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You are here: Home > Forum > A Place of Safety > General Talk > A funny line or two from my english paper
icon14.gif A funny line or two from my english paper  [message #10272] Fri, 09 May 2003 04:30 Go to next message
thirdfencepost is currently offline  thirdfencepost

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The original line I put in but had to take out again after consulting with Ron Smile and him pointing out I messed up the facts:

Then he made a pathetic joke about me looking like a fairy for wearing it and that I was going to get myself beat up. I just stared at him and made a solemn statement saying how different the world would be if we all looked like fairies.

I really liked that section but Ron was correct and it didn't accuratly follow the story i was working from (A Seperate peace by Knowles) It was then replaced with:

I just stared at him and made a solemn statement saying how different the world would be if everyone thought I looked like a fairy. Thinking about it later in my room alone, replaying the statement in my head, I wondered if I looked like a fairy, and whether or not the other boys would still copy my actions like they normally did.



Why are you wearing that stupid man suit?
Re: A funny line or two from my english paper  [message #10285 is a reply to message #10272] Fri, 09 May 2003 10:20 Go to previous messageGo to next message
david in hong kong is currently offline  david in hong kong

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Cool, Andy! And Ron's a good editor, too. (Hi, Ron, I think we haven't spoken much, if at all!)

Language is such a funny thing...funny "odd", not just funny "haha".

I have learned much about English from my 13 years living overseas, and especially from my 10 years with Man as he continues the never-ending process of learning English. He asks interesting questions, which often I have no answers for.

Like, why do we chop a tree down and then chop the wood up? Wouldn't it be OK either way, and shouldn't we come up with one way to say it and make it easier all around?

Of course, as often as he can point out weird things about English, I can do the same with Thai. Like the words for "near" and "far" are the same word with a subtle tone difference. Not fair at all, to my way of thinking...

All languages have pitfalls, I guess. One friend of mine is a teacher who spent 8 years in Africa before he moved to Asia. While learning Swahili, he had trouble with tones, too. In one public talk he gave, he wanted to say that he was sorry not to be better prepared, but he was very tired because a giant mosquito had kept him awake all night.

But the word for "mosquito" and the word for "penis" are just a little teeny tiny tone apart.

You guessed it. What he actually said was that he had been kept awake all night by a giant penis.

Hmmm...



"Always forgive your enemies...nothing annoys them quite so much." Oscar Wilde
icon7.gif ROTFLMAO!!!!  [message #10291 is a reply to message #10285] Fri, 09 May 2003 10:53 Go to previous messageGo to next message
setras is currently offline  setras

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That sort of thing REALLY happens in real life? I mean, I've heard something similar often, but is it really true? NOT saying you're a liar, David, of course not!

OK, back trying to find a job... Would anyone like to hire a 21-yo Finn? I've got work experience as a cashier, and I know my way around computers somewhat?

Setras



That which is dreamed can never be lost, can never be undreamed.
-Master Li in Neil Gaiman's Sandman
Re: ROTFLMAO!!!!  [message #10296 is a reply to message #10291] Fri, 09 May 2003 11:06 Go to previous messageGo to next message
david in hong kong is currently offline  david in hong kong

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Yup, yup, yup...all true, I swear!!

Another person I know here is a priest. In one of the Chinese dialects (I don't remember which one) the word for angel is very similar (tones again) to the word for prostitute.

When saying Mass, this priest took about a year's practice when elevating the communion host thingies, when the proper wording is "All the angels in Heaven singing, "Hozanna in the Highest..."

And he kept on saying, "All the prostitutes in Heaven, singing..."

I actually kind of like that image. Heaven would be much more interesting with choirs like that one, I'm sure!



"Always forgive your enemies...nothing annoys them quite so much." Oscar Wilde
icon7.gif Want a job, hmmm?  [message #10299 is a reply to message #10296] Fri, 09 May 2003 11:52 Go to previous messageGo to next message
david in hong kong is currently offline  david in hong kong

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Man could get you a cashier's job near our house, and you could sleep in the guest room...

But the salary would only be about US$175 per month...

Probably not enough, huh?

But the palm trees and many friendly (and dreamy!) Thai guys are waiting!



"Always forgive your enemies...nothing annoys them quite so much." Oscar Wilde
icon4.gif Re: A funny line or two from my english paper  [message #10300 is a reply to message #10272] Fri, 09 May 2003 12:06 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Guest is currently offline  Guest

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hows about a white jersey with a gold cross and the words on the back (mine eyes have seen the glory).The cross telling all who makes your dreams come true. rob
icon14.gif Sounds like a Dream Job to me  [message #10309 is a reply to message #10299] Fri, 09 May 2003 20:30 Go to previous messageGo to next message
smith is currently offline  smith

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Palm trees......cute Thai guys....I'll think of that as I clean microjets crawling aorund under orange trees this summer.

smith
Re: Sounds like a Dream Job to me  [message #10322 is a reply to message #10309] Sat, 10 May 2003 00:46 Go to previous messageGo to next message
david in hong kong is currently offline  david in hong kong

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So you're gonna stay with the big bucks, too, huh? *giggles*

So what's a microjet, anyhow? Anything like the wtaer jets in a jacuzzi? Those can give good "tinglies" when aimed just so...

So sue me...I'm in a good mood this morning...hehehe



"Always forgive your enemies...nothing annoys them quite so much." Oscar Wilde
icon12.gif Re: A funny line or two from my english paper  [message #10326 is a reply to message #10272] Sat, 10 May 2003 00:59 Go to previous messageGo to next message
ron is currently offline  ron

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::blush::

Just call me Andy's personal blue pencil!



We do not remember days...we remember moments.

Cesare Pavese
Re: A funny line or two from my english paper  [message #10327 is a reply to message #10285] Sat, 10 May 2003 01:48 Go to previous messageGo to next message
ron is currently offline  ron

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Hi, David! Yes, we did have a recent exchange of e-mail, congratulating you and wishing you (and Man!) all the best on your move to Thailand (and yes, I would love to see those pictures of Man's garden; please avail yourself of my e-mail link here to send them. Thanks!).

Language is endlessly fascinating indeed. Man's (most astute) comments about "chopping down" and "chopping up" reminds me of how my (Ukrainian) grandmother always said, "forth and back" instead of "back and forth". Now, while "forth and back" sounds "wrong" to us, it actually makes a lot more sense than "back and forth" (since you have to "go forth" before you can "go back"). And not only do inflections play as major a role as consonant and vowel sounds do in so many languages, there are also languages that contain sounds particular to that language (for example, I understand there is at least one African language in which clicking the tongue is an integral consonant sound; and as with different inflections in other languages, clicking the tongue or not clicking the tongue can change the meaning of a given word).

I congratulate Man on his continuing study of English (which I'm sure is infinitely better than my Thai would ever be!).



We do not remember days...we remember moments.

Cesare Pavese
icon6.gif I wish.........  [message #10328 is a reply to message #10322] Sat, 10 May 2003 03:20 Go to previous messageGo to next message
smith is currently offline  smith

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Microjets are plastic sprayers about 8 inches high with a tiny
nozzle about 1 mm that sprays a fan of misty water out onto the plant. We water with them in the summer and then in the winter if it looks like a freeze, we turn them on and the mist forms a coating of ice on the fruit that protects it. The temperature has to drop below 32 and stay there for 6 hours for citrus to freeze, so the ice coating protects the inside. Everyone used to have overhead watering systems but they wasted too much water. The microjets are stuck in the ground under the trees and run off a hose system.
Cleaning and changing them means turning on the system and checking each one. Gets really wet but in Florida heat, that feels good Smile I've had to do it in freezing weather though and that is the pits.
Funny part is if you ever ask me for change, I will pull a handful of change AND microjet heads out of my pocket.
There ends my informational lecture on microjets, more than you ever wanted to know.
smith
icon9.gif One other thing........  [message #10329 is a reply to message #10328] Sat, 10 May 2003 03:26 Go to previous messageGo to next message
smith is currently offline  smith

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I learned about prejudice through microjets.
I was working them one really cold night, all night with my best friend. We finally finished and stopped at Subway to get food on the way home. The person working the counter was a stranger and treated us like migrant workers because of the way we looked.....we were filthy. After ignoring us for a while she even asked us if we had any $$$$ and told us not to touch anything. It was a strange feeling and not a good one Sad
JJ
icon14.gif Re: I wish.........  [message #10332 is a reply to message #10328] Sat, 10 May 2003 05:08 Go to previous messageGo to next message
ron is currently offline  ron

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Not at all, smith. I think it should give all of us a greater appreciation of all the hard work that goes into that glass of orange juice we enjoy every morning. I thank you, and greatly appreciate everything you do for everybody else!



We do not remember days...we remember moments.

Cesare Pavese
icon13.gif Re: One other thing........  [message #10333 is a reply to message #10329] Sat, 10 May 2003 05:10 Go to previous messageGo to next message
ron is currently offline  ron

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That must have been a most telling experience, smith. It just goes to show how truly deceiving appearances can be.



We do not remember days...we remember moments.

Cesare Pavese
I know that feeling  [message #10335 is a reply to message #10329] Sat, 10 May 2003 06:17 Go to previous messageGo to next message
trevor is currently offline  trevor

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After a long day of wiring or carpentry that can involve gluey hands, crawling in ceilings and under houses and making a lot of dust. In those situations I just smiled to myself knowing that I was a mess, but probably making about 5 times what the person behind the counter was. But, mostly I just use the drive-through. I do think most of us can use some humbling now and again, though.
Pic of Man and the garden...  [message #10337 is a reply to message #10327] Sat, 10 May 2003 07:33 Go to previous messageGo to next message
david in hong kong is currently offline  david in hong kong

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has been sent, Ron! Let me know if it doesn't arrive or something...

Yeah. Man's English is something to watch develop. I love it. When we met, we tried to get by on my THai, which wasn't brilliant back then. Well, still isn't brilliant, but I do have enough to speak, listen to the news, give a talk at work if needed. But his English is now as good as my Thai.

Typing on an English/Thai keyboard is a bit of a nightmare. I have enough problems with just the regular English letters, but then add the 56 letters of the Thai alphabet, and I immediately become "fumble-fingers" for days!



"Always forgive your enemies...nothing annoys them quite so much." Oscar Wilde
It does sound like a dream job...  [message #10340 is a reply to message #10299] Sat, 10 May 2003 08:31 Go to previous messageGo to next message
setras is currently offline  setras

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...but unfortunately, my rent is more than $175 a month, and I have to pay it during summer too... Sad But just out of curiosity, one could really do such a job there with only speaking english? Well, finnish and swedish too, and like 4 words of german, but I can't really imagine that being helpfull. Anyway, thanks for the offer, but I'm afraid it wouldn't work out Sad

Setras



That which is dreamed can never be lost, can never be undreamed.
-Master Li in Neil Gaiman's Sandman
Re: One other thing........  [message #10344 is a reply to message #10329] Sat, 10 May 2003 09:02 Go to previous messageGo to next message
setras is currently offline  setras

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People shouldn't judge so much by appearances, but it's surprisingly hard not to. But one should not go as far as the person behind the counter did, I mean around here anyway, you have to pay for you food before you get it in fast food places, so the question if you have any $$$ is a bit pointles, isn't it?

Hope everyone has a good day Smile
Setras



That which is dreamed can never be lost, can never be undreamed.
-Master Li in Neil Gaiman's Sandman
Well, not really, of course, but...  [message #10345 is a reply to message #10340] Sat, 10 May 2003 10:27 Go to previous message
david in hong kong is currently offline  david in hong kong

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...But everybody visiting Thailand would love your being able to speak English, as many Thai people do not...

The major problem is that you wouldn't have a legal work permit...the Thai government has laws about foreigners not being legally able to work jobs that many Thai people can do...like cashier jobs, unfortunately.

Luckily, my job isn't on that list of "forbidden occupations", so I'll be able to work legally.

But it's still a fun idea, huh?

Never mind, just come visit sometime when you can. Friends are always welcome, and the guest room is always ready. It usually gets used just for Man's family visits, so it would be cool to have some others come calling.



"Always forgive your enemies...nothing annoys them quite so much." Oscar Wilde
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