Comments for The Connecticutian http://www.heidiblog.com Thoughts from a Northampton Liberal recently transplanted in CT. Sat, 11 Oct 2008 09:24:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 Comment on New Britain, CT — a.k.a. Little Poland by Adrian Baron http://www.heidiblog.com/2008/09/14/new-britain-ct-aka-little-poland/#comment-36007 Adrian Baron Thu, 25 Sep 2008 14:13:21 +0000 http://www.heidiblog.com/?p=272#comment-36007 Heidi, Just wanted to drop you a note. I am happy to report that last night the city of New Britain designated Broad Street officially as Little Poland. Keep up the good work with your blog Adrian Heidi, Just wanted to drop you a note. I am happy to report that last night the city of New Britain designated Broad Street officially as Little Poland. Keep up the good work with your blog

Adrian

]]> Comment on New Britain, CT — a.k.a. Little Poland by Pawel http://www.heidiblog.com/2008/09/14/new-britain-ct-aka-little-poland/#comment-35909 Pawel Tue, 23 Sep 2008 18:13:53 +0000 http://www.heidiblog.com/?p=272#comment-35909 Connecticut! I should've worked that out:) 4th/5th generation... You're like Martha Stuart then:D I guess I ought to say what I meant saying that "Polonia version of Polishness is unatractive" - when I read it now it seems pretty vague:) I meant that the "Polonia" version of Polish culture is some ersatz, containing folk costumes, kiełbasa, romantic poets etc. Not really reflecting the current development of Polish culture, which redefines itself all the time. As for "looking Polish" - for me it's the opposite. I seem to look anything but Polish. When I worked as a waiter in an italian restaurant during one summer holiday in Jersey (not the new one, the old one in Channel Islands, Europe). There's a large Polish minority on this island and staff who worked in hospitality&catering all seemed to be Polish. Yet everyone assumed I was italian and talked to me in italian. Funny that. I will stop by to read your blog, but promise to stop by at ours too:) http://polandian.wordpress.com :> Connecticut! I should’ve worked that out:)

4th/5th generation… You’re like Martha Stuart then:D

I guess I ought to say what I meant saying that “Polonia version of Polishness is unatractive” - when I read it now it seems pretty vague:)

I meant that the “Polonia” version of Polish culture is some ersatz, containing folk costumes, kiełbasa, romantic poets etc. Not really reflecting the current development of Polish culture, which redefines itself all the time.

As for “looking Polish” - for me it’s the opposite. I seem to look anything but Polish. When I worked as a waiter in an italian restaurant during one summer holiday in Jersey (not the new one, the old one in Channel Islands, Europe). There’s a large Polish minority on this island and staff who worked in hospitality&catering all seemed to be Polish. Yet everyone assumed I was italian and talked to me in italian. Funny that.

I will stop by to read your blog, but promise to stop by at ours too:) http://polandian.wordpress.com :>

]]> Comment on New Britain, CT — a.k.a. Little Poland by heidi http://www.heidiblog.com/2008/09/14/new-britain-ct-aka-little-poland/#comment-35871 heidi Tue, 23 Sep 2008 00:58:53 +0000 http://www.heidiblog.com/?p=272#comment-35871 Thanks for your comments, Pawel. I'm actually 4th and 5th generation american (depending on which side). That my grandparents spoke Polish was really only on my maternal side. I think my paternal grandparents understood Polish but didn't really speak it. And my maternal grandparents surely spoke some mix of Polish and English, as they were fluent in English and were probably forgetting some of their Polish. In the early 20th century, there was a very big emphasis on immigrant cultures giving up their native cultures in order to assimilate. I don't think it is insanely different today, but I believe there is a bit more effort put into preserving culture. So my grandparents never spoke Polish to us kids. In fact, they "capitalized" on the fact that we didn't speak Polish, as it meant they could speak about adult matters that we were not supposed to hear. Although of course we picked up on tone. And CT is the abbreviation for the state in which I live, Connecticut. Keep stopping by! Thanks for your comments, Pawel.

I’m actually 4th and 5th generation american (depending on which side). That my grandparents spoke Polish was really only on my maternal side. I think my paternal grandparents understood Polish but didn’t really speak it. And my maternal grandparents surely spoke some mix of Polish and English, as they were fluent in English and were probably forgetting some of their Polish.

In the early 20th century, there was a very big emphasis on immigrant cultures giving up their native cultures in order to assimilate. I don’t think it is insanely different today, but I believe there is a bit more effort put into preserving culture. So my grandparents never spoke Polish to us kids. In fact, they “capitalized” on the fact that we didn’t speak Polish, as it meant they could speak about adult matters that we were not supposed to hear. Although of course we picked up on tone.

And CT is the abbreviation for the state in which I live, Connecticut. Keep stopping by!

]]> Comment on The Sad State of Movies by Bookmarks about Sad http://www.heidiblog.com/2008/07/06/the-sad-state-of-movies/#comment-35812 Bookmarks about Sad Mon, 22 Sep 2008 07:00:04 +0000 http://www.heidiblog.com/?p=260#comment-35812 [...] - bookmarked by 3 members originally found by plankton22 on 2008-08-27 The Sad State of Movies http://www.heidiblog.com/2008/07/06/the-sad-state-of-movies/ - bookmarked by 2 members originally [...] [...] - bookmarked by 3 members originally found by plankton22 on 2008-08-27 The Sad State of Movies http://www.heidiblog.com/2008/07/06/the-sad-state-of-movies/ - bookmarked by 2 members originally [...]

]]> Comment on The Cottage by Pawel http://www.heidiblog.com/2007/09/06/the-cottage/#comment-35796 Pawel Mon, 22 Sep 2008 01:15:59 +0000 http://www.heidiblog.com/2007/09/06/the-cottage/#comment-35796 You're a cool couple. PS. And I don't thnink you Heidi look particularly Polish to me:) You’re a cool couple.

PS. And I don’t thnink you Heidi look particularly Polish to me:)

]]> Comment on The Sad State of Movies by Pawel http://www.heidiblog.com/2008/07/06/the-sad-state-of-movies/#comment-35794 Pawel Sun, 21 Sep 2008 23:52:53 +0000 http://www.heidiblog.com/?p=260#comment-35794 Heidi, Try some European cinema. Or subscribe to BBC America. That will help! Heidi,
Try some European cinema. Or subscribe to BBC America. That will help!

]]> Comment on New Britain, CT — a.k.a. Little Poland by Pawel http://www.heidiblog.com/2008/09/14/new-britain-ct-aka-little-poland/#comment-35793 Pawel Sun, 21 Sep 2008 23:46:15 +0000 http://www.heidiblog.com/?p=272#comment-35793 That's an interesting post:) I got to your blog by accident, and stopped by. You mentioned your grandparents spoke Polish. I was surprised you didn't catch Polish from your family. Is speaking another language not regarded as something especially beneficial across the pond? Do you ever regret not having learned Polish? Being bicultural and stuff? But telling you the truth I couldn't blame Polonia for not sticking to the "Polishness" as the Polonia version of Polishness seems so outdated and unattractive. PS. What's CT? That’s an interesting post:) I got to your blog by accident, and stopped by.

You mentioned your grandparents spoke Polish. I was surprised you didn’t catch Polish from your family. Is speaking another language not regarded as something especially beneficial across the pond?

Do you ever regret not having learned Polish? Being bicultural and stuff?

But telling you the truth I couldn’t blame Polonia for not sticking to the “Polishness” as the Polonia version of Polishness seems so outdated and unattractive.

PS. What’s CT?

]]> Comment on Mama Mia! by movie buff http://www.heidiblog.com/2008/07/22/mama-mia/#comment-31968 movie buff Thu, 14 Aug 2008 03:35:54 +0000 http://www.heidiblog.com/?p=266#comment-31968 this is one of the few plays i've actually seen, which ended up being great... it's funny to think of ol' Pierce taking a stab at singing though, yeeesh this is one of the few plays i’ve actually seen, which ended up being great… it’s funny to think of ol’ Pierce taking a stab at singing though, yeeesh

]]> Comment on Friday Mantisblogging by karen http://www.heidiblog.com/2007/07/27/friday-mantisblogging/#comment-29321 karen Fri, 18 Jul 2008 03:07:57 +0000 http://www.heidiblog.com/2007/07/27/friday-mantisblogging/#comment-29321 Sven must be very multi cultural - I would say his color is rather Italian race car - green. Sven must be very multi cultural - I would say his color is rather Italian race car - green.

]]> Comment on Camping on the Cape by Travelling the UK - caravans » Blog Archive » Camping on the Cape http://www.heidiblog.com/2008/07/06/camping-on-the-cape/#comment-28539 Travelling the UK - caravans » Blog Archive » Camping on the Cape Sun, 06 Jul 2008 17:06:25 +0000 http://www.heidiblog.com/?p=261#comment-28539 [...] heidi wrote a fantastic post today on “Camping on the Cape”Here’s ONLY a quick extract [...] [...] heidi wrote a fantastic post today on “Camping on the Cape”Here’s ONLY a quick extract [...]

]]>