Journal #17 Anticipating Your Parents' Objections

Topic: Studying in a different city

Dear dad and mom;

I am so sorry to let you worry about me when I chose the different city to study. On that time I am just an only thirteen-year-old boy, and I chose a school let is far from our home. I admitted on that time when you said anything I would just said “no”. I never agree with you, even you make a decision for me. I said that I will take care of myself, and won’t get any trouble. When I study in a different city, I have to do everything on my own, no one can help me. There is no washing machine, so I have to wash clothes on my own hands. There is no public transportation, so I need to ride a bicycle if I want to go any where. In fact, I made it, and I got good grades when I study in a different city. I am still alive. Next time, I will discuss with you first, and I think you will respect my decision.

Journal #16 Confucius Quote

“Find a job that you love doing and you will never have to work a day in your life.” said by Confucius. This quote means you should find a job that you are interesting in and enjoyable, you should not have a job that you don’t like it and change it very often. A job that you can brag to everyone even thorough that job didn’t paid very well.

For me, I like to work in a place which I like. The right place will make me happier and I will feel everything seems right for me; even I have a hard time to adapt it. I will have a positive thought that I can conquer the difficult situation.

If I work in a place that I don’t like, the air there seems to suffocate me. Working in a disagreeable place, I cannot concentrate and I will make a lot of mistakes. Anyway everything looks like against me.

Finding a job that you like is more important than a one you don’t like. When you work you will have more energy to put on it. So do it right now, don’t care about others judgment.

Journal #15 Analyzing Argument

Brittany Kunza (2008 October 29). The difference between getting fat and staying fat. Daily Titan, p. 4

In this article, many people, right now, are trying many ways to lose their weight, or slim down and lose some fat. So a lot of diet trends are set such as eat only diet, no carb diet, weight watchers, and just not eating (par. 1). People, in nowadays, are shy to let the others see their spare tire, the saddle bags and the love handles. According to the researche by Kirsty Spalding of the Karolinska Institute in Sweden,” the number of fat cells in adolescents can increase, however, in adults, the number of cell stay relatively constant, but instead they shrink and grow in size with weight loss and gain.” It means that you can’t make your body have more fat cells when you are still adolescences because when you become an adult the fat cells will still there. The fat cells won’t decrease; it will just shrink and expand. So it is not easy to lose your weight, just for controlling the food and an hour workout. You should do it everyday.

Journal #14 My First Source

This is my first source of my research paper. The first source is from the WIKIPEDIA. This source gives me a lot of new ideas of my research question. In the past I just only knew about the Chinese zodiac. But when I read this source, I found that I knew more about what and how different between Chinese zodiac and Western zodiac. This source also talked about the Western zodiac which was from Greek and how the zodiac was defined. Furthermore, it also said how to differentiate the twelve signs. In the beginning, I just know where the Chinese zodiac came from, but right now, I also know where the Western came from. And this source also gives me the chart which makes me to understand it easier.

Reference:
26 October 2008. WIKIPEDIA, The Free Encyclopedia.
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zodiac

Journal #13 Summary / Paraphrase practice

According to the largest Arab bourse, TASI ( Tadawul All Share Index) was down 9.52 percent at 5,572.01 points. This is the new record in the recently four years. "The Saudi market is positively correlated with the global markets, especially the big ones," said John Sfakianakis, chief economist at SABB bank, HSBC's Saudi affiliate. Even OPEC cut down the crude oil produce; it is no positive influence for the worldwide economy. The petrochemical and banking stocks in Saudi Arabia are headed to depreciate. This quarterly profit is declined in the sales growth that compared to the third quarter in two years in SABIC report.

Daliah Merzabban (2008, Oct 25). Saudi stocks tank on oil’s fall, recession fears. Reuters.

http://www.reuters.com/article/hotStocksNews/idUSTRE49O0W220081025

Journal #12 The Research Topic

the different zodiac

chinese zodiac the two different zodiac western zodiac

This is my first time to approach the research paper in English. It is difficult when I do the research paper in Chinese, but this time I should do that in English.

My research paper topic is to compare two different systems of zodiac: Chinese zodiac and western zodiac. What they are different and how they use the different way to calculate years.

I am so excited to do this research paper. Alothough this is not easy, butI will do my best. I am hoping that everyone also accept my paper.

Journal #11 You Have Nothing But Yourself

The best advice that I have ever received is you have nothing but yourself. Why my parents give me this kind of advice? It is a story from my high school.

When I was 14-year-old, I went to another city to attend the high school. On that time, it is my first time to leave hometown and study for three years. Before I left home, my parents told me that you have nothing but yourself. Everything you should take care of by yourself, no one can help you. Especially when you got trouble, you should think of yourself what you can do first.

For instance, you should know how to take a train by yourself. Every time my parents or my relative drove me to wherever I want to go. So the first weekend I wanted to go home, of course, that it was my first time, I don’t know how to buy train’s ticket. I was scared and nervous. I walked into the train station, and I saw many machine in front me, but I didn’t know how to use it. Suddenly, the words”you have nothing but yourself.” came to my mind. So I encouraged myself and asked the booking clerk how to get the ticket and which platform should I go. Finally, I went back home safely.

If my parents didn’t give the advice like that before that time, I think I won’t get the ticket and back home safely. Right now, when I got trouble, I will calm down and think what I can do first. I appreciated my parents that who give me the best advice in my life.

Journal #10 American Food

“Let’s go out and eat some American Food.” If my friends want me go out, eat with them, and ask me like that, I think they would know it is not what I want. In my opinion, American Food means fast food. A lot of fast food here, I have never seen before. And when you go around, you can see many fast food restaurants surround your house, for example, M, KFC, CAL’S JUNIOR, IN & OUT, WEDDY’S HAMBUGER, and DENNY’S, etc.

When I first came here, and I walked into the supermarket, I found things in the refrigerator surprise me, that are frozen foods. A ton of frozen food appears in front of me. According to these two reasons I think American people are so busy and have no time to cook.

Actually, I don’t hate American Food, but I don’t like that, either. For me, “RICE” is the most basic ingredient in my dish. When I am in Taiwan I used to eat rice almost every day. My grandfather said “If today has no rice, you cannot say you already ate, and full.” Even through on that day after works, we feel tired, we will spend some time to cook. Sometimes people don’t want to cook, they will buy things to eat. But we don’t often eat frozen food, there are some stores sell the cook food, whatever you want, just order it then you can to go. So I am not familiar with the fast food. I would better eat the rice instead.

Candy & Saud

Journal #9 Optimistic Quote

"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." - Winston Churchill

The above quote is talking about a person should have a optimistic characteristic then even if the opportunity is difficult you still can slove it. No matter how difficult opportunity it is, if you have a optimistic characteristic, every thing will be a good chance for you.

Actually, I think I am not a pessimst and optimist, I am in the middle of these two kind of characteristic. Sometimes I would like to take a challenge, but sometimes I don't want to do anything. For example, when I was a high school student, I needed to get a good grade. On that time, there are thousand of students in our school, and I was trying to be the first 50 in the thousand of students. It was so hard, but I think it is a good challenge for me, and I will prove myself I can do that. Finally, I did, but I just kept for two semester. HaHa~~~~ Sometimes I felt I am a pessimst, I just think I will fail, and I won't get it. So, finally I did't do anything, of course it fail. I think I need to change my mind, let me become a optimist, and then all the difficulties will become my opportunities not my difficulties.

Sun & Leslie

Journal #8 My Best Friend

Best friend? What is the term mean? If you have trouble or you got something you con not figure out how to deal with it, the first person come out from your mind that is your best friend. Can you imagine that how many best friends you can have in your whole life? I think you can count that in your two hands, no more two hands.

For me, I have around ten best friends. Today I am going to introduce one of my best friends who is my high school classesmate. His name is ming-zhi, he lives in the sourthen Taiwan, Kaohsiung. I went to the other city(Kaohsiung) to attend my high school when I was 15. On that time, the whole school students just only me come from the other city, so I am feel kind of helpless, and scare. The first year in our school, students must live in the school’s dorm, no one can refuse. There are eight people in one room and everyone has their own single bed. And my best friend who is right sleeps next to me.

Like every weekend, if you don’t want to stay at school, you can go home sleep. For me, I just can stay school because the transportation fee is expensive; I go home once a month. But my best friend, sometimes, invites me to go to his home and wants me stay in his house for two nights, even though I didn’t go to his house, he will bring some food for me after he come back to school. After three years I am so familiar with his whole family.

Why the two people can become to good friends? I think we have our own characteristics that the other doesn’t have; it is kind of complement. Such his temper is calm, but sometimes mine will be irritable, then he will try to let me calm down. Right now, I come to USA and we still contact to each other. I miss you, my friend.

Sammy & Prissy

Journal #7 One Piece

Do you ever see the cartoon One Piece? It is talked about fruits which are appeared in the ocean, and each fruit has its own surface. If you eat one of these fruits, you will have different power, such as your body can extension, can produce fire, can separate, can become an animal etc. But the more important thing is when you were drop into the water; you cannot swim and will be drowned. Now, look at the following video, you will understand what kind of ability I want to have.

Is that clear to you? HAHA~~~~This kind of ability I think if you are a man you will want to own it except you are not a …(you know what I want to say). To be an invisible man is all what I want. Sometimes I don’t want to be bothered; I would find a place to hide, but I just have the few places to hide. The second reason is that it is easy for me to do some things without let people see it is what I did. So if I can choose my superpower, I think I will choose to be an invisible man. If you are a man and looking to my journal, I think you will agree my opinion.

Saud & Laura

Journal #6 Doctor Dolittle

In the domesticated animals, I like the dog best. Dogs are the faithful friends of people. When I am not home, my dog always helps me to take care of my home, bark at strangers. Even the post officer is also afraid of my dog. If there is one day the domesticated animals can talk, I would like my dog to talk to me. I like he will say good morning, everyday, and he also can be my alarm clock; I just tell him what time I need to wake up. When I go to school, I like he can say goodbye to me; after class he stays in the front door wait me come back home and say “how is going today?” to me. When I am lonely or upset, I like to talk to my dogs, I will tell him everything in my mind. So I think if the dog can talk, he would be my best friend forever.

Veasna & Sammy

Journal #5 A Song

The music vedio I saw in Sean's blog recall my memory. Although I don't know what they are singing about,I still like this song because I am used to be a electronic engineer and I worked in the same place almost 2 years before I came to USA.
This time I am going to intriduce a song which I like very much. Let's talk about the song, but you should listen to the music first before you look my explanation.

How is that? It is good ,right? First time when I heard this song is in the army. This song is describing the man who misses his girlfriend very much. The man, who is a musician plays piano, didn’t hear from his girlfriend for a long time and he starts thinking of her. His girlfriend didn’t believe the fairy tales, and feel it is all faked especially happiness and happy. He wants his girlfriend to believe the fairy tales will be come true, and his entire life totally changes when he met her. One day his girlfriend got sick, he didn’t know how to do with her. He starts to describe his feelings, so he writes a song to her. The shining Stars filled up with his sky. He wants to be anger she loved in the fairy tales watch her forever no matter what happens. He wants to have happiness and happy with her to the end,but she still pass away. In the end, she wants he to remember her forever and when he think about her, don’t cry and be happy. What a sad music video, I hope everyone can cherish your love and don’t give up.

Laura & Jamie

Journal #4 Small River in My House

This is the typhoon video from Youtube

There are many typhoons in Taiwan, especially happen in July, August, and September. Every year has 3- 4 typhoons on average, and they are made a big damages to Taiwan. As you can see on the above link, you can see how damage it destroys to Taiwan. They bring not only rain but also strong wind from ocean to land. The water flood into the streets, and sometimes it also flood in to the second floor of house. This year in July, there is a typhoon comes to Taiwan, the weather station of government said this typhoon will bring a lot of rainwater into the land, and need everyone to prevent from a flood disaster. Absolutely in my home, we do all what we can do, especially we know there are some small holes in my house ceiling, and we put some buckets under those holes. We think everything is ready, and then we go to bed. Suddenly in the midnight, I hear my father call my name with a tense voice, and say" get up right now". On that time, I don’t know what happen. When I walk down to my bed, I feel something wrong. I feel there is water around me,"what the hell~~~~", I scream. It is 4am, the water is come form the hole on my house ceiling. Right now it is too late to use the bucket to let water go out. So I have an idea come to my mind, use a canopy and channel the water go out my house, so it is my first time seeing there is a small river in my second floor of house. I think I will never forget this sight in my life.

Leslie & Candy

Journal #3 A thing that I fear

It is not easy for me to go the high place myself. Maybe you will say how about climbing up the mountain~~ The answer is pretty sure for me, but when we climb to the top you should give me some time to let me get with the environment, otherwise my two feet will shake and cannot move any more. One time, I went to the Taipei 101, which is located in Taiwan, the second tall building in the world right now. My family went to the top restaurant in that building, you know what? I cannot even look out to see the best night scenes, I am so scared. When we almost finish the dinner, I encourage myself I must saw it one time, finally I did it. One that time I feel I win the whole world, I am so happy, I overcome myself. Although I overcome myself, there is still one more thing I will not do in my life. That is called bungee jumping. It is so dangerous when I saw people do that kind of things. I always think” do they still want their life or not.” So, this is the only thing I will never do even you will let me become a richest man in the world. Do you see the man, on the top picture, I think he said"Give me a next life" in his mind.

Saud & Prissy