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Time to unwind...

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Finn Finn | 12:50 UK time, Wednesday, 9 November 2011

Hello everyone,

How are you all this week?

Let me give you the correct answers to last week's blog first:

1) written
2) writing
3) quite
4) quite quiet, or just quiet
5) country
6) countryside

Well done to Vito, Marcel and Titas and Crazyredly who gave the correct answers. Alfonso - there was only one mistake, but well done too! And yes, Mahjabeen - the lake with the monster is indeed called Loch Ness.

Vito - thank you for your third blog. I agree that you are very brave for doing this, but I'm sure that you will be encouraged by all the comments from learners around the world. You write with a natural enthusiasm that people can really respond to.

And of course - we love your pictures. I have to say that your blogs are making me seriously consider leaving London and moving to Italy! I like your attitude towards maintaining a good work-life balance (how you find a balance between work and the other things in your life like family, relaxation, hobbies etc). You said you work very hard like everyone else, but then try to get out to the mountains as soon as possible in order to regenerate. Another way to say this is to 'recharge your batteries'.

Personally, I love going to the mountains too. Especially when I am home in Scotland, where the mountains really are 'on your doorstep'. When I'm working in London it is harder to get to the mountains, so I like to go for long walks around the city in order to unwind (to relax and let go of stress).

The Scottish island of Hoy

Hiking in Orkney helps me unwind.

LANGUAGE POINTS

1) Spelling
In your Rome blog, there are two sentences with the same kind of spelling mistake:

a) Talking about the Trevi Fountain, you say "... we had staied to see it twice..."

b) And then at the end of the blog you say "... I really hope to not have annoied nobody..."

Can you spot the mistake?

2) Word use

'Suggestive' - this word appears in your Rome and PEACEFUL MOUNTAIN blogs. In these two sentences:

a) "...it's always less expensive but really nice and sudgestive."
b) "...really beautiful natural Likes like this one, with suggestive coulors and really peaceful."

In English we don't use 'suggestive' in this way. I think the meaning of suggestivo in Italian is slightly different to suggestive in English. Instead, you can use a word like 'evocative', or simpler descriptive word like 'striking' or 'stunning'.

3) Capitalisation
One small point here - I noticed that some words were written with capital letters: Lakes, Hope, Capital, Monuments, Summer and Winter. In English, none of these words need to be capitalised, as they are not what we call 'proper nouns'. We will talk more about proper nouns in my next post.


HOMEWORK FOR EVERYONE

1) Can you tell me about your work/life balance? What do you do to recharge your batteries?

2) Please try to correct this paragraph by changing the appropriate letters to capital letters. We'll discuss next time.

"hello. my name is finn and i'm a producer with bbc learning english. this sunday I am going to a pub in south london called the orchard to have a roast chicken lunch with my mother. i can't wait!"

That's all from me for this post. Hope to see you all again soon!

Finn

Comments

  • Comment number 1.

    Hello, Finn,
    My answers are as per following.
    1)
    I am working in Govt.service in India. I am doing clerical job and I am happy with it.
    To recharge my batteries I try to remain silent in the morning and evening at least for one hour. I try to accept things as it is means not to react. It gives me peace of mind and make me happy and satishfied.
    2) " Hello, My name is Funn and I'm a producer with ѿý Learning English. This sunday I am going to a pub in South London called the Orchard to have a roast chicken lunch with my mother. I can't wait!"
    With regards,

    Deepak.

  • Comment number 2.

    Hello Finn and thank you very much for your reply!
    Here are my homeworks:

    1) I changed my job six months ego. I found a new job in more stimulated situation and with a great young team. This is the reason because I have a lot of new things to learn at work too. This change makes me happy and very often when I have a look to my watch it's already time to return home and it seams me impossible.
    I have to memorize a lot of new informations in my mind so in the evening I'm really tired. The better method to recharge my battery is to stay with my children to know how was been their school's day. It's of course always a pleasure to stay with them, speaking about their problems, school's votes and other.
    Very often during my weekend, as I already told if I have enought time I go to the mountain where I like to lie on the grass (possibly alone just for some minutes) opening my eyes and hearing in the total silence the sound of wind, birds and forest.
    It's a great way to forget everything also just for a day.

    2) "Hello. My name is Finn and I'm a producer with ѿý Learning English. This Sunday I am going to a pub in south London called The Orchard to have a roast chicken lunch with my mother. I can't wait!"

    Best regards
    Vito

  • Comment number 3.

    Hi Finn,

    I am a housewife. There's not many chores to do these days as my children have left home for their own lives. And yet I have still things to be done as my tasks.
    Not that hard or stressful though, I feel dull at times by doing same things everyday.
    I need to get away from time to time....

    Like you Finn, I love going to the mountains and for long walks along the seashore. I live in a big city. It's crowded and noisy...of course there's heavy traffic.
    But fortunately, the mountains and sea are on my doorstep. I feel fully recharged after walking. One more battery that can recharge me is shopping second-hand clothes shop...a rather guilty pleasure as I go there frequently...^^

    "Hello. My name is Finn and I'm a producer with ѿý learning English. This Sunday I am going to a pub in south London called The Orchard to have a roast chicken lunch with my mother. I can't wait!"

    Hope you have a good time with your mother.

  • Comment number 4.

    Hi, Finn:
    1) Well, years ago I worked in a Canadian Bank but at present I am a retired widow that live alone (close to my five children and their families), in a chaotic, atractive city, Buenos Aires. I´ve been used to work hard so far and to keep my physical and emotional balance I go swimming three or four times a week. I enjoy it a lot. Apart from that I´m planing my summer holidays on the beach. I also like mountains and hills. I´ve never been abroad but in Argentina there are different, beautiful areas where to unwind.
    2)
    Capital letters. Hello, my name is Finn and I´m a producer with ѿý Learning English.
    This Sunday I´m going to a pub in South London called "The Orchard" to have a roast chicken lunch with my mother. I can´t wait!

    Thanks for your posts. The best for you and the rest of the group!
    Beatriz-

  • Comment number 5.

    hello Finn,
    it's a pleasure to be here

    I'm an italian gym teacher. I work in a public secondary school and to recharge my batteries I do jogging, go swimming and learning english myself with internet for one-two hours every day. Other times I go to the sea with my dog York, a golden retriever of 4 years old. We have a nice walk on the beach and York, being a dog that loves wather, is always in the wather, even in winter. That's possible because I live in a town in south Sicily called Ispica and the temperature never drops below 10 degrees 9.

    "Hello. my name is Finn and I'm a producer with ѿý Learning English. This sunday I am going to a pub in south London called The Orchard to have a roast chicken lunch with my mother. I can't wait!"



    Best regards to all!

  • Comment number 6.

    Basically in Moscow (Russia) office employees are "recharge their batteries" by engaging in fitness. In this way in Moscow were set up a large number of them. Unfortunately we have not any see or mountains near the capital and searching sport activity into sport centers.

  • Comment number 7.

    Hi Finn,
    nice to meet you: I read your other post and obviously the Vito's ones. Like other bloggers, even I study by myself english and find that the Bbc Learning English is very useful site to learn it.

    It will be sound a little strange, but when I want to unwind or I need to unwind I, and I can't play soccer with my friends or do running, I sit on my own to study english.

    This is because I do a work stressful, where the phone ring always, even during the lunchs, and where I have to help the people to solve their "incredible" problems. I'm a manager of press office and organization events and so there's always anything which isn't work!!

    The paragraph would be correct in this way "Hello. My name is Finn and I'm a producer with ѿý Learning English. This Sunday I am going to a pub in South London called The Orchard to have a roast chicken lunch with my mother. I can't wait!".

    I'd like to answer also at the first question of your post. 1) Spelling - I'm not sure but
    "we had staied seeing it twice..."

    "I really hope not having annoied nobody..."

  • Comment number 8.

    Hi Finn,
    Thanks for your comments.What a glad for me was to read your new entry.
    You are right.I made a mistake with my homework.Instead of ´writing´I wrote ´writting´.Shame of me!
    Sometimes,my enthusiasm get the better of me;consecuently,I used to´ slip of the thumb´a lot.But,be sure that I´m working on it !
    I has been working as Mechanical Engineer my last 35 years.Now,I´m a retired folk in plain clothes so I have nothing to do and all the time to do it!.Can you tell me something better for your work/life balance?.Now I have all my time to read,watch movies,fishing,browse the web,walk in the park with my Boston Terrier.In short,do whatever I want,without bosses snaking up from behind my shoulder:)
    Let´s go to bussines.Here is my homework:
    ´Hello.My name is Finn and I´m a producer with ѿý Learning English.This Sunday I am going to a pub in South London called The Orchard to have a roast chicken lunch with my mother.I can´t wait´
    All the best,

    Alfonso
    Colombia,South America

  • Comment number 9.

    Hello Finn.
    I have found student blog and teacher blog recently for me. Now I’m on these blogs for second day already. Here people and their letters are very interesting. Reading students’ letters I find out about their country. I like to know how people live in different countries, what are they thinking and how are they spending their time.
    I’m from Russia. I learn English myself with ѿý site.
    I would like to thank to ѿý for the possibility to communicate in English and learn English.
    About the topic that you offered.
    My days at the work and on holidays are similar.
    Every day I’m doing similar things: go to work, read my favorite books, watch movies, сhat with my friends and learn English.
    On holiday I don’t only go to work.
    Sometimes these same things begin to annoy : I lose my vital force and good mood.
    So I recharge my batteries when I change an atmosphere around me. In other words I go to another place (town, village). Usually I visit my parents who live in the countryside.
    The second thing I’m doing is I go swimming. Physical exercises help me to delete bad feeling and stress.

    My answers to homework:
    "Hello. My name is Finn and I'm a producer with ѿý Learning English. This Sunday I am going to a pub in South London called the Orchard to have a roast chicken lunch with my mother. I can't wait!"

    Kind regards,
    Nadinaa.

  • Comment number 10.

    Hi Finn
    As for me, the balance I most needed is a balance of everyday’s human chaos and natural order. In my opinion, people often make dog’s dinner trying to set an order in their everyday life. Human order is just weak effort to simplify natural harmony. Every time when I’m working or watching TV or going for purchases I most follow controversial human’s rules. I should or have to do something but I can’t if only I ask ‘Why?’ or “Why in this way?’, my logic lead me to absurd. Sometimes I think: ‘I wish I was a tree’.
    My way to eliminate a dissonance is skiing (in a winter) and running (in other time). 15 km race on ski though the night forest is a good therapy. You run listening only you-own breath and pulse on a head. There no place for controversial ideas in a head there nothing illogical around.
    There is my proofreading. "Hello. My name is Finn and I'm a producer with ѿý learning English. This Sunday I am going to a pub in South London called the Orchard to have a roast chicken lunch with my mother. I can't wait!"
    PS Lewis Carroll in his ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’ often use capitalisation. Well, there are a lot of strange things you can see in the wonderland.
    Victor
    Samara Russia

  • Comment number 11.

    Good Evening Finn!!!

    Nice to read your another blog. To charge my batteries I usually listen to music or watch a romantic comedy movie or just share something funny with my family members and enjoy. And lastly before going to bed I try to do little meditaton. It makes me feel light and gives me immense positive energy :).

    Waiting with bated breath for your your another blog :)

  • Comment number 12.

    I forget to do my H/W. Here it is:

    "Hello. My name is Finn and I'm a producer with ѿý Learning English. This Sunday I am going to a pub in South London called the Orchard to have a roast chicken lunch with my mother. I can't wait!"

  • Comment number 13.

    Hello Finn.
    I'm Secondary School teacher but now I'm off sick and sad because I miss my work very much. I'm not boring, I have two childrens and a lot of tasks, and I've fun with ѿý Learnig English when I was tired.
    I'm very worried about my illeness and I find peace by walking and swimming. And, before go to bed, I go to my children bed for a while and I think of good things of day.
    ѿýwork: "Hello. My mame is Finn and I'm a producer whith ѿý Learning English. This sunday I am going to a pub in South London called The Orchade to have a roast chicken lunch with my mother. I can't wait."

  • Comment number 14.

    Hi, Finn.

    1) It's my first time in this blog writing something for a teacher who lives in UK. So, I'm sorry for my mistakes. But, I'm very happy for doing it.

    The main way I use to unwind is read books. And I do like to study English. I love the Shakespeare's native language.

    Another way to relax is see or visit the mountain for a shower in a waterfall. In my region - I live in Notheast Brazil -, we have a beautiful and green plateau. It's the Chapada do Araripe, as it's called in portuguese.

    2) Hello. My name is Finn and I'm a producer with ѿý Learning English. This Sunday I am going to a pub in south London called The Orchard to have a roast chicken lunch with my mother. I can't wait!

  • Comment number 15.

    Hi Finn,
    I am really delighted to know that all of mine answers were correct in last blog.
    About recharge my batteries, I like to do different things. firstly, i also like mountain hiking and fortunately, i can do it sometimes as i live in Canberra which is mostly surrounded by mountains. Secondly, i like to ride bicycle and there is a separate route for bikers in all over the canberra which makes it very safe. Thirdly, I play indoor games, such as table tennis, billboard and darts in my leisure time to get rid of the mounted pressure. Finally and most importantly, i always walk along the lake in canberra. Besides the lake, there is a creek next to my home with swans and birds. I always go to the creek to regenerate myself and to get close to the natural birds.

    Kind regards...

  • Comment number 16.

    Hi Finn!
    Here my anwers:

    "Hello, my name is Finn. I'm a producer at ѿý learning English. This Sunday I am going to a pub in south London called the Orchard to have a roast chicken lunch with my mother. I can't wait!"
    Best wishes,
    Tadassa.

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