Living in the “Us vs Them” World

Since Trump administration launched, I have seen so many people have unfriended their friends on the social media, just because they are upset by their friends’ political dispositions or probably because they might have paralogized their friends’ characters based on differences of ideas they have.

Sadly, today we are living in a world where people with different thoughts or opinions of others are something to be impugned without giving them a second chance to provide cogent explanations. If you have somewhat new or creative approach to something in this square world, you are apt to be viewed as some kind of carcinogen that should be stonewalled by majority of others who share their own same colors. It is such a painfully “black or white” type of demarcation. If they look, think, or behave differently from the way we do, they become something negative. This is a stark-naked reality especially in the field of politics. Right or left. In or out of one’s cohort. One or the other. Us vs them. VERY DANGEROUS.

In a sense, having a consistent and apparent opinion is an important quality we need in life, and it is way better than to be a whiffler depending on circumstances.  Among the hardliners, someone who has a neutral color is often accused of being insipid and wishy-washy, hiding in the umbra of the black or white views. They seem to assert that only the calliopean voice in life matters and is worthy to be heard. However, being somewhere in between one or the other can also make one good aspect of opinions, which has no reason to be criticized or denigrated due to their lackluster color in a procrustean bed.

Witnessing a lot of verbal attacks and overblown insults on one another in political debates, which would lead them to the point of “unfriending” on social media, I ask myself ‘am I still gonna be his or her friend tomorrow if I show my true colors on this matter?’ Tiptoeing around people’s thoughts is not my cup of tea though. I’d rather say what I mean and be happy to stay as a good friend to those who would still be ready to embrace my thoughts that could be different from theirs or at least just let me be that way. How about you out there? Are you still my friends? 

Expressions

to paralogize…: (verb) to draw conclusions that do not follow logically from a given set of assumptions

to impugn…: (verb) to challenge, vilify, slander, or assail others’ statements/ motives as false; cast doubt upon others’ ideas

cogent: (adjective) convincing, forcible

carcinogen: (noun) a substance capable of causing cancer in living tissue

to stonewall…: (verb) To doggedly block someone's progress. Originally derived from the nickname a Confederate general "Stonewall" Jackson obtained at the battle of Bull Run. The troops said his men were holding back the Union army like a stone wall. So “to stonewall” means to delay and generally block someone.

cohort: (noun) a group of people (sharing the same interest or goal)

whiffler: (noun) a person who frequently changes opinions or course;  a person who uses shifts and evasions in argument.

umbra: (noun) shadow/ darkness

calliopean: (adjective) piercingly loud

lackluster: (adjective) lacking in energy or vitality

procrustean bed: (noun) a plan or scheme to produce uniformity or conformity by arbitrary or violent methods.

What is Your Outlet for Daily Stresses of Life?

A lot of people stay in touch with their family and friends through social media today. Sometimes the daily communications make your days and lift you up. Some other times, posers’ empty panache makes you feel miserable as if only your life would need to get an overhaul for some reason. Do you believe all that bravado or empty show-off out there? Are you motivated or attracted by their piquant way of livings shown through Facebook or Instagram? If you are a frequent or regular social media user, there is one more certainty in your life beyond “taxes” or “death”: occasional bouts of unwanted comparisons.

Whenever the valueless moment of comparing others’ lives to yours occurs to me, I recite the following words in my mind “Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.” Yes, the grass often looks way greener on the other side, but that could be simply because the grass on the other side might be fake. What you have, who you are, and where you stand are the real things that deserve all your attention and passion.

Are you too tired to understand the spirit that goes “Life is unfair, but it’s still good”? Well, don’t despair. You’re not the only one. I also find myself at times envying some others for what they’ve got and get mad for your negative, soul-killing situations created by God. Well, I believe it’s alright to get angry with God sometimes, because He can take it in the grand scheme of His providence! ;-)

Wouldn’t it be too sad to audit our own lives based on somebody else’s? It is nobody but you that is in charge of your joie de vivre. No matter where you find your outlet for daily stresses, all you need to remember is that YOU are the one that makes the best out of what you got, who you are, and where you stand today. Your best moment is yet to come.

Expressions

poser: (noun) a person who pretends to be someone who is not or who tries to fit in but with exaggeration

panache: (noun) French word (=panasch), meaning "dash or flamboyance in style and action"/ "verve"/ “elation”

get an overhaul: (verb) the act of improving by renewing and restoring

bravado: (noun) bluff or fake courage or bold manner to impress or intimidate

piquant: (adjective) pleasantly pungent (odor or taste)/ savory/ zesty

bout: (noun) a short period of intense activity of a specified kind

                                     

in the grand scheme of things: (adverbial phrase) “to look at the big picture" or "to evaluate the entire situation"  For example, if you say that “ in the grand scheme of things something is not important”, you mean that it is not important when compared to much more serious things

joie de vivre: (noun) French words meaning “joy of living”

outlet: (noun) an opening or vent permitting escape or release/  a means for release or expression of emotion

Let’s Practice English Idioms! IV

What’s the biggest obstacle in your journey of exploring English? It could be grammar, pronunciation, or huge amount of vocabulary that seems to be endless. Above all, idiomatic expressions that have hidden, figurative meanings. Without understanding the cultural background or conventional usage of idioms, one can hardly imagine what those words are supposed to mean.

Using the given list of idioms and your imagination, try to choose a proper expression to fill in the blank of each sentence below.

         a.       let one’s freak flag fly             

         b.     go the extra mile

c.     crunch time

d.     dig in your heels            

e.     shape up or ship out               

f.      rock

g.     pull a rabbit out of a hat        

h.     let the chips fall where they may

i.      by the skin of one’s teeth      

j.  get out of hand

1. How many times do I have to ask you to be punctual?! ______________________________________________. Otherwise, you’re grounded!

2. I have been barely sleeping lately since it is ______________________________ at work. Everybody including myself is working to the bone day and night to meet the deadline.

3. As the party had picked up its crazy pace and ________________________________________, people started to drink, swear and throw food at one another. Sense went out the window!

4. When my mother said she would become a pilot, her parents called her insane. However, she _________________________________________ and finally made her dream come true!

5. If things do not seem to go your way in your life, don’t give up but ________________________________________. Then you’ll make it in the end!

6. Don’t worry about what others would say about the result this time. Just _________________________________________________________.

7. Wow! I do love your voice! You ______________________!!!

8. When the bookworm Bill ____________________________________________ by his signature dance moves to Beyonce’s tune “Freak ‘Em Dress” at the end-of-the-year party, everybody’s jaws dropped.

9. When there was no hope at all, he ________________________________________________ and broke the logjam over the issue.

10. Joe did not study hard and passed the exam _____________________________________________.

Clues to Solve:

let one’s freak flag fly: (verb) let others see one’s uniqueness/ or let loose, being down with one’s cool self or inner freak that wants to come out, but often is suppressed by social anxiety

go the extra mile: (verb) to make a special effort/try very hard to achieve your goal

crunch time: (noun) the period of time just before a project has to be completed and everyone has to work hard

dig in one’s heels: (verb) to stick to one’s guns/ to not change one’s mind or opinions or compromise

Shape up or ship out: (verb) either start performing better or leave

You rock!: (full sentence) You are wonderful! You are great!

pull a rabbit out of a hat: (verb) to do something unexpected that may have seemed impossible

let the chips fall where they may: (verb) to do something without worrying about the effects of your actions (just like a carpenter cuts off a tree without worrying about where the chips would fall as the tree trunk is being cut)

by the skin of one’s teeth: (adverbial phrase) by a very small margin/ narrowly

get out of hand: (verb) to get out of one’s control

Answer Keys: 1.  e. shape up or ship out   2. c. crunch time        3. j. got out of hand

4. d. dug in her heels         5. b. go the extra mile                 6. h. let the chips fall where they may

7. f. rock   8. a. let his freak flag fly   9. g. pulled a rabbit out of a hat

10. i. by the skin of his teeth

Looking back on the US presidential election in 2016

The U.S. presidential election of 2016 has shown signs of overheating all along. Among the candidates, the most controversial one in dispute, who has extinct supporters and hate groups at the same time, is Donald Trump. As well aware, Trump is new to the political arena and has been well-known as a big shot in the field of business. Contrary to popular belief or expectation, this novice politician has swept the votes in many primary elections held in major states. Although Trump has manifested his strong opposition to immigration, hatred against Latinos and Muslims, free trade, and military interventionism, he has gained considerable amount of support and eventually emerged as the front-runner for the Republican nomination. Even at a glance, one could tell he is a divider, not a “unifier” as he claims himself. Then, what on earth has made so many voters out there decide to pull for him?

Politicians, historians, and polemic writers point out that American people have been way too fed up with elite statesmen for all these years. They do not wish to see pretentious posers or saturnine politicians deceive or disappoint the fellow citizens by their obvious chicanery. Trump’s supporters keep saying this guy is honest, even if he might sound a bit too vulgar in public, and will never the spook the market because he’s a seasoned business guru. They firmly believe that at least Trump will not line his pocket with largesse just like many other ugly precedent statesmen did. The other major supporting group of voters for Trump asserts that he is the only candidate that will truly embrace “white working class” in America that has been traditionally ridiculed as the “red-neck” in this country. While most other leaders focus on racism, poverty, women rights, and health care, Trump has seemed to join hands with white working class. Well, but to me, this whole picture of staunch supporters ensorcelled at the Trump supporting rally seems so incongruous and spurious. They look like grasping at straws, playing Russian Roulette with the future of America by means of opting for a rich guy.

Yes, as you may have already guessed, I am not supporting Trump. Aside from media frenzy or hatred against Trump’s contagious energy, I find it so unnerving to see the way this man delivers his ideas. He says “If you don’t like immigration, build a wall. If you’re suspicious of Muslims, track them in a database. If you support police officers, impose the death penalty on cop killers.” These straightforward comments may sound ideal or exciting to many voters. However, to me, he is no more than a Fascist full of vain panache and narcissism in disguise.

I do hope and pray that American voters supporting Trump  will snap out of  this “autoschediastic” attitude (in choosing the President of this country) that they believe would mend the problems in American society. America’s tomorrow SHOULD NOT be in the wrong hands that know diddly about how to run a nation.

Expressions

arena: (noun) a field or an area of activity, interest, or competition

                                                                    

big shot: (noun) a hot shot/ a person who holds a great deal of clout/ power in whatever industry/culture that they are a part of.  Someone who is looked up to by people who tend to be followers.

contrary to popular belief: (adverbial phrase) despite what many people believe

at a glance: (adverbial phrase) with a quick look

pull for somebody/ something: (verb) to support/ cheer somebody or sports team

to say or show that one hopes (someone or something) will succeed, get well,

be fed up with: (verb) to be sick and tired of somebody or something

pretentious: (adjective)  trying to sound intelligent by using long, complicated words, even though one doesn't know what they mean

having or showing the unpleasant quality of people who want to be regarded as more impressive, successful, or important than they really are

saturnine: (adjective) gloomy/ sarcastic

chicanery: (noun) deception by trickery or sophistry/ a trick; a subterfuge

spook the market: (verb) destroy the market

line one’s pocket: (verb) to take or get a lot of money by doing something illegal or dishonest (*This is what we’ve seen with a lot of corrupt politicians.)

largesse: (noun) a person who gives away money; also money that is given away

red-neck: (noun) offensive term for a lower class white person from the southeastern states of the USA. Derives from someone who spent a lot of time on manual labour outside and so received a "red neck" from the sun.

staunch: (adjective) very loyal and committed

ensorcell: (verb) to have a spell cast upon somebody/ to enchant somebody

rally: (noun) a public meeting to support or oppose someone or something

spurious: (adjective) not genuine, real, or true; bogus, sham, or counterfeit

grasp at straws: (verb) to depend on something that is useless; to make a futile attempt at something in desperate or hopeless situations

media frenzy: (noun) a state of violent mental agitation or wild excitement caused by mass media/ Temporary madness or delirium

unnerving: (adjective) unable to think clearly

panache: (noun) flamboyance in style

in disguise: (adjective) made to look like something else :  presented as another thing

snap out of something: (verb) to stop being in or to cause (someone) to stop being in (an unhappy condition or mood, a daydream, etc.

autoschediastic: (adjective) offhand, with little forethought or preparation/ makeshift/ extemporaneous

know diddly about something: (verb) to know nothing about something

Health-related Idiomatic Expressions

1.   Josh looked so pale as a __________________ when he reached the finish line of the 10 K race. 2.   Terry fell down a flight of stairs and her arm became  ________________________. 3.   Did you see the NFL game last night? My favorite quarterback ____________________ when he was hit by the other player. 4.   His grandpa looked ___________________________ at his 100th birthday party. 5.    Nathan never got over stage fright. He always broke ___________________________ when he had to make a speech in public. 6.   Hannah, just take a deep breath and relax. You are a ________________________ each time I see you before the final exams. 7.   Martha was so happy when she received a __________________________ from her gynecologist. 8.   Thomas, you haven’t slept for three days in a row! I think you need to see a _________________________ before you get burnt out in this stressful situation. 9.   Jean has a strained calf due to excessive trainings. She can’t wait to be _______________________ and resume her daily dose of running. 10.        Laura was diagnosed with skin cancer last year, but fortunately it has been ______________________ for the last five months.

a.   ghost           b.   break out in a cold sweat           c.   clean bill of health           d.   back on her feet           e.   black-and-blue       f. a bundle of nerves       g. in remission       h. alive and kicking       i. couch doctor (or shrink)       j. blacked out

*Answer Key

1. a (ghost)

2. e (black-and-blue)

3. j (blacked out)

4. h (alive and kicking)

5. b (broke out in a cold sweat)

6. f (a bundle of nerves)

7. c (clean bill of health)

8. i (couch doctor or shrink)

9.  d (back on her feet)

10. g (in remission)

Let’s Practice English Idioms! III

What’s the biggest obstacle in your journey of exploring English? It could be grammar, pronunciation, or huge amount of vocabulary that seems to be endless. Above all, idiomatic expressions that have hidden, figurative meanings. Without understanding the cultural background or conventional usage of idioms, one can hardly imagine what those words are supposed to mean.

Using the given list of idioms and your imagination, try to choose a proper expression to fill in the blank of each sentence below.

a.   up in the air         b.  lose one’s touch       c.  ring a bell        d.  blow off steam

e.    look like a million dollars      f.  find one’s feet g.  come around

h.  face the music               i.  hit the book               j.   pitch in

1. Jean: How do you like your new work place? Is everything going your way?

    Ray:  Nahhh, actually, I am still struggling to ____________________________. I guess it’ll take me   

              some time to get fully adjusted to my new working environment.

2. I had a huge argument with my boss, and I don’t think he’ll soon _____________________________ because he’s such a stick-in-the-mud.

3. Doing your favorite exercise is a good way to keep yourself calm, especially when you are terribly mad or upset. As for me, I go out and run to _______________________________ when I am under pressure.

4. Mr. Higdon has been running his shoe repair store all his life.  He never seems to ________________________________ in this field.

5. Marty spent the whole break dilly-dallying without opening a book. Now that his mid-term is coming along, he has to _______________________________.

6. Look at those newlyweds in front of all those cheering family and friends! They look like ______________________________________!

7. Joshua has no time for a party this weekend since his mid-terms are beginning next week. It’s time for him to _______________________________.

8. Margo: Are you and Amy getting married soon, Bryan?

    Bryan: Well, not really at the moment. Our plan is still ___________________________________.

9. Hailey: Do you know one of my college friend named Eva?

    Samantha: Eva? Hmm…..I’m not quite sure, but that name ________________________________.

    Is  she the one who’s dating your ex-boyfriend, Hailey?

10. Rick: Ted is moving to a new studio this Saturday, and I’m helping him with carrying stuff to the new

                place.

      Ryan: Oh, if we all ____________________________, it’s not going to take all day.

Clues to Solve:

up in the air: (adjective) something is still not decided; uncertain or unsure

lose one’s touch: (verb) lose one’s ability or talent he/she once had when dealing with things, people or situations

ring a bell: (verb) when somebody has mentioned something, and that sounds familiar to you, you can say “……rings a bell!”  *Opposite situation: If you can hardly recollect a name or something exactly, you can say “…..is on the tip of my tongue.”

blow off steam: (verb)  to get rid of anger or frustration so you feel better again when you’re mad

look like a million dollars: (verb) a huge compliment to use when someone has really made an effort (for a special occasion like prom or a wedding) to look gorgeous and beautiful

find one’s feet: (verb) to adjust and get used to the new environment

come around: (verb) to change one’s mind especially to agree with another’s

*Related expression: A climb-down is a noun that means an ​occasion when you ​change ​your ​opinion or ​admit that you were ​wrong

face the music: (verb) to deal with the reality of the situation and accept all the consequences good or bad (but mostly bad such as punishment)

hit the book: (verb) to study very hard/ to pound the book

pitch in: (verb) to join in; to contribute (give) to something or someone

Answer Keys

1.  f. find my feet   2. g. come around 3. d. blow off steam        4. b. lose his touch

5. h. face the music         6. e. a million dollars        7. i. hit the book    8. a. up in the air

9. c. rings a bell               10. j. pitch in

Home Sweet Home with Cultural Permeability

It has been almost two decades since I moved here to the States. It’s not much of a stretch to say that there have been moments I got homesick and missed REAL , indigenous Korean dish. Even the Californian signature sunshine could not always fawn over aliens like us, the students from someone else’s country. My husband and I were no snowbirds who had picked the Southern California to soak up the sun away from the cold weather. We needed to buckle down as two poor students with a preschooler son. Burning the midnight oil as graduate students and trying hard to be good parents night and day have depleted our energy sometimes.

The most difficult thing to face back then was how to maintain our young one’s mother tongue in the country where English is spoken as the major medium of communication. Along with coping with our little son’s separation anxiety as he started to attend a preschool, we had to decide whether to teach him how to speak, read, and write in Korean language just as much as he was doing in English at school. His two preschool teachers strongly recommended that we should talk to him only in English even at home for the purpose of improving his English language. All things considered, my husband and I could not get our heads around the teachers’ stupid idea of giving up on teaching our son his native language. We thought their big idea of living only in the target language with our little boy was no more than their irrevocable parapraxis. Everyday, they gave my son time-out just because he wasn’t able to speak in English in class. He was only a two-and-a-half-year-old boy tossed into a battlefield where he was supposed to survive with someone else’s language. 

Although it went against the grain with the teachers, we spoke, sang, read, and wrote in Korean with our son at home. Yes, the teachers had not twisted our arms, and we continued to live in our own native language. Quite against the groundless thought that several different languages are incompatible in one little child’s life, most children absorb things just like sponges, which would help them develop into a multilingual, multicultural people. Thankfully, our son also showed the case of facilitative (not debilitative) bilingual and was also able to pick up both Korean and English at the same great proficiency level pretty soon. Ziggety! As might be expected of any parent, we were keen to help our son grow up to be a person who is culturally permeable with proper acculturation all along.  

No matter where we live or stay, home is where your heart is as long as you can accept both cultures and languages. To us, both Korea and America are our dear homes. We are not landlopers or secondary citizens eclipsed by the native people anywhere. Hope no one out there is confined to the thought that there is only one place we call home.

Expressions

It’s not much of a stretch to say that….: (phrase) It’s not that hard to believe that…..

fawn over somebody: (verb) to attend to somebody too excessively/ to flatter somebody

snowbird: (noun) One who moves from a cold to a warm place in the winter

soak up the sun: (verb) to absorb or take in the sunray while lying on the beach

buckle down: (verb) to start working hard

medium: (noun) a means or agency for communicating or diffusing information, news, etc, to the public: E.g., In this EFL class, English is the only medium of communication.

separation anxiety: (noun) a feeling of strong fear and anxiety that is experienced by a young child when the child is separated from a parent

(with) all things considered:  (adverbial phrase) taking everything into account/ after carefully thinking about all things

get one’s head around ….: (verb) to understand …..

parapraxis: (noun) minor error/ mistake/ slip of the tongue

go against the grain with somebody: (verb) to disagree with somebody