pretty bird

Today I learned this: Busking is the practice of doing live performances in public places to entertain people, usually to solicit donations and tips. Those engaging in this practice are called buskers. Busking is a British term used in many areas of the English-speaking world. In the United States the term busking is almost unknown; buskers in the USA are called street performers or street musicians.

See, there are "buskers" at just about every tube stop, and they're really good. I have yet to see/hear a busker who wasn't very talented. They usually sing or play an instrument along with an instrumental track booming from a cd player. Today, I passed a sign in one of the narrow corridors of the tube station that said "No Busking", and since I didn't know what it meant, I wrote it on my hand to look up when I got home.

I visited the Natural History and Science Museums today, which was really dumb of me to think I could enjoy myself in them on a Saturday afternoon. Kids everywhere! Yuck! Then, I took the tube to the Camden markets to find an inexpensive pair of cowboy boots. I didn't find the boots, but I did get a pair of shoes for £10, a purse for £7, a necklace and earrings for £5 (buy one, get one free), and a belt buckle I bargained down to £8. I definitely lucked out!

Fun phrase of the day:

How ya doing; alright?
Ok, now most of us would answer that with, "yeah, I'm alright," or "I'm pretty good" or something like that. Wrong. According to social rules, you don't actually answer this question; it's rhetorical. You reply with, "how ya doin; alright?" That's right. You repeat the question. I haven't gotten the hang of it because, frankly, I feel silly - like a parrot.

Speaking of "birds"... that's what men sometimes call females... especially attractive ones.

That's all for now!