Back at the BB - , Back at the BB - , Back at the 蜜芽传媒!
Not sure how long I can keep this up. Not sure I’m clever enough to continue for very long. Maybe I’ll even get bored with it. But when I thought of the title for this blog I also got another idea at the same time.
You see, my title refers to an old Beatles’ song, Back in the USSR. The chorus of the song is ‘Back in the US - , Back in the US- , Back in the USSR’. I thought of it because I was so delighted to be invited back to the 蜜芽传媒 for a month to write to all my old friends around the world, and, I hope, to lots of new ones, too.
So it occurred to me that I could try to hide one Beatles’ song title in every blog I write in December (probably four or five blogs at most). I won’t change the song title in any way but I won’t type it with capital letters or in italics. It will just be part of the text and your job will be to find it. For example, I might write:
I’ve had a sore throat and a high temperature, but today I feel fine for the first time in a week.
I Feel Fine is the title of a Beatles’ song, and I’ve hidden it in the sentence I wrote.
Don’t worry if you know nothing about the Beatles or any of their songs, or if you hate silly games like this. You’ll still understand the blogs. And I’m afraid there won’t be any prizes, but it could be fun. I’ll give you the answers at the end of the month.
So -
HELLO! IT’S GREAT TO BE BACK!
How are you all? Where have you been and what have you been doing? Are you all still out there? Please post a blog and tell us your news.
Me? I’ve had a quiet year, although I did spend all last summer working in Ho Chi Minh City, in Vietnam. I was teaching at the British Council’s wonderful summer school there for a few months and I had a truly fantastic time. It was the first time I had taught children for over twenty years. My youngest students were only 9 years old. But their English was amazing and I have never had students who worked so hard or were such a pleasure to teach.
Ho Chi Minh City is hot. Sitting here in my cosy little house in west London, in December, with the central heating turned up high, and wearing a thick woolly sweater and socks, it is difficult to believe that there was no time of night or day there when I wasn’t uncomfortably hot – except at work, in my apartment or in large shops and cafes where there was air-conditioning.
I had so much fun there. I really enjoyed the work. I met lots of new people. I did the usual things tourists do, in my free time, and I soon got to love Vietnamese food – and their coffee is just perfect (I’m afraid I’m a total coffee addict!). I think I could easily have stayed longer. If it hadn’t been for my lovely daughter, I think I might have stayed for a couple of years.
But Lucy is still at university and needs a loving dad to come home to (and pay for everything!) during the holidays. She was twenty-one last month so I drove up to St Andrews, in Scotland, where she’s studying Art History, and we had a spectacular party. I’ll tell you more about it, and her – if you’re interested – later in the month.
I’ve visited northern France this year, and was in Paris for Bastille Day. I spent a couple of weeks in fabulous Barcelona, and I was in Geneva, briefly, to help Anglo-Russian friends celebrate their wedding (and the birth of their son). I’ve spent lots of time in Scotland – and I almost bought a house there in October. I’m going to be in the UK throughout December (so that I can blog with you) but will leave for Amsterdam on 30th so that I can spend New Year’s Eve in Amsterdam (we could meet up for a glass of champagne and burst a few balloons together, if you happen to be there then: details later in the month).
Right now I should stop (this is probably far too long). Here’s a little bit of help with some of the vocabulary I’ve used. Talk to you again soon. Looking forward to hearing from you. Bye for now!
Your old friend,
STEPHEN KEELER
Some useful words and expressions
keep this up
continue doing this
The Beatles
a very famous British rock band from the 1960s (the members of the band were John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr)
USSR
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (Soviet Russia and satellite republics from 1917-1989)
chorus
part of a song which is repeated after each verse
it occurred to me
I thought
had a quiet year
not done anything very exciting this year
truly
really
a couple of
two
spectacular
very impressive; dramatic; exciting
Bastille Day
a national public holiday in France (14 July)
throughout
for the whole of
happen to be
are, by chance or coincidence
Comments
Hi Stephen,I am not the Beatles but, I would like to keep my comments up. Your post occurred to me that the Beatles' chorus is awesome. You have a quiet year but I haven't, that because you don't have to learn English, and I truly have to and got a couple of spectacular fun. Throughout this comment, I happened to be practicing my English by using some useful words and expressions which you offered. Thank you very much, James.
Hi Stephen, When you mention Beatles' song I guess it is you. It's nice to hear from you again.
Hello, Stephen. It's great to have you back! Now when I am sixty-four - I still love silly games, even if I don't know the titles of the Beatles' songs. Looking forward to your next blog. I am so happy to read you again.
I sent my comment on this webpage yesterday but it hasn't published yet.So i went through it again and i rewrote some of lines for the purpose of improving the comments. I hope this message pass on to Stephen safely. I would like to say a great thank to Carrie. Hi Stephen Mr Keeler is back!!! What a great and pleasant surprise! I鈥檝e been wondering whether we can hear anything form you this month because we did hear nothing from you last year. It sounds you鈥檝e had the time of your life in Vietnam in Ho chi min City. I鈥檝e never been to the country but I watched some of the cities of the country from TV program called 鈥楾op Gear鈥. The country鈥檚 view is picturesque, and people look so nice.. I sympathize with you because you had to give up the promising and fantastic time in Vietnam for Lucy. But what can you do? Your offspring is always a top priority. I can鈥檛 believe that Lucy is 21 year-old this year!! Where has the time gone? Her birthday party must have been grand and spectacular with a lot of people who love her. I guess that you were very emotional on the day because you have brought up Lucy on your own. Did you make a speech on the day and did you shed tears a little when you were out of sight at the party? I would love to offer Lucy my massive congratulations on her special birthday. May I tell you what my family have been doing? My husband I think that we don鈥檛 have a Lmpard or Roony on hour hand because William has scored his own goal several times in football matches at school, and sometimes he picks up the daisies on the school pitch while other his team-mates are busy to chase after a ball. On the other hand, he is told he was born a natural talent for swimming. He joins a pre-competitive swimming club and he pulls his socks up whenever he goes to training sessions. He has won a few times in Swimming Club championship. I haven鈥檛 had a stroke of luck with Lottery yet. But I keep buying it and cross my fingers at the same time in order to keep my promise to invite the teachers and students from the blogs and have a wonderful party (can you remember the promise?). I鈥檝e been trying hard to improve my English but it is not much better than two years ago. I am planning to take a swimming instructor course next year whenever the course comes up. I really want to be a swimming instructor to young children. It鈥檚 really wonderful to write my comment on your entry and I鈥檓 looking forward to reading your post more.
Hello, dear Stephen, It's such a pleasure to meet you on 蜜芽传媒 again and read your great post...For sure, I am not alone who's really missed your wonderful blogs... Hope you don't mind if I correct a bit your information about the USSR."The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991." Thanks a lot for being with us and looking forward to hearing from you again and again... All the best, Marina
Dear Stephen, I am so glad to meet you here again. I have been a keen reader of all your writings, though I couldn't leave any comment at that time. Well..it still continue...Each time I visit 蜜芽传媒 LE website, I read one or two of your blogs repeatedly. It seems that such efforts give me a courage to write this. What I feel these days is 'The more I study English, the more difficult it became' ..haha I hope that I will get to read your new writings again many more times. thank you!
Hello Steven I am very glad to come back to the fantastic blog.I met the blog almost two years ago by reading your lovely blogs and I have been following this web site with a big pleasure since at that time even if I don't write any comments. I love Beatles songs. They were very important for my generation. I can say easily I grew up by listening them. I still love them as well young generation around me Their music will become worn out. I am looking forward which songs of Beatles you will ask. I am ready to play the nice game.All the best to you and your daughter.. :))))
Hi, Nice to see you again. You are like an old, good friend. I wrote once that you have very specific sense of humour... and that remained unchanged, it made me happy. You run interesting life, I envy you a bit of that (typical feature of Polish), you travel and by the way help others by teaching them English, great idea for life. Pity that I have no language ability although step by step.... Take care of yourself Majka
Hi Stephen! I missed you a lot! Thanks for your lovely posting and for sharing your news with us. I'm not very good at English language, but I'm looking forward to reading you soon. CIAO Giuseppina
this is first time commenting on your blog mr.Stephen . you got warmly welcomed from commentator indicates that they missed you and how much they appreciate you . so i am happy to be your friend as well as your student .thank you .
Hi Stephen! I missed you a lot! Thanks for your lovely posting and for sharing your news with us. I'm not very good at English language, but I'm looking forward to reading you soon. CIAO Giuseppina
Hi Stephen! I missed you a lot! Thanks for your lovely posting and for sharing your news with us. I'm not very good at English language, but I'm looking forward to reading you soon. CIAO Giuseppina
Hi, it was a pleasant surprise to notice that you Stephen are writing again with 蜜芽传媒 LE, no offence meant to other team. A witty blog, it is so good to have a little bit of help from a friend.
Dear Stephen! It is great you are back! Very nice to hear from you. We all missed you so much last December and throughout the entire year. It was really interesting to read about your 鈥渜uiet year鈥. Quiet year...hmm... I would like to have a year as quiet as yours: a summer spent in Vietnam, then visiting Paris, Barcelona, Geneva and lots of time spent in Scotland. I have not been abroad since November 2008 when I visited my daughter in London and happened to meet the 蜜芽传媒 LE team at the Bush House. I had a spectacular time hat I will never forget! My life has changed a lot since last March 鈥 details later on the blog. I would like to wish Lucy a Happy (belated) Birthday! Looking forward to reading your news, stories. Take care! Anita, student blogger September 2006
Hi Stephen, Just wanted to say I am so glad to hear you're back! (even just for a month) Look forward to reading your posts...
Hi Stephen, I really missed you. I am glad you are OK. I'd like to ask you, do you continue with running? Thank you for your answer and best wishes to Lucy! Take care.
Hi Stephen. I really missed you. I even thought we would never hear from you anymore. I thought you had probably won the lottery and had forgotten your poor students. I'm glad you are back. I think the Beatles should be disappointed at me. I couldn't find any hidden song in your post. What a shame!
Hi Stephen, it is my pleasure to see you again here. I enjoy listening to music though not very much towards the western music, and it does not mean that I don't like these songs but I have never get to know which song is good to hear. As you have mentioned about beatle's song, it will help me to listen to those songs if you could provide me the link to listen those songs here; alternatively, I can also google it but would be tough to find the original as there will be plenty of versions in the web. I think listening to English songs also one of the way to improve the English language skills, however, I have not listen to much of the English song and I looking for some songs that I can start over. Could you please write about your favorite English songs?, so I will also listen to it. Okay, I'm going to listen to 'I feel fine' song which you have mentioned earlier. ------------------<paragraph separator>------------------------------ Since you have talked about the chorus in the song, I would like to give a song which is completely composed with the chorus, and it should be highly notable that this song is composed without any musical instrument. Female chorus singers singing in the foreground and the male singers giving background music vocally. Though the song is very soothing, it is composed for the horrer situation in which the ghost keeps haunting. I feel this song is one of its kind that proves the human voice unparallel to any other instruments. Of course, we should appreciate the composer in bringing such a brillant composition. --------------------------------------------------------- Here is the link where you can listen to this song http://www.esnips.com/doc/c41b67c5-566f-40ec-ae9f-585482676af7/Naan-Poranthu I'm afraid this song is not in English so you cannot make out anything from it, expect the music. Even if you cannot understand the phrases you can at least concentrate on the male chorus voice at the background to note the perfect beats in the voice. Isn't it strange composing the full song without a single instrument in the music but creating the effect as if the instruments are used. One extra link here to enjoy the music composed with guitar, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rumFpLTIn0E , and any song that are available beside the right corner from the main video is great to listen, if anyone wish to explore the different genre of songs.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hope you enjoy it or maybe it is not your cup of tea. I'm looking forward to hear more from you in the next blog. Now, it is the time for me to start preparing for the verbal section of GMAT, in which I already got pathetic score in my previous two attempts. Now, again trying for the third attempt. I never worry for the getting the low score as I prefer enjoy preparing to getting high score. So, I'm back to my studies. Besides, I find many materials available for test takers in the 蜜芽传媒 LE are very much useful, and of course, this blog is one way of improving the writing skill. Though enough materials are available, to go over everything in the short spam is challenging, especially for the person like me who have less memory skill do keep forgetting what has been studied in the beging when I finish the end. Obviously, I have to save extra time to review the material in order to remember most of the contents. I stop all my mourning about exams here. I'll be right back shortly.
I am happy to know about you! I love your blog.
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