English is not my second language

One of my favorite things to do when I don't feel like working is going to blogspot and just clicking "next blog". There is something about taking my chances when it comes to reading new blogs! Boy oh boy, don't I live dangerously!

While enjoying the "next blog" I began to feel like I lived in this little tiny fish bowl. I of course speak English (well most of the time) and it feels like about 9 out of 10 blogs are in another language.

My first five blogs today. In no specific order of course... because they are the "next blog":

really cool pictures

more really cool pictures

cool designs

some fish pictures

A journal from some guy. Barack "World Obama: Questions

After surfing around the net I began to wonder, just how many people in the world speak English, Dutch, Japanese

Well according to EnglishEnglish.com

Mandarin Chinese (837,000,000)
English (370,000,000)
Spanish (300,000,000)
Bengali (189,000,000)
Hindi/Urdu (182,000,000)
Arabic (174,950,000)
Portuguese (170,000,000)
Russian (170,000,000)
Japanese (125,000,000)
German (98,000,000)
Javanese (79,000,000)
French (75,000,000)

One out of five people can speak English to some level of competence.

They also tell me that: More than 80% of home pages on the Web are in English, while the next greatest, German, has only 4.5% and Japanese 3.1%.

My "next blog" statistics didn't pan out to equal that! Infact in 5 only one was in English!

Makes me wonder about Ebonics? You know, words like
"ama do it" for “I’m going to do it.”

How about "Pennatuckey"? Yes, that's a language. It's a language my friend speaks. He's from Pennsylvania.

An example. "Yea, when my lips get sore I like that stuff... climax."

Umm... you mean carmex?

What ever language you speak it's fun!

I'm free, I'm free, I'm free!

On Tuesday 9/02/08 I got to do something that most middle income workers can't do, I paid off my mortgage! Can you share the excitement with me and think about how much I am going to enjoy not owing anyone any money??? No more thinking about when the house payments are due!

I am so proud!

My house payment has been my greatest monthly cost since I was twenty two years old. I've spent 28 years every month, single, married, divorced, happy, sad, rich(er), poorer, crazy and crying....wondering if I was going to be able to pay my house payment.

Now, because I don't have that monthly mortgage looming over me, I can finally pursue a new career.

I'm going to put that monthly payment in the bank, at least until I can do my homework and figure out where to make more than .7% interest. Wow! Cool! Now my attention can be spent on figuring out how to make money with my money!

Maybe I could retire early? Most likely not. But you will find me smiling because I know I am one of the very few in the world who own their home free and clear!