Hello from Jo!
Hello, everyone! It’s great to be back blogging, even if it’s only for a couple of weeks. I won’t be blogging too often this time – probably just at weekends, as I have a very busy month ahead of me. But I hope you are all well and are having a good start to 2008. If it’s not too late, I’d like to wish you all a Happy New Year!
I’d also like to say a special hello to my two student bloggers, Naheed and Ha.
Naheed, how are you doing with your studies? Did your exams go OK? I know there has been quite a bit of unrest in Pakistan since we were in last touch. I always think of you when I see Pakistan on the news and I hope you and your family are all well and safe.
And Ha, are you still working hard, burning the midnight oil? How is your job? Have you figured out What Love Is yet? If so, can you let me know? And how are your plans to study for a Master’s?
It would be great to hear from you all and get an update on what has been happening in your lives.
As for me, Richard and I are still house-hunting. House prices in the UK are still very high, although they are starting to come down slowly. I still have my four cats and my dog, Raffles. Over the past few months I have been working on a new project for a UK publisher, writing a textbook for the Caribbean market. It’s a whole new experience for me, writing for the Caribbean. I have had to do a lot of research and reading, and it’s been a really steep learning curve, but I think it’s important to challenge yourself every now and then, don’t you? I would certainly get bored if I stopped learning things. We’re due to finalise the book by the end of February, so that’s why I’m pretty tied up at the moment.
Now, the New Year is often a time for new beginnings. Here in the UK, many people make new year’s resolutions. These are essentially promises to yourself. Often they entail kicking bad habits, such as smoking; or doing something positive, such as getting fit. I don’t often make new year’s resolutions, but just for the month of January, I have decided to give up booze. I have a bit of a spare tyre after all the excesses of Christmas, which I need to get rid of. Plus, it’s also good to give the liver a bit of a rest! I also want to start going to a new gym class called BodyJam, which sounds as though it is dancing to music.
Do you all make new year’s resolutions? If so, what are your hopes and plans for 2008?
Can’t wait to hear from you all,
Jo
Vocabulary
I’ve put the tricky vocabulary from my blog in bold below. The definitions follow underneath, but in the incorrect order. I know you all love a challenge! Can you match the vocab to the definitions?
Vocabulary
1) unrest
2) burning the midnight oil
3) steep learning curve
4) tied up
5) kicking
6) booze
7) spare tyre
8) excesses
Definitions
* when you have to understand how to do something difficult in a short period of time
* alcohol
* behaving in a decadent way
* angry or violent behaviour
* busy
* giving up
* working until late
* extra fat around your waist
Comments
dear Jo,very nice to see you here again ,I 've been very missed you and the time I spend with you and your blogs . Hope you have a good New year .
Hi dear Jo , What are you up to ? Happy new year 2008 ! I wish you and your other half all goodness and happiness and joyance in 2008 . I keep my finger crossed in your new Project and House hunting . We had a wonderful two month with you and like Ana Paula ,I always remind you in my mind and I use some of your good expression in my writing and speaking . I absolutely agree with you that learning new things inspire us and give us extra Energy And because of that I have obsessed myself with brushing up English learning since last year . Now I 'm doing English course in Intermediate level and I have just one course to finish it . But my last course exam was really difficult and there were some new and difficult words in exam and I 'm wondering as our textbook ( true to life ) , it 's not at that level ,at all . What 's your opinion for increasing my vocabulary . For instance I try to increase my vocabulary with reading every day news in BBC site , is it enough ? Any way again good phrases and expression from you . I specially liked " Spare tyre " and " Burning the midnight oil " . As I had gained Spare tyre after my son birth and I was working out for about two years to adjust it ( but not completely successful ) .Your bodyJam class sounds interesting . Here , legally we had just aerobic classes in jyms , So we can take advantage of music and sport at the same time . Here are my answers to not too difficult homework : 1) unrest * angry or violent behaviour 2) burning the midnight oil * working until late 3) steep learning curve * when you have to understand how to do something difficult in a short period of time 4) tied up * busy 5) kicking * giving up 6) booze * alcohol 7) spare tyre : * extra fat around your waist 8) excesses * behaving in a decadent way Dear Jo it 's a new idiom that I 've learnt fro my last English teacher : Work hard but play harder ! Best wishes and bye Pary from chilly Iran I hope that my comments , finally 'll show up one day . ) )
Jo, dear and sweet!Why I am immediately hearing birds singing in my mind as I see or remember of you? For that green bucolic landscape you live in? Or, when I felt busted lonely in my office I used to remember of you. I liked that time when I read the Little woman sitting on the blooming medows bathing in warm sunshine, now and then writing to you and Naheed. I read out the book after all though it went only slowly then. As you I got rid from alcohol. Since the 30ty december I tastet no of it and I find it easy. Not for the resolution but I watched the TV programme that day which said if you are able to stick without it for three month you are fine, so I am deliberately on this test. Even I lost a few pounds? only to eat a bit smaler amount as I used to. All the best to you, Richard and pets!
Hi Jo, I liked the expression "spare tyre" very much, is it a coinage of yours? I couldn't find it in my dic. Yes, it is one of my resolutions to get rid of lots of spare tyres in 2008. In fact i started a veg diet on 25th of Dec which I intend to carry on up to 40 days. Besides, I walk on my treadmill about 30 min a day plus 15-20 min of dancing. I have also resolved to look after myself more in this year and try to practice relaxation and feeling happy...Welcome Joe, glad to meet you...
Dear Jo, nice to hear from you again! It´s a great idea having an update about our previous teachers. We always remember your lovely pets and your dedication to write on the blog. I hope everything is fine. Hopefully, someday you will be our teacher again. Bye!
Hello Jo, it's really really nice to see you again. Humm.. you look beautiful even more! Thank you so much for remembering me:)Wish you good luck for your project. I'll be looking forward to hearing more from you. Naheed
Hi Jo! It is nice to hear from you again.;-) My main resolutions are: keep fit, get a stable job and have a positive attitude towards the future. Just out of curiosity, will your textbook be about the Caribbean English? Mind you, if you cannot give it out, it is not a problem at all. I cannot wait to read your next post. Cheers!
Hi Jo! I'm glad to see you again. This is a great reunion! I've got to go soon so I'll answer the vocabulary. 1)unrest-angry or violent behaviour 2)burning the midnight oil-working until late 3)steep learning curve-when you have to understand~ 4)tied up-busy 5)kicking- giving up 6) booze-alcohol 7)spare tyre-extra fat around your waist 8)excesses -behaving in a decadent way. I'm looking forward to seeing you soon.
Hi Jo, as I know, in Taiwan, we always make wishes instead of resolutions, such as: make 3 birthday wishes before cut the birthday cake; or make New Year’s wishes. To make a wish is not bad, and to make a resolution is even better, more positive. I never have made a resolution. Now I would like to make one. My New Year’s resolution of 2008 is to make resolutions instead of wishes. Best Regards. James
Dear Jo,pleased to meet you,such a cheeful and beautiful teacher and a dog lover! I find your blogs both interesting and helpful and I like your style.I hadn't read your posts before this open session,but now I'm going to.You are right,there are a lot of ways to relax,but we all need something new to try.If you ever go to Russia,don't miss an oppotunity to go to 'banya' /bath house/, most Russians really enjoy its heat and wet, slapping themselves or each other with a bunch of birch /or oak/ twigs and having a dip into cold water or snow .But I'm afraid,it could be stressful first time!So you can see,it's not exactly 'chilling',lol!...On the other hand,one of the best things to relax is to play with dogs,man's best friends.I've got a big black Newf,well,almost Newf.He always feels when I'm upset or sad, happy or tired and I'm absolutely sure he can understand everything I'm talking about.Guess what name he has got...Black! My friends ask me whether he can understand English!
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