Books Wormed - "Born To Kvetch" by Michael Wex

Maybe you know that sick feeling when a book you're enjoying suddenly goes over your head. Then again, maybe you don't.

I do, and this is its cover.

Now, when it comes to linguistics, I'm not exactly cunning... Despite recognising most of the words in Born To Kvetch I'll be damned if I can figure out why the author has chosen such complicated patterns to put them in. I probably would have given up on it by now, but I'm really interested in the subject. Besides which, the parts I can understand are really good.

Alas, the further into it I read, the farther apart those bits I can understand are getting.

It's good to get your brain out of its familiar rut from time to time; if you're me, you enjoy making your brain the consistency of pizza dough on a regular basis.

I may have met my match here.

Queen's Visit To Jamestown Imminent, Eminent

It was nearly 50 years ago Elizabeth II first visited Jamestown on the occasion of its 350th anniversary (shown above). Once again the Commonwealth of Virginia is all agog over a royal visit, this time for the 400th anniversary.

The Queen's complete schedule is available here. Her Majesty's itinerary includes the visit to Olde Jamestowne, trips to the Kentucky Derby, Goddard Space Centre, William and Mary College, and a garden party and state dinner at the White House, among others.

I really enjoyed the stories about Jamestown in the May 2007 issue of National Geographic, which can be enjoyed online here. I learned about, among other things, Columbian exchange, a concept which was completely unknown to me before I folded back that iconic yellow-bordered cover.

The Royal visit commences May 3rd and finishes on the 8th; count on the Pop Culture Institute for full coverage of the Queen's fourth official visit to the United States.