Spare change?

Someone asked me an interesting question last weekend: which currency, the pound, the dollar, or the euro, do you prefer to use?

I thought it was interesting because I've never considered this before. He didn't mean which worked the best with the exchange rate or with our confusing combination of British and American banks and credit cards, but which bills and coins did I quite simply like.

The three currencies are not the same by any means. Americans use bills for all dollars aside from the occasional dollar coin, usually acquired from a vending machine or people like my father who've tried faithfully for years to increase their circulation through personal use. Coins are more of an afterthought in the USA and come in confusingly named denominations.

Yes, I actually have something to say about this and you can read about it here...
The pound and euro use bills for fives, tens, twenties, and fifties, but both have one and two pound/euro coins, rather than paper notes. At first, Josh and I found these really annoying. The pound coin is heavy, and it doesn't take long to fill a pocket or wallet with these fat pieces of metal. It's difficult to break a bill without getting back a handful of change. However, over the last year, I've grown rather attached to the pound coin; it's got a really nice weight to it. The two pounder still gets to me, though- that's four dollars (alright, lately three...) worth of coin; something's just not right there. But I like being able to pay for real goods and services with pocket change. I now figure that if I have a bill, I am probably set for the time being (plus there's always an ATM card).

While my pockets here can produce a decent haul, a handful of American change is light and small and not worth a whole lot, but it sure can fill a big jar in a very slowly satisfying way. Pound coins are too precious to be hoarded away. The smaller coin denominations are different, too. We have quarters, not twenty cent pieces as the euro and pound. I like this. Fourths just seem more logical than fifths. Plus it helps hone those simple addition skills. On the other hand, if we divide a hundred dollars into twenties, why not do the same for a hundred cents? Why not have $25 bills or 20 cent coins? There are also two pence and two cent coins, both of which seem completely useless. Just extra change.

Although I do find it puzzling that queens still exist and get put on money, at least the pound (and the euro) are colorful and not drab green. The other thing with American money is that it is terribly confusing. Why don't the coins have numbers on them? What foreigner is going to know what 'dime' or 'nickel' means? And why is the dime so much smaller than the nickel in the first place? I do like the new states quarters, though. It's fun to peer into your hand to see if you've got any new ones.

Speaking of sizes, it's so much easier on the wallet that all dollar bills are the same dimensions, but would it not be so much kinder to the blind if each denomination stepped up in size as it did in worth as do the pound or the euro?

The more I write the more the pound and euro seem similar. Perhaps I'll have to do some more on-site research.I could keep going with this completely useless and rambling post, but you're probably getting bored. Let's just stop here and say I don't play favo(u)rites... money is money.

The thing about this house is

that the spiders think they own the place.



(Is it really necessary to build a web in my hairbrush? Our shower? The spice rack? Sigh.)

Funny Friday Blog Link (don't worry, we'll stick to the photos)

I have a serious pet peeve (pet hate) with living here: phone numbers. Everyone puts spaces, periods (full stops), or dashes in their phone numbers in different places, if at all, and I find it so difficult to listen, copy, record, repeat, or just use in general when they're not broken down into bite sized pieces. So... I found this recent post by our friend, Heather, especially amusing...

Check it out: Phone Number Rythmn

Funny Photo Friday: Maybe that means something different to you?

The first time we tried to visit Tesco (like Walmart) on a Sunday evening, we realized that perhaps our understandings of 'Open 24 hours' are not the same...

Happy Thanksgiving!

After a few conversations at work ("ew! pumpkin?!"), I decided to take in pumpkin pies instead of cookies today (I'll bring those to the gathering on Saturday instead).

We couldn't find canned pumpkin this year, so...

(my first ever!)

And all in this frustratingly petite "oven."

The busiest travel day of the year

I have only flown on today, the day before Thanksgiving, once, as cruel Final Review scheduling or, more recently, prohibitive flight costs, have kept us stationary for the holiday. I do not envy those of you travelling home. I vaguely remember a stifling bus ride with my suitcase on my lap, a living maze of stranded passengers lounging about on dirty terminal carpet, and an overtaxed ventilation system not quite able to keep up with the warmth and sweat of so many coat-clad people. I panicked when I saw the blinking departures list at La Guardia Airport, but a lucky break in my one-and-only, nearly-on-time West-bound flight prevented me from becoming what sat (a seat!) next to me: a young Minnesotan crying via telephone to her mother about her canceled flight and now-lost Thanksgiving dinner...

To celebrate our inertness, I’ve made cookies to inform my co-workers of the cause for celebration. I’m quite pleased with the substitution of Cadbury Buttons for Hershey’s kisses. We will also be joining other Americans this weekend for the real deal of turkey and pumpkin. We miss you, Feenstras and Wiersmas and Walls and Thieses. And our New York substitutes, the Bannons, we won’t forget you! One of these years Thanksgiving will again become a family holiday for us. Until then, we are thankful for the calm.

It's Official

Although technically it's been official for at least a little bit but I didn't find out till recently.

On my growing pride in America

Let me begin by saying this isn't about Barak Obama. I like the man, I'm glad he's going to be the President, but simply saying that I'm proud to be American because of Obama is both un-insightful and disingenuous.

Instead my sense of pride runs deeper and follows the core of the American dream. I am immensely proud that I am from a place that bases (or at least tries to base) its evaluation of people on their actions, character, and abilities. We really are a land of opportunity, and with hard work, a little bit of intelligence, and some luck amazing things can happen. While it is true that Obama serves as an example of this (seeing as how he comes from a familial status on the margins of society (when he was even part of it) and without a sense of familial prestige or power to claim the most powerful seat in the country), his interaction is not isolated.

We saw these moments throughout Asia as people referred to our home with glowing terms (despite our unpopular president and foreign policy) or spoke of their desire to one day go and live there. We saw it keenly in a man who was beaming having just obtained his US work visa. The words that concluded his final interview at the embassy crystallized something for me, and I'll never forget hearing, 'Congratulations, with hard work I'm sure you will succeed in the USA. Good luck.'

This pride has been growing the longer we've been overseas, but it swelled by leaps and bounds on Nov 4. And while I was happy with the outcome, I was proud of the process. I was stupidly proud that we have these elaborate rituals, that multi-year process in which we elect someone from the populous to lead. I like that we choose, that the president isn't appointed from on high, but that the good ol' plebs get to pick and that they can select from anyone. I am proud of my right to vote, that I can choose from one of the top two candidates but that I also could have chosen someone from the green party, or Ralph Nader. Shoot, I could have even written in Dennis Kucinich or Bugs Bunny. I have the right to choose my leader, and I like that.

Sitting watching TV on Nov 4th, with a bowl of popcorn I kept thinking to myself, 'Go America Go!' It was a happy moment.

Who says the british aren't polite?

I'm having to make some phone calls for work and while dialing I received this answer from one of the numbers I called:

It seems you've been lucky enough to dial a wrong number, so we are sorry to say you are going to have to hang up and dial another one.

Awesome.

Funny Photo Friday: I'm lovin' it.

Check out this lovely restaurant in Prague. Now look at what's on the umbrellas.

They just don't make 'em like they used to.

New York, New York!

It's always interesting to go back to a place you once called home but no longer do, those times a combination of attempting to fit back into an older version of myself, where all the parts are there, they are just now a little different. We were in a limbo between being locals and tourists, knowing how to get around the city but lacking the identification (and address) that put us as fully in the local category. I found the whole thing both familiar and alienating. Still it was good to go by old haunts (want to stop by Island burger for a milk shake?), see our old building (was it really that small?), think back to the challenging parts of New York living (how much does this apartment cost again?), and enjoy walking while refusing to take the subway unless we needed to (it's not that far from 97th to Union Square) and of course visit our friends. Read the rest...
In general, it was a great trip. When we got back to Durham and a friend asked how it was, 'refreshing' was the first word that came to mind. It was so good to have conversations with friends and not feel like we had lost ground ('friends of the heart' as an old faculty member of mine used to say). There was such a resonance to just sit and relax with people who know, understand and accept us where we feel the same for them. We had encouraging discussions about our future, and the many challenges therein, and I felt more at peace with how unknown this next stage of our life is.

It was a good trip and now I'm done reflecting on it. I'm glad we went, I'm glad we saw what we did and that Q and A got hitched (or celebrated getting hitched a few years ago), way to make an excuse for us to come guys! Congrats! Now, pictures!

A stop by our favorite BBQ place, which started as street food and then moved to its own establishment. If you every want some good meat soaked in spices make sure to go find Daisey Mae's.... hhhmmmmmmm.... BBQ.

On our way to eat Daisey Mae's we walked by Rockefeller Center, where we were hoping to see the map with colored states on the ice (as it was only two days after the election), but they were already taking the American paraphernalia down! Those jerks, have they no patriotic spirit? (Megan was quite distressed when we got there and these two posters were the only things left...)
We also just happened to be there for one of those few weekends when the colors are in full glory and haven't dropped yet. Central Park was simply at its finest.

The morning of the wedding we went out for brunch in DUMBO, it was a rather misty (some could say English) day. Not the best weather for a wedding but it added a nice mystique to the city.

These are the place holders. Cute eh? I mean who wouldn't want a little monster that holds his own eyeball?

There was a little army of the fellas... more than a little scary (but cute!)Since we did go there for a wedding after all, here is Megan with the lovely bride. (ahhhh) She can really clean up and behave when she wants to (Q that is, not Megan)Here is Q choosing not to behave. Mind you the girl can't be over 5'2".

We really spent the last few days in NYC walking from friend to friend. We always enjoyed walking vs. taking the subway, and if we have time, why not? Besides it's nice to get a feel for the atmosphere, the pace, and the surrounding buildings.
(I think this was taken because my wife is an architect.)

This one was taken on the flight back to the UK. This is another, 'Oh that's neat' comment from the architect I spend my life with, but I have to say that I also found this bit of Long Island interesting. While the USA may have a lot of space in some places, we can jam in just as well as the Europeans when we have to.

And lastly let me show off the self-proclaimed 'Crappiest shower in New York.'That's it on high. I was thankful that our friends put us up, but this was easily one of the worst showers I've ever seen. Oh, Lindsey. I laughed the first time I saw it...

Quickly...

Just to explain the dearth of posts this week, we went back to NYC last weekend to attend the wedding of some good friends of ours (Q+A! Ta-Dong!). It was a great excuse to get back to New York and see old friends, visit our dear church All Angels and re-connect with people we haven't seen in a year.

But because of that, we've been a little busy and rather jetlagged (both coming and going). We'll get back into the whole posting thing soon. I will say, though, that we walked past our old apartment on 48th. Same building. Same smell. Same name on the buzzer (two tenants before us). Same too-small, ancient garbage cans. Some things never change.

Funny Photo Friday

The funniest part of this picture that my sister took in India is that not a few minutes before, she'd seen a man peeing there. Ah, memories.

Funny Photo Friday: BBQ How To

Finally, always allow any food left on the grill to burn off before storage.

The Week in Review

In an effort to keep our carbon footprint in line with the average American's, we will be flying to New York City TOMORROW. If you live there, hopefully we'll see you. If you're getting married there this Saturday (you know who you are), we will see you!

Now, with that out of the way, let's talk about the rest of this week. God bless America! A little after midnight last night, Josh and I made a bag of microwave popcorn, grabbed the Halloween candy, and settled in to watch the election coverage on BBC. It was odd to see it 'unfold' from afar. I know I am relieved that the whole thing is over, so I imagine those who've actually been subjected to all the commercials and newscasts and phone calls and newspapers are even more so. We still find it bemusing that the UK had full 'US08: America Decides' coverage beginning at 11ish PM, about when the first state's polls would close and when most people head to bed, and continuing throughout the night. We do think the British love a good competition, so the little tally in the corner and the interactive maps seemed appropriate. However, I would tend to guess their own elections are not nearly so well-covered! But then ours aren't always so exciting, either...

I heard a few interesting comments yesterday about the election. First, someone asked if there were commercials (actually, he said 'adverts') during the returns because he imagined those would be profitable viewing slots for big companies. I suppose the question isn't too odd, considering BBC channels have no commercials at all, but I almost didn't know what to say. My answer was, yes, of course there will be commercials, and often. But I think he was expecting the whole thing to be more of a race or a match, 90 minutes in and out, with a moment of suspense at the end when everyone tunes in. I don't remember ever watching all the election results come in from start to finish on one television channel. I would flip through, see who was doing what where and when and in the HOURS between returns, I'd probably do something else!

And that was the other comment. Many people were considering staying up to find out the results. I was sorry to tell them that most networks would be loathe to make another early-call mistake, and thus would probably not make a call until well after most of the east coast results were in after 8pm... or 1am here. And then the polls would continue closing and reporting all night until Alaska was done at 6am (here). It's true that the East coast electoral votes are the more volitile and could cause the race to be called early, but 1am is late for me on any Tuesday. Ah well, the whole coverage thing was a nice idea in theory that just got a little thrown by the time difference, like a Singapore Grand Prix or a Chinese Olympics.

Although I am a little tired from our late night gluttony, today felt like a holiday. The USA had pulled through for the world, elected the candidate that nearly every British person would have chosen, and proven that idealistic dream of America as the land of possibilities still exists. But wait! It actually is a holiday today! It's Guy Fawkes Night! It's the night people set off fireworks and light effigies of a 400-year-old traitor and everything else they can get a hold of on fire (but only in designated areas, Health And Safety, after all). I saw four bonfires from the train on my commute home, and the fireworks are driving me nuts. There are few things more frustrating than a firework that you can hear but not see.

Anyway, this is a rambling post. We just wanted to fill you in on our exciting week and the exciting week to come. After watching all that American news, we are feeling a bit homesick, and the trip 'home', as Josh put it last night, couldn't be timed much better. I just hope they leave those red and blue states on the ice in Rockefellar Center. I want a picture; I didn't get one last time.

Some fun weekend reading

Prompted by a discussion about Sarah Palin and Alaska, some co-workers recently asked me which US state was smallest. Since Rhode Island didn't really mean much to them, they wondered just how small it was, and I wasn't entirely sure. When we looked it up online, Wikipedia's 1500 square miles didn't really mean that much to us... so we tried to find other things that were about the same size (if my last studio professor taught me anything, it was how important a scale figure is in a drawing...). This search brought up a surprising number of people trying to do the same, as apparently many things in the USA (Californian forest fires are a popular one) use Rhode Island's area as a comparison.

Right. The point. I somehow ended up on a website that compared the size of most of the countries in the world to the size of American states. Brilliant! Ever wondered how big Cambodia is? Well, that would be about the same as Missouri. Madagascar? Two Arizonas. So check it out...

Americans, know thy world, Part 1
Americans, know thy world, Part 2