Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Monday, November 22, 2010
Cellphones on Campus
The third piece in NEWSWORTHY CLIPS this month is titled “Cell phones on campus make cutting the umbilical cord difficult”. Now, that’s a mouthful of a title, but it says a lot about the current situation with university students and their cell phones. Today’s students need to grow up, and not rely on their parents so much. Being away at college is the beginning of growing into an adult, and that means making tough decisions on your own sometimes, and dealing with challenging situations with your own mental and emotional resources. Calling mom and dad every time something doesn’t go your way just shows that you're not ready, and it slows down the growth process—in other words, it delays finding out who you really are. Cell phones, or the overuse of cell phones is probably the number one pet peeve for me. I think they should all be thrown into the river. We’ve become slaves to cell phones, and the cell phone companies are quite happy about that. Don’t be a slave to your cell phone, be something special, and interact with those people around you. Look at people around you, talk to people around you, on the bus, while you walk to work, waiting for the subway. Look at people, actually say hello, speak to them, offer to help them. Don’t ignore the angels that are around you everyday. Don’t just spend you life constantly distracted and dominated by this little hand machine. Don’t just spend your life typing meaningless text messages, and making unnecessary phone calls. When it comes to cell phones, we all need to grow up, and give it up.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Angkor Wat 1 text
Okay, here I am in Cambodia at Angkor Wat, and it’s great to see the temple here. There’s many temples here in this part of Cambodia, around Siem Rap.
It’s also important that we study the history of these places before we come here—just to understand things, to understand recent history of Cambodia, as far as some of the political issues that they’ve had, some of the fighting. Also the ancient history.
This was built 1137 to 1150 (*Correction: It was built 1113 to 1150, a total of 37 years. Sorry for the mistake!), and a lot of the western world thinks that this was quote “discovered” maybe by some Europeans, by the French a few centuries ago or something. It really wasn’t “discovered”—the locals knew it was here the whole time—they just didn’t share it with everybody.
So, it’s very important to study the history of these countries before we go visit them. Also understand the rich history of this part of the world. This, uh, the kingdoms here in Cambodia were very powerful for many centuries about a thousand years ago.
So, enjoy—she’s enjoying.
See you next time!
It’s also important that we study the history of these places before we come here—just to understand things, to understand recent history of Cambodia, as far as some of the political issues that they’ve had, some of the fighting. Also the ancient history.
This was built 1137 to 1150 (*Correction: It was built 1113 to 1150, a total of 37 years. Sorry for the mistake!), and a lot of the western world thinks that this was quote “discovered” maybe by some Europeans, by the French a few centuries ago or something. It really wasn’t “discovered”—the locals knew it was here the whole time—they just didn’t share it with everybody.
So, it’s very important to study the history of these countries before we go visit them. Also understand the rich history of this part of the world. This, uh, the kingdoms here in Cambodia were very powerful for many centuries about a thousand years ago.
So, enjoy—she’s enjoying.
See you next time!
Friday, March 19, 2010
Should I Have Children?
Here I am at Casa Della Pasta, which um, Gabriel—Super Sentence Man, told me is Casa Della Pasta. I have been mispronouncing this place for about four years.
Anyways, it’s my third time this week, which is kind of low. Normally I’m about four or five times during a week. Same, same dish everyday.
But I didn’t know what I was going to say on today’s blog. Actually, when you don’t know what to say, sometimes the best thing to do is just shut up and ask questions, which, um, I decided to do today.
I’ve got two wonderful people I’m having lunch with. Lois Fisk over here, and um, just asking Lois questions about having children. Whether I should have children.
So, I don’t have any children—I’m wondering if I should have children. So, but Lois has been very helpful. Helping me understand where having children fits in with life. So, and in fact the other person I’ve been lucky enough to ask for his input is my number one eagle, Steve.
Okay, Steve, what about having kids?
Steve: Oh wow, that’s a big topic. If you’re married, then you think about it. And you talk about it with your husband or your wife.
Bill: What about money?
Steve: Don’t worry about money. Yeah, the children are important.
Bill: Yeah, because everybody thinks “Oh, I can’t afford kids, they’re too expensive.”
Steve: Yeah, that bothers me when I hear that.
Bill: Okay. It kinda gets in the way. Yeah, okay. What about you, Lois? Money ever an issue?
Lois: Um, I don’t think we ever thought about how much money we needed to have before we start having children, no, no. ‘Cause then you’ll never have enough.
Bill: Alright, see—I really don’t have to think of anything great to say. My friends can come up with good topics to talk about.
Sometimes the best thing for me to do is just shut up and listen.
See you next time.
Anyways, it’s my third time this week, which is kind of low. Normally I’m about four or five times during a week. Same, same dish everyday.
But I didn’t know what I was going to say on today’s blog. Actually, when you don’t know what to say, sometimes the best thing to do is just shut up and ask questions, which, um, I decided to do today.
I’ve got two wonderful people I’m having lunch with. Lois Fisk over here, and um, just asking Lois questions about having children. Whether I should have children.
So, I don’t have any children—I’m wondering if I should have children. So, but Lois has been very helpful. Helping me understand where having children fits in with life. So, and in fact the other person I’ve been lucky enough to ask for his input is my number one eagle, Steve.
Okay, Steve, what about having kids?
Steve: Oh wow, that’s a big topic. If you’re married, then you think about it. And you talk about it with your husband or your wife.
Bill: What about money?
Steve: Don’t worry about money. Yeah, the children are important.
Bill: Yeah, because everybody thinks “Oh, I can’t afford kids, they’re too expensive.”
Steve: Yeah, that bothers me when I hear that.
Bill: Okay. It kinda gets in the way. Yeah, okay. What about you, Lois? Money ever an issue?
Lois: Um, I don’t think we ever thought about how much money we needed to have before we start having children, no, no. ‘Cause then you’ll never have enough.
Bill: Alright, see—I really don’t have to think of anything great to say. My friends can come up with good topics to talk about.
Sometimes the best thing for me to do is just shut up and listen.
See you next time.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Chinese New Year 2010 (text)
Bill: Okay, here at Casa Della Pasta, my favorite pace, for about the fifth time this week.
It is Chinese New Year, pre-CNY time, and, I’ve got my wonderful friends here joining me. My eagles and my turkeys joining me.
What are you going to do for Chinese New Year? Make sure you don’t waste your time. Too many people at the end of Chinese New Year, I ask them “What did you do?”
“Uh, I slept”
“I watched TV”
“Um, I don’t know”,
Right?
Have a plan, make sure you do something. Don’t squander eight or nine days. So, make sure you get something done—at least go out and get some exercise. So, have some kind of a plan.
I’ve got a plan. What about you number one eagle, Steve?
Steve: I’m gonna make a lot of noise—Woohoo! Yeah!
Bill: Uh, Simon?
Simon: I’m going to India to rebuild an orphanage.
Bill: Okay, Brandon?
Brandon: Hi guys, I’m going to the Philippines to just lay out on the beach and enjoy myself.
Bill: Well hey, that’s a plan—that is a plan, man! You know, at least you’re gonna go somewhere, you’re gonna go to The Philippines, so, um . . .
Campbell: This Chinese New Year I’m going to visit my grandma, and my sister-in-law, and just spend time with my wife. And rest.
Daniel: Um, Chinese New Year, I’m going to Malaysia, and I’m going to save the orangutans. So,
Bill: Okay!
Daniel: Yeah, Borneo.
Bill: Sounds like a great idea.
Daniel: Looking forward to it.
Bill: Go somewhere, get in the car, take a drive, at least get out and get some exercise, on a day like today—it’s a beautiful day.
So, don’t sit inside—do not squander this opportunity. So, make the most of you Chinese New Year vacation, and, um, send me an email, let me know what you did.
We’ll see you next time.
Key word/phrase
Squander (verb) - to waste something, to not take advantage of a good thing. "Don't squander your opportunity"
It is Chinese New Year, pre-CNY time, and, I’ve got my wonderful friends here joining me. My eagles and my turkeys joining me.
What are you going to do for Chinese New Year? Make sure you don’t waste your time. Too many people at the end of Chinese New Year, I ask them “What did you do?”
“Uh, I slept”
“I watched TV”
“Um, I don’t know”,
Right?
Have a plan, make sure you do something. Don’t squander eight or nine days. So, make sure you get something done—at least go out and get some exercise. So, have some kind of a plan.
I’ve got a plan. What about you number one eagle, Steve?
Steve: I’m gonna make a lot of noise—Woohoo! Yeah!
Bill: Uh, Simon?
Simon: I’m going to India to rebuild an orphanage.
Bill: Okay, Brandon?
Brandon: Hi guys, I’m going to the Philippines to just lay out on the beach and enjoy myself.
Bill: Well hey, that’s a plan—that is a plan, man! You know, at least you’re gonna go somewhere, you’re gonna go to The Philippines, so, um . . .
Campbell: This Chinese New Year I’m going to visit my grandma, and my sister-in-law, and just spend time with my wife. And rest.
Daniel: Um, Chinese New Year, I’m going to Malaysia, and I’m going to save the orangutans. So,
Bill: Okay!
Daniel: Yeah, Borneo.
Bill: Sounds like a great idea.
Daniel: Looking forward to it.
Bill: Go somewhere, get in the car, take a drive, at least get out and get some exercise, on a day like today—it’s a beautiful day.
So, don’t sit inside—do not squander this opportunity. So, make the most of you Chinese New Year vacation, and, um, send me an email, let me know what you did.
We’ll see you next time.
Key word/phrase
Squander (verb) - to waste something, to not take advantage of a good thing. "Don't squander your opportunity"
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Turkeys and Eagles
Okay, it’s really important who you hang out with. Do you “scratch with the turkeys”? Or do you “soar with the eagles”?
They look like turkeys.
Here, let me show you an eagle over here—there’s an eagle.
(Steve): You are so lucky that you have logged on to Bill’s blog. You’re a smart person.
See, that’s an eagle.
Now, you have to decide if you wanna scratch with the turkeys, or soar with the eagles, so.
I think back to my high school and university days, and I hung with some turkeys back then. So, these guys had some problems, they were a bad influence on me. And today, they’re gone—I don’t even talk to them any more, I don’t even know where they are. I don’t know if they’re dead or alive!
(Simon): We’re still here, Bill (gobble, gobble, gobble).
So, but I had some really good friends, some high quality people, that I have known for thirty-five years; some really good influences.
So, you know who the turkeys are, you know who the eagles are. You have to make a decision of who you want to hang with.
Remember, these people influence your life. So be wise about who you spend your time with—the most valuable resource you have.
See you next time!
Key Words and phrases
Scratch with the turkeys (cliché)—when kept in a pen for breeding and production, turkeys scratch the ground looking for food, often fighting with each other over small pieces of grain to eat.
Soar with the eagles (cliché)—to perform at a very high level, achieve success, and be part of a winning team or group.
Influence (noun)—someone or something that affects your thoughts and actions.
Influence (verb)—to affect someone or something.
They look like turkeys.
Here, let me show you an eagle over here—there’s an eagle.
(Steve): You are so lucky that you have logged on to Bill’s blog. You’re a smart person.
See, that’s an eagle.
Now, you have to decide if you wanna scratch with the turkeys, or soar with the eagles, so.
I think back to my high school and university days, and I hung with some turkeys back then. So, these guys had some problems, they were a bad influence on me. And today, they’re gone—I don’t even talk to them any more, I don’t even know where they are. I don’t know if they’re dead or alive!
(Simon): We’re still here, Bill (gobble, gobble, gobble).
So, but I had some really good friends, some high quality people, that I have known for thirty-five years; some really good influences.
So, you know who the turkeys are, you know who the eagles are. You have to make a decision of who you want to hang with.
Remember, these people influence your life. So be wise about who you spend your time with—the most valuable resource you have.
See you next time!
Key Words and phrases
Scratch with the turkeys (cliché)—when kept in a pen for breeding and production, turkeys scratch the ground looking for food, often fighting with each other over small pieces of grain to eat.
Soar with the eagles (cliché)—to perform at a very high level, achieve success, and be part of a winning team or group.
Influence (noun)—someone or something that affects your thoughts and actions.
Influence (verb)—to affect someone or something.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
The Giant Grapefruit
One of the amazing things about Taiwan is the fruit. This is a great place for fruit and vegetables, so, I love being here. That’s why I’m so slender and slim—that’s why I look like I’m ten years younger. Because this is the good life here—I am living the good life in Taiwan. So, I feel like Superman and, you know, and uh, it’s all because of this; great fruit, vegetables, and of course, fish, that are in Taiwan.
This is a grapefruit. This is a grapefruit. And, uh, I know it looks like it was just outside of a nuclear power plant. Maybe the radiation got to this thing. But this is actually a giant grapefruit that is grown here in Taiwan. Can you believe this thing?
I don’t know what this thing weighs—it weighs about, oh, I don’t know, this thing is about 8 pounds. It’s about an 8 pound, maybe a 4 kilogram grapefruit. So, that is an amazing piece of fruit. This is a grapefruit.
The taste is kind of “hai hao”, “so-so”, right? It loses something when it gets so big, but isn’t that an amazing thing?
All the fruit is much bigger here in Taiwan. Not only can you eat this grapefruit, you can also wear it. It is, it becomes a very stylish hat. So if it’s raining outside, then you can go outside, and it will protect your head, keep you dry.
Taiwan fruit—serves many purposes, and keeps you healthy. See you next time.
Key Words (and example sentences)
Amazing (adj) – Bill’s opera performance was amazing.
Slender (adj) – You look so slender after losing five pounds, Bill!
Slim (adj) – You look so slim, Bill. That’s amazing!
Radiation (noun) – The radiation from the X-ray machine made Bill’s hair fall out.
Stylish (adj) – Bill always looks so stylish in his Armani suits.
This is a grapefruit. This is a grapefruit. And, uh, I know it looks like it was just outside of a nuclear power plant. Maybe the radiation got to this thing. But this is actually a giant grapefruit that is grown here in Taiwan. Can you believe this thing?
I don’t know what this thing weighs—it weighs about, oh, I don’t know, this thing is about 8 pounds. It’s about an 8 pound, maybe a 4 kilogram grapefruit. So, that is an amazing piece of fruit. This is a grapefruit.
The taste is kind of “hai hao”, “so-so”, right? It loses something when it gets so big, but isn’t that an amazing thing?
All the fruit is much bigger here in Taiwan. Not only can you eat this grapefruit, you can also wear it. It is, it becomes a very stylish hat. So if it’s raining outside, then you can go outside, and it will protect your head, keep you dry.
Taiwan fruit—serves many purposes, and keeps you healthy. See you next time.
Key Words (and example sentences)
Amazing (adj) – Bill’s opera performance was amazing.
Slender (adj) – You look so slender after losing five pounds, Bill!
Slim (adj) – You look so slim, Bill. That’s amazing!
Radiation (noun) – The radiation from the X-ray machine made Bill’s hair fall out.
Stylish (adj) – Bill always looks so stylish in his Armani suits.
Monday, January 18, 2010
You Are What You Eat
Okay, come on, Michael, Michael, give me my soup. Give me my soup! I want my soup! Alright.
What kind of soup is this?
“Mushroom”
Mushroom! Aaaah! I love mushroom soup! The soup, the mushroom soup here at Casa Della Pasta is, uh, delicious—it’s my favorite.
So, I’ve gotta speak up a little bit louder. Anyways, you are what you eat, so keep that in mind. Don’t eat junk food, or your body will turn into junk. Your body is a temple—treat it like, with the respect it deserves.
So, um, the reason I say this is because~~~see, I had a blood test this morning. I have to get, um, I have to get my blood checked every three months or so, because my cholesterol is really high. So, I have to be really careful about that. So, you need to be careful about how much fat you take in.
Potato chips, hamburgers, junk food, things like that. Stuff you buy at the convenience store has a lot of fat and cholesterol in it—a lot of “trans fats”, we say.
So, keep that in mind, don’t be eating all this junk food on a daily basis. Be careful about what you eat.
That’s why I come here every day. I eat the same thing because it’s healthy stuff. So, make sure you eat enough fruit and vegetables, and, um fish is really good for you. Try and avoid a lot of red meats—stuff with high fat and high cholesterol. You’ll be fine, but then, after about twenty or thirty years of that, that cholesterol hits you, then boom! Goodbye!
See you next time.
Key Words
Cholesterol (noun)
Trans fats (noun)
What kind of soup is this?
“Mushroom”
Mushroom! Aaaah! I love mushroom soup! The soup, the mushroom soup here at Casa Della Pasta is, uh, delicious—it’s my favorite.
So, I’ve gotta speak up a little bit louder. Anyways, you are what you eat, so keep that in mind. Don’t eat junk food, or your body will turn into junk. Your body is a temple—treat it like, with the respect it deserves.
So, um, the reason I say this is because~~~see, I had a blood test this morning. I have to get, um, I have to get my blood checked every three months or so, because my cholesterol is really high. So, I have to be really careful about that. So, you need to be careful about how much fat you take in.
Potato chips, hamburgers, junk food, things like that. Stuff you buy at the convenience store has a lot of fat and cholesterol in it—a lot of “trans fats”, we say.
So, keep that in mind, don’t be eating all this junk food on a daily basis. Be careful about what you eat.
That’s why I come here every day. I eat the same thing because it’s healthy stuff. So, make sure you eat enough fruit and vegetables, and, um fish is really good for you. Try and avoid a lot of red meats—stuff with high fat and high cholesterol. You’ll be fine, but then, after about twenty or thirty years of that, that cholesterol hits you, then boom! Goodbye!
See you next time.
Key Words
Cholesterol (noun)
Trans fats (noun)
Friday, January 8, 2010
2010 New Year's Resolutions
Alright, I’m here at my favorite restaurant, Casa Della Pasta. My man Ivan, he’s got me all set up with my favorite dish. I order the same thing every time I come here—I like to keep things simple. Maybe you should keep things simple to; it makes life a lot easier.
Anyways, it’s New Year’s—people make New Year’s resolutions, and instead of worrying about making a million dollars, or getting a new job, finding love, or some other great, grand thing, I was thinking about my New Year’s resolutions, and I need to keep things simple. And I thought of “Be first”, be first. For instance, maybe I should be the first person to acknowledge people, to say hello to people. Like when you see them in the street or in the store, the convenience store. Everybody normally, when we cross paths, we always do this—right? We always look away. Why don’t you be the first person to say hello? Don’t wait for them to say hello.
I was in Shanghai last week—it’s a city of twenty-million strangers—people just don’t say hello, or acknowledge each other. That’s one thing—be first.
Be first to say you’re sorry. Maybe you had a disagreement, or an argument with a friend, family member, co-worker, somebody like that. Don’t wait for them to be the first person to say “I’m sorry”. You just do it, and say you’re sorry. Don’t worry about who’s right or wrong—just do it, say you’re sorry, get some kind of dialogue started.
So—how ‘bout this for a resolution: be punctual, be on time, show up for things on time. Don’t make your friends wait. It’s actually very inconsiderate to make people wait for you. So, that’s a resolution I need to keep this year, try and be punctual.
And, um, I got a couple other things as far as, um, you know, telling the truth. Try and tell the truth as much as you can. Don’t try and manipulate, uh, situations so that you can get a certain outcome.
These are just some ideas for some resolutions that I need to keep in mind, and I just want to offer that to you, maybe some ideas for 2010.
Whatever you do, Happy New Year, Xin Nian Kuai Le, Gon Shi Fa Tsai, and have a happy, healthy, safe, and prosperous 2010.
Happy New Year!
Key Words
Resolution (noun) – a goal that you wish to accomplish.
Acknowledge (verb) – to notice, recognize something or someone.
Dialogue (noun) – conversation between two people.
Punctual (adj) – to be on time for events, dates, meetings.
Inconsiderate (adj) – not caring or responsible toward others.
Manipulate (verb) – trying to control words, actions, thoughts of others.
Anyways, it’s New Year’s—people make New Year’s resolutions, and instead of worrying about making a million dollars, or getting a new job, finding love, or some other great, grand thing, I was thinking about my New Year’s resolutions, and I need to keep things simple. And I thought of “Be first”, be first. For instance, maybe I should be the first person to acknowledge people, to say hello to people. Like when you see them in the street or in the store, the convenience store. Everybody normally, when we cross paths, we always do this—right? We always look away. Why don’t you be the first person to say hello? Don’t wait for them to say hello.
I was in Shanghai last week—it’s a city of twenty-million strangers—people just don’t say hello, or acknowledge each other. That’s one thing—be first.
Be first to say you’re sorry. Maybe you had a disagreement, or an argument with a friend, family member, co-worker, somebody like that. Don’t wait for them to be the first person to say “I’m sorry”. You just do it, and say you’re sorry. Don’t worry about who’s right or wrong—just do it, say you’re sorry, get some kind of dialogue started.
So—how ‘bout this for a resolution: be punctual, be on time, show up for things on time. Don’t make your friends wait. It’s actually very inconsiderate to make people wait for you. So, that’s a resolution I need to keep this year, try and be punctual.
And, um, I got a couple other things as far as, um, you know, telling the truth. Try and tell the truth as much as you can. Don’t try and manipulate, uh, situations so that you can get a certain outcome.
These are just some ideas for some resolutions that I need to keep in mind, and I just want to offer that to you, maybe some ideas for 2010.
Whatever you do, Happy New Year, Xin Nian Kuai Le, Gon Shi Fa Tsai, and have a happy, healthy, safe, and prosperous 2010.
Happy New Year!
Key Words
Resolution (noun) – a goal that you wish to accomplish.
Acknowledge (verb) – to notice, recognize something or someone.
Dialogue (noun) – conversation between two people.
Punctual (adj) – to be on time for events, dates, meetings.
Inconsiderate (adj) – not caring or responsible toward others.
Manipulate (verb) – trying to control words, actions, thoughts of others.
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