Here's a cute little game I found, in case you're really having a boring day at work. If you want the code to put it on your website, go to Home Business Today.
Meanwhile, have fun!!!
The Red Button Game! Thanks to Aaron for keeping it alive!
Cat
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Monday, May 08, 2006
¿Quién habla?
Now that I've gotten over my fear of speaking spanish on the phone, it's becoming kind of fun.
I was reading a whole discourse recently on one of the message boards about Mexican phone ettiquette, and how some folks who have moved there perceive people as being impolite. That's because when someone calls your house, or even your business, they don't ask "May I speak with Cathi?", like we do here in the USA. They ask "¿Quién habla?" ("who is speaking?") right off the bat of whoever answers the phone.
The board (bored?) people were discussing how they get offended, refuse to give their name, and have a stupid never-ending conversation when someone calls them.
Bueno.
¿Quién habla?
Yo hablo. ¿Quién habla?
José, ¿con quién habla?
Usted me llamó.
Sí, ¿quién habla?
and on and on.....
in english----> (not a literal translation)
Hello.
Who's this?
It's me. Who is this?
It's José, who is this?
You called me.
Right, who is this?
I mean, what's the point? They aren't going to change society, so if you live in Mexico, why not just go with the flow? I never really thought about it being impolite, I just always accepted that's the way it is. When someone calls, they ask who you are when you pick up the phone. And you answer the question. As the saying goes, when in Rome....
So, when I called Gerardo today, (to find out where my long-lost shipment is, but that's a blog for another day) the first thing I said when they picked up the phone was ¿Quién habla? I felt very Mexican. And anyway, my mom always told me never to begin the conversation that way when I called someone, so I also get to feel a little rebellious and enjoy being able to say that when I call people. (hey, I have to get my kicks wherever I can, right? haha)
Cat
I was reading a whole discourse recently on one of the message boards about Mexican phone ettiquette, and how some folks who have moved there perceive people as being impolite. That's because when someone calls your house, or even your business, they don't ask "May I speak with Cathi?", like we do here in the USA. They ask "¿Quién habla?" ("who is speaking?") right off the bat of whoever answers the phone.
The board (bored?) people were discussing how they get offended, refuse to give their name, and have a stupid never-ending conversation when someone calls them.
Bueno.
¿Quién habla?
Yo hablo. ¿Quién habla?
José, ¿con quién habla?
Usted me llamó.
Sí, ¿quién habla?
and on and on.....
in english----> (not a literal translation)
Hello.
Who's this?
It's me. Who is this?
It's José, who is this?
You called me.
Right, who is this?
I mean, what's the point? They aren't going to change society, so if you live in Mexico, why not just go with the flow? I never really thought about it being impolite, I just always accepted that's the way it is. When someone calls, they ask who you are when you pick up the phone. And you answer the question. As the saying goes, when in Rome....
So, when I called Gerardo today, (to find out where my long-lost shipment is, but that's a blog for another day) the first thing I said when they picked up the phone was ¿Quién habla? I felt very Mexican. And anyway, my mom always told me never to begin the conversation that way when I called someone, so I also get to feel a little rebellious and enjoy being able to say that when I call people. (hey, I have to get my kicks wherever I can, right? haha)
Cat
Monday, May 01, 2006
The geek inside me
Maybe I've always had a hidden geek inside and I just didn't know it. Or maybe I just created a geek with all my work on the website lately.
Whichever, while burning the midnight oil many a night getting my website working (which still isn't ready, but almost), I found that I really enjoy working with this computer stuff.
Now this is going to sound really geeky, but I actually find it fun to write some programming code and then go to the website and see the program working. I've discovered myself wondering what the underlying code is as I'm looking at various sites while surfing the internet.
Although I'll never learn to like that hollow, sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach when I change something and then go to my website and see only a blank white page with an error message (the first lesson in programming...backup, backup, BACKUP!), I'd really like to learn more about the magic you can do with a few simple lines of text.
So, I bought a book and I'm studying programming. As if I didn't have enough on my plate already, LOL. Well, if nothing else, it will be a marketable skill if I'm able to get the hang of it.
Whichever, while burning the midnight oil many a night getting my website working (which still isn't ready, but almost), I found that I really enjoy working with this computer stuff.
Now this is going to sound really geeky, but I actually find it fun to write some programming code and then go to the website and see the program working. I've discovered myself wondering what the underlying code is as I'm looking at various sites while surfing the internet.
Although I'll never learn to like that hollow, sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach when I change something and then go to my website and see only a blank white page with an error message (the first lesson in programming...backup, backup, BACKUP!), I'd really like to learn more about the magic you can do with a few simple lines of text.
So, I bought a book and I'm studying programming. As if I didn't have enough on my plate already, LOL. Well, if nothing else, it will be a marketable skill if I'm able to get the hang of it.
Cat
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