Learning English & English Essay

Mother’s Day

kevinatgz — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 09:07:25 +0800

So who came up with the idea of honoring mothers nation-wide on the second Sunday in May?

EARLY CELEBRATIONS
Some historians claim that the predecessor of the Mother’s Day holiday was the ancient spring festival dedicated to mother goddesses. In the ancient Greek empire the spring festival honored Rhea, wife of Cronus and mother of the gods and goddesses. In Rome the most significant Mother’s Day-like festival was dedicated to the worship of Cybele, another mother goddess. Ceremonies in her honor began some 250 years before Christ was born. This Roman religious celebration, known as Hilaria, lasted for three days - from March 15 to 18!

ENGLAND’S MOTHERING SUNDAY
More like the modern celebration of Mother’s Day is England’s “Mothering Sunday”, also called Mid-Lent Sunday, observed on the fourth Sunday in Lent. Some say the ceremonies in honor of Cybele were adopted by the early church to venerate the Mother of Christ, Mary. Others believe the Mother Church was substituted for mother goddess and custom began to dictate that a person visit the church of his/her baptism on this day. People attended the mother church of their parish, laden with offerings.

Also in England in the 1600’s, young men and women who were apprentices or servants returned home on Mothering Sunday, bringing to their mothers small gifts like trinkets or a “mothering cake”. Sometimes furmety was served - wheat grains boiled in sweet milk, sugared and spiced.

In northern England and in Scotland, the preferred refreshments were carlings - pancakes made of steeped pease fried in butter, with pepper and salt. In fact, in some locations this day was called Carling Sunday.

Another kind of mothering cake was the simnel cake, a very rich fruit cake. The Lenten fast dictated that the simnel cake had to keep until Easter. It was boiled in water, then baked, and was often finished with an almond icing. Sometimes the crust was of flour and water, colored with saffron.

INTEREST STARTS IN THE UNITED STATES
Anna M. Jarvis (1864-1948) is credited with originating our Mother’s Day holiday. She never married and was extremely attached to her mother, Mrs. Anna Reese Jarvis. Mrs. Jarvis was a minister’s daughter who for 20 years taught Sunday School in the Andrews Methodist Church of Grafton, West Virginia. Miss Jarvis graduated from the Female Seminary in Wheeling, West Virginia, and taught in Grafton before moving to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with the rest of her family.

Anna Reese Jarvis died in Philadelphia in May of 1905. Still unmarried and left alone with her blind sister Elsinore, Anna missed her mother greatly. Two years after her mother’s death (1907) Anna Jarvis and her friends began a letter-writing campaign to gain the support of influential ministers, businessmen and congressmen in declaring a national Mother’s Day holiday. She felt children often neglected to appreciate their mother enough while the mother was still alive. She hoped Mother’s Day would increase respect for parents and strengthen family bonds.

THE FIRST MOTHER’S DAY
The first Mother’s Day observance was a church service honoring Mrs. Anna Reese Jarvis, held at Anna Jarvis’s request in Grafton, West Virginia, and in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on May 10, 1908.

Carnations, her mother’s favorite flowers, were supplied at that first service by Miss Jarvis. White carnations were chosen because they represented the sweetness, purity and endurance of mother love. Red carnations, in time, became the symbol of a living mother. White ones now signify that one’s mother has died.

OTHER MOTHER’S DAY OBSERVANCES
The first Mother’s Day proclamation was issued by the governor of West Virginia in 1910. Oklahoma celebrated Mother’s Day that year as well. By 1911 every state had its own observances. By then other areas celebrating Mother’s Day included Mexico, Canada, China, Japan, South America and Africa. The Mother’s Day International Association was incorporated on December 12, 1912, with the purpose of furthering meaningful observations of Mother’s Day.

OFFICIAL PROCLAMATION
The House of Representatives in May, 1913, unanimously adopted a resolution requesting the President, his Cabinet, members of Congress, and all officials of the federal government to wear a white carnation on Mother’s Day. Congress passed another Joint Resolution May 8, 1914, designating the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day. The U.S. flag is to be displayed on government buildings and at people’s homes “as a public expression of our love and reverence for the mothers of our country.” President Woodrow Wilson issued the first proclamation making Mother’s Day an official national holiday.

SO NOW WHAT?
If your mother is still alive, take care to shower her with special attention this Mother’s Day. Visit her. Phone her. Send her a card. Give her flowers. Get her gourmet chocolates. Buy her something you know she’s been wanting. But don’t wait until after her funeral to let her know how much you’ve appreciated her! Wear your red (or otherwise-colored) carnation proudly.

面见客户时的实用英语

kevinatgz — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 07:34:46 +0800

会话场景

接机后的次日，Brian在公司里，为Johnathan 介绍自己的老板-Mr. Sun……。

B: Mr. Sun, I’d like you to meet Mr. Johnathan Mitchell, sales manager for Nortern Reflections of Canada. (Sun extends hand first; Sun and Mitchell shake hands) Mr. Mitchell, Mr. Steven Sun, general manager of Apex Trading.

孙先生，让我为你介绍加拿大Northern Reflections的业务经理Jonathan Mitchell先生。（孙先生先伸出，两人握手）Mitchell先生,这是Steven孙先生,Apex贸易公司的总经理。

S: It’s very nice to finally meet you, Mr. Mitchell after so many phone calls and faxes. (offers his business card first) I’d like you to have my business card.

多次电话、传真往返之后,非常高兴终于见到您，Mitchell先生（先递出名片），请收下我的名片。

J: Thanks very much, Mr. Sun. Please accept mine. (offers his own card) and please, call me Johnathan. (both look at cards for a few seconds, then put them in wallets-not pockets.)

谢谢您，孙先生。也请收下我的名片（递上自己的名片），叫我Johnathan就行了。（两个人都看了一下对方的名片,放入皮夹而非口袋中）

B: If you don’t mind, Johnathan, while you and Mr. Sun get acquainted, I’d like to check the arrangements for the meeting.

如果你不介意，Johnathan在你和孙先生互相认识时，我先失陪，看看会议安排得如何。

J: You’re certainly on top of things, Brian.

Brian，一切当然在你掌握之中！

S: (looking at Brian) You’ll find Mr. Tayler-Brian - is a force to be reckoned with at Apex Tradig.

（看着Brian）Talyer先生,您会发现Brian是Apex贸易公司的大将。

B: Thanks for the vote of confidence, Mr. Sun. I’ll be right back. (leaves room)

孙先生，谢谢你的信任票，我马上回来。（走出房间）

J: He appears to be a top-notch young man, Mr. Sun. Talent and enthusiasm like that are hard to find.

孙先生，他看起来是个有为的青年，难找到像他这样有才干、有热忱的人。

S: Don’t I know it. He’s doing a great job for us. And please, call me Steven.

我完全同意，他在公司表现不凡，请叫我Steven就行了。

J: Steven, can you tell me in a nutshell what the retail market is like in Taiwan?

Steven，你可以简单地告诉我台湾零售市场的现况吗？

S: Well, as per capita income goes up and up, the growth sector seems to be in the to-end.

唔，由于每人的平均收入不断地增高，市场的发展领域似乎偏向于高价位商品。

J: Retail is going upscale here? Taiwan is certainly growing more quickly than I had imagined.

此地的零售走入高价位了？台湾的发展比我想像得要快多了。

S: Yes. Things certainly have changed since I was a boy. We’ve developed very quickly.

没错，现在的台湾和我小时候完全不一样了，这里发展得非常快速。

J: Do you think the trend will continue?

你想这种趋势还会维持下去吗？

S: I don’t see why not. We do have some problems, but we are still willing to work hard-and wages aren’t too high at this point.

我不觉得有什么不行!虽然是有一些问题，但我们仍愿意勤奋工作，而且现阶段工资仍不算太高。

J: Everything I’ve seen so far is very impressive. Very impressive indeed.

到目前为止，我所看到的一切都令我印象深刻，真的十分深刻。

　　情境短语

1. get acquainted (with…)（和`……）认识，熟悉……

这个常用的短语暗示双方从不认识到熟识，“get”可换“become”。若是短语之后，要加上被认识的对象，以介系词“with”连接。

例：Our boss got acquainted with a couple of real estate agents in the golf Club.

（我们老板在高尔夫俱乐部里结识了几位做房地产的商人。）

2. on top of things 完全掌握

字面的意思是将问题克服，高高踩在上面，引申为“控制全局”。

例：The new manager was always worried he wasn’t on top of things.

（新经理一直担心自己无法掌握全局。）

3. (a) force to be reckoned with 值得注意的人物

“(a) force”，“力量”，可以指一个团体、事物或个人；“reckon”在此的意思为“认定”。“a force to be reckoned with”是形容“有成功的条件而值得注意的人物、团体”。

例：The new company will be a force to be reckoned with in the future.

（这家新公司未来值得大家注意。）

4. Don’t I know it. 我完全同意!

当此句型以句点(.)而非问号结尾时，表示完全同意对的方意见，为口语用法，强调的是肯定的含意。意思为”我怎会不知道！？；我当然明白这一点！”。

例：You say the discount rate is too low? Don’t I know it!

（你说这折扣打得太少？我完全同意！）

5. in a nutshell 简言之

“nutshell”原为“坚果壳”，又指“极小的容器”，故“in a nutshell” 这个副词短语的意思是“简言之”。

例：Bob told us in a nutshell what happened in the managers’ meeting.

（Bob简略地告诉我们经理们开会的情形。）

6. growth sector 成长领域

这个经济学上的名词是指经济成长特别快速的领域，“sector”是“区域；部门”的意思。

例：The leisure and entertainment industry is a growth sector in Taiwan.

（休闲娱乐业是台湾目前的成长领域。）

The Power of Love to Transform and to Heal

kevinatgz — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 22:49:01 +0800

Jackie Lantry is a part-time hospital clerk in Rehoboth, Mass. She and her husband have adopted two girls and two boys from China. When Jackie asked her children what they believed in, they said “family.”

Jackie Lantry是美国麻省利河伯镇的一位医院兼职会计。她和她的丈夫已经收养了两名中国男孩和两名中国女孩。当Jackie问及孩子们的信念时，孩子们异口同声地回答：“家庭”。

“It was not therapy, counselors or medications. It did not cost money, require connections or great privilege. It was love: just simple, plain, easy to give.”

“治愈和转变孩子，靠的不是医疗，也不是心理咨询，更不是药物。它并不需要花费金钱，也不需要什么社会关系或者特权。只需要爱，只需要付出简单而平实的爱”Jackie如是说。

I believe in the ingredients[成分] of love, the elements from which it is made. I believe in love’s humble, practical components and their combined power.

We adopted[收养] Luke four years ago. The people from the orphanage[孤儿院] dropped him off at our hotel room without even saying goodbye. He was nearly six years old, only 28 pounds and his face was crisscrossed[交叉着] with scars. Clearly, he was terrified[害怕的]. “What are his favorite things?” I yelled. “Noodles,” they replied as the elevator door shut.

Luke kicked and screamed. I stood between him and the door to keep him from bolting[门栓]. His cries were anguished[痛苦的], animal-like. He had never seen a mirror and tried to escape by running through one. I wound my arms around him so he could not hit or kick. After an hour and a half he finally fell asleep, exhausted[精疲力竭的]. I called room service. They delivered every noodle dish on the menu. Luke woke up, looked at me and started sobbing again. I handed him chopsticks[筷子] and pointed at the food. He stopped crying and started to eat. He ate until I was sure he would be sick.

That night we went for a walk. Delighted at the moon, he pantomimed[打手势], “What is it?” I said, “The moon, it’s the moon.” He reached up and tried to touch it. He cried again when I tried to give him a bath until I started to play with the water. By the end of his bath the room was soaked[浸湿的] and he was giggling[傻笑]. I lotioned him up, powdered him down and clothed him in soft PJs. We read the book One Yellow Lion. He loved looking at the colorful pictures and turning the pages. By the end of the night he was saying, “one yellow lion.”

The next day we met orphanage officials to do paperwork. Luke was on my lap[膝] as they filed into the room. He looked at them and wrapped my arms tightly around his waist[腰].

He was a sad, shy boy for a long time after those first days. He cried easily and withdrew at the slightest provocation[激怒]. He hid food in his pillowcase[枕头套] and foraged[翻寻] in garbage cans. I wondered then if he would ever get over the wounds of neglect that the orphanage had beaten into[灌输给] him.

It has been four years. Luke is a smart, funny, happy fourth-grader. He is loaded with charm and is a natural athlete. His teachers say he is well behaved and works very hard. Our neighbor says she has never seen a happier kid.

When I think back, I am amazed at what transformed this abused, terrified little creature. It was not therapy, counselors or medications. It did not cost money, require connections or great privilege. It was love: just simple, plain, easy to give. Love is primal. It is comprised of compassion, care, security, and a leap of faith. I believe in the power of love to transform. I believe in the power of love to heal.

Louder than Anything You Can Say

kevinatgz — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 22:33:41 +0800

I teach economics at UNLV three times per week. Last Monday, at the beginning of class, I cheerfully asked my students how their weekend had been. One young man said that his weekend had not been so good. He had his wisdom teeth removed. The young man then proceeded to ask me why I always seemed to be so cheerful.

我在内华达大学拉斯维加斯分校教经济学，每周上三次课。上周一，在刚开始上课的时候，我兴致勃勃地问学生们周末过得怎么样。一个男生说，他的周末不太愉快，因为他的智齿被拔掉了，结果让他痛了一整天。然后，他又问我为何我总能保持那么快乐的心情。

His question reminded me of something I’d read somewhere before: “Every morning when you get up, you have a choice about how you want to approach life that day,” I said. “I choose to be cheerful.”

他的问题使我想起了一句不知出处的话：“每天早上，当你起床的时候，你可以选择如何面对一天的生活”，我说：“我选择快乐。”

“Let me give you an example,” I continued, addressing all sixty students in the class. “In addition to teaching here at UNLV, I also teach out at the community college in Henderson, 17 miles down the freeway from where I live. One day a few weeks ago I drove those 17 miles to Henderson. I exited the freeway and turned onto College Drive. I only had to drive another quarter mile down the road to the college. But just then my car died. I tried to start it again, but the engine wouldn’t turn over. So I put my flashers on, grabbed my books, and marched down the road to the college.

“我给你们举个例子吧，”我对着全班六十个学生继续说道，“除了在这儿上课，我还在一所社区大学任教，那儿离我家17英里。几周前的一天，我驾车前往那所学校，驶离高速公路后，我转入了校园区。在只差400多米就到学校的时候，我的汽车抛锚了。我努力重新发动引擎，但就是不行。我只好把指示灯打亮，然后抓起课本直奔学校。”

“As soon as I got there I called AAA and arranged for a tow truck to meet me at my car after class. The secretary in the Provost’s office asked me what has happened. ‘This is my lucky day,’ I replied, smiling.

我一到学校就马上打电话给汽车协会，让他们在我下课后开辆拖车过来。院长办公室的秘书问我发生了什么事。“今天我真走运。”我笑着答道。

“‘Your car breaks down and today is your lucky day?’ She was puzzled. ‘What do you mean?’

“你的车坏了，你还说今天走运？”她一脸的困惑。“你什么意思啊？”

“‘I live 17 miles from here.’ I replied. ‘My car could have broken down anywhere along the freeway. It didn’t. Instead, it broke down in the perfect place: off the freeway, within walking distance of here. I’m still able to teach my class, and I’ve been able to arrange for the tow truck to meet me after class. If my car was meant to break down today, it couldn’t have been arranged in a more convenient fashion.’

我回答到：“我住在离这儿17英里的地方。其实我的车有可能在高速公路上的什么地方就坏掉了的，但庆幸的是，没有。相反，汽车是在离开了高速公路后才抛锚，而且距离学校很近。我还赶得及上课，还能够安排拖车在课后来处理。如果我的汽车是注定了要在今天抛锚的，那在这个位置抛锚已经是非常幸运了。”

The secretary’s eyes opened wide, and then she smiled. I smiled back and headed for class.” So ended my story.

“那个秘书听得目瞪口呆地，然后她笑了。我也冲她笑了一下，便上课去了。”这就是我的故事。

I scanned the sixty faces in my economics class at UNLV. Despite the early hour, no one seemed to be asleep. Somehow, my story had touched them. Or maybe it wasn’t the story at all. In fact, it had all started with a student’s observation that I was cheerful.

我扫视了一下全班六十张脸。虽然是在大清早，但没有一个学生在打盹儿。不知道为什么，他们好像被我的故事触动了。也许触动他们的并不是故事本身。其实，从一开始有学生发现我兴致高昂的时候，他们便已经被我的快乐感染了。

Deepak Chopra has quoted an Indian wise man as saying, “Who you are speaks louder to me than anything you can say.” I suppose it must be so.

著名的印度作家乔布拉，曾经引述过一位印度智者的名言：“你为人行事的本身，比你的语言更具说服力。”我认为这的确是真理。

【原文Lee Ryan Miller◎疯狂英语译文】

Everyday is A Gift

kevinatgz — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 22:31:41 +0800

My brother-in-law opened the bottom drawer of my sister’s bureau and lifted out a tissue-wrapped package. "This", he said, "is not a slip. This is lingerie." He discarded the tissue and handed me the slip.

妹夫打开了妹妹衣柜最底层抽屉，拿出一个用纸包装的包裹。“这个，”他说，“不是件普通内衣，而是一件豪华内衣。”他把薄纸撕开，递给了我那件内衣。

It was exquisite, silk, handmade and trimmed with a cobweb of lace. The price tag with an astronomical figure on it was still attached.

它的确精致无比，丝质、全手工缝制，周围还有一圈网状蕾丝花边。价签都尚未拆去，上面的数字高得惊人。

"Jan bought this the first time we went to New York, at least 8 or 9 years ago. She never wore it. She was saving it for a special occasion.

“这是我们第一次去纽约时简买的，至少已是八、九年前的事了。她从没有穿过它。她想等一个特殊的日子再穿它。”

Well, I guess this is the occasion.

唉，我想现在便是那特殊的日子了。

He took the slip from me and put it on the bed, with the other clothes we were taking to the mortician. His hands lingered on the soft material for a moment, then he slammed the drawer shut and turned to me, "Don’t ever save anything for a special occasion. Every day you’ re alive is a special occasion."

妹夫从我手中拿过内衣放在床上，和其他我们要带给殡仪服务人员的衣服放在一起。他的手在那柔软织物上徘徊了一会儿，随即砰然关上抽屉，转身对我说：“永远不要把任何东西留给什么特殊日子。你活着的每一天就是一个特殊的日子。”

I remembered those words through the funeral and the days that followed when I helped him and my niece attend to all the sad chores that follow an unexpected death. I thought about them on the plane returning to California from the midwestern town where my sister’s family lives. I thought about all the things that she hadn’t seen or heard or done. I thought about the things that she had done without realizing that they were special.

这两句话久久在我耳边回响着，伴我度过了葬礼和帮妹夫、侄女处理妹妹意外死亡后的伤心后事的那几天。我从位处中西部的妹妹家返回加州时，在飞机上还是在想这两句话。我想到妹妹未曾有机会看到、听到或去做的事。我想到她淡然做过，但却没有意识到其特殊性的事。

I’m still thinking about his words, and they’ve changed the weeds in the garden. I’m spending more time with my family and friends and less time in committee meetings. Whenever possible, life should be a pattern of experience to savour, not endure. I’m trying to recognize these moment now and cherish them.

我至今还在想着妹夫说的话，正是它们改变了我的心境。我花了更多的时间与家人朋友在一起，而少花些时间在那些工作会议上。无论何时，生活应当是一种“品味”而非一种“忍受”。我在学习欣赏每一刻，并珍惜每一刻。

I’m not "saving" anything; we use our good china and crystal for every special. Event such as losing a pound, getting the sink unstopped, the first camellia blossom… I wear my good blazer to the market if I feel like it. My theory is if I look prosperous, I can shell out $28. 49 for one small bag of groceries without wincing. I’m not saving my good perfume for special parties; clerks in hardware stores and tellers in banks have noses that function as well as my party going friends.

我不再去“珍藏”任何东西；只要有一点好事，我们就不吝啬使用精美的瓷器和水晶制品，比如说当体重减了一磅时，当厨房水槽堵塞通了时，当第一朵山茶花绽放时……如果我想穿，我就穿上我名牌衣服去市场购物。我的理论是：如果我看上去还富足的话，我可以毫不心疼地为一小袋杂货付出28.49美元。我不再为特殊的派对而珍藏我上好的香水；五金店售货员和银行出纳员们的嗅觉，不会比派对上朋友们来得差。

"Someday" and "one of these days" are losing their grip on my vocabulary. If it’s worth seeing or hearing or doing, I want to see and hear and do it now. I’ m not sure what my sister would’ve done had she know that she wouldn’t be here for the tomorrow we all take for granted.

“有朝一日”和“终有一天”这样的词正从我的常用词汇中淡出。如果值得去看、去听或去做，我当即就要去看、去听或去做。人们总是理所当然的以为自己必然有明天，不知假如妹妹知道她将没有明日，她会做些什么。

I think she would have called family members and a few close friends. She might have called a few former friends to apologize, and mend fences for past squabbles. I like to think she would have gone out for a Chinese dinner, her favorite food. I’m guessing. I’ll never know.

我想她会给家人和几位密友打电话。她可能还会给几位昔日朋友打电话主动道歉，摒弃前嫌。我想她可能会外出吃顿她喜欢的中餐。我只是猜想而已。我永远也不会知道。

It’s those little things left undone that would make me angry if I knew that my hours were limited. Angry because I put off seeing good friends whom I was going to get in touch with someday. Angry because I hadn’t written certain letters that I intended to write one of these days. Angry and sorry that I didn’t tell my husband and daughter often enough how much I truly love them.

假如我知道我的时间不多了，那些没来得及做的小事会让我恼火。恼火是因为我一拖再拖没能去看看“有朝一日”会去看的好友们。恼火是因为我还没有写出我“终有一天”要写的信。恼火与内疚是因为我没能更经常地告诉我的丈夫和女儿：我是多么真切地爱他们。

I’m trying very hard not to put off, hold back, or save anything that would add laughter and luster to our lives. And every morning when I open my eyes, I tell myself that every day, every minute, every breath truly, is… a gift from God.

我正努力不再拖延、保留或珍藏那些能给我们生活带来欢笑和光彩的东西。每天清晨当我睁开双眼，我便告诉自己每一天、每一分钟、每一瞬间都真是……上帝赐予的礼物。

Roses for Rose

kevinatgz — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 09:32:43 +0800

It’s a sin around here to not thoroughly enjoy every moment of every golden day. It’s embarrassing to answer, “Did you get out and enjoy the sunshine this weekend?” with “No, I stayed inside.” Co-workers frown and exchange suspicious looks; apparently I’m one of those rain-loving slugs. I tried lying, but my pale complexion gave me away.
Another mark in rain’s favor is that my body doesn’t betray me when it’s cold and damp outside. Throughout the winter, people wear several layers, with perhaps several extra pounds here and there. In June I dig out my shorts to discover my thighs resemble cottage cheese. I dread buying a swimsuit, as consecutive horror and humiliation make me cringe in the dressing room.
Even my tastebuds prefer the rain. When it storms outside, it’s time for steamy hot chocolate or even a soothing toddy. People devour hot, hearty meals, with lots of potatoes and savory sauces. This type of eating evaporates when the sun comes out; suddenly everyone offers salads and ice water and expects it to be satisfying.
It’s time to publicly acknowledge that I love the rain, how it transforms my house into a cozy caves where I can spend the afternoon cooking and dreaming. It seems nobody else will admit to a love affair with the rain, nobody else will groan when it’s hot outside and join me in a rain dance.
When the sun comes out I do greet it with a smile, slipping sunglasses to my purse and pulling a tank top out of my closet. Yet my comfortable sweaters and warm slippers beckon, making me wish for another wet, chilly afternoon. When the rain returns, I will grin even more. Am I the only one?

One Finger

kevinatgz — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 09:30:55 +0800

“Mom, you should put some of your things away. Baby proof this house,” stated our oldest son Mark as he lumbered up the stairs followed by his wife, Kim, and fifteen－month－old Hannah.

Visiting for the Thanksgiving holiday, he finished unloading the luggage and took it to the guestroom downstairs. After driving all day from Salt Lake to Ft. Collins, his temper showed. “That one finger rule may work with the twins, but it’ll never work with Hannah, ” he insisted.

When my three granddaughters were born four months apart and the twins moved into our house at eight months, my close friend offered me her secret to entertaining grandchildren with few mishaps. “Teach them the ‘one finger rule’.” All of her five grandchildren learned it at a young age. The success of the method surprised me.

I picked up my granddaughter and said, “Well, Mark, you just watch.” I hugged her and walked all around the great room.

“Hannah, you may touch anything in this room you want. But, you can only use one finger.” I demonstrated the technique by touching my forefinger to the African sculpture on the mantle. Hannah followed my example. “Good girl. Now what else would you like to touch？”

She stretched her finger toward another object on the mantle. I allowed her to touch everything in sight, plants, glass objects, TV, VCR, lamps, speakers, candles and artificial flowers. If she started to grab, I gently reminded her to use one finger. She always obeyed. But, Hannah, an only child, possessed a more adventur ous personality. Her father predicted it would prevent her from accepting the”one finger”rule.

During their four-day stay, we aided Hannah in remembering”one finger”rule. She learned quickly. I only put away the things that might prove to be a danger to a child. Otherwise, we watched her closely and nothing appeared to suffer any damage. Besides, “things”can be replaced.

A few fingerprints on glass doors, windows and tables remained after Hannah and her family returned home. I couldn’t bring myself to clean them for days. Each one reminded me of some wonderful experience with Hannah.

Months later, my husband and I drove to Salt Lake; I watched Mark and Kim continue to practice the one finger rule. But I refrained from saying, “I told you so.” Yet, I smiled inwardly each time they prodded Hannah to touch with “one finger. ” Mark, a salesman, always gave a packet of gifts to his potential clients. The night before we returned home, Mark sat on the floor stuffing gifts into their packets. Hannah helped.

Then she picked up one gift, held it in her hand as if it were a fragile bird, and walked toward me. At my knee, her beautiful blue eyes looked into mine. She stretched her prize to me and said, “One finger, Nana!”

My best friend Arnold

kevinatgz — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 09:28:39 +0800

　　I recently lost my best friend Arnold in an automobile accident while moving my family to our new home in Arizona. Arnold was an 8-month-old pot belly who taught me so much about love, devotion and companionship. I am devastated by his loss, but thank God daily for blessing me with the joy of having Arnold for his short life.

　　Anyone contemplating a pot belly as a pet should know that if you are a true pet lover and devote yourself to them, a pot belly will make the most wonderful friend. You will be assured of endless hours of fascination and entertainment as you both grow together in understanding the human/pot belly relationship. Words cannot describe this relationship and it can only be fully understood by experiencing it.

　　Arnold didn’t know he was a pig — he thought he was just another member of our family — modeling his behavior through observing me, my wife, my two daughters and our beagles. He was convinced he was loved by all; and he was, even when he was ornery trying to just get our attention. He learned his name, how to sit and how to use the litter box all in the first week we had him (at 7 weeks old!).

　　He loved to sleep on your lap as you sat on the couch watching TV. He didn’t care if he grew to weigh 45lbs, he still expected you to hoist him onto your lap at precisely 8:00 pm every evening where he would fall fast asleep within seconds after snuggling his wet nose between your neck and shoulder. If you didn’t respond to his initial “honks” letting you know it was his nap time, he would bump your legs with his nose until you picked him up. With his weight as it was, you couldn’t hold him all evening as he preferred, so you had to slide him off onto the couch next to you where he would sleep for hours with all four legs and his nose sticking straight up in the air. He would snore as long as he could feel you next to him but would immediately wake up if you tried to leave the couch. We had hours of fun balancing objects like a salt shaker on his flat nose while he slept soundly.

　　Arnold helped me in all my chores around our five acres in the country. Just being there at my feet, interested in what I was doing made even the most mundane tasks enjoyable. When he was out roaming and foraging and you would call out his name, he would come running at top speed, honking the whole way until he got close to you where he would dodge you, zigzagging around with a few victory roles turning in circles before settling down and calmly walking up to you with his tail wagging as if to say (winking) “hah, got-cha.”

　　He even helped me build a kit aircraft and a customized trailer to haul it around in. I was planning on taking him flying with me some day. He loved to play with my sockets and rolled them around on the shop floor. Just as I would struggle and get frustrated with some difficult task, Arnold would show up underneath the trailer, with his wet nose in my ear and honking — seeming to say, “take a break and laugh with me for a while, that should make it all better.” And it did, every time. God’s marvelous creations minister to us in the most special ways if we can just stop for a few moments and observe them. God used Arnold to teach us this very important lesson in life which we will never forget.

　　My wife and two daughters began to say that Arnold and I were so close that he had become the son that I never had in our family. It seemed that we could no longer have any kind of conversation in our family or with our friends without Arnold being a main topic. The neighborhood kids would make appointments to come visit Arnold and couldn’t wait to come over and play with him.

　　Arnold went most everywhere with us–Pet’s Mart, Wal-Mart, birthday parties, Christmas vacation to Grandma’s. He loved riding in the car/shopping basket and was a big hit everywhere he went. Arnold had become such an important part of our life that when we found out that our family would have to move to another state, we insisted that the contract on our new house be contingent on the homeowners’ association approval of Arnold in writing before we would agree to purchasing in our prestigious neighborhood.

　　On the day we left our old home town, we had a going away lunch with our friends from church. Everyone there just had to go out to the truck where Arnold and all our other pet were and say goodbye. Arnold trusted me to take care of him and get him to his new home. Tragically, along the way, the wind blast from a semi knocked our trailers out of control and pushed our truck off a 40′ bridge. We lost a big part of our family that day when our pets Arnold, Sweeti and Leanna were killed. I feel terrible for not being able to protect Arnold the way he trusted me to. However, I will be forever grateful for the fond memories of him which I will cherish forever.

　　Thank you for reading this and allowing me to share some of Arnold’s life with you. If you decide that a pot belly is the right choice for you both, I pray that you will be rewarded in the same way my family was with Arnold.

Global citizenship begins at home

kevinatgz — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 22:58:02 +0800

Good evening ,ladies and gentlemen,my topic is Global citizenship begins at home.

What is global citizen? I think this term exits just as an idea or concept but not really means a citizen with a nationality covering all over the world,The idea is somewhat a sort of code conduct beyond differen coutries and cultures,so it is a value containing the worldwide civilizaton.

As for the well kown “9.11’,I can still visualise the spectacle of my classmates around me cheering and clapping crazily.

I feel sad about it. If we personally saw hundreds of pepole shouting and crying and despairing to death,if we were personally impinged by the scene of the smoke and fire and stream of blood,if we personally touched the spirits of thousands of bodies passing away and naver return,what do you feel ? What do you think? Can you still have a cheerful smile on your face?

As colledge students ,how many of us hold the idea of human rights and respect for lives? How many of us pay attention to the peace and tolerance?How many of us fight against terrorizem and violence?

There is a long way to be a qualified global citizen.Because the global citizenship is not like the national citizenship which only need a nationality and without concerning you are a person contributed a lot or full of crime.

The global citizenship undertakes more reponbility and obligation than the national citizenship.That is why I call “to do a global citizenship”, not “ to be a global citizenship”.

Although it is a thing call for efforts and patient toil,although not everyone have a chance to leave steps on foreign land,although we are not wordwide famous persons,we can do a citizenshio begin at home.

Global citizenship begigs at home,that does not mean we must like Jacky Cheng donated thousands of dollors to the people suffered from stavation ,poverty and danger.That means when we are at the sight of human’s tortures ,we can reponse with humanity,not gloat with smile,then we attained the ablility of unversial love.

In a word,the global citizenship mostly refer to the idea and value ,but we all know to clarify the spirit world of a whole nation is not easy.Forturenately,we are Chinese ,that’s different ,so let’s prove it for the world,please.

That’s all.Thank you for your listening.

Words of wisdom

kevinatgz — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 22:53:03 +0800

●Many people will walk in and out of your life . . .

●But only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.

●To handle yourself, use your head;

●To handle others, use your heart.

●Anger is only one letter short of danger.

●If someone betrays once, it is his fault;

●If he betrays you twice, it is your fault.

●Great minds discuss ideas;

●Average minds discuss events;

●Small minds discuss people.

●He who loses money, loses much;

●He who loses a friend, loses much more;

●He who loses faith, loses all.

●Beautiful young people are accidents of nature,

●But beautiful old people are works of art.

●Learn from the mistakes of others

●You can ‘t live long enough to make them all yourself.