la entrevista part I

I begged Kimberly to play the interview game with me, and now I've been a big slacker and haven't answered the questions.  Let's remedy that situtation right now, because we all know the best cure for boredom at work is blogging.

1. When you think or write in Spanish, are you thinking in Spanish, or translating in your head?

I am thinking in Spanish.  It takes a long time (usually) of study and practice to be able to do this, but is essential for any kind of fluency.  It is interesting because since the language is structured differently, your thought is therefore structured differently, and therefore you yourself often become different.  I have had more than one person tell me that I am different in Spanish than I am in English.  In some ways, I feel I can be more myself in Spanish, in other ways, I feel limited in my ability to express myself.  Of note:  when I'm really angry and frustrated at the kidlet, I usually scold him in Spanish.

2. Last June you wrote, "Interesting that a peacenik like me seems to click with the military boys. I have my theories about this, which I won't bore you with here." What are your theories about this?

Oh man, I have no idea exactly what I was thinking last June, but after mulling this over for the last week or so, I think it has something to do with the geek factor.  Now I know that not all military guys are geeks, but quite a few are, and these are the ones I get along with best.  By geek, I mean that they are passionate and knowledgeable about something to an extreme that most people might find odd.  Also, I find a man in uniform damn sexy, and I think that all the regulation and order that life in the military enforces on a man, make him really wont to break free in the bedroom.

3. You will be allowed to listen to only one musician or musical group for the next month. Who will it be, and why? Would the answer be different if the time frame were a year, or the rest of your life?

Lucinda Williams.  Because I can't get enough of "Are You Down", and because she has so much stuff that I haven't discovered yet, and would like to, and she fits my mood these days. 

OK, I know I haven't even finished this question, much less the whole interview, but I'm going to stop for now and get by butt back to work.  More soon.

Comments

[Kimberly]

Very interesting, especially your answer to #1! I'm looking forward to reading the other half... when you get to it. ;-)

[Superchuy]

I actually wasn't invited to participate in this interview, but question #1 applies, so I'll butt in :)

I learned Spanish as my first language and we were forced to speak it at home (much to our protestations!). I am thankful for it now, in some ways I've retained a lot of the fluency, in other ways there is a lot I've forgotten. I do believe that there is a "different" way of of thinking in another language, it's not just a direct translation from English. I also find that as I become more immersed in it (when visiting family mostly) I start to "think" more and more in Spanish.

As far as the remainder of the interview questions - hmmm, not sure they quite apply :)