Last October, Lucy posted a note about the concept of a “Googleganger,” who is a person who has your name and whom you discover while searching on Google. For example, I would search for “Jeff McQuillan” and find other people with that same name around the world.

The New York Times has an article this morning on this idea of finding people with your name, and actually contacting them to meet! The article is entitled “Names that Match Forge a Bond on the Internet.” To forge a bond means to make a connection, to get to know someone better.

So if you haven’t looked for your Googleganger yet, then read this article and you may decide to make friends with your namesakes (people who have the same name as you).

~Jeff

In today’s English Cafe 132, Jeff interviewed Carin Chea, an actor as part of our “Ask an American” segment. Carin gave us a behind the scenes (secret or hidden information that most people don’t know) look at what it’s like to be an actor in Los Angeles.

Carin mentioned that one thing an actor needs to have is a headshot, a photograph of one’s head and shoulders, to submit when applying for an acting job. Carin was nice enough to give us a copy of her headshot, so you can put a face to a voice (see what someone looks like after hearing their voice).

When Carin was in the studio (where we record our podcasts), she said she had thought about getting her hair cut short, but that if she did, she would have to get new headshots taken. I guess that’s an occupational hazard of being an actor. An occupational hazard is something that is a drawback, or unfortunately part, of one’s job. You have to think twice (to think carefully before deciding) about changing your appearance!

Carin has been in films, television shows, theater productions (shows), commercials, and many other things. Thanks, Carin, for telling us about life as an actor in L.A.!

~ Lucy

I thought I would comment on a joke I found, since everyone enjoys a good laugh now and then (occasionally). I put a general explanation on the left side of the page which you can read to give you some background information. Read that first, then read the joke. Finally, read “The Joke Explained” on the bottom, right side of the page to see if you understood it correctly.

Enjoy!

~Jeff

Country music is very popular in the U.S., especially in the southern states. One of the queens (important and respected women) of country music is Patsy Cline. Like many other great country singers, many of her songs were crossover hits. A crossover is something that is successful in more than one area or field. Many of her songs were popular on the country music charts (list of the most popular songs), as well as the pop music charts.

Like Jeff Buckley, she died a tragic (terrible and sad) death at the height of her career, when she was at her most popular. She died at the age of 30 in a plane crash in 1963.

Her most famous hit was “Crazy” and it is a very well known song today. Friday’s podcast, ESL Podcast 361 – Feeling Lonely, reminded me of the lyrics of this song. Another of her songs I like is called “I Fall to Pieces.” To fall to pieces mean to lose control emotionally. From these songs, I think you get a good idea of some of the common themes or topics in country music.

Notice that she drops the “-g” sound at the end of some words, such as “feeling,” “thinking,” “trying,” and “crying.” This is common among speakers of southern dialects in the U.S.

~ Lucy

“Crazy”
by Patsy Cline

Crazy, I’m crazy for feeling so lonely.
I’m crazy, crazy for feeling so blue (sad).
I knew you’d love me as long as you wanted.
And then someday, you’d leave me for somebody new.

Worry, why do I let myself worry?
Wondering what in the world did I do?

Oh crazy, for thinking that my love could hold you (keep you).
I’m crazy for trying,
And crazy for crying,
And I’m crazy for loving you.

Crazy, for thinking that my love could hold you.
I’m crazy for trying
And crazy for crying,
And I’m crazy for loving you.

There is now a new business English course in our ESL Podcast Store called Using English at Work. This course is designed to teach you basic business English vocabulary related to everyday activities at work, from arriving in the morning to leaving at the end of the workday. This is a 10 lesson course, with explanations by Jeff and the stories read by another native speaker, so you have a chance to hear other voices as well.

If you are interested in improving your business English, take a look at the fuller description here. We hope you enjoy it!

~Jeff, Lucy, and the ESL Podcast Team

I have an exciting announcement to make: ESL Podcast will be giving away one million dollars this week to one of our lucky listeners. That’s right – $1,000,000! All you have to do to win is post a response to this blog post. You will then be entered in our Grand Prize (biggest or best prize) drawing (when you pick a name or number at random). Just answer the question…

April Fools! Actually, we’re not giving away one million dollars. Today is the first of April, known as April Fools’ Day. I gave a detailed description of this day on English Cafe #27 way back in 2006. Take a listen if you have not heard it yet. On this day, we try to get other people to believe things that aren’t true, to fool them, as a sort of joke. So don’t believe everything you hear today, especially if it is said by me!

~Jeff