La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés.
The photo above is of my coffee cup on our flight home from London. Leave it to me to think the message was something off color. The second photo below is the Roamin’ (Roman) hands I refer to in the title. A floor or wall tile from Colchester castle with a Roman handprint included.
We found it challenging to understand the recorded announcements on the London Underground and had no idea what was being said for many of the stations. Our American-Spanish ears just couldn’t make sense of things. No matter how many times I heard it announced, Sloane Square always sounded to me like Sperm Square.
Mistress Maddie (click here) was disappointed I didn’t share any manspreading photos from the Underground. I only saw one worth sharing, but it was too crowded to get a photo without being obvious. So, today’s final photo is to make up for that. A guy sat across from me in the lounge at Heathrow Airport. As I reached for my camera, he reached for something else. More roamin’ hands.
I’m feeling a bit childish and rebellious today. I’ve been reminded again about how some straight people, no matter how many years you’ve known them, just don’t get what life is like when you’re not straight. It’s something that every minority experiences. What do I know about being a woman or a person of color? But I hope I’m always sensitive to the issues and experiences of others and more informed and enlightened the older I get.
La foto de arriba es de mi taza de café en nuestro vuelo a casa desde Londres. Déjame pensar que el mensaje era algo fuera de color. La segunda foto a continuación son las manos itinerantes (romanas) a las que me refiero en el título. Un pavimento o revestimiento del castillo de Colchester con una huella de una mano romana incluida.
Nos resultó difícil entender los anuncios grabados en el metro de Londres y no teníamos idea de lo que se decía en muchas de las estaciones. Nuestros oídos hispanoamericanos simplemente no podían entender las cosas. No importa cuántas veces lo oí anunciar, Sloane Square siempre me sonó como Sperm Square.
Mistress Maddie (haz clic aquí) se sintió decepcionada porque no compartí ninguna foto de “manspreading” en el metro. Solo vi uno que valía la pena compartir, pero estaba demasiado lleno para tomar una foto sin que fuera obvio. Entonces, la foto final de hoy es para compensar eso. Un tipo se sentó frente a mí en la sala VIP del aeropuerto de Heathrow. Cuando cogí mi cámara, él cogió algo más.
Hoy me siento un poco infantil y rebelde. Una vez más me acordé de cómo algunas personas heterosexuales, sin importar cuántos años las conozcas, simplemente no entienden cómo es la vida cuando no eres heterosexual. Es algo que toda minoría experimenta. ¿Qué sé acerca de ser mujer o persona de color? Pero espero ser siempre sensible a los problemas y experiencias de los demás y estar más informado e iluminado a medida que envejezco.
• Me anima un poco, a diferencia de lo que pensaba.
• Mano romana.
• Juvenil en el metro. Me reía cada vez que veía Cockfosters. Se puede traducir como “fomenta polla” — si eres inmaduro como yo).
• Vegano y vainilla se fusionaron en mi cabeza y leí este elemento del menú como “helado de vagina”.
• While I had coffee with Tom the other day, this guy stood nearby. The last time I saw him was at the tailor shop having some jockstraps altered (click here).
• Mientras tomaba un café con Tom el otro día, este tipo estaba cerca. La última vez que lo vi fue en la sastrería mientras le arreglaban unos suspensorios (haz clic aquí).
• Chocolatería Mayan Monkey en Mijas Pueblo. ¿Esto es azotar al mono?
• Hablando de que…
Click the thumbnails to enlarge.
Haz clic en las miniaturas para ampliar.
There’s a very mild ‘dirty’ joke about the Cockfosters name, though I’d bet it’s not the only one.
Raybeard:
And you’re not going to share the mild dirty joke with me?
The places your mind goes some days 🙂
David:
Most days.
But could you get pictures of the altering of the jockstraps????? NOOOOO! But having them altered? I didn’t know one could. He must either have too much to fill with…or not enough. And this is how sweats should look on I many add. But I’d have to smack him for tucking in the socks.
As for the last guy…Had I been there, and being the ever help little boy I am would have asked if I could have been of service for him!!!!! I’d be much more fun.
Mistress Borghese:
And it was warm weather during the altering. He was wearing less! From what I could see, he was having the side straps shortened.
I knew for certain you would have helped the guy with his crotch problem. Although maybe it was an itch we don’t want to know about.
I really wish you’d heard someone say, “I’m headed to Cockfosters for as Little Pick Me Up … maybe a Vagina Ice Cream.”
I’d head to Cpckfosters to pick up Mr. Beefy Thighs.
Bob:
Well, I thought the cup said FUCK ME UP. No thanks on the vagina ice cream. Do you suppose it tastes like Gwyneth Paltrow’s vagina? That guy DID have nice thighs.
Well, isn’t your mind just rolling around in the gutter this morning? I like that in a person.
Debra:
My mind is usually rolling around in the gutter.
You are completely right. No straight person can know exactly what it feels like to be not straight. And sometimes I wonder how any of us get along at all in all of our glorified differences. And yet, it is those differences which make life so vastly interesting.
I have to tell you though, that our minds do think alike at times, despite those differences.
Ms. Moon
Ms. Moon:
I have no doubt that no one can know exactly what it’s like to walk in someone else’s shoes (or pumps), but this was a disappointing comment from someone I’ve known a very, very long time, and it showed me they don’t have a clue. I wish I could share more here.
I wish you could share more too. There are some things though, that are unbloggable for most of us. But I am sorry that happened.
Ms. Moon
You’re right, that we can’t really understand each others’ lives and everyday experience. It’s a lonely feeling. But you manage to sneak in some jokes anyway! The man spreader is only occupying his own chair, not the space on both sides, so I’ll allow that!
Anon:
Yeah, he wasn’t manspreading in the usual sense, but he was still spread and it was the best I could do for Maddie. And THEN he reached in!
Oh I’d be lost with the accents! My brains seem to scramble and all I hear is gibberish!
Jim:
I’m great with accents mostly. I just had a hard time with the announcements on the tube, which you’d think would be the easiest to understand.
Some Brit shows are unfortunately hard to follow on Netflix, etc….. I’m doing better but when someone speaks through tight lips or mumbles well, the game is over! With that being said, I love a good Brit show with intrigue and photography etc.
I find American mumbling completely incomprehensible, too. How the hell Robert De Niro is considered an “actor” remains a complete mystery to me. I don’t think he has ever pronounced a word in the English language properly. Makes Sly Stallone seem like Sir Patrick Stewart. Mind you, to be fair Tom Hardy is equally incoherent – and he attended Richmond Drama School..! Jx
Forgot to press the “magic WordPress log-in button” again! Jx
Jon:
Oh, Robert De Niro! I had an Italian teacher in way upstate New York (400 miles from NYC) who said “If you want to speak like you’re from New York city, just lose all muscle control in your face.” It works!
You guys are too funny!
Ron:
We should take it on the road. Oh wait, we did.
Ron:
For SG’s sake, we have English subtitles on everything we watch. Come to think of it, it’s for my sake, too. Otherwise, I’m responding to “What did they say?” every 2 minutes.
I contemplated doing this as well once with one of my fave Brit shows, and I got so confused. Also, my eyes tire a heck of a lot more. Speaking of Robert Deniro, we are 1/2 way through The Irishman. Now I will check out all the mumbling guys in that show.
Ron:
I have to monitor SG. He often looks aways to play with and talk to the cats. I know he’s missed something important that he’s going to ask me about later, so I asked (pointedly): Did you catch that?!?
Thanks for the smile this morning. You get the absolutely best random photos of people. I try and do that too, but I am not as good as you. And Cockfosters? Wow…thanks for the second laugh of the day!
mcpersonalspace54:
There are so many funny place names in England… as there are in the USA (Blue Balls, Intercourse, Bird in Hand). I was once in Jeffrie’s Passage (a street in Guildford, England) and Wideopen (in Newcastle). I don’t know which I preferred, but Jeffrie’s Passage was a tight fit.
You are so funny! I love it.
Straights don’t have to understand, they just have to accept.
Kirk:
After decades of friendship, they have to understand a lot more than some do.
Cockfosters is just five stops away from us – there’s nothing there, least of all cock.
Speaking of which, I think I could have fallen face-first into Mr Ripped Jeans’ lap. With a coy “Oops!”, of course… Jx
Jon:
I wish I had your nerve… and Maddie’s.
If it’s any consolation, I can NEVER understand driver announcements on the tube. They’re usually played a minimal volume and against the background of rushing wind in the tunnels, it’s impossible to make them out. And I’ve lived here 12 years!
Very entertaining post today. Mr. Diesel would have had my attention too.
Did something specific prompt your observation about straight people not understanding what it’s like to be other than straight?
Oh, and speaking of Cockfosters, have you ever read David Leavitt’s book “While England Sleeps”? It’s a rather erotic gay novel from the ’90s and the main character is fixated on imagining Cockfosters and what’s out there at the end of the Piccadilly Line. I’m sure it’s supposed to be a metaphor for imagining an out gay life. When we first came to London I went to Cockfosters; it’s pretty boring, though there’s a nice big park that used to be Henry VIII’s hunting grounds.
Steve:
I’ll have to read “While England Sleeps” again. It’s been a long time. I did remember the connection with Henry VIII’s hunting ground.
Steve:
I’ll tell you whence the observation some time. Don’t want to be TOO public. The announcer voice was beautiful, but even when there was no background noise, I had a difficult time understanding her. Mansion was Munchen. Every time!
I wondered how a subway could go from Arsenal to Cockfosters so quickly… only in London, I suppose!
Tundra Bunny:
The London Tube is a wonder.
I don’t think most of us understand what it’s like to be different from ourselves. It’s all the more reason we should be open-minded, accepting, and loving towards others. Hell, for that matter I don’t understand MYSELF a lot of the time! I do know there’s enough 5th grader in me that I can still appreciate juvenile humor.
Kelly:
I was a late bloomer and I guess I’ll be juvenile for the rest of my life. I don’t understand my friends to understand me (I don’t even understand me) but I do expect them to have more sensitivity to issues that affect me. Not always but sometimes it really matters.
I’m childish and rebellious every day. The things I’d like to say at work! Woo! Bring on the vagina ice cream and alter the jock straps.
Love,
Janie
janiejunebug:
It’s a good thing I’m not working anymore.
I love how your mind works. FYI: We should never sit together at an assembly, in a church, or at a funeral.
Sassybear:
I disagree. We should always sit right next to each other!