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ON MONDAY
ESL Podcast 924 – Getting Access to Important People
In the Learning Guide: Get a full transcript (written version of every word you hear), vocabulary list and sample sentences, and comprehension questions.
In “What Else Does it Mean,” learn the other meanings of “to get the ear of” and “court.”
In the “Culture Note,” learn about “The President’s Inner Circle.”
“The President of the United States has the power to ‘appoint’ (name someone to fill a position)…” – READ MORE in the Learning Guide
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ON WEDNESDAY
English Cafe 413
Topics: Famous Americans – Meryl Streep; Badlands National Park; strand versus string; to screw up; to tip the scales
In the Learning Guide: Get a full transcript (written version of every word you hear).
In “What Insiders Know,” you will read about “Jukebox Musicals.”
“‘Jukebox Musicals’ are ‘musicals’ (plays with music and singing) that ‘incorporate'(include) popular music in their performances…” – READ MORE in the Learning Guide
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ON FRIDAY
ESL Podcast 925 – Going Through Customs Inspection
In the Learning Guide: Get a full transcript (written version of every word you hear), vocabulary list and sample sentences, and comprehension questions.
In “What Else Does it Mean,” learn the other meanings of “stay” and “to declare.”
In the “Culture Note,” learn about “How to Clear Customs.”
“’Frequent travelers’ (people who travel often) have ‘figured out’ (identified) many ways to ‘clear customs’…” – READ MORE in the Learning Guide
Hello there,
From the first three local news:
The Italian IRS is keeping a close eye on the 55,000 Italian workers that cross the Swiss border every day for working over there.
22,000 alone are from my province. That because they have a Swiss bank account where they get their wages deposited.
The local police is looking for a man that killed the owner of a jewelry.
There is the photo of the killer taken by security cameras, but he is still hiding somewhere.
And finally, the shop owners from the local city (80,000 souls) at the mall in downtown are complaining that the place is dead.
Slowly the shops are shutting down and now a diner( like McDonalds but it is called differently) is leaving.
thanks.
Meryl Streep?
I like her very very much.
Good topic, good actress that always gives life to the people she is doing in the movie.
To me one of the best now.
Interesting, Jeff, I´ll listen to it with great curiosity.
emiliano
You are the most valuable teacher I ever meet!
The podcasts quality are incredible. I really appreciate your work.
Warm regards to you both.
Daniel
For years Emiliano has been here talking so much about everything, but one of the subjects he like to tell you
is always about his dear Cuca.
Some of you know her by this reason, other by different ways.
I have convided her to talk in my own blog, so I would like to take it here and you may see by her words how
and whom is she.
So now is yout turn Cuca.
++++++++++++
just a Little interview.
I want her to take the word here, as did emi, gatufo and finally Isabel. But it is difficult, as she says she is shy, she can not think of anything, and who does not like to have their stuff out.
Also she said the her life doesn´t interest to any one as it is boring and without any subject to talk about.
Let us see if she is right or not, I do think she is not right as her life and fight could be of great interest.
She is not a vulgar person and have a smart mind as you may see son or later.
See if I can convince her, and sure It woud like you too as she is the great unknown of Gatufo´s bunch.
Cuca touched you, write something for those who read this serial in which nothing ever happens, see if you
encourage them a little.
Let´s go:
Okay, I’m Cuca, I am part of the gatufos group, I do not think of anything to say you, sorry.
My life is very scheduled in relation to my leisure activities and necessary to scroll through the days.
My normal activity stood about fifteen years ago, I was diagnosed with a disease that has no cure, multiple sclerosis, and I thought I would not last long time in this world. This has not happened, I was stopping my activities as a”normal person” who takes care of almost everything, look after emi, my daughters, house, shopping, pick up the phone, to receive friends, to go out and search medicines, to put joy and activity in the house, another house where we lived before, in order TO LIVE ON DESPITE THIS DISEASE.
I am and always have been an active, vital person which is acustomed to never ask for anything if I can do it, and being too quiet and never stopped.
This condition hit me in my true personality because I had to stay still, sitting for hours every day, it takes me an eternity to get up and go to the bathroom, and evil is what I have to constantly ask help for this or that. Although emi tells me, in his way of saying things “I would not ask drowning help so as not to disturb”, as it looks like it’s worth, I think I’m asking ever for too much.
Spent a year, another, another and I had to organize my life of leisure required. Complete 24 hours a day of activity without barely move. It’s hard, you have to give much mind to make a program. I did it and take it down to the letter just till now.
Yeah, I’m scheduled to go spending hours, days, months, years and live aim of making the best possible times, not embitter my life, not life miserable for those who love you, ask as little as possible, do not complain nearly for nothing , trying to fix my life needs no help, do my physical and mental exercises every day of the year without missing one.
For that I developed and memorized a program for each day of the month, every hour of the day and even every hour of the night when I’m in bed and can not sleep. Ja, ja, yes I use to tell me my stories to be alert and not thinking about my life or my health condition.
And it works, it comes complete running almost thirteen years, who would say, no one knows if I am, badly or worse, if it hurts more than the usual discomfort that continues. Stop do not think, live every second plan and not think about achieving the next hour or the next day and fewer still will, we will do next month.
The future does not exist for me. Live today, now, this moment, and so I try to be happy in spite of this disease that is slowly getting worse.
I don´t need to go out, for what?, I do not need to be out home. It can take months and months without my chair rolling on sidewalks and so emi and Isabel do not have to push it.
I’m fine at home and not craved any change in my routine, this routine keeps me safe and kept safe the people I love in Gatufolandia.
To me the most important subject it is my loved one, Emiliano and my daughters.
Don´t give them any thing to be worried about, but it is difficult. Emi is always alert watching me, trying to see what I nedd and asking every moment if I am good or not.
What can I do to reléase him?. Even to reléase Isabel?.
With my daughters there is not any problema as they use not to come here and see me. I do think that they suffer a lot seeing their mother in this condition and that´s the reason the two younger not come home for months or years.
Yes, I may understand them, but emi doesn´t I know that and it gives me some hurt to see him suffering this role.
Well that´s all for the moment, it is clear to me that activities help me NOT TO THINK, HELP ME TO LIVE EVERY DAY, HAVING MY MIND
ON OTHER SUBJECT HELPE ME TO FIND PEACE.
Greetings, cuca
Thanks a lot dear, may I aske you some other days here, at gatufo´s blog.
Well if you don´t mind to lose your readers with boring stories about me, that´s O.K.
No dear, I will tell them your stories about History and other subjects that are always
so nice of listening, at least by me.
+++++++++
That´s all, from now you may know a Little better who is Cuca and how she thinks
if you are interested I will tell you also here some of her stories.
Thanks. emiliano
Dear Cuca
Thank you for writing here.
I was going to write something in response to Emiliano’s feelings about his children not coming home.
A father goes out of home to work more than a mother. When they are at home, they complaints that the children are not at home or not returning home to see the parents more often.
A good mother always stays at home for the children when they are younger. When her children grow up and left home, the good mother never complaints that her children do not come home to see her.
She will worry more if the children keep coming home. She does not want to give a hard time to her children.
I totally agree with you, Cuca.
We give our children their lives, we should give them something very important to them.
The most important thing to them is “freedom”.
Don’t just give them lives, give them real, meaningful and valuable lives.
Thanks again Cuca, I am very happy to read from you.
Best Regards
Betty 🙂
Betty, thank you so much dear.
I know you perfectly well through Emiliano and a friend Meli who always read your notes.
You do understand me very well, both are mothers and inside you and me have the
same feelings.
You were born in Hong Kong, me in Madrid, you speak Chinese and me Spanish but
inside we have alike feelings.
Mother´s feelings are the same it doesn´t matter language or race, that´s good to
be understand so good.
Thanks dear Betty, to emi it is hard but your words confort me a lot.
cuca
Hey Cuca,
I am not sure that’s Cuca though, Emiliano is that you?
Anyway, I am sure Cuca has many interesting things to say.
If I am writing here, anyone can. You guys know my lifestyle is very simple/basic
Come on Cuca learn English, get into the blog. If that means more Cuca and less Emiliano….hahahah Just kidding!
Thank you guys
That´s very good Dan, of course first I asked Cuca about the story and she have approved it
before I sent it out in the gatufo´s blog.
It is a pity Cuca doesn´t speak English but here there is Emiliano who knows how is she, how
is her mind, and she told me what she wanted.
I have translated to her Betty´s note and Cuca said to me she is really happy to be understood
by Betty, also more happy because some body like Betty is thinking the same like her.
So, thanks Betty I am now Cuca who is at my right side.
Now said to you that she feels like founding a twin soul in the other part of the World.
A person, a mother who thinks the same like her.
——
Sure, I agree with you Dan, Cuca would be much more interesting writing here than me, ja, ja,
she knows a lot of more subjects than this Emiliano man.
He always asked her about when there is a doubt. She got the maximun note at the school
that´s the reason the girls got the same as their mother.
My best dear Dan.
All you said it is true as the gatufo´s blog have encrease very fast once Cuca is on it by the
first time. She is really very very shy, I have to asked her a lot to said that about heself, just a pity.
emiliano
Hey
Today I have learned a new word from the news
It is -Twerking- It was about Miley Cyrus’s performance at the MTV.
It mean dancing in a provocative way.
Thanks
Dear Cuca
Thank you for affirming my points. You are so nice.
Cuca I understand from your message that you have to stop doing lots of things you used to do. Things like running around after children and husband, shopping etc have become a thing of the past.
In fact every woman who want to live longer has to learn to slow down and give up all these activities or they will not live long.
I am not the same active person I used to be when I was younger. My husband simply has to accept that his wife is getting old and he has to do more for himself in the house.
Children grew up and moved out, it is a very good sign that they are capable of looking after themselves.
Like you and me, a mother looking after her children when they are younger will not expect anything from her children when they have grown up.
Sorry Emiliano I hope you don’t feel angry that I have such a different opinion from yours.
Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus.
Thanks again, Cuca and Emiliano, you both are so clever and so nice.
Best Regards
Betty 🙂
Fidelity and suffering
If you think in dying with you I die
Together in the trip of not return
Tired of living without hopes
With this daily torture you feel
Wishing the end of that suffering
If you feel that life is your wish
Living with you day after day is my will
Watching the smile in your face
or the firm fight of your character
that strong wants a day more together
My partner´s life I´ll do mine your wishes
Prepared I am to make your trip each second
That life is discovering in fateful time
Of illness, suffering and hopelessness
till the moment you think it is the end.
emiliano