new leaves, old habbits

I'm currently working teaching English. I've been living abroad for (save some two-week stops) one year now, and I'm starting to notice that my English is fading. I always thought and argued that learning other languages improves your own mother toungue. It helps, but it's been a year since I've read anything much more complicated than a BBC article. When I write, it's to friends and family, who won't care if I make spelling, grammatical, sintactical errors. I don't get a pass because my Spanish is better if I'm being lazy with English. I'm now making a commitment to my three languages, every day. I'll be writing, reading and speaking each one deliberately. Otherwise, all I'm doing is accepting and letting slide that which I claim as a priority.

Pop musings

Cleanly into thirds he folds his trousers.

I just gave a much-needed listen to the Killers album (as if their second holds a flame) Hot Fuss, and two things dawned on me:

1) It’s been a really long tome since I’ve owned a car. This may seem a trivial point, but try giving a listen to “Midnight Show,” witout thinking of the first car in which you made love. Awkwardly with teen-aged hands that felt like a child's clutching at bra-straps, tussling in speeling bags. This I, I argue, because of our inate and insane accumulation of things, a uniquely American experience.

2) If I’m not American, I don’t know what I am, but I haven’t felt really American since I’ve owned a car. I don’t quite know how to feel about that.