golden
There are a few things I am starting to miss about the good ole U.S. of A. Top of the list this week: Chick-Fil-A.
(The list does not include people -- that's a whole different roster.)
Yes, I do miss me some Chick-Fil-A. Amazingly, KFC is the predominant fast food chain I see here, with Burger King a distant second. I actually went through my first McDonald's drive-through in Derry / Londonderry [amended 28 March] yesterday, but it was under extreme duress. Seriously.
However, there is a pretty substantial list of things I do not miss. Top two this week:
- The NCAA tourney. So nice not to have to pretend to care, or to feign interest in a bracket, or to hear about it incessantly.
- Loudmouths on cell phones. I was standing with about 10 others in the aptly named Tomb Street office of the Royal Mail this morning, trying to pick up a package, and I experienced that lovely sensation ... silence. No one was talking to each other, or to someone on a cell phone, or even to themselves. Such
behaviorbehaviour simply is not done, be it on the bus, in the airport lounge, on a queue. Americans, watch and learn.
its Derry not Londonderry!
Posted by: dub | 28 March 2008 at 17:43
You can see why one wag on the radio refers to it as Stroke City ... to save saying Derry/Londonderry
Posted by: Alan in Belfast | 28 March 2008 at 19:20
Augh! I am very circumspect when I speak to say Derry-slash-Londonderry (I forget that slash = stroke here). I completely forgot when I typed it. I have to agree with Dub: since the original name derived from the word doire, I do think of it as Derry. But I speak both options. Dub, I trust you were not the person who painted over the "London" portion of the name on all the road signs that I saw.
Apologies if I offended anyone.
m.
Posted by: mapgirl | 28 March 2008 at 22:13
You're famous now ... you've got a mention on Slugger.
http://sluggerotoole.com/index.php/weblog/comments/silence-in-the-ulster-air/
Bet you'll feel warmly welcomed to NI now!
Posted by: Alan in Belfast | 28 March 2008 at 22:31
No, it seems I have also thrown fuel on the "what comprises Ulster" fire. I plead ignorance.
m.
Posted by: mapgirl | 30 March 2008 at 23:11