Virus Attack

People visiting my Website during the night may have found that sometimes they couldn't open the site as it may display a message like "Unable to find the Web pages". After checking with the company who hosts my Web site in their server, I was told that my computer must have been infected by certain virus like Troy or the alike. I can't understand why my computer would have been contracted by viruses, because I use the anti-virus program like PC-Cillin to safeguard my computer all the time. I think the most possible reason for it due to my BLOG. So, from now on, I will do away with some unnecessary parts on my BLOG and use a simpler template for it. Hopefully doing so, the problem will be completely resolved.

After-school center

Having been teaching at an after-school center for long in Taipei, I am getting more and more reluctant to work there any longer. In my view, kids can't help but stay there immediately following their school classes, because their parents can offer no time with them. They consequently end up there on a daily basis.
I have also noticed that a number of the teachers at the after-school centers are very impatient and strict with the kids. Generally speaking, their best solutions to stop the kids playing around or making noises is punishment. They often shout at the kids or even verbally criticize them with an insulting tone. I view this as an abnormal phenomenon in our education environment. I feel sorry but I can do nothing about it. If possible, I will never let my kids go to any after-school centers. Moreover, I will try taking care of my kid on my own.

after-school center 安親班
be reluctant to 勉強去...
can't help but + 原形Verb 不得不...
offer + (time) 空出時間
end up 結果造成
generally speaking 一般來說

At my wit's end

From time to time when people got nothing in their mind to share with others, they are usually at their wit's end-- pretty similar to what I am up on right now.
All joking aside, though. Another thing I 'd like to say is, while I tried using the on-line ordering system to book a train ticket to Xinzhu for this coming Saturday, the tickets available were nonetheless all booked up. It occurred to that this coming weekend will be a hectic one for Tomb Sweeping Day. No wonder I couldn't get the ticket. Can anyone give me a lift? :)

at ones' wit's end 腸枯思竭
up on something 正從事某事
all joking aside 玩笑歸玩笑
While...雖然
nonetheless/ nevertheless 但是
it occurred to me 正好想到
Tomb Sweeping Day 清明節
give someone a lift 載一程

Real-life stories

Yesterday afternoon we were sharing real-life stories form each one of us in the class. Some stories were fun, and some other were depressing or scary. My story was about how I met an important friend of mine who saved me from living from hand to mouth. If it hadn't been for Bruce's help, I wouldn't have been so luck being a teacher here. Leo told us one of his friends got a car accident and the guy who bumped into his friend's car tried to hit and run but his license plate number had been taken down. I forgot what Aileen had said about her story, but another story of hers couldn't stop me from laughing until now. On one Fool's day, she gift-wrapped a chocolate-like soap and gave it to her roommate. Her roommate happily accepted it and ate the "chocolate" with no doubt. You can imagine how had become of her. Emily told us a story about his pass-away grandpa returning home one day. That was a horrible one. As for Marsha, hmm.....She said she almost drowned many years ago when she was a little girl playing with her sister near a fishing pool.
Would you like to tell us your real-life story?

Real-life 真實的
live from hand to mouth 勉強糊口
if it weren't for + n. 要不是因為(現在事實相反)
if it hadn't been for + n. 要不是因為(過去事實相反)
hit and run 肇事逃逸
take down 記下
license plate number 車牌號碼

Dear Extensionists

Dear Extensionists,

Last week's article is very difficult. My thinking was: There are people who understand the article, why would I be the one who don't? Then I thought: Wouldn't it be nice if people can understand it?

Wouldn't it be nice if we can break out of the shell and enjoy the fresh air sometimes? Wouldn't it be nicer if we can ALWAYS have that fresh air?

Of course you will learn something from this English reading session. But I think learning something from it is less important -- a few weeks' learning means quite little. What matters more is whether you can keep your motors rolling, rolling, and rolling without being told from now on. Wanting to learn should be a human nature. Why are so many people losing that human trait?

The first two articles we read are entertaining. This week's article, Free the Children, is serious – it is about education. It is one of the most important short essays I have ever read. Let's read it together on Thursday.

Weijen