I feel like supermarkets used to have "ethnic foods" aisles which are now labeled "international foods" instead.

I do wonder at this point what non-ethinic food is: hamburger? chciken fingers? sandwiches? anything else?

Any American regional food - chili, barbeque, po' boys, California cuisine, lobster rolls, clam chowder, etc etc etc.

[eta: Assuming, of course, that we're speaking from an American POV. If I were from the UK, those would all be ethnic/international food.]

Taco Bell Dorito taco. (Which I totally want to try.)

I have tried it and declare it pretty delicious. You know, if you like Doritos and Taco Bell tacos, as I do.

I think of "ethnic food" as "food associated with a specific culture." Without the ethnic label, we're stuck with "not American food," which has its own problems, since many Americans also enjoy the food of their ancestors from other countries. Although if ethnic food" is "food associated with a specific culture," what are grits?

"I thought it was OK, but you can probably relate to it more than I can, since you're from an ethnic family."

This, on the other hand, is racist.

putting them all under one label kind of makes it seem like that "not from here" quality is what defines them.

But isn't this how people do think about food? The food you grew up eating is in one category, and food from other countries with unfamiliar ingredients are in another. It's similar to language - French and Chinese have nothing in common linguistically, but if neither is your native tongue they're both going to get filed in the same part of your brain under "other languages."

Ahhhhhhhhggggrrrrrrrr! The pump on our well seems to be going out. How do you pick a pump service? Randomly on the internet?Picking one from the phonebook?

Angie's List? Maybe a neighbor has a recommendation? My most recent experience with finding someone to work on well pumps was that the owners of the well found a dog whose owner turned out to have a pump supply and maintenance business. So that's an option, I guess.

I have nothing to add except that I will not pay 30 EU for an umbrella, I don't care if it is spanish. (I'm hoping I read the tag wrong, but there were 4 digits, and it WAS at El Corte Ingles.) Going to scope out some cheapass places now. Rain is predicted the next few days, not constant, but I'll likely want one. Or get wet.

Meeting end was anticlimactic. We did get complete group shot I am anxious to see. Everyone just sort of wanders off. Big football game tonight (Madrid vs Bayern.) Things might get a little wild around here.

OK, siesta hours are almost over, shops should be opening back up. And I'm gonna go visit the inside of Temple de Debod [link] after 18:00.

Most days I feel like I'm constantly running out of time for... well, everything.

So much this. I'm going to be on an airplane for Dallas in less than 48 hours, and I'm behind on everything non-essential at work and my house is a mess and I haven't even thought about doing laundry, let alone packing, and and and

I'm going to be on an airplane for Dallas in less than 48 hours

!!~!!!!!!

checking email. sorry.

!!~!!!!!!

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