Dammit.

So my roommate is awesome, but I barely get to see him except at night when we're about to go to sleep. He doesn't slowtalk me, ever, even when I don't understand. Actually, he tried a kind of slowtalk but it was really frustrating. It went like this:

X: Tonight are you going to 猫貌猫猫猫？
JP: I... eh?

X: Do you not understand?
JP: Don't understand.
X: Tonight....
JP: ...
X: Tonight....
JP: Tonight....
X: Do you understand "tonight?"
JP: YES I UNDERSTAND "TONIGHT!"
X: You didn't say anything!
JP: I'm waiting for you to get to the part I didn't understand!
Tonight are you going to whatwhatwhatwhatwhat?
X: 猫貌猫猫猫
JP: Don't understand.
X: Tonight....

He's also been the pronunciation cop a couple times, correcting me on details I know that the other Americans are allowed to screw up.

During our dorm room conversations, a few words have come up that I keep on a short list, and recite to him, to show that my pronunciation is improving. These words are "Christmas," "egg-fried beef strips," and "dammit."

"Christmas" made the list when he asked what the important holidays were in the Philippines, and I tried to say "Christmas" but apparently I said "Banana Festival." I told him what we ate, and he said, what about bananas? I said, sure, why? Why are you asking if we eat bananas on Christmas? Oh, I thought you said "Banana Festival." (laughter)

"Egg-fried beef strips" is a delicious dish he ordered when we went to a restaurant nearby; when I wanted it to order it again with a friend, I tried to describe the recipe, and the waitress had to call for back up and was laughing at the absurdity of her life as she had to try to guess what I want. It's food, you mensa! It's beef strips fried in egg, bring it to me! I don't know what the hell it's called. So now every night I practice the name of that dish.

"Dammit" is his favorite. He cannot control his laughter when I say "dammit" in Chinese. I asked him what to say when I dropped something, and he told me, but then offered "dammit" as an alternative. I say it about ten times before going to bed, in two different ways: an exasperated way, and a muttering, frustrated way. He is delighted by both ways, but tells me not to say it around my teachers. It's so fun, but after about 10 times, I have to say, ok, that's good, let's go to sleep. 好了，睡觉吧。