Linguistics Stuff

a few non-linguistic things i do well

Cycling:  generally on an old Fondriest racer that has now made it across the seas several times – from Italy to Washington DC to London to Abu Dhabi to Sri Lanka.  Cycling around London was wonderful – plenty of green and an abundance of cycle-friendly paths and lanes.  Check out the London Cycling Campaign for more details.  The hills of Tuscany remain my favourite.

Gardening, needlework, cooking:  Back when I had a garden, the summer months involved trimming roses and staking tomatoes.  Nice break from bookish stuff.  In between semesters (but for some reason never during), I do a little cross-stitch, needlepoint, or knitting.  Usually this results in family members being overwhelmed with scarves and hats at Christmastime.  Cooking is an everyday experience.  Each meal is its own little project with a definite beginning and end.  A lot less data collection than required by a phonology paper, and you can eat the results.

The Times Crossword:  Actually, I did the Telegraph Crossword because that’s the paper my husband bought, and it’s easier (!) than the Times version.  When I lived in the middle east, my cryptic of preference was the one in the Gulf News. A pretty scary thing to stare at for hours and still wind up with a blank grid — that is, until you start thinking like those pesky setters (and even then, it’s pretty devilish).  For those of you who are wondering what I’m talking about – have a look at the London Times Cryptic Crossword page.  There’s a free demo for the brave.  If  you need help, this online cryptic crossword guide is a good place to start.  If you want to know the specifics of how to solve the Times demo, I put together a Cryptic Crossword Guide.