ELISA ENGLISH's Blog 英語園地

Sometimes, our words got distorted and our intention got twisted.  What can you do about it?  Should you stop communicating at all? 

One day, while I was responding an email, my boss came by to discuss that exact email with me.  I was somewhat surprised to find out that our interpretations of the email were totally different.  I called up the person who sent the email to get clarification.  It turned out that neither my boss nor I had a complete understanding of the message.  We were both half right about it.  Isn’t that something, the difference in communication style, factoring into cultural differences.  My boss is a Caucasian.  The person who sent the email is an Indian, not a Native American. 

What are the odds?

As you read this story, you might question the reality of it.  I wouldn’t blame you for that as it did sound too surreal to be real.  However, it is as true as it can be since I was one of the main characters in this story and I saw it firsthand.  My husband and I had an eight-year long-distance relationship.  I can testify to the age-old saying that absence makes the heart grow fonder.  Whenever I got the chance, I would fly down to St. Louis, Missouri to visit my husband, then boyfriend.    

My husband is on a business trip, so we tag along.  I actually wrote this poem on a piece of napkin because our kids have used up every piece of paper available in the hotel room for their drawing.  Anyway, I thought of this while I was having breakfast yesterday morning.  The poem I wrote on Mother’s Day was thought to be a cheerleading song, so I thought I will follow the same structure, using the alphabets of the word “mother” for each sentence, but make it not cheerleading-like this time.

I will be not be able to respond to your request/question until after June 1st, 2010.  Thanks!      

5/22/10

An Alphabet Poem by Elisa English

Written by Elisa English on 5/21/10

Politically Incorrect

I can never be politically correct.  I hate politics.  I am too sharp with edges.  Since I hate political debates, I have disabled the function to leave comments on this article.      

Embarrassing Moments

There is never a dull moment with my daughter; or more precisely, a lack of embarrassing moments with her.  We or maybe it is just I who don’t know what to do with her.  Her twinkling big eyes, her seemingly pitiful yet innocent look, her cute and adorable face and her giggly laughter and nightingale voice are all so irresistible.  Though I can see through her sycophancy, I am not immune to her cuteness.  She is such a doll, at least in the eyes of her mom.  I like to hug her, hold her, kiss her, cuddle her, pick her up in my arms and carry her.  She is so small and light-weight.  My son is too embarrassed to allow me to do to him half of what I do to my daughter.  Besides, he is too heavy for me to carry.  I like to ask my daughter if she is a cutie.  She would always jump into my arms and say yes.  How could one resist any request from such a cutie?  My son’s afterschool program staff knows it firsthand.

Places where I call home – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Part II

As I mentioned earlier that I befriended a girl studying at Wharton School of Business, it goes without saying that UPenn was on my list of places to visit. 

Places where I call home – Downtown Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Part I -

My husband’s definition of a place where we can call home is much narrower than mine.  I thought of a home as a place where I have a deep emotional attachment.  My husband thought of a home as the country where one was born or the place where one calls the primary residence rather than a temporary accommodation.  I like my definition of a home.  I like the idea of having several places where I can call home. 

More than One -  Subject Verb Agreement

When a noun phrase contains more than one, is it followed by a singular verb or a plural verb?  The verb can be singular or plural depending on the noun that it modifies.  (1) If it is a singular noun, the verb that modifies the noun is usually singular.  (2) When “more than one” is followed by “of” and a plural noun, the verb that modifies the noun is plural.  (3) If there is not a noun followed by “more than one”, the verb is normally singular, unless a multiplicity meaning rules.