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Thursday 9 April 2009

Love and the boys

Eighteen degrees at 10am. Blue skies. One might even say it was hot in the garden this afternoon...

If you have read this post, or, indeed, this post, you'll know that this writer is a dualist at heart. I'm a real sucker for the black-or-white, the either-or, the if-not-then. Happily for me, in my rather chequered experience of men, I've found there are only two kinds. There are those who live life for the love of women and those who would always prefer an evening at the bar with the boys.

The other day for tea we entertained several guests, including two chaps who had both spent some time in Finland. They were happily swapping memories, when the subject of Finnish arose. Both, it seemed, had learned only one phrase in that most remote of languages. The first, recently and very sadly widowed, but still managing a twinkle for a pretty girl, declared in Finnish : "I love you" (I won't try to do it in Finnish, I don't trust Google Translate). The second put down his cup and chocolate cake, dredged his memory and, with a delighted smile came up with : "Two beers, please".

See what I mean?



8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I see exactly what you mean! But if you put the two together, does that really make for a well-rounded man? ;-)

Caution/Lisa said...

In Michigan, the one English phrase they first learn is, "Yes, I am a doctor." It works every single time.

. said...

Hi, this is slightly random but I found your site because of your language group.. I think its really cool that you set up that group because I love foreign langauges. I am trilingual so if you ever want to look at my site, it teaches french and has articles about the french-speaking world and traveling.

http://bonjourmisschica.blogspot.com/


p.s. omg i agree those are the 2 types of men lol

. said...

oh sorry, je viens de remarquer que vous parlez deja francais... cest geniale!...si jamais vous voulez communiquer en francais je suis la :)

Brenda said...

Ha! Thats great, there ARE two kinds of men!

russell Hall said...

"Man's love is of man's life a thing apart,
'T is woman's whole existence; man may range
The court, camp, church, the vessel, and the mart;
Sword, gown, gain, glory, offer in exchange
Pride, fame, ambition, to fill up his heart,
And few there are whom these cannot estrange;
Men have all these resources, we but one,
To love again, and be again undone."
On hoilday and thought I would have a gander at your current musing/muses(? o plural where art thou) this one caught my eye and amusement (once taught a whole lesson on the muse within amusement..) must go and pick up and ella and frank from tennis - 'perhaps we'll learn how to play this properly today Dad..'keep well!

Louise | Italy said...

@Russ :: great to hear from you! Is this Browning? My copy is stashed away somewhere in the East End (God I miss having my books around me, like I miss OLD FRIENDS) -- Or am I going senile and it's Stratford Wills...? How are the chicks?

russell Hall said...

Hey lou - it's old club foot himself - the don juan of words - chicks are good but one chick has a mean tendency and is upsetting the others - she may have to go if her pecky ways don't abate....age...discuss....why?!

Thursday 9 April 2009

Love and the boys

Eighteen degrees at 10am. Blue skies. One might even say it was hot in the garden this afternoon...

If you have read this post, or, indeed, this post, you'll know that this writer is a dualist at heart. I'm a real sucker for the black-or-white, the either-or, the if-not-then. Happily for me, in my rather chequered experience of men, I've found there are only two kinds. There are those who live life for the love of women and those who would always prefer an evening at the bar with the boys.

The other day for tea we entertained several guests, including two chaps who had both spent some time in Finland. They were happily swapping memories, when the subject of Finnish arose. Both, it seemed, had learned only one phrase in that most remote of languages. The first, recently and very sadly widowed, but still managing a twinkle for a pretty girl, declared in Finnish : "I love you" (I won't try to do it in Finnish, I don't trust Google Translate). The second put down his cup and chocolate cake, dredged his memory and, with a delighted smile came up with : "Two beers, please".

See what I mean?



8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I see exactly what you mean! But if you put the two together, does that really make for a well-rounded man? ;-)

Caution/Lisa said...

In Michigan, the one English phrase they first learn is, "Yes, I am a doctor." It works every single time.

. said...

Hi, this is slightly random but I found your site because of your language group.. I think its really cool that you set up that group because I love foreign langauges. I am trilingual so if you ever want to look at my site, it teaches french and has articles about the french-speaking world and traveling.

http://bonjourmisschica.blogspot.com/


p.s. omg i agree those are the 2 types of men lol

. said...

oh sorry, je viens de remarquer que vous parlez deja francais... cest geniale!...si jamais vous voulez communiquer en francais je suis la :)

Brenda said...

Ha! Thats great, there ARE two kinds of men!

russell Hall said...

"Man's love is of man's life a thing apart,
'T is woman's whole existence; man may range
The court, camp, church, the vessel, and the mart;
Sword, gown, gain, glory, offer in exchange
Pride, fame, ambition, to fill up his heart,
And few there are whom these cannot estrange;
Men have all these resources, we but one,
To love again, and be again undone."
On hoilday and thought I would have a gander at your current musing/muses(? o plural where art thou) this one caught my eye and amusement (once taught a whole lesson on the muse within amusement..) must go and pick up and ella and frank from tennis - 'perhaps we'll learn how to play this properly today Dad..'keep well!

Louise | Italy said...

@Russ :: great to hear from you! Is this Browning? My copy is stashed away somewhere in the East End (God I miss having my books around me, like I miss OLD FRIENDS) -- Or am I going senile and it's Stratford Wills...? How are the chicks?

russell Hall said...

Hey lou - it's old club foot himself - the don juan of words - chicks are good but one chick has a mean tendency and is upsetting the others - she may have to go if her pecky ways don't abate....age...discuss....why?!