THINKING ALOUD, WITH A SHEEP IN THE ROOM

Tomorrow would be a porkchop day, except that the folks at my preferred chachanteng have taken a month's vacation, and will not re-open till two weeks hence. So I do not know what I will do. Perhaps jook or fried noodles.
A cup of Hong Kong milk tea is definite. Might just go to the place with the elderly Toishanese and have salt fish and chicken fried rice.

I note, by the way, that all of my favourite eating places are within very easy walking distance of the Chinese Hospital (東華醫院 'tung waa yi yuen'), where I receive medical treatment: I chose them as my primary care providers when I signed up for healthcare because I figured if any one had experience dealing with stubborn coots of a certain age (*), who sometimes use languages other than English, and have a hard time accepting advice, or are going to be a bit neurotic about stuff, lord knows they would.

["stubborn coots of a certain age". That does NOT mean 'elderly geezers' or 'antiquated old fossils'!]

Usually I think in English. Often, especially when I'm thinking something peculiar, it will be in Dutch. Just in case someone's listening in.

Sometimes it will be in another language entirely.

In case they understand Dutch.



When people say that they can't hear themselves think, it may mean that they mutter to themselves while deep in concentration. Not everyone vocalizing randomly in public is insane or talking into a cell-phone.


"Ach, dat arm ding, wat akelig grote borsten! Zij zou echt niet in die hoge hakken moeten rondzwalken!"

['Oh, that poor thing, such unpleasantly large boozums! She really shouldn't swagger about in those high heels!']


Mental remarks about someone else's appearance or physical burdens are better expressed in other tongues. Precautionarily.

Monetary math in the mind ("let's see, I spent nearly ten dollars on coffee, three and pennies at the vegetable store, and a buck and a quarter on dried shrimp, so I have sixty eight dollars left in my wallet, and three quarters extra in my pocket ..... ") is also best done in Dutch.

"Eens even nagaan, bijna tien daalders aan koffie, drie en enkele centen bij de groenteboer, en een en 'n kwartje aan ebi, dus ik heb nog acht en zestig dollaren in mijn portemonee, en drie extra kwartjes in mijn zak ..... "

Blog posts are rather like that, except that these are in the common tongue. Rather than talking to oneself while on the street.

Anything the stuffed animals could use against me should never be said in English in any case. They have keen ears.

Free association? Best not aloud.




No one deserves Stolichnaya! And no, Snidely, I will not protect you from the angry arachnid.

Carrot cake is NOT healthy. Even if it's made out of vegetables.

I will absent myself if it is served.





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