LIVE, LEARN, & LOVE SERES #98. Asphalt City (film, 2023)

 Do you take delight in watching films, listening to pop music, or reading books? For English learners, movies, songs, and books are one of the most wonderful sources to explore the language! You can indulge in your favorite pastime and still learn some expressions, words of wisdom, and oftentimes good lessons while you’re at it.

 

#98. Asphalt City (film, 2023)

Set against the unforgiving streets of New York City, this film follows two FDNY paramedics whose nightly mission is to save lives. Ollie Cross (played by Ty Sheridan), a rookie on the night shift, is paired with the battle-hardened veteran paramedic Gene Rutkovsky (played by Sean Penn). As they race from one life-or-death emergency to the next, the relentless trauma of the job begins to erode their mental resilience, forcing both men to confront the limits of their courage, compassion, and faith in humanity.

 

(Rutkovsky’s little daughter said to her dad): “You help people get better."

ð     This scene is one of the film's most touching moments. When Rutkovsky's young daughter quietly tells her father, "You help people get better.", we get to reflect on how the tough paramedic’s life really looks like. In a story filled with relentless emergencies, emotional scars, and growing cynicism, her simple words offer a rare moment of warmth and hope. The scene briefly reveals the fragile family life hidden beneath the veteran paramedic's hardened exterior and reminds us why he continues to face the relentless trauma of the job, even as it slowly chips away at his spirit.

 

(Gene Rutkovsky said): “When the ambulance doors close we're no longer pawns, we're gods.”

ð     With these words, Rutkovsky explains how a paramedic's role changes the moment the ambulance doors close. On the streets, they face confusion, violence, and many things they cannot control on a daily basis. But inside the ambulance, they must make life-or-death decisions, and every second matters. However, this quote is not really about power. It shows how years of seeing pain, death, and suffering have changed Rutkovsky. The heavy emotional burden of the job has made him lose hope and trust in people. As the story unfolds, his belief that he can decide who deserves to be saved leads him into dangerous moral territory.

 

(Ollie Cross said): “You start doing this job because you want to help people, sometimes you just end up doing the complete opposite.”

ð     One of the film's central messages is that people who enter helping professions with kind hearts can slowly change under constant stress and trauma. Many begin their careers wanting to save lives and make the world a better place. But years of witnessing pain, violence, and death, along with working in broken systems, can gradually wear down their compassion and hope.

As a result, some workers become emotionally numb or make decisions they never imagined they would make. Without intending to, they may hurt the very people they once wanted to help. The film reminds us of a painful irony: a job that is meant to heal others can slowly wound the healer.

 

** Jean’s Small Thoughts:

Life does not always feel like a pleasant picnic or an exciting celebration. For many people, it is simply about surviving one day at a time. Asphalt City gives us a chance to look closely at the difficult reality faced by paramedics. From the moment they wake up until they finally collapse into bed, their lives are devoted to responding to emergencies and helping people whose lives are suddenly in danger.

Ironically, the very people who save others are often the ones who quietly need saving themselves. Through Rutkovsky's words, Asphalt City reminds us that witnessing human suffering day after day can slowly wear down even the strongest and most compassionate people. It made me wonder whether anyone can hold on to their humanity while facing so much pain every single day. These paramedics have chosen a path that many would call God's calling, yet they are constantly tested by a world beyond their control outside the ambulance.

The film also brought back painful memories of my own family. During my father's final days with COPD, we pleaded with his doctor to do everything possible to ease the pain that was consuming him. Years later, when my mother fell and broke seven ribs, the calm and gentle paramedics who carefully lifted her onto the gurney looked like angels without wings. They were the first to step into a moment when life and death hung in the balance. They face unimaginable accidents not as distant observers, but as people who act with courage and compassion to make a terrible situation a little less tragic.

Watching this film was not easy. It made me imagine the emotional and physical burden these paramedics carry every day. At the same time, it filled me with deep gratitude for these ordinary heroes—their invisible wings allow them to rush toward danger while the rest of us hope someone will come to our rescue.

Why don't we forget the summer heat by swimming in the summer vocabulary?

How are you guys holding up to survive the brutal heatwave today? It feels like the sun has been cast as the villain in this summer blockbuster, turning every trip outside into an action scene! I hope you're staying cool and outsmarting the heat. Before your next adventure begins, why not pack a few summer-themed vocabulary along with your sunscreen?

Try to fill in the blanks given below so that each sentence would makes sense.

 

1.      (meaning “relating to, occurring in, or characteristic of the summer”)

Scott has a small swimming pool in his backyard, which is perfect for his little kids to enjoy the es_________ outdoor parties.

 

2.      (meaning “a bright sky-blue color or deep blue sky”)

Harry loves to look up at the morning sky without wearing shades. He says cer__________ summer sky makes him stay refreshed and lighthearted.

 

3.      (meaning “green, greenish, or turning green”)

Jenna’s eyes had such beautiful viri___________ hues that resemble the shiny emerald ocean.

 

4.      (meaning “full of, containing, or relating to a soft, light, and pleasant breeze”)

Harry and June were basking in the sun out at the quiet beach, enjoying the zep___________ breeze from the ocean.

 

5.      (meaning “very hot and dry, full of strong passion, or moving at a very fast and energetic pace”)

It is a bad idea to paint your backyard fence in this to________ afternoon. You’ll get terrible heatstroke.

 

6.      (meaning “of, relating to, or occurring in the evening or active, flowering, or flourishing in the evening”)

Jean’s small garden was filled with sweet aroma from the ves_____________ flowers like evening primroses.

7.      (meaning “relating to, caused by, or characterized by heavy rainfall”)

I heard that my area would have a plu__________ weekend ahead.

 

8.      (meaning “damp/ humid/ sticky”) Throughout the summer, people could hardly ever fall asleep without the air condition or a fan during the mu__________ nights.

 

Answer Keys

1.  estival

2.  cerulean

3.  viridescent

4.  zephyrean

5.  torrid

6.  vespertine

7.  pluvial

8.  muggy

LIVE, LEARN, & LOVE SERIES #97. The Rape of Nanking: The Forgotten Holocaust of World War II (authored by Iris Chang)

Do you take delight in watching films, listening to pop music, or reading books? For English learners, movies, songs, and books are one of the most wonderful sources to explore the language! You can indulge in your favorite pastime and still learn some expressions, words of wisdom, and oftentimes good lessons while you’re at it.

 

#97. The Rape of Nanking: The Forgotten Holocaust of World War II (authored by Iris Chang)

The Rape of Nanking (1997) by Iris Chang is a powerful and thought-provoking book about the 1937 Nanjing Massacre, one of the darkest chapters of World War II. Through survivor stories, historical records, and personal diaries, Chang gives a voice to those who suffered and to those who tried to help. The book became an international bestseller and helped bring global attention to a tragedy that had long been overlooked. At the same time, it sparked debate over some of its historical interpretations. Beyond the history itself, the book invites us to reflect on the importance of remembering the past, honoring the victims, and learning how truth and compassion can help prevent such tragedies from happening again.

 

“The loss of Shanghai came as a blow to Chiang Kai-sheck, the leader of the Nationalists. Faced with the loss of China’s largest metropolis, Chiang tried to resolve a difficult dilemma: whether to defend Nanking against the Japanese or move the entire capital to safer ground. In the end the Generalissimo decided to do both. But rather than stay and defend Nanking himself, he shifted the burden to someone else – a subordinate called Tang Sheng-chih.”

ð    After losing Shanghai, Chiang Kai-shek faced a difficult decision: defend Nanking or retreat to preserve his government. Instead of choosing one option, he attempted a risky compromise. He relocated his government to safety while leaving General Tang Sheng-chih in charge of defending Nanking. In doing so, Chiang shifted much of the immediate danger and responsibility to those who remained in the city. Chiang Kai-shek's decision had devastating consequences. Nanking soon fell to the Japanese army, followed by the Nanking Massacre (also known as the Rape of Nanking), in which countless civilians were killed or abused. Many historians consider his strategy a serious mistake that left both the city's defenders and its civilians vulnerable.

 

“The rape of Nanking forced the reporters – e.g., American journalists - out of their normal role as neutral observers and into the war drama as full-fledged participants. Sometimes they starred in their own stories by choosing to protect Chinese citizens from the Japanese invaders.”

ð     As the crisis in Nanking grew, American journalists found themselves doing more than reporting the news. Instead of remaining neutral observers, many chose to help protect Chinese civilians, risking their own lives in the process. In doing so, they became part of the very history they had come to document. When Iris Chang writes that reporters "starred in their own stories," she means that some journalists did more than observe and write. Faced with extraordinary violence, they sometimes intervened to help civilians, making moral choices that blurred the traditional boundary between objective reporting and humanitarian action. While their primary duty remained documenting events, the circumstances occasionally compelled them to become rescuers as well.

 

“In 1988 the Shochiku Fuji Distribution Company removed from Bernardo Bertolucci’s film biography of Pu Yi a thirty-second scene depicting the Rape of Nanking. Bertolucci was furious, of course, when he found out. Not only did the Japanese distributor cut the whole sequence of the ‘Rape of Nanking’ without my authorization and against my will, without even informing me, but they also declared to the press that myself and the producer, Jeremy Thomas, had made the original proposition to mutilate the movie,” he announced. This is absolutely false and revolting.”

ð    This passage describes how a reference to the Nanking Massacre was allegedly censored in Japan. According to the account, a Japanese film distributor removed a 30-second scene from Bernardo Bertolucci's movie without informing him. The distributor then claimed that Bertolucci and his producer had approved the change, a statement Bertolucci strongly denied, calling it false and unacceptable. The incident is presented as an example of attempts to downplay or avoid discussion of the Nanking Massacre.

 

** Jean’s Small Thoughts:

History matters because, without understanding the past, we have little hope of building a better future. When history is twisted or distorted by those in power or by biased storytellers, future generations can be misled by a false version of the truth. Many nations have painful chapters in their history, yet only some are willing to teach their young people what truly happened.

The Rape of Nanking also reminds us how important true leadership is during times of national crisis. Instead of making a clear military decision, Chiang Kai-shek chose a political compromise. As a result, Nanking was neither effectively defended nor fully evacuated. When Japanese forces entered the city in 1937, it was left largely defenseless.

A similar lesson can be found in Korean history. Seong-man Rhee's government has been widely criticized for its harsh suppression of suspected leftists, including the Jeju 4.3 incident. The Jeju 4.3 Incident is one of the saddest and the most brutal chapters in Korean history. From 1948 to 1954, Jeju Island experienced years of violence and suffering. Many islanders opposed the permanent division of Korea and the separate elections held only in the South. When armed rebels attacked police stations on April 3, 1948, the government responded with a severe military crackdown. As a result, countless innocent civilians lost their lives, and many families were left with deep emotional wounds. Today, the Jeju 4.3 Incident reminds us of the painful cost of political conflict and division. By remembering this history, we honor those who suffered and strengthen our hope for peace, understanding, and reconciliation.

Also, during the North Korean invasion in 1950, president Rhee’s government also ordered the destruction of the Han River Bridge to slow the enemy's advance. Many civilians were still crossing the bridge at the time, and earlier government announcements had led residents to believe it was safe to remain in Seoul. The result was a tragic loss of life, with many people stranded on the wrong side of the river. Looking back, I find it very difficult to see President Rhee as a true leader of my homeland. To me, he seemed to depend heavily on U.S. support and often appeared to serve American Cold War interests more than the hopes of the Korean people. That is one reason the Jeju 4.3 tragedy remains such a painful reminder of how ordinary citizens can suffer when political power takes precedence over human lives.

Lastly, I would like to point out that I am always moved whenever I learn about foreign correspondents who risked their own lives to help local people during wartime. In South Korea, Jürgen Hinzpeter courageously documented the military crackdown during the 1980 Gwangju Democratization Movement. He secretly filmed the violence against civilians and smuggled the footage out of the country, providing some of the first compelling visual evidence of the atrocities. His reporting brought international attention to the tragedy and remains a lasting example of courageous journalism.

These brave individuals became an unforgettable part of history. They showed that extreme human suffering can compel even professional observers to become active participants in saving lives. They never abandoned their duty as journalists, but they recognized that protecting human life sometimes had to come before remaining completely detached.

Wars continue to rage in many parts of the world today, and none of us is entirely untouched by their consequences. Reading books like The Rape of Nanking leaves me with one enduring question: Who should ultimately be held responsible for these needless and devastating wars?

It is time to play the latest Sunday Puzzle from NPR On-Air Challenge!

Every answer is a brand name that spells something in reverse.

Ex. Soap / A word meaning "placed" --> DIAL / LAID

 

1. Laundry detergent / Make changes in text

 

2. Drink mix / Flying pest

 

3. Canned meat / Contents of an atlas

 

4. Chewable antacid tablets / Obscene material

 

5. Cosmetics and skin-care products / Exploding star

 

6. Rental cars / Part of the Hindu trinity

 

7. Bygone Swedish car / Sounds of sheep

 

8. Bottled water / Easily fooled

 

9. Japanese watches and clocks / Natives of the Sooner State

 

10. Wafer cookies / Bold poker bet (2 words)

 

11. [phonetic] Candy bar consisting of a wafer covered with chocolate / Bit of strategy

Answer Keys

    1.  TIDE/ EDIT

    2.  TANG/ GNAT

    3.  SPAM/ MAPS

    4.  TUMS/ SMUT

    5.  AVON/ NOVA

    6.  AVIS/ SIVA

    7.  SAAB/ BAAS

    8.  EVIAN/ NAÏVE

    9.  SEIKO/ OKIES

    10. NILLA/ ALL-IN

    11.  KITKAT/ TACTIC (phonetically)

LIVE, LEARN, & LOVE SERIES #96. The Soul Would Have No Rainbow If the Eyes Had No Tears (Native American Tribes' Proverbs collected by Guy A. Zona)

Do you take delight in watching films, listening to pop music, or reading books? For English learners, movies, songs, and books are one of the most wonderful sources to explore the language! You can indulge in your favorite pastime and still learn some expressions, words of wisdom, and oftentimes good lessons while you’re at it.

 

#96. The Soul Would Have No Rainbow If the Eyes Had No Tears (Book of Native American Proverbs) collected by Guy A. Zona

This book is a heartfelt tribute to the wisdom of Native American tribes and their rich oral tradition. They remind us to honor the earth as sacred, cherish every day as God's day, and celebrate the vital roles of women as mothers, teachers, artists, and leaders. Their timeless values offer gentle lessons in living with gratitude, balance, and respect.

 

“Do not judge your neighbor until you walk two moons in his moccasins.” ……Northern Cheyenne

ð   This Northern Cheyenne proverb reminds us to never judge anyone too quickly. Before forming an opinion about someone, we should first understand their journey, struggles, and life experiences. Walking "two moons" in another's moccasins symbolizes the time, empathy, and humility needed to truly see the world through another person's eyes.

 

“It is less of a problem to be poor than to be dishonest.”…..Anishinabe

ð   The Anishinabe proverb is teaching us that poverty is far less damaging than dishonesty. While a lack of wealth can change over time, integrity shapes who we are and how others trust us. True richness is found not in what we own, but in living with honesty, earning respect, and strengthening the bonds that hold a community together.

 

“Thoughts are like arrows: once released, they strike their mark. Guard them well or one day you may be your own victim.” …….Navajo

ð    The Navajo proverb tells us that our thoughts shape our lives. Like an arrow that cannot be recalled once released, our attitudes and intentions eventually become our words and actions. When we choose wisdom, kindness, and compassion, they bring healing. But if we nurture anger, bitterness, or grudge, we often end up hurting ourselves the most.

 

“Man’s law changes with his understanding of man. Only the laws of the spirit remain always the same.” …..Crow

ð    The Crow proverb shows that human laws may change with time or become tenuous depending on situations, but the laws of the spirit endure forever. While societies revise their rules as they learn and grow, timeless values like love, compassion, respect, and harmony remain constant. They serve as our true guide through every generation.

 

“I have been to the end of the earth.

I have been to the end of the waters.

I have been to the end of the sky.

I have been to the end of the mountains.

I have found none that are not my friends.” ….Navajo

ð   The Navajo concept of Hózhó, often translated as "Walking in Beauty," invites us to live in harmony, balance, and peace with all of creation. It reminds us that we are deeply connected to the natural world and that every part of life is worthy of respect. By choosing gratitude over fear and compassion over conflict, we learn to see the world not as an enemy, but as our shared home.

 

** Jean’s Small Thoughts:

As the title of this book - which is also the Minquass’ old saying – shows, joy often grows from sorrow. Just as a rainbow appears only after the rain, life's greatest beauty and deepest gratitude often emerge through tears and hardship. Pain can become a path to healing, helping us appreciate hope, strength, and happiness more fully. Perhaps that is why we keep moving forward, one day at a time, even when life doesn't seem to be on our side. Hope quietly reminds us that every storm eventually gives way to brighter skies.

Today, let me share the poem that I wrote when I visited the Museum of Native American Tribes in Cleveland, Ohio a while ago.

 

An Ode to Cuyahoga Valley

by Jean Jiyoung Lee

 

Along the twists and turns of the river,

All the leaves dredged in summer green holler with pain.

Listening to their roar,

We were led back to the remnant of the old days slain.

 

Who was it wearing innocent smiles in the upland plateau?

When was it that the indefatigable spirit got ousted with tear?

The Great blue Heron in the valley gives you a magnificent wing span

quite pseudo,

But her eyes are telling you the past in fear.

 

Streaming sounds mixed in the waterfall

Echo the voice lost for good, I'd say.

Breezy forest full of weeping wildflowers so tall

Resembles the hopeless eyes of yesterday.

LIVE, LEARN, & LOVE SERIES #95. The Taste of Things (film, 2023)

Do you take delight in watching films, listening to pop music, or reading books? For English learners, movies, songs, and books are one of the most wonderful sources to explore the language! You can indulge in your favorite pastime and still learn some expressions, words of wisdom, and oftentimes good lessons while you’re at it.

 

#95. The Taste of Things (film, 2023)

This is the story of Eugénie, a talented cook, and Dodin, the renowned gourmet she has worked with for more than 20 years. The film portrays love as something richer and more meaningful than banal romance, built upon 20 years of sharing meals, cooking together, and marveling at gastronomic breakthroughs. Their romance inspires extraordinary dishes that amaze even the world's finest chefs. But when Eugénie hesitates to commit, Dodin sets out to win her heart through his cooking. 

(Dodin said): “Happiness is desiring what you already have.”

ð  Dodin shows his personal philosophy about happiness here,. It suggests that real happiness comes from cherishing and rediscovering the people and blessings already in our lives instead of always seeking something new. As Dodin’s longtime cook and companion of over twenty years, Eugénie treasures her independence and refuses his marriage proposals, she remains a constant source of admiration and mystery to him. When he asks, "But you, have I ever had you?" he reveals that love continues to grow through appreciation rather than possession. Like its exquisite cuisine, the film reminds us that life's greatest joys come not from chasing novelty all the time, but from giving our fullest care and attention to the simple, meaningful moments already before us.

 

“What you lose in taste, you gain in color. Before, the flavor was stronger and coarser, now it's more subtle.”

ð     These lines show great cooking evolves from being bold and heavy to becoming delicate, balanced, and beautifully simple. We could think of the way of cooking process as a metaphor for growth in art, love, and life, where true beauty is found in quiet refinement rather than dramatic display. In other words, real mastery comes from removing what is unnecessary, allowing subtlety and harmony to shine. Like a chef perfecting a timeless recipe, love also matures over time, evolving from youthful intensity into a deeper, calmer connection. This philosophy is melted in the film's graceful, unhurried storytelling, letting each scene unfold with quiet elegance.

 

(Beaubois, one of Dodin Bouffant's inner circle of food connoisseurs, said) “Man is the only animal that drinks without thirst. Wine is the intellectual side of a meal; Meat and vegetables, the material side. Worse than hunger is not knowing when you'll eat.”

ð     This Food is more than a basic need—it enriches life. Sharing meals and enjoying wine turn eating into moments of joy, connection, and meaningful conversation. While food nourishes the body, these shared experiences also feed the mind and spirit. Cooking becomes an act of creativity and love, reminding us that life is about more than simply surviving.

 

(Eugene said): “I’m in the summer of my life. And when I leave, it will still be summer.”

ð     This is the scene where Eugénie is expressing her honest feelings against what Dodin says about the phase in life they are entering. It is far more than a remark about age—it is a declaration of how she experiences life, love, and the human spirit. The conversation begins when Dodin reflects that they are entering the "autumn" of their lives, a poetic acknowledgment that they have reached their later years which can be considered as the gentle approach of life's final season. Dodin accepts this reality with quiet resignation. On the contrary, Eugénie refuses to see herself through the same lens. With calm confidence, she replies, "Speak for yourself. I'm in the summer of my life. And when I leave, it will still be summer."

She is not denying death or pretending it will never come. Instead, she expresses a serene acceptance that death cannot erase the fullness with which she has lived. Her inner summer is not a temporary season determined by age or physical decline; it is a state of being that transcends mortality. Even when her body is gone, the warmth she has created—the love she has shared, the meals she has prepared, and the joy she has inspired—will continue to live in the hearts of those she leaves behind.

 

 

 

** Jean’s Small Thoughts:

I love this film not because I see it as a story primarily about feminism, but because it reminds us to experience every moment of life as if it were our one precious opportunity to embrace joy and meaning. Rather than dwelling on the passage of time, the film celebrates the richness of being fully alive.

Every meal she prepares reflects this inner vitality. I would say and completely agree on her thoughts in that cooking is not merely a domestic task; it is a language of love, artistic expression, and quiet celebration of existence. Through every carefully chosen ingredient, every delicate flavor, and every beautifully presented dish, we transform ordinary nourishment into moments of beauty and intimacy. Like Eugénie, I believe that a rich life is not defined by grand accomplishments but by our ability to inhabit ordinary moments with extraordinary attention. The simplest rituals—preparing a meal, sharing a conversation, or appreciating the beauty of nature—become deeply meaningful when we are fully present.

In this sense, I also see eye to eye with Dodin's observation that "happiness is continuing to desire what we already have." Rather than dwelling on what is missing or endlessly pursuing what lies beyond our reach, genuine contentment comes from cherishing the blessings already before us. His words remind us that fulfillment is not found in constant acquisition but in cultivating gratitude for the life we are already living. Together, Eugénie and Dodin offer a timeless philosophy: joy is born not from having more, but from loving more deeply what we already possess.

As long as one continues to embrace love, beauty, generosity, and wonder, the heart can remain forever in summer, regardless of age. Even after life ends, I believe that the warmth of a life (fully lived) continues to illuminate others, much like the lingering glow of a summer sunset after the sun has disappeared below the horizon.

Time to play the latest Sunday Puzzle from NPR!!!

Answer each clue with a word that starts with the same first two letters as the clue.

Ex. Planetoid beyond Neptune --> PLUTO

 

1. Car at the end of a train

2. Early spring holiday

3. Windshield clearer

4. Bank amount

5. Boxing match

6. "Gilmore ___"

7. What crop North Dakota raises a lot of

8. Burger holder

9. Almighty one, to Muslims

10. Canada's current prime minister

11. Supporting straps for pants

12. Oranges are grown in it

13. Bales of hay are stored in it

14. City where the Reds play

15. Melodious amusement park ride

 

 

Answer Keys

    1.  caboose

    2.  Easter

    3.  wipers

    4.  balance

    5.  bout

    6.  girls

    7.  wheat  

    8. bun

    9.  Allah

    10.  Carney

    11.  suspenders

    12.  orchard

    13.  barn

    14.  Cincinnati

    15.  merry-go-round