Shopping in the Fast Lane

Sometimes I need to take a break from Rosetta and bury myself in a good book - like my Idiot Spanish - to figure out where Rosetta is taking me on this Spanish adventure. That's one of her downfalls; she goes at such a fast clip, teaching me things in context with multiple choices to choose, that I get duped into thinking I KNOW the stuff - only to realize later, "I have no idea what just happened!" Like when you're driving along in your car, singing away, and a semi comes veering across your path and you instinctively veer away, run into a ditch and spill your café on your pantalones. What just happened?



The written words in Idiot Spanish reinforce what I learn. I need to visualize/stare at words sometimes before they really sink in. Rosetta doesn't give you much stare time. Then again, Rosetta makes learning more digestible than learning chapters of foreign grammar - yuck!



Yesterday we went over different kinds of clothing: el abrigo (overcoat/jacket), los zapatos (shoes), los pantelones (pants), una falda (skirt). I never before realized that a sombrero was the word for all different types of hats - not just the big floppy ones that Mexicans wear during their siestas. Who would know? La ropa (clothing) doesn't show up until page 190 in Idiot Spanish, so really I am way ahead of the game. And although Rosetta goes quickly, you can get off the bus at any time, catch your breath and look over the map before you jump on again.



The dancing practices for the Our Lady of Guadalupe Feast Day start next week. My friend Ann says there will be 16 dances to learn, and we're the only two gringos among a group of seasoned Hispanic dancers! OMG! What have I gotten myself into? It's beginning to turn into one of those I Love Lucy episodes where Lucy and Ethel find themselves performing in disguise in order to meet a famous movie star, like William Holden or Cary Grant. I'm convinced something good will come of this; but there's just no telling what capers we'll get ourselves into along the way.