Today at work I was looking for a movable clock online to assist with language learning. And I found a great one. Teachers can use this to ask several different times, with the students giving the answer in the target language.
But I found something else on this site: geography games. Intrigued, I tried one out. It was a good thing I remembered I was at work and pulled myself away after only a minute or two. These games are seriously addicting. And don't be fooled by the name of the website; even though it is called funnylearn.com, these map games are not just for kids. I told my roommate about it tonight and she couldn't pull herself away for more than 20 minutes, even though she was in the middle of doing homework.
So here they are: a world map, Europe, Africa, Asia, North/South America, and several others.
Enjoy. But don't blame me if you get addicted!
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Thursday, March 24, 2011
What Defines a "Really Nice Hotel"
A couple of weeks ago a graduate school flew me out to see if I would make the cut. Actually, they were making me an offer, which was great because it meant everything was free for me. I had really nice meals, I met a lot of really great professors and graduate students, and I stayed in a really nice hotel.
Now, I don't know if I can really be the judge of what a really nice hotel in America is, because after living in several foreign countries my idea of a nice hotel is a place with no hair on the sheets and no cockroaches in the bathroom. After all, this past summer I stayed in a Motel 8 in New Mexico, and I thought it was a really nice hotel (no hair on the sheets! No bugs in the bathroom!).
But I came up with some qualifications, after staying in this hotel, for what defines a really nice hotel.
1. They fold the end of the toilet paper and put a sticker on it. This was one of the first signs to me that this was a really nice hotel. Stickers on the toilet paper?
2. They arrange the Kleenexes in the box before you arrive. And, everything possible in the hotel is made out of 100% environmentally friendly materials, for those people who are green conscious.
3. They not only arrange the kleenexes, but they also arrange the hand towels in a fan formation. Actually, any formation would count here, except that time in Egypt when we had to change rooms because our (my roommate and I) bathroom had a cockroach infestation, and to make up for it the cleaning people at the hotel welcomed us to our new room by folding our bath towels (the big ones, not the hand towels) into swan shapes and setting them on our beds. Sorry, hotel, that was not enough to give you the label of "really nice hotel" because you violated the cockroach rule.
4. Intricate decorations on the wall made out of mother-of-pearl like substances also indicate that this could be a really nice hotel (As do two colors of pillowcases, which was unfortunately cut out of this picture).
5. Have you ever seen desk space like this in a hotel? I practically had my own office in my hotel room. And look at that sweet tv! Definitely indicative of a really nice hotel.
6. The way the room looks definitely matters. This one looked pretty nice to me!
7. The rounded shower curtain rod actually extends beyond the edge of the tub, creating a classy and elegant feel (unlike some hotels I have been in!)
8. The hotel room comes with bathrobes. Not that I used them, because I think that's weird and a little gross, but still. Bathrobes present=nice hotel.
9. Every night they have a "turndown service," where they place Lindt truffels on the bed. Chocolates, especially Lindt truffels, are one of the top indicators of a nice hotel.
10. The "evening turndown" includes a card with the weather for the next day.
The city was pretty nice too. Nice view, nice city, nice university.
What do you think defines a "really nice hotel"?
Now, I don't know if I can really be the judge of what a really nice hotel in America is, because after living in several foreign countries my idea of a nice hotel is a place with no hair on the sheets and no cockroaches in the bathroom. After all, this past summer I stayed in a Motel 8 in New Mexico, and I thought it was a really nice hotel (no hair on the sheets! No bugs in the bathroom!).
But I came up with some qualifications, after staying in this hotel, for what defines a really nice hotel.
1. They fold the end of the toilet paper and put a sticker on it. This was one of the first signs to me that this was a really nice hotel. Stickers on the toilet paper?
2. They arrange the Kleenexes in the box before you arrive. And, everything possible in the hotel is made out of 100% environmentally friendly materials, for those people who are green conscious.
4. Intricate decorations on the wall made out of mother-of-pearl like substances also indicate that this could be a really nice hotel (As do two colors of pillowcases, which was unfortunately cut out of this picture).
5. Have you ever seen desk space like this in a hotel? I practically had my own office in my hotel room. And look at that sweet tv! Definitely indicative of a really nice hotel.
6. The way the room looks definitely matters. This one looked pretty nice to me!
7. The rounded shower curtain rod actually extends beyond the edge of the tub, creating a classy and elegant feel (unlike some hotels I have been in!)
8. The hotel room comes with bathrobes. Not that I used them, because I think that's weird and a little gross, but still. Bathrobes present=nice hotel.
9. Every night they have a "turndown service," where they place Lindt truffels on the bed. Chocolates, especially Lindt truffels, are one of the top indicators of a nice hotel.
10. The "evening turndown" includes a card with the weather for the next day.
The city was pretty nice too. Nice view, nice city, nice university.
What do you think defines a "really nice hotel"?
Friday, March 18, 2011
New Blog Address
Dear all, I have decided to change my blog address. I needed an ego boost, and now my new address has my name in it: breannewhite.blogspot.com. It provided a much-needed shot of self-esteem to the system. (Plus, who wants to type in a weird spelling of a song off of Wicked to get to my blog, anyway?)
I love change and that blog address was several years old. It was time for something new.
I have made it so that my old defyingraviti blogspot will automatically redirect to this address, so you can still type in my old address. I just thought it would be helpful for all of you to know.
Change is good. Especially when it involves my name in a website address. :)
I love change and that blog address was several years old. It was time for something new.
I have made it so that my old defyingraviti blogspot will automatically redirect to this address, so you can still type in my old address. I just thought it would be helpful for all of you to know.
Change is good. Especially when it involves my name in a website address. :)
Thursday, March 17, 2011
A Broken Toe?
This is quite possibly the lamest story you will ever read about a "broken" toe, but hey, lame is what I live for!
Anyway, this past week I was out in Ohio visiting a graduate school. Details about the rest of the trip to follow. I just happened to be staying in an extremely nice hotel, and I also happened to have a serious sinus infection that kept me up for much of the night (this was much to my chagrin, as I had to get up at 4:30 am Utah time--I was 2 hours ahead). On one of these excursions to the bathroom to clear my nasal passages so I could breathe (the bathroom was just in my room, but it was a really big room. Nice hotel = big room), I kicked my shoe that I had so carefully placed right next to my bed so as not to kick it in the morning.
Nice try, but it didn't work.
As soon as I kicked it my toe started screaming in agony. Somehow, only my ring-finger toe (what are those toes called, anyway?) had taken the full brunt of the shoe attack, and I could barely walk. If my sinus infection wasn't enough, the pain in my toe made it so I could hardly sleep at all.
The next day I tried not to limp, because I was trying to impress the people at the graduate school, and I thought it would be a little awkward if they asked why I was limping and I said, "I kicked my shoe last night." Yeah. It would make me sound weak. And so I bit my lip and suffered with the pain.
At lunch time, however, I knew that something would have to change. I got a band-aid so I could tape my toe to the one next to it, so it wouldn't move, and took off my shoe. This is what I saw:
Yep. You can bet I gasped in surprise. The natural crookedness of my toe only added to the drama. Thankfully, my limping was validated. I really thought it was broken.
However, after several days of walking on it, the bruising went down and now, a week and a half later, it is only a little sore.
So I don't think it was broken. Maybe I broke open a few blood vessels, but hey, I've done that several times in my life!
Anyway, this past week I was out in Ohio visiting a graduate school. Details about the rest of the trip to follow. I just happened to be staying in an extremely nice hotel, and I also happened to have a serious sinus infection that kept me up for much of the night (this was much to my chagrin, as I had to get up at 4:30 am Utah time--I was 2 hours ahead). On one of these excursions to the bathroom to clear my nasal passages so I could breathe (the bathroom was just in my room, but it was a really big room. Nice hotel = big room), I kicked my shoe that I had so carefully placed right next to my bed so as not to kick it in the morning.
Nice try, but it didn't work.
As soon as I kicked it my toe started screaming in agony. Somehow, only my ring-finger toe (what are those toes called, anyway?) had taken the full brunt of the shoe attack, and I could barely walk. If my sinus infection wasn't enough, the pain in my toe made it so I could hardly sleep at all.
The next day I tried not to limp, because I was trying to impress the people at the graduate school, and I thought it would be a little awkward if they asked why I was limping and I said, "I kicked my shoe last night." Yeah. It would make me sound weak. And so I bit my lip and suffered with the pain.
At lunch time, however, I knew that something would have to change. I got a band-aid so I could tape my toe to the one next to it, so it wouldn't move, and took off my shoe. This is what I saw:
Yep. You can bet I gasped in surprise. The natural crookedness of my toe only added to the drama. Thankfully, my limping was validated. I really thought it was broken.
However, after several days of walking on it, the bruising went down and now, a week and a half later, it is only a little sore.
So I don't think it was broken. Maybe I broke open a few blood vessels, but hey, I've done that several times in my life!
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Quick Update
Details about my recent (meaning: I am still on it) trip to come. For now:
I think I could really get used to being treated like a VIP. I love not having to buy my meals. :)
I'm pretty sure I broke my toe.
Sinus infection + really bad razor burn on my right leg + broken toe = not-so-great nights' sleep (especially when I have to get up at 4 am).
I realized I hate it when people interview you and they say, "Do you have any questions?" and that is the whole interview.
I love free wireless in airports and hotels.
I think I could really get used to being treated like a VIP. I love not having to buy my meals. :)
I'm pretty sure I broke my toe.
Sinus infection + really bad razor burn on my right leg + broken toe = not-so-great nights' sleep (especially when I have to get up at 4 am).
I realized I hate it when people interview you and they say, "Do you have any questions?" and that is the whole interview.
I love free wireless in airports and hotels.
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