Comments for internationalparkland

Comment on Disappointment by Deb Beach

Deb Beach — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 19:14:05 +0000

It’s now March 27 and spring is definitely here, or maybe it’s actually summer, hard to tell when it’s been a balmy 70-80 degrees for weeks now. i love the pictures you posted of winter and spring early showing, but aAs much as I too love watching the flowers peek there little buds from the dirt and the collection of leaves in my garden, I prefer the warmth of summer. I love the heat that goes along with the southerly breezes from the gulf and the rays of the sun that comes closer to the earth with each passing day. I’m a summer girl, although born in the cold of winter, January 11 to be exact. In my youth, I too loved bundling to go sledding or ice skating, but that was on the east coast in Maryland, where the winds didn’t blow at 40 mph, reducing the temps from 20 degree F to -20 degree F like it does in east central Illinois. I enjoyed the winters with my children, but I now prefer the summer weather with my grandsons. Weather that invites us to fly kites on the beach, swim in the pool, shoot hoops in the driveway, and to teaching them about the garden. I’m glad the weather has changed to summerish, but I’ll be happier when I know winter won’t show it’s frosty just one last time.

Comment on Now Playing… by Deb Beach

Deb Beach — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 16:19:22 +0000

To me there’s no better theatre experience than going to an older vintage movie theatre. Velvet cushioned chairs and velvet curtains, being surrounded by ornate architecture, infused with the smell of freshly popped corn, all of which makes the experience exciting, plush, rich, and comfortable. Today, just the sight of red velvet ropes in a museum will bring back memories of my childhood in Baltimore when our entire neighborhood of children were sent to the neighborhood movie theater (4 city blocks away) for an entire afternoon. It was common to take in a double or even triple feature, since in those days the cost of admission was about $1.00, regardless of how many films were featured. So each Saturday, around 11:00 a.m., we were sent on our way with 50 cents for drinks or candy and a paper grocery sack full of popcorn (in those days you could bring your own). After about 4 hours or of movie viewing and a belly full of popcorn, we would stroll home while debating which film was better than the other. Oh those were the days.

Comment on U-C or C-U? by internationalparkland

internationalparkland — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 17:15:38 +0000

That’s why I never move anywhere else, Zak. The pressure is too much. Thanks for reading, dear!

Comment on U-C or C-U? by zak

zak — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 16:43:21 +0000

I agree with you–Champaign-Urbana definitely takes the cake with this debate. In fact, if I may offer a linguistic perspective, I personally find the /sh/ sound in ‘Champaign’ much easier and more satisfying to pronounce than /ur/ in ‘Urbana’, especially at the beginning of a word. But as you point out, the reason why more people say ‘Champaign-Urbana’ might be a sociolinguistic one, a marker of belonging to the in-group of ‘townies’ vs. newbies, and based on a history that I’ve been totally oblivious to!
I had my run-in with learning the native lingo here in Chicago. At a nearby CVS, I asked for a ’7-day Transportation Pass’, but apparently that made me look really ridiculous and foreign, because I didn’t just ask for a ’7-day’. But now I know.
Loved your post, so full of information.