First, I want to talk about the happiest experience I had this 2021. When the year started, I was so hopeful that restrictions and COVID protocols will be lifted and that everything will be back to normal. One of the most iconic moment happened last March 15, when my parents celebrated their wedding anniversary. It was just a simple celebration with barbeque, samgyeopsal ( which is a popular Korean dish that is commonly served with thick, fatty slices of pork belly meat.), also we swum with my nieces and nephews in our inflatable pool and just enjoyed the entire day hanging out together. I think I considered it as the happiest moment of the year because though the COVID restrictions were not yet lifted, my mom's restrictions for us to do things that we want were gone and it's the first time it happened. I was really flabbergasted that day. Yeah, let me just tell you that my mom is so traditional and still treated us like kids though we are already adults.
Second is the saddest moment of this year it's when my uncle died. Actually we're not that close to each other but I was so moved by his experiences in life that I really treasured him and worked hard to help him in his everyday expenses for his family. As I told you in my last story, I really care about people who are too vulnerable. Just to tell you something about his life. He's wife just died 2 years ago, he got into an accident last year where he lost his fingers and almost died. Left with 5 small kids, he needed to work all day to earn for a living and at the same time look after his children. I just became so sad that time because I had a lot of plans for him. I planned on giving him and his kids gifts and provide food for their celebration this Christmas. I also planned on throwing a surprise party for his birthday. But all those things are not going to happen since he's already gone. I just regretted not doing those plans earlier before he left.
Moving forward, though I was recently grieving about his death. Another hope shined in front of me. So this goes to the third big chunk of my year. This is when I had a breakthrough.
It was last September when I heard the news that I passed the examination I took and was accepted for the training for my dream job which is in the BFP (Bureau of Fire Protection). I was so ecstatic that time and felt I'm on cloud 9. I have waited for this time to come and God already answered my prayers.
Now, I'm preparing for that training and I'll continue working hard in this dream that is almost at hand.
Chunking these three made me realize that life will not always be a straight tunnel for the journey but a roller coaster which will let you experience the different ups and downs of life. But the good thing is, you know that when you go down, the next way for you to take is going up. So if you are in the falling part of the roller coaster, wait for the rising moment which is your breakthrough.
Now, I'm done with my story. It's time for you to share yours.
As I told you, today is going to be a bit different so, for your challenge you need to use any words, phrasal verbs or idioms to describe each chunk.
By the way, here are the specific chunks for your story:
-happiest moment
-saddest moment
-breakthrough
Make sure to talk about the ones that happened this year.
Also, don't forget to mention the vocabulary that you used by the end of your recording.
For example, for me, I used:
FLABBERGASTED
VULNERABLE
ECSTATIC
Good luck in your future endeavors. Till we meet again! Ciao!
Hi! I arrived home a bit late today. I just have to wait for the rain to stop before I go home. It's really a gloomy day and my story might make you cry while listening.
You might think that I'm a lazy person not to bring umbrella knowing that it's already a rainy season here. Let me just tell you that I always bring umbrella whenever I leave the house.
It's just that, I have experienced another consequence of my actions. Remember that in my last story I talked about the consequences of being a yes-man? I forgot to tell you that I have another personality like that. I tend to help people whenever I think they needed it, even to the point that I have to sacrifice myself. It might sound so dramatic.
I don't know, whenever I see people needing help especially those who are old, too young or with disability. My body automatically reacted to the situation as if I'm a robot programmed to serve others. Though there were lots of instances wherein some of them tresspass on the kindness I offered and just deceived me pretending to be poor or sick.
Back to the story. I was on my way home when I noticed an old man in the street walking under the rain pushing his small cart of dirty ice cream. Without thinking twice, I immediately approached him and offered my umbrella. He said that it's okay and I should not bother doing it. But I insisted and asked him to go the the waiting shed and just wait for the rain to stop.
Good thing, he agreed.
There, we had a short conversation and I was so moved by his story. He said that he's already 68, living with his wife because their children already have their own families and lived in different cities. He also said that the reason why he's working hard to sell all those ice creams even on a rainy night (which is a time where selling ice cream won't be appropriate) is because of his wife. She is currently sick and he needs money to buy her medicine.
I almost cried. So even though an ice cream is not complementing to the weather, I bought all the 13 ice creams left in his cart. Don't get me wrong, I'm not that rich but I believe I'm still living pretty well compared to the old man. Then I also insisted on buying his wife's medicine and offered him my umbrella in case the rain falls again. I also gave him my jacket since he walked under the rain for quite a long time and was shivering a lot.
I did all those things out of kindness and I always will. I'm not sharing this for them to requite my kindness or to gain praise but to tell everyone that we should be thankful of what we have even though it's less or not what we wished for. As much as possible extend your hand and give the best help that you can give to others. Maybe the reason why you are in a fortunate situation is because you have the purpose to serve others.
Help doesn't need to be too big or monetary. Help doesn't need to be an object. You can offer help by giving a piece of advice, a greeting or even a simple smile.
Try doing these things starting today. It will make a difference. Not just to others but also to you.
Speaking of you... What's the kindest thing or simplest act of kindness you've done to someone today? It would be lovely to hear them.
As always, I require you to use these vocabulary I used:
1.TRESPASS ON (sth) - to unfairly use someone else's ideas, time, help, etc. for your own advantage:
2.OUT OF KINDNESS - because of one's altruistic generosity or goodwill, without personal or ulterior motivations.
3. REQUITE - (verb) make appropriate return for (a favor, service, or wrongdoing).
Hi, it's me again! How are you?
I just wanna tell you that I feel so tired today. I just woke up from my sleep after 1 and a half day staying awake. Yeah that's true. I think you noticed it in my voice.
You might think of the reason why. No worries, it's just one of the consequences of being a "YES-MAN".
Oh! Yes-man means a person who agrees with everything their employer, leader, or anyone says in order to please them.
So this is what happened. A week ago, my cousin told me that he needed some help for his wedding, but it's just for the renewal of their vows that's why he said that it'll just be a simple celebration. But, little did I know that they didn't plan much for it and on the day before the wedding there were still a lot of things to be done.
So as a yes-man/yes-person, I was of service to them. I offered a lot of help from designing the church and designing the candles, to preparing the video presentation that will be played during the reception.
Take note: I have to wake up early for the next day since the wedding will start at 9:30 am. Curious why I should wake up early? Because again, I'm a yes-person so I also said yes when my other cousin who is a make up artist asked for assistance. Knowing myself, I know I can't wake up early if I sleep since I did a lot of things for the entire day. So I didn't sleep until 5 am just to arrive early to the hotel.
On the day of the wedding, without sleep, I played three roles which are really exhausting. First from being an assistant to the stylist, to doing the technical for the sound system and finally, being the instant official photographer so imagine doing all those three just because I have an auto answer to all requests which is a YES. It's really tiring to the point that my high heels got broken so I have to walk barefooted until the event finished.
I believe that if we will have a trip down to the memory lane about that wedding, they will remember my broken shoe or me being a YES-MAN... All the time.
Experiencing these things almost every time when someone asks even for a simple request or even when I still have a lot of things to do make people remember me for being a YES-MAN or a person whom they know won't reject their requests. I think, I am doing this not because I want to please people but because I want to avoid conflict or argument with others.
But, as time passes by, I noticed that it's giving a positive result to others but not to me. So I started working on it by trying to say NO in some requests that I believe I can't accomplish or commit to.
In your case, what do you think is your personality that people will remember? Mind sharing it to me and tell me why.
I hope you'll be a yes-man as well when I request you to use these vocabulary that I used earlier.
1. YES-MAN - (noun) a person who agrees with everything their employer, leader, or anyone says in order to please them.
2. BE OF SERVICE - to help or be useful to someone.
3. TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE - it refers to an occasion when people remember or talk about things that happened in the past.
So, say YES and start telling me your cool personality.
Have you sometimes find yourself different or wished you stand out?
When I was a kid, I thought I was a horse of a different color among all the kids I play with because I can visualize different images especially of a human face in random surfaces or things. For example, when I'm doing my thing in the toilet, I sometimes see faces with different expressions on the unfinished concrete of the toilet's floor or sometimes I can see animal or human form in shadows or clouds. I remember one moment when I immediately got out of the toilet because I saw a creepy face on the broken portion of the tiled wall with its eyes looking at me . This thing really freaked me out.
I really thought that I was the only one who can do it but I just recently read about the word APOPHENIA. It is the tendency to perceive meaningful connections between unrelated things for example seeing shapes in clouds or faces on a surface. And it exactly talks about what I thought only I can.
But the good thing about having apophenia is that I became more imaginative and creative to the point that I turned out to be too witty which is good in giving humorous speeches and catching audience attention. I also noticed that it helped me in analyzing ideas, solving puzzles and critical thinking activities.
I was able to pass a lot of examinations as well though some of the questions were not included in the ones I reviewed because I can easily identify the relationship of the question to the unfamiliar answer through the structure of the word. I don't know. It's hard to explain this skill but this is the one I found different from others.
Actually, it helped me a lot even in the field that I have chosen which is to work in the film and advertising industry. Because here, you need to think of a catchy title for a movie or a tagline for an advertisement. I have tried this a lot during my internship.
This skill also helped me in constructing the message I delivered in some of my preaching in the church, or in preparing speeches for the public speaking activities I joined. I can say that I am adept at creating or crafting new words or phrases from combined words which will be catchy for the audience.
How was my skill? Do you find it interesting or annoying? How about you? What is the unique skill that you have and why do you consider it different from others?
I'm excited to hear your story. But before you do that, try to check out these vocabulary and make sure to use them in your sentences.
1.STAND OUT - to be noticeable
2. A HORSE OF A DIFFERENT COLOR -one who does things differently from others
3.ADEPT - (adj) very skilled or proficient at something
Note: Make sure to use the preposition AT after the word adept (ex: He is adept at cutting papers)
By the way, are you missing the extra challenges? Here's one.
Aside from the vocabulary given, I challenge you to use any adjective that you know that starts with letter C(example: cautious,cynical, callous,etc).
You might think it's hard. No it's not.
I know you are skillful for this so start recording your story. Good luck!
Have you ever been shy or scared of showing off or even telling someone your talent?
No worries, today you have to face your fear, because you need to share your talent through a story.
Let me do it first.
When I was young, I remember taking a music lesson for learning how to play Bandurria. It's a musical instrument with a minimum of 12 strings so imagine how hard it was learning how to play it. At first, I'm into playing it but as time passes by, I noticed that it's not the kind of instrument that you can play where people will be able to sing along with you. So, I decided to learn how to play the guitar on my own since my mom didn't have enough money to pay for an instructor. I was able to learn it but I realized that it's too big and not so handy enough to be carried during trips. So I learned how to play the Ukulele instead. Aside from being handy, its chords are easier than the ones in the guitar.
Actually, I'm still playing it until now but even before I master it, my heart starts looking for something else...for something unique. Then, I realized that I want to play a musical instrument that is not commonly played in our place. And there's this instrument that I found relaxing to hear so why not try playing it.
This is called Kalimba or sometimes called the thumb piano since it sounds like a piano and it's played using the thumb. How easy it is to explain the meaning of the name. As easy as how you can play it. It only has numbers and letters engraved on the thin plates. So for you to play a song, you mainly just need to have a good memory to remember them. Since I mentioned that it sounds like a piano I believe you can now imagine how relaxing it is to the ears.
Imagine how I had a change of tune. From stringed instruments to a percussion instrument.
It just means that you can have another string to your bow if you didn't succeed in the others or if you don't feel like pursuing them anymore. Just make sure to learn assiduously at the moment you are into enhancing or learning something.
It seems like you are excited to share your story and musical talent now. Go on, you can do it. Just make sure to use these vocabulary that I used earlier.
1. SING ALONG - to sing a piece of music while someone else is singing or playing it
2. CHANGE YOUR TUNE - to change your opinion completely, especially because you know it will bring you an advantage
3. ANOTHER STRING TO THE BOW - If you have another string to your bow, you have an extra skill that you can use if you do not succeed using your main skill
4. ASSIDUOUSLY - (adv) with great care and perseverance.
You might be surprised since there are more words to your challenge. I have added some since I believe that you have already improved at this point.
You can now hit the record button!
In the last episode we talked about a remarkable athlete. Now, let's continue talking about sports but this time let's talk about a sport that we are good at.
Growing up, I was exposed to sports. Almost 90% of my family and relatives are players. My mom and siblings are all volleyball players. Most of my cousins are either volleyball or basketball players which are common sports here in the Philippines. Even some of my cousins' husbands and wives are players too. That's why it's not a problem having a sports event during our family reunion.
I believe it's obvious. My favorite sport is volleyball and I'm good at it. I started playing this game when I was in grade 4 and on the same year, I have joined a lot of competitions and suffered a lot of trainings as well.
Aside from competing for my school, I also competed in my town during festivals where I was earning money that serves as an extra allowance for my own expenses. I also earned more whenever I'm receiving awards like best setter, best spiker or even MVP. And aside from the monetary reward, the appreciation of people and the feeling of winning are the ones that I was aching for the most.
It seems like I'm bragging right now, but I just want to show how this sport that I enjoyed helped me learn a lot of things in life.
In the early years in college, I became the captain ball of our team which means there were more pressure on my shoulders. I had to motivate my team to play harder and at the same time I had to perform to set an example for them. Another factor why I hated this position is that I don't want to hurt other people's feelings so as much as possible I tried cheering them up though at the back of my mind I wanted to scold them for not focusing on the game.
Playing as the captain of the team taught me a lot.
A team is not going to work without its members but at the same time, the leader is there to serve as the light that shows them the way to success rather than the light that burns their hope.
One of the most important traits that you should have as a leader is TRUST. You should trust your teammates throughout the game and let them do their part to contribute to the team's success.
In the last years playing in college, they changed my position from setter to spiker. I'm happier because there was lesser burden but I still felt the pressure because our coach still expected a lot from me. All of them thought of me as the ace of the team so almost all of the balls were set to me though I look exhausted trying to catch up with the momentum of the game. In this position, I learned that you should be a go-getter not just in this position but in whichever position you are in.
Whatever the set will be given to you, you should always do your best to score a point for that opportunity. Because the setter have given it a lot of thought before setting that ball to you.
We had also experienced a lot of crucial moments where our opponent's score was ahead of us wherein a few mistake will mean a lot. It helped me hone my character in not giving up and not being audacious in taking actions. At the end, we were able to blow the competition away. Not just because of our individual skills but also because of the teamwork, trust, and the sense of responsibility that each member has.
Now, I wanna hear the sport that you are good at and your experiences in it. Try to be creative in telling that using these words that I used.
1. ACE - (noun) a person with a high level of knowledge or skill in a field
2. GO-GETTER - someone who is very energetic, determined to be successful, and able to deal with new or difficult situations easily
3. BLOW THE COMPETITION AWAY - win easily
Let's get the ball rolling!
Is there someone in your country who raised your flag in the whole world through his or her skills?
We all know different people who represented our country in different competitions whether it's in sports, cooking, talent shows, and different programs where we can showcase our skills.
Today, I'm gonna tell you a story about an illustrious athlete who's name has been known for more than half of his life.
He created a big name in the field of boxing... It seems like you are having a clue now.
Yes! I'm gonna talk about Manny Pacquiao. He is regarded as one of the greatest professional boxers of all time and had won a lot of boxing matches where he earned not just tons of money but also tons of praises from people who were flabbergasted by his skills.
He prides himself on his speed. A lot of people were amazed by his skills because though he's not tall enough compared to his foreign opponents his speed is his alas in winning a lot of matches.
He's also an inspiration to people not just in the field of sport but even in life. He came from rags to riches because he didn't give up on making his dreams come true.
Of course, for a common success story, struggles are part of it. He has faced a lot of them but he just punch them and put all those barriers down with his strong fists of perseverance and faith.
As a normal thing in sport, you will not always win. He also lost.. a lot. Actually, he just recently lost his last match this year. But it's not a big deal to him anymore because he thought that he had enough from the previous years and he's getting older and weaker as well. Now he's creating another name in the field of politics.
It's the same to everyone. There will come a time that you will be in the peak of your career then there will also be the time wherein someone will take over that place because your time is over. But even that happens, don't lose hope because you can take another path after you finished the other as what Manny did.
At least before that happens your were able to be as proud as punch in showing everyone what you got!
How inspiring is it? I know you also know someone who raised your flag in different fields. I'm quite excited to hear something about him or her.
Though you are excited to do that, don't forget to use these vocabulary that I used.
1. ILLUSTRIOUS - well known, respected, and admired for past achievements.
2. PRIDE ONESELF ON - to be proud because of having (an ability, quality, etc.)
3. AS PROUD AS PUNCH - feeling great delight or pride.
Now, it's your turn!
Have you ever heard about something that only your country has?
For me, I have quite a long list for that but let me just choose one place to highlight.
It's Bohol! This place is known for the chocolate hills.
Hmmm. Sounds tasty right. You can imagine hundreds of hills made of chocolate as if you are in a chocolate factory. But that's impossible.
Some crazy questions I've heard about it is... Are these hills made of chocolate? Do they even taste or smell like chocolate?
Totally not.
It's called chocolate hills because its color is like chocolate.
Actually they are covered in green grass but the crazy thing is that these peculiar hills change their color from green to brown during the dry season, hence the name.
So it means, the color depends on the weather.
As a bonus, you will also have the chance to see in the same province, the cute but scary creatures named Tarsier.
This is a primate that has a form in the middle of lemurs and monkeys. It is too small and only measures around 3.5 inches, but it has a long tail that is twice longer than its body. It also has big eyes that's why it is also nocturnal. That's why tourists are advised to keep quite whenever they are visiting the sanctuary of tarsiers for they are also sensitive to noise. Moreover, their characteristic that will blow you away is that they are capable of turning their heads for nearly 180 degrees in each direction which allows them the ability to rotate their heads for almost 360 degrees. Sounds scary but astonishing at the same time. This species is now present in some Asian countries as well.
How about your country? What are the things that only you have?
In sharing that, don't forget to use these words:
1. PECULIAR - (adj) strange; odd or unusual
2. HENCE - (adv) that is the reason or explanation for
3. BLOW AWAY - impress someone greatly
Now, it's your time to impress us with the things that only you have.
Each country has its own beauty and wonders that people can brag about anytime.
I don't want to be boastful about my country but let me show you a glimpse of what we can offer.
Our country is known for the thousands of islands and uncountable white sand beaches that we have. Some are known and some are yet to be discovered.
I believe that you have watched a lot of videos on Youtube about these places but let's dive deeper to a not so common place to visit for tourists.
Let's go for a fresh water dive at the Enchanted River on the island of Mindanao, Philippines.
Sounds enchanting right?
Yes! It should be... because the name was derived from its appearance because it looks so magical. From the sparkling clear blue water of this deep spring river to the different bizarre species of fishes living there. The most mysterious thing here and what risk-takers love is the big cave beneath the surface.
You heard it right. It seems like it's the secret passage to the Wonderland or to Narnia which we have seen in some famous fantasy movies. In fact, people need to wear a diver's suit and equipment and should be accompanied by a professional diver when going down. You know, for safety purposes since the cave is too deep.
I really love the experience going there. Aside from the wonderful place, you'll also feel the adventure throughout the journey. By the way, you might ask how to get there. You can take a flight to Butuan or Davao. From Butuan, take a bus to Hinatuan (around 4 hours) then take a motorbike or tricycle to Enchanted River (around 20 minutes).
After visiting this famous spot, you can also get around and check out the other rivers close to it which almost have the same beauty.
It seems like you're planning to book a flight now. No worries, before you do that, tell me the wonders of your country as well. I might also book a flight to go there.
Now it's your turn to promote your country. Try to flex some of the well-known spots in the best way you can.
1. ENCHANTING - delightfully charming or attractive.
2. GET AROUND - move from place to place
3. FLEX -(informal) a boastful statement or display.
Good luck!
What amazing thing are you planning to cook this weekend?
Hmmmm.
For me, I'm thinking about a lot of dishes since we are going to have a simple celebration for my cousin's birthday, but there's a special dish I will focus on cooking. I'm going to cook my mom's specialty which is Maja Blanca! It's a Filipino dessert made from coconut milk, cornstarch, and sugar. Often called Coconut Pudding, this luscious dessert is easy to make and the ingredients are very common.
I choose to cook this one for two reasons.
1. I'm craving for this because it's been quite a while since I last ate it.
2. It's a special request from the birthday celebrant herself.
This is how you should cook it:
First you'll be needing coconut milk, sugar, condensed milk, cornstarch, and corn.
Actually, all you just have to do is to cook everything in a pot and arrange it in a tray afterwards.
The first thing to do is to boil the coconut milk in a pot. I highly suggest using fresh coconut milk instead of a canned one because the fresh coconut milk gives a sweeter taste. So, simply pour coconut milk in a pot and apply heat. I suggest stirring it every minute until it completely boils.
Then add sugar once the bubbles surface. Stir it until they were all well blended. You can add the condensed milk and corn afterwards. Make sure to constantly stir the mixture while cooking. It would be better if you'll use a whole kernel corn.
This desert dish should be thick, smooth and a bit sticky as what my cousin wants since she's a gourmand. She doesn't eat food that is cooked differently from the way she wants it to be. So cornstarch is the solution since it's responsible for its texture and form. Simply dilute it with fresh milk or evaporated milk, and then pour into the mixture. Keep on stirring until the mixture thickens and becomes smooth.
Transfer the entire mixture to a tray. Make sure to spread it evenly. Finally, refrigerate it until it firms.
And voila! Your maja blanca is ready to eat.
What about you? What is something amazing you are planning to cook this weekend?
Don't forget to use these words in your sentences:
1. LUSCIOUS - (adj) having a delicious sweet taste or smell
2. CRAVE - (verb) feel a powerful desire for (something).
3. GOURMAND - a person who is fond of good eating, often to excess, but generally a lover of good food as opposed to any food.
Extra Challenge:
Use different verbs or phrasal verbs for cooking (ex: stir, bake, chop up, roast, etc) since you are going to give the steps on how you are going to cook the food.
It's cooking time!
Have you ever experienced spending hours more than expected to run an errand because of extra requirements not mentioned when you inquired?
I experienced that a lot of times before and I was about to experience it again today. So this is what happened. I went out to run some errands and file for my National ID. It's an Identification Card that can be used in different transactions just like a universal charger and the most interesting thing is that it has no expiration.
So I went to the office to file for this kind of ID. I'm confident that I'll be able to spend a few hours to finish the process but there's a long queue at the venue and few people are accepted in a day because of the social distancing protocol for the COVID19 situation.
The worst thing is that when it's my turn, they were asking for a printed 2X2 picture which will be used for the creation of the ID but I don't have it with me because it's not part of the requirements they mentioned when I inquired online.
I don't want to restart the process by leaving the queue and looking for a photo studio just to have it. Good thing, I remembered that I saved a softcopy of my previous 2X2 picture on my phone and the best thing is that I have my portable printer in my bag. No worries because it's just a very small one, a bit bigger and thicker than my mobile phone.
This portable printer is handy because it's just small and can print with high definition. Printing can be done by just simply using the bluetooth connected to your phone.
In just a minute I was able to produce a picture that is needed for my application.
Sometimes you don't need to spend a lot of time in something just to bring home the bacon. Having a wise strategy and useful gadgets can help you lighten the load and be more productive.
Because of that I was able to do other things on the same day. And I can say, that for one is an achievement for me.
How about you? Is there any situation wherein you accomplished something because of the help of your gadgets. Share it to me then.
As usual, don't forget to use the vocabulary of the day.
1. ERRAND - a short journey undertaken in order to deliver or collect something.
2. BRING HOME THE BACON - achieve success.
3. LIGHTEN THE LOAD - help make something less difficult, upsetting, or overwhelming for one
I hope some of your gadgets will help you accomplish this task under your skill up program.
Vamos!
Have you ever felt as if someone is staring at you or secretly watching you from afar?
Sounds creepy right?
Today, Let's talk about privacy.
Some gadgets flash "You can now safely remove or install something" but how true is this?
Earlier, I just changed the sticky paper I put on the webcam part of my laptop because it's not sticking to the surface anymore.
You might be thinking why am I putting something like that. It will make my laptop look unfashionable. But this is one of the most helpful or cheaper way to save myself from unwanted watchers who are really good at technology and can easily hack into my camera.
I started having this kind of fear of being watched by others when I watched different videos showing people who were caught doing unwanted or private activities that were not supposed to be shown in public (let's remove the scripted ones from the picture)
Some of them were caught wearing pajamas during conference calls, people cheating (in an online class or in a relationship), someone taking a shower or even people doing what couples do, with the idea that their web cameras are closed and that their privacy is secured.
And based on an article I've read, it's not just on your computer webcams. It can possibly be on your mobile phone as well(iPhone and Blackberry).
It just scares me because I realized that I keep on watching movies online while I'm taking a shower. I tend to multitask so I always bring my mobile phone with me.
Now, I still do the same but I make sure that neither the front nor the rear camera of my phone faces me while taking a shower. I'm not a techie so I have to do other ways to secure my safety.
I advice you to be cautious of these unwanted watchers that might possibly invade your privacy.
How about you? Has your privacy been invaded in other ways through technology? What are your hacks in avoiding them or assuring the safety of our privacy? Mind if you share it with me?
Also, don't forget to use the words:
1. TECHIE - (informal)a person who is expert in or enthusiastic about technology, especially computing.
2. CAUTIOUS - (adj) (of a person) careful to avoid potential problems or dangers.
Have you ever missed the bus, arrived late in a meeting or even missed the chance to submit your project on it's deadline because you woke up late?
For me, I experienced all of those from highschool until I started working. And to tell you, it's really frustrating waking up not at the exact hour you are expecting yourself to be awake. I even blame my alarm all the time for not ringing loudly and not doing its job to wake me up but my mom slapped me with the truth that it's me whose the problem not my alarm.
She said that the entire neighborhood was awaken by my alarm and yet I'm still sleeping safe and sound(she's always exaggerating the story). She even said that I woke up but immediately hit the snooze button. But I promise, I can't remember doing that.
So I said. I need to find the highest quality alarm app that can wake me up as if my house is on fire. So I came across ALARMY. Sounds intersting right. As what I mentioned before, I am an aspiring soldier and this one was very catchy for me.
So let me explain how it works. This app is known as "The Most Annoying App to Get You Out of Bed in the Morning". Why?
It's because, it will never stop ringing until you do the challenge that you have chosen or set the night before you go to sleep. It has a variety of challenges that you will enjoy. Some of them are answering mathematical problems, doing an activity like singing or saying something, and even taking a picture of an object.
I remember trying this app when I was working in the night shift at Fitslanguage. I usually set this alarm to wake myself up early in the morning since I tend to sleep in the office after my shift at 5:00 am. But... here's the crazy thing. I chose the challenge of taking a picture and I chose the picture of the sticker under the tables that we have in the other room of the academy.
One morning, my alarm rung. It was so loud. By the way, I forgot to tell you that the only way to stop it is to do the challenge. Even if you turn off your phone or reduce the volume the sound will still be the same. Same volume and same noise.
So going back to the story, I have to run to the other room as fast as I could because the other teachers were still sleeping. Unfortunately, the room is locked every morning so I have to go back to get the key. And unluckily, I have 25 keys to choose from. Still, I was able to open the door, go under the table and take a picture of the sticker as my challenge to make the annoying sound stop.
I was just catching my breath and laughed at myself for the crazy 15 minutes of my life. I can't even go back to sleep because of that since I even had my morning exercise and my energy was all pumped up.
But this just taught me a good lesson. I was able to be more alert and can wake up easily at the hour I expected even when I am just using a normal alarm app now.
It even gave me the opportunity to finish a lot of tasks on time because I woke up early as expected. As they say, "The early bird catches the worm". So I highly recommend you to download this handy app if you have problems waking up on time or if you are up for challenges.
So, mind if you share some helpful apps that you have installed on your phone or even the ones that were very handy for you? I can try them as well.
Since we talked about challenges in my app. I also challenge you... not to take a photo but to incorporate these vocabulary in your story.
1. HANDY - convenient to handle or use; useful.
2. Up for something - to be willing or ready to do something.
"Forever Young" that's what we all want. To be young forever. Right?
I know a boy who never grows old. I believe you already have an idea. Yes. He is Peter Pan. The main character of one of the most popular movies of all time. As he never grows old, I never get tired watching his movie as well.
If you'll ask me about the movie that I have watched over and over again, my answer will be Peter Pan.
Why?.... Why not? I really love fantasy movies and Peter Pan just showed how magical life and love is. Aside from loving all the cast of this movie, I also learned a lot of good life lessons from it.
The movie also showed different relationships between people.
The love between siblings (Wendy, Michael, and John),
The sincere care of their parents,
The respect of the lost boys to Peter Pan as their Captain,
The admiration of Thinker bell to Peter Pan to the point that she sacrificed her life for him, and even the cruelty of Captain Hook to all of his crew in his ship.
But the most beautiful relationship is the puppy love between Wendy and Peter Pan who were both from different worlds.
Yes.. this movie showed hope. That whoever we are or wherever we are we can find someone who will love and appreciate us.
Maybe you are not appreciated or well valued in your workplace, school or wherever you are now. Maybe it's time for you to change place and find your own Peter Pan. No worries, I'm not encouraging you to find a new lovelife but find someone or some place that makes you happy and worthy.
As Peter Pan said "I do believe in fairies." so be like him. Continue believing in the magic of life and be forever young at heart.
I bet you are thinking of your favorite movie now. Go on. Think of the one that you can watch a hundred times where you can memorize all the lines of the characters. Then, tell me what makes it your favorite.
Don't forget to use the expressions:
1. Of all time - used for talking about someone or something that is better than all other people or things that have existed
2. Cast - all the actors and actresses in a movie or TV show.
Now, it's your turn!
People tend to ask about our favorite songs. I haven't experienced being asked about the song that I hated the most. So today. I'm gonna talk about it.
I really love listening to music because it really gives comfort when I'm stressed, worried, sad, and even happy. But one day, while I'm on my way to my grandparents' hometown, I heard this song played in the bus. And to tell you this was one of the worst moments of my life. With 3 big speakers installed in the bus, I was awaken by this loud sound of a song of a man shouting the lyrics "lady, can you forgive me". It seems like he's not singing anymore. I understand that the song really wants to show the extreme feeling of the singer towards the girl whom the song was created for but I can say it's something that you can't play anywhere.
This song is just not really a music to my ears. Instead of giving comfort, it gives stress because of the tone, the melody, and the way the singer sung it. It seems like his throat is going to explode anytime. I can sense the struggle of the singer just to hit the note. I don't know who or even when did they invent this avant-garde genre of a song. I just hope there will be lesser to no songs having this genre be released.
So before I end, let me play this song for you to hear it and understand me better. I advice you to move your headphone a bit far from your ears. Here you go. So how was it. I'm telling the truth right? Now, it's your turn to tell me the song that you hated the most and tell me the reasons why.
Now, as part of the challenge, use these words:
1. Music to one's ears - something that is pleasant or gratifying to hear or discover.
2. Avant-garde (adjective): new, unusual and experimental
Let's get it on!
You are what you wear. Do you agree that the way you dress reflects who you are? I believe yes, because fashion is a form of art and we normally use art to express ourselves . On a normal day, I tend to wear men's outfit and I am always called boyish for that. I don't know but it feels so comfortable for me. I like wearing loose shirt, jersey, and shoes. Some people thought I'm lesbian. Maybe I got it from my favorite sport since most of my teammates were lesbians and we tend to move not like a common sassy girl.
Don't get me wrong. I also dress up. I wear dresses and high heels but only during occasions or when going to church on Sundays. I tend to wear light colored clothes since I have a tan skin and it wouldn't be a good idea to combine it to a vibrant shirt unless I attend a fashion show. My most favorite color is olive drab(it's a color commonly used for military uniforms). I guess you are having an idea now.
Yes. I'm an aspiring soldier or firefighter. I really want to do a breathtaking job, but my mom doesn't want me to do it because she's scared about the danger that might happen so I just expressed my passion and interest in these jobs through fashion.
I can really say that my taste in fashion shows my personality. Boyish and olive drab clothes show that I'm an adventurous and brave person willing to take risks. Wearing light colored shirt shows my light and simple personality. Not too boastful and a bit shy at times.
If you noticed, I tend to wear an outfit based on the occasion. Sometimes casual, sometimes formal. And that's me. I tend to act based on the situation. I'm like a chameleon trying to fit in the environment I have. Though in contrast I don't usually go along with the latest fashion trend. That's how I express myself through fashion. How about you, what is your common outfit and how does it reflect your personality?
Don't forget to use the vocabulary I used:
1. Dress Up- dress in smart or formal clothes.
2. Fashion trend - a particular style, or clothing popular at a certain point of time or a particular period of time.
Let's bring it on!
Hi! I hope you're doing well at work or at school now. By the way, how long do you tend to stay at home these days? I'm a bit curious about that since I've been staying at home for quite a while now because I'm working from home. I believe you have experienced it once when the pandemic started. You know what. This lets me have more time for other things like being aware of the people around me.
Before, I just keep walking past my neighbors since I am running out of time for work. Almost all the time. But now, strolling with my dog every morning made me see and be aware about the people around me. I was even able to pick two extreme neighbors I have. Yes. Extreme. One is positively extreme and the other is the opposite. Let me tell you why.
Every meal (breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even snack) my neighbor always brings food that she cooked. She even gave us raw fish to cook and told us not to give them any after we cook it since it's the same fish she bought. I'm so grateful to have this kind of neighbor. Though I don't want to abuse her kindness I always show my appreciation by accepting it and doing the same thing to the other people in our neighborhood. She shows the real meaning of neighborhood and serves as a good example to others. She is extremely generous.
On the other hand and literally other side of my house. I have this one neighbor who always do the other way around. Let me give you a specific situation. Every time she comes to our house she never leaves empty handed or with an empty stomach.. Why? Because it's her strategy. She always makes sure to come to our house during meal time or whenever there's an occasion where a feast is expected. She will start building a rapport or making a close connection to you by telling you stories then later on she'll simply get food or start eating though you haven't asked her to. She's extremely greedy and hungry.. I guess.
But this just showed me that wherever we are, we can't choose the people we are going to be with. You can't choose who is going to be your neighbor, colleague, or classmate nor what they should be, instead you can only choose how you are going to deal with them. Because you are only in control of your own life not of others.
Now let me know what kind of neighbors you have and who are the extreme ones? Tell me what makes them extreme.
This time we are going to have a different challenge. Instead of just simply using a word I challenge you to use the word "connection" in it's other formation (could be as a noun, verb, adverb or adjective) Then use the phrasal verb DROP BY which means make a casual or informal visit to a person or place. For example, my neighbor tend to By the way, you might have heard dogs in my background. That's my neighbors dog and that's one of the annoying thing about them but as I mentioned earlier. I have to learn how to deal with them and so you should as well.
Have you ever had this one person that you consider unforgettable for some reasons?
I believe we all had. I remember having this one childhood friend from school whom I didn't know why we became friends. I just remembered his face and the moment when I always walked with him after school. I don't even live in the same place were he lives. That's why being his friend is still a mystery to me until now.
This curiosity started when I saw the post of one of my friends on Facebook. I saw that he is one of the employees in my friend's business. The moment I saw his face, things flashed back in my mind. My curiosity began. I started thinking when and where I met this person.
While harking back to the time I met him I realized that this was one of the unforgettable persons I met.
It's kind of weird, I forgot an unforgettable person. While thinking deeply, I remembered why he became unforgettable to me.
Though I didn't remember how we met, I can clearly remember his story. He is an orphan and he only lives with his grandmother. He lost his parents at a young age and even started working while he was studying. Take note, we were just in 6th grade when it happened. The reason why he always went back home early is because he needs to look after his grandmother who was so old that time.
The moments we had were still vivid in my mind. One afternoon after school. I was surprised when I didn't see him. So I thought, maybe there's a problem. So I tried going to his house to know what happened. Luckily, I saw him on the way. Not wearing uniform and looked so tired. With a big smile, a run towards him and asked him why he didn't go to school (by the way, we are not even classmates). He said that he had to skip his class since his grandmother is very ill and he needs money to buy medicine because his grandma's pension is not enough so he got a part time job to earn money.
Imagine losing your parents and having an ill grandmother to look after at the age of 12. I can say that it's been a very tough life for him. By the way, this friend of mine is named Alexander. I can call him "Alexander the Great" because he really is a great person and I salute him for that. We didn't hear from each other after sixth grade maybe because he got so busy earning for a living and we graduated and went to different schools.
Life is really amazing, I was able to hear from him again after 11 years because of that post but I haven't reached out to him yet because he might not recognize me. Despite that, I'm still happy for him because I can see that he is happy and successful in his life now.
You might be crying after listening to this audio and might think that it's not true. Let me tell you that all my stories in my recordings are based on my real life experiences so I encourage you to share yours as well. Imagine this as your diary and at the same time challenge yourself in getting your message across by using these vocabulary.
1. Hark back to - to return to or remember something in the past
2. Vivid - producing powerful feelings or strong, clear images in the mind.
As an additional challenge. Think of an adjective that starts with letter C to describe that unforgettable person.
Best of luck!