User Comments - bill
bill
Posted on: Rome
October 16, 2008 at 3:12 PMPS> An unrelated question? Is there something about this coming weekend that is special for Chinese weddings. We know two Chinese couples that are getting married this weekend.
In fact, we are in Cancun, Mexico for one of the weddings.
The other couple by the way is of note. A good friend, Amber Liu, is marrying Michael Chang (the tennis player) in Newport Beach, CA. on Sunday.
Bill
Posted on: Rome
October 16, 2008 at 2:24 PMThe last time we were in Rome after wandering around the "Colosseum" we decided to look for a restaurant nearby that was not for tourists. We walked up a side street and entered a very small, unassuming place where only Italian was spoken and the owner presented us with a menu in Italian. To make a long story short, we had a delightful fish lunch and when we returned that evening with our friends the owner was so happy to see us that he tried to get us drunk on his best wine and liquor for no charge! Yes, Rome is wonderful place where one can definitely get "culturally rich."
In reference to the lessons closing line, money wise I wouldn't count on it though. I've done business in Rome and have friends elsewhere in Italy. Life financially can be very difficult there even for technically talented people.
But Italy as a country to visit is superb! One needs to get away from Rome and stay in a small village, say, in Tuscany or on the West coast. Amazing times can be had!
And yes, the best coffee in the world is found in Italy.
Bill
Posted on: Public Speaking Tips
October 12, 2008 at 5:29 PMJust going over this lesson again. I really like the approach of repeating the new vocabulary in the practiced speech with the changing commentary.
At first glance the lesson seemed a little overwhelming but in the end it was not. Just very well thought out (-:
Bill
Posted on: Public Speaking Tips
October 10, 2008 at 2:12 AMUsually, before I listen to a lesson I go over the vocabulary and expansion exercises on the website. This is an excellent preview.
Bill
Posted on: Clearing the Table
October 7, 2008 at 1:45 AMInteresting but difficult to apply here in the SF Bay Area. Seems that waiters "收走” as soon as the last bite is eaten. I always find this to be a little bit intrusive on the one hand, and on the other the 服务员 is just following the orders of the “老板."
Bill
Posted on: No Wonder!
October 6, 2008 at 7:03 PMAll languages have these problems when we learn them by the means of translation rather than as native speakers. Take the following sentence in English:
The offer has been "put on" the table, and I can't "put off" such a deal. But what if the is offer is a "put on?" Maybe I can "put him up," and have a few drinks, and discuss the situation. The problem is that I cannot "put up" with him because he's always "putting people down!"
I'll take 前 and 后 "anytime (-:"
Bill
Posted on: No Wonder!
October 6, 2008 at 3:33 PMSebire,
I tend to be visual rather than verbal so I view time as a line when thinking about 前 and 后：
前 《－－－今－－－》后
Thus, time doesn't refer to which way I am looking or turned, but rather to a flow of events "before (前)" and "after (后)" the present (今).
Bill
Posted on: No Wonder!
October 5, 2008 at 5:57 AM她刚刚跑马拉松，难怪她很渴！ta1gang1gang1pao3ma3la2song1, nan2guai4ta1hen3ke3.
现在是午夜，难怪我很累！xian4zai4shi4wu3ye4，nan2guai4wo3hen3lei4
Bill
Posted on: Rome
October 17, 2008 at 11:15 PM谢谢，Jenny !
The weather is windy here and the wedding is outside about 30 feet from a beautiful aquamarine ocean.
Wow! The entire family is here and that is a lot of people. Very nice.
Bill