The best of the Corner each week!

The best advice, ideas, and language from every week are found here. You can also take a quiz to test your knowledge of each week's language!

May 29 2023

This week’s review has arrived a day late. Today is Memorial Day here in the United States, a holiday dedicated to the memory of military members who have passed away. Parades and festivals happen all across the country, even in the smallest towns. In addition to the day’s solemnity, Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer here in America. Lots of people spend the day outside with BBQ, baseball, and beaches. Our plans for today include working on our gardens, walking the dogs, and avoiding sunburns. :)

This week’s vocabulary has a theme! The theme is “kissing cousins” — a fantastic expression that describes words which are technically different things but are close enough to seem the same. I hope that everyone has fun with these. Oh! Remember to put your knowledge of this week’s language into practice. The quiz is a great opportunity to practice the language included in these weekly reviews. I’ll add the link to the quiz at the bottom of each email, so check it out after reading up on the cool new words of the week.

compote - I have to thank Anton for the really fun conversation that lead to this word appearing in the Review. Anton was describing a cold, refreshing fruit juice commonly made in Belarus. He used the Russian word компот to describe this inexpensive drink, which caused me to look at him in doubt. The pronunciation of both the English and Russian words are nearly identical; but, what the words described were different enough to cause mutual confusion. After a few minutes of hilarious debate, we both turned to Google for help. The word compote is similar to компот in that both relate to fruit; however, the English version describes a solid fruit mixture that is eaten while the Russian version describes a liquid fruit mixture that is drunk.

ceiling vs roof - A ceiling is the top wall of an interior room — usually where a fan or lights have been affixed — while a roof is the top, exterior surface of an entire building. Think of shingles, tar, or tiles that cover the uppermost area of a house.

to cut the grass vs to mow the lawn - To cut the grass means… well, it means exactly what you think: to cut grass. :) This can mean any grass, anywhere: at a house, a golf course, a park, etc. To mow the lawn is more specific to place. To mow the lawn means to cut down the grass at our houses or properties. While we can use both expressions to describe what happens where we live, it would sound odd to use “to mow the lawn” when referring to other places. So, “it’s a beautiful day to mow the lawn” sounds perfect for where you live but not, say, a recreation area.

cabinets vs dresser - What these two nouns share in common is their responsibility for storing objects. Where they differ is in their location: a cabinet is usually found in bathrooms and kitchens, while a dresser is almost always found in a bedroom. An easy way to remember the difference between them is to ask yourself whether you ever store clothes in the bathroom or kitchen. :)

Take this week's quiz! Click here.

May 21 2023

Our dogs love to run around the back yard. They’re dogs! The problem was that they would tear up the grass; or, in the most irritating of cases, actively dig holes into the dirt. We have kept a beach towel at the back door for six months, specifically for wiping off their mud-caked paws. But no longer! The grass back there has been removed and replaced with turf (artificial grass). It allows the animals to run around like crazy while saving us the frustration of giving them regular baths. Both human and dog kind are thrilled.

Speaking of successes, thanks to everyone who did the Week in Review Quiz! As aI mentioned last week, the quiz is a great opportunity to practice the language included in these weekly reviews. I’ll add the link to the quiz at the bottom of each email, so check it out after reading up on the cool new words of the week. On the subject of interesting language, let’s dive in….

shall - This little word is a living fossil. No offense intended. Its roots go back to (at least) 16th Century England. Here in the 21st Century, it basically means “will” when used in a sentence. Also, it is used to give commands/orders. For example, announcements like “Visitors shall wear face masks while indoors” appeared all over the place during the pandemic. In a question, it has a meaning closer to “do you want” or “what do you think?” Someone might say, “shall we go for a walk in the park tonight?” to mean “do you want to go for a walk in the park tonight with me?”

to jinx - This verb means to bring bad luck. We have a lot of expressions referring to this great word. The one most people know is, “if you say the Devil’s name then he will appear” to mean that if you talk about something bad then you will cause it to happen. To be jinxed means to suffer from bad luck. Did you know that cultures often associate bad luck with numbers? Some buildings in the United States do not have a 13th Floor because of the association between 13 and bad luck. A similar bad luck association exists in China with the number 4 (the word sounds similar to “death”). Back when I was a kid (and maybe it still happens today? oh man i’m old…) we would shout JINX! when two people said the same thing at the same time. Whoever said jinx could force the person to do them a favor (like buy a Coke or something). The jinxed person could not talk until they satisfied the request. As we got older, the jinxed person usually got punched in the shoulder.

“creative destruction” - This philosophy contains a contradiction: to create is the act of making something new; whereas, destruction is the end of something created. The contradiction became incredibly popular in the 20th Century thanks to the study of Economics. The basic idea is: businesses, governments, and organizations have a lifespan and so thus will fail (destruction). The failure will provide conditions and resources for new businesses, governments, and organizations to grow (creation). Thus, our existence is a cycle.

“in the middle of nowhere” - This expression refers to an extremely remote or isolated place. Imagine being at the center of a vast territory — land or sea. That is the middle of nowhere. Someone from a small village might describe the place of their birth as “in the middle of nowhere.”

Take this week's quiz! Click here.

May 14 2023

Today is Mother’s Day in the United States. This day, no matter your family dynamic or structure, offers a perfect opportunity to express our appreciation for those who have helped us through difficult times or celebrated our successes.

Speaking of successes, I’m happy to share a new feature of the Week in Review: a review quiz! The quiz is a great opportunity to practice the language included in these weekly reviews. I’ll add the link to the quiz at the bottom of each email, so check it out after reading up on the cool new words of the week. On the subject of interesting language, let’s dive in….

homework vs housework vs yard work - These three words have a lot in common; but, they describe very different activities. Let’s look at each one: Homework is the assignments that professors and teachers give to students for completing outside of class time. Kids all over the world would love to get rid of homework. Housework is the activities we do to clean up the place where we live. A synonym for housework is chores. Before starting classes this morning, I did some housework such as washing clothes and cleaning the bathroom. Yard work is similar to housework but specifically describes chores done in the yard (or garden). Some examples are cutting the grass, pulling out weeds, planting flowers, or raking the leaves. On Friday, I wasn’t able to get any yard work done because it rained all day. :(

“to win back” - We use this phrasal verb to mean having convinced a person to return to a relationship after they left it. Let’s say that Rafael and Julia had been dating for a year when Julia decided to end their relationship. Rafael tries to convince Julia to go back to him. In this case, Rafael wants to win back Julia.

the outskirts vs the suburbs - These two words describe geographical relationships. Each relates to a where something is in relation to the center of a place. For example, we say that a house is in the outskirts if it is far from the city center yet still inside the city limits. In contrast, the suburbs are the smaller towns outside of a much larger city. Large cities like Chicago and Milan are surrounded by suburbs.

people vs person - These two are often confused! A good way to remember the difference between these words is numbers. People describes more than one person, so is plural. For example, millions of people watched the Eurovision competition. Person, on the other hand, describes a single individual: she is a person with a lot of talent.

Take this week's quiz! Click here.

May 7 2023

Most of the world celebrated Labor Day on May 1st last week. I enjoyed hearing stories from all over the world about how you took advantage of the long weekend. The weather drastically changed — again! — here in Chicago on Friday: the temperatures shot up and the sun showed its face. This sudden re-emergence of good weather meant that the time for Spring Cleaning had arrived! I dedicated each of the last three days cleaning the house, planting flowers outside, and crossing off those small tasks that so easily fall through the cracks.

Now, how about we look at some great language that came up during the last week?

“wiggle room” - This expression means that you have a small amount of resources, space, or time for accomplishing something. You might know its synonym: margin of error. For example, you arrive at the airport earlier than expected. You can take advantage of that wiggle room to use the bathroom and grab something to eat.

fangs - These are the four long, sharp teeth found in carnivores (humans included!). Fangs allow us / animals to grip our food. I was not thrilled to learn that the animal with the longest fangs is the Gaboon Viper — whose average fang size measures 5.08cm. NO THANKS.

to go down a rabbit hole - This expression has evolved quite a lot since it first became popular in the late 1800s. Back then, it meant that a person travelled (for real or through drugs) from a “normal” place to some place completely strange. I often use this expression to describe a person who loses focus of their responsibility or of a conversation because they were distracted by minor details.

a soundtrack - A soundtrack is the music or sound that accompanies a movie or TV show. You can use this as a metaphor for any sound that pairs with an environment. For example, a storm is passing through Chicago right now — so the soundtrack to my night will be of rain and thunder. Fun fact about movie soundtracks: the soundtrack to the 1993 film “The Bodyguard” (starring Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner) has sold more albums than any other. I have to admit that I would have guessed that the soundtrack to “Titanic” had sold more; but, that’s the power of Whitney. :)

As always, reach out to me with any concerns or questions that you may have.

April 30 2023

The end of April is upon us! That means there are more birds, more flowers, and more chances of me making a mistake on invoices. This month, I introduced new class types and times. Thanks to everyone who gave their feedback and who have taken advantage of the options! Having said that, please pay attention to your invoice for this month as I am a sad human who sometimes makes mistakes — especially with numbers. Don’t hesitate to contact me right away if you think that I made a mistake with your invoice.

Here are some great language examples that came out of the lessons from the last few weeks.

brazen - This adjective means boldness, daring, fearlessness, or presumptuous. We usually apply this word to someone’s attitude or behavior. This can be both a positive or a negative description. Check out this story from Charlotte for an example of a negative brazen behavior.

to give way - This phrasal verb means that something breaks or fails due to stress. Most of us (I think) would be afraid to stand at the edge of a cliff because the ground could give way. Here’s an example from Texas where a house built above a cliff was left dangling after the ground gave way.

sabre-rattling - This expression means to intimidate or to threaten. Back in the day when militaries still were armed with swords instead of drones, the soldiers would shake (rattle) their swords (sabres) against another object so to make loud noises. The more men in the army, the louder the noise. It was intended to both intimidate their opponents as well as to threaten them with imminent violence. One member of the animal kingdom has made sabre-rattling its signature feature: the rattlesnake.

arrested development - This expression — from which one of the best TV shows ever made took its name — means that the normal development of something or someone has stopped. We might describe an adult who lacks emotional maturity as arrested development. This can happen due to trauma such as abuse, malnutrition, or violence.

As always, reach out to me with any concerns or questions that you may have.

April 23 2023

Did you know that one of Chicago’s many nicknames is “The Second City”? The name comes from an insult that one journalist repeatedly made about Chicago during the 20th Century. Basically, AJ Leibling thought that New York City was the best — or first — American city. To make his point, he would dedicate decades to counting the ways that Chicago was inferior to his beloved NYC. A group of actors in Chicago would use the insult as the name of their new theatre: The Second City. That theatre ended up producing some of the best actors and comedians in American history.

I mention all of that because the best response to criticism is dedication, reflection, and smart work. Every person starts from a different place in their language journey. Stay on the journey, even if — and especially if — you hear the voices of criticism.

Here are some great language examples that came out of the lessons from the last few weeks.

to pan out - This phrasal verb describes two things: the development of a process or the action of trying something new. Back in the 1800’s, huge numbers of people migrated to California when gold was found in the mountain rivers there (aka The Gold Rush). Men would look for gold by using pans with tiny holes along the bottoms to filter out rocks and sand. Gold nuggets would remain in the pan while the rest of the material fell away.

Example: Jorge and Marta opened a restaurant a few years ago, but it did not pan out. The were forced to close their business in March.

a controversy - This word means an argument, a dispute, or something that makes people angry.

Example: Facebook’s AI system caused controversy when it created documents filled with racism and scientific inaccuracies.

dairy - This word is both an adjective and a noun. As an adjective, it describes food made from milk such as cheese, cremes, and yogurt. As a noun, it is the places where milk-producing animals are raised such as farms.

Example: Coffee shops and restaurants often provide dairy alternatives such as almond milk, coconut milk, and soy milk.

“April showers bring May flowers” - Our grandparents — and school teachers — loved to use this expression. It helps explain the gloomy, rainy weather of April as a necessary part of life. The showers provide water that the flowers which bloom in May need to grow. We can also use this expression when coping with an unpleasant but necessary situation.

Example: Kevin felt depressed about his upcoming cancer treatments, though his mother reminded him that April showers brought May flowers. He would feel a lot better after the treatments.

As always, reach out to me with any concerns or questions that you may have.

April 17 2023

Temperatures in Chicago during the last week rose to 28C (!!!). Nobody I talked to could remember such heat so early in the year, so I went looking for actual data. According to the National Weather Service, the last time temperatures reached 28C in April was 21 years ago — in the year 2002. Going further back in time, one has to flip the calendar all the way to 1985 to find temperatures that high in Chicago.

I am frankly a bit offended that the year 2002 was 21 years ago. Age really creeps up on a person. :(

Also offensive? Today it is 0C and snowing.

Let’s get away from the weather. Here are some great language examples that came out of the lessons from the last few weeks.

ACTUALLY vs CURRENTLY - These words are often confused, especially by native Spanish speakers. In English, we use the word “actually” to clarify a point or correct a mistake. If someone told you that the capital of the United States was New York City, you would — for example — say “actually, the capital is Washington DC.” On the other hand, “currently” in English means right now. For example, the dogs are playing inside the house because it’s currently too cold outside.

AND (more than once per sentence) - It’s tempting to write long sentences. I know. Many of our teachers encouraged us to create longer, more complex sentences. The simplest way to grow a sentence is to add a few “ands” at the end. It’s also the least effective way to build a balanced, coherent sentence. The sentence structure weakens with each additional “and.”

Let’s look at an example: I owe everything I am to my friends, and I am grateful for their love and support.

Here’s the revised version: I owe everything I am to my family, so am grateful for their unconditional love and support.

THE NOSEBLEED SECTION - This metaphor describes the area of an auditorium / theatre which is farthest from the stage. The price of seats in the nosebleed section is usually low because their distance and height away from the stage will result in both poor visibility and sound quality. “Nosebleed” comes from mountaineering: the higher your altitude, the more likely your nose is to bleed.

As always, reach out to me with any concerns or questions that you may have.

Donald

March 12 2023

Everyone! Please pay careful attention to your class start times during the next week. Daylight Savings Time (DST) begins in North America on Sunday, 12 March. This will result in class times changing for students in Asia, Europe, and South America. I may have to reschedule classes in the event of a conflict between two different students. Please keep an eye on your email / WhatsApp for a message from me.

For those of you in Europe, Daylight Savings Time will arrive on Sunday, 26 March. That may (again) cause a scheduling conflict. Please reach out to me via email / WhatsApp if the time change causes a conflict with your schedule.

I really dislike Daylight Savings Time. :(

A more interesting topic!

People often ask about this unusual yet often used grammar construction. Usually, the question has to do with why English teachers recommend that you never use the passive voice.

I made a video for YouTube that explains the passive voice: how to create it, how to use it appropriately, and when to avoid it entirely. You’ll see it at the bottom of this message.

February 19 2023

The English Corner has been a resource for people all over the world to get the highest quality language classes at the lowest possible price. For nearly four years, I have had the pleasure of working with students from nearly every age, culture, and nationality. Thanks to the support of you all, the English Corner transitioned from a part-time hobby to a full-time project back in 2021. I have not regretted it for a moment. You have inspired me to experiment, innovate, learn, and stretch in new directions. All of that has allowed me to grow both as a teacher and as a businessman.

In that spirit, I am happy to announce some major changes coming to the English Corner. My hope is, of course, that you will be just as (if not more!) satisfied with these changes.

1) I will be on vacation from February 27 to March 5. We had hoped to spend that week in Mexico City; but, alas, the logistics of caring for two dogs led us to opt for a road trip. This is a happy alternative because we love road trips. We’ll try again to visit the beautiful Ciudad de México in October as a birthday gift to ourselves.

The second and third announcements are related.

2) I will not be teaching on Thursday or Friday for the month of March. I’ll be devoting these two days of the month to making the English Corner even better. The time away from classes will give me the energy to create additional resources and services to help everyone take their English language to the next level.

3) New prices and class opportunities are coming in April This point deserves your attention, so please follow me. I have noticed a decline in my energy and memory during the last few months. I would sometimes arrive to classes feeling very tired or other times forget to send information to students. This was embarrassing. At first, I thought that I was getting old. I realized while talking to friends, my husband, and a mental health professional that the problem was not age. It was exhaustion. I am burning out. I have been working seven days per week since Summer of 2022. I could not refuse the requests for help during my day off (Friday) or during other days that stretched for 12 hours. It isn’t sustainable now and certainly wasn’t sustainable back then. Additionally, the pandemic forced hundreds of millions of people to learn and work from home. The demand for English classes skyrocketed in 2020 and 2021. I saw teachers online who had raised their prices by 50% or more. Inflation went up in 2022, causing prices to increase across every industry. Prices of English classes also went up everywhere I looked. But I never once raised the price for my students. When Russia began its war against Ukraine — I lowered my price for Ukrainians. I am committed to that decision for as long as Ukrainians anywhere have to defend themselves, their families, and their homes from invaders.

Having said all of that, I’m excited to share that the new personal growth class price will only increase by $2 USD. Additionally, I’m offering a new class time: 45 minutes. The 45 minutes option will offer the same high quality English classes to people who don’t need the full hour or are unable to manage the price increase.

The new prices starting April 1st will be:

Personal Growth (30 minutes): $17

Personal Growth (45 minutes): $22

Personal Growth (60 minutes): $24

Many students offered their feelings and wisdom to me on this topic. I absolutely hated the thought of taking time away from people or raising prices. The feedback that many of you gave me was as compassionate as it was thoughtful. I marvel every day at my good luck to be doing this work with such wonderful people.

As always, reach out to me with any concerns or questions that you may have.

February 5 2023

A Chinese balloon floated over North America this week. People lost their collective minds with hysteria, political posturing, and a lot of jokes.

Did you know -- and this is serious history! -- that the Japanese regularly sent balloons floating across the Pacific Ocean in an attempt to bomb the United States? The balloons were called "fu-go" (ふ号[兵器). The strategy was an overwhelming failure. Except... in early 1945, only a few months before the end of the Second World War, one of the balloons landed in a rural part of Oregon. American civilians were not aware that Japan had been sending floating bombs across the ocean. Most of the balloons fell harmlessly into the ocean.The US military intercepted a handful of others before they could become a threat. The government had strict censorship at the time, so local media were forbidden from reporting on the aerial threat. In May 1945, some local young people found a fu-go device deep in the Northwestern woods. They had no idea what it was. Nor did they have any way of knowing. Unfortunately, someone in the group kicked the machine causing the bomb to explode. All six of the young people who found the fu-go died. Their deaths are the only ones caused by a hostile power (in this case, Japan) to occur on the American mainland.

I had never heard this story until one morning in 2015 when my favorite show -- Radiolab -- devoted an entire episode to the fu-go incident. I strongly recommend listening to it! Their website also includes a transcript which in case you don't catch some of the words.

Here are the best language examples that came out from this week's classes:

An impulse purchase - This is something that you buy without planning it. Maybe because you saw it in the store or online. My grandmother would make impulse purchases of celebrity gossip magazines when she went to the grocery store.

Farm to table - The relationship that restaurants have with local sources (such as farms, orchards, etc...) for obtaining food grown nearby. The appeal of farm to table is that customers can support both the restaurant where they eat the food and also the farmers who grew the food.

To refuse - This verb means that a person is unwilling to accept something (a gift, money, etc...) or to comply with a request (to lend a person money, to accept a bad offer, etc...). The hotel mana parents do not have the means to buy a car for her.

If you're interested in getting high quality books to assist your language development, I've provided links to three. They're available in traditional paperback and as an ebook. Whichever ones you choose to get -- OR NONE -- let me know so that I can prepare our lessons based on that material.

English for Everyone: Level 3 Intermediate Course Book

English for Everyone: Level 3 Intermediate Practice Book

English for Everyone: Practice Grammar Guide

As always, thanks for trusting me with your English-language journey.

January 29 2023

One of the many joys of being a teacher comes from hearing a question to which I have no idea of the answer. Really! Students are as different in assumptions, culture, and experience as you are motivated to improve your English. Those differences sometimes give rise to questions that I don't expect. Such moments are exciting -- like finding $20 in my pants pocket. Here's the moment that took place this week:

A student asked me how Americans thought about their income and their bills. My response was that we usually thought of our income (salary / wage) in terms of weeks and years, but!, we thought about our expenses ( bills / debts) in terms of months. But... why? The student wanted to know why we wouldn't think about both things within the same terms of time. Her question stumped me for a few minutes. Nobody had ever asked me that question and so I had never thought about it! After our class, I asked a few of my friends if they knew their monthly income... and nobody did! Well, not immediately. Everyone had to do the math to arrive at the answer-- either multiplying their weekly income by 4 or their bi-monthly income by 2. Conversely, everyone knew right away their monthly expenses. :)

Here are the best language examples that came out from this week's classes:

Cool Head vs Hothead - A cool head is what a person has when they are calm, collected, and patient. A hot head is someone who reacts impulsively, inappropriately, or dangerously.

Body Shaming - This is mocking, harassing, or insulting a person for their physical appearance. Body shaming has been a common method of bullying in schools.

The means - this word means "resources," -- usually money. Jennifer's parents do not have the means to buy a car for her.

English for Everyone: Level 3 Intermediate Course Book

English for Everyone: Level 3 Intermediate Practice Book

English for Everyone: Practice Grammar Guide

As always, thanks for trusting me with your English-language journey.

January 22 2023

Happy Lunar New Year to everyone who celebrates it. We have said goodbye to the Year of the Tiger and welcomed in the Year of Rabbit. I hope that all of the rabbits living in our neighborhood feel a little bit of pride as they keep warm against the snow that finally started to fall this weekend.

Here is the best language example that came out from this week's classes:

The Silent B - Did you know that some words are spelled with a silent b? The b isn't pronounced at all -- which is pretty odd for modern English. The reason for the silent b reason comes from a mixture of our language evolving from Old English and from modifying foreign words.

English for Everyone: Level 3 Intermediate Course Book

English for Everyone: Level 3 Intermediate Practice Book

English for Everyone: Practice Grammar Guide

As always, thanks for trusting me with your English-language journey.

January 15 2023

The weather continues to be unusual here in Chicago. The sun has come out while temperatures rose to 8°C. I couldn't complain but did feel pretty sad for people wanting to do anything related to winter: ice hockey, ice skating, sledding, snowball fights, etc... February is usually the coldest, least pleasant month for our area. I fully expect to be complaining about it as is custom.

My first recommendation! My goal with Donald's English Corner is to offer the highest quality English lessons at the lowest possible price. One can almost hear sound of my husband's eyes rolling when I say the price part. To that end, I have avoided making any recommendation to students that involved spending money. Until now -- and for very good reasons. I began using these books back in December at the recommendation of a student. Not only have we been using them to great success, but I have found myself impressed by the book's ability to explain difficult concepts. In addition to the text, the books also provide lots of listening comprehension practice. Each book links to free audio on the publisher's website. The conversations include accents from throughout the English-speaking world, so listeners get experience on hearing many different sounds.

I've provided links to three of the books. They're available in traditional paperback and as an ebook. Whichever ones you choose to get -- OR NONE -- let me know so that I can prepare our lessons based on that material.

English for Everyone: Level 3 Intermediate Course Book

English for Everyone: Level 3 Intermediate Practice Book

English for Everyone: Practice Grammar Guide

Here are some of the best language examples to come out from this week's classes!

Rollercoaster -- this thrill ride has become an essential part of theme parks all over the world. I'm including it in our weekly review because many European languages call this experience "Russian Mountain." As a Spanish speaker, I knew this (montaña rusa) but was completely surprised to learn that other languages called it the same! After reading up on this interesting linguistic quirk, I'm still not exactly sure why the rollercoaster is Russian.

"Black Sheep / White Crow" -- this metaphor describes a person who is different from the larger group. The expression can refer to both positive and negative differences. The wool of sheep is typically white, so a black-wooled sheep stands out from the herd. This week, I learned that Russian and Persian speakers use instead "white crow" to describe a strange or unusual person. This makes complete sense given that the feathers of crows are normally black. Jessica has been the black sheep of the family. Everyone went to university and found regular work while she travelled around Asia and became a monk.

To become - this verb best describes a major change, development, or transition. You can use it to describe professional changes, biological developments, and emotional/mental transitions. Martha wants to become a doctor. // We can become US citizens after living in the country for five years. // Teachers at George's school worried that the boy was becoming violent with other children.

As always, thanks for trusting me with your English-language journey.

January 6 2023

It has been a joy this week to hear everyone's stories about their holidays. The situations were as diverse as the people: from celebrations with family, to quiet evenings without electricity, and video calls with friends all over the world. Many times while listening to you all, I found myself not being a teacher. What I mean by that is the conversations were so good that I enjoyed them on their own terms rather than trying to teach new grammar or vocabulary. Sometimes, the best lesson teacher is a person paying attention to -- and having fun with -- what their student is sharing.

Having said that, I look forward to hearing the stories that come out of Orthodox Christmas happening tomorrow and Lunar New Year which begins in two weeks.

Speaking of New Year 2023, I did make a few resolutions. The most important one is to have more patience with myself. Like many people, I sometimes fall into a philosophical trap: to judge my present self against the person I was in the past -- instead of being honest with who I am in the present and then working towards a better future. My current self is -- in many, many ways -- better than my past self who started Donald's English Corner back in 2021. I got married, bought a house, adopted two dogs, and have continued to grow as a teacher thanks to wonderful students all over the world. My resolution is then to be at peace with the limitations of the present tense while also reaching towards greater happiness in the future tense.

The other resolution is to share some of the best language from this week's classes!

"To play by ear" -- this expression refers to unplanned or unexpected activity. Think of a musician who plays their instrument without reading music or having memorized the song... they play creatively! The tour company had to cancel our visit to the ancient ruins because of bad weather. We didn't have any plans for the day, so we would have to play it by ear.

"Red Tape" -- this metaphor means bureaucracy, overly complex processes, or inefficient services. We lost our passports while abroad. The stress of the loss was enough on its own, but then we encountered a lot of red tape with the local embassy. They wanted an insane amount of documents, photos, and other items.

A bummer -- this informal word is used to describe an unfortunate event or an unpleasant experience. Your friends got COVID during New Year? Oh no, that's a bummer. :(

I posted a dumb meme on Instagram, because I am both an old man and an immature weirdo.

As always, let me know if you have any questions or concerns!

February 19 2023

We are watching the Super Bowl -- the largest and most important sport event in the United States. Many years, the most memorable things that come out of this game are advertisements -- not the score. For those of you without any interest in American Football then let me point out that Team Fluff won this year's Puppy Bowl for the second year in a row.

Tomorrow is St Valentine's Day. This holiday is best known worldwide for love, roses, and chocolate. In Chicago, the holiday is popular for the reason exactly the opposite of romance: The Valentine's Day Massacre. Here in Chicago, back in 1929, the Italian mafia lead by Al Capone killed seven members of a rival gang run by the Polish and Irish. This was the time of prohibition, so organized crime organization waged bloody battles in the streets while corrupting city officials at every level. Thank goodness we have moved on from that! :)

Here are the best language examples that came out from this week's classes:

A coward - This is someone who shows runs away from a challenge, who does not defend themselves or others. The young man was a coward, not helping his friend who was being bullied at school.

A body shop - A place that repairs the frames of cars after an accident. We took our truck to a body shop after someone smashed into it in the parking lot.

To be soaked - This adjective means that something / someone is immersed or covered in water. I was soaked after being caught outside in the rain.

English for Everyone: Level 3 Intermediate Course Book

English for Everyone: Level 3 Intermediate Practice Book

English for Everyone: Practice Grammar Guide

As always, thanks for trusting me with your English-language journey.