Trailer for "Crazy Heart"

For some sentimental reason, I'm really looking forward to this movie! I think it's the American West that does it, or maybe the music, or maybe the "last chance saloon" feel to this movie. Either way, it looks like a decent Christmas sit-down-and-cry and wake-up-felling-better winner. As they say in the movie, "one more try..."

Is it easier to become American than to become British?

This post was recently posted by Michelloui on the Mid-Atlantic English blog. A vision of where I'll be in 3 years?

I'll have lived in the States for 10 years then too!
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"In a recent post on She's Not From Yorkshire American yankeebean writes that her grandma is a British war bride who moved to the States after WWII and has lived there ever since. When yankeebean was planning a move to the UK, she asked her grandma how long it took her to feel American and her grandma replied, 'Ten years.' Yankeebean goes on to say she feels she is now at a place where she can accept that she is more comfortable doing the British thing when in Britain and more comfortable doing the American thing when in the States (I paraphrase).

I have reached the half and half mark--half of my life in the States and half of my life in the UK. I can completely relate to what yankeebean says about not fancying a cup of tea in the States but not craving the Starbucks coffee when in the UK. It's as if you have to be in a culture to enjoy that culture's artifacts, you can't replicate it elsewhere as it doesn't quite provide the same sense of satisfaction.

But back to yankeebean's grandma. I was surprised when I read what she said. I have long passed the 10 year mark and I still feel American. I have called this blog Mid-Atlantic English because I have adopted some of the accent and colloquialisms of Britain, as well as the world view, but I have not lost all of my American accent or certain habits that define me as American (stockings by the chimney not the end of the bed, fanatical pumpkin carving, a longing for a Williams-Sonoma shop to open near my house, an appreciation of Eudora Welty). In other words, I am somewhere in the middle, or Mid-Atlantic (original credit goes to my dad for first describing me as such). I don't feel I have become British, but I do feel I have made Britain my home.

Is it me, or is it just easier to 'become American'? Or was it easier at the time yankeebean's grandma moved? Or is this simply individual differences? I'm interested in what the rest of you lovely expats think about this!"

Follow Me...at your own risk!

Yes, click here to follow me at your own risk. The cartoon says it all! :-)

The Boat That Rocked, or is it Pirate Radio?

The Trailer for the new film by the gang that brought you Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill and Love, Actually. The film is called The Boat that Rocked in the UK and Pirate Radio in the US. Why exactly? Can the Brits not handle the idea of pirates? Do boats rock in the US at all? "Search me," as the Brits would say, and if you're reading this in the States, "Go Figure"!

Make Your Own Academic Sentence!

facebook Matt Fullerty 11:03am Nov 6th Make Your Own Academic Sentence To play the 'make your own academic sentence game', follow this link: http://www.facebook.com/p.php?i=712915945&k=35GUX256PT6G6BD1TCXYQVWTP6BAZZZGPTIX&oid=1114826124734 Choose any 4 words, and it will make your academic sentence. Funny...for academics!