January Filers at the CSC - How are you doing?

[BlakeandOlha 0]

We Brits are also accused of being too polite. Nay, I say, Americans are just rude.

But then you don't call a toilet a toilet. What is up with that?!

Aheeemmmmm - I think I've heard the word "loo" on occasion. Any bad habits we Americans have we learned from our colonial masters, of course. So blame the British and in the words of South Park's creators "Blame Canada" as well.

[aravis227 1]

We Brits are also accused of being too polite. Nay, I say, Americans are just rude.

Not ALL Americans are rude! ....just a lot of them. Dennis used to say to me "...you're not like most Americans" with this sort of incredulous tone. I have a friend who moved here from Argentina at like 20, he told me "I'm so glad you're not marrying an American...you're just not that kind of girl."

But then you don't call a toilet a toilet. What is up with that?!

Personally, I call it the "potty"...but I speak like a 5-year-old sometimes!

(yes...I call the whole room the potty or the potties if it's a public restroom)

Edited April 29, 2008 by aravis227

[WaitForever 0]

I also hate the "Well...you need to make sure that he isn't just marrying you to get a green card." He's from Canada...do they even measure visa fraud numbers for immigrants from Canada?

Damn Canadians, rushing the borders of the US to gain access... swiming rivers in the dead of winter (ok walking accross) just for the opportunity to live in freedom....taking jobs from Americans and working for below minimum wage!

I mean come on, the only thing you can criticize the average Canadian is for being too polite

If the US has all these wonderful free trade agreements with Canada - why doesn't it also have a fast track for Canadian fiances? I guess Canadians are good enough to work in the US but not good enough to marry Americans?? Either you're basically good or you aren't which one is it??

[aravis227 1]

I also hate the "Well...you need to make sure that he isn't just marrying you to get a green card." He's from Canada...do they even measure visa fraud numbers for immigrants from Canada?

Damn Canadians, rushing the borders of the US to gain access... swiming rivers in the dead of winter (ok walking accross) just for the opportunity to live in freedom....taking jobs from Americans and working for below minimum wage!

I mean come on, the only thing you can criticize the average Canadian is for being too polite

If the US has all these wonderful free trade agreements with Canada - why doesn't it also have a fast track for Canadian fiances? I guess Canadians are good enough to work in the US but not good enough to marry Americans?? Either you're basically good or you aren't which one is it??

Ohhh...I could get going on this one for so long! The US is pretty good at that "you're SORT OF ok thing" just look at the whole gay marriage issue "Well...you're good enough to hold a job and pay taxes...but you certainly can't get married. That would just be wrong!" Does that really make sense to people?

[BlakeandOlha 0]

I also hate the "Well...you need to make sure that he isn't just marrying you to get a green card." He's from Canada...do they even measure visa fraud numbers for immigrants from Canada?

Damn Canadians, rushing the borders of the US to gain access... swiming rivers in the dead of winter (ok walking accross) just for the opportunity to live in freedom....taking jobs from Americans and working for below minimum wage!

I mean come on, the only thing you can criticize the average Canadian is for being too polite

If the US has all these wonderful free trade agreements with Canada - why doesn't it also have a fast track for Canadian fiances? I guess Canadians are good enough to work in the US but not good enough to marry Americans?? Either you're basically good or you aren't which one is it??

We like Cubans better than Canadians, I guess. Perhaps that's because we don't have any free trade agreements with them

[Alex & Rachel 78]

No, because when you marry a Cuban you are 'liberating' the poor soul.

aravis - that's a very polite and diplomatic answer you give. And I agree with you on the gay marriage stance. Thank goodness Alex is male and not female...

Blake - actually, my mother calls the toilet the 'loo' and it drives me potty. (!) I think it's a really ugly word.

Also, whoops - I'd best head home. My boss thinks I'm doing overtime, and I'm not (don't worry - I won't claim any!). Peanut butter on bagel and fried turkey steak with vegetables for dinner, I think.

[BlakeandOlha 0]

Ohhh...I could get going on this one for so long! The US is pretty good at that "you're SORT OF ok thing" just look at the whole gay marriage issue "Well...you're good enough to hold a job and pay taxes...but you certainly can't get married. That would just be wrong!" Does that really make sense to people?

That's the problem with Democracies - every voice carries the same weight in the voting booth, like it or not. We could always go with the Dictatorship of the Proletariate approach where people are told what to think is right and wrong, but that didn't turn out so well either. I don't like the whole morality theme from the right or the left very much - I don't need someone who doesn't know me trying to tell me how I should think or feel. Although I do talk like a 5 year old sometimes I can occasionally decide for myself. For example: I want the chocolate cake not the vanilla one.

[BlakeandOlha 0]

Blake - actually, my mother calls the toilet the 'loo' and it drives me potty. (!) I think it's a really ugly word.

I think it's kinda cute Lunch time for me...

[Cecile and Bryan 0]

Blake - True, very true!

I HATE that!! I also hate the "Well...you need to make sure that he isn't just marrying you to get a green card." He's from Canada...do they even measure visa fraud numbers for immigrants from Canada?

Fortunately I've not had the green card line; but it would be equally idiotic to say that to a Brit, too. What do you usually say?!

As if the USA was the only good country in the world and everyone wanted to leave everything behind to go there... Bryan told me no-one ever made a 'green card' comment. I guess we're lucky so far

Blake - actually, my mother calls the toilet the 'loo' and it drives me potty. (!) I think it's a really ugly word.

so, what's the best way to call the toilet? I know that in the USA it's easy to avoid the problem and say "I need to use the bathroom" since it's always in the bathroom, but i've always wondered what the different ways to say it are...

[aravis227 1]

Blake - actually, my mother calls the toilet the 'loo' and it drives me potty. (!) I think it's a really ugly word.

so, what's the best way to call the toilet? I know that in the USA it's easy to avoid the problem and say "I need to use the bathroom" since it's always in the bathroom, but i've always wondered what the different ways to say it are...

Dennis and I have talked about this...he says that if there isn't a bathtub/shower in it, then it isn't a bathroom. Where I am it's almost exclusively called a bathroom, no matter what's in it. Sometimes people say "restroom", especially in public or a formal situation (don't ask me why "restroom" is supposedly less crass than "bathroom"). Pretty much anything will work. I keep telling Dennis to just use whatever word he's used to...people will figure it out and I think it's cute.

[BlakeandOlha 0]

Blake - True, very true!

I HATE that!! I also hate the "Well...you need to make sure that he isn't just marrying you to get a green card." He's from Canada...do they even measure visa fraud numbers for immigrants from Canada?

Fortunately I've not had the green card line; but it would be equally idiotic to say that to a Brit, too. What do you usually say?!

As if the USA was the only good country in the world and everyone wanted to leave everything behind to go there... Bryan told me no-one ever made a 'green card' comment. I guess we're lucky so far

Blake - actually, my mother calls the toilet the 'loo' and it drives me potty. (!) I think it's a really ugly word.

so, what's the best way to call the toilet? I know that in the USA it's easy to avoid the problem and say "I need to use the bathroom" since it's always in the bathroom, but i've always wondered what the different ways to say it are...

the words Can and Crapper come to mind, but those are rude and something guys usually say to each other. Other words are not repeatable in polite company.

[WaitForever 0]

We like Cubans better than Canadians, I guess. Perhaps that's because we don't have any free trade agreements with them

I think we like Cubans cause we would like them to leave Cuba. We probably don't feel the same about Canadians.

Blake - True, very true!

I HATE that!! I also hate the "Well...you need to make sure that he isn't just marrying you to get a green card." He's from Canada...do they even measure visa fraud numbers for immigrants from Canada?

Fortunately I've not had the green card line; but it would be equally idiotic to say that to a Brit, too. What do you usually say?!

As if the USA was the only good country in the world and everyone wanted to leave everything behind to go there... Bryan told me no-one ever made a 'green card' comment. I guess we're lucky so far

Blake - actually, my mother calls the toilet the 'loo' and it drives me potty. (!) I think it's a really ugly word.

so, what's the best way to call the toilet? I know that in the USA it's easy to avoid the problem and say "I need to use the bathroom" since it's always in the bathroom, but i've always wondered what the different ways to say it are...

the words Can and Crapper come to mind, but those are rude and something guys usually say to each other. Other words are not repeatable in polite company.

Mens Room - Ladies Room

[Cecile and Bryan 0]

the words Can and Crapper come to mind, but those are rude and something guys usually say to each other. Other words are not repeatable in polite company.

I think I will only use bathroom and restroom, and nothing else. that way it will be safe

[BlakeandOlha 0]

the words Can and Crapper come to mind, but those are rude and something guys usually say to each other. Other words are not repeatable in polite company.

I think I will only use bathroom and restroom, and nothing else. that way it will be safe

You can always use "John" or in your case "Jean" (As in "where is the jean") - might be good for a few laughs. Then, of course, you could always say "Donde esta el casa del pipi." I'm sure with the right accent that one will sound quite sophisticated.

Edited April 29, 2008 by BlakeandOlha

[aravis227 1]

the words Can and Crapper come to mind, but those are rude and something guys usually say to each other. Other words are not repeatable in polite company.

I think I will only use bathroom and restroom, and nothing else. that way it will be safe

You can always use "John" or in your case "Jean" (As in "where is the jean") - might be good for a few laughs. Then, of course, you could always say "Donde esta el casa del pipi." I'm sure with the right accent that one will sound quite sophisticated.

Ohhh...or you could always ask in several languages that you know they won't understand (make them up if necessary!) and then finally ask in English...they'll be so impressed by your vast knowledge that anything you say will sound sophisticated and intelligent.