NEW YEAR, NEW ME?
Hello again!
It was nice to hear from one or two old friends. Thank you. It was also interesting to read Jo’s blog especially her confession about having a bit of a spare tyre at the moment. I know how she feels (although, looking at her photo I really can’t believe she needs to lose weight). My spare tyre would support a large truck! So I’ve got to get back into my running shoes, ignore the wind and the rain (at least it isn’t cold) and run off a few hundred calories every day. That’s one of my New Year resolutions (another one is to stop using brackets).
I thought you might like to see a photo from our Christmas. This is Lucy and me at home on Christmas Day. We’d already opened most of our Christmas presents but hadn’t had Christmas dinner when this was taken. We’re wearing party hats made out of tissue paper, which you always get in Christmas crackers. I hate wearing party hats. They make me look ridiculous, but I suppose they make everyone look ridiculous.
What did you get for Christmas? I got mostly books, CDs, wine and chocolate. I bought Lucy new clothes, books for university and a new laptop (her old one broke in October and it was going to cost more to repair than to replace!). I also needed three new tyres on my car (real tyres, not spares!), and then I got a letter from the Inland Revenue asking me, very politely, for more tax. Lucy needs help with her accommodation costs at university, and you should see my credit card bill for December! Money, money, money – everything costs money! (Another New Year resolution was to stop using exclamation marks!)
What are your plans for the New Year? New job? New house? Are you trying to give up anything? Smoking? Over-spending? Lucy is setting off for Amsterdam next week to raise money for charity. She has to get from St Andrews to Amsterdam without spending any money. If she achieves that, her sponsors (that’s more money I’ll have to pay out) will give a pre-agreed amount of money to Lucy’s charities (including cancer research, poverty relief and education organisations). I have no fixed plans yet but I hope to visit Sweden in the spring and work in Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City) for a couple of months during the summer. I’d like to cycle along the Great Wall of China, from Beijing to Xi’an (where I used to live) in the autumn. It’s another charity event but I’m not sure I can raise enough money – there’s a limit to how many times you can write to all your friends asking for sponsorship.
If the last few years have been typical then I will probably start to lose weight in April, look like a completely new me by July and have put all the weight back on again by December. Seems a bit crazy, but just think of all the fun I’ll have doing it!
OK, so I have failed to stop using brackets, I’ve failed to stop using exclamation marks and, so far, I haven’t been for a run today. I hope you’re still keeping your resolutions. Perhaps you’ll write and tell us what they are and how successful you’ve been while I try to find my running shoes.
Bye for now,
STEPHEN KEELER
SOME USEFUL WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS
resolutions
If you make resolutions to do specific things, you decide to try very hard to do them.
brackets
a pair of punctuation marks, like this ( ), which you put round a word, expression or sentence to indicate that you are giving extra information
tissue paper
thin paper used for wrapping things which are easily damaged or from which decorations and party hats are made
Christmas cracker
a decorated, paper-covered tube (containing a small toy, a joke printed on a slip of paper and a party hat) which is pulled apart (making a small bang as it tears) by two people at, for example, a Christmas party or Christmas dinner
ridiculous
very foolish
laptop
a portable computer
Inland Revenue
the British tax authorities
exclamation mark
this punctuation mark !
give up
stop
SOME WORK WITH PUNCTUATION
Punctuate the following sentences (don’t forget capital letters where appropriate):
1. can you lend me £20 until the end of the month
2. help she shouted as she fell through the roof
3. your friend george asked me whether he could borrow my car
4. look im sorry but i just cant help you right now she said slamming the door in my face
5. do you think this hat makes me look fat
no but I do think it makes you look ridiculous
ANSWERS:
1. Can you lend me £20 until the end of the month?
2. “Help!” she shouted, as she fell through the roof.
3. Your friend George asked me whether he could borrow my car.
4. “Look, I’m sorry but I just can’t help you right now”, she said, slamming the door in my face.
5. “Do you think this hat makes me look fat?”
“No, but I do think it makes you look ridiculous.”
Comments
Hello, Stephen and every one, Happy New year!2008. First of all I would like to say thank you to BBC learning english team, for giving this opportunity to catch up our teachers and old student bloggers. Hi Stephen and all my virtual friends I wish a happy properous and successful new year 2008. Stephen , In 2007 I read all your interesting,informative and funny columns every fortnight.On new year eve I raise my glass and toast for you. But we did not drink any alcohol, we drank apple cider. I am very sorry that I did not write comments to all your columns. My new year resolutios are: 1) Being healthy( do exercise on regular basis and eat healthy food) 2)Saving some money for my daughters college education. 3)helping others physically , mentally and economically( mentor underprivildge kids, physically help old people, economically help my relatives to fulfil their basic needs. Stephen, you both looks very good in that picture. You don't look fat with that hat. Lucy looks very pretty. bye.... I will write you more later.
Dear Stephen,it's such a relief to have you back! ...When your column got stopped,all or a sudden,I was just bewildered...how come?It was bright and really helpful project /especially for Russian students,I guess,when British Council is going to be closed/.Every project needs a leader to go on,to make things happen and you are obviously a right person for this job!I meant to say good-bye but failed,didn't see that the topic had been closed...I'm glad now I couldn't,so hello,Stephen,hello again! So nice of you to come back to tell us your tales,fill up with humour /you call it dry sense,dont you?We'll dry our tears,promise!/ - sadness,joy,to make a long story short,with LIFE! To you,dear friend! And your lovely daughter! It's Old New Year in Russia now /according to the old calendar/,Jo is right,never late to greet friends!
dear Stephen,I am so happy because I get the chance to meet all of you again ,you ,Jo,Amy ,Rachel,etc.you are always very hamous :) Seems anybody are planning to losing weight :) .. anyway ,welcome to the Great Wall and Xi'an. by the way ,today ,it is the best coldest day in China for the whole year.
Hi Stephen. You both look great in the picture... one of my resolutions for this year is "TO TAKE IT EASY" as much as i can. The smallest things used to make me mad with myself, my husband (most of all), and my son so often, but i'm practising to have a few secs of reflection before firing any words or tears...life is not that serious after all...wish me luck...
Hello,Stephen! I am sure you do not know me well, because I am a very new reader for your column(how sad it was to know your page had been closed!). Though I have known you for just a month, I printed all of your stories and read through them during my New Year holiday. That was really fun. I am feeling like you are my first English friend. So nice to meet you here again. You are going to go to Vietnam this summer and Beising also.(I guess you do not have the intention of seeing the Olympic Games. )I would like you to come to my country someday. In that case, do not fail to let me know. I wish you are always in good health and Lu's boyfrind would treat you gently like us!!(or you treat him gently?) Let's keep coming back!!
Hi, Stephen. It’s me again. Two days later why I still can’t see my previous comment show up. I saw teacher Rachel’s photo just now. I just wonder why not show us the photo, which your face in the banner at the top of this page is from?
Hi Stephan , What are you up to ? If you like to know last night was – 33 degree in my province , but weather experts have predicted this cold weather won’t long any more . I don’t think you look ridiculous with part hats , at all . Leastwise , you good natured people take advantage of this little joys , to be more happy . Some times I admire your traditions and relationships . Oh , what a good new resolution ! And how many it is ? I wish good luck for all of them .About me , I had just one plan for this year and it 's really a tough job , could you guess it ? Maybe at the time I 'll can give good news about it ( I 'm not sure ) And I wish good luck to dear lucy , with her charity work . I 'm a bit confused that how she can don't pay any money in her trip . could you please explain it for me ? best wishes and bye
Dear Stephen, it is very nice to hear from you again. I had to move to my new flat before Christmas and it took two weeks, so I hadn’t any time to read any columns on BBC site. When I have read your column in the end, I was very upset that couldn’t say “thank you” and “goodbye”. And, of course, I was very disappointed that your column had to be disappeared in January. I hope that BBC will repeat your appearance on the site. Happy New Year!
You may be sure that father asked my mum if and how I had received that teacher´s New Year´s greeting. A curious thing in this family. It may not be interesting for you but my mum wanted to have eleven boys to build up a football team. Instead she have had three girls. They both were deprived of your fortight reports and it seems they suffer from the lack of entertainment. So, we are lucky now, each new supply is esteem highly. As if you were slowly but surely adopted from them. Could I give them a better gift? You may imagin tears welling in our eyes, just as we have began to think what a tremmendous fellow you are. Please take my apology for being so rude in the past. I rambled with stomach cramps two days after that lotery ticket comment. So, you had a strenuous New Year Eve and even so is going to be the future. It is always good to acknowledge you and Lucy have found a true happiness in your lives. I´ll see what it may be done for your next project. Didn´t I promiss, did I? Good recovering on your sister Kim and warmest greeting to you, Mr. Bond!
I am so sorry that it is the last comment that I can write to you. Your articles are very fascinating, they arise a will to reply. It is good to encourage writing- you give ripples- it is easy to catch idea and respond. I have some dreams about next year, not resolutions, not rules to follow. One of dream is about white, white snow. It appears here and very soon melts again. I am dreaming about winter. When New Year started, some snowlakes flew into my champagne. What a miracle. And one glass of champagne was for you. Have a nice and peaceful New Year! I wish you to have a nice journey to Sweeden and to find a job you want.
Punctuation practices are always very useful. Thank you for given us so practical and helpful puzzles to solve Stephen. Punctuation practice is always very useful. Thank you for given us so practical and helpful puzzles to solve Stephen. I also have decided to get rid of my spare tyre around my waist. Good riddance to flabby tummy!
Hi Stephen! Although I´m writing to you at the Student Blog area I can´t resist to drop few words here. I totally agree with you. It´s impossible don´t look ridiculous wearing a party hat. Now, could you imagine a bunch of grow up people wearing a Hello Kitty party hat( inexplicably, I was one of these people, but please don´t ask me why, I couldn´t be able to explain it! :-))? And guess what? The only child at the party has refused vehemently to wear the Hello Kitty party hat( wise kid... boy I can tell you this little girl has opinion, haha). In the pictures all the grow up people, including me, were with their party hats on( remember it wasn´t a ordinary party hat, it was a Hello Kitty party hat!) and the little girl with her off. It´s a ridiculous situation, isn´t it? But it was hilarious! I had a ball this day :-). All the best, Ana Paula.
Welcome back Stephen- we've missed you!
Hi. My resolution - not to have any, there's always coming something to make it impossible to go on. Though I need losing weigh...
yes i agree but english and every language in the world tries to shorten it easy i think english with one letter is more comfortable
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