What's wrong?
I have a sore throat.
What's wrong?
I have a headache.
What's wrong?
I have a runny nose.
What's wrong?
I have a toothache.
What's wrong?
I have a stomachache.
What's wrong?
I have a backache.
目前分類:未分類文章 (128)
- Feb 19 Tue 2013 03:30
初級會話1-你怎麼了? [說吧英文讀書會SOAPBOX ENGLISH CLUB]
- Feb 18 Mon 2013 00:07
年假結束囉!
- Feb 16 Sat 2013 16:22
2013/ 2/19 Topic1.面試禮儀 Topic2.月下老人
周二聚會 2/19
(英文文章就在中文敘述之後 Billy為您開了捷徑 先有了概念後 讓您在閱讀英文部分 更能駕輕就熟)
![](https://imageproxy.pixnet.cc/imgproxy?url=https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTPGg2gbZ9V0OZL5Kej5AmMprGm9gnfTBpvNsDdU8KMhaSVDuHE)
![](https://imageproxy.pixnet.cc/imgproxy?url=https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQNdtYPQ91Iw9KwC3_IqG7T6hiG5oup83QZUn_1mpPpMdGJw7ag&width=231&height=219)
![](https://imageproxy.pixnet.cc/imgproxy?url=https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTlOG4V0I6gccev0IGP_cbHrCxvRpiLtGPEcYFD24w55jv03XbU)
時間: 每周二晚上7:00~9:30
地點: 怡客咖啡 Ikari Coffee
新北市板橋區文化路2段311號
板南線江子翠捷運站2號出口旁
(英文文章就在中文敘述之後 Billy為您開了捷徑 先有了概念後 讓您在閱讀英文部分 更能駕輕就熟)
各位好朋友們新春愉快:
時間像沖天炮一般 新年假期很快結束了 想著新春第一炮 話題應該不要太嚴肅 Billy 去年年底聽到一些朋友 想轉換工作環境 又想著西洋情人節剛剛過了
想著事業與婚姻也許是新的一年 許多朋友重要的期許之一 歡迎大家來討論
Topic1.面試禮儀
<面試前>
打招呼
道明來意:告知接待員你是來應徵的,以便作出安排。
應對所有職員保持禮貌,將來他們可能成為你的同事呢!
入房前先敲門,和主試者打招呼,禮貌地詢問是否需要關門。
握手
毋須主動跟主試者握手,應先觀察對方的動作,才作反應。
握手的力度要適中,不宜太大力或太細力。
若你是手汗大的人,亦無須尷尬或害怕與人握手,可在進入面試室前盡量抹去 手汗,並告知對方。
<面試時>
眼神、點頭
談話時要與考官有適量的眼神接觸,並間中點頭作回應,給予考官誠懇、認真 的印象。
點頭不可太急,否則會予人不耐煩及想插咀的感覺。
切忌談話時東張西望,表現出對應徵職位或公司欠缺誠意。
身體語言
待主試者邀請時才禮貌地坐下,坐的時候要保持筆直。
留意自己的身體語言,要大方得體。
蹺腿、左搖右擺、雙臂交疊胸前、鈄靠椅背,單手或雙手托腮都不適宜。
切忌有小動作,因為會給人壞印象及顯示出自己不夠信心,例如:男士應避免時常把弄衣衫、領帶及將手插進褲袋內女士不宜經常撥弄頭髮,過份造作避免把弄手指或原子筆、頻托眼鏡及說話時用手掩口。
<面試結束前>
離去時,別忘了向主試者道謝及說聲「再見」!(1111職涯網)
Topic2.月下老人
典出《唐·李復言·續幽怪錄·定婚店》:韋固少年時,有一夜,在宋城的旅館中遇到一位老人,坐在月光下,翻看著一本書,韋固覺得怪,對老人發問。老人回答是「鴛鴦譜」:也就是天下人的婚姻登記書。老人又告訴韋固,遠處那個賣菜老嫗的女兒,現在才三歲,正是他十四年後的妻子。韋固嫌其不貌美,派人行刺那小女孩。十餘年後韋固結婚,發覺妻子眉上留有疤痕,正是當年的小女孩。宋城縣宰知道這件事後,把那間客棧定名為「定婚店」。而「月下老人」也成為日後華人世界中,對愛情期待的男女們信奉最誠的神祇了。
傳說
根據臺灣臺北市艋舺龍山寺簡介牌介紹:台灣民間信仰,每年七夕,七星娘娘會把人世間未婚的成年男女製成名冊,向天庭呈報。月下老人收到名冊後,按照個性、善惡、興趣與條件抄寫成一本配偶名冊,然後用紅線綁牢男女二人之足,使合適的男女配成一對佳偶。(維基百科)
Questions:
1. How important is the job interview?
2. How to best prepare for your job interview?
3. How to have a good job interview? And how to answer interview questions?
4. How good manners can help you land a great job?
Job interview dress etiquette (Radio-Electronics.Com)
When attending an interview, the way you dress is of particular importance. First impressions are all important, and the way you present yourself by dressing will be one of the major elements in creating the right or wrong impression.
It is necessary to judge the place to which you are going. However for most professional jobs a suit of some form is best. Often it is wise to dress conservatively, especially for engineering jobs as many engineers and engineering managers will be conservative by nature. For other types of jobs, especially marketing, etc., a more contemporary style may be acceptable. However before the interview, try to assess the place and the people and gain a good idea of what would be best. If in doubt a conservative approach is generally the safe option.
There are a few styles to avoid. In particular it is wise not to dress provocatively. For men tight shirts, etc that show muscular figures are not normally appropriate. Similarly for women, low cut or tight tops and short skirts are to be avoided. While they may turn eyes, it has been shown that managers tend to be cautious and tend to hire people who are not dressed provocatively.
It has been shown that people who dress in a conservative suit are generally more successful for professional jobs. For women it has been shown that Hilary Clinton has a dress style to emulate.
Be punctual
One large turn off is being late for a job interview. Whatever the reason, any interviewer is likely to loose patience with anyone who is late. Even if unexpected road conditions have caused the problem, the interviewer may tend not to look beyond the basic fact that you are late. He is likely to have a busy schedule, and any lateness could disrupt his schedule.
Accordingly it is best to plan arrive close to the location of the prospective employer with some time in hand. Even try to the route beforehand and find any local coffee shops in which you may be able to wait if necessary. However don't allow so much time that you start to worry.
It will then be possible to arrive at the reception point a just few minutes early and be in good time for the interview.
Any last minute rush will make you agitated and stressed and you may not be able to present yourself as well in the interview.
Good handshake
When meeting people, it is customary to shake hands. A handshake tells a lot about the person. A limp handshake by a clammy hand will not impress. A firm but not knuckle crushing handshake gives a far better impression.It is perfectly normal to be nervous before the interview, and this may result in a sweaty hand. It is worth taking an extra handkerchief to wipe one's hand before the interview and make sure that you do not have a clammy hand when you shake peoples hands.
Remember names
It is often difficult to remember people's names when being introduced. However it makes a very good impression if we can do that. One way to help is to repeat the names of the people in conversation immediately after meeting them.
For example one could say something like: "Thank you for giving me your time Mr. Xxxxx." Or something else that may be appropriate. This helps fix the name of the person in your mind.
Unfortunately it is always difficult to remember names when meeting people because you are usually focussed on the initial meeting rather than remembering names. As names are important, remembering the interviewers' names will be seen as a very positive note.
Non-verbal communications
Although we often think of verbal communications as conveying most of the information we give to other people, this is not actually the case. Non-verbal communications account for much of the impression we create with anyone at the interview. It is therefore very important that any non-verbal communications reinforce the job interview etiquette impressions that have already been created.
Eye contact, posture, hand position, all convey information, so it is necessary to be aware of this.
Eye contact shows that you are interested in what the other person (interviewer) is saying and doing and that you have confidence. Lack of eye contact will imply that you are not interested, and it is also a sign of lack of confidence.
Posture is also another indicator. Sitting back in a chair gives an impression of a casual attitude and it gives a "don't care" impression.
It is important to make sufficient eye contact with both or all interviewers, and to sit up straight in a chair.
It is not always possible to "fake" the body language, so it often best to try to make yourself feel positive and attentive before going in for the interview. Having the right attitude will mean that the body language will follow.
Sell yourself
The interviewer will expect you to sell yourself. It is effectively part of the job interview etiquette to be able to sell yourself in a professional and sensible manner. There are many ways of doing this.
in order to sound truthful about your achievements be prepared to use examples and specifics. Detail the reasoning for decisions you made and the keys that enable you to be successful in a particular area. By giving the underlying reasons for your achievements, the interviewers will be able to see that you are not lying and this will add credibility to your application.
Don't brag and over dominate the conversation
While it is necessary to be able to talk about yourself in a positive way, you will need to be careful to let the conversation be two-way. The interviewer will want to ask questions, so be aware of this so that they can get into the conversation rather than just listening to a continuous sales pitch about yourself.
It is also necessary to be careful not to be seen as bragging. While you need to let people know your achievements, don't let it go so far that it could be seen as bragging about what you have done.
Be truthful
One key element of job interview etiquette is to be truthful. If an interviewer discovers you are lying, then he will not want to employ you, and often inconsistencies may give you a way.
Honesty also impacts how much you can claim you have done yourself.. While you want to claim credit for what you have done, don't overdo it because this could also be seen as lying, and the interviewer will not like this.
Thank you
One final piece of job interview etiquette is to thank the interviewers for their time. Interviewers will generally be busy and will often have many interviews to conduct beyond undertaking their normal job. A short thank you at the end of the interview will help the interview to end on the right note.
It is also worth writing a short note as soon after the interview as possible - possibly that evening - to thank the interviewers. Few people will take the time to do this and it shows that you are someone who does not take things for granted. Not only is it good for the interviewers to know that their time was appreciated, but it may also help your job application.
Questions:
1. Do you believe that Love God chooses your soul mate for you?
2. How to Find Your Soul Mate?
3. How can you recognize who is your soul mate?
4. What do you do if your soul mate is married?
Old man under the moon
The old man under the moon, 月下老人, commonly known as Yue Lao,月老, is a Chinese deity in charged of marriage between man and woman.
Legend of Yue Lao, Old Man under the Moon
The earliest account of Yue Lao is a story set during the Tang Dynasty. It tells about a young man Wei Gu’s 韦固 unsuccessful attempts to find a wife. On another failed marriage prospect trip to a city called Song 宋城, he saw an old man reading under the moon. Curious, about his book, Wei Gu inquired from the old man who informed him it was the book of marriages and that his duty is to tie a red threat between a couple to make them husband and wife.
Desperate to find a wife, he asked if the old man could show him his future wife. Wei Gu’s was shown an old woman carrying a three year old child and they both seem to live in poverty. The three year old child was his future wife.
Incensed, he ordered his servant to murder the child. Fortunately, the servant only managed to injure the child.
Years later, a high official offered his daughter in marriage to Wei Gu who happily accepted and pleased that he finally found a wife. On the wedding night, he noticed a scar between her eye brows and enquired about it. His new wife told him about an incident where she was stabbed by a man in the City of Song.
Wei Gu realized his wife was that little girl whom he tried to kill.
Worship of Yue Lao
This story spread and soon people began praying to that old man for help in marriage concerns. As no one knew his name, he was referred to as the Old Man under the moon, Yue Lao or Yue Lao Deity. 月下老人, 月老, 月老神君
In the traditional Chinese marriage custom, the bride and bridegroom walks together holding a length of red cloth with a ribbon in the middle. This might be a symbolism of their match by Yue Lao.
Wedding scene in a Chinese opera
Notice the piece of red cloth held by the couple
There are many temples and shrines establish for the worship of Yue Lao. Yue Lao is seen as an elderly man holding the book of marriage 姻缘簿, in his left hand and a walking stick in his right hand. Sometimes, the red threads can be seen too along with clay dolls symbolizing the couple. His birthday is celebrated on the 15th day of the eight lunar month the same as the Mid Autumn Festival.
Click here for this year's date.
In these temples, there could be couples praying for a happy marriage, singles in search of love or parents eager for their children to be married.
In Taiwan, there is an often notice board where lovers or singles leave their wishes for Yue Lao.
Yue Lao is believed to be in charged of heterosexual relationships leading to the emergence of the Gay Rabbit God in charged of homosexual relationships. In Taiwan, there is a Gay Rabbit temple dedicated to this Rabbit God.
For the days of arranged marriage to today’s individual search for their special one, Yue Lao’s special help remains relevant and sought after.
- Feb 11 Mon 2013 10:34
新年 平安 吉祥
- Feb 06 Wed 2013 00:01
新年 周二的第一次聚會 2/19(TUE)
新的一年 周二的第一次聚會 訂於2/19(TUE)
![](https://imageproxy.pixnet.cc/imgproxy?url=https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQwcd-orOL2gxqZaKpXx3OLJZZF0bqGoo8qWov0Zhn3dvNFC_a3)
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Billy新年祝福的吉祥話
感謝今年各位會員的支持與參與![](https://imageproxy.pixnet.cc/imgproxy?url=https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT2jgl2jwnS1qpEysDL4nz9qVO3TQDjIQ_ecKDx5HpiM-82PFHh)
大家在這一年也互相學到了很多 更認識許多的好朋友
新的一年更需要 各位會員的支持與協助
過年後的 周二的第一次聚會 訂於 2/19(TUE)
我們過年後再見了 祝您一切平安順心
(一定要來歐 看您有沒有變胖)
Billy新年祝福的吉祥話
各位親愛的會員好朋友們: 我們即將送走龍年 迎接所謂的 ”小龍年”
新年新氣象 最近這幾天 Billy一直想著給各位親愛的會員
送上幾句 新年祝福的吉祥話 思來想去 例如:
萬事如意 心想事成 財源廣進 升官發財
這些吉祥話 有點聽膩了
思索許久 idea 來了
Billy祝福各位: 越來越爽 日日爽 月月爽 年年爽
爽字---字典中的解释為:明朗,清亮,舒服,使人感到愉悦。
愉悦---英文解為joy
Wish you lots of love, joy and happiness
送給您的吉祥話:
Wish you happiness and prosperity in the coming year!
祝你新的一年快樂幸福
Everything goes well
萬事如意
Money and treasures will be plentiful
財源廣進 Billy祝福各位
- Feb 05 Tue 2013 16:20
新年祝福的吉祥話
新年祝福的吉祥話:
![](https://imageproxy.pixnet.cc/imgproxy?url=https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSngsAY3dZpSBUF8e3cyAs-9e7WR-K53RoQ07H784WXQZIqIRdVDQ)
![](https://imageproxy.pixnet.cc/imgproxy?url=https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSK724aWMK00Z5Uj4TbcLQO2y3_-2BtnXpm1QltrZsMdzVRZ1u28Q)
![](https://imageproxy.pixnet.cc/imgproxy?url=https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRKUQHvIlUD_qqWmts1DBCHqefiZRADUUsxb1BviMYDHrXhE2oswA&width=268&height=188)
![](https://imageproxy.pixnet.cc/imgproxy?url=https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQy460ssLlEPaxuiTmLzd9U2iX_vusyL9Fpmse1OIEsS52ieQRA)
各位親愛的會員好朋友們: 我們即將送走龍年 迎接所謂的 ”小龍年”
新年新氣象 最近這幾天 Billy一直想著給各位親愛的會員
送上幾句 新年祝福的吉祥話 思來想去 例如:
萬事如意 心想事成 財源廣進 升官發財
這些吉祥話 有點聽膩了
思索許久 idea 來了
Billy祝福各位: 越來越爽 日日爽 月月爽 年年爽
爽字---字典中的解释為:明朗,清亮,舒服,使人感到愉悦。
愉悦---英文解為joy
Wish you lots of love, joy and happiness
*2月5日 周二聚會 為本年度 最後一次聚會
親愛的會員好朋友們:
2月5日 周二聚會 為本年度 最後一次聚會
請各位多支持參與 謝謝
感謝今年各位會員的支持與參與
大家在這一年也互相學到了很多 更認識許多的好朋友
新的一年更需要 各位會員的支持與協助
過年後的 周二的第一次聚會 訂於 2/19(TUE)
我們過年後再見了 一切平安順心
(一定要來歐 看您有沒有變胖)
送給您的吉祥話:
Wish you happiness and prosperity in the coming year!
祝你新的一年快樂幸福
Everything goes well
萬事如意
Money and treasures will be plentiful
財源廣進 Billy祝福各位
![](https://imageproxy.pixnet.cc/imgproxy?url=https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSXcaGCe8bd98P_WPERViMdjcnq7bevuRP10gkmmqakXVUyGxbcLg)
SOAPBOX ENGLISH CLUB 說吧英文讀書會
每周一句2013/2/5
![](https://imageproxy.pixnet.cc/imgproxy?url=https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQZKVSqFrmd0YgQyXLBj-ClUzZ0dRuhP6FFoxmeVDQ5_c0nCj3H)
每周一句2013/2/5
新的一年為蛇年 Billy來介紹一個 有關蛇年的慣用句
a snake in the grass陰險小人--- a sneaky and despised person.
Examples:
1. Don't trust him, he looks honest but he's a snake in the grass.
别相信他,他看起来老實,其實極其陰險。
2. He's a snake in the grass. While pretending to be your friend he was slandering you behind your back
他是個陰險小人, 表面上装作是你的朋友,背地裡却在譭謗你。
- Feb 04 Mon 2013 18:09
2/5 Topic1.點光明燈 Topic2.吉祥食物
周二聚會時間: 每周二晚上7:00~9:30
地點: 怡客咖啡 Ikari Coffee
![](https://imageproxy.pixnet.cc/imgproxy?url=https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSVCiwmVBXUxWfQYHz3XdhiTcaw_4iGIL3zKjzRpTy1IwbDOXWN3g)
![](https://imageproxy.pixnet.cc/imgproxy?url=https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRhlt8SIf7zxj6xnZyBqVIQADIwzShjBtDmAYYYUZinveIq9YYv)
點光明燈 (FTV)
![](https://imageproxy.pixnet.cc/imgproxy?url=https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTsMZyxJo7pdevtVQT-zgn0Hng2HeH_lgLqGd_fHfvxfncWOWrn)
![](https://imageproxy.pixnet.cc/imgproxy?url=https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSngsAY3dZpSBUF8e3cyAs-9e7WR-K53RoQ07H784WXQZIqIRdVDQ)
![](https://imageproxy.pixnet.cc/imgproxy?url=https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR14QE0EL_pqCHIOOzagCGVdkD5fkQKvFip0Jzao3Qb3iY1oGyaBQ)
![](https://imageproxy.pixnet.cc/imgproxy?url=https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSK724aWMK00Z5Uj4TbcLQO2y3_-2BtnXpm1QltrZsMdzVRZ1u28Q)
![](https://imageproxy.pixnet.cc/imgproxy?url=https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQy460ssLlEPaxuiTmLzd9U2iX_vusyL9Fpmse1OIEsS52ieQRA)
地點: 怡客咖啡 Ikari Coffee
會員好朋友們大家好: 2013年2月5日
將討論兩主題---
2/5 Topic1.點光明燈 Topic2.吉祥食物
點光明燈 (FTV)
台北萬華龍山寺6日清晨6點開始受理點光明燈,但其實信眾早在一個月前,就用塑膠椅開始排隊卡位,龍山寺的塑膠椅就排了足足五圈,都是為了搶點祈求健康的藥師燈,或者學業順利的文昌燈。
清晨六點一到,台北萬華龍山寺開放信眾進場點光明燈,搶到頭香的是從事金融業的楊先生。
[[排隊點光明燈信眾]]
“昨天晚上就過來,前一個月都是請我家人先在這邊等”
正式點燈這一天,龍山寺已水洩不通,大家來都是想點祈求健康的藥師燈,以及財神燈。所以早在一個月前,就有人來排隊。
記者實地觀察,除了發現有大批的代排部隊,甚至還有疑似黃牛兜售號碼佔位置。眼看超過了廟方可以消化的1000名,民眾火氣越來越大。廟方表示無奈。[[龍山寺組長 張雪玲]]
“我如果一個月前看到他們來排,我就發一千號出去,我就說今天第一千號發完再來的人就發第二天,請問一下這樣,我如何控管”
除了每天開放一千名,廟方也會依循往例,在首日多加300名,預估要處理完1300名,就可能得通宵達旦。
Questions:
1. Do you believe theses sponsor lamps can bring you good fortune or health?
2. Do you believe in superstition? And do you believe in luck?
3. How to attract good luck and good fortune ?
4. What are some examples of superstitious beliefs?
Longshan Temple draws big crowd eager to sponsor lamps for good health or fortune (FTV)
Early this morning, Longshan Temple began processing people eager to sponsor temple lamps. Many began waiting as long as a month ago, as they believe sponsoring these lamps can bring them good fortune or health.
At six o’clock, Taipei’s Longshan Temple began accepting people to sponsor temple lamps. The first person to apply for a lamp was Mr. Yang who works in the financial industry.
Last night we came. About a month ago, I asked my family to come here first and begin waiting.
Today was the first day of lighting lamps and Longshan Temple was packed with visitors. Many wanted to light medicine lamps to pray for health, while others chose lamps for wealth. These lamps were in such demand that some came more than a month ago to begin waiting in line.
In addition to a huge line of people waiting patiently, reporters have witnessed hawkers selling their place in line. With more than 1000 people in line, tempers began to flare though there was little the temple could do to alleviate the situation.
Chang Hsue-lin
Longshan Temple Director
For those that began waiting a month ago, we issued 1,000 numbers, and if these we all issued by today, I told people come back the next day. This is the only way I could control the situation.
Each day up to 1,000 people are allowed to choose lights in the temple, and based upon past practice, the first day of the lighting an additional 300 people are permitted, as processing this many people in one day may take an entire day with many waiting long into the night.
過年時,我們會準備跟吉祥話有關的食物 (徐若綺)
以下就來介紹幾項食物和它的吉祥話:
1. 甜的年糕一定要有,因為「吃甜甜,好過年」。甜粿是
糯米做的,吃年糕有「年年高」、「步步高升」的含義。
2. 蘿蔔糕就是菜頭粿,因為「菜頭粿,好彩頭」,而「菜
頭」是當季最盛產的蔬菜。
3.發糕因為它的形狀像一朵花,而且發糕有「發財」的意
思,因此有「發粿發財」一說。
4.芋粿是用芋頭加糯米做成的糕點,具有「護(芋)護孫」
的意思;而包仔粿則有「鹹的包金,甜的包銀」的吉祥
意義,它也是糯米的製品。
5. 髮菜,音似「發財」,餃子形狀像「元寶」,都象徵
「財源廣進」;有些人還會將錢幣包入餃子內,吃到包
了錢幣的餃子,就表示新的一年將會發大財。
6. 湯圓代表圓圓滿滿, 豆芽形似「如意」,意謂來年一切
盡如己意;魚則不可吃完,表示年年有「餘」。
7. 有客人一定要「奉茶點」,以甜味為主,這是為了讓客
人有「甜頭」可嚐,而每一點心都有相對應的吉祥
話,如柿餅 : 事事如意,核桃 : 和和氣氣,棗子、花
生、桂圓、栗子則諧音 : 「早生貴子」,橘子、 荔枝
是大「吉」大「利」
8. 鳳梨是代表「好運旺旺來」,象徵新的一年旺旺來
Questions:
1. Do you know any auspicious food, auspicious signs and symbols
for the Chinese new year?
2. What food brings good luck for the Chinese new year?
3. Please tell us some traditions /traditional foods of the Chinese new year ?
4. What foods that will bring you luck in the Chinese new year ?
Chinese New Year Food
Chinese New Year Foods are very important to Chinese people. All family members come together to eat at this time. Chinese New Year foods are not only delicious but it is traditional to eat certain foods over this festival. Chinese Dumplings, Fish, Spring Rolls, Nian Gao are usually seen as delicious and eaten at this time. Our China Food Tours offer some great dining experiences as well as not-to-missed sites of china.
Fish 鱼/yoo/
In Chinese, Fish sounds like "save more". Chinese People always like save more money at the end of year because they think if they save more, they can make more in the next year.
Lucky Sayings for Eating Fish
年年有余 (/nyen-nyen yo-yoo/): May you always get more than you wish for
鱼跃龙门 (/yoo-youair long-mnn/): A fish leaping over the dragon gate — implying successful passing a competitive examination
Chinese Dumplings 饺子 /jyaoww-dzrr/
With a long history of more than 1,800 years, dumplings are a traditional food widely popular in China, especially in North China such as in Zhengzhou, Chengde, Dalian, Harbin, etc. Dumplings generally consist of minced meat and finely-chopped vegetables wrapped into a thin and elastic piece of dough skin. Popular fillings are mince pork, diced shrimp, fish, ground chicken, beef, and vegetables. They can be cooked by boiling, steaming, frying or baking. Dumplings are the symbol of Chinese food, and a traditional dish eaten on Chinese New Year’s Eve.
Chinese Dumplings look like silver ingots. Legend has it that the more dumplings you eat during New Year celebration, more money you can make in the New Year. Almost all Chinese people can make dumplings, first mix the dough, second make the dough into wrappers by a rolling pin, third fill the wrappers with pork, beef, vegetable, fish or anything else can be used as stuffing.
Lucky Saying for Eating Dumplings
招财进宝 (/jaoww-tseye jnn-baoww/): Bringing in wealth and treasure — felicitous wish of making money; amass fortunes
Spring Roll 春卷/chwnn jwen/
Spring rolls are a Cantonese dim sum dish of cylindrical shape. The filling of spring rolls could be vegetables or meat, and the taste could be either sweet or savory. After fillings are wrapped in spring roll wrappers, the next step is frying. Then the spring rolls are given their golden yellow color. It is a dish especially popular in Jiangxi, Jiangsu, Shanghai, Fujian, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, etc. They get their name because they are traditionally eaten during Chinese New Year Celebration.
Lucky Saying for Eating Spring Roll
黄金万两 (hwung-jin wan-lyang/): A ton of gold (because the fried spring rolls are all with golden color, which makes them looking like gold bars, the symbolism of treasure)
Nian Gao (Glutinous Rice Cake)年糕
In Chinese, Nian Gao sounds like "getting higher year by year". In Chinese people's mind, the higher you are, the more prosperous your business is. Main ingredients of Nian Gao are sticky rice, sugar, Chestnuts, Chinese date and lotus leaves.
Lucky Saying for Eating Nian Gao
年年高 (nyen-nyen gaoww): Getting higher year by year, can imply children's height, business, study, work, etc
新年祝福的吉祥話:
各位親愛的會員好朋友們: 我們即將送走龍年 迎接所謂的 ”小龍年”
新年新氣象 最近這幾天 Billy一直想著給各位親愛的會員
送上幾句 新年祝福的吉祥話 思來想去 例如:
萬事如意 心想事成 財源廣進 升官發財
這些吉祥話 有點聽膩了
思索許久 idea 來了
Billy祝福各位: 越來越爽 日日爽 月月爽 年年爽
爽字---字典中的解释為:明朗,清亮,舒服,使人感到愉悦。
愉悦---英文解為joy
Wish you lots of love, joy and happiness
*2月5日 周二聚會 為本年度 最後一次聚會
親愛的會員好朋友們:
2月5日 周二聚會 為本年度 最後一次聚會
請各位多支持參與 謝謝
感謝今年各位會員的支持與參與
大家在這一年也互相學到了很多 更認識許多的好朋友
新的一年更需要 各位會員的支持與協助
過年後的 周二的第一次聚會 訂於 2/19(TUE)
我們過年後再見了 一切平安順心
(一定要來歐 看您有沒有變胖)
送給您的吉祥話:
Wish you happiness and prosperity in the coming year!
祝你新的一年快樂幸福
Everything goes well
萬事如意
Money and treasures will be plentiful
財源廣進 Billy祝福各位
- Feb 03 Sun 2013 23:58
周一主題 2/4 Topic 1.春節風俗Topic 2.春節禁忌
周一主題 2/4 Topic 1.春節風俗Topic 2.春節禁忌
請注意!這是 周一的文章
周一聚會地點: 麥當勞
![](https://imageproxy.pixnet.cc/imgproxy?url=https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR-L9MVibepWRiAdMxVLKwso-exxcCZ1vQABQtNf0KMYP0xHTFq)
New Year Markets
Decoration
![](https://imageproxy.pixnet.cc/imgproxy?url=https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTR8QNBCHDZm-tUfPU3SksyJdSIutdjzZzv5itM-8fn8Nqw_ngf)
請注意!這是 周一的文章
周一聚會地點: 麥當勞
新北市板橋區文化路二段173號
(江子翠捷運2號出口往前走100公尺左右)
時間: 每周一晚上 7:00~9:30
02-22540821
02-25556076
0976-217-450
Questions:
1. What do you think Chinese New Year Traditions?
2. Do you follow these New Year Traditions?
3. What are your Chinese New Year plans?
Chinese New Year Traditions
Different part of China has very different traditions. The following are the most typical traditions.
New Year's Eve Dinner
The New Year's Eve dinner is the most important dinner for Chinese. Normally this is the family reunion dinner, especially for those with family member away from home. In the New Year's Eve dinner, normally fish will be served. Dumplings are the most important disk in northern china. These two dishes mean prosperous. Other disks are depending on personal preference. The majority of Chinese will have New Year's Eve dinner at home instead of restaurant.
Fireworks
Fireworks are used to drive away the evil in China. Right after the 12:00PM of the New Year's Eve, fireworks will be launched to celebrate the coming of the New Year as well as driven away the evil. It is believed that the person who launched the first Fireworks in the New Year will get good luck.
Shou Sui
Shou Sui means after the New Year's Eve dinner, family member will normally stay awake during the night. Some people just stay until the mid night, after the fireworks. According to tales and legends, there was a mythical beast called the "Year". At the night of New Year's Eve, the "Year" will come out to harm people, animals, and proprieties. Later people found that the "Year" is afraid of red color, fire, and loud sound. Therefore, at the New Year's Eve night, people will launch fireworks, put on some fires, and stay awakes the whole night to fend of the "Year".
Red Packets
Red packet is a red envelope with money in it, range from one to a few thousand Chinese Yuan. Usually the red racket is given by adults, especially married couple, and elderly to young children in the New Year days. It was believed that the money in the red packet will suppress the evil from the children, keep the children healthy, and long living.
New Year Markets
At the New Years days, a temporarily market will be setup mainly selling New Year goods, such as clothing, fireworks, decoration, foods, small arts, etc. The market is usually decorated with a large amount of lanterns.
Small Year
Small year is the 23th or 24th of the last month of the year. It is said that this is the day the food god will leave the family to go to the heaven to report the activity of family to the Emperor of the heaven. People will have some religious ceremony to farewell the food god, including take down and burn the paint of the food god. After the New Year's Day, people will buy a new paint of the food god and post it at the kitchen.
Cleaning
A few days before the Chinese New Year, people will do a complete cleaning of the house and house ware; means get rid of the old and welcome the new. In old days when bath is not often, people will normally take a throughout bath to welcome the New Year.
Decoration
After the cleaning, people will decorate the house to welcome the New Year. Most of the decorations are red in color. The most popular New Year decorations are upside down fu, dui lian, lantern, year paint, papercutting, door god, etc..
Questions:
1. What are the taboos and superstitions about Chinese New Year?
2. What superstitions or taboos do you believe in this Chinese New Year?
3. Do you know why some foods are taboo during Chinese New Year?
Chinese New Year Taboos
Traditionally many taboos are associated with the New Year Festival, but in recent years some of them have been discarded, especially among urban population in larger cities.
New Year Day Taboos
On the first day of the New Year, the following taboos apply:
A woman may not leave her house; otherwise she will be plagued with bad luck for the entire coming year.
A married daughter is not allowed to visit the house of her parents, as this is believed to bring bad luck to the parents, causing economic hardship for the family.
The act of sweeping on this day is associated with sweeping wealth away.
New Year Festival Season Taboos
During the New Year Festival season (from the 1st to 15th of the Lunar New Year) the following taboos apply:
The cry of a child is believed to bring bad luck to the family, so parents do their best to keep children from crying by whatever means possible.
Breaking tools or other equipment during this period is associated with a loss of wealth for the coming year; therefore tradesmen and business people in general take great precautions to prevent it.
A visit to the hospital during this period is believed to bring illness to the person in question for the duration of coming year; therefore visits to the hospital are avoided, except in cases of extreme emergency.
- Feb 03 Sun 2013 19:36
經典名句 2013/2/3
說吧!英文讀書會
經典名句 2013/2/3
![](https://imageproxy.pixnet.cc/imgproxy?url=https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR2uPx3fCylzZ3vgSsbdlWvGtqjQAGyK57Oy2nXdhMCOQnmTdz0Cg)
2月14日是西洋情人節
Billy看一下月曆 也是我們的大年初五
不曉得這兩個英文句子 適不適合說?
Billy覺得有點意思 請各位參考一下
When you fall in love, it is a temporary madness, it erupts like an earthquake, and then it subsides.
說得好! 戀愛讓人暫時瘋狂 但有一天 會沉澱清醒
Billy 就是其中的受害者
The reality is that love burns like a furnace for a while, but then settles.
這句更妙! 愛情像火爐 也許冬天很溫暖
但是但是----有時會把你燒的體無完膚
Billy 就是血淋淋的例子
經典名句 2013/2/3
2月14日是西洋情人節
Billy看一下月曆 也是我們的大年初五
不曉得這兩個英文句子 適不適合說?
Billy覺得有點意思 請各位參考一下
When you fall in love, it is a temporary madness, it erupts like an earthquake, and then it subsides.
說得好! 戀愛讓人暫時瘋狂 但有一天 會沉澱清醒
Billy 就是其中的受害者
The reality is that love burns like a furnace for a while, but then settles.
這句更妙! 愛情像火爐 也許冬天很溫暖
但是但是----有時會把你燒的體無完膚
Billy 就是血淋淋的例子
- Feb 03 Sun 2013 18:55
每周一句2013/2/5 蛇年談蛇
SOAPBOX ENGLISH CLUB 說吧英文讀書會
每周一句2013/2/5
![](https://imageproxy.pixnet.cc/imgproxy?url=https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQZKVSqFrmd0YgQyXLBj-ClUzZ0dRuhP6FFoxmeVDQ5_c0nCj3H)
SOAPBOX ENGLISH CLUB 說吧英文讀書會
每周一句2013/2/3
What does walk down the aisle mean?
![](https://imageproxy.pixnet.cc/imgproxy?url=https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS5FKm902xe05Y5kPyRJaVLtAhzmbCHtYhoC90GUICIw-BzhzqIlg)
每周一句2013/2/5
新的一年為蛇年 Billy來介紹一個 有關蛇年的慣用句
a snake in the grass陰險小人--- a sneaky and despised person.
Examples:
1. Don't trust him, he looks honest but he's a snake in the grass.
别相信他,他看起来老實,其實極其陰險。
2. He's a snake in the grass. While pretending to be your friend he was slandering you behind your back
他是個陰險小人, 表面上装作是你的朋友,背地裡却在譭謗你。
SOAPBOX ENGLISH CLUB 說吧英文讀書會
每周一句2013/2/3
What does walk down the aisle mean?
walk down the aisle 結婚--- get married (in this case in a Christian church where many weddings take place and where the bride walks down the aisle to the altar)
Examples:
1. It says that this is the second time she walks down the aisle.
據說這是她第二次走红毯
2. George and Marry get along very well and they have finally decided to walk down the aisle and begin their life together.
喬治與瑪莉相處融洽最後決定結婚
(Billy)
- Feb 02 Sat 2013 22:33
周六周日主題: 2/2-2/3 公共安全/ 年終紅利
周六周日主題:2/2-2/3 公共安全/ 年終紅利
周六聚會
時間: 每周六早上 10:00~12:00
周日聚會
時間: 每周日早上10:00~12:00
地點: 摩斯漢堡 新北市板橋區文化路一段302號
(板南線新埔捷運站2號出口旁)
(周六/日 聚會請電話詢問)
Tel: 0976217450 (02) 22540821 (02) 22556076
Tel: 0976217450 (02) 22540821 (02) 22556076
Questions:
1. What are the measures to prevent fire accidents?
2. How to prevent nightclub fire accidents?
3. Ways to prevent home fires?
4. How to save yourself or your family in emergency situations?
Brazil club owner, members of band held after deadly fire
By Ana Flor, Reuters
SANTA MARIA, Brazil--Relatives of the 231 people who died in a Brazilian nightclub fire demanded answers on Monday as to how it could have killed so many people, while police questioned the club's owner and members of the band whose pyrotechnics show allegedly caused the tragedy.
Several coffins, many draped with flags of the victims' favorite soccer teams, lined a gymnasium that has become a makeshift morgue since the fire in the early hours on Sunday, one of the world's deadliest such incidents in a decade.
The death toll was revised down overnight from 233 to 231, as officials said some names had been counted twice.
Eighty-two people remained hospitalized in and around the southern city of Santa Maria. At least 30 of them were in serious condition.
As shell-shocked residents attended a marathon of funerals starting in the pre-dawn hours on Monday, the focus began to shift to what will likely be a barrage of police investigations, lawsuits and recriminations aimed at politicians and others.
“We can't trust in the ability of city hall, or the police, or anybody who permits a party with more a thousand people under these conditions,” said Erica Weber, who was accompanying her daughter to a funeral for one of her classmates.
Most of the dead were suffocated by toxic fumes that rapidly filled the Kiss nightclub after the band set off a pyrotechnics display at about 2:30 a.m, witnesses said.
State prosecutor Valeska Agostini told Reuters one of the club's owners and members of the band had been taken into police custody to answer questions although no arrests or criminal charges are likely until after the investigation is completed.
The band's guitarist, Rodrigo Lemos Martins, 32, said he doubted the band was responsible for the blaze. “There were lots of wires (in the ceiling), maybe it was a short circuit,” Folha de S.Paulo newspaper quoted him as saying.
The band's accordion player, Danilo Jaques, 30, was among those killed but the other five members survived.
It seems certain others will share the blame for Brazil's second-deadliest fire ever. The use of a flare inside the club was a clear breach of security regulations, fire officials said, and witnesses said bouncers initially tried to prevent people from fleeing from the one functioning exit because they believed they were trying to skip out on their bar tabs.
Clubs and restaurants in Brazil are generally subject to a web of overlapping safety regulations, but enforcement is uneven and owners sometimes pay bribes to continue operating.
![](https://imageproxy.pixnet.cc/imgproxy?url=https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ-9QxeV2fBuqQMQ6QUNDCYvqvO9tK5edkk7rnoM8OrSxku4osC)
Questions:
1. Should a boss give employees a bonus?
2. Does your company give annual bonus?
And how much money do you expect?
3. Tips on How to Tell your boss: “Want Bonus This Year?
4. Tips on How to Tell an Employee: “No Bonus This Year?
Year-end bonus average touches three-year low (By Linger Liu)
The average year-end bonus for 2013, equivalent to 1.11 months' average salary, hit its lowest point for the last three years, with 23.1 percent of entrepreneurial business owners saying bonuses for this year are sure to decrease.
Year-end bonuses are traditionally distributed before Chinese New Year, which is set to take place on Feb. 10, 2013. According to human resources firm 104 Job Bank, the insurance and banking sectors will offer the highest bonuses, compared with less favorable bonuses of the business, industrial and service sectors. Bonuses for the three sectors is expected to average around 1.3 months' salary.
Export Decline Primary Cause
Due to the euro debt crisis and the poor performance of exports, in addition to other variables associated with trade between Taiwan and the U.S. and mainland China, this year's average year-end bonus for workers in the manufacturing sector is estimated to reach roughly 1.11 months' salary. The same sector saw 1.25 months' salary last year, and 1.4 months' salary in 2011. This year's decline is due in part to a reduction in export growth. Among entrepreneurial business owners, 8.4 percent said that they are not able to offer any annual bonus this year. This marks a 1-percent increase from 2012.
Finance and Insurance Sectors Going Strong
The sector comprised of banking, finance and insurance firms will be offering 1.3 months' salary as a year-end bonus. Law, accounting, consultancy, technology, media and communication firms' bonuses will average 1.26 months. Transportation and logistics services are to offer bonuses of 1.25 months' salary, while the high-tech manufacturing sectors' bonuses average out at 1.2 months.
In terms of lower annual income sectors, education-related ventures average around 0.74 months' salary; the service industry at 0.76 months; tourism/leisure/sports at 0.86 months; and the catering/hospitality sector reaching a high average of 0.87 months, with other sectors such as agriculture, fishing, farming and power generation averaging at around 0.96 months' salary.
According to 104 Job Bank, 30.2 percent of high-tech manufacturers are reducing their annual bonuses compared to last year, amounting to the largest decline of any sector. Traditional manufacturers will hand out bonuses worth 1.13 months' salary, a decline of 0.2 percent. The declines from these sectors are representative of a drop in exports for 2012.
Only four out of 15 sectors that participated in the survey plan to increase their year-end bonuses. The banking and finance consultancy sector's increase to 0.36 months' salary ranked highest among the 15.
The job bank's survey was conducted between Oct. 20 and Nov. 25, with 1,749 companies participating and a margin of error of plus or minus 2.34 percentage points.
- Jan 31 Thu 2013 00:40
婚姻 /友誼
Billy 最近參加兩個研討會 一個主題談婚姻 另一個主題談友誼
![](https://imageproxy.pixnet.cc/imgproxy?url=https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQWP88hYFedVNa8P4_7brwckdg8Z7yvaPFP_F5JOyVzbaSPFwaONw)
![](https://imageproxy.pixnet.cc/imgproxy?url=https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQr-jek4jPnrLRaBZBLzWgZfpVIJDcpoNPTW9EqdeiB6LPdl1ulRQ)
會中Billy談到Marry in haste repent at leisure 這個慣用句
朋友們不太清楚 Billy 在此再詳述一次
以下Billy介紹一些關於婚姻 /友誼的美國諺語 各位會員們請參考一下
Marry in haste repent at leisure匆匆結婚 後悔無窮
--- If you marry someone you do not know well, or decide to marry someone without first carefully considering what you are doing, you will probably regret it for a long time.
Example:
Sherry wanted some time to consider Tim's proposal of marriage; she had heard the saying, "Marry in haste, and repent at leisure."
a marriage made in heaven速配/天作之合
--- a marriage which is likely to be happy and successful because the two people are very well suited to each other
Janet and Poker had exactly the same likes and interests - it was a marriage made in heaven.
A friend in need is a friend indeed.患難見真情
----A true friend is a person who will help you when you really need help.
Example:
When Billy helped me with the exam, I really learned the meaning of
"A friend in need is a friend indeed."
a fair-weather friend---不能共患難的朋友/酒肉朋友
examples:
Everyone knows that Jim is only a fair weather friend.
人人知道吉姆是個勢利小人.
He has realized that Jack is a fair weather friend.
他已意識到捷克是個酒肉朋友.
- Jan 31 Thu 2013 00:28
1/29 Topic1.租個男朋友過年 Topic2.膠囊旅館
周二聚會
時間: 每周二晚上7:00~9:30
地點: 怡客咖啡 Ikari Coffee
![](https://imageproxy.pixnet.cc/imgproxy?url=https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRjEKbItzrqQBlox3VICjTYOvTWUNAw6VZjlnPNOnVkj5_HJxaB&width=208&height=243)
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時間: 每周二晚上7:00~9:30
地點: 怡客咖啡 Ikari Coffee
會員好朋友們大家好: 2013年1月29日
將討論兩主題---
1/29 Topic1.租個男朋友過年 Topic2.膠囊旅館
* 2013/1/29 星期二 Aaron 將做3分鐘英文時事評論
租男友回家過年【中央社】
中國大陸「剩女商機」當道,大陸網站淘寶網出現「租男友回家過年」商品,1家業者提供的價格單顯示,1天的「打包價」是人民幣2000元(約新台幣9200元)。
根據這份價格單,這些「男友」陪吃飯、聊天都是依鐘點收費計價,例如陪逛街、陪看電影每小時收費人民幣30元,陪吃飯、「禮節性接吻」每次50元,晚上睡沙發每次600元。店主還明確指出「不提供同床服務」,若要陪上墳、陪拜祖先,需要雙方議價。
根據1家業者的「陪聊服務收費表」,若談的話題是以男性喜愛話題為主,計價是每小時10元;若是要以女性喜愛話題為主,每小時要20元。若是要求租來的男友只聽不說、還要「裝出特感興趣的樣子」,每小時要價30元,若要對方回答「諸如我和你媽掉河裡先救誰一類腦筋急轉彎問題」,每小時收費高達40元。
綜合大陸媒體報導,農曆春節腳步逼近,許多「大齡女青年」回家過年,難免遭遇老人嘮叨、詢問婚姻情況。目前,在淘寶網上輸入「租男友」,能找到上百件「寶貝」。
Questions:
1. Why do parents pressure their children to marry?
2. Will you take this job? And is it safe for take this job?
3. What do you think the value of marriage?
Rented boyfriends keep Chinese parents at bay By Xu Lin, China Daily
BEIJING--Taobao.com, China's largest online marketplace, is never short of bizarre offers.
And here is the latest one: boyfriends for rent.
A rental boyfriend can do the following: accompanying the girl to visit friends and families, go shopping, having meals and even getting a kiss out of courtesy. The charge is by the hour.
The services became hot with the approach of Spring Festival, the most important festival for family reunions.
In China, parents especially worry about unmarried daughters.
Single women will have to face the same old question at the family dinner table: Have you got a boyfriend?
And for those who haven't found their Mr. Right, renting a boyfriend emerges as a solution.
So, which men are willing to offer that service?
“I offer such a service only because I'm bored and know fewer female friends at work,” said Ding Hui, 27, a salesman in the plastic industry in Shanghai, with a monthly salary of more than 10,000 yuan (US$1,600).
He leased himself twice last year during Spring Festival and National Day.
His customers were two 28-year-old women.
He charged 3,000 yuan each, and the customer had to cover his round-trip tickets, accommodations and bought him clothes to make him look smart.
More than 260 rent-a-boyfriend services can be found on taobao.com, with the number climbing.
An anonymous female netizen, who claimed to have rented a boyfriend, said on the website: “My parents are very satisfied, so that my pressure is greatly reduced.” Another comment reads: “It's good that I've fulfilled the wish of my parents.”
Ding said trust building is very important, and the job is all about acting, which proved to be tough for him.
“I was exhausted as I had to flatter others for seven days and had to think before I spoke. I don't want to do it anymore,”he said.
According to him, he only held hands with thecustomers. As it's awkward to share a room with the customer, he would ask to sleep on the couch.
“Safety counts,” he said.
Chen, a 27-year-old from Huizhou, Guangdong province, who only gave her surname, couldn't agree more.
She opened an online agency on taobao.com last year, to offer fake girlfriends or boyfriends. She has more than 20 part-time workers all over the country.
“Mutual trust is a must. I have to ensure the safety of female workers,” she said.
She had about 20 orders in 2012 and only three this year. Many called to consult, but few make orders for fear of being deceived. Fees depend on the places and the length of time, ranging from 600 yuan to 1,500 yuan, with an additional agency fee.
She said most customers are from the countryside, because parents in big cities don't mind as much about their children being single.
According to Chen, customers had various reasons for renting a partner. One man broke up with his girlfriend a month before Spring Festival, and he had promised his family he would bring his girlfriend home. He turned to Chen for help.
Beijing Normal University associate professor of psychology Lin Xiuyun said it's not a good idea to rent a boyfriend or girlfriend to meet one's parents, who will be concerned about more questions, such as when they will get married.
“It's better to communicate with parents, who will be hurt more if the white lie ends with a break-up between the fake couple,” Lin said.
膠囊旅館 (維基百科)
膠囊旅館住宿設施,常見於日本。住客可使用的空間局限於一個大約2米 x 1米 x 1.25米,由注模塑膠或玻璃纖維製成的細小空間內,僅足夠睡眠。空間內通常設有電視等電子娛樂設備,在住客單元的入口處設有一塊簾以維持住客的私隱,但聲浪則難以完全隔絕,洗手間及淋浴設施需要共用。這些單元會堆疊起來,住客的行李需要存放在離單元較遠的儲物櫃中。膠囊旅館內亦設有餐廳,或自動售賣機等設施,方便住客。
膠囊旅館起源於日本,但在日本以外並未獲得廣泛接受。日本的膠囊旅館規模各異,部份只有約50個單元,較大的可多達700個單元,通常只供男性入住。部份膠囊旅館則分別設有男女使用的單元。進入膠囊旅館的住客,通常需更換浴衣及拖鞋。
膠囊旅館的最大優點是方便及價格相宜,一般每人每晚租金約4,000至5,000日圓,較正式的旅館廉宜。由於日本都市的房價較昂貴,不少定居於郊區的上班族,因加班或應酬而趕不上末班列車時,常以膠囊旅館做為淋浴及睡眠之所,有些膠囊旅館因此還販賣襯衫及襪子供替換。由於是日本特有,亦吸引不少外國自助旅行者為體驗而進住。
第一家膠囊旅館是位於大阪的Capsule Inn大阪,由日本建築師黑川紀章設計,位於大阪市梅田區,於1979年2月1日開始營業,當時的租金為每晚1,600日圓。
Questions:
1. What you think this capsule hotel ?
2. Is it safe?
Squeezing into a capsule hotel room in Japan (Associated Press)
TOKYO – Tokyo is known for being densely populated and crowded. Living space is at a premium; hotel rooms are small or expensive or both.
Enter the capsule hotel, where a tube-like pod barely bigger than a coffin offers a bed for the night at low cost.
The capsule concept has been around for at least 30 years, starting out as lodging for businessmen working or partying late who missed the last train home and needed a cheap place to crash.
And judging from the dark suits and ties of the patrons entering and exiting the Capsule & Sauna Century Shibuya in Tokyo, the cramped beds remain largely a businessman's special. But budget travelers and other folks curious about a unique lodging experience use them too. So I decided to try it on a trip to Japan this fall, along with a visit to the hotel sauna.
At 5 foot 10 and 175 pounds (about 1.8 meters tall and 70 kilograms), I am almost exactly average size for an American. But in Japan, I felt oafishly big. In a sushi restaurant, I nearly knocked over all the patrons trying to squeeze past to my seat. On the metro, my heft encroached on to a second seat, often meaning the only open seat on the train was the one next to me. The pajamas thoughtfully provided by some of the other hotels where I stayed left me feeling like a sausage.
The Century capsule hotel exacerbated this feeling. I felt cramped from the moment I checked in, when I traded street shoes for hotel slippers too small for my feet. The sole elevator serving 10 stories was slightly larger than an airplane bathroom. Speaking of bathrooms, each floor of the hotel has a shared bathroom with several stalls and urinals (no women were on the premises). In a seated position, my knees nearly touched the door to the stall.
Then there was the actual "room." I splurged on "Deluxe" accommodation for 4,000 yen (roughly $50). My tube was long enough for me to lie down with an inch or two to spare. I could sit up, barely. And there was enough space for my small daypack next to me.
The capsules line a darkened room, stacked in twos like bunk beds on the 10th floor of the hotel. With a potential 32 guests in one room — more on lower floors — it's quite crowded.
There is no room for luggage. Checking in, you get a key to a locker (think small ones at the gym) on the second floor. It's big enough to hang a suit and leave the contents of your pockets while you hit the shared sauna and bath.
I'm sure a therapist would brand me repressed based on my sporadic dreams of showing up to work or an important function in my pajamas or birthday suit. But what about the opposite? In my trip to the sauna, I showed up clothed to a place where everyone else was naked.
When I rode the elevator to the shower and bath area on the third floor, I wore the snug hotel-supplied boxers and robe. The elevator let out into an empty room with cubbies, stacked towels and sinks and mirrors. To get to the bath and sauna, you need to slide open a giant steamed-up glass door. On the other side is no-clothes land. I blithely entered clothed, to the consternation of the men inside.
So I went back, ditched the clothes in a cubby and re-entered. But what next? Two large baths and a series of hand shower hoses with small stools reminiscent of hair-cutting stations at a salon were in the outer sauna area and a door led to the dry sauna.
After a ridiculous, pantomimed, naked conversation with a local, I showered, seated at one of the wash stations. Then I went into the sauna. I've never been in a sauna with a TV before. Nice touch, though the programming seemed to be a Japanese combination of game show and infomercial for a weight loss program, probably aimed at me.
When my body core temperature neared critical, I went out to the bath. First the cold, which nearly sent me into shock. Then the hot, much better, but quite crowded. Another wash off at the showering station and I figured it was time to turn in.
Climbing into the capsule takes a bit of maneuvering. I kept imagining climbing into a torpedo tube on a submarine, but fortunately no one fired me out.
The TV mounted in the ceiling offered more game shows and an adult channel, along with headphones to better listen. A dimmable light and built-in alarm clock rounded out the amenities.
I closed the blind at my feet and conked out. With a few dozen other people coming into the room through the night and clambering into their own capsules, it made for a less-than-stellar night's rest.
Really, a capsule hotel seems just like a youth hostel, but with a tad bit more privacy. Rather than open bunk beds in a common room, you get a little enclosed pod in a common room. The sauna and shared baths were clean and refreshing, but the heavy smoking in many common areas was less so.
All in all, I'd say a capsule hotel is worth a visit just to say you've done it. But don't expect a restful night. And depending on your size, you might emerge feeling like a giant.
- Jan 31 Thu 2013 00:27
周一主題 1/28Topic 1.獸權Topic 2.咖啡好嗎?
周一主題 1/28Topic 1.獸權Topic 2.咖啡好嗎?
請注意!這是 周一的文章
請注意!這是 周一的文章
周一聚會地點: 麥當勞
新北市板橋區文化路二段173號
(江子翠捷運2號出口往前走100公尺左右)
時間: 每周一晚上 7:00~9:30
02-22540821
02-25556076
0976-217-450
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Questions:
1. Why are Animal Rights important?
2. Animals should not be used for medical experimentation?
3. How to Deal with a Stray Dog? and how solving stray dog problem?
4. What are arguments for and against medical testing on animals?
Animal activists want zero shelter deaths
By Joy Lee, The China Post
TAIPEI, Taiwan --Taiwan animal shelters should aim to end all deaths as soon as possible, animal rights campaigners said yesterday.
Singer Mina Lee (李宓) dressed as a cat and was joined by four male models in dog costumes to raise awareness of animal protection yesterday at an event held by the Animal Protection Administrative Supervising Committee (APASC, 動物保護行政監督委員會), under the Life Conservation Association (LCA, 關懷生命協會).
Lee said that she hopes through body painting and artistic expression she can make people consider the fate of animals.
“I believe that every animal, including pets and those used for experiments, has the right to live without being tortured,”Lee said.
She added that “it is important for everyone to learn how to respect life.”
APASC chief Ho Tsung-hsun (何宗勳) said that even though people started to pay attention to issues about animal protection, more cases involving the mistreatment and torture of animals appear every year.
“Except for the issue of inappropriate treatment of pets, we also need to focus on issues regarding animals used in science and for food,” Ho said.
”It is urgent for people to fight for animals' right for them.”
According to the APASC, statistics from the Council of Agriculture show that the death rate in public animal shelters in 2011 — including those which were euthanized — was 76.1 percent.
“Human beings do not have the right to intervene in animals' rights to live,” Ho said, “so we want to promote the ideas of improving animal shelters, encouraging adopting animals, and develop the trap, neuter, release (TNR) program in order to protect animals.”
“Pa-Shih,” one of the four male models attending the event, said that he grew up surrounded by small animals —including a monkey — and he believes that we can learn a lot from them.
Lee has taken part in other campaigns and protests before. She was one of a group of more than 20 people to launch the first naked protest against the use of nuclear power in Taiwan when she was a college student in 2006.
![](https://imageproxy.pixnet.cc/imgproxy?url=https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR_aJRYjTlMiyvdWJ8-K_vruWcRrhlQ26NxAdDM_jT-Cr8LtT4d&width=259&height=194)
Some studies in the past did not take into account the connection between drinking coffee and smoking cigarettes, which do contain carcinogens, Hensrud said.
Questions:
1. Is coffee healthy?
2. Is Coffee Good or Bad For You?
3. How Drinking Coffee Could Improve Your Health?
4. Share your opinions about Coffee Addiction - Caffeine Side Effects & Dangers.
Coffee By Elizabeth Landau, CNN
Coffee may prevent type II diabetes and Parkinson's disease, evidence shows
It may also have anti-cancer and antidepressant effects
Some people can't tolerate coffee because of side effects
Doctor: If you don't drink coffee and want to start, ease into it
(CNN) -- If you can't get through your day without a coffee break or two, here's good news for you: What scientists know so far suggests coffee may help you stay healthy.
As usual with medical research, the operative word is "may."
It's hard to know for sure whether coffee is really causing good effects -- lifestyles or behaviors associated with coffee consumption may also influence health. Also, different people have different tolerances for coffee -- it can have short-term side effects that make people steer clear of morning brews.
So, doctors aren't quite convinced enough to prescribe coffee -- but they probably don't need to, because so many people indulge in it anyway.
Coffee could cut risk of skin cancer
SGMD tip: Chasing life with coffee
Does drinking coffee lower cancer risk? The point is: In general, regular coffee drinkers won't be discouraged from continuing the habit, although there are exceptions.
"For most people, for people who don't experience the side effects, the benefits far outweigh the risks," said Dr. Donald Hensrud of the Mayo Clinic.
Why would coffee be good?
More is known about the overall association between coffee and positive health effects than about the mechanism behind it, said Dr. Alberto Ascherio, professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health.
Antioxidants are one potential reason that good outcomes are seen from coffee. Our bodies produce oxygen radicals, which are damaging to DNA. Antioxidants prevent them from doing damage, Ascherio said.
Although antioxidants are found in fruits and vegetables, research has shown that coffee is the top source of antioxidants for Americans.
Caffeine itself may also contribute to coffee's positive effects on brain health. That may be because caffeine is an antagonist to adenosine receptors. These receptors normally slow down neural activity when the chemical adenosine binds to them, producing a sleepy feeling. But if caffeine binds to the receptors, the activity of neurons speeds up.
Coffee also appears to lower levels of insulin and estrogen, which is perhaps why a study last year found a lower risk of endometrial cancer in coffee-drinking women. Insulin also plays a role in prostate cancer, another disease coffee may help stave off.
Perfect your coffee pour-over
What good it may bring
The evidence is fairly strong for coffee preventing type II diabetes and Parkinson's, and reasonably good for antidepressant effects, too, doctors say.
Just in the last few months, several new studies have been published highlighting other possible benefits of coffee. Again, none of them prove that coffee causes any effects at all; they are just associations.
People who drink two 8-ounce cups of coffee daily appear to have an 11% lower risk of developing heart failure, compared to noncoffee drinkers. That's according to a meta-analysis published in June in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation: Heart Failure, based on pooling the results of five studies. The researchers did not take into account the strength of coffee, what time of day it was drunk, or whether it was caffeinated -- factors that could be related.
Coffee drinkers may also be protecting themselves against basal cell carcinoma, the most common form of skin cancer, according to a July report in the journal Cancer Research. Other caffeinated beverages also seemed to reduce the risk of this slow-growing cancer. But scientists don't yet know why this effect was observed.
Increased coffee consumption also is associated with longer life, according to Research in the New England Journal of Medicine. Again, no one knows what about coffee would make people live longer, but Ascherio theorizes it could be the protection against type II diabetes, Parkinson's, depression and suicidal tendencies.
Some of the strongest evidence comes from studies on type II diabetes. According to a 2009 meta-analysis, the risk of type II diabetes goes down with each cup of coffee consumed daily. Additionally, a 2007 meta-analysis found a correlation between increased coffee consumption and lower risk of liver cancer. But it's not enough to tell anyone who doesn't already drink coffee to start.
There have not been any large randomized controlled trials regarding coffee's health benefits, or even to see whether caffeinated or decaf is better for you. Without this kind of research, there will be uncertainty.
While perhaps scientifically interesting, such an investigation hasn't happened because of the economics involved, Ascherio said. A trial could cost in the tens of millions of dollars. Pharmaceutical companies aren't in the business of selling coffee, and coffee makers don't need a study to market their products -- people who like coffee buy it anyway.
How much coffee a person can drink daily varies widely; some people don't feel any side effects.The optimal daily dose of coffee varies widely, depending on the person. Some can't drink it at all. Others tolerate six to eight cups a day.
As common sense might suggest, the greatest overall benefits appear to be in people who drink coffee at moderate levels: two to three cups a day. But there are exceptions: A May 2011 study found that men who drink six or more cups a day had a decreased risk of fatal prostate cancer.
The bad stuff
Coffee hasn't always been hailed as such a great thing. It's also not for everyone.
Doctors may never consider coffee a standard recommendation because of individuals' varying susceptibility to side effects, said Hensrud.
Those include headaches, insomnia, heartburn and palpitations, not to mention urinary urgency. People who get fast heartbeats may need to steer clear of caffeinated coffee, too. Others don't drink coffee because it irritates their stomachs.
Famously, coffee got a bad reputation from research in the early 1980s connecting it to pancreatic cancer. But more recent studies have not found the same link, according to the American Cancer Society.
Some studies in the past did not take into account the connection between drinking coffee and smoking cigarettes, which do contain carcinogens, Hensrud said.
Different people metabolize caffeine differently, so some people can have a cup of coffee at night and fall asleep right away, while others need to keep their distance from java for several hours before bedtime to avoid insomnia.
Coffee that's boiled -- popular in Scandinavia, for instance -- will increase bad cholesterol; espresso has the same effect, Hensrud said. But filtering regular coffee reduces those cholesterol-raising substances.
Also, of course, if you don't drink black coffee, cafes will gladly charge you for all kinds of additives to dilute the bitter flavor and strength.
Some milky, sugary coffees may contain upwards of 500 calories -- particularly if they begin with the sound "frap." So, if you think you're doing your body a favor with these treats, health detriments of the added calories and fat may cancel out coffee's magic.
The bottom line
While all the evidence taken together suggests benefits from coffee, the burden of proof still isn't quite strong enough, because these are associations, not a demonstration that coffee causes anything.
"For a public health recommendation, you've got to be pretty darn sure," Hensrud said.
If you don't particularly like coffee but you're thinking about starting to drink it, beware: A sudden change from no consumption can trigger bad consequences, just like doing a really hard workout after you've been a couch potato, Ascherio said. Both situations -- going from nothing to a lot -- can increase risk of heart attack and stroke.
So, if you do feel like trying coffee, start gradually, Ascherio said. It may be that people who experience negative side effects from coffee won't reap the same long-term benefits from it, anyway.
"If you consume coffee, enjoy it," Hensrud said. "But I wouldn't necessarily recommend taking it up if you don't like it."
- Jan 27 Sun 2013 16:42
年終摸彩
兩則消息報告:
年終摸彩
一. 說吧!讀書會 將於1月29日(星期二)
感謝會員支持 舉行年終摸彩(在英文主題討論後/討論會正常舉行)
每位與會會員 請準備一份小禮物
舉例說:一些您收的紀念品 保溫杯 馬克杯 等等
家裡放著 而常年不用的物品 還八成新
互相摸彩贈送 表達您的熱誠 也可增進交友情誼
如果手上沒有這些用品 也非常歡迎您來
Billy有準備 數十種全新禮品 歡迎新舊會員踴躍參加
(英文討論聚會正常舉行)
二. 說吧!讀書會 將於1月27日
(星期日晚上6:00) 幹部年終會餐
(安格士牛排 板橋區新海路95號電話:02-82537567)
有交通工具幹部 請直接前往
無交通工具幹部 請準時於晚上5:50前
Billy將在新埔捷運1號出口
肯德基門前 迎接各位 與您一同前往
(Billy--0976217450 無須付費 由國安基金支付餐費)
- Jan 27 Sun 2013 15:24
每周一句2013/1/28
SOAPBOX ENGLISH CLUB 說吧英文讀書會
每周一句2013/1/28
![](https://imageproxy.pixnet.cc/imgproxy?url=https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSdoSVW8x9fertLADWaGYR7ByGqUGFCQZblTFz3OXfnSg41tfHa&width=227&height=163)
![](https://imageproxy.pixnet.cc/imgproxy?url=https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRzKdQiL5jj64cO9ksifpyKIVzYEn5HTMceQNqjKox8O_ckz0Vr)
![](https://imageproxy.pixnet.cc/imgproxy?url=https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTJgyKWUUcoIwW_ldeG_-ylkzev0HQajinojkDVtvmU74EipflaDA&width=259&height=194)
SOAPBOX ENGLISH CLUB 說吧英文讀書會
每周一句2013/1/27
每周一句2013/1/28
knockoff冒牌貨/仿製品----
A knockoff is a cheap copy of a well-known product.
Examples:
1. You can buy a nice knockoff watch from night markets.
你能從夜市買到質量不錯的仿製名牌手表。
2. That song is obviously a knockoff of an earlier recording.
很明顯地那首歌是以前歌曲的盗版。
SOAPBOX ENGLISH CLUB 說吧英文讀書會
每周一句2013/1/27
1. A warning signal.
2. Something that demands attention or provokes an irritated reaction.
Examples:
l. When my girlfriend called me up that day and gave me the "we need to talk" line, a red flag obviously came up and I figured I'd soon be on the outs with her.
2. The abnormal bleeding is your body's own red flag of danger.
- Jan 26 Sat 2013 21:53
年終摸彩
年終摸彩![](https://imageproxy.pixnet.cc/imgproxy?url=https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQrWTcCvuNBZzVGMON70xJ39gLF-M7xCzQpaAeiG4zy-SBdBIRy9g&width=259&height=194)
說吧!讀書會 將於1月29日(星期二)
感謝會員支持 舉行年終摸彩(在英文主題討論後)
(英文討論聚會正常舉行)
每位與會會員 請準備一份小禮物
舉例說:一些您收的紀念品 保溫杯 馬克杯 等等
家裡放著 而常年不用的物品 還八成新
互相摸彩贈送 表達您的熱誠 也可增進交友情誼
如果手上沒有這些用品 也非常歡迎您來
Billy有準備 數十種全新禮品 歡迎所有好朋友踴躍參加
(英文討論聚會正常舉行)
- Jan 26 Sat 2013 21:51
周六周日主題:1/26-1/27 如何減壓 / 你的孩子是同志?
周六周日主題:1/26-1/27 如何減壓 / 你的孩子是同志?
![](https://imageproxy.pixnet.cc/imgproxy?url=https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ73bwlsFci67--3UDp38U_G8_sM2EWMmMkqKcbBRhETeRSkBW3qQ&width=209&height=241)
Questions:
![](https://imageproxy.pixnet.cc/imgproxy?url=https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSnHPoHo9IWyniQEtH4r-ynuj5Bp1heM2d-z-ffqveKSoeBWigW&width=225&height=224)
Questions:
周六聚會
時間: 每周六早上 10:00~12:00
周日聚會
時間: 每周日早上10:00~12:00
地點: 摩斯漢堡 新北市板橋區文化路一段302號
(板南線新埔捷運站2號出口旁)
(周六/日 聚會請電話詢問)
Tel: 0976217450 (02) 22540821 (02) 22556076
Tel: 0976217450 (02) 22540821 (02) 22556076
Questions:
1. What do you do to manage your stress?
2. What causes your stress?
3. Ways of relaxation for stress? How to handle them?
4. How Does Stress Affect our Health?
6 Tips To Reduce Your Stress By Yaro Starak
Continuing from the article – It’s Time To Reduce Your Stress – I’ve produced a series of practical tips for you to reduce your stress. I intended to include these in the original article about stress but they didn’t fit with the flow and made an already large article even longer. If you haven’t read the previous article I suggest you do that first before reading this article.
If you are feeling at a loss regarding how to reduce the stress in your life, here’s some techniques you can apply today. All of these tips I applied to my life and have had very positive outcomes.
Exercise
This is probably the single most important change. If you aren’t exercising, and this means something rigorous that makes you breath heavy for a good 20+ minutes per day, then you need to add it to your life immediately. You will know when you have worked hard enough because after you feel absolutely buggered but the adrenaline and lovely endorphins are flowing.
I’m convinced that regular exercise is the key to happiness (along with all that self awareness stuff). It creates a natural high which you don’t pay for in the morning (once you get used to it) by feeling worse like you do from other, not-so-natural highs, such as drugs and alcohol. Exercise helps you sleep better, increases your overall energy, makes you chirpy, you think clearer, can work and play longer, increases your general confidence and best of all – it keeps you living longer with less trips to the doctor (I have never taken any antibiotics in my life!).
If you haven’t adopted a regular exercise pattern then this should be your number one priority. Make sure it’s regular – aim for every second day to start. You will start to enjoy it so much that you will want to do something everyday, in fact you will crave some form of exercise and it just won’t feel right not exercising.
Personally I get quite bored of one physical activity so I try and mix my week up. I do rollerblading, swimming, weight-training, walking, jogging, bike riding, tennis, golf and wait for it…bowling! (bowling really isn’t all the strenuous though). Once you get confident in your physical health you will be more eager to try other sports too.
If you are just beginning start with what you know you can do, perhaps walking at a fast pace to get your heart rate up, then up to some jogging bursts, then maybe try some tennis or whatever takes your fancy.
Music
The best companion for exercise is music. Music soothes the soul as they say, and I’m sure I don’t have to convince you of the powers of music to reduce your stress. For me there are few better moments in life than a speedy skate with the Brisbane river and a marvelous sunset on my right side and some high energy music (I’m a trance fan) playing in my earbuds. This is when I experience the biggest high of my life. It’s better than sex (!) and just a tiny bit better than a two-fisted backhand down the line passing shot to win the point in a long tennis rally. Just.
Self Development –Raising Self Awareness
This won’t work for you unless you are ready and open to it, but I find that studying self development materials, and more importantly understanding, believing and putting the concepts learnt into action, is one of the best ways to reduce your stress. You realize that your worries are pretty trivial and life isn’t that complex.
I’ve managed to almost eliminate stress from my life. My next goal is to work towards a Steve Pavlina style sustained joyful existence.
I have good control over my emotions (not perfect mind you). I have strong self awareness, but I’m still somewhat a slave to certain impulses, basic drives and emotional conditioning. I always feel stronger and more relaxed with the world after working on my self development. Often things tend to drop in importance, I gain a stronger grasp over my emotional state and everything becomes calmer after new insights are gained or concepts reinforced.
In your case you will be somewhere on the levels of consciousness scale, which will determine how you should go about raising your own self awareness and improving your self development. The fact that you are reading this article means you probably are open to self development concepts and have the potential to help yourself. Steve Pavlina’s blog is a great place to start.
Food
Eating well benefits me in two ways – the obvious, it works because it’s healthy for your body, but also I find it healthy for my mind too. Knowing that I am eating well and sticking to certain self-imposed restrictions, means that I feel good mentally and physically about my food intake. This is great because these two areas of my life reinforce each other positively. When I am eating well I mentally pat myself on the back, have more confidence and find it easier to continue to eat well. When I break from this I feel worse mentally way before my body experiences any obvious negative effects from eating badly. I very quickly get back on track because my mind wouldn’t let me stray for too long. I guess you would call this self-discipline, but I call it maintaining peace of mind.
Eating well benefits me in two ways – the obvious, it works because it’s healthy for your body, but also I find it healthy for my mind too. Knowing that I am eating well and sticking to certain self-imposed restrictions, means that I feel good mentally and physically about my food intake. This is great because these two areas of my life reinforce each other positively. When I am eating well I mentally pat myself on the back, have more confidence and find it easier to continue to eat well. When I break from this I feel worse mentally way before my body experiences any obvious negative effects from eating badly. I very quickly get back on track because my mind wouldn’t let me stray for too long. I guess you would call this self-discipline, but I call it maintaining peace of mind.
I don’t drink alcohol. I’ve had maybe the equivalent of half a cup of coke in my entire life. I drink only water, juices, milk and soy drinks. I strive for the five vegetables and two fruit servings per day rule. I’m not a vegetarian, I do enjoy meat even though I know it hurts animals – I’m morally against it but I have not decided to change my eating habits as a result.
I have been blessed with a metabolism that can deal with copious amounts of food without gaining weight – I certainly have never needed to diet to lose weight. Overall I believe in a balanced diet and mostly I eat what I like and I know is good for me – fruit, veges, nuts, breads, a little dairy, meat and plenty of water –always drink plenty of water. I have a solid love for chocolate too, but I have trouble eating excessive amounts nowadays because my conscious won’t let me get away with it, as compared to my fun-filled, chocolate overdosed younger days.
There’s enough information out there on eating right and I’m sure you know what parts of your own diet you would like to change. Eating right comes down to discipline. When you change something for the long enough it becomes a habit and you face resistance to change it. The trick is to make all your habits positive.
Sleep
This is probably the single most abused aspect of peoples lives when it comes to creating stress because of our “rushed” lifestyle, which tends to encourage not sleeping. Many decide to sacrifice sleep for the sake of deadlines, work and social outings. Not sleeping for the sake of a work deadline is something you probably already aim to avoid, sometimes unsuccessfully, but the idea that missing sleep because of a great party or a big night out may not seem like such a bad idea to you. You are probably willing to make the sacrifice, potentially wiping out your next day from being excessively tired, in exchange for a fun-filled evening. Everyone else does it and you don’t want to miss out on all the fun.
Questions:
1. What to do when your child says: "i'm gay!"?
2. What do you think of gays?
3. Do you support gay rights?
4. Do you support gay marriage ?
What to do When Your Child Says: "I'm Gay!"
(by Michael C. LaSala, Ph.D.)
You have just learned that your child is gay, lesbian, or transgendered. You're experiencing self-blame ("Did I do something wrong?"), grief ("The child I thought I knew and loved no longer exists!"), worry ("Will my child be beaten? Discriminated against? Get AIDS?") religious confusion ("Is my child damned to spend eternity in hell?") and stigma ("What will people think of my child? Of me?")
Conversely, you might also be experiencing relief ("Now I know what's been bothering my child for all these months/years!")
So now what should you do?
Well, first, take a deep breath...(Good advice when first confronting any difficult situation, right?)3
Second, tell yourself you will get through this. And you will. As a matter of fact, you might someday look back and find that you are grateful for the experience of having a gay or lesbian child.
Yes, you read that right, grateful.
How do I know? Well, in my study of 65 families of gay and lesbian youth for the book, Coming Out, Coming Home: Helping Families Adjust to a Gay or Lesbian Child, (www.comingoutcominghome.com) I found that some parents get to the point where they believe that the experience of having a gay child actually made them a better person--more open minded and sensitive to the needs of others, particularly those in other minority groups. Others grew to be proud of their children's sexual orientation. Yet others found that their relationships with their children grew to be closer, stronger, and more honest than ever before.
If you just found out your child is gay or lesbian, or even bisexual or transgender, you are probably thinking that such ideas are preposterous, right? Well, based on my research and clinical experience with parents just like you, here are some steps you can take that you will likely find helpful:
1) Find someone to talk to-but not just anyone As I state in the book and also in an earlier posting, the parents in my study were helped by talking to a trusted friend, relative, coworker, or even a casual acquaintance. These trustworthy confidants let them vent but who also corrected some of the misperceptions they absorbed from society, such as gay people are lonely, unhappy, promiscuous, not family oriented, unable to have children, and destined for an unhappy life. They also reassured parents that they and their child would be ok. So, look for someone to share you painful feelings with, make sure they are open-minded, progressive, and accepting of LGBT people.
2) If you do not have someone like this within reach, consider a professional therapist such as a social worker, psychologist, or psychiatrist. Members of each of these professions follow a code of ethics that requires them to be knowledgeable, respectful, and tolerant of LGBT people. However, for good measure, before you begin ask the therapist his or her opinions of LGBT people and lifestyles.
3) Contact Parents, Family, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG). This is a national support and advocacy group primarily for parents of LGBT people that has hundreds of local chapters, so there is likely to be one near you. For the families in my study, nothing helped soothe their guilt, sadness, and worry like talking with other parents, all of whom had been in their shoes and managed to get through the tough times. (www.pflag.org )
4) Get education. The PFLAG website has links to literature-books and articles that tell the truth about LGBT people. There are also a bunch of other good resources/books that I list below that you can buy, including my own.
5) Let your child teach you. Know that your son or daughter came out to you, most probably because they love you and are seeking a more open, honest relationship. They may have something to teach you about LGBT people and also about acceptance and love. (Like societal ideas about sex, gender, and relationships are wrong, but more on that later.)
- Jan 25 Fri 2013 22:03
年終摸彩
年終摸彩![](https://imageproxy.pixnet.cc/imgproxy?url=https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQrWTcCvuNBZzVGMON70xJ39gLF-M7xCzQpaAeiG4zy-SBdBIRy9g&width=259&height=194)
說吧!讀書會 將於1月29日(星期二)
感謝會員支持 舉行年終摸彩(在英文主題討論後)
(英文討論聚會正常舉行)
每位與會會員 請準備一份小禮物
舉例說:一些您收的紀念品 保溫杯 馬克杯 等等
家裡放著 而常年不用的物品 還八成新
互相摸彩贈送 表達您的熱誠 也可增進交友情誼
如果手上沒有這些用品 也非常歡迎您來
Billy有準備 數十種全新禮品 歡迎所有好朋友踴躍參加
(英文討論聚會正常舉行)