Currently one of my Chinese teacher, is... not Chinese, I don't have a problem with that as such. What I do have a problem with is that she isn't familiar with the Chinese that I have been taught by people in china. For example every week we have to hand in a small homework exercise, some translation, using some words in a sentence etc. My first week I had everything checked/ corrected by a native Chinese, Chinese speaker. I got 14/20... I believe that this is possibly not correct. I got deducted marks for using language that Chinese people use... I am not too happy with this teacher, one of the worst thing is that she is a great teacher, organized, clearly planned classes, pushes you to work in a productive manner etc, but she isn't too experienced with native colloquial Chinese. I imagine like a French speaking Canadian, it's just not the same.
This last weeks home work, one question asking us to use a particular structure I got half wrong, the comment that followed was "I am not sure what you're trying to say here" . The sentence was "how could you not have heard it, have you been to china?" I asked a native speaker and she had the same response. When I explained what I wanted to say which is "How could you not have heard this type of sentence, have you even been to china?" It made perfect sense... I guess I will have to cop that one...
Showing posts with label Random life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Random life. Show all posts
Thursday, 21 August 2008
Monday, 18 August 2008
Now what? 记起来以后怎么了？
I have now remembered how to get into this account, so I can again regail every one (who still does/did care) with... stuff I already know someone will (it is the internet afterall).
I am still teaching, I don't know how much of that I want to include, but I believe that this could be a good medｉum for my tea stuff, as well as really cool stuf that I learn while teaching. Some will only be in chinese everthing else will be a translation practice. I think that this will be good for me... I hope I have time to live up to my aspirations. ( I don't look forward to translating that sentance...)
因为我记起来了什么进来这个庄户所以我回告诉各个人（谁可不可能要知道）。。。 事， 我已经知道一个人想看（她是我的老婆）她也会帮我写（语法什么的）。可能应该说，我的翻译能有点儿不一样， 汉语写的有一点别的事英语的当然一样。
我现在每周仍然教功夫但是我不知道我把多少要放在网上，可能这是最好的地方放我的茶事，我还有好多茶事。。。
这可能就是一个地方我会练习翻译英语到汉语。 我希望我的时间足够，写上以后翻译到汉语， （我觉得我刚欺骗了）
I am still teaching, I don't know how much of that I want to include, but I believe that this could be a good medｉum for my tea stuff, as well as really cool stuf that I learn while teaching. Some will only be in chinese everthing else will be a translation practice. I think that this will be good for me... I hope I have time to live up to my aspirations. ( I don't look forward to translating that sentance...)
因为我记起来了什么进来这个庄户所以我回告诉各个人（谁可不可能要知道）。。。 事， 我已经知道一个人想看（她是我的老婆）她也会帮我写（语法什么的）。可能应该说，我的翻译能有点儿不一样， 汉语写的有一点别的事英语的当然一样。
我现在每周仍然教功夫但是我不知道我把多少要放在网上，可能这是最好的地方放我的茶事，我还有好多茶事。。。
这可能就是一个地方我会练习翻译英语到汉语。 我希望我的时间足够，写上以后翻译到汉语， （我觉得我刚欺骗了）
Sunday, 23 September 2007
Unexpected visit
When you're giving a Kung Fu demonstration your mind is somewhat occupied. So when you see your sisters who live in 12000 km away standing in front of you it makes for a great amount of confusion. It turns out they were down visiting their father (not mine). If he lived less than 400km away this would have made perfect sense I am sure. I gave up trying to understand this and instead spent some time with my long lost (haven't seen in over 12months) sisters. I also saw my former step-father. This was quite interesting, but civil so that was nice...
Tuesday, 7 August 2007
Monday, 30 July 2007
Hmmm, been a while...
It may have been noted that I haven't been updating very much lately, this roughly coincides with starting back at uni, taking over my bosses job while she prepares to go to America and taking over my teachers classes while he goes over to America with his second senior student, sister and my boss (all the same person). This was complicated when I was sparing/fighting her in preparation for the trip and broke her arm... It wasn't much more than bad luck and good technique. My block landed with the maximum possible force given the attack and had the maximum affect possible for the situation. That does not happen too often... when it does you hope it is on someone that you want to hurt, this time it wasn't...
So I will take up regular blogging again when I am happy with my Chinese, some time after my teacher comes back from America and possibly when by boss comes back from sick leave. (She wasn't able to go as she was supposed to be getting surgery on her arm when the plane left.)
So I will take up regular blogging again when I am happy with my Chinese, some time after my teacher comes back from America and possibly when by boss comes back from sick leave. (She wasn't able to go as she was supposed to be getting surgery on her arm when the plane left.)
Sunday, 8 July 2007
Something Different
This is an interesting youtube that I happened across looking for Pai video's. For those not interested in martial arts it might still be interesting but what I like the most is the attitude of those in the center. They are so relaxed it is great.!
Tuesday, 3 July 2007
Winterfest 1
I have a very good friend Sir Angus McBane, (or something like that) who was planning, when last I spoke to him to run the greatest medieval event that these lands had ever seen. This was several months ago. So the 3 days before the event, I finally get in contact with Angus, it is still going ahead. So I make plans Wednesday night to get into my car and drive up to Sydney after class and do what I can to help out.
The first part of my plan is to get my car serviced so that it won't stop half way to Sydney and leave me on the side of the road. $450 later I pick up my car and drive home. This was Tuesday night, Wednesday morning... flat tyre, not happy.
It wasn't flat flat just mostly deflated so I drove to a service station and pumped it back up, I knew that this was going to be a problem, but at this time there was nothing I could do about it. Went to work, had day of... working, come back out to my car, slightly less than almost flat... So 8 hrs from pumped to mostly flat, that means that a 3hr drive should be ok will test again after class. Pumped up again at 5:15pm 50psi
Teach class, I am sure it was good, however I can't remember it very well. I didn't take notes or teach from notes, so it is lost in a haze of driving up to Sydney, I should ask some of my students what I taught, they should remember...
After class once packed ready to drive out 9:45, go to service station check tyre; 20psi, that's 30 psi in 4 hours 30 minutes... I think I'll be stopping on the way... I stopped at a couple of places along the way tyre behaved, all was well.
Arrived in Sydney 1:15am 1hr after planned.
The first part of my plan is to get my car serviced so that it won't stop half way to Sydney and leave me on the side of the road. $450 later I pick up my car and drive home. This was Tuesday night, Wednesday morning... flat tyre, not happy.
It wasn't flat flat just mostly deflated so I drove to a service station and pumped it back up, I knew that this was going to be a problem, but at this time there was nothing I could do about it. Went to work, had day of... working, come back out to my car, slightly less than almost flat... So 8 hrs from pumped to mostly flat, that means that a 3hr drive should be ok will test again after class. Pumped up again at 5:15pm 50psi
Teach class, I am sure it was good, however I can't remember it very well. I didn't take notes or teach from notes, so it is lost in a haze of driving up to Sydney, I should ask some of my students what I taught, they should remember...
After class once packed ready to drive out 9:45, go to service station check tyre; 20psi, that's 30 psi in 4 hours 30 minutes... I think I'll be stopping on the way... I stopped at a couple of places along the way tyre behaved, all was well.
Arrived in Sydney 1:15am 1hr after planned.
星期三的课
This lesson is a blur, I can't remember what I taught as I drove to Sydney afterwards... It was a long night. Will post on Sydney soon!
Tuesday, 26 June 2007
Drinks at the Pen
After Sunday training, which was working on a nice technique for opening up a guard and then some form work, I managed to catch up with M at the Pen. It is good to know bar people... I also happened to come across my SCA household, Quinteria, (ender long story here about what Quinteria is within the bla, bla who really wants to know). So needless to say, my friends in garb were surprised to see me and there was much fun catching up.
The result on this is that I have now got people willing to come out to my place and have a yurt making session! Yea, my misery will have company, not to mention help! There is something magical to having a yurt however. It is a portable house with an instant sense of history. There are somewhere pictures of my yurt n its full glory but I don't know where they are. For a guide, my yurt is 6m across and 3m high in the center, it has a green canvas roof and will have a red gum door frame. Inside there is space to safely have a fire and separate areas for dining, sleeping and relaxing. Not bad for a fancy tent!
The result on this is that I have now got people willing to come out to my place and have a yurt making session! Yea, my misery will have company, not to mention help! There is something magical to having a yurt however. It is a portable house with an instant sense of history. There are somewhere pictures of my yurt n its full glory but I don't know where they are. For a guide, my yurt is 6m across and 3m high in the center, it has a green canvas roof and will have a red gum door frame. Inside there is space to safely have a fire and separate areas for dining, sleeping and relaxing. Not bad for a fancy tent!
Wine and Cheese
Saturday night was Styley's wine and cheese night and what a night it was. There was a heap of people there (for the space) which was great! Lots of whine and cheese and even a 4 shiraz tasting comp, aim, guessing the price order of four bottles of wine. We were told that the prices were about $5, $10, $15 and $20. It was an interesting result, all but one put the most expensive wine as the worst. It may have been that it was the youngest, and was meant to be cellared, it may have been because it was over priced. The one person who got the more correct order of anyone else had never drunk wine before, also interesting.
Another interesting point of the evening was it was the first time I had been in the same place with Xiao Ma in social company, it was painful... The worst thing was she acted the same as she always had, but I wasn't in the same place... so when she was casually flirting with other people, I was slowly/inwardly, going insane. We talked the next day, I got a lot of things out, we still get on, I am still not happy... The party was great however, and there are pics avail at here
Another interesting point of the evening was it was the first time I had been in the same place with Xiao Ma in social company, it was painful... The worst thing was she acted the same as she always had, but I wasn't in the same place... so when she was casually flirting with other people, I was slowly/inwardly, going insane. We talked the next day, I got a lot of things out, we still get on, I am still not happy... The party was great however, and there are pics avail at here
Wednesday, 20 June 2007
How cool is this guy!
I have recently started listening to a lot of Ben Kweller, and I came across this clip about 5 minutes ago.
When was the last time you saw a performer walking through an audience because there wasn't a sufficient stage?
When was the last time you saw a performer walking through an audience because there wasn't a sufficient stage?
Monday, 18 June 2007
It doesn't hurt to ask.
Friday night, no real plans... I have run out of white tea I'll stop at the Canberra center and cruse around and see what pick up at the tea shop (not the one I usually go to as it was out of bai cha also at last check).
Well I went to Dendy and checked out what movies were playing, did this and that finally decided to go by the tea shop...
While closely examining some yixing tea pots I heard a voice from behind me talking in Chinese... to me... That doesn't happen to me very much, who...
I turned around and saw who it was. It was another Chinese student, from third year (I am first) who I met when I was invited to a Chinese 5 class to make up for a public holiday. I had seen her around campus since then but haven't exchanged anything but polite nods or recognition etc. Seeing her here was quite a surprise, I went over and chatted to her for a while talked about the pots (over priced and inconsistent in quality) and China etc... It was a nice discussion. Then I left.
The encounter stuck in my mind... having recently parted ways with 小马 I am on the "lookout" for people of the opposite gender to spend time with. The very reason that my friend M and her girlfriend are the first that I contacted when the parting happened. I like female company, I don't get enough of it. The problem being that I don't have many female friends, I have male friends and I have done stuff with them it's not quite the same though. So this encounter stuck in my mind, I was planning to go out again that night, probably to a knightsbridge or somewhere similar see what was doing on the town dance a little come home and study. However I kept coming back to the tea shop and finally decided to go back and ask her out. It has been 9 years since I have asked someone out, it was a challenge. But I decided that it would be a challenge that would be good for me, the best part was that I didn't really care if she said no. I barley knew her from Eve, I had met her once and seen her around a couple of times. All that I knew was that she had in an interest in Chinese culture and Chinese tea. That would do for a start, GO!
So now that I was home I had a shower and washed work off me, dressed up a very little and headed out again. I found a park went down and did the deed.
She said no, sorry I am seeing someone... (I did see her at a cafe the other day with a couple of other people but nothing definite)
I said; Oh... Not to matter, could I have 100g of long jing please... (I had forgotten that I used the last of that also).
Well not at all heart broken I wend and saw a movie, "The Italian" looked alright. I didn't feel like going out clubbing straight after asking someone out, made the though of the act feel kinda' cheap, which I don't think it was. Movie was good, had a glass of wine before hand to celebrate the asking out of a lady, as a sign of a new era of my life beginning. I had been with 小马 for almost 9 years ended as well as it could, she left to free herself and also in her opinion me. I didn't want to split and still don't but I now understand enough to start to move on. This was a very good sign that I am getting back on track.
Well I went to Dendy and checked out what movies were playing, did this and that finally decided to go by the tea shop...
While closely examining some yixing tea pots I heard a voice from behind me talking in Chinese... to me... That doesn't happen to me very much, who...
I turned around and saw who it was. It was another Chinese student, from third year (I am first) who I met when I was invited to a Chinese 5 class to make up for a public holiday. I had seen her around campus since then but haven't exchanged anything but polite nods or recognition etc. Seeing her here was quite a surprise, I went over and chatted to her for a while talked about the pots (over priced and inconsistent in quality) and China etc... It was a nice discussion. Then I left.
The encounter stuck in my mind... having recently parted ways with 小马 I am on the "lookout" for people of the opposite gender to spend time with. The very reason that my friend M and her girlfriend are the first that I contacted when the parting happened. I like female company, I don't get enough of it. The problem being that I don't have many female friends, I have male friends and I have done stuff with them it's not quite the same though. So this encounter stuck in my mind, I was planning to go out again that night, probably to a knightsbridge or somewhere similar see what was doing on the town dance a little come home and study. However I kept coming back to the tea shop and finally decided to go back and ask her out. It has been 9 years since I have asked someone out, it was a challenge. But I decided that it would be a challenge that would be good for me, the best part was that I didn't really care if she said no. I barley knew her from Eve, I had met her once and seen her around a couple of times. All that I knew was that she had in an interest in Chinese culture and Chinese tea. That would do for a start, GO!
So now that I was home I had a shower and washed work off me, dressed up a very little and headed out again. I found a park went down and did the deed.
She said no, sorry I am seeing someone... (I did see her at a cafe the other day with a couple of other people but nothing definite)
I said; Oh... Not to matter, could I have 100g of long jing please... (I had forgotten that I used the last of that also).
Well not at all heart broken I wend and saw a movie, "The Italian" looked alright. I didn't feel like going out clubbing straight after asking someone out, made the though of the act feel kinda' cheap, which I don't think it was. Movie was good, had a glass of wine before hand to celebrate the asking out of a lady, as a sign of a new era of my life beginning. I had been with 小马 for almost 9 years ended as well as it could, she left to free herself and also in her opinion me. I didn't want to split and still don't but I now understand enough to start to move on. This was a very good sign that I am getting back on track.
Thursday, 14 June 2007
小猫喝很多酒
This event was going to start at7:30 ish, so I decided to turn up at about 8, I had some things to do and wanted to also eat etc and relax on my own as I had not been alone for a while. I sad down and went over some characters etc and then... again... this time I couldn't stand, I was stuck in my seat... Not...Happy!!!
I kind of fell onto the table and then used my arms to straighten, as at this time I valued mobility more than anything. I went and did some stretches etc to no avail, I did some exercises, to no avail. I found all the liniments that I thought would help and went and lay down on a hard surface...
...1/4 a tube of deep heat later...
I can move!, oh wait hold that thought... no, no I can't...
...2/4 a tube of deep heat later...
I'm doing it, I'm really doing it!
Stretch... *CRACK*
Stretch... *CLUNK*
Stretch... *Click*
AHHHHhhhhhhhh...
So where is this place...
There was a plan at this party to get one of my nearing (17 3/4yo) adulthood students experienced with alcohol. This didn't seem to be a very bad thing. He was in consent, and had someone I though keeping him under control.
When I got there I found I was wrong. The person in control (100kg ish) had given him (60kg ish) the same amount of alcohol as he had had himself. When I turned up, there was a problem.
So I spent most of the night keeping 小猫 out of danger of injuring himself or others. Others mostly or property eg falling into a plasterboard wall and leaving a hole. This didn't happen but it was a pretty sure thing at one stage.
But in spite of this, I did have a good time got to talk with many of my students in a different environment and also got to meet (better) some of their other halves. Another good night well had, by some more than others perhaps. Monday's class, 小猫 couldn't remember much of what happened though there is enough phone video he knows it was... interesting.
I kind of fell onto the table and then used my arms to straighten, as at this time I valued mobility more than anything. I went and did some stretches etc to no avail, I did some exercises, to no avail. I found all the liniments that I thought would help and went and lay down on a hard surface...
...1/4 a tube of deep heat later...
I can move!, oh wait hold that thought... no, no I can't...
...2/4 a tube of deep heat later...
I'm doing it, I'm really doing it!
Stretch... *CRACK*
Stretch... *CLUNK*
Stretch... *Click*
AHHHHhhhhhhhh...
So where is this place...
There was a plan at this party to get one of my nearing (17 3/4yo) adulthood students experienced with alcohol. This didn't seem to be a very bad thing. He was in consent, and had someone I though keeping him under control.
When I got there I found I was wrong. The person in control (100kg ish) had given him (60kg ish) the same amount of alcohol as he had had himself. When I turned up, there was a problem.
So I spent most of the night keeping 小猫 out of danger of injuring himself or others. Others mostly or property eg falling into a plasterboard wall and leaving a hole. This didn't happen but it was a pretty sure thing at one stage.
But in spite of this, I did have a good time got to talk with many of my students in a different environment and also got to meet (better) some of their other halves. Another good night well had, by some more than others perhaps. Monday's class, 小猫 couldn't remember much of what happened though there is enough phone video he knows it was... interesting.
Uralba Open
The event of the year if you are my of my Father's generation. On the Queen's Birthday long weekend my Uncle holds a golf tournament on his farm. It is a good day though usually miserable weather. I have been mostly absent for the last 10 years for one reason or another. Last year was the first time I had been back and for that matter seen most of my Fathers side of the family for about 10 years. I also wasn't there for too long. I arrived at 11pm ish and left the next morning reasonably early. It was a good night.
This year I went out with my tutor. I saw this as a good opportunity for him to learn about Australian families and especially good for him to experience genuine Aussie slang. I don't use slang normally in my every day speech, partly because I work at a university partly because I find it cumbersome to have to repeat myself at ant time. This makes it hard for me to talk to my Chinese tutor in common slang as I just can't think of it unless it is coming at me. He also learned a little about golf. After a while he even got the ball going further than the stick. It was strange to me to see someone who had never played golf before as I grew up with a seasonally adjusted set of clubs from 3/4 -15. I played a little...
After this I took my tutor home and went back home myself to prepare for my next event.
Then getting out of the car... it... did... it... again...
This year I went out with my tutor. I saw this as a good opportunity for him to learn about Australian families and especially good for him to experience genuine Aussie slang. I don't use slang normally in my every day speech, partly because I work at a university partly because I find it cumbersome to have to repeat myself at ant time. This makes it hard for me to talk to my Chinese tutor in common slang as I just can't think of it unless it is coming at me. He also learned a little about golf. After a while he even got the ball going further than the stick. It was strange to me to see someone who had never played golf before as I grew up with a seasonally adjusted set of clubs from 3/4 -15. I played a little...
After this I took my tutor home and went back home myself to prepare for my next event.
Then getting out of the car... it... did... it... again...
Styley, Geekman & Who
Had a wonderfull night last Friday. Finished work then rode* over to Styley and Geekman's as I haven't seen them in a while Styley having been in NZ for weeks. Catch up was good, a lot has happened since I saw them last and home baked lazania was great. After dinner we wondered off to the shops to buy filling for muffins or "muff'n stuffin' " as I now like to call it. DEM' WAS GOOD! I don't know how much of what was used but one had cherries (out of jar with a nice sauce) and the other had rum, rum and rum soaked rasins! As seems to be usual in the Geek house they were a compramize of methods from two experienced muffin geeks/Geeks. I am asking Styley here if she has any photo's of the muffins we made, porbably not but just in case... If not might have to make some more tomorrow!
This was followed by drinking... you guessed it rum (it made me want to watch Pirates 1 again... alot) but finally I turned to my usual wet nurse, whiskey, while being visually stimulated by Dr WHO. It was a good night. Followed by a morning of eating muffins and drinking filtered french vanilla coffee.
*I got to park my bike downstairs in the locked underground carpark, not that great in its self but I love riding out of those things, is soo coool... (ok over it now... kinda)
This was followed by drinking... you guessed it rum (it made me want to watch Pirates 1 again... alot) but finally I turned to my usual wet nurse, whiskey, while being visually stimulated by Dr WHO. It was a good night. Followed by a morning of eating muffins and drinking filtered french vanilla coffee.
*I got to park my bike downstairs in the locked underground carpark, not that great in its self but I love riding out of those things, is soo coool... (ok over it now... kinda)
Monday, 4 June 2007
Will be the only one dancing!
Next week I have decided to go to knightsbridge, for the funk night. If I am in the mood I am in tonight I think I will dance a hole in the floor... solo! Last week there were two people dancing, or one dancing and one taking up more floor space than allowed, next week I think I will try to get a dance atmosphere by dragging along some dancers. I wish me luck!
再见！
再见！
Friday, 1 June 2007
现在六月！
I didn't get my quota for May yet, onlt 28 out of 31! I am very dissapointed. So probably is 小猫，but I guess we will just all have to cope. Not wanting to stay home last night, after training I went out to Knightsbridge for their funk night. It was great, their DJ was mixing live and it was great to watch him start from backing track right through to a really complex compisition that had about 15-20 different samples that you could watch him put in and loop etc. Will be going back next Thrus.
Friday, 18 May 2007
Belconnen; the town center made with the ugly stick.
If you are not from Canberra you might not know that Belconnen has the most ugly town center going in there is. It is safe to say that I do hate it. Concrete does not have the same appeal when it is all you can see no matter where you look, and most of the time they haven't had the common decency to paint it, so it is ugly with water stains!
But today is the day that I meet with one of my tutors, who lives on the UC campus (near Belconnen also quite ugly compared with ANU). So as I was 2 or so hours early I thought I would go to Belconnen and blog for a while at a cafe with internet. No, Belconnen proves to be ugly and backward/useless. In the ugliest and one of the biggest shopping centers in Canberra, there is no wireless internet access. In the biggest (kinda) and ugliest entire town centers in Canberra there is only one "hot spot" anywhere (according to a phone shop who you think would know) and that is McDonalds at the other end of the lake and it is a Telstra spot which asks you to pay $12 ph for the pleasure and only if you are already a Telstra bigpond sucker/customer already!
I don't think it too much to ask if Dickson (a small shopping center all out doors and with only one or two office buildings 100m away) is able to have about 3 access points available where ever you go with a 150m radius of area covered. That one of the four main town centers (Civic, Woden, Tuggeranong, Belconnen) should have a couple of internet enabled areas.
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But today is the day that I meet with one of my tutors, who lives on the UC campus (near Belconnen also quite ugly compared with ANU). So as I was 2 or so hours early I thought I would go to Belconnen and blog for a while at a cafe with internet. No, Belconnen proves to be ugly and backward/useless. In the ugliest and one of the biggest shopping centers in Canberra, there is no wireless internet access. In the biggest (kinda) and ugliest entire town centers in Canberra there is only one "hot spot" anywhere (according to a phone shop who you think would know) and that is McDonalds at the other end of the lake and it is a Telstra spot which asks you to pay $12 ph for the pleasure and only if you are already a Telstra bigpond sucker/customer already!
I don't think it too much to ask if Dickson (a small shopping center all out doors and with only one or two office buildings 100m away) is able to have about 3 access points available where ever you go with a 150m radius of area covered. That one of the four main town centers (Civic, Woden, Tuggeranong, Belconnen) should have a couple of internet enabled areas.
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Saturday, 12 May 2007
Club Mombassa
Tonight 小马和我Discovered Club Mombassa, It is great!
She danced and I boogied from a sitting position on account of the whole knee surgery think. It was totally awesome!! I can't wait until next week or so when I can get up and dance. We will boogie till the whee hours. I want to try to get some of my students there also, make it a club club!
She danced and I boogied from a sitting position on account of the whole knee surgery think. It was totally awesome!! I can't wait until next week or so when I can get up and dance. We will boogie till the whee hours. I want to try to get some of my students there also, make it a club club!
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