These names officially replace the names given to these languages by linguists: Catalan and Aragonese.

You might think that in a country with 25% unemployment (much higher for young people), there would be more pressing matters to bring before the regional lawmakers. Nope. Lapao and Lapapyp.

Out of curiosity, I did a quick search for any case of English speakers lobbying to change the name of the English language. I didn’t find any. (Can anyone help me out?)

I can’t imagine that Lapao and Lapapyp will last, but for now they are a novel and telling illustration of the precarious nature of group identity in Spain.

If I ever want to become a vegetarian, I’ll just tape this picture to my refrigerator.

“That Catalonia’s so hot right now.”

Honestly, you hold one 1.5 million man march for national independence, a center right political party’s leader puts a referendum for European statehood at the top of his agenda, and all of a sudden you’re all anyone is talking about.

The Economist featured Catalan presidential candidate Artur Mas as its Facebook cover image.

Here are my picks for reasonably objective sources and coverage of Catalonia. I will update if anything else noteworthy comes along.

The Wilson Initiative
Six Catalan academics (all in some way connected to the school where I work, the Barcelona Graduate School of Economics) have come together to “to help the citizens of Catalonia have the opportunity to decide their future freely, without fear or threats, and with the best information possible.” Like Wilson (the former president, not the volleyball), they also have a 14 points.

The Guardian
This UK giant is collaborating with the Barcelona-based La Vanguardia to publish a series of pieces called “Barça-loners: will breakaway Catalonia fracture Spain?” (hashtag: #cataloniatales) In addition to an interactive history lesson, the series includes interviews with pro- and anti-independence citizens, commentary by Catalan intellectuals, and a quiz where you can try to ‘spot the Catalan’ (my score: 10 out of 10)

BBC
The BBC’s Catalonia Profile provides facts and figures, plus a timeline of Catalonia’s history back to the 9th century (just the highlights, don’t be scared).

But wait, there’s more!
There are a few blogs that share English-language news links related to Catalonia. The ones I know of are mostly pro-independence. If anyone knows of any quality anti-independence Twitter users I can include, please let me know.

• Collectiu Emma (or follow @CollectiuEmma)
• Liz Castro’s News Catalonia blog (or follow @lizcastro)
  • now with great post-election recap! (26.11.2012)

You can choose from seven different menu philosophies (from modernist to colonialist to baconist). Based on your choices in each category, the tool will put together a list of recipes for your main course, stuffing, sides, dessert and beverage.

Try it out and have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Resonating lines for me:

“Jefferson was afraid of Britain militarily and culturally, but also that we would have a populace that would not be guided by data, that would not be guided by fact, that would be guided by authority – priestly or monarchical or aristocratic…the experiment in self-government meant you had focus on the self, you had to work on the life of the mind…”

“From the beginning of Jefferson’s life to the hour of his death, slaves were there to make his life possible…The tragic, unbridgeable gap between what he said about liberty and what he did about it in his own life and his own economic world is the great tragedy of his life. It is also the great tragedy of American life.”

It is frustrating that someone who advocated so strongly for reason and freedom from inherited authority constructs could give up on trying to change the one aspect of American society that negated both of those ideas.

I hope today’s politicians on both side of the Atlantic draw some lessons from the life of Jefferson and strive for enlightened thinking while fighting for change, even when it seems too difficult.

I was able to achieve my goal of jumping a horse again, something I hadn’t done since high school; and I spent many a happy hour rolling around on the floor with my parents’ new Irish Goldendoodle puppy, Cooper.

I took my husband on a pilgrimage to Colgate, ate Byrne Dairy chipwiches and saw some old friends around campus. We also explored the National Mall with Sarah and Maddie in the August heat of Washington, DC.

I helped my mom get her classroom ready for the new school year. I saw lighthouses with Aunt Susan and watched baseball with Grandpa Izzy and Uncle Paul. Went to the Blue Ribbon with Lucas, Jumpin’ Jacks with Uncle Danny, and Gershons with Mr. Jones. Laughed a lot with Andy and Maureen. Wore knee socks and made Bumble Beads bracelets with Haley. Heard new stories about Grandma from Dad.

I ate wonton soup, macaroni salad, and peanut butter cups and drank way too much root beer.

Now it’s time to start preparing for the trip back to Barcelona, far away from many people and places that make up a big part of my life. Still waiting for the instantaneous transporter technology that will let me make these trips more frequently…

A toast to summer with Saratoga mineral water. I prefer root beer.

If having a personal blog was pointless before the advent of Twitter, Google+ and Facebook…what is it now that we have all those things?

a) The ultimate public display of narcissism
b) Last-ditch procrastination tool
c) [140 character answer] #fail