English Learning Community and Resources: Singing in English

Birds and musical notes on wires in the sky Image copyright: pixabay

In the Living Abroad forum, we have a new topic to discuss discovering singing traditions and unique musical cultures in your host country.

But I realized something that made me curious: The more I travel, the more I've discovered that English is often the language many people sing in - even if it is not their native language!

So it's made me wonder, do any of you like to sing in English?

Does singing along with your favorite artists help build your English-speaking confidence? Do you like karaoke? What are the tunes that help you?

Click Reply below to tell us how singing has helped you build your English skills. Share your favorite songs with us and we’ll create an OLS English Music Playlist!

Musically and curiously yours,

Iya

PS: As a reminder, take a look at our House Rules to be sure that your songs fit our community values.

Re: Singing in English

de Tom Eikenkötter - Friday, 24 de November de 2023, 15:22

Singing can definitely help you to strenghten your self confidence regarding your English language skills and to learn new vocabulary. A good example is Bob Dylan and his whole catalouge of songs, because his lyrics are very complex and often cryptic. One of my all time favorite songs is Desolation Row, because it is such an enchanting tune and because of the surreal aspects.

Re: Singing in English

de Iya OLS Community Manager - Friday, 24 de November de 2023, 21:18

Thank you for introducing me to this song. It is quite powerful indeed.:)

Re: Singing in English

de Tom Eikenkötter - Wednesday, 29 de November de 2023, 16:05

How about you? Can you recommend any song?
Music is a great passion of mine and I listen to a lot of music every day, so I'm always open to new things :D Does music mean that much to you too?

Re: Singing in English

de Iya OLS Community Manager - Thursday, 30 de November de 2023, 08:38

Thanks for asking, Tom!

How much time do you have? Hahaha!! This is a great question you've asked because, Yes!! Music is very important to me! In fact, I wrote a discussion topic about it last year and thanks to a reply from another community member, I discovered one of my current favorite artists, Peia Luzzi. My favorite song from her is called, "Machi."

Check out the discussion, "What's your favorite music and why?" to share your thoughts & discover new music!

Now, let's get back to answering your question:

Generally, I enjoy music that has positive and uplifting lyrics - but I quite often listen to music without words or in languages I don't understand. That's the magic of music, it can move you even without understanding the lyrics. :)

I love the album, The Healiing by South African band, BCUC. (Yes, the same one that I mentioned in the other discussion! haha!) I admit, I don't understand everything they're saying even though it is in English, it's more the drumming and instruments that seem to communicate with me. :D

Hmm... let's see what else?

Oh! And I absolutely adore Peruvian flute music. I once had a CD I purchased from a Peruvian pan flutist and it was a collection of music from the Andes by different artists. I love compilation albums because I get to discover a variety of artists in one sitting. When I listen to Peruvian flutes, I honestly feel transported to the Andean mountains. It's quite beautiful!

Traditional Irish music is pretty high up on my list and in general, I love exploring folk music from all around the world. There are so many different kinds of instruments often made from the husks or shells of vegetables! Here is a band I adore in part because I am mystified by how they use water and what looks like a hollowed-out gourd to create the percussion in the background! Les Filles de Illighadad use a blend of traditional and modern instruments.

And of course, I love the music from nature itself! Just walking or sitting and listening to the simple sounds around me. like bird songs & their chatter or the wind in the trees.

What are some of your latest musical discoveries?

Re: Singing in English

de Tom Eikenkötter - Friday, 1 de December de 2023, 09:33

I really try to listen to music at every opportunity and incorporate it into my everyday life :D

You have a really interesting and multifaceted taste in music, I've never heard of Peruvian flute music before, so should definitely give it a try!

I absolutely agree with you, sometimes you don't need language, the music speaks for itself and the instruments transport this, they communicate with you, so to speak.
That's why I can recommend the progressive rock genre (generally anything with the word progressive in front of it), because it is characterized by unique soundscapes and fascinating tones and tells its very own story in this way.
Some example would be 2112 (the song) from Rush, Echoes from Pink Floyd and Close to the Edge (the song) from Yes.

I might have a secret tip, since you mentioned the african band BCUC and their percussive sound. There is this album called Drums of Passion from Babatunde Olatunji and this might suit your taste!!

Your fascination is really contagious, the thing with the natural elements that create the sounds sounds really exciting and I can imagine how you can sink into these sounds and immerse yourself in them!

My latest discovery is Nick Drake, a very unknown artist, but whose albums are highly regarded and who sometimes only works with an acoustic guitar and his voice (as on the album pink moon, for example). Especially if you like folk music, you should give it a chance :)

Re: Singing in English

de Iya OLS Community Manager - Friday, 1 de December de 2023, 14:47

You should see how many tabs I have open on my browser all with the different songs you've suggested! Hahahaha! I am listening as I type, so thank you!

Yes, definitely give the Peruvian flute music a try. It's delightful! And since you like soundscapes and fascinating tones, you may find yourself transported by these simple, mountain tunes.

Speaking of "soundscapes", thanks for explaining what progressive means in a musical context because I've always wondered! Hahaha! There are so many genres and sub-genres (and sub, sub-genres!) of music.

Some of your music suggestions seem to have something in common. Now, I'm no music expert but am I right in that a lot of your suggestions are sort of 1960's-1970's British? Is this your favorite period of music?

Whenever I listen to a Les Filles de Illighadad song in which the gourd in a basin of water is used like a drum, I'm astonished. It makes me look around my kitchen to see what musical instrument may be sitting right under my nose without me knowing! Hahaha!

Re: Singing in English

de Tom Eikenkötter - Tuesday, 5 de December de 2023, 13:50

Hahaha, I hope you enjoyed it!

Many, many thanks for your recommendation, now i am obsessed with the Quena (or Kena) and its mesmerizing sound. it really makes you feel like you're walking in the Andes or exploring the jungles of South America!!

That's what I think is so great about music, it's more diverse and open than almost anything else and there's so much to discover. that's why I find it so hard to limit myself to one genre, I just want to enjoy music in its entirety.

You're absolutely right, I didn't even notice that for a long time until I paid attention to the nationality of the musicians and then realized how incredibly many well-known and influential artists come from England. There are The Stones, The Beatles, The Police, David Bowie, Led Zeppelin, Oasis, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Pink Floyd and on and on. the list goes on and on. For me, of course, nationality is not important when listening to music, it's about the musical result itself, but I find it extremely interesting from a historical point of view and it's at least one of my favorite periods.

I have to say that I am surprised and excited at the same time, because I have now listened to the band Les Filles de Illighadad and I have to say that their album At Pioneer Works is a fascinating and diverse piece of music and especially the song Telilit has done it to me, in general the band reminds me a bit of velvet underground and their aesthetics or rather their musical expression.

Haha, I have to absolutely agree with you, suddenly you perceive your surroundings in a completely different way and ask yourself with every object how it sounds musically and can be incorporated somewhere.

Re: Singing in English

de Iya OLS Community Manager - Wednesday, 6 de December de 2023, 16:58

But you're very welcome and thank you too for your recommendations!! My music library is growing fast now. Hahaha! Wouldn't it be cool to have a sort of "OLS playlist"? Everyone is welcome! :D

Oh my, I absolutely loooooooooove the music by Oasis! They're so easy to sing along to. But what I'm now realizing, thanks to you, is that I can see the evolution of how Oasis came to be because of their musical ancestors you just listed.

Speaking of "ancestors" - it's my first time using this word in this kind of context: music! - But yes, speaking of ancestors, I remember the first time I visited Ireland and listened to traditional music, I could actually HEAR the roots, the foundations of a lot of old, Americana style music!! And Americana is one of my favorite genres. Something is so calming and simple about it - I also love how much you can easily hear the music. It's quite "unproduced" sounding, if you know what I mean. I am not a musical expert by any stretch of the imagination (ha!), but I just mean part of why I like a lot of old Americana is that it sounds like friends or family are making music together on a porch or something with maybe a stand of woods in the near distance.

Velvet Underground and Les Filles de Illighadad?! Reeeeeally?!!? Which Velvet Underground songs should I listen to see what you mean? I'm very curious now! Hahaha!!

You're totally right and I couldn't agree more about not limiting yourself to one genre of music. What a very bland existence I would have if I only enjoyed one genre of music! It would be like only eating one kind of fruit for the rest of my life. I would literally be missing out on the rainbow of flavors and nutrients from the earth! And music is quite like that, a fantastic way to nourish the spirit or simply just relax and sing.

The thing with music sometimes is that I'll find a new song I love and will play it on repeat for hours and hours and houuuurs! Do you ever do that? Somehow, that song becomes like a movie soundtrack to my days. Haha!

Re: Singing in English

de Tom Eikenkötter - Wednesday, 13 de December de 2023, 15:13

I can only confirm this, because thanks to your great tips I am currently expanding my musical horizons and immersing myself in completely new spheres!! That would be an absolutely fantastic idea, together we can create an infinitely large playlist with the community :D

I see you have a soft spot for BritPop and I can totally understand that, Oasis has really great songs to sing along to. What do you think of their album Dig Out Your Soul? Personally, I think this album is totally underrated. The beatles in particular have been a great source of inspiration for oasis. It starts with the lyrics, which very often contain references to The Beatles. In the song Supersonic, for example, a yellow submarine is mentioned..., the song Morning Glory contains the lyric: Tomorrow Never Knows what it doesn't know too soon and Don't look back in Anger (the intro) is based on Joh Lennon's legendary Imagine.

Your experience in Ireland mirrors my own exactly! It's no wonder, as Irish immigrants have of course had a major influence on American culture (just think of St. Patrick's Day) and I generally find that these two societies are very similar, above all open and very generous!!! The fiddle also plays a prominent role in their music... This family aspect of music is celebrated everywhere in Ireland, you just have to go to one of the many pubs and you immediately understand what you have described so beautifully!

It's simply the attitude with which the Velvet Underground approach their music, I think there are definitely parallels. Especially on the albums The Velvet Underground & Nico and White Light/White Heat you can hear that quite well in my opinion.

You really should become a poet, very imaginative and poetic words, you described that really beautifully! It's just like looking at a monochrome rainbow, a contradiction in terms and also just somehow a part of the whole. Music is as dazzling and unique as our society and openness and courage are rewarded, you just have to be willing to open yourself up to new things.

I can so understand that, for me it's even so extreme that a playlist is played in my head during the day and the most diverse events are accompanied by music and sometimes it really feels like you're in a movie!!!!

Re: Singing in English

de Iya OLS Community Manager - Sunday, 17 de December de 2023, 14:37

Hahaha!! You're totally right about having a soft spot for BritPop - but guess what?! I didn't even know that's the name of that genre of music! I'll confess that I am not as learned as you are with music and I don't even know full albums of Oasis - basically, whatever the radio stations played in heavy rotation became the songs I loved - only if they were good, of course! Wonderwall was like an anthem for me for many years. But wooooah! I had no idea that the Beatles inspired Oasis so much. Do you write for music magazines? If not, please consider it! :D

Believe it or not, I've been to the St. Patrick's Day Parade a few times in NYC which was amazing - have you ever been? In fact, thank you for inspiring me for my next blog topic series! Parades in the Anglophone diaspora... I just did one about Street Foods, but the more we speak about music, I realize that parades are often day-long deep dives into local traditions and music.

Hmmmm... so, how would we even go about making the OLS playlist? Maybe a new discussion topic that's called OLS Playlist? Everyone's the DJ! Hahaha! That would be cool. Imagine all of the music from around the world that we would discover if we had an ever-expanding playlist. :D

Meeeee?! A Poet?! Thaaaaaaaaaank you! Hahaha!! I guess talking about music brings out one's creativity. Art tends to do that, I've found. One of my favorite film directors, Antoine Fuqua, said in an interview that we must "feed the artist" - meaning, that to create, sometimes the artist has to ingest other art in order to wake up the creativity in oneself. In fact, now I'm curious: what kinds of other art do you like? You must make some kind of art too, right? Or am I jumping to conclusions? :D "Monochrome rainbow." I mean, that's a pretty vivid and cool image.

By the way, what is your mobility program? Is it related to music? Are you in a country where you are discovering its musical heritage? Hey! Would you be interested in participating in the "My Language Learning Journey" series? You can read more about it here, but feel no pressure to commit!

As for me, I've got more musical homework to do: Listen to Oasis' entire album, Dig Out Your Soul. I mean, it's about time, right?! Hahaha!

Re: Singing in English

de Tom Eikenkötter - Tuesday, 2 de January de 2024, 13:51

First of all, I'd like to wish you a happy new year and I hope you had a good and peaceful festive season! We had a lot of food, including a very well-known German Christmas speciality, namely Printen and of course lots of Spekulatius biscuits :D

The question is, who doesn't like Britpop??? I think it's hard to resist the charm of the genre and you're right, songs like Wonderwall are absolutely timeless classics!!!

I don't know where you live, but here in Germany, unfortunately, there are hardly any "specific" radio stations, i.e. ones that focus on a particular genre, as I think is the case in America, for example, where there really is everything from jazz to classic hip-hop.

Thank you for your kind compliment, but I'm nowhere near as knowledgeable as I'd like to be, I've just picked up a few terms here and there and if I'm interested in a subject I can spend hours on it. Although I would find it really exciting to write an article for a music magazine, as I like writing anyway. But then I expect a poem from your poetic skills!

Whaaaat, now I'm really jealous, because I've never been to America and then to a parade like this. I find this country so incredibly exciting and fascinating, but unfortunately it's so far away, so a spontaneous trip is rather difficult and you have to plan something like this well in advance. Absolutely, here in Germany we have the so-called Karneval, similar to Brazil, a huge festival with parades. Here, floats are decorated in various ways or decorated with political messages, for example, and everyone walks through the streets dressed up. In Germany, this custom celebrates the time before Lent (in Christianity).

That would be a great idea, your suggestion sounds great, just the fact that you can share music from all over the world there is really exciting!!!

100%!!! You really have a great way with words and I really enjoy reading your writing, especially for someone whose first language is not English, your writing is really enriching and very inspiring. You really speak from my soul, I love films (call me crazy but I own loads of films!!!) and the quote from the director (I love his documentary about Mohamed Ali, also an "artist" in a way) is so true, art stimulates thought and brings wonderful ideas to light and everyone has their own idea of art, there are no limits to it and everyone is free to express themselves and that is a special privilege. I love landscapes in general, whether as photos or paintings, they always give me a very special feeling. I'm also a huge fan of Cubism, Impressionism and Expressionism and explicitly of artists like Picasso and Monet. I've already mentioned films, I just love the visual storytelling and I find the history of film so fascinating and literally magical. I love writing and photography, but I'm only just starting out. I would also like to learn to play a musical instrument, but I don't know which one. What about you? What art are you interested in and what artistic activities do you do?

To be honest, I have to admit that I don't really know. It's called Erasmus+ and I was able to complete an educational trip through it, which I also used to familiarise myself with Irish culture, among other things. Your suggestion sounds really interesting, can you give me some more information?

I hope I'm not overwhelming you with all my suggestions and of course I hope you enjoyed the album :D

Re: Singing in English

de Iya OLS Community Manager - Wednesday, 3 de January de 2024, 14:50

OK!! The pressure is ooooon! Hahahaha!! So, it's a poem for an article, is it? :D Hahaha! Hmmm... let's see what I can drag out of the ol' closet there... first, I have to get through cobwebs! Hahahaha!

But before I get too ahead of myself, thank you very much for the well wishes for my New Year season and I absolutely wish the same for you! Mine was incredibly peaceful and everything I could have hoped for. Believe it or not, I made a new friend: A tree! That's just how magical my 2024 is starting out and I'm excited for the rest of the year. Are you looking forward to anything yourself?

Oh! And I've had Spekulatius biscuits. I used to looooove eating them. Growing up in Brooklyn, I had the great fortune of eating foods from people who emigrated to the US. What I didn't know is that those tasty, brown windmills were of German origin. (Yes, the cookies were shaped like windmills!)

Ok, back to the matters at hand. :D

I burst out laughing at your question about BritPop because you're totally right! I've yet to meet a single soul who thinks negatively of BritPop. I mean, what's not to like? XD And now that I'm listening more closely to music (thanks to you!), I am starting to really hear musical connections and influences between modern popular music and its predecessors.

Thank you sooooo much for the compliment about my writing! Hahaha! I try to write like the way I speak - always keeping in mind that I want to make sure I am understood here in our community. I'm glad you find that I'm easy to understand! Don't hesitate to tell me if there's a day when I'm not totally clear. XD

How long have you been studying English? Your writing is spectacular, by the way. Hmmm... I wonder if it's because of your artistic leanings. Creative souls tend to find ways of bending language to express their thoughts well. And as you seem to adore films, music and so many other types of art, I'd say you're pretty creative. I mean, a vivid imagination, loving art and expressing one's thoughts about art is being an artist, in my book. In fact, the more I chat with you and our community members, the more it seems that there are tons of us who are creative in some way.

Yes, the United States is quite far from Germany and to do a trek like that, I agree that it might not be ideal to do it spontaneously. I recommend going for as long as you can manage. Why? Simply because the US is huge and the diversity of culture, foods and landscape will leave your heart full and your eyes sparkling with wonder. Even I feel that way and I was born there! HAHAHAA!!! .... In fact.... waaaait a second, why should you wait to explore the US? I'll take you via OLS! .... I've got an idea or two brewing. Hold tight for my next blog series. ;) Are there particular areas that you'd like to visit in real life? The US has a vast musical heritage that could be the focus of a tour in and of itself!

OOOooOoOoOoo! You love films too?! Uh oh, I think we've opened a Pandora's box - at least for me, anyway! Hahaha! How many do you own? I love films too. But you know what? I don't really know much about the directors or actors or cinematography. Sometimes I'll even watch a film simply to look at the background and pay no attention to the story! hahaha! My interests range from superhero films (and yes, I'm obsessed with the animated Spiderman spider-verse installments) to a documentary about how a man befriended an octopus and all that he learned from her.

As for my other arts: I love bookbinding! Yes, literally, hand-binding books, making marble paper, and all the other things involved with the craft. I love photography too and pottery. I find that the newest expression of my art extends to finding things on the street and bringing new life to it by installing it into a home or office or something. What's that saying, "One person's trash is another person's treasure." Well, quite accidentally, that's become a huge part of my life lately! Hahaha! I find this particularly true as I live in different countries. I am fascinated by old architecture and carpentry. I learn a lot from the hands (skills/crafts) of others even if they're no longer alive to teach me. When I repair something, for example, I am learning and retracing the hands that held it before me. Who says time travel is not real?! :D

I am so happy to read that you love writing and photography too! I'm glad that you're just starting out. Keep going! I'm cheering you on from here. Hmm... wait a sec. Writing + Photography???? Aaaaand you love films??!! ... Shall I jump to conclusions again?! Hahaha! Am I writing to a future film director here?! :D

Don't worry! I'm far faaaar from overwhelmed! Keep 'em coming! And guess what? I started the playlist --> here!

Re: Singing in English

de Tom Eikenkötter - Thursday, 4 de January de 2024, 16:06

I've got to hand it to you, you really are like Alfed Hitchcock, a Master of Suspense, because I'm really excited to see what you come up with lyrically! Well, nothing there with cobwebs, your poetry is more likely to be found somewhere over the rainbow like a certain Dorothy...

I'm so happy for you that you were able to end the year on such a positive note, let me guess the tree isn't called Treeabeard by any chance, is it? Now you've got to tell me more about your branch-covered friend!!! I definitely have a goal for this new year and that is to be more punctual, because I'm not yet as "German" (at least that's the virtue our people are said to have ;) as I should be, but thanks to the matching gift, that should work out now.

How outstanding is that, please? Growing up in Brooklyn? I love New York and the unique spirit that this monumental city exudes and your birthplace is no exception (it's also part of the city that never sleeps and that Frank Sinatra sang about so beautifully). One of my all-time favorite movies (although I have way too many of them :D) : Once Upon a Time in America has that iconic shot of the Brookly Bridge and when I hear New York, I always think of it!!! Now back to the Speculatius cookies: Some people actually claim that these delicious treats originate from the Netherlands or Belgium, hence perhaps the famous shape of a windmill.

I can only agree with that, similar to your first contribution to the new playlist, which I'll come back to later, there's nothing wrong with it, although I love Free Bird dearly (also on the same album), it's practically the Stairway To Heaven of Southern Rock :D That makes me a little proud hahaha, but I hope it doesn't interfere with your general listening pleasure!!! You really have a great feel for language and a very eloquent manner, which is never artificial but skillfully and cleverly used. I can always follow your train of thought, which is always a pleasure thanks to the great images you evoke with your eloquence. I'm just usually afraid that I sometimes don't understand or overlook your puns and tricks of the language, but I'm trying to improve, and who better to learn from than you?

Oh c'mon don't make me blush!!! XD I agree, creative people use language in an almost playful way. For them it's not just an instrument to verbalize their thoughts, it's a paintbrush that can create the most colourful images. Absolutely!!! It's really fantastic because platforms like this make it possible to meet such creative and fantastic people like you and I really appreciate this privilege!

My cousin has actually traveled to the US and was there for two months and traveled the west coast and I too would love to stay there as long as possible because you put it well, the US is massive and there is so much to see!!!! Is there really a way via OLS ??? That would be absolutely awesome! And then with a focus on music???? Personally, I couldn't decide whether to go to the east or west coast, desert or mountains, wasteland or megacity, the choice is so huge I wouldn't even know where to start hahaha!

Are you even well versed in Greek mythology? Your knowledge is impressive! Only in this case it's probably okay to give in to the seductive side of Pandora, after all, art and all its aspects is probably a bit more positive than the rest in the box... Don't keep me crazy, but I probably own around 300 movies and my list is far from being ticked off... Again, I'm obsessed with history, which represents my movie collection quite well, because there's everything from movies from the present to works that are over 100 years old! I love the story of Miles Morales, if I'm not mistaken he's from Brooklyn, just like you!!! I also find the diversity here so exciting, his mother, for example, has a different ethnic background and that's exactly what I find so great. Not to mention, of course, the fantastic and influential animations (cue The Mitchells...). Are you already looking forward to the third part of the series? My Octopus Teacher rightly won an Academy Award, the relationship between humans and animals is simply superbly staged here and it just proves how clever these creatures are!!!

It sounds like you learned from a great master and now you are carrying on his legacy! I love your way of looking at things, making magic out of even the most "ordinary things", preserving the world and documenting history. By the way, repairing is also very sustainable, so you are doing your bit here too. Bookbinding? I've heard of this craft, but I'm extremely curious, you have to tell me all about it. I just love the smell of libraries and books!!! Absolutely, time travel is not a distant vision of the future, we just find our own little windows of time through which to explore the world! I love the medium of film for that too, it's practically a portal that can catapult us through time, whether forward or backward.

I wish it was like that, that was actually a dream of mine for a long time: either directing a movie or writing a screenplay! But who knows what the future holds... :D

It's just such a cool idea that everyone can take part in and everyone wins something! Can I cheat here, because I would love to write 100 posts straight away XD

Re: Singing in English

de Iya OLS Community Manager - Saturday, 6 de January de 2024, 09:45

Hahaha!! The thing is, I love rainbows, so you might be quite right. It's not just pots of gold that can be found a the end of them. :D

Ah, tell me about it! Punctuality is not one of my strengths either, and I wish you very good luck in achieving this goal. But if I'm being totally honest, I don't think my lack of punctuality is entirely my fault. I mean, doesn't it seem to you that there are time warps and vortexes that seem to randomly occur - particularly when there's a good book involved? Hahahaa!! I'm on a campaign to convince the rest of the world that, in fact, I'm not late; it's that the Time Gods are toying with the mechanics again of the space-time continuum. :} In the meantime, let me know what strategies you come up with to beat the clock. As for me, I might start just showing up to things three hours early the way my grandma used to! Hahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

By the way, what's a "matching gift"?

As for my tree friend, she doesn't have a name in a human language and I don't know how to translate. It's more of a friendly presence if that makes sense. Hahaha! She doesn't have any leaves at the moment, but her spikey new branches are so adorable!

You have a good point: Where should we start with touring the US?? Hahaha! I think I know where to begin.... but you'll just have to wait and seeeeee!!! Hahaha!

Awwww, you make me feel proud of my home. Thank you for that! It's true, I love that Frank Sinatra song too. I remember we had to learn it for a class performance in school. I was so proud. And guess what, I've walked across the Brooklyn Bridge many times! I even took a group of international folks across the bridge into Manhattan one day. It was a delightful walk because you see how neighborhoods can change. If I'm remembering correctly, we ended up walking along Central Park. One thing to know about NY is it is a city designed for walking, so when you go (and I am convinced that you will one day! :D), make sure you have a good pair of walking shoes and no time limit. Just wander.

Oh. My. GOODNESS! I just put on Free Bird (as that's my new practice now when you suggest a song!), and guess what - I know it! As soon as I heard the first bars, I realized that this is one of the songs that somehow immediately makes tears spring to my eyes. It's quite sad and beautiful at the same time. But here's what I didn't know, the last four minutes of the song are completely instrumental! I guess the radio stations I listened to never played the whole nine-minute song. :/ Hahaha!! Why do you think they chose to end the song that way? Is it like a musical metaphor for being a "free bird"?

My hat's off to you for this gem, "it's practically the Stairway To Heaven of Southern Rock :D" Now, THAT, is some fancy footwork with writing! I'm very impressed with your layering of language - particularly because English is not your native tongue. Woooooow, I dream of being able to write that way in French one day - as that's the language I'm learning because I've been living in France for the last few years. I'll confess that I even struggle to express myself in English sometimes. HAHAHAAAAAAA!!

Do you find that you have the same personality in English that you do in German? Can you express yourself the same way? As I learn French, I realize that I'm not as hilarious as I am in English. hahahahaaaaa! -In my very humble opinion, of course. ;)- .... I can't make the same quips because I simply don't have the vocabulary for it yet. And then, of course, some things just don't 'translate' well for a myriad of reasons.

Believe it or not, I feel the same! I too, appreciate the privilege of meeting you and our other members through OLS! It honestly feels like a mystical labyrinth as I wander these hallowed halls to see what new treasures (conversations) I might discover. In fact, you are most welcome to create new discussions on topics that interest you - of this, I already know you have many!! :D Consider OLS like your personal blog-o-sphere where you can write freely and try out your articles.

Wait a second! In my enthusiasm to write back a few days ago, I completely missed your question about giving you more details for the My Language Learning Journey (MLLJ) interview! I'm sorry!

To answer you: It's an opportunity to have the rest of our English community get to know you a bit by answering some questions about yourself, your mobility program, and your language learning... but as I write this, I realize, we've kind of naturally done so through our conversation here. Hahahaha!!

Still, though, the MLLJ is open to anyone in our community who wishes to let us know a bit about themselves. It's like a "spotlight" on our delightful community members. You can read more here. (<--) Once a member agrees, I send the questions to their personal message area (internal email of OLS), they reply with their answers, I prepare the article and then publish it in the OLS Blog section.

Speaking of blogs, I am tempted to cut and paste your passage about Miles Morales and put it as a reply to my blog about Spider-Man!! Hahahahaaaaaaaaaa!!! Hm, maybe YOU should've written a movie review about it as I feel you have some insights that are well worth hearing. Would you consider adding your thoughts to it? In fact, I will be so bold to suggest that you could be our resident film expert! I mean, with over 300 movies and counting; it's like we have a film vault with our own, personal curator in our midst. :D Let your talents shiiiiiine! The fact that you knew EXACTLY what film I was talking about without my saying the name (My Octopus Teacher) is in itself quite impressive, so I'm convinced this role is meant for you.

And to answer you: YES! I absolutely can't wait for the next Spider-Man film. My best friend just told me that there's a delay with the release date. I'm doing everything in my power to not scream with impatient rage and instead try to be the epitome of patience. I admit, I struggle. XD Is it weird that somehow I feel like I "know" Miles? Are there film or book characters like that for you too?

Do you promise, promise, proooomise, to let us know when you write your first screenplay or direct? :D My crystal ball tells me I will see the name "Tom Eikenkötter" in marquee lights. :D

And yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesss: please write your 100+ posts! If my hints and invitations were too subtle before, let me be profoundly & abundantly clear now: you are absolutely welcome to do so. Hahaha! Wherever you see this yellow button in a forum, consider it as your personal invitation:

I am certain I and our community will learn a thing or two from you!

Re: Singing in English

de Tom Eikenkötter - Tuesday, 9 de January de 2024, 16:10

I think rainbows are very impressive weather phenomena, they are as dazzling as life itself. In fact, they always remind me a little of Northern Ireland, where I actually saw a "double rainbow". But without twice the amount of gold :D

Can I please use your explanation exactly like this for myself? That would make my life a lot easier XD Besides, any physicist would probably be jealous of your derivation of time! I know those moments when you start reading a book in the early evening and then look at the clock and suddenly it's already midnight... That's what we say here: Wie die Zeit doch fliegt. Literally translated this means: How time flies!

Unfortunately, I didn't translate the "matching gift" well, I meant more of an "appropriate gift" for the problem with punctuality. I was given a watch as a gift (yes, one with analog hands) and it significantly improves my time management. I also installed an app that I can use to create an overview of my appointments and which also reminds me of them in advance.

The name was a little nod to Lord of the Rings, because there are living trees that can walk and talk and the leader is actually called Treebeard. Either way, everyone is really happy about new friends and a friendly presence!!

I'm trying to be patient hahaha!!!

I think the song captures the spirit of the city perfectly and gives you the feeling of a big city that is brightly lit in the evening and chases away the blues of the small towns. You are of course also predestined to give a guided tour of this wonderful city, especially with your knowledge you can bring the history of the city to life! I would use every second to explore this city, even if I had to pack my whole suitcase full of walking boots!!! I also find the aspect of change so exciting, New York in particular is closely linked to cultural diversity with the port and the associated immigration and it is precisely this influence that can probably be felt everywhere! Here in Europe, America was considered a model country and the American Dream was open to everyone. When wars broke out in Europe, many people fled to America because they hoped for a better life there.

That's really unbelievable! I didn't even know that there was a shortened version of this song, but during my research I found out that there is an edition for the radio. The song is very famous for the legendary solo at the end and it was just cut out? I think the ending is not just a metaphor, it's simply the feeling of spreading your wings and flying towards freedom. In the context of the song, it also feels like a liberation. A liberation from a person holding you down, preventing you from spreading your wings (an analogy for personal progression).

The compliment is really very kind, but I have to admit that this is not my word construct, but merely a comparison of the legendary Led Zeppelin song "Stairway to Heaven" with Free Bird, as both are similar in structure and generally similar in style. But I'll take your compliment as an incentive so that maybe one day I really can create something truly poetic! You lived in France for a while? Well, vive la france! A very fascinating folks, but they also make it difficult, because many people who have traveled to France have told me that the French like to refuse to speak English XD They are also very proud ;) In fact, one day I plan to visit the picturesque Cote d'Azur and especially Nice and Cannes!

A very philosophical question! I generally find it difficult to define one's character in another language, as there are so many linguistic idiosyncrasies and peculiarities. It's a bit contradictory, but at the same time I find that a foreign language expands the character and brings new facets to light. Personally, I tend to use so-called "Bandwurmsätze" in my mother tongue. These are sentences that are often incredibly long and convoluted and I have yet to find the art of avoiding that in English because I think it just doesn't suit the style of the language. I find this language so wonderfully concise and it also paints the most beautiful pictures. I also still have to learn a lot of proverbs, as the proverbs in my own language often can't be translated properly. Speaking the language is also something completely different.

It's a creative playground where everyone can contribute in their own way! Maybe I should really think about it, because this community is simply wonderful and puts it perfectly: there are many treasures to discover here!

Okay, that sounds very interesting with the MLLJ. Although of course you're right, we've almost done it naturally :D

Whaaat, I didn't even know you made a blog about Spider-Man!!! And guess what`? I read your fantastic blog and it inspired me to try this Jamaican specialty!!! You conveyed the exact feeling I was trying to describe. Although I'm not from the area, I feel the same sense of cohesion, just with the slight difference that even the smallest details don't escape you as a "local" ;). The great thing about well-made films is that you don't have to understand every single dialog, the pictures tell the story (an important film rule is show don't tell). Subtitles are a great option though, I watch movies almost exclusively in their original language with subtitles because it's just a great way to discover other languages.

Thank you for your praise, I'm extremely pleased that you think my thoughts are worth hearing! That really sounds like a great role, I would be there in a heartbeat, but I hope that I can fill this role worthily! I have a few ideas in general: For example, a movie blog, a sort of diary where anyone can write something about a movie/series they've recently watched and then share a review or just their thoughts and experiences. I got another idea when I visited a castle in Northern Ireland that appears in the series Game of Thrones. Believe it or not, I've never seen this series and now I really want to catch up on it and this could be written as a blog where you share your experiences and thoughts and, for example, exchange ideas with fans of the series or examine cultural phenomena based on the series and exchange ideas with others. Of course, this works with all kinds of movies and series! Or maybe I can present a few treasures from my vault that might be of interest to people, from films from Taiwan to German silent films, everything is included :D
What do you think of these ideas?

You couldn't sum up my impatience any better :D When I realized this was only part one, I wished I could get your gods of time to fast forward time a bit!!! Absolutely not, judging by your blog, he could literally be the friendly spider from your neighborhood and thus very familiar to you! I just recently saw The Fabelmans (practically a cinematic autobiography of Steven Spielberg) and I absolutely identified with the boy Sam, even if I didn't feel that fascination for movies until later. This magic for cinema, this passion just touched me personally.

I promise you'll be the first people I share my work with, I'll send you the script and we'll discuss it or I'll invite you directly to my premiere :D But will I ever get there? Only the future knows that!

I actually meant songs in the new playlist, but who knows, maybe I'll manage 100+ posts!!! I'm happy to accept the invitation and yes, now you've made it clear for a German too XD

Re: Singing in English

de Iya OLS Community Manager - Wednesday, 10 de January de 2024, 21:47

Whoops! I thought you meant 100 posts, but now that you say it; 100 songs seems way more reasonable. XD

Hahaha!!! I'd be a happy camper for sure if physicists were jealous of me. I mean, I do have a few theories about all of existence and I may be on to something. Now, I can't actually prove anything; but that's what's great about my theories: they don't need proof to be true! hahahaha!!! :D

And of course, you can definitely use my explanation regarding how how the Gods of Time toy with the mechanics of the universe. The more of us who speak about this, the more it will catch on with the rest of humanity. And then no one will be late. Ever. XD

By the way, we have the same expression in English! It's really cool how similar German and English are to one another. I remember meeting some German folks while I was volunteering in Italy and they would say simple phrases to me to guess the translation. Believe it or not, many of them were right! "All is good." for example, sounds like the same words in German.

Eeeee!! Analog watches are the best! I just gifted myself a few over the summer. (Yes, a few. :D) I couldn't help it. I have three for different reasons -but they all have a common feature: the face of the watch has to be 'clean' meaning, no clutter. I love seeing the numbers very clearly, unencumbered by a lot of busyness. These kinds of watches remind me of bygone eras.

I'm glad your new watch is helping you with time management. My watch helps me keep my eyes off of my phone. XD

Ok, so we are in a similar struggle with patience. That's ok, we are comrades in arms who will help each other keep our impatience at bay. Thankfully, I'm not the sort to go hunting through the caverns of the internet for scraps of new information about Spider-Man. Mostly, anyway. XD hahaha!

Well, I hope your suitcase has wheels, because it will be filled to the brim with walking boots for touring NYC! Funnily enough, as modern as NYC is; one can still find untouched corners that feel like time stood still. So, as you mention about the history of Europeans coming to America, you can still see some of their influence in NY. But eait until you go to Boston. Now that’s a place absolutely brimming with history.

Awwww! Thanks for reading my Spider-Man blog! Haha! I’ve not written an updated one about installment number two. Maybe I will leave that to someone else. :D

If you want to know more about this popular Jamaican food, check out this link. Feel free to click reply at the bottom of that (or any blog) to leave your thoughts. In fact, I’m curious about German street foods now. :D

I can really sense your disappointment at the ease with which they cut out the end of the song for the radio version. :/ I almost wish I didn’t tell you! But, imagine this: millions of us who’ve listened to the song never knew how long it actually is. Thanks to you, I am no longer one of the millions. :D And I agree with your assessment - that the instrumental is an analogy for liberation. Somehow, it sounds both a bit sad and also freeing. A touch bittersweet. Maybe to be free and unfettered by others means to let certain dynamics die. Like how a phoenix must die to be reborn.

Yes, I can tell you with 100% conviction that you will love the Cote d'Azur! May I be so bold as to recommend that you take the train, if possible? In that way you can simply be regaled by the sites without distracting yourself from driving. After living in France for seven years, yes I can say there wasn't much English spoken. But, for me this was great! It allowed me to be immersed in French and progress with learning the language. Do I still string words together like a toddler and hope I am understood? Yes! I said the immersion allowed me to progress, I didn't say how far. XD

I will dig through the catacombs of my phone to find some of the Irish rainbows that I've captured. Somehow, as common as they are in Ireland, I still find them breathtaking. I was once on a bus in County Kerry, trundling along very windy and hilly roads, and saw the end of a rainbow. It spilled all of its color into a shallow, grass-covered ravine. The visuals are still burned onto my retina. XD

But I am intrigued! Give us a "Bandwurmsätze" or two. :D And some German proverbs while you’re at it! I'm very curious as I love English idioms and interesting turns of phrases. They are hilarious when you read the words at face value, Have a look at the idioms I’ve shared and feel free to add any German ones. :]

Yaaaayyyy!!! I’m glad you’re giving it some serious thought, as I have no doubt you will be great in the role! Your ideas are marvelous so you’re welcome to dive right in on any of them.

Here are a few posts we have so far that you can add your comments to, but you can also start different discussions based on your ideas. Whether you let us into your film vault, or create different topics based on individual films or series, or even like a course called Film 101 through the lens of Tom; they are all welcome. :)

My Favorite Book Series

My Favorite Movie Series

I definitely like the idea of exploring cultural phenomena based on series or films. If you do, I’ll add my thoughts about what it was like to recognize landscape while watching Star Wars. :D

Honestly, let OLS be your playground!

Another cool thing about OLS is that whenever you create a discussion topic or comment on one, you will receive emails called Daily Digests. In that way, you’ll never miss out on updates.

Well, now you know I absolutely MUST go watch The Fablemans. Thanks to our conversation, I’ve been going on these wonderful scavenger hunts. Hahahaa!

Re: Singing in English

de Tom Eikenkötter - Friday, 12 de January de 2024, 15:55

Oh, who knows, with the input from our conversations you could probably write 100 posts ;)

Okay, that sounds promising and groundbreaking!!! Tell me more about your theories, because apart from not being a physicist, I love to philosophize about existence, the universe and the question of why!!! The thought alone is hilarious when the whole world gives the exact same answer :D Honestly I think the idea of slowing down is pretty good, I mean our world is constantly changing and everything is happening at such a rapid pace that you often can't keep up with it yourself. There is no time for breaks, for a moment of pause. That's why I think movies are so important, because they make me focus on one thing alone and not get distracted.

You have "All is well" in English? I always thought that was a not-so-good translation of a German phrase that is quite different in English; such as "we see us". A lot of Germans tend to say this as a goodbye because it's a literal translation of a German phrase that means something like "wir sehen uns wieder" :D I really didn't think there would be such similarities between these two languages!

I feel the same way! A watch has to be "tidy" and clear for me and it helps me to focus. I find that analog watches always give you this feeling that you should value time more and be more aware of it, do you know this feeling too?

I actually have to admit that I don't have any social media and am therefore probably out of step with the times, but I do enjoy not being under constant pressure and exposing myself to the dark sides of it. It's important to say that I'm not an enemy of social media, I see many positive aspects to it, but I personally prefer not to use it.

I'm reassured that someone shares this impatience with me XD I find it very difficult to escape this information these days, as so much is now leaked in advance and sometimes important details are already revealed. I think it should be legally enforced that all information about movies, games etc. should contain the warning Spoiler Alert!!!

You really make me curious and increase my fascination for this city!!! I find these unspoiled places so exciting, away from tourism and carrying a peace and quiet that you wouldn't have thought possible in big cities like New York. The great thing about New York is that this city has so many stories and different perspectives to offer like hardly any other city. Where else would you like to travel to, it sounds like as if you had already traveled to every continent! Do you still have places you really want to discover? Whether cities or nature.

That sounds like a really lovely task, I'd love to write something about it :D Or we could write an article about it together, I'm sure there hasn't been anything like it here yet!

The term street food is actually difficult to apply to Germany, we have the term "Imbiss" for it. It can best be translated as diner or takeaway. Because here you can get quickly prepared food that you can also eat on the go. I'll definitely make a few recommendations, preferably with a recipe, so that you can cook it yourself quickly :D

The topic of censorship is generally a complex and difficult one, but cutting out pure music? I don't want to accuse the radio station of censorship, of course, but it reminded me very strongly of the song Rumble by Link Wray, which was actually banned from radio stations, even though it was a purely instrumental piece. The reason given was that it was considered very subversive and inflammatory. Very nice description of the song! In general, I also noticed this melancholic touch in your recommendation Simple Man, I read that the song was dedicated to the grandmother of one of the band members and somehow that fits thematically. Whether parents or grandparents, the song appreciates their advice and concern and is generally an ode to life, which can be enriched by kindness and openness alone, so simple things can bring about deep and positive changes.

What songs give you a positive outlook on life or appreciation in general?

That sounds really fantastic! I'm very happy to follow your recommendation, does the train run right along the coast? I actually felt a bit like that in Ireland, only I wasn't there for quite as long XD You're absolutely right, you feel that immersion and it definitely helps you learn the language, even if it sometimes takes a while to find the right words, but hey, that's how you learn something!!!

I couldn't get enough of them either, they are just a very rare phenomenon here in Germany and so I couldn't get enough hahaha Very interesting, this phrase also exists so 1:1 in German!!! Etwas “brennt sich in jemandes Netzhaut“.

I'll definitely share some idioms, in Germany there are some very abstract and funny idioms and puns :D Here's a "Bandwurm sentence": Gestern Nachmittag stieg ich aus dem Zug aus, um mir ein Brötchen bei der nächstliegenden Bäckerei zu kaufen, da ich allgemein ein großer Fanatiker von Backwaren bin und es für mich langsam an der Zeit war etwas zu essen, da ich schon seit sechs geschlagenen Stunden, genauer gesagt seit meiner Ankunft in Berlin, noch keinerlei Nahrung zu mir genommen habe und jetzt die Zeit gekommen ist etwas zu essen, bis mir auffiel, dass dies einfach nur ein Traum war und ich am Frühstückstisch eingeschlafen war.

Have fun deciphering XD

I'm definitely motivated to enrich the world with my movies (at least I see it as enrichment XD) and discuss it with people if they're interested! and talk to people about it Can I as a user just create a forum or post a blog and what do I have to consider besides the community guidelines? Film 101 through the lens of Tom is an outstanding title by the way!!!

I will definitely dedicate myself to the two blogs, they are just made for me and I am bursting with ideas! I'll have to try and start my first blog now so you can share your wonderful thoughts on Star Wars with the world :D

Actually you can set the email notifications, thanks for the tip!!!

Very nicely worded XD You definitely need to let me know your thoughts and impressions on this!!!!

Re: Singing in English

de Iya OLS Community Manager - Monday, 15 de January de 2024, 08:01

Your Bandwurm made me burst out laughing in the middle of a very crowded restaurant!! XD Hahaha!! As for deciphering, uuuum…. let's start with the word, "Bandwurm" itself. I see the word, "band" and the word "wurm" which is similar to the English word, "worm", soooo.... that makes me think this type of sentence is like a worm and when you cut earthworms in half, they regenerate, so they're neverending - in much the same way that a Bandwurm sentence could be neverending too. What do you think?

As for the sentence itself, I translated it with the help of tech and what's interesting is that the English translation put a period into the sentence to divide it into two!! It's as if the bandwurm broke the brain of the translator and it could do nothing but put a period in order for it to "compute" or make sense of the bandwurm in its system. hahahahaaaaaaaaaa! I find this incredibly hilarious!

Hm, it's worth noting that even with the English translation, I can tell you really enjoy writing and have a way with storytelling. :D

Well, I'll tell you this: Bandwurms are fun!! So thanks for sharing it with me. :D It reminds me of a childhood game I used to play with my brothers when we would try to make the longest sentence possible that still made sense.

By the way, I've always been curious: what's the rule on capitalizing words in German sentences? For English, we capitalize proper nouns and the first word of a sentence; but in your bandwurm, many words are capitalized, why?

I've never thought about the benefits of movies in that way before... it CAN slow us down and make us focus on just one thing. Interesting! So, when you emerge from the cinema, do you find the outside world disorienting for a bit? I certainly do. XD

I am impressed that you don't have any social media accounts!!!! Good for you! I can tell you this, which I'm sure you already know, you're better off without it. Hahaha! In my experience with it (I've not used it for very many years, but I've noticed its impact on me); it makes my mind busier and noisier than it used to be. It's information overload at its finest. :/ I thought that I'd never be someone who overused social media, but I'll confess that during the first waves of Covid; I spent a looooooooooot of time on my phone. Too much. :/

Awwwww, "we see us" is adorable, but you're right. This is not the translation of "See you later."

You've asked some very good questions! I'll start with the one about watches: I've never considered that the tidy face of the analog watch helps me to value time more, but I like this idea a lot. And I shall! Value time more, that is. In fact, for me, the tidy face of the analog watch quiets my mind somehow. In a world that has way too much activity and stimulation, looking down at my wrist to my watch, focuses me for a few moments and makes the rest of the noisy world fall away for a bit. I don't know why, but that's how it works for me. :D It's similar to the feeling when I duck into a library for a few minutes. It's the expected hush of the place where my mind gets to be quiet and clear before I step back out into the hubbub of life. Interestingly, one of my favorite libraries in NYC (the Main Branch with the two marble lions) is in the very heart of one of the busiest areas of the city, so it's like a quiet oasis once I go inside the building.

The campaign starts now! We will be at the forefront of the movement to make it illegal to leak information about films. I am 100% on your side about this. >:(

Hahahahaaaaaaaa! I haven't travelled to every continent. (YET!) Hahahaha! But, it's true, I've been around. But not nearly as much as I would like. Honestly, I do feel a bit conflicted about traveling a lot as it does have a very high environmental impact to jet around on planes. :/ Thankfully, once I arrive somewhere, I tend to stay for a long time and travel like the locals do: buses, bikes, walking, etc. Mainly because that's what growing up in NYC taught me. :D

Hmmm... but where do I want to go next? Excellent question, Tom! There's a lot to discover... Honestly, SE Asia is huge on my list. I love the cuisine of this region. So far, I've had Indonesian food, Thai, Vietnamese, Filipino and at this point; I feel like I might as well eat my way through the region in real life. It's been great to eat at these restaurants in The States or Europe, but what would it be like to actually be in these countries and eat with the local people? I imagine quite nice. One of my favorite experiences was traveling through Guatemala and eating breakfast at various little eateries. Sometimes I felt like I walked into someone's home to have a meal because these restaurants didn't feel at all like restaurants. Words fail me, but essentially, they were quite "no frills" places where they cook for the people of the area and not for tourists. I wandered A LOT and found myself in places that I am certain I wouldn't be able to find again. XD

I prefer to avoid cities when I travel, believe it or not. Hahahaa! As I write to you, I'm in Dublin at the moment to do some research; and it's nice; but yesterday, I looked out the window and could see the countryside in the distance and felt a longing for the quiet. HAHAHA!!!

Are you living in a city?

I was in Keeken, Germany for one delightful winter as a volunteer. It was there that I discovered how different the light in the sky can look depending on where you are on the planet and the angle of the sun. By the way, I had a friend tell me that I should visit Bavaria - which I would absolutely love to do one day. The photos of the mountains and forests are stunning. Have you been to Bavaria? Where else should I go in Germany? Have you explored your country much? Do you have favorite places?

Well, you are totally right! There has yet to be a creative collaboration between myself and a member of the English community!!! What a marvelous idea!!!! Hmmm.... How could that be done? I'll go tinkering in the bowels of the platform to discover what's possible. :D

In the meantime, Film 101 from you is a great start. :D Let's enrich the world - because I agree, it would be an enrichment for sure. As for how you would do this, here are the steps:

1. From your Dashboard, scroll down to Interactions.

2. Choose which forum you would like to post your topic: Living Abroad or Practice Your English.

(Unfortunately, the blog area is only for me. :D - nevertheless, the other forums function the same - meaning, you can write, add photos and/or audio. Here's an example that has all three media, but of course; you can do a post that's all written content.)

3. Click the yellow button, "Add Discussion Topic."

4. An important note: The CAPTCHA system on our platform can be a bit tricky. Please see this little tutorial about how to solve the CAPTCHA to ensure your post isn't erased. I strongly recommend writing your post on your desktop first, then coming here to paste your post into your discussion topic. When you've opened your discussion topic, do a small test post so you can solve the CAPTCHA, and after it's solved, reclick "Add Discussion Topic" to add your content.

5. Then click save!

I hope these instructions are helpful (and not discouraging! hahaha!); but I'm always here if you want some help or clarification. :D

Now, on to food again. XD

An imbiss recipe from you? Yes, please! I will make it and send a photo as proof! I hope I can find the ingredients. :D Do you like to cook? I generally do, but these days, I've found that I have less and less time to devote to it. :/

Well said about the instrumental part being cut out. I do wonder if it was more a business decision for the radio stations. They have a particular formula that songs are generally no more than 4 minutes... sadly, a lot of songs don't get played because of that. But I think that may be changing... or maybe it's the genre of music that determines if they get longer airplay or not. For example, there are very long African songs that I've heard on the radio that definitely exceed the 4-minute mark. XD

It's true that Simple Man does have a melancholic touch and it turns out that I kind of love a touch of melancholia in my music. My best friend (who knows music way more than I do) helped me to understand that I like minor key music. I think that's the term he said, anyway! XD I love the song Machia by Peia lately because she makes me remember something that I feel like I knew before I was born - I know, it might sound strange, but somehow it's true! I like music that recalls the ancient and the mystical but subtly so. I like music that makes me remember that the trees are my friends. :)

There was a very long period of my life when I played the Rome album by Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi on repeat. To this day, I remember certain places specifically because of the songs from that album. What about you? Do you have music that helps you to recall a place or period of time in your life?

Yes! Without question, I recommend the train! I still remember the way the sea sparkled.

As for sharing my opinions on Star Wars, you don't have to ask me twice! XD Hahahahaaaaa!!!

I just realized something that I'm curious to know about you: the role of the 'bad guys' in films, do you like them more than the "good guys"? It's perhaps an overly simplified question, but I guess, I just want to know your thoughts in general.

For me, I tend to prefer them (in certain stories - definitely not psychopaths or horror movies.) But the ones that make me curious about their transition to "the dark side."

It started with Darth Vader. For a long time, I couldn't understand why; but I always liked him more than the other characters. He seemed so much more...complex and I felt I could understand his plight. Same with (now, bear with me here!) Thanos. I know, I knoooooow! He's one of the biggest bad guys in the Marvel Universe... but, but... why do I understand him?!? Hahhahaaa! Didn't he just want peace, in the end? Or am I letting the grumpy part of myself take the wheel again? XD

By the way, when you were in Ireland, were you ever in Dublin? If so, what did you do here? If you weren't, what would you have liked to have done?

Re: Singing in English

de Tom Eikenkötter - Tuesday, 16 de January de 2024, 16:23

You're conjuring up some very amusing images in my head right now, I would have loved to have been there XD So I have to express my respect for you, because you've derived that really well. In fact, the word "Bandwurm" is a compound one and means cestoda and these things get pretty damn long...In German, the word "Bandwurmsatz" can be used as a joking term, or to annoy the German teacher, who doesn't like correcting such long sentences hahaha!

I had to laugh so loudly at your description, it sounds like the sentence is breaking the computer into its individual parts XD I can forgive it though, because the sentence doesn't necessarily have a higher meaning, even if it's not completely meaningless. I hope the sentence was still somewhat understandable somehow and yes, I really enjoyed writing that sentence and telling a little "story" with it.

Hahaha, in Germany this is not a game but everyday life!!! You'll have to send me your creations, I'm really curious to see what it looks like in English! Maybe we should try it out here too, with so many different languages we're sure to come up with some funny things!

It's actually a bit different in German, you noticed correctly that we capitalize a lot more. We capitalize nouns and objects, honorific pronouns, titles, noun phrases, sentence beginnings and names. Example: The dog goes for a walk in my garden.

Oh my God, I thought I was the only one who felt like that! I have to get back to reality and process the movie before I can get back to reality...

I generally think people underestimate the impact of social media. I've read some interesting things about this, which say that these things have been specially designed to keep you on the screen for as long as possible so that you can increase the time you spend on them and there is of course a certain potential for addiction. I can totally imagine how it keeps you busy and feeds you with negative thoughts. If you then add something like Covid to that, it naturally has an even stronger effect. That's why you shouldn't focus your mind so much on it and set aside times in your day that are free from social media.

That's a comparison I really wouldn't have thought of and yet it's so obvious! I can understand that, looking at the clock can help you to focus on the essentials and take a deep breath and press pause for a moment to isolate yourself from the noisy and turbulent surroundings. I would love to visit this library based on your description :D I have it in my mind's eye: the hustle and bustle on the streets, the surroundings immersed in everyday noises and then there is this very special place that seems like another world as soon as you enter it.

How many countries have you already traveled to? Which is your favorite destination, your favorite city and your secret favorite, i.e. a place that is otherwise hardly known but is still worth visiting? I can understand your dilemma, but maybe in the near future there will be airplanes that can be powered purely by electricity or renewable energy in general! That's a big advantage of course, in a big city like NYC you really learn to appreciate every means of transportation and unlike us, you also have working trains or subways hahaha!!!

I would also like to travel to this region of Asia for the same reason as you, in general this continent simply fascinates me, I love traditional Japanese architecture or Chinese art, for example. I can't get enough of it! Wow, I've never heard that looking for something to eat can be so exciting and culturally educational, I'm really impressed!

Guatemala is such an exotic place again, at least from my perspective. Have you ever been to the jungle or other unusual environments such as deserts?

I can't blame you, there's just so much beautiful nature to see and the big cities are often not the ideal place for peace and contemplation. But there are actually places in Dublin that at least exude a flair reminiscent of small fishing villages and are rather quiet and secluded. Depends on how exactly you define a city hahaha! What's it like for you, do you have a permanent residence or are you constantly on the move and staying in hotels or hostels, for example?

Keeken, I actually hadn't heard of the place until recently, when I looked it up :D Is it true that it's on the border with the Netherlands? Believe it or not, but I've never actually been to our "neighbors", except for one time when I was passing through. Bavaria is a very special state, but the landscape is breathtaking and the Alps are very impressive. If you're looking for panoramas, Bavaria is exactly the right choice. There's also the fairytale Neuschwanstein Castle and of course there's the soccer club FC Bayern Munich hahaha. I don't know about you, but here in Germany it's the number 1 sport! I've already seen a lot in Germany, but there's still at least as much to discover, because Germany is actually very rich in possibilities! If you're more interested, I can put together a list of places that few people visit, I can recommend historical buildings and much more! I like both the coasts and the mountains of Germany, so a clear favorite is hard for me. There are also a few things I really want to discover here and when I do, I'll tell you about them and maybe make a recommendation :D

I can't wait to see what you conjure up, your creativity is boundless anyway, I'm sure you'll come up with a great idea!

I have finally finalized the project and I hope it worked out now, thanks to your detailed instructions it was a piece of cake! I just have one small question. What about photos/screenshots and their copyright? Do I have to cite sources? And what about audio and video files?

You don't even need a recipe for these treats, they're really easy to make without much effort. A few buns, sausages, chips and mayo or ketchup and the fun can begin! Of course, I can also send you more elaborate, or generally traditional German dishes! But only if you also send me recipes ;) You probably have a large international menu! Unfortunately, I'm not much of a cook myself :/ But I'm definitely working on being able to make more than just pasta XD

Mhm, that could be natural, maybe these long songs don't fit into the concept of the respective channel. Maybe it's also easier to cut out a guitar solo, which only comes at the end of the song anyway, than a jazz song. Very long African songs! Tell me all about it, I want to know more and I'm curious, can you recommend something?

I really need to talk to your best friend, I know a few terms, but I don't know much about music theory in general, so I'm really interested XD That's a wonderful thing about music, it makes you feel and experience things you never thought possible before!!! The music of Ennio Morricone always gives me the feeling of experiencing places I've never traveled to and then I always get an insane desire to travel! Do you choose music to suit your mood or do you just let it come to you? On the subject of music theory, there's an exciting series on YouTube that explains what makes a song great and what exactly characterizes it and that's very exciting even as a layman! Awww, that's cute, I mean everyone likes trees!!!

This sounds like an absolute insider tip, I will definitely have to check it out! I have songs and whole playlists that remind me of events or person! The most recent example is my trip to Ireland, as when I was there I listened to a number of very specific songs that are now inextricably linked to it and evoke those emotions again!

If I could, I'd go straight and enjoy the coast of France!!!

Go on then, I'm very curious to hear what you have to say about Star Wars, I'm sure you like it more than Freddie Mercury hahaha!

I could write a dissertation on that XD I think villains are generally interesting to people because we know the intentions of good people, you know what I mean? With bad guys, their intentions are often hard to figure out, they use means that we might never use and fascinate us with their ways. The best villains are the ones we understand, the ones that create a dilemma in us. We would perhaps never act like them, but we can often understand their motives, which is an important point for me. I'd be interested to hear your opinion on anti-heroes, as they often operate in morally gray areas and it's hard to say whether they're good or bad. Darth Vader and Thanos are iconic, of course, and I think what they have in common is that they're convinced they're doing the right thing, whatever the cost. Some villains may never have been until extreme circumstances led to it or they were corrupted. Evil is generally fascinating for people. We feel repelled but also partly attracted by the mysteries and motives and the "why does someone do something like that" is something that occupies people. How do you see it?

I actually lived in Dublin during my stay and was able to do a lot there. The museums are free, there are some great pubs with live music and you can do a lot from Dublin. I did my tour to Northern Ireland there, for example, and I can definitely recommend it. There are also some very nice places like Wicklow or Howth, which were recommended by my work colleagues there. I can only advise you to get a Leap Card if you haven't already done so, because you can use almost all means of transport in Dublin at a very reasonable price, which is very practical!!!

Re: Singing in English

de Iya OLS Community Manager - Thursday, 18 de January de 2024, 15:28

Hahaha!! What's funny is just yesterday, I was having a chat with a German girl and told her about our conversation and all that I'm learning because of it. You'll be happy to know that I now know how to pronounce "Bandwurmsatz"! And we also talked about the German idioms that you shared. :D Thank you for explaining more about the German language too and when I talked with her about it, she further explained this unique feature of the German language in which nouns can be added on to make longer and longer words. Such a cool language! I... think I may add that to my list of languages to learn!! The list is getting longer, but my skills are not necessarily getting better. XD

Funnily enough, just today, I was part of a very engaging conversation about the adverse impacts of social media. We spoke about how many of the creators of social media studied psychology before embarking on their careers in IT. Intriguing, right? While social media does have its benefits (for me, discovering new artists and bookbinders :D); it is definitely true that social media can be entirely too addictive. My remedy for an overactive or distracted mind: cloud gazing! :D

One of my favorite questions is answering how many countries I've been too, but guess, what? It hasn't been that many! :S Hahahaaa!! I've been to Guatemala, Jamaica, Haiti, Germany, Netherlands, France, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Canada and England. I think that's everything so far, but I'm not sure.

Great question: do I have any favorite or secret spots? Hmmmm... this is a hard one. Interestingly, not so much a favorite place, but more; I have profoundly memorable experiences. For example (and this may come as no surprise as it's related to food XD), one of my favorite experiences in Jamaica was traveling along a river and seeing people catching fish. I was with my mom, so we stopped and bought some of the freshly caught fish. The young man scaled them for us all the while chatting away in his melodious patwah. Later, a woman cooked the fish for us which we later ate for dinner. It was fantastic! Also, the best pineapple I've ever had in my life was plucked from a field in Jamaica and handed to me to eat. It was still warm from the sun!! I feel like I've been telling everyone this pineapple story lately. XD I think the winter is getting to me and I am longing for warmer climes. Hahahahaaaa!

Honestly, it's the experiences related to food that mark me most profoundly in my travels. I am literally taking in the land, its heritage and its people when I am eating the foods grown and harvested from the very land I walk on.

For example, in Guatemala, I didn't go to jungles or deserts; but I took a very small bus winding through the highlands to go to Quetzaltenango and shopped at the markets to cook for myself. It's true that I stood out among the local people, but I was always made to feel very welcome. In fact, one man walked over to me while on the bus to enquire where I was going because I was the only non-local person on the bus. Once I told him, he was so proud and happy that I chose his city because apparently not many people do. He welcomed me warmly. I've never forgotten him or his family.

And you were in Dublin!?? That's so great! I come to Ireland frequently, but I'm generally based in France - and I say that loosely because I'm often travelling. XD I participate in Erasmus events to share the benefits of using the OLS platform, for example.

A few weeks ago, I went to the National Archeology Museum and honestly, I could spend the entire day there. I know that the bog bodies, the Viking skeleton and the Egyptian sarcophagi are real, but it boggles my mind a bit to think just how ancient humanity really is and the people I looked at are relatively 'young' in the grand scheme of things. I sat and looked at the people on display and knew that there was no way they could've imagined that someone like me would be looking at them in a glass chamber as... well, art or an artifact. I felt very respectful of these humans and wondered if thousands of years from now, will we be an artifact somehow. Who knows!

And speaking of Dublin being a bit like a fishing village in parts, I found the statue of Molly Malone. Listen to this

from the QR code that I found at the base of her statue. Did you ever follow the Talking Statues self-guided tour?

Source: Iya, OLS Community Manager - English

Caravaggio painting against a red wall.

Inspired by our conversation, I thought I'd go exploring a bit more so I went to the National Gallery dragging a rather patient friend along with me from room to room and floor to floor. XD Well worth it because I saw the famed Caravaggio painting that had been "hidden" in plain sight in Dublin for many, many years.

Source: Iya, OLS Community Manager - English

Tell me more about what you like about Japanese architecture and Chinese art. I know absolutely nothing about either! :D The one thing that immediately comes to mind is the glorious film, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Now this, was stunning Chinese art for me. Not only for the storytelling, but for the astonishing cinematography. The scene with the warriors in the bamboo forest is firmly lodged in my brain. I don't recall what they were speaking about, I mainly remember the way the swaying trees evoked a deep peace in me.

Oh my goodness!! Before I go any further! Thanks so much for your wonderful addition by creating a new discussion topic about films!! What an ingenious idea to invite everyone to contribute films through their own perspectives and your title is perfect, "Film Through the Lens..." I am giving it a bit of time before I add my response because I'd like to see if our other participants would like to add their thoughts. Also, it gives me time to choose a film... there are many!

(For anyone who's joining our conversation, click here to see Tom's post!)

And I am glad my instructions were helpful! As for screenshots and copyrights, thanks for asking such a thoughtful question! Here is what our House Rules say,

"Do not post copyright-infringing material
Do not upload, attach, or otherwise post any copyrighted material that you are not authorised to redistribute (subject to the licensing terms of the specific item). If you have a question about permissions to post or attach a specific item, please ask a moderator." You can click here to read more.

As a general rule, using "free to use" or "public domain" images are acceptable keeping in mind that any content (of any format) must be appropriate for our learning community. I hope this is helpful!

Question for you: After watching over 300 films, how do you remember them? It suddenly occurred to me to ask that. For me, I sometimes mix up scenes from one movie with others or forget entirely that I ever saw it at all. XD Sometimes that can be fun when rewatching a film and it feels entirely new until about halfway through and I go, "Hey.... wait a second..." Realizing I'd seen it before. :D

I WISH I were an international cook. Far, far from it. I do like to dabble in the kitchen, but sometimes when I have colossal failures, I ban myself from the kitchen for a while. XD

Eeeee!!! So you DO understand about the allure of villains! I thought you might! The thing is for me, I don't like all fictional villains - most, I don't. It's just the few who have an internal struggle or an origin story that shows their journey to how they became 'bad.' Like the Prowler in the new Spider-Man series is a character I actually feel sorry for. But his boss, Kingpin, I detest and care not one bit about his reason for becoming a 'bad guy.' Haha! But let's not confuse my interest or curiosity about the path of some villains with characters who are pure Evil. That, I don't like and don't watch at all. I refuse to watch horror, for example. Yikes!

But what's this??? Did Freddy Mercury not like Star Wars? XD But whyyyy?!? hahaha! I'm so curious! And if I gave you my thoughts on Star Wars, you'd be here until March reading. XD I shall spare you at least that. Or wait for you to write your own post about it. (hint! XD)

Here's the album I've been listening to on repeat lately while I work: Songs From a World Apart by Levon Minassian & Armand Amar. It is at once tragic and hopeful at the same time. I know nothing about the origins of the artists nor the region from which the music comes and I quite like that. The music flows and my mind follows. :D

Re: Singing in English

de Tom Eikenkötter - Saturday, 20 de January de 2024, 11:41

Wow, a big compliment for your quick grasp of the language! I think the German language is very difficult and the pronunciation in particular might take some getting used to for you :D Seems like she encouraged you to learn this language! I hope she didn't find any spelling mistakes in me XD Of course I can always help you or answer questions, I'm happy to offer my help! You describe the grammatical principle very well, there really are countless combinations, such as Luftschloss or Waldeinsamkeit. Oh, you'll manage, I'm convinced that you can learn new languages very well!

That's really very exciting, it just confirms our theory that social media is psychologically effective and creates very clear triggers that tempt you to stay on it for longer and probably also have a significant influence on the potential for addiction. Correct and measured use is very important here and your example also shows how you can benefit from social media! A very good remedy indeed! I like to go for walks in the forest and "lasse meine Seele baumeln", which is a German saying for relaxing.

I could kind of guess that, it's so obvious for a globetrotter like you! It's very impressive how many countries you've already been to and the fact that you're not sure about it just shows how much you've traveled! I would love to travel to every single country.

That sounds sooooo delicious, now I'm hungry for fish!!!! Although I doubt that fish will have the same quality as your freshly caught fish hahaha I think it's generally a wonderful thing to get to know foreign cultures through food. People share food with you and that's kind of a sign of respect and appreciation, isn't it? I mean, it's like getting to know the origins of the country in question. By the way, your river cruise reminds me of Apocalypse Now, only much more harmonious and peaceful... I would love to go on a river cruise in general, especially on the Rhine, one of the most beautiful rivers in Germany. That's a really nice story with the pineapple, I generally always find it very exciting to get to know the place of origin of the food (especially fruit) and to taste the original flavor. I once had this experience with a dairy farmer, perhaps not quite so exotic, but still very educational XD

I have to be honest with you: can you please write a book or travel guide? Honestly, your writing is so exciting and captivating, I feel like I'm walking through the Quetzaltenango market with you and then meeting this local family who were so proud of you for discovering and respecting their culture and who welcomed you with open arms. Really, I can really empathize with your great descriptions and always feel like I'm at the scene of the action myself. In general, people are always happy when people come from abroad and are open and respectful of their culture!

Yes, I was actually in the capital of Ireland and got to know the culture of this wonderful people! My host mother was one of the highlights of this trip, she made me a hot water bottle every evening and was generally just so incredibly loving and caring! It was really the Irish way of life that inspired me! Okay, so you're practically an ambassador for OLS, or rather on behalf of the European Union! Oh how cool, I really wanted to visit this museum too, but unfortunately I couldn't make it :/ So it's all the nicer that you've given me your impressions! I know this feeling exactly, it's a bit strange that people are literally on display to be looked at by other people. Just the sheer thought of what these people have experienced often makes me think about it for hours on end.

Who knows what the future of museums will look like at some point. Maybe the people will then be shown as holograms, some of them already exist!

Unfortunately I can't play your audio file :/ But I would have loved to do this tour! Practically, it's about an unofficial hymn of the city of Dublin known as Cockles and Mussels, isn't it?

The story of The Taking of Christ is really exciting and a bit crazy at times. I mean, for years the painting was only known from descriptions by various biographers. When it was discovered, it had to be authenticated for years and now it's just in the museum. I don't know why, but somehow it reminds me a little of Albert Einstein's brain, which was in a Mayonnaise jar for decades... But now back to Dublin's museums: I think it's great that admission is free, because that way everyone can really marvel at the unique art and take part in the history!

I wish I could give you more details here and describe the art in detail, but I'm still very new to this topic hahaha. I've been meaning to buy books on the subject because I just want to know more about it, as my fascination with these subjects has been around for a while! I think it's a certain lightness that Japan's historical buildings exude for me. For example, the Zen temple Ginkaku-ji, which just looks so peaceful and tranquil to me. This idyllic setting somehow has something very meditative about it for me, I could just sit down and relax there after a hard day. As for Chinese art: I immediately think of the landscape painting by Dǒng Qíchāng, it simply radiates a spirituality that stands out for me when it comes to Chinese or Japanese art. This idea of continuity, which is based on the Confucian world view, is simply so fascinating to me. How fitting that you mention this wonderful film by Ang Lee and one of the most memorable scenes in the movie! It represents exactly the lightness I was talking about. As if we could free ourselves for a moment from the heavy burden of this world and simply float. It is this play with light and color in combination with the movements of the camera that make the film so incredibly aesthetic and elegant.

I hope that the other people from the community will also enjoy it and that we can all exchange ideas about movies!!! That was exactly my intention, to get new perspectives on the art of movies and broaden your own horizons! I am curious which movie you will choose, of course you can talk about any movie and not just one!!!

Thanks for the tip, that's exactly what I was trying to do, find images that are free to use and publicly accessible.

This may sound a bit snobby, but I always look for certain criteria when buying movies and every movie is a unique experience for me. It's similar to music, sometimes I just have certain scenes in my head that play out in my mind's eye. In general, the eye is also similar to a movie camera, it's our subjective perspective on the action and the blinking/closing of the eye represents the cut. Mhm, on the other hand, of course you can always get to know "new" things, although I wonder: is that like a kind of deja vue for you?

Oh, you shouldn't be so hard on yourself XD Every now and then something doesn't work out, that's completely normal and you only learn from it! Unfortunately, the problem with food is that you often can't eat your failures anymore, hahaha

Well, it's often the villain that makes or breaks a movie. We all like complex characters and boring villains can make a movie worse. I think I know what you mean. You don't like antagonists who are evil just for the sake of being evil and have no real motives. Well, Uncle Aaron really is a tragic figure and perhaps not evil at all in his deepest heart. Although I have to disagree with you a little about Kingpin. He has lost his family (and even before the accident they were probably estranged from him because of his criminality) and he is obsessed with simply seeing them again and perhaps even admitting his mistakes. However, he loses himself in the fact that he can't accept that there is no coming back. As hard as it sounds, he has lost his chance and can't undo it. I also have to disagree with you about horror films. Well-made horror films are surprisingly often dramas. As an example, I can mention the fantastic Hereditary, which is first and foremost a family drama. The horror takes place at a kitchen table where a silent family sits, who shortly afterwards attack each other verbally and this is where the true horror can be found. Horror doesn't always have to be violence, blood and brutality!

Well, that's a little reference to the song Bicycle Race by Queen, in which he sings the following line: "And I don't like Star Wars". That led to a little controversy and so Freddy Mercury had to take a stand... He said that he had nothing against Star Wars, so everything went well again. I took your hint by the way, so I'm curious to hear what you have to say!!!

A great tip from you, thanks for that! I particularly liked the song Amen hayr sourp, it represents exactly the melancholy you were talking about. The song almost has a certain heaviness, an inner fickleness, as if you're just coming to terms with a difficult event, you want to look forward again, but you still carry this melancholy in your heart. Sometimes these instrumentals even sound oriental, at least to me. How do you see that?

Re: Singing in English

de Iya OLS Community Manager - Monday, 22 de January de 2024, 23:07

Hahahaa! If nothing else, you will be inspired to eat after talking with meeeee!! XD

Awww, thanks for your vote of confidence regarding my picking up the German language - or any other for that matter. I will go forth with gusto! And, no, she didn’t find any mistakes with your writing; in fact, you taught her how common bears are in German idioms. :D

What if I told you that most of my globetrotting was sort of accidental? XD Somehow, when I think about the places I've been, I can never remember actually planning to be there. Meaning, yes, I will have a home base from which to explore, but no long itinerary of places to visit... no schedule... It's like I just wander into countries and live there for a while. Some of the other trips were with family, so those were planned by others and I tagged along - particularly to the Caribbean. :)

And by the way, we weren’t on a cruise in Jamaica. Sorry for the confusion! We were driving on a rough road and came across the people by the river. :)

HAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!! Well, having fresh milk is exotic too!! Especially for a city girl like me. In fact... I might be a bit squeamish to taste milk straight from a cow. ... Still warm. Not that I drink milk anymore anyway, but still!

You’re reminding me of my aunt who married a rancher in Dallas. I went to visit her and she was so excited about her new country life that she couldn't wait to show me everything. One day, she ran into the house with two fresh eggs and when she placed them in my hands (I hope you don't think less of me XD), I couldn't wait to get those warm little globes out of my hands!!! They were still warm from the bodies of the chickens and somehow, I just couldn't find peace with that!!!! hahahahahaaaaaaa!! I mean, I know full well where they come from, but I just don't want to know, y'know? XD

I say this with complete humility, but you're not the first to ask me to write a book. ;) hahahahaaaaaaaaaaa! How can that possibly sound humble? XD But, in seriousness, thank you. I dunno... I never thought about writing a travel book before, but you've piqued my interest! Hmm... I will say that Guatemala somehow sits differently in my memory than all the other countries. I think it's because I trusted myself to organize a trip of this kind for myself. A friend didn't want me to go for some reason - boy, am I glad I didn't listen to her! It was my first, real, solo adventure overseas and I simply have such great memories of that place. This might sound weird, but the quiet there is different. Stillness feels different. ... Uh oh... I think I might have to go digging through the archives, Tom! I want to look at those photos again!

Oh my goodness, a hot water bottle every night?!? Your host mom sounds like a dream!! Gimme one! Hahahaaa!! You're very lucky to have had an experience like that, I'm sure you know. Wouldn't it be nice if we could rent a mom wherever we went? Because seriously, I want one right now! XD

And you're totally right! I am quite like an ambassador for OLS. I even go to schools to help teachers and administrators learn how to use OLS so they can teach their mobility students. You probably didn't know this, but there was an OLS version 1.0, but that was even before my time. The version we're using now, 2.0; was launched July 2022 and the new feature is this! What we're doing right now! There were no forums or communities before - the interactive piece is what makes OLS so much more vibrant now. And so, part of why I enjoy working with school administrators is because they often are stunned to discover its new features.

By the way; did you also just experience a super arctic blast of cold for the last few days and then a balmy, lashing storm? We did in Ireland! It was so cold that it was hard to breathe, and then Storm Isha came tearing her way through the trees and with her came the rain and a bit of warmth.

Oh! I will fix that audio!! Strange... it should've worked. For now, I'll leave it here to see if it will work. It's from a QR code.... heeeeey, wait a second! What if I put the photo of the QR code from the statue and you can then access the audio that way?! Want to give it a try?? :D I'll put the picture here in case you do. XD

I'm not sure why it's sideways. :/

Cockles and mussels?! Noo.... you'll just have to listen to find out. :D

Albert Einstein's brain in a mayonnaise jar? But... but, I'm left wordless by this image. I had never heard of this before. I am intrigued... and yet, I won't go do any research on it. XD Why? Because I don't want to see his brain, but I want to know how it came to be in a mayo jar of all things!

Books?! What books?! You write marvelously already about Chinese and Japanese art! Ok, ok, I'm not saying don't get the books; sure, do; but keep your voice. Do you know what I mean? You already write quite powerfully from instinct and from feeling - trust it! Perhaps books can give you more framework about choices the artists made or the history of a piece of art; but that gut feeling you have is a treasure. Lead with it!

In fact, since you created your invitation to the community to share our movies, I can't stop thinking about which one to write about. And why. That's the big one for me, why write about a movie beyond saying I liked it? Hmmm... ok, Tom, you've got the gears turning. Let's see what I'll settle on. :D

I love sentences that begin with, "This may sound a bit snobby..." XD And guess what, it does! Hahahaha! Nooo, I'm joking! Snobby?? Not at all! Criteria and standards mean you're awake and not passively engaging with the film you're about to purchase. I mean, those 300 you have should feel honored to have been chosen. :D (And yes, they're animate for me and happy they're counted among your collection. :] )

Don't get me started on Deja vue!!! As it is with the Time Keepers of the universe; I barely have a grip on this timeline let alone the moments when I feel like I've definitely done something or been somewhere before. It used to happen more when I was a child. What about you? Wait. It's a French term that we use in English to describe this phenomenon, so I wonder what the French say to express it... Where are our French speakers? Help us out, here!

My complete failure with cilantro leaves is why to this day I absolutely can't stand them. XD - That is, except when it's been placed in expert hands. Then, and only then, will I eat cilantro. My best friend makes fantastic Mexican salsas for instance. It doesn't taste like soap then.

Here's where I cross my arms and stomp my feet stubbornly. Bear with me. XD ... Ok, here goes:

Kingpin hurt my Miles!!!!

He is unredeemable to me. Hahahahaa! That's all. :) ... buuuut, I will admit that I was briefly intrigued by his backstory in the Spider-verse movie. That he would destroy all other worlds in order to get his family back. But then I think about his inability to live with the consequences of his choices; so blinded by his own self-importance and refusal to accept that his wife chose to leave him and his brutality; he wants to force her back to him and in so doing; destroy the lives of everyone else. Woah. Wait a second. I had no idea that thought was in me until I just typed it! Thank you for that! Can't wait to hear your thoughts. I like that you disagree. :)

Now on to horror. I hear you, but it's more basic for me: I can't pay attention to the story if I am physically terrified about what's about to happen next. XD If I do manage to suffer my way through some gore, then my all too vivid imagination will replay them at inopportune times (like when I'm trying to sleep) and on repeat. :| Now that's the living horror that the film planted in my head. I realized some time ago, that they're not for me because they linger too long and upset me. But, I've not heard a perspective like yours before and this, I will confess, makes me a teensy bit more curious about Hereditary. But I shall abstain because even your description terrifies me. XD And in fact, I agree with you that horror is more than the three things you mentioned; and for me; it's often the psychological violence that's even more upsetting because I am getting a look inside of someone's psyche. And boy, that can be truly horrifying.

Hm... oriental? Give me an example. I've found that 'oriental' means different things depending on the part of the world I am in. Enlighten me!

Re: Singing in English

de water melon - Friday, 9 de May de 2025, 13:13

When singing, you are forced to consciously control your breathing so that you can hum long notes and maintain a stable pitch. This practice helps your respiratory muscles become stronger and more flexible, thereby significantly improving your ability to take deep, steady breaths.

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Re: Singing in English

Re: Singing in English

Re: Singing in English

Re: Singing in English

Re: Singing in English

Re: Singing in English

Re: Singing in English

Re: Singing in English

Re: Singing in English