Celebrating the African American History Month

 12 years ago, the United States of America welcomed the first African American president, Mr. Barack Obama as the leader. He was not a politician whose life could be filled with megalomania, but rather a man who had been there living in the less privileged circumstances and dreaming of a true change in this nation. February is the Black History Month in the States, and today I reminisce the emotion we all had back in the year of 2009.

On the Day When America’s Dream Came True

 

written by Jean Jiyoung Lee on January 20, 2009

(on the day of 44^th Presidential Inauguration)

 

Who could ever let go of this day’s spirit in history?

Who would forget this shout of glee?

Myriads of tearful but joyful eyes are watching this man of strong conviction,

Believing he will make all the changes that have been no more than fiction.

Unforgettable excitement and energy fill the air.

All the people of different races, origins, and cultures give an embracing smile to one another, not a hostile glare.

Glory is all yours and mine.

The new wind of change today seems so divine.

Praying that the sacred promise of this faithful president will unite us all,

We teach our young ones to stand proud and tall.

Since the justice we’ve dreamt has seen the light of day,

The ultimate peace and harmony in this nation are already on their way.

Got skin problems in winter?

Whenever we ring in a new year, the first wish that comes to most of our minds is “to stay healthy”. I hope and pray that every one of you out there has been off to a perfectly healthy start of this new year of the Ox. Well, even if you might not need to learn medical terms or how to express your health problems in English, I hope you find the following expressions to describe some of your skin probs/symptoms useful during this season of dry wintry chill at a dermatologist office.

 

At Dermatologist Office 

    1.   Irritating sensation of the skin that makes you want to scratch: I feel itchy on my scalp/ all over my body (especially when I don’t sleep tight or enough).

 

 

    2.   In case you have painless skin growth: Could you please check on this skin tag on my neck?

 

    3.   Asking about the store-bought patch/cream/ointment for small solid texture of skin growth: Is the OTC (Over-The-Counter) wart remover/ wart freeze safe to use?

 

    4.   Asking about some scars/  wounds of stitches: Will these stitches go away or stay for good?

 

    5.   To learn about a section of toughened or thick part of your skin – often on your feet – due to constant pressure or friction:  I run every day and have developed calluses on the big toe. Should I get rid of them even if they don’t hurt?

 

    6.   To see if a stitch or row of stitches holding together the edges of a wound or surgical incision will stay or go away: How long will it take for my sutures (or stitches) to dissolve/ disappear on their own?

 

    7.   In case you wonder if your dark spots/moles may need to be more thoroughly examined to check for the possibility of malignant melanoma: Do I need biopsy of this mole?

 

    8.   When you feel your skin getting too dry or lacking moisture to the point of peeling: What should I do about my flaky skin during winter?

 

    9.   If you have sudden burning or itching sensation on one side of your body: My lower back has been feeling tingling. Could it be the Shingles?

 

    10.  Asking about the availability of a doctor-recommended skincare products in online or offline markets: Would I need a prescription for this emollient cream?

 

    11. In case you give your doctor information/descriptions about your skin type when you often develop pimples: I have acne-prone skin.

 

    12. Asking about the possible relationship between the symptoms of having red blemishes and your hormonal imbalance or contact inflammation: Does my rosacea have something to do with hormonal fluctuations or allergic reaction to cosmetics?

 

    13. Asking about the possibility to remove reddish or brown mark on your body from birth: Can I get my birthmarks on the forehead removed?

 

    14. To be correctly informed about skin exfoliation and its possible harmful effects on your outer most skin layer: Does frequent use (=overuse) of exfoliators weaken your skin barrier?

   

    15. Asking about the well-known anti-ageing injection Botox and the duration of its valid effects: Would Botox keep crow’s feet at bay permanently?

 

    16. Asking if self tanners (lotion/cream/booths) might be harmful on your skin: Is it safe to use self tanning products? / Could self tanning booths be damaging on your skin?

Time to play the NPR puzzle! Find the common word that fits in a pair of phrases.

Every answer today is a pair of phrases in the form of "___ of ___," where the phrases can end in two ways. I'll give you the two ways those phrases can end. You give me the starting word. Every starting word is five letters long. Ready to play?

 

Ex. Bread / Life --> SLICE (slice of bread, slice of life)

1. Way / First refusal

2. Mind / The Union

3. Purchase / The pudding

4. Wheat / The crop

5. Cards / Representatives

6. Paper / Cake

7. View / No return

8. May / All

9. Golf / Applause

10. Sheba / Hearts

11. Mind / Music

 

Answer Keys

    1.  right   (right of way, right of first refusal)

    2.  state  (state of mind, state of the union)

    3.  proof (proof of purchase, proof of pudding)

    4.  cream (cream of wheat, cream of the crop)

    5.  house (house of cards, house of representatives

    6.  piece (piece of paper, piece of cake)

    7.  point  (point of view, point of no return)

    8.  first (first of May, first of all)

    9.  round (round of golf, round of applause)

   10.   queen (queen of Sheba, queen of hearts)

   11.   sound (sound of mind, sound of music)

NPR Weekend On-air Challenge of Sunday Puzzle (from yesterday)

It is time to play to puzzle created by the puzzle master Will Shortz from NPR! Every answer today is a word or name that sounds like it starts with two spoken letters of the alphabet.

 

Example: Wanting what other people have --> ENVIOUS (N-V-ous)

 

1. Place for camels to drink

2. Capital of Austria

3. Try to be like as a role model

4. Boredom

5. 9 x 9

6. Activity of secret agents

7. One involved in trickery

[Each of the last answers starts with three spoken letters of the alphabet]

8. Following orders

9. Online travel agency that competes with Travelocity

10. [Fill in the blank:] "___, my dear Watson"

 

<Answer Keys>

    1.  oasis (O, A)

    2.  Vienna (V, N)

    3.  emulate (M, U)

    4.  tedium (T, D)

    5.  eighty one (A, T)

    6.  espionage (S, P)

    7.  deceiver (D, C)

    8.  obedience (O, B)

    9.  expedia (X, P)

    10. elementary (L, E)

Time to play the puzzle!!! (created by NPR's puzzle master Will Shortz)

Time to play the puzzle from yesterday’s NPR on-air challenge! Below are some clues. The answer to each one is one of the words in the clue with its vowel sound changed.

 

Example: What fish bite --> BAIT (the word "bite" with the long-I sound changed to a long-A)

 

1. Not day

 

2. It's made by moistening dirt

 

3. Jacket part that covers the head

 

4. Item that's sowed in a garden

 

5. The opposite of feast

 

6. Fail to hit a ball in fair territory

 

7. Painful illness you get in your joints

 

8. What kickboxers fight with

 

9. What might surround a castle

 

10. What a used towel is

 

11. [Fill in the blank:] Man in the ___

 

 

12. [Fill in the blank:] Last but not ___

Answer Keys

    1.  night

    2.  mud

    3.  hood

    4.  seed

    5.  fast

    6.  foul

    7.  gout

    8.  feet

    9.  moat

    10. wet

    11. moon

    12. least

Love eating? Join the club.

Are you a type of person who eats to live or lives to eat? Are you exercising to eat or eating just to fuel yourself to work out? Whatever you are, we all need to eat, and most of us enjoy tasty foods. Let us go over the difference between the following words.

 

gourmet: a connoisseur in food and drink and the discriminating enjoyment of them

(* synonyms: gastronome, epicure, foodie)

 

gourmand: a person who loves eating but often eats greedily or too much

(*synonyms: glutton, stuffer, gobbler, gutbucket, swiller, guzzler)

 

Time to practice using the right word in the following given sentences. You have a clue letter or two for each blank.

 

    1.  After the sw_____________ had her fill, she could not even sit still with her pants fully zipped.

 

    2.   Chef Pasidaro is such a _________met baker that people with fine taste get in line for because of her one-of-a-kind cakes and muffins.

 

    3. James is a __________tton who repeats binge-eating and drinking to a dangerous level.

 

    4.   They used to call Betsy an epi___________, because she has a discriminating taste for fine foods and beverages.

 

    5.   Timothy is a f___________ that has a special interest in or knowledge of food and even used to travel around the world to explore the world of exotic foods.

 

    6.   Matt, please don’t be a ________bbler at the party tonight. Nobody there would eat without decorum.

 

    7.   The banquet will make a fun present for any _____tronome and wine connoisseur.

 

 

Answer Keys  

    1.  swiller

    2.  gourmet

    3.  glutton

    4.  epicure

    5.  foodie

    6.  gobbler

    7.  gastronome

Sunday Word Puzzle from NPR (aired today, January 10, 2021)

 Today, I've brought a game of Categories based on the word FIRST. For each category I give, name something in it starting with each of the letters F-I-R-S-T. Any answer that works is OK, and you can give the answers in any order.

 

Example: If the category were "Girl's Names," you might say Flo, Iris, Rosa, Sarah and Teresa.

 

1. State capitals

 

2. Parts of the human body

 

3. Terms in mathematics

 

4. Appliances you plug in

Answer Keys

    1.  Frankfort (capital of Kentucky), Indianapolis (capital of Indiana), Richmond (capital of Virginia), Sacramento (capital of California), Tallahassee (capital of Florida)  

    2.  Face, Index finger, Rib, Stomach, Toes

    3.  Factor, Integers, Rhombus, Theorem, Set     

    4. Fan, Iron, Refrigerator, Stove, Thermomix