In a sequel to last week’s post, I’m back to answer your questions! Let’s use this as an opportunity to explore some new English vocabulary, too!

 

 

Do you have any questions for me? Ask me anything!
Tweet me your questions or reply here in the comments.

 

1. Can you drive stick?

 

No, I can’t drive stick, and I intend to keep it that way!

 

In general, I’m not averse to learning new skills. However, I have a particular reason for not wanting to learn how to drive stick.

 

When I fantasize about being an heiress or an English teaching mogul (…I’m not holding my breath!), the one luxury I dream of more than any other is having a chauffeur. I despise the act of driving. And although I’ve resigned myself to the fact that driving is a necessary evil in my day-to-day life, I manage to escape that hellish chore when we travel.

 

You see, as much as I hate driving, my husband Adrian loves it. His current car is an automatic, and he talks wistfully about the manual transmissions he drove in the past. He talks about driving stick as if it were a dance, a tango between him and an old lover, a give and take, a oneness with the car. I’m thrilled with this attitude of his because every time we rent a car on vacation, he opts for a stick shift. And since I don’t know how to drive stick, I’m absolved of any responsibility to help drive during the trip.

 

For a handful of days out of the year, my ineptitude grants me the one luxury I crave more than any other: a chauffeur!

 

…A chauffeur with marvelous side benefits.

 

 

 

 

 

2. Why teaching?

 

I actually fell into teaching by accident. I’d heard it was a good way to build up credentials as a translator, and I thought I’d give it a go while I worked on improving my foreign language skills. The long-term goal was always to be a translator, never to be a teacher.

 

As luck would have it, I fell in love with teaching almost immediately. I loved the challenge of coming up with games for the classroom. I loved looking at my own native language analytically. And I absolutely loved my students. So, here I am!

 

 

 

3. Sushi? Pizza? Both?

 

Sushi!

 

After a platter of sushi, I look like the cat that ate the canary. My favorite type of sushi is mackerel nigiri. I practically moan in pleasure when one of those fishy slabs hits my tongue. I’m also partial to red snapper, but it’s a distant second to my beloved mackerel.

 

This isn’t to say that I don’t also love pizza, though! I’ve been known to be very piggish indeed where pizza is concerned!

 

 

 

4. Are you into procrastination?

 

My dear, I’m going to direct you to that old saying: “Ask me no questions, and I’ll tell you no lies.” ;o)

 

 

 

5. British or American English?

 

I speak and teach American English, so this goes against interest, but I can’t help it. My heart palpitates every time I hear a British accent! I nigh on have to reach for my smelling salts! It’s not uncommon for Americans to swoon over British accents, and I’m no exception.

 

That said, I love the idioms that North America has contributed to this magnificent language. One of the things I love about Adrian is how colorful his speech is. Without thinking about it, he uses seven or eight idioms in every conversation. Here are a just a few of the idioms that North America has given the English language: