in2english,英语通,免费,英语,学习,网站,论坛 Garage's Blog(牛津老外的博客)

hellenliang - 2005-9-7 19:41:00

"Hello everyone. Since I have come back from Tibet. Life has been very busy. Interesting but busy.

Unfortunately, I was a little sick at the beginning of the week. It was nothing too serious but my face swelled up like a balloon. I think it was an infection in my gums at the roots of my teeth.

I went to the clinic at the China TV and Radio University and the doctor gave me some antibiotics. After a couple of sleepless nights, when I wished I could pull out all my teeth, the swelling finally went down.

Now I am fine and can eat again!

When you are ill you remember how wonderful it is to be healthy.

Perhaps good health really is the most important thing in life. What do you think?"

Hi garage

I am very sorry to hear you are ill a few days ago. At college, I have suffered from a nightmare like you, I had a toothache without any reasons. It is said " toothache is not a rather bad illness, but it gives us enormous pain." you know, it is a terrible experience. At that time, I had the same thoughts that made up my mind to pull out all my teeth, fortunately, I can't make it! If I can manage to do it, I will become a guly woman with false teeth !

Yes, I absolutely take your point. It is said by Ralph Waldo Emerson " The first wealth is health." Good health is the most important thing in life. Without good health, it is impossible to do anything what you want to. When I was ill, I always think of my mother, the sweet and warm welcome......... What about you ? could you recall your family ?

Hellen

Leanne - 2005-9-8 9:26:00

Hi,garage

How about your travel? Dose the Tibet beautiful as your imagine? Do you like the people there?

I am sorry to hear that you had an infection in your gums. I think health is more important for people than other things,like money and job.

Best wishes to your health!

Leanne

BBCer - 2005-9-8 14:50:00

Glad to know you've recovered. I agree with your point of view on health. Yes, good health is the most important thing in life. It is more important than money. It's also far more important than fame. To some extent, heath's happy!

Unfortunately, I'm suffering from a prostate disease though it's not very serious, so I must take a Chinese medicine called Liuwei Dihuangwan.

Best wishes!

healther - 2005-9-9 10:30:00

Hi,Garage

I am sorry to hear that you've got a teethache.I wish you will be better soon.

I quite agree with you that health is very important in our lives,that's why I coined a word"Healther" for my name.I want to be a "Healther" in my days.

Fortunately,I am in good condition,because I take exercises every morning and night.

garage - 2005-9-9 10:47:00

Thank you Hellen, Leanne and BBCer for your best wishes. I hadn't meant to start my blog off on such a low note but life has a habit of dealing you an unexpected card now and again.

On a much more positive note I have started riding my bicycle to work as we now have lovely, autumn weather here in Beijing. I live in the West of the city and it takes around 40 minutes to arrive at the office in the CCRTV University tower in Fu Xing Men.

Most of the way there is a seperate cycle path for bicycles away from the busy Beijing traffic. This is restful and shaded by tall green trees that protect us from the sun's rays. As I pass Ba Baoshan I can see the World Carnival that is in town for a few weeks and when I return home at night the funfair is brightly lit up with hundreds of coloured bulbs and full of happy Beijingers enjoying the rides.

Autumn is my favourite time in Beijing. The weather is still warm but not oppressively hot and we can eat delicious snacks out in the streets.

Tomorrow is "Teachers' Day" and I would like to wish all my fellow teachers a happy day.

"Teachers' Day" is something we don't have in England. At least we certainly didn't when I was a student. But I think it is a great idea and hope we will adopt it in my country in the future.

Best wishes and happy weekend!

garage - 2005-9-9 11:00:00

Hi Healther,

Thank you for your reply and best wishes. I am feeling much better now and my latest blog is more positive!

I think your name is very good and I am glad you are in good health.

Just one thing and you mustn't mind because it is my job as an English language teacher. Grammatically you should spell your name "Healthier".

It is the rule if an adjective ends in a "Y" like "Happy" "Easy" "Sunny" in the comparative the "Y" changes to an "i" and we add "er".

Happier

Easier

Sunnier

I hope that helps. Have a good weekend!

healther - 2005-9-9 11:18:00

Hi,Garage

Thank you for your nice praising ang suggestion.

BTW,I'd like to ask if there is any English native speaker called "Healther", or "Healthier"?I just coined the word"Healther",I know it's grammatically wrong,but I think it doesn't matter when people choose it for a name.Do you think so.Tell me,Garage,I need you help!

angellong - 2005-9-9 13:49:00

Garage:

First,I have to say that I'm sorry about your illness,and certainly pleased to know your recovery.

I have the same feeling which you write in the 6#.It is so good to ride bicycle around Beijing,especially on the Fourth cycle and Fifth cycle. Someday, I rode my old bike on the Fifth cycle,the trees block off the sunlight.I bought some oranges from the store on the side of road.After

miles of way,I stopped under the trees to eat oranges.(I love oranges very much .^_^.).I was so happy that day . It was a beautiful experience.

I planned to ride bike along the Cycles some weekend after my right leg recover.

I am glad that you like Beijing. I think it is a lovely city.Do you think so?

hellenliang - 2005-9-9 17:08:00

Hi garage

Firstly, I want to say, no matter what style your note is, low or positive, all of us couldn't mind it, you know, happiness and depression always appears mixed together in life and everyone has to suffer it whether he/she would like to accept. So, telling us what you want to say is good thing, just share your experience with us, I think, maybe in some sense, that is the real weblog and the real life, do you think so ?

Yes, tomorrow is "Teachers' Day". When I was a student, my classmates and I would like to give our best wishes to our teachers, a greeting card, a bunch of flowers is usually a gift for our teachers. you know, at that time when we showed our presents to teachers, their big smile appeared at once. Until now, this scene come to me now and again....

In my mind, Teachers and Doctors are the most respectable occupations in the world. Delivering human beings in physical and spiritual illness is their responsibilities, so I think, that is why we esteem them an honor. It is a pity that there has been no fixed day for "Teachers' Day" so far, hope it will be adopted in the near future.

garage, are you a teacher ? I suppose, you are. So let us give our best wishes to you and other members of in2english. Happy Teachers' Day! !

Hellen

hellenliang - 2005-9-9 18:05:00

Hi garage

I have forgotten to tell you, you are lucky. You said Autumn is your favourite time in Beijing. Now it is indeed a beautiful season in Beijing. But, do you know, about 4 years ago, it was the different scene in Autumn of Beijing. When I was in University, the approach of Autumn in Beijing means the coming of bad weather. In Autumn, heavy winds are constantly blowing with loess, which are called " Sand Storm". It has disturbed our routine of life. In the open air, everyone has to dress in clothes over with hat, kerchief, respirator etc, you know, it is terrible !

Fortunately, due to the call to the public by government, more and more people are getting to realize the importance of protecting environment. To my delight, it has an good effect and the worst season in Beijing in the past has become your favourite time nowadays. Hope the environment in Beijing will be getting better in the future ! Especially, let's show our the warmest and cleanest appearence to everyone all over the world !!

Hellen

garage - 2005-9-9 19:23:00

I think your name is fine and although there is no native speaker with that name, as far as I know, it doesn't matter. It was silly of me not realise that, of course, you knew the correct grammar and you were being inventive and imaginative. From your blog I can see you have a high level of English and a fluent way of expressing yourself.

Best wishes for the weekend.

garage - 2005-9-9 19:29:00

I find riding a bicyle the best way to explore the city and at the weekends I sometimes go out to the Fragrant Hills. If you get off the main road and down the farm tracks you feel you are really in the country.

I am not sure how I will feel in January though! I think I will return to the tube as there is an underground train station about ten minutes from where I live.

Have a good weekend

garage - 2005-9-9 19:34:00

Thank you Hellen for your best wishes on teachers' day. I heard a lot about the dust storms before I came to Beijing but as you say they don't seem to be so frequent anymore. That is really good news and shows people can make things better even by something as simple as planting more trees.

garage - 2005-9-9 19:39:00

Hi Leanne, I hope to post some pictures and tell you a bit more about my impressions of Tibet when my films come back from the developer. I have an old analogue camera not a digital one.

Hopefully next week!

BBCer - 2005-9-10 10:07:00

Thank you garage for your prompt reply to my message. Interestingly, you mentioned autumn a few times in the text. I also like autumn because it is somewhat a "festive" season. Today's Teachers' Day, and in one week Mid-autumn Festival will come. In less three weeks we'll be blessed with a seven-day-long National Day.

Today's also the first day of the new semester. I'm afraid that a lot of work would make me crazy, so I must forget to enjoy this special day for teachers!

Kind regards

isabelle - 2005-9-12 9:17:00

Ah! It's so nice here where one can find a feeling of being home. And it would be the Mid-Autumn Festival, time for family reunion. I've prepared mooncake and some fruits for it. Hope all friends would enjoy this happy moment. And special wishes for Garage - Enjoy our Chinese festival and try to find something new. Really hope to read more interesting stories here.

Regards

garage - 2005-9-12 13:52:00

There are some tragic anniversaries when many people can remember exactly what they were doing when they heard the news. For a generation of Americans it was the assassination of President Kennedy on November 22nd 1963. For British people of my age group it was the murder of John Lennon of the Beatles on December 8th 1980.

In the 21st century, the beginning of the new millennium was deeply marked by the events of September 11th 2001.

It is a day I remember clearly. In fact I was looking foward to it. I was living in a teacher training college in Uong Bi, a small town near the famous Halong Bay in Vietnam. The Director of V.S.O. (Voluntary Service Overseas), the organisation I was working for, was coming to pay me a visit.

However the day started badly. When I opened the door of my room I noticed something was missing. My Honda dream motorcycle, which I had been given to tour around the province, had gone! It was a valuable machine and I thought I would have to find more than a thousand dollars to pay for it.

When my director arrived he was very helpful. He understood that, although I was supposed to sleep in the same room as my motorcycle, the smell of the petrol was making me sick and it could be dangerous. He felt a way could be found to get another motorbike.

We had a meal and talked about my work. I felt my troubles were over. Later of course I realised my own little troubles were nothing compared with what was happening in the wider world.

I wonder if any members of our community have any stories or comments.

garage - 2005-9-12 15:11:00

Thank you for your kind wishes Isabelle. Some members of the in2english team bought some mooncakes into the office today. They are very nice and very filling. But they were bought in a shop, I wonder what your homemade mooncakes taste like. Do you have a recipe?

isabelle - 2005-9-12 21:58:00

Well garage, here is one recipe. Anyone wants to try and make your own mookcake? It's just so interesting!

Pastry
flour 150g

milk 50g
Caramel sugar 150g

honey 50g
Peanut oil 50g

one egg

1/2 teaspoon salt
(Mix ingredients together and have a good stir. Set aside for 4-5 hours and then divide into portions of 40g each)

Filling
here you have at least two choices:

1) White lotus paste 300g
Peanuts 150g

2) sweetened bean paste 300g

Sunflower 150g

(Mix ingredients together and divide into four portions)

Preparation

Flatten dough and wrap durian filling. Dust wooden mould lightly with flour, tapping out any excess. Put dough-wrapped filling into mould. Knock out and place mooncakes on slightly greased tray. Bake in preheated oven at 180°C for 13 minutes. Remove and leave to cool for 1 minute. Brush with egg glaze and bake for another 5 minutes or till done.

healther - 2005-9-13 10:52:00

Hi,Garage

After reading your blog 3,I have some feelings.

I think you have a great interest in history.You can remember what happened in the history,and you can easily remember the time when those things happened.If you don't mind,I'd like to ask you to tell us more about some historic story in your blog.

"Later of course I realised my own little troubles were nothing compared with what was happening in the wider world."I quite understand your feelings.

There are many things beyond our control in this world.For instance,everybody want the world to be peaceful,but wars inevitably break out now and then.Besides wars,there are also some suffering,like flood,drought, violence we human heings usually encounter.The events of September 11th, 2001,just likes a nightmare not only for The U.S.,but also for all countries around the world.

But we human beings don't give up,we care enough to face all the troubles and work them through.We are the owners in this world!

garage - 2005-9-14 15:13:00

The autumn moon festival is soon and everywhere there are mooncakes. Why are they called mooncakes? Has anybody tried Isabelle's homemade recipe for mooncakes? See 20#

I am reading about the story of Hou Yi and Chang E and find there are quite a few versions. Which story is the most popular? Which one do you like best?

In the West the moon festival coincides with the autumn equinox in September. It is a time when the day and night are of equal length. There are two occasions each year, in March in the spring and in September. In an equinox the day is 12 hours and the night is also 12 hours. At the autumn equinox the North pole passes from a six month long day to a six month long night. At the South pole the sun passes from a six month long night into a six month long day.

garage - 2005-9-16 10:57:00

I have found another interesting story about mooncakes. During the revolt against Mongolian rule in 1368 secret messages were hidden inside the pastries telling the Chinese about the rebellion. The Monglians didn't eat mooncakes so they were unaware of the secret.

This reminded me of "fortune cookies" that are so popular in American Chinese restaurants. When you break open the biscuit you find a message like:

"The greatest danger could be your stupidity"

"Every successful person has had repeated failures but repeated failure is no guarantee of eventual success"

"Nothing is as easy as it looks"

"Ever noticed how even the busiest people are never too busy to tell you just how busy they are"

Of course these cookies are an American invention and, although Chinese restaurants in London and elsewhere abroad serve them, they are almost unknown here in China.

In England we have a tradition of putting lucky charms or coins into Christmas pudding. You have to be careful when you eat it as you can hurt your teeth on the hard objects or even swallow them. Christmas pudding is a very rich mixture of dried fruit, nuts, suet (beef fat), sugar and eggs. Often a glass of brandy is emptied on top and it is set on fire! The pudding is served in a halo of purple brandy flames.

Have a great Mid-Autumn Festival!

garage - 2005-9-19 11:14:00

I have had a busy time since my last blog. On Friday evening after finishing teaching here at CCRTV University in Fu Xing Men I cycled up to the North of Beijing to Haidian. It was rush hour with the roads jammed with cars but on a bicycle you can ride past them all with a smile on your face!

I was going to a part of the city where I used to live to visit the English Corner at Renmin University. It was dark when I arrived at around 6:45 pm and I didn't expect many people to be there. However I was amazed to find a crowd of several hundred gathered in groups chatting away in English. There were many blackboards where someone would be explaining an interesting point of English language or culture. People had come from many different colleges around Beijing to take the opportunity to chat. As a foreigner and native speaker I was obviously an object of curiosity and quite a crowd gathered around me. It was very interesting talking to everyone and I certainly hope to go back another Friday. Next time I will take more infomation about the website so we will continue to grow as community.

What do people already in the in2english community think about English Corners. Do you go or have you been to one? What is your impression of them?

garage - 2005-9-19 11:45:00

On Saturday evening I went with Andy, from our in2english team, and his charming partner Sarah to a Pop Festival in Chaoyang Park. It was to be a mixed lineup of techno, rock and hip hop. The former singer of the Stone Roses, Ian Brown, would share the stage with techo artist, Derrick May and rap sensations, Common and Lex. To tell the truth I had only heard of the Stone Roses but I was looking foward to a night out under the full moon with some interesting music.

Unfortunately Andy insisted that only he knew the right entrance to the park. Impressed by his powers pf persuasion we followed, like lost sheep following a shepherd, only to find, when we finally reached the gate, that we were at the opposite side to the real entrance.

Much later, after walking, asking for directions and taking a taxi, we arrived. By now the concert was nearly over and only the hip hop singer Common remained to take the stage.

Still it was fun to be amongst a group of people dancing and singing under the yellow moon. I hope next year there will be a three day event and I will find my way to the correct entrance gate without too much trouble!

kela - 2005-9-19 16:43:00

I think you must be a humours guy! Next year there will likely be a three day event,so long as you have enough time, then you will more enjoy yourself!

garage - 2005-9-21 14:15:00

On Monday I drove in a taxi past Tian An Men square and saw all the preparations for National Day. Two years ago the theme of the flowers and decorations was to honour China's first man in space, Yang Li Wei and there was a giant space rocket in front of the ancient Forbidden City. This year it looks like the theme will be the 2008 Olympic Games with "One World One Dream" in big letters and a large model of the logo.

I have only just started to lose a little of the extra kilos I gained after eating too many moon cakes and enjoying a delicious mid autumn day meal with my friends in the North of Beijing. Now with the National holiday coming up I must get on my bike and try to get fit before the really cold weather sets in. The last few days have been surprisingly cool and reminded me that winter is on the way.

BBCer - 2005-9-21 16:44:00

I didn't eat any mooncake on the Mid-autumn Festival. I just bought five pieces for my father-in-law.

Mooncake's also changing with the times. In the "old" days mooncake's loved by almost every body. Nowadays it's well-packaged and good-looking but less practical. It's not so delicious as before.

In my opinion mooncake's too expensive to be worth eating!

garage - 2005-9-22 12:30:00

Hello BBCer,

Everything seems to get more expensive and nothing gets any cheaper. Actually maybe that's not true. Electronic goods and cameras come down in price if you wait a little while after the latest models hit the shops.

As for mooncakes did you try Isabelle's D.I.Y. (Do it yourself) recipe? See 20#. I am afraid I didn't. I am not too confident with my Chinese cooking yet. Perhaps somebody can give me some hints or some easy recipes to start with!

garage - 2005-9-23 15:08:00

I said I would try and put some photos of my trip to Tibet on my blog and here is one of the group I went with to Nam Tso lake, 190 km North of Lhasa. It is a very international group with, from left to right, Filige from near the city of Porto in Portugal, Bamba from Tibet, myself, Jian Ma from Zhengzhou in Henan province and Alfonso from Madrid in Spain.

Next week I will tell you more about the trip from Lhasa to this "Sky" (Nam is Tibetan for sky) "Lake" (Tso is lake) and post some more photos.

Have a great weekend!