That’s an odd title, isn’t it? Why oddments? Oddments is a word that means remnants, leftovers, odds and ends, hodgepodge, etc. You get the idea. So… why oddments? What I’m posting today is little bits of stuff, none of which would make a real blog post, but they’re things just too good not to share! Mainly it’s stuff that I’ve received or found that has something to do with previous posts on my blog. I’ll put a link to the various posts that the oddments are related to. And some of it is simply interesting little oddments I’d like to share, not related to much of anything. Emphasis, I guess, on odd….

A while back I had a post called 10,000 words - 10 really crazy pictures, each worth 1,000 words. I have since learned that one of the pictures actually could/should have been part of a later blog post dangerous hike and freebies. Here’s the picture…

Here’s another outhouse that could have been part of the post nice bathroom humor

That’s something we could all keep in mind as we go into the elections this fall!

Here’s a picture that could have been part of the post sign language The picture is of a martial arts school.

I ran across a neat picture that I think could make a great header picture for my blog (if it weren’t the wrong size and proportion, let alone all the potential copyright issues). Just think, instead of having an ancient gargoyle looking over the skyline of Paris, I could have Ratatouille looking at it from a different angle….

My wife found a great recipe online for the ratatouille that Ratatouille made in that animated film. We love this dish and have declared it her recipe find of 2008! If you’d like to try it out, you can find it at http://smittenkitchen.com/2007/07/rat-a-too-ee-for-you-ee

I tried something new in the garden this year - Thai Red-Seeded Long Beans. They’re like the green beans we’ve eaten in China and like the ones in many Chinese buffets here in the USA. The name “long beans” is not an exaggeration! Here’s a picture of me measuring several against a yardstick. I don’t know if you can make it out in the picture, but the longer of the two beans measures 30 inches - 6 inches longer than they’re supposed to be! Just a couple of beans is enough for a meal for the two of us!

Recently I’ve found a couple of neat “toys” online. Anyone who reads my blog finds out pretty quickly that I am a word person. I love puns and other forms of wordplay. Well, here are several visual forms of wordplay. In both them them you can tweak the font and colors to your liking.

The first one is called Wordle. You can create your own “wordle” in several ways - either by pasting in “a bunch of text” (as they say) or by entering a URL. I chose the second, entering the URL of my most recent blog post last Thursday. Here’s the wordle of that post…

Another word toy I ran across is a text animator called textanim. Here’s my little creation from that site…

Several weeks ago I had a post called t-shirt slogans. Someone sent me a great video clip on how to fold a t-shirt in seconds. It’s in Japanese (I think), but if you watch it a few times, you should be able to do it too. My wife has mastered the technique and says, “This has revolutionized my recreational laundry!” Click in the square below to start the video.

Now I think you’ll agree that my calling this blog post “oddments” (with a heavy emphasis on odd) was appropriate. I’m looking forward to some really odd comments now.

quotation…

“Most problems in our lives go back to a false idea of who God is.” - Dr. Chris Barney

=^..^= =^..^=
Rob

If you tell a joke in the forest, but nobody laughs, was it a joke?

If you grew up speaking English, be glad you did! The English language has so many subtle shades of meaning and idiomatic expressions, that people learning English as a second language have a really tough task. When we anglophones learn a foreign language we get a glimpse into how hard it is to master the intricacies of another language. When we anglophones try to teach our language to non-English speakers, we find many aspects of our language difficult, if not impossible, to explain.

I have made some horrible mistakes in French, German, and Chinese which usually resulted in laughter followed by an explanation. Such experiences are humbling, to say the least, but they have provided great opportunities to laugh at myself and to empathize with my students as they struggle to make themselves understood and as they make funny mistakes themselves. I’m sure that, as people from all over the world converge in Beijing for the Olympics and as they try to use Chinese phrases they’ve been memorizing, they will make some great mistakes. One of my best mistakes was when I was trying to tell someone I was from America (Mei Guo - roughly pronounced may-gwa) which in Chinese means literally “Beautiful Country.” (Keep in mind that Chinese is a tonal language, that is, a change in tone often changes the meaning of the word.) When I pronounced it, though, I got the wrong tone on the second part of the word and said I was from “beautiful melon.” I really think that some Chinese people just don’t like my tone of voice.

That said, I am posting today some great examples of English mistakes or oddities from other countries. No one country or language is alone in finding English difficult!

English Must Be Difficult…

In a Tokyo Hotel:
Is forbidden to steal hotel towels please. If you are not a person to do such thing is please not to read notis.

Instructions in a Belgrade elevator:
To move the cabin, push button for wishing floor. If the cabin should enter more persons, each one should press a number of wishing floor. Driving is then going alphabetically by national order.

A sign in a Bucharest hotel lobby:
The lift is being fixed for the next day. During that time we regret that you will be unbearable.

In a Paris hotel elevator:
Please leave your values at the front desk.

Sign in a hotel in Athens:
Visitors are expected to complain at the office between the hours of 9 and 11 am daily.

In the lobby of a Moscow hotel across the street from a Russian Orthodox monastery:
You are welcome to visit the cemetery where famous Russian and Soviet composers, artists and writers are buried daily except Thursday.

On the menu of a Polish hotel:
Salad a firm’s own make
Limpid red beet soup with cheesy dumplings in the form of a finger
Roasted duck let loose
Beef rashers beaten up in the country people’s fashion

Outside a Hong Kong tailor shop:
Ladies may have a fit upstairs.

In a Rhodes tailor shop:
Order your summers suit. Because is big rush we will execute customers in strict rotation.

On the box of a clockwork toy made in Hong Kong:
Guaranteed to work throughout its useful life.

From the Soviet Weekly:
There will be a Moscow exhibition of arts by 150,000 Soviet Republic painters and sculptors. These were executed over the past two years.

In an advertisement by a Hong Kong dentist:
Teeth extracted by the latest methodists.

In a Swiss mountain inn:
Special today - no ice cream.

In a Czechoslovakian tourist agency:
Take one of our horse-driven city tours - we guarantee no miscarriages.

In a Copenhagen airline ticket office:
We take your bags and send them in all directions.

On the door of a Moscow hotel room:
If this is your first visit to the USSR, you are welcome to it.

How a sewage treatment plant was marked on a Tokyo map:
Dirty water punishment place

In a Budapest zoo:
Please do not feed the animals. If you have any suitable food, give it to the guard on duty.

In the office of a doctor in Rome:
Specialist in women and other diseases

From a story in an East African newspaper:
A new swimming pool is rapidly taking shape since the contractors have thrown in the bulk of their workers.

In the window of a Swedish furrier:
Fur coats made for ladies from their own skin.

Sign in a Vienna hotel:
In case of fire, do your utmost to alarm the hotel porter.

Sign in a Hong Kong supermarket:
For your convenience, we recommend courteous, efficient self-service.

In a Tokyo shop:
Our nylons cost more than common, but you’ll find they are best in the long run.

From a Japanese information booklet about using a hotel air conditioner:
Cooles and heates - if you want just condition of warm in your room, please control yourself.

From a brochure of a car rental firm in Tokyo:
When passenger of foot heave in sight, tootle the horn. Trumpet him melodiously at first, but if he still obstacles your passage then tootle him with vigor.

Detour sign in Japan:
Stop. Drive sideways.

Sign in an Austrian hotel catering to skiers:
Not to perambulate the corridors in the hours of repose in the boots of ascension.

An Italian hotel brochure:
This hotel is renowned for its peace and solitude. In fact, crowds from all over the world flock here to enjoy its solitude.

Menu at an Athens hotel:
Chopped-up cow with wire through it (shish kebab)

A Polish tourist brochure:
As for the tripe served you at the Hotel Monopol, you will be singing its praises to your grandchildren as you lie on your deathbed.

Two signs from a Majorcan shop entrance:
- English well speaking
- Here speeching American

And here’s one that we’ve been told about and have suspected was true all along…

Have you seen any examples of English obviously written by a foreigner?

By the way, this Friday is an Ultimate Bonza Bottler Day - 8-8-08!

quotation…

“If it’s big enough to make me worry, it’s big enough to take to God.” - Dr. Drew Conley

=^..^= =^..^=
Rob

Did ancient Roman paramedics refer to IV’s as “fours”?

With the opening of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing a week away, I thought I’d share some pictures of the landscaping that’s been going on around China in preparation for visitors from all around the world. Some articles that I’ve read have called this “greenwashing” - an attempt to purify the image of wide-spread pollution that many have in mind when they think of China. In any case, the results are spectacular and impressive, and the Chinese have shown great ingenuity and creativity in many of the preparations.

Here’s the Bird’s Nest Olympic Stadium…

Now on to some of the gardens…

At the end of our time of teaching two years ago, we went to Beijing for a long weekend before returning to the USA. You can read about it by going to http://blog.ivman.com/our-final-days-in-beijing At that time we seriously wondered if Beijing was going to be ready for the Olympics, and we weren’t thinking about the landscaping! Those three days, we ate only in American chain restaurants - restaurants in which we seldom, if ever, eat here at home - McDonald’s, KFC, and Pizza Hut. Our reasons were not because we craved Western food; it was because we could not read Chinese and could not order without assistance in a Chinese restaurant where no one speaks English. What astounded us was that, even in the American restaurants, no workers could speak English! We pointed at pictures on a menu to place our orders! I’m eager to hear how things go this summer when thousands of tourists arrive, unable to speak or read Chinese.

The question is not only if Beijing is ready for the tourists, but also if the tourists are ready for Beijing. If they want some adventures, they could try some Chinese fast food sold by street vendors (not always the safest option available, from what we heard.) Too bad the food won’t be labeled as it is in the pictures.

We ate some interesting stuff in China, but I assure you we ate none of the above - and definitely not from sidewalk vendors! Are any of you game to try any of those delights?

new poll…

I’ve put a new poll in the sidebar - If you could attend the Olympics in Beijing, would you do it?

quotation…

“God’s small group discipleship program is the family.” - Dr. Drew Conley

=^..^= =^..^=
Rob

Taste makes waist.

We’ve just completed the third quarter of the first year of the Wellness Challenge at the university. If I continue to do as I have been doing, I should end the year in the gold category. This summer on week days, I have no problem at all getting at least 10,000 steps a day with my work at IT Help Desk. One day last month I got over 19,000 steps in the course of my work. The total of my steps for the past nine months is a little over 3,250,000 steps! I should hit 4 million by the end of the first year of the challenge. Sensible walking shoes are a must!

A few weeks ago I got an interesting and at least mildly disturbing e-mail with pictures of some current and past shoe fashion rages in Japan.

Think your shoes are uncomfortable? Look at the latest (out)rage in shoes in Japan….

Feel better now about your shoes? How would you like sensible walking shoes like those?

Uncomfortable shoes seem to be a tradition in the Orient. Look at the kinds of shoes that were worn back in the day of the Chinese women who practiced foot binding….

Advanced age does not seem to be the only reason for her difficulty in walking.

This woman was apparently one of those who practiced foot binding.

Like many people, you may think your feet are ugly. You might not any longer after you see the next few pictures! Here’s the woman’s unwrapped foot from one angle….

Here’s the foot from another angle….

Here’s a close up…

Unbelievable, huh!?

Still think your feet are ugly? Here are a few more pictures that may convince you otherwise….

The heels of time (Time wounds all heels?)…

Time for a pedicure?

Feel better now about your feet? Ugly feet aren’t found only in Asia, huh?

house wren update…

It appears that the eggs have now hatched. They’re at that oxymoronic stage - pretty ugly! Here’s a picture I took this evening….

Want to have beautiful feet? Read on to find out how….

quotation…

“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” Romans 10:15

=^..^= =^..^=
Rob

If your nose runs and your feet smell, maybe you’re built umop-apisdn.

Recently I received an e-mail with the subject line: Free lunch! Want to go? All our Thursday freebies and our thoughts about China that you’ll read about below in our personal update made me take a second look at the e-mail. It was a series of outrageous pictures of a climb up a mountain in China, claiming that anyone who reached the top would eat a free lunch at a restaurant at the top. I checked with Snopes and found nothing to confirm or deny this claim. However, as I did other web searches, I found that there is quite a bit out there about the extremely dangerous hikes people can and do take on Mt. Huashan. Here are some of the pictures from the e-mail and from websites I found. I love to go hiking in the mountains, but I’m not sure this hike is my cup of green tea….

Here’s a map to show where Mt. Huashan is located….

Part of the climb is a pleasant ride in a gondola….

Some of the sites I found stressed that the climb up Mt. Huashan is mountain hiking, not mountain climbing, which involves special equipment and knowledge. They also stressed that this particular hike is not for people not in shape, and Americans are surprised that the public is even allowed to do this - it’s so dangerous!

Here are some pictures of what different parts of the “hiking trail” look like….

Anyone care to go up this ladder…?

No one can say they don’t warn the climbers….

Talk about walking the plank!

Watch your step! That’s quite a drop!

I mean it - that’s a really serious drop!

Part of the climb is footholds cut into the rock and chains thoughtfully provided to hold on to….

Be sure to stay on the staircase and hold on to the chains!

Since some parts of the trail make it difficult to pass people coming back down, someone has thought of providing two staircases - one for climbing and one for descending….

As hard as this hike would be in nice weather, some people even take this hike in the winter, believe it or not!

Those who make it to the top of the five peaks are rewarded with some breath-taking views (as if they could still breathe once they got there!)….

The South Peak…

The West Peak (called the Playing Chess Pavilion)…

For those who can’t get enough of this stuff, here’s a website with stories from people who have done this hike (I’m not responsible for everything said on that site) - http://www.ssqq.com/ARCHIVE/vinlin27d.htm

So, anyone going to add this hike to your future travel and vacation plans?

freebies…

Last Thursday we took advantage of several freebies or almost-freebies. First, we went to McDonald’s for lunch. They were giving to each customer a free Southern style chicken sandwich with the purchase of a medium or large soft drink. We had eaten some vegetables before leaving the house to help round out our lunch. After lunch we took off for Costco - they were offering for several days the opportunity for non-members to get in for free. What I hadn’t reckoned on was that the time of our shopping coincided very nicely with all the free samples of all kinds of things that further helped round out our lunch.

That evening after dinner at home, we made the mistake of taking Dunkin Donuts up on their offer for a free iced coffee. Dunkin Donuts coffee is one of my very favorite coffees, but their iced coffee was worth every penny I paid for it. The girls took only a couple of sips of theirs, but after doctoring mine up to the point it was palatable, I finished it off. After all, it was FREE, right?! I regretted it as I thought about that semi-wretched iced coffee off and on until 1:30 a.m. Did I mention that they weren’t offering decaf iced coffee?

Did anyone else take advantage of any of these freebies last week?

Many have been asking if Becka and are going to China this summer to teach English again. Earlier this school year we rattled two different door knobs, thinking the Lord might open at least one of the doors. But that did not happen, so we know that He wants us here this summer. The dean at the university where we’ve taught two summers before said that they would love to have us come teach in 2009. So we will plan that way.

If you’re new to my blog, you might want to check out some of our adventures from the summers of 2005 and 2006 that I chronicled on the blog. You can get to those posts by clicking on the China link in the tag cloud in the sidebar. There are many pages of posts to explore about our time over there.

People have been asking me for an update on the wren’s nest in our bird house. Below is a shot I took this evening. You can see several little eggs in there.

quotation…

“Politics is not a bad profession. If you succeed there are many rewards, if you disgrace yourself you can always write a book.” - Ronald Reagan

=^..^= =^..^=
Rob

Sign on high school bulletin board - “Free: every Monday through Friday. Knowledge. Bring your own container.”