cALm DowN

Enjoy every moment.

Become a doer. 

Learn and do as much and as fast as possible and you'll find more fun. 

Calm down and know yourself. 

RemINDeR

hmmm....after almost two weeks without doing anything special, it's time to pick up the original plan and head off.

as a reminder, I list several things down now.
first of all, learn english, focusing on speaking and listening. I think my listening has been improving a bit, since I've found myself understanding people more often even they spoke a bit fast. However, my spoken English hasn't made any tangible improvement. What is my goal? speak fluently and speak with the accent i like. Although the objective is quite high, I still love to take on the challenge to see how far i can go for. Don't forget that now is the best time to do what i've wanted to do for ages -- fully concentrate on learning english. Never waste the chance. I heard an interesting hypothesis from a podcast that if you choose a person you like to sound like, and learn and mimic the sound and rhythm he or she speaks, after a while, you'll be sound like that person. I quite agree this idea since I had the similar experience before. Thus, I started wondering whom shall I choose as my "English language" role modle? "Ah! that girl works at the Bar!". that's the first thought came across my mind. but it's a bit hard to listen to her speaking very often and repeat as many times as I want. Recently, i've just got the idea -- Jamie Oliver. I reckon I'd love to sound like him. When I heard of he's speaking at the first time, his English impressed me a lot and it sounded really nice and interesting to me. Yes, I've made the decision. He's got loads of videos online that i may find the learning materials without hassles.

Next, keep studying Android and iOS. it was a shame that I didn't continue my study on Android that I'd learnt it when it was in very early stage. Now, I've got plenty of time to do so. But, sometimes one thought haunted me that "Hey, you're in the UK! why do u spend your time doing the thing you can also do in Taiwan?" Well, I will figure it out.

Finally, experiencing and exploring as much as possible here. (TBD. i've got to sleep now. )

reFLecTioN

 after very quick review of my days of June, I have to reset my mind again and prepare myself well to move on. dont be lazy and never forget what I want and what is the goal.

fReE YOur minD

damn... have to let it go.

free my mind.

I always have this kind of problems but in the end they all turn out to be tragedies.

Stop and free yourself.

You have much more important goals to reach.
You have much interesting things to experience.
You have much more freedom to own.
You have much more fun to have.
You can't ruin yourself and your trip at this point.

Changes have to be made now.

SLeep-RELateD LanguAGe

Vocabulary and phrase:

• forty winks
• lethargic
• sleep deprivation
• getting their head's down
• hit the sack 
• mood swings
• turn in
• tetchy
• grumpy
• affluent 
• tempt
• siesta
• take account of sth / take sth into account
• pupil
• run on empty
• doze / doze off

iNDepENDencE

I quite enjoy the life here, not just because I am living in a foreign country, but also the attitude I have here.

Yes, almost everything I did alone--- flying to here, looking for accommodation, seeking for a part-time job and full-time job, going sightseeing, exploring unknown areas, shops, stores, and everything, being turned down by the manager, walking to home in the late night, etc. What I really enjoy is being independent. I didn't know it is incredibly enjoyable to me. I am responsible for my own life, physically and mentally. No one I shall complain about. Every choice is made by my own thought and consideration. I have to balance the reality, my desire and my goals. I am getting to know myself better. I always know that I am quite mentally independent, since I have asked for myself when I was really young. But I also know that I am totally not physically independent due to lacking of some life skills, such as cooking!

the more I have been through, the more confidence I gain, no matter it's happy or sad.

So far, everything went quite smoothly and followed my original plan. in the first month, I focused on getting myself ready for work in the next month and exploring the city as more as possible. All the document like National Insurance Number and bank account got ready by time and I started to apply part-time job so that I could have some money to support my life here. I was lucky that I've really got a part-time job in the restaurant. The second month, one of my best friend visited me. Although it was not in my plan, of course, I still enjoy different kind of exploration. Sharing happiness with friend is definitely different kind of joy. after my friend had gone back to Taiwan, my third month was coming. I have started proactively seeking for a full-time job. It is one of my goal for this trip to the UK. I spent less time go sightseeing. I have found a balance between work, live, study and looking for a job, although I think it still has room to improve my time management.

my forth month is coming soon. my plan has a bit changed because I wanna put more efforts on learning English whilst looking for a job. I decided to give myself 2 more moths to do so since what I have earned from the part-time job allows me to extend my time staying in London.

hOW noISy iS "tOo NoiSY"

today's english lesson of 6 minute english from bbclearningenglish.com

todays' topic is quite interesting especially after i have ever gone to a musical in London that makes me can imagine the situation more likely. 

some english vocabulary and usage:

• dB(decibels)
  what percentage of people in Europe are exposed to road traffic noise levels which are higher than 55 decibels (dB)?
• gutsy (adj.) / gustiness (n.):
  i admire her gustiness.
  if you're gusty, you're brave and aren't scared of something.
• fuss:a show of anger, worry or excitement that is unnecessary or greater than the situation deserves
  I am too polite to complain. I don't like to make a fuss. 
• put up with it: to accept or continue accept an unpleasant situation or someone who behaves unpleasantly
  I'd probably put up with it and try to ignore it. 
• get on sb's nerves: to annoy someone a lot
  what noises get on your nerves? 
• tell sb off: to speak angrily to someone they have done something wrong
  the actress was interrupted by some very loud drumming from a festival outside and so went out to tell the drummers off.
• hilarious: extremely funny and causing a lot of laughter
  I think it's hilarious that she went out and made the peace for a lot of other people
• punter: members of public
  If she hadn't been on stage, then she would have been enjoying it with the other punters.
• steaming: very angry
  If you're steaming with rage, you are very angry, indeed.
  I was, like, steaming. 
• drill: to make a hole in something by using a special tool
  i don't like very loud, repetitive noises -- like drilling concrete in the street, for example.
• less than royal language
  the drummers were promoting a gay festival, and some who saw their conductor being given a lecture in less than royal language weren't happy. 
• swear: to use words that are rude or offensive as a way of emphasising what you mean
  Here, 'less than royal language' suggests that she was angry -- perhaps even swearing. 
• ovation: an occasion when a crowd of people express their great enjoyment and/or approval of something with loud and long clapping
  standing ovation
  the actress received a round f applause and a standing ovation, when she returned to the theatre. 
• give someone a peace of your mind: speak angrily at them or tell them off
  she, still dressed as a queen, can be seen giving the drummers a peace of her mind during the interval of Saturday's performance of 'the audience' at the theatre.
• at the theatre/cinema
  in the street
• give sb a headache

TiMe is MOney

no time to make all of my thoughts as an articles. Time is money, especially when I am living in London. Some simple quick thoughts flashed in my mind:

• When you enjoy the moments you are consuming, also keep in mind that you have to create values, in any aspect, at the same time. the value I mentioned here does not directly refer to money. Instead, it is more like an abstract concept of value. It can be the value of yourself, like learning something, accumulating experience, even absorbing joy which can make the rest of your day happier, taking a rest to resume energy. 
• I always think work is important, but don't really know why. Now the reason has become clearer that it is not only because earning money is essential, but also the feeling of growing and achievement in my mind. That explains why I may get anxious while I've found I didn't do something I was planning to do or I would like to do. 
• I like travelling. Facing new things, people, and environments makes me stressed but energetic. I understand no one is flawless and being true to your emotions and abilities is nothing you should shame on. Only being able to truly face to yourself and human nature can make yourself calm and confident to take over the challenges coming to you. 
• Understanding yourself, including body conditions, mindset, and values, is important. It can help you to make decisions that you won't regret for, to balance your own life, to feel comfortable about yourself. 

MaKEOveR

Today's lesson from BBC's The English We Speak.

Vocabulary:

• blusher: a power or cream that is put on the cheeks to make them look pink
  you've changed the eyeshadow, blusher, and lipstick. 
• makeover: a set of changes that are intended to make a person or place more attractive
  usage: have a make over, get a makeover, give something a makeover
  Not only people but things can have makeovers.
• be fed up with: bored, annoyed, or disappointed, especially by something that you have experienced for too long
  I was so fed up with the way my husband dressed. 
• untidy
  he looked untidy all the time. 
• wardrobe: a tall cupboard which you hang your clothes
  She is showing me her new fitted wardrobes. 
• old-fashioned
  the room looked so old-fashioned.

[UK] 就這樣發生了

就這樣匆匆忙忙的來到英國了

什麼事情都做得非常的趕

不過總是把該準備的弄好

形隻影單的飛到異地來探索一下

跟之前出國一樣

出發前都沒啥感覺

這次也差不多

就像幫自己排了課表一樣

幾點到機場

幾點轉機

轉機要做什麼（畢竟也是第一次在香港機場過夜）

幾點上飛機等等等等等

就只是順著該做的事情做下去

心情上沒啥太大起伏

直到.............跨出機艙門的那一秒鐘

冷冽的空氣突然提醒我

“Hey, you are in London!"

果然眼前的主色系就是灰色

如果再亮一點點

那就很棒了吧


在紐航上始終還沒辦法適應紐西蘭的腔調

到了英國機場也是一樣

不過倒也無所謂啦～我就是“歪果仁”咩



買了Oyster Card，坐在地鐵看著乘客上上下下，

怎麼覺得每個英國中學生都長得好像哈利坡特裡面的隆恩啊 XDDDDDD

不過整個地鐵過程算很順利

其實還滿好上手就能理解的

到了Pimlico Station，超冷大風直直吹著出口

二話不說，馬上掏出毛帽備戰，我還得走好一段路到我的Hostel啊

好久沒有在手無google map direction 的協助下找路了

路標又很不明顯

好在冤枉路沒有走多少開心地看到我的Hostel/Pub出現在地平線上（你以為你在航海啊XD）

第一次走進這種Pub經營的Hostel

感覺真的很微妙

但是很快就感受到好處和溫暖

Bar裡的工作人員一邊幫我check-in，還問我要不要喝點什麼

掛著冷到不能控制的鼻涕在臉上的我馬上要了一杯熱茶！（就甘心）

來到房間

連上了網路




終於，我這“抵達英國”的27小時任務宣告完成了！心安了！

bATH in the GLOry

every time i see those people talking about what they are busy for, i feel implicitly depressed. it is so obvious and inevitable. i think they do love and enjoy what they do and lead them become professional. to me, that is what should be called for "job". i think the choice to go to UK should bring me something that i can't really predict now, which also might inspire me. 

I like learning languages. I like technology. I like science. I like nature. I like analysing and to realise the truth behind the scenes. I like design. I like contributing my abilities and earning the praise from myself, since i do know only the praise from your own heart can bring you real proud and glory. 

aRMed and DanGErouS

Vocabulary:

• werewolf: someone, who in stories, changes into a wolf at the time of full moon
• folklore: the traditional local stories and culture of a group of people
  which creatures exist in the mythology or folklore of your country?
• portray: to represent or describe someone or something in a painting
  how are animals often portrayed in cartoons and in films for children?
• yacht: a boat with sails and sometimes with engine, used for racing or travelling
  the yacht was anchored 200 metres off the Queensland coast.
• nauseous: feeling as if you might vomit
  i suddenly came over very nauseous.
• agonising: causing extreme physical or mental pain
  Within minutes he was in agonizing pain, vomiting and struggling to breathe.
• vomit: throw up
  he came home drunk and vomited all over the kitchen floor
• vicious: describes people or actions that show an intention to hurt someone or something very badly
  He had been stung by a vicious creature named after an aboriginal tribe.
• tribe: group of people, often of related families
  a tribe of Indians
• tentacle: one of the long thin parts like arms of some sea creatures
  their transparent bodies are covered from head to tentacle tip in stinger cells.
• harpoon: a long heavy spear fixed to a rope used for killing whales
• venomous/venom: poisonous/poison
• barb: the sharp part which points backwards from a fish hook, making it hard to remove it from something
• brutish: rough, unpleasant and often violent; describes guys causing troubles based on physical strength.
  he was lucky not to have brushed up against it, a brutish creature the size of a birthday cake with sixty sting-encrusted tentacle.
• flat: completely or to the greatest degree possible
  it can kill a grown man in three minutes flat.
• rattle: to make a noise like a series of knocks
  rattled by bad publicity, the tourist industry has been pouring money into box jellyfish research. 
• plough: to dig land with a plough
  in fact, it looks as though they have been plough a separate evolutionary furrow since the Pre-Cambrian period.
  plough one's furrow: follow a course of actions in which one is isolated or in which one can act independently
• teeming: many, plenty
  the sea is teeming with unknown species.
• cursory: quick and not detailed
  even a cursory survey has revealed more than a dozen underscribed ones.
• dim-witted: not intelligent
• voracious: very eager for something, very hungry
  one simple fact underlies this behaviour: box jellyfish are voracious predators.
• predator versus prey
• cuboid: a solid object with six rectangular sides
• lethal: deadly
  their predatory eating habits also explain why they have such lethal toxins.
• stalk: follow
• flimsy: easily broken or thin
  it's one thing to stalk fish, but how do you catch them when all you have are flimsy, rubbery tentacles?
• confine: to limit an activity in some way
  it was thought to be confined to northern Australian waters.
• bout: period
  he was lucky to have a short bout -- it only took twenty hours for him to stop feeling like he was going to die.

uNBalanCEd

sometimes negative emotion emerges meow~~~~

sPIn

像是陀螺 又開始轉了 一拐一拐的也不知道要轉到哪去 就是在生硬的桌上 地上 沙發上 草地上 碎玻璃上 陶醉不已 很多不平衡的紙星星 在陀螺的肚裡飛舞者 什麼時候 小男孩才要幫陀螺裝上靈活的眼睛呢？

conTRoVERsiAL

Today, after the english class, we went to a speech -- the invisible ax. it talked about the deforestation in Amazon. Laura and i were surprised that there were many people. I think we do care about that human beings are running out of the natural resources, but as an individual, what can we really help on that? in the Q&A session, some people raised the challenge that the terrible serious situation is not going to be changed only if human could make some systematic changes. I think they are right in some ways. People who have resources, powers and money should put their hearts and green-peace awareness in their business and related issues. Also, we need to make this widely spread around the societies, especially to children, young people and the big companies. Easier is set than done. However, any one would know that we have no choice to ignore these sort of issues, since there is only one earth and this is the only way.

SummARy

今天看到一本書

其實算是教育書吧

在講一個媽媽結婚前沒有出國玩

但是有了家庭之後開始帶著孩子到處玩

的旅行教育

寫的真不錯

其中提到

出發前會和孩子一起做功課

一起評估要出去的地點

回來後會叫孩子寫一份"旅行報告"

話說雖然叫旅行報告

但實際上完全讓孩子自己發揮

孩子也不因為是"作業"而做

而是因為"想做"而做

他發現

孩子把自己當美編、主筆，十分認真積極的去做這份旅行後的報告

而且還隨著時代與科技演進

從紙版變電子

我個人還滿喜歡這個點子的

旅行後的報告

其實的確可以訓練自己把抽象的獲得用自己覺得適合的方式記錄下來

可惜自己之前的旅行沒有督促自己這麼做

希望接下來的旅行可以囉

USe iT or LOse iT

vocabulary:

• retail: the activity of selling goods to the public
• justify: to give or to be a good reason for
  Do real changes take place in the brain with age to justify such grumbling?
• grumble: to complain about someone or something in an annoying way
  She spent the evening grumbling to me about her job.
• incident: an event which is either unpleasant or unusual
  how quickly you can react to fast-moving incidents on the road.
• inevitable: certain to happen and unable to be avoided or prevented
  the inevitable: something that is certain to happen and cannot be prevented
  Eventually the inevitable happened and he had a heart attack.
  the near-inevitable slowing with age also partly explains why soccer players are seen as old om their thirties, while golf professionals are still in their prime at that age.
• prime: main or most important; of the best quality; the period in your life when you are most active or successful
  The is a dancer in her prime.
• temporal lobes
  the parts of the brain known as the temporal lobes control new learning.
• vulnerable: able to be easily hurt, influenced or attacked
  i felt very vulnerable, standing there without any clothes on.
• juggle: to throw several objects up into the air, and then catch and throw them up repeatedly so that one or more stays in the air, usually in order to entertain people; to succeed in arranging your life so that you have tome to involve yourself in two or more different activities or groups of people
  Working memory is the brain's blackboard, where we juggle from moment to moment the things we have to keep in mind when solving problems, planning tasks and generally organising our day-to-day life.
• Absent-mindedness: describe someone who often forgets things or does not pay aatention ot what is happening near them because they are thing about other things
  Absent-mindedness occurs at all ages because of imperfections in the working memory system. 
• creep: to move slowly, quietly and carefully, usually in order to avoid being noticed
  creep up: if the value or amount of something creeps up, it slowly increases.
  Such absent-mindedness tends to creep up on us as we age.
• chalk: (noun.)a type of soft white rock or a stick of this rock or a similar substance used for writing or drawing.
  chalk: (verb.) to write something with a pieve of chalk
  It occurs because our plans and intentions, which are chalked up on the mental blackboard, are easily wiped out.
• stray: stray things have moved apart from similar things and are not in their expected place
  stray dog
• preoccupation: an idea or subject that someone things about most of the time.
  Stress and preoccupation can also cause such absent-mindedness.
• bleak: depressing
  the news, however, is not all bleak.
• superior: better
  the mentally active professors in their sixties and early seventies were superior to their contemporaries.
• contemporary: a person who is of the same age as you
  she didnt mix with her contemporaries, preferring the company of older people.  
• sprout: to produce leaves or to begin to grow
  he has shown that animals kept in stimulating environments show sprouting and lengthening of the connecting nerve fibres in their brains.
• beneficial: helpful, useful
  a stay in the country will be beneficial to his health
• contestant: someone who competes in a contest
• apparatus: a set of equipment or a structured system
  the divers checked their breathing apparatus.
• intrigue: to interest someone
  Such findings lead to the intriguing possibility of mental fitness training.
• faculty: capability
  just as people go bald or grey at different rates, so the same is true for their mental faculties. 

the GReat woRK MYth

Vocabulary:

• press: newspapers and magazines
  work gets a terrible press
• deprive: to take something, especially something necessary or pleasant, away from someone
  you can't function properly when you're deprived of sleep.
• scapegoat: a person who is blamed for something that someone else has done
  work has become the scapegoat for all out woes.
• woe: great problems or troubles
  unusually poor harvests have added to the country's woes.
  i'm cold and wet and i havent got enough money for my bus fare home. Woe is me. (said to express how unhappy you are)
• persuasive
• as far as something is concerned: if we are discussing or thinking about a particular thing
  As far as work is concerned, we've never had it so good.
  As far as unemployment's concerned, a change of government would be a good idea.
• maternity: the state of being a mother
  a lot of firms offer longer maternity leave.
• sabbatical: a period of time when college or university teachers are allowed to stop their usual work in order to study or travel, usually while continuring to be paid
  a third of firms now offer sabbaticals.
• rhetoric: part of a talk or speech; clever language which sounds good but is not sincere or has meaning
  The rhetoric about longer working hours also needs to be put in perspective.
• in perspective: an object or person that is in perspective has the correct size and position in comparison with other things in the pictures
  the rhetoric about longer working houes also needs to be put in perspective.
• despite: without taking any notice of or being influenced by
  Despite all the improvements in work over recent decades, there is still an ingrained attitude that happiness lies outside work.
  He managed to eat a big lunch despite having eaten an enormous breakfast.
• ingrained: (of beliefs) so firmly held that they are not likely to change.
  the belief that you should own your house is deeply ingrained in British society.
• alienated: being separated from
  alienation: separation
  He described workers being alienated from the product of their labour.
• constitute: to form or make something
  what constitutes the alienation of labour?
• mortify: to cause someone to feel extremely ashamed or embarrassed
  it does not develop his physical and mental energy but mortifies his body and ruins his mind.
  he'e mortified by the fact that at 38 he still lives at home with his mother.
• dubious: feeling doubt or not feeling certain
  work is becoming too important for it to be of dubious quality.
• poll: a study in which people are asked for their opinions about subject or person
  according to a poll by recruitment consultancy
• prevalent: happening often
  In truth, they are simply made to feel as if they have a problem because of prevalent attitude.
• futile: (of actions) having no effect or achieving nothing
  futility
  the shift of work towards the centre of our lives demonstrates the futility of much of the current debates about "work/life balance".
• stack up: match
  yet the idea that it is being forced upon us without our choice just doesn't stack up.
• ultimately: finally
  Ultimately, our goal must be to begin seeing work as an intrinsic part of our life.
• intrinsic: being an essential and basic characteristic of a person or thing
  maths is an intrinsic part of the school curriculum.
• adjunct: something attached or connected to a larger or more important thing
• don: a college teacher especially at Oxford or Cambridge University
• manifesto: a written statement of the beliefs, sims, and policies of an organisation.
  he has the right manifesto for the future of work
• abolish: to end an activity officially
  abolition
  the abolition of slavery
  that i mean abolishing the distinction between work and leisure.
• leisure: the time when you are not working
  most people only have limited amount of leisure time.
• lousy: very bad
  employers keep workers in lousy jobs by granting them some leisure time.
• strive: to try very hard to do something
  we should strive to be employed in such a way that we dont realize what we are doing is work.
• downpayment: an amount of money that you pay at the time that you buy something, but which is only a part of the total cost of that thing.
  it is indeed time to abandon the notion of work as a downpayment on life. 
• sap: to make someone weaker or take away strength or an important quality from someone.
  the ones that continue to stereotype work as intrinsically sapping, demeaning and corrosive.
• corrosive: a corrosive substance causes damage by chemical reaction.
  the corrosive influence of racism

HapPINeSS

the article we learned last week :

the latest global analysis of happiness and satisfaction levels shows that the most satisfied people tend to live in latin america, western Europe, and northern america, whereas eastern europeans are the least satisfied.

over the past decade, the study of happiness has become a bona fide discipline. as a result, government policy advisers are getting interested and politicians are using the research as the basis for new strategies.

what above all else has made systematic study possible is data gathered from hundreds of surveys measuring happiness across different cultures, professions, religions, and socio-economic groups.
they can investigate the impact of money and inequality.
we can now show which behaviours are risky as far as happiness goes. We should eventually be able to show what kind of lifestyle suits what kind of person.

while it is tempting to hold up those nations that report the highest levels of happiness as a model for others to follow, this may be unwise.
first, the word "happiness" has no precise equivalent in some languages.
secondly, "satisfaction" is not quite the same thing as "happiness".
thirdly, different cultures value happiness in very different ways.
    in individualistic western countries, happiness is often seen as a reflection of personal achievement. this pressure to be happy could lead people to over-report how happy they feel.
    in the more collectivist nations in Asia, people have a more fatalistic attitude towards happiness. in Asia cultures, the pursuit of happiness is often frowned on, which in turn could lead people to under-report.
How satisfied a person is with their life depends on how successfully they adhere to their particular cultural standard.

One of the most significant observations to come from research findings is that in individualised nations, happiness has no risen with average incomes.
the desire for material goods, which has increased with average income, is a "happy suppressant".

Since nothing about materialism can help you find happiness, governments should discourage it.

the key to making people happier is to shift the emphasis from economic well-being to personal development, and to discourage the pursuit of social status.
paradoxically, by striving too hard to climb the global happiness rankings, governments are in danger of turning the pursuit of happiness into yet another competitive quest for status - just what researchers have shown is a sure path to making people miserable.

riPPLes

a mess outside 

and also 

a mess inside