Pond Hopper

As a part of my web design training, Pond-Hopper.com is going to go through a bit of a re-vamping. As a party of this, there will be a couple of things added to the expat section like a US to UK English translation guide (just for fun) and a general information section for Americans living in the UK ie- finding your comforts from home (like mastering cooking in the UK and making the most of the TV guide so you don't miss any of your favorite American TV shows). I'd like to expand the expats section to eventually be a resource for Americans moving to or living in the UK, so if you're a fellow expat and have an idea of some things to include please let me know - I'd love to hear from you. Also, please keep in mind that these changes will be very slow moving as I'll be doing it in my free time or as I move into new material in my web training.

I'm listening to my radio station from back home (as I do in the morning before either starting my work for the day or going to the gym). Jessie's Girl by Rick Springfield just came on and I instantly blasted it (I know that makes me a geek, but I never claimed to be cool). Now that's a song I KNOW I wouldn't hear on BBC Radio One and that's why I keep coming back to this station. I hear this song and it makes me think of any number of things - dancing and singing into my hairbrush as a child, laughing with my first love as we admitted to each other we both loved it and singing along with my friends as it played at my favorite bar when I got older... It's a song that is just a part of my life's history and has to be played loud :-) Music can invoke feelings that nothing else can. It can actually transport you back in time to a place that was long forgotten before you heard that song. It can give you happy memories that can actually make you laugh out lo...

I'm listening to my radio station from back home (as I do in the morning before either starting my work for the day or going to the gym). Jessie's Girl by Rick Springfield just came on and I instantly blasted it (I know that makes me a geek, but I never claimed to be cool). Now that's a song I KNOW I wouldn't hear on BBC Radio One and that's why I keep coming back to this station. I hear this song and it makes me think of any number of things - dancing and singing into my hairbrush as a child, laughing with my first love as we admitted to each other we both loved it and singing along with my friends as it played at my favorite bar when I got older... It's a song that is just a part of my life's history and has to be played loud :-) Music can invoke feelings that nothing else can. It can actually transport you back in time to a place that was long forgotten before you heard that song. It can give you happy memories that can actually make you laugh out lo...

It's been a hot September. I don't remember the summer lasting this long last year. It's supposed to go up to 80 degrees (27 celcius) today. It's hot already and again, I'm wishing I had air conditioning. I laugh to myself every time I have to move the fan over by my desk just to try to stay cool while sitting here (as if I've moved to some antiquated country). Unfortunately, the fan doesn't help much in the rest of the house. I've learned to do my laundry early in the day (that damn machine lets off a lot of heat), take cool showers and to cook later in the day (although that kitchen is always like a sauna). Wayne built a contraption using some copper wire along the top of the fence in the back yard that's supposed to keep the cats from being able to get over it (Luka learned how to a few weeks ago) so I can keep the door open during the day and open some windows. His contraption was unsuccessful because earlier this week, I had to watch with...

It's been a hot September. I don't remember the summer lasting this long last year. It's supposed to go up to 80 degrees (27 celcius) today. It's hot already and again, I'm wishing I had air conditioning. I laugh to myself every time I have to move the fan over by my desk just to try to stay cool while sitting here (as if I've moved to some antiquated country). Unfortunately, the fan doesn't help much in the rest of the house. I've learned to do my laundry early in the day (that damn machine lets off a lot of heat), take cool showers and to cook later in the day (although that kitchen is always like a sauna). Wayne built a contraption using some copper wire along the top of the fence in the back yard that's supposed to keep the cats from being able to get over it (Luka learned how to a few weeks ago) so I can keep the door open during the day and open some windows. His contraption was unsuccessful because earlier this week, I had to watch with...

I had an argument with my brother yesterday. I called to say hi and ended up getting an angry lecture on how much I've disappointed the family by moving to England. He said I 'fucked' the family by leaving. The only thing he repressed was how wrong I was for marrying a British man apposed to someone American (which he alluded to). He ended up hanging up on me. It was an unprovoked attack brought on by my saying no to his suggestion of going back to visit without my husband (anyone who knows me knows that a visit without Wayne would be like throwing myself to the wolves without any protection). I've been quietly sick to my stomach since he hung up. I have so much I can say about it and how horribly disappointed I am by my family since I left and how let down I've always been by them. I know they all share in his sentiment - he's just the only one who has said it out loud (although my mother has come close). The thing is that he acts as if they have always...

I know I've been quiet for a while, so I thought I'd give you some interesting reading... I found out the other day that there is a rumor about me & Wayne