalese restaurant Jojolapa (59 Newhall Street | Website).  Their Chicken Special (below) was coated in a crispy batter, and served with a sweet, tangy tomato sauce.  It actually reminded me of a staple crisp of my childhood: Wheat Crunchies.

...but I'm afraid that was all that I could fit in my stomach, folks!  Before I sign-off, though, I will share a little from the main act of the day, The Glamophones (Website), who I alluded to in my opening.

I very much enjoyed watching and listening to The Glamophones.  Their aesthetic was floral, feminine and summery, despite the weather, their routines synchronised and their harmonies uplifting and temperate - not too bombastic or loud as festival performances can sometimes be(though usually this is down to poor selection and/or acoustics).

Photographer:  Shaun Joyce | Website

The overall "vibe" was one of balance and harmony with the event.  Their set list comprised traditional tracks as well as more modern entries, but even the vintage numbers got everyone's feet tapping (my own theory on this being the reintroduction of such music into pop culture through video games such as BioShock and Fallout 4).

The strangest and most enchanting moment for me was a sublime rendition of Kate Bush's Wuthering Heights, yet not all tracks were low-tempo.  Walk Like an Egyptian of Bangles fame also saw an outing, and Rihanna's Umbrella was another surprise hit.

The only negatives for me - though the performances were still solid - were a Britney Spears medley, which I've just heard too many live bands pull out of their sleeves by now, and Meghan Trainor's All About That Bass; a track that I happen to personally dislike a lot.

All-in-all, though, a thoroughly enjoyable event with well-chosen, broadly-appealing entertainment and great food at reasonable prices.  I'll certainly be looking to attend again next year!

Nosh & Quaff's stilt-sporting and glamorous lobsters

(130 Colmore Row | Website)


MORE: Birmingham Tips for Tourists

A Wedding, Drugs, and some Contrived Coupling - Alles Was Zählt

The theme of the moment is couples, so let's take a look at four relationships....none of which have been thrown together suddenly to create a running theme for the show....

...actually I strongly suspect that some have been.

Vanessa & Christoph

We'll start off with the strongest couple.  Christoph and a now-pregnant Vanessa are finally married.  They've been through the soap-mill these two: abduction, ex-wife suicide, family intrigue.  They remain, for me, one of the most sympathetic soap-couples to ever be born from an extra-marital affair.

photo: rtl.de

They get married in secret at a festival, exasperated at the glitz and glamour that Vanessa's wealthy parents want to throw at their big day.  The festival gets called off by extreme weather, but the wedding still goes ahead - conducted by Vanessa's father Richard in their festival tent.

Once she gets over her hurt at not being invited, Vanessa's mother Simone throws money at the after-party instead - booking the festival headliners to perform (real life Metal band Ewing Oil).

photo: rtl.de

Nothing funny to see here.  This was actually quite sweet.

Vocabulary

das Festival absagen - to cancel the festival

die Sonnenmilch - suntan lotion
die Sonne - sun
die Milch - milk

wasserfest - watertight
das Wasser - water
fest - firm, tight, fixed

das Unwetter - storm
das Wetter - weather

das Zelt - tent
die Zelte - tents

das Gewitter - thunderstorm

Marie & Leo

photo: rtl.de

Leo (above) is the kind of scumbag that cheats on a girl (Marie, below) with her worst enemy and then gets her accidentally involved in a drugs bust.

An unfortunately-worded text message is what lands Marie in trouble when her concurrent in love and on the ice (Michelle) hears of Leo's dealing and reports it to the police.  Seemingly Michelle's not at all bitter that her relationship with Leo is only casual or that he's only selling drugs to make the money to bugger off to America as quickly as possible.

Marie's arrest comes at a particularly bad time though - just hours before she's due to audition for a place at a prestigious Academy.

photo: rtl.de

Vocabulary

die Polizei - the police

die Bullen - the cops

heimlich - secretly

Drogen verticken - to sell drugs
verticken - to sell, to flog

das Zeug - stuff (slang here for drugs)

Carmen & Ben

OK *deep breath*...Carmen's sister is married to Ben's Dad, Richard.  Carmen has been struggling with her feelings for Richard for some time, and has confided in Ben on this matter.

One one occasion Carmen has blurted out that she has had a one-night stand with Ben; an un-truth that becomes reality (and then some) when she cuts her hand on a knife and ends up falling into bed with him...after a trip to the hospital and some stitches of course!

photo: rtl.de

Vocabulary

das Krankenhaus - hospital

Hilfe! - help!

der Retter - rescuer, saver, saviour

eine heiße Nacht - a hot (steamy) night

eine Bombe - bomb (weapon), bombshell (person)

Deniz & Jenny

photo: rtl.de

Our most contrived couple of the moment - which is weird given the Ben & Carmen thing...

Deniz and Jenny have a long history of hating one another, but now they're having to work together to try to win the Young Manager Awards.

Jenny's lonely because her last two husbands didn't pan out so well - one died on their wedding day and the other she recently got banged up for his part in a family intrigue to which she was actually complicit.

photo: rtl.de

There's arguing, there's crying, there's self-pity and there are some very uncomfortable compliments whilst Jenny wrestles with her feelings for Deniz....the feelings that have come from NOWHERE!  The culmination of all this being the *ahem* steamy kiss above.

Vocabulary

ehrgeizig - ambitious

zuverlässig - reliable

egoistisch - selfish

über Leichen gehen - to sell one's own grandmother
über - over
die Leichen - corpses, bodies
gehen - to go

der Kämpfer - fighter (male/neutral)
die Kämpferin - fighter (female)

UK Travel: Bristol - Milk Thistle

Address: secret | Website

Milk Thistle is a speakeasy with a twist.

It is a speakeasy in the sense that it serves traditional prohibition-era cocktails in a discreet locale.  The twist comes in the presentation.

We genuinely struggled to locate this venue.  Granted, we could have gone straight to Trip Advisor for the address, but we preferred - in the first instance at least - to put on our detective hats and try locate it using the information proffered on their website, which is sparse.

We enjoyed the adventure of it, but yielded in the end when it became clear that we may end up being too late and miss our reservation.

photo from Milk Thistle Website

From the outside, The Milk Thistle is quite unremarkable, distinguishable only by a small thistle etched into the glass above the door.  There is no door handle, so you have to ring the bell to be granted entry.

Inside, the speakeasy authenticity ends somewhat.  The lounge area is small and decorated like a gentleman's club, and yet there are artefacts that are so incongruous that the speakeasy illusion is reduced to a gimmick.  In essence, expect to see "hipster aesthetic": paintings of dapper animals in top hat and tails alongside taxidermy and teacups.

Decor aside, the interior does retain an air of the clandestine.  We were a little peeved on our first visit, as we were perched at the bar despite having made a reservation and the lounge space being mostly empty.  A subsequent visit was much cosier though, and even sitting at the bar has its perks: observing the bar staff is a treat!  They really know how to mix!  

photo from Milk Thistle Website

I even challenged them with my cocktail litmus test: the Manhattan - a cocktail that, even for one who enjoys the harder stuff, can be very difficult to enjoy if not made right.  The Milk Thistle's Manhattan was the most drinkable I've sampled to date, and their Blood and Stone is exquisite.

The Milk Thistle has enough quality and novelty to merit a visit (and even a repeat-visit), but I'm afraid it's still doesn't hold a candle to my favourite cocktail bar in Bristol - The Doghouse.

INDEX

French Cinema - Intouchables

I'm a little late to the party with this one - Sadly I've lost touch with foreign cinema since moving away from Manchester and not having a wonderful arthouse cinema on my doorstep anymore!

Intouchables was well worth the wait though!  It tells the story of a rich disabled man, Philippe, looking to recruit a new carer.  Driss, recently released from prison and living in the suburbs, is just looking for a signature to prove that he has attended the interview so that he can continue claiming his benefits.

When he gets called back to trial for the job, a unique bond forms between the pair.  Driss does not approach Philippe's disability as others do.  Instead he injects a dark sense of humour into the proceedings, asking personal questions that make Philippe feel human and alive again, rather than being in the way, or a vessel for another person's pity. 

A tale of this kind always runs the risk of being too "Hallmark" - two people becoming friends against the odds in a forced scenario that comes across as insincere.  Intouchables side-steps this pitfall, though.  The idea that these two protagonists could become allies is made believable by some fine acting performances, a subtle script and excellent cinematography.

Realism is kept through sparing use of "shaky-cam", especially as we follow Driss though the uncertain world of the suburbs, yet dramatic scenes are static, allowing them to resonate.

Close-up shots allow the actors to shine and reveal subtle, complex emotion without the need for elaborate dialogue.  For example, in a scene where Driss shares his passion for disco music with Philippe, We can see that Philippe feels alive through watching Driss dance, and yet the pain at not being able to join him is ever visible in his eyes.

I also love a film that isn't afraid to allow the camera to pull back and show an action set-piece in full, rather than relying on close-up, fast-paced edits to create momentum.  The car chase in the opening sequence is no less dramatic for it.

The humour is what makes this film so heartwarming, though.  There are some fine moments that I won't dare spoil, as Driss explores Philippe's disability, and the two men's worlds collide.  I will say only this: scalding tea, earlobes, modern art, spoon-to-the-face, singing tree, moustache.

...lest I forget the stunning Ludovico Einaudi soundtrack!

BREXIT - My Personal Views

I woke up early today - I couldn't sleep - to the news that the UK is now en route to leave the EU.

I usually try not to mix my blog with my personal politics, and have endeavoured during this crucial campaign to do nothing more than share information on my own social media, rather than pointing the finger and accusing others of being wrong where I believe I am right.  This is because, whilst my views on the subject are strong, I do not know everything.  I also appreciate that I have friends, loved-ones and colleagues who probably voted to leave.  I do not want to alienate or vilify these people.  I will try to refrain from hyperbole, but I feel this will be tough, so I apologise in advance, but I do feel that given the nature of my blog I should make some form of comment.

I don't know what it going to happen following this referendum, and I hope that my own views and the research of others is wrong.  I hope that this result turns out to be the best result for the citizens of the UK, and the generations that will follow.

I also don't know how to be British anymore.  I feel incredibly ashamed of my country at this moment.

This is because I am shocked that a nation of people who cannot truthfully know the consequences of an action, would vote in a majority to put all of us in the firing line.  This is an irreversible decision, so in a scenario where decisive statistics are lacking, Remain should always have been the more sensible option, given the stakes.

I am also disappointed because I personally encountered nothing but closed-mindedness amongst the Leave supporters, where my Remain counterparts, I found, were mostly receptive to the other side of the debate but voted against it where they found the arguments to be poorly formulated or outright unfounded.

The tactics of the Leave campaign have been disgraceful.  The untruths that I have seen touted in the past few weeks as "fact" by "experts", tabloid newspapers and politicians alike are astounding.  The number of these that have then been shared wider via social media, legitimising the lies, has just left me sad.

The saddest part of all is that I do believe that a large part of this campaign has been fuelled by pure and simple hatred.  I am not naive - I always knew that this hatred was there; it exists in almost every country - but to know that such a large percentage of my country harbours this hatred is devastating to me.

I just don't know how to be British anymore.

I remain a citizen of Europe.

Best of luck, everyone!

British Sign Language - Are you deaf?

Just a couple of videos for you today from the You Tube channel of me attempting (pretty poorly) to sign.

Whilst I'm fairly certain that I'm butchering these signs a tad and wouldn't exactly recommend my videos to anyone as a learning tool, recording them has been a great way to push myself to practise, and learn what I'm doing wrong - as amateurish as these may look, they are not even first takes!!

It seems that signing with the hands and expressing ideas facially simultaneously is a lot more difficult that one would imagine!

I've also been discovering, via the Sign BSL app and the BSL - British Sign Language facebook page, the extent to which BSL is a living language, not one concocted in a lab by hearing people to offer a chic method of communication for the Deaf Community.  

Just like with any spoken language there are different sign variations for some ideas.  I've recorded a couple that I've come across to demonstrate how different these variations can be.

This is a bit scary to a beginner, but I guess there weren't likely to be any shortcuts to learning this language just because it's visual, rather than spoken/written.