Meetup.Com Victories!!

So I am trying this new website -- new to ME! -- called Meetup.com. The concept for this site is GREAT!


In the past 2 weeks that i've been a member, i've joined over 12 social/interest groups -- all of which have scheduled events in the near future called "meet-ups". Amazing! gathering people for the sake of gathering!!


Some groups are centered on a cause-- volunteering, finishing a book, or swapping pet sitting services, but some others are centered on sheer anatomy--- Female groups, Male groups, etc. No "real" purpose other than fellowship & camaraderie! AMEN to that! I love the "purposeless" feel to groups like these-- people just wanting to meet people, with general disregard as to whether or not we share interests. -- Dont get me wrong, i love to meet up with other people who enjoy the theater, dance, and languages, as much as I do. And Lord knows I love "meeting up" with fellow Christians for fellowship & relationship building or groups from other religious backgrounds for discussions and studying, BUT it is the groups that are centered are mere humanity that I find the most interesting! Getting along with people, introducing yourself to people, crossing paths with people that you otherwise might not have seen or spoken with.


Lets just "meet-up" because we can!!


And for all of us involved on meet-up-- please find me  or the groups that I am in because I am constantly suggesting new "meet-ups" for people to come together-- for a run, for a bite to eat, for a free/cheap event (which I am the queen of finding!).




For example --
Cambridge Dance Complex Open House-- FREE classes from 1-5pm -- EVERY type of dance. I will be there and please let me know if you will too!! We can walk in together, dance together and laugh together!! :)
Check out their link here.

Religious?

A while ago, I was blogging about Language appropriateness and happened to fall into a very interesting topic!! 
So, if you've read my other postings or actually know me, I am a Christian- a Believer in the Gospel! 


And as I've said before, people often ask me "Are you Religious?" and I always answer in the negative, because indeed, I am not. And if you are a Believer and agree with what is written below- I believe that you will find that you are not religious either!

Religious vs non-Religious
(And I cannot take credit for all of this- this information was sparked by a discussion with another friend. )

Christianity is rooted in the Gospel. The world’s other religions (or more collectively, “religion”) are/is not. The difference has colossal implications. Consider this:

Religion says God will love us if we obey him. The Gospel says God has always loved us and continues to love us despite our disobedience.

Religion tells us that both “good” people and “bad” people exist. The Gospel tells us that we are all “bad” people who are judged to be either righteous or unrighteous.

Religion insists we can determine what is moral and good. The Gospel insists we should trust in Jesus Christ, the only man to live a truly moral and good life.

Religion tells us why God will give us material things. The Gospel tells us God has freely blessed us with grace and providence.

Religion reveals what we should do. The Gospel reveals what God has done.

Religion explains how man can reach up to God. The Gospel explains how God reached down to us.

Religion teaches man how to please God enough to obtain happiness and salvation. The Gospel teaches us that Jesus is & will always be enough.

Religion talks about the struggle to win the battle of life. The Gospel talks about the joy of knowing that the battle for life has already been fought and won by Christ, despite what situations appear to be on a day to day basis.  

Being Religious refers to the traditions & rules upheld, but when you are in LOVE, there are no rules. You do things out of love-- just like in a romantic relationship or marriage, you are not forced to refrain from or to actually do anything -- your actions are led by passion & driven by desire (at least they should be!!!).   

What language is appropriate for this situation?

While talking to my husband one morning, we began to disagree over which word made more sense to use in a particular sentence—silly as it may be! It actually turned into a heated argument, which resulted in my storming into my office building as he sped away in our car.

So over the course of the morning, I really evaluated the situation – what in the world was the argument really about? Why was this word so important and why did it carry so much weight? In fact, why does any word carry weight at all? 

And thus began my random thought process.... which always leads back to my passion in life- Christ. What words carry more weight for Christians than other peoples? What words carry more weight within the Christian realm? What is implied in a word to make it so heavy? Or just the opposite, what implications are missing within words to make them indifferent or ineffective in a situation?
I don't know the answer to any of these!! Butt my mind just works this way... 

For example:  People often ask "Are you religious?" Some time ago, I would have probably responded: "Yes, Christian" but now that I've grown in my faith, I would most definitely answer "No", since in fact, I don't consider myself religious at all.The term "Religious" has a different connotation to me now- because I've grown and now it has a weight to it. I believe that the weight of the term "Religious" would push me into a box bound by rules, traditions, and opinions. I don't live my life in that box. I live my life in a world where Relationships are key-- Relationships with and through Christ. Oh man! This is turning into a whole other post (more to come on that later!!).


Back to the general appropriateness of language.... 

To most of the people I know, if someone is from Puerto Rico, then he is Spanish or if he is from Mexico, he is also Spanish or Guatemala, he is also Spanish. But to that person, he is not Spanish, he is Latino, or he is Chicano or he is Central American & indeed, Spanish is the native language BUT it is not his ethnic background. So calling him "Spanish" is an inappropriate use of the term. 


Also for most people that I know, when speaking about children (I work in the non-profit realm so this happens often), if the child has a single parent at home, it is looked at as a disadvantage for both the child and the mother. As if being a "Single Mom" is something that is pitied or frowned upon, but, on the contrary, to most of the "Single Moms" that I know, it has been their choice to be single despite motherhood. So is it really something to be pitied or looked down upon? What kind of weight does the term "Single Mother" carry? And why is that?


I want to know from you guys out there, because my mind can't seem to grasp all of it. 

Some other topics of interest: 
What words mean more to you than anything in the world? 
What words are forbidden in your family or household? 
What words are offensive in your culture or group of friends?
Why are some females comfortable being called a "B*%&#"? And others aren't?
Why is it better to be a "Thug" than  "Snitch"?  
Is there a difference between being "dumb" and being an "idiot" ? 

  

Love to Save Money? DISCOUNT!

So for those of you who dont know, I am the discount QUEEN! I buy NOTHING for full price-- coupons, sales, rebates, etc. You name it-- I do it!

I rack up points with Coke Caps, earn Miles for Airtran, clip coupons with Coupon.com, and everything else under the sun. So, naturally, I love to share with you guys as well. And when my friends share something with me, I will ALWAYS pass it on  -- So see below:


Goldstar: Check out this site my bestie found called Goldstar. They have half-price tickets and member reviews of concerts, sports, theater and more.
I'm already a member! https://www.goldstar.com/join?p=F2125492RB

Frugal Chick - Equipped with Coupon Previews for groceries & more

SmartSource - Groceries, household items, etc

Yuupon - Crazy travel deals, vacation Packages, Similar to Groupon or Living Social Adventures but only periodic emails instead of daily deals. Also, the deal doesnt expire within 24 hours, its usually with 3-4 days or so.

Birthday Freebies- Every year around/on your birthday, eat, drink & play for free using this list! 

Welcome to my Home! Take off your shoes, sit back, and relax...

Sooo I've done the unthinkable and opened up Pandora's Box. I've started a Blog!!
I don't necessarily want to always write about foreign languages- as my Title would suggest-- but it is a large part of who I am, so I guess its fitting !!


And well, Welcome to entry numero uno.


And yes as everyone knows, I am a big-time, self-proclaimed, well-rounded NERD. And most of all, I love languages- all types, all origins, shapes, sizes and colors. My love stems from my curiosity to understand people-- and since the very basic fundamentals that spark the comprehension of an individual (and then therefore a culture) is to communicate with that person -- language knowledge seems to be the understood necessity in this situation! 


I've dabbled in French, Italian, Portuguese, ASL, Vietnamese, Russian, and Bulgarian. And i enjoy some more than others but appreciate all of them for their own particular beauty, etc. I find that I need to continuously practice them to retain them well enough for conversations. It's hard to find people who are willing to practice with me, but I think things are looking up now that I've moved back to Boston! (And btw, if you're into languages and you're in the area, let me know so we can MIRL!)


When I first decided to write this blog, I was discussing the topic with people and fascinating ideas came into play ....
Languages-- what does that word mean to you?? 
Romance Languages, Slavic Languages, Asiatic Languages?
or 
Love Languages, Body Languages, and Implied communication?
Dialects, accents, and twangs? 
Speaking in Tongues? Communicating in Code? 
The Language of Music and the arts? Sign Language? 


Which face of music do you relate to the most? Use the most? Believe in the most?
What does the word "Language" mean to you ?? 


It has so many different facets, interpretations, and meanings buried deep inside. I remember the first time that I started looking at languages more than just "Hi" vs "Hola" vs "Bonjour". My teacher was referencing languages as vernaculars. She referred to the "African American Vernacular" vs the "Caucasian Vernacular" and she said that they were/are different languages. The ignorant me was immediately taken aback and completely offended-- since it seemed that she was dividing language according to color, but then as she continue with her detailed explanation and analysis,  I came to FULLY agree with her. That intrigued me even more.  


That is when I knew that I wanted to study Language.  Not one language in particular but Language in general. I wanted to identify which Vernaculars could I be fluent in or have knowledge of... Where do languages begin & where/how do they end? How can one develop and change according to the needs of speakers?


(Read some views on African American Vernacular here!)