il Giardino Romantico

恰恰好American Thanksgiving前一天遇上級數最後一堂課。已經考完級數大考，也沒新的課程可以教的情況下，還是勉強帶了個節慶相關的活動。
下面這個Class Name是我請學生設計的喔：
開始 BRAINSTORM

The Lin Brothers 帶來的

剪刀石頭布加強版
點我看影片

看懂了沒？
拿去玩玩看吧！活潑好動的學生應該會特別喜歡喔！

瑜珈教室太遠了。師資品質太不穩定了。最近沒錢繳學費就別去了。
以前跟Jason住的地方，明明有個大陽台可以練，也卻還有一大堆理由。
今天太冷了。在室內練，兒子會來咬我。
搬回去跟姊姊同住後練了幾次又發現：家裡太悶了。開電扇又太冷。
接著就是全家人為了搬家的事聚在一起。雖然有了個人空間，但要在我房內練瑜珈也太窄了。老爸老媽跟老姐，一個個起的比我早。唯一可以做瑜珈的客廳也早早被老爸老媽的電視聲佔去。在寫這一段的時候才想到，為什麼我不去姊姊的房間關起門來做呢？他的房間比我大、比我的寬敞。

如果你覺得平價義大利麵的醬汁不夠，麵的Q度不夠。又覺得到高級餐廳吃義大利麵太貴？或是覺得醬汁容易弄的滿臉都是很尷尬？
如果你看過我介紹的食譜就會知道，太難的我也不會介紹。所以今天跟大家分享這道既簡單又營養的義大利麵。大家可以在家盡情享用。
準備的材料有：
1. Prego Mushroom Tomato Sauce* [一般超市就有在賣]
2. 乳酪絲 一包

金針菇煎蛋
第一次吃到金針菇是在高中時候。一位同學的台商父親開始投資培育金針菇，使得我們常常有免費的金針菇可以享用。不過這也不知道是福是禍。因為你知道台灣的包裝都是一把一把的。台灣人阿沙利的個性要給免費的根本不可能給個兩三把。要給也嘛是給個半公斤的！
天啊～這...半公斤要吃也很難。老媽還要想出不同的把戲，才能天天吃卻又吃不膩。
有一天老媽端了一盤炒蛋上桌，我吃了一口立即說好吃～
其實那時候到底是不是因為金針菇的關係，我還不太確定呢！但因為泰國的碎肉煎蛋加魚露是我每次去泰式餐廳必點的！[其實他們吃碎肉煎蛋是加番茄醬，可我偏要加魚露]。所以老媽端上一盤金針菇煎蛋，又附上一小碟的魚露，吃的我真是飯一口接著一口的下肚！

[The Tao of Pooh] [The Te of Piglet]
It is undeniably difficult to write a book that is at least half-decent.  It is ten times more difficult to write a sequel to a book that has reached the first level of decency.   The Tao of Poohwas a success because the analogy between a simple, childish character of Winnie-the-Pooh and the fundamental teachings of Taoism was original, and more importantly, appropriate.  Thus when the opportunity came for the purchasing of The Te of Piglet, I did not hesitate.  The analogy made sense to me even before having read the book.
Using The Tao of Pooh as an introduction to Taoism as a philosophy, this time Benjamin Hoff goes a little deeper into the same subject, but scrutinizing and actually criticizing his society and the whole of the so-called civilized world.  But first of all, let's understand why such a puny little character is chosen.  My question to you is: Why Not?  If Pooh were to represent the masculinity of Taoism, why wouldn't little Piglet represent the femininity of Taoism?  That is to say, Pooh represent the 'yang' 陽 and Piglet the 'ying' 陰.  Pooh is larger in size and popularity, whereas Piglet is small and whose voice and opinion is often ignored or unheard.  This is not to say that Piglet is docile and that Pooh is violent.  They are different.  However, they are not the antithesis of one another.  It is the harmonious combination of their qualities and virtues that makes this Taoist idea complete.  The 'tao' 道 and the 'te' 德 must both be realized, appreciated, and practiced.  The 'te', however, like Piglet, is often ignored or unheard by the majority.  It is understandable for such a small detail to be neglected.  However, paradoxically these neglected small details often are of great importance.
[Piglet throwing out a message in a bottle]
Piglet is not the only subject being discussed and analogized.  The gloomy, pessimistic Eeyore is also one of the characters used as an archetype, if you will.  It is sad to say, but true, that there are many of Eeyore's ilk present amongst us.  These Eeyores see nothing good, does nothing cheerful, and feels no happiness whatsoever.  The news media is the perfect example of an Eeyore.   Here, Hoff quotes from Thoreau's Walden:
'II am sure that I never read any memorable news in a newspaper. If we read of one man robbed, or murdered, or killed by accident, or one house burned, or one vessel wrecked, or one steamboat blown up, or one cow run over on the Western Railroad, or one mad dog killed, or one lot of grasshoppers in the winter — we never need read of another. One is enough.'
So true.
[Gloomy Eeyore]
Rest assure that no pessimistic every-occassion bloopers are liked, company enjoyed, nor loved.  But what about an over-active Tigger archetype?  Taoism promotes balance and harmony.  Perhaps that is the reason why you will find Pooh and Piglet together more often than any other combination of characters.  If Eeyore is 0 on a scale of happiness, then Tigger is a 10.  From our daily lessons of life, we know that too much of anything, even good things, can't be good.  Tiggers will never be able to appreciate anything that requires patience or savory.  Chinese tea, for instance, is an art that involves both.  First, you wait for the water to boil.  Then you wait a couple of minutes for the leaves to open up after pouring in the boiled water.  Then you pour that out to warm the cups.  Not for drinking.  Then, you pour in some more boiled water and wait another couple of minutes.  Then once the tea is poured into a long thing china cup, you pour that into a shorter, wider china cup for drinking.  But before drinking, you sniff the thin cup and let the aroma arouse your sense of smell.  Now, you take one tiny sip, and let your senses work simultaneously for the savoring of the tea. 
'Nonesense!' Tiggers would say.
They'd drink the tea a second right after the first pouring of boiled water and burn their tongue.  Straight from the teapot too, probably. 
[Tigger falling off a tree]
However well the sequel may be, there are still some minute details to which I have difficulty concurring with.  For instance, Hoff claims that Eeyore Amazon type feminists who insist on politically alter certain terminology is nonsensical.  If these words were to come out of a woman's mind, then I might stop for a moment and really consider the significance of it.  However, I do not believe that any male, however intelligent or wise, will ever truly understand why we insist on such trivial matter.  When we refer to the human race as merely 'men', it is as though women have never existed.  Either that, or we fail to qualify to fall into the same category.  Therefore, I do insist the change.  Language is flexible, thus liable to change. 
Another detail worth noticing is the author's inclination towards oriental, or more accurately, Chinese educational ideals.  I assume that being where Taoism originated, he believed that our part of the world would definitely value childhood more than they do in the west.  We, who live on the eastern hemisphere would know that he has been deceived.  I, myself, being fortunate enough to be brought up both the traditional Chinese way and profoundly influenced by western education can proof this through my own experience.  I remember well that it was not until the beginning of my western education that I really come to understand what childhood is really about.  While our peers back in Taiwan suffered tremendous pressure from endless exams and after-school cram school sessions, we played and had fun.  Even with an extra hour of English lessons every school day, my siblings and I were given the chance to enjoy a genuine childhood.  Our childhood consisted of raising pets, overnight parties, bicycle rides, and non-training swimming sessions.  Trips to the countryside, fresh air, and bonfire celebrations remain, to this day, memory as clear as crystal. 
Hoff is not to be blamed.  For idealistically, had Taoism not been suppressed, it would be a better alternative to anything we have right now.
Despite the disagreements, I still recommend the reading of this book.  It has substance more sophisticated than many other books on the best-selling rack.  Or, you could go on being the Eeyore or Tigger and ignore some of the most important things in the world, just because they are as little a size as Piglet.

the Perfect Striker
 

Fernando TORRES is Liverpool's top scorer with seven goals, and top Premier League marksman, with four.
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當孤僻的Celeste遇上聲音甜美的Kay以及和藹可親的Nina與超大翻譯機會冒出什麼樣的火花！？
答案是：足以滾熟五個個人小火鍋的火花～
託英國教育展的福，讓我有機會與這兩位隔著部落格交流的格友們。這種機會，可遇不可求。知道要與兩位拍照前輩見面，原本不想帶自己的傻瓜Nikon去丟人現眼的。但還好後來還是厚著臉皮帶了去。也還好兩位格友都恰恰好沒帶。因為要是你們有帶，我拍的一定一下就被比下去啦！！
三人相約在捷運忠孝敦化站會面。走不到幾分鐘來到一家長的像賣健康食品的店面。
原來是一家非常有特色的火鍋店！
桌上的用餐紙，還一一的告訴每一位客人如何烹調。要照他們的方法食用才會最好吃喔！
[上圖]這是開胃小盤。火龍果和柳丁大家不陌生。中間那朵鮮豔的花也是可以食用的喔！吃起來香香的，不過名字我忘了！[Kay，麻煩幫我補充一下～]
[上圖]雖然是吃火鍋，但還是給了一盤沙拉。吃了以後更開胃。
[上圖]這是我素鍋的沾醬。原本我都沒沾醬。後來試了幾口發現還真的很不錯吃耶！
不過我忘了一件事：就是拍其他人的沾醬！[原諒我～]
[上圖] 這是大家都有的蔬菜盤。裡面除了地瓜葉是我們平時吃的到的，其他都是很特別的喔！
這角度還是Nina提醒我的。我都還沒想到要這樣拍～ 效果如何？還可以嗎？
[上圖] 這是我的素鍋主食。素料一點點而已，其他都是蔬菜。正合我意呢！
不過我又要跟大家抱歉了，因為我回家才想到：我竟然沒拍到你們吃的肉片！
在大家很努力的品嚐新鮮美食的同時，當然也要很努力的聊天。這次的小聚會讓我覺得很溫馨。完全沒壓力。輕輕鬆鬆的談天談地。如果每次聚會都能像這樣，那我也要參加。不過話說回來，我還是很孤僻的。如果今天是大型的聚會，我可能會躲在角落劃圈圈。
很高興這次有機會與你們碰面，又聊了那麼多。以後到你們的部落格又會覺得更親切了。
吃完了以後還有甜點呢！
[上圖] 甜點：芝麻糊  微甜不膩。不過湯匙太小，到最後大家都不故形象的直接碗對口的喝～
可惜事後我還得趕去教育展，不然還有一整個下午的時間可以隨便亂聊。看看下次還有沒有機會囉！
總之，真的很高興這次有機會跟你們碰面～～
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食草植物鍋店家網站

最近12級的孩子們在學假設語。但是我覺得課本中的句型練習太無聊了。雖然我是一個不會完遊戲的老師，可是每次教到高級數我都越教越輕鬆。因為我講的笑話開始有人聽的懂了。所以現在每次教他們，幾乎兩個小時的笑聲都沒停過。
因為人數不多，所以從這個級數的一開始，我就常常讓他們在課堂中練習自己用新學到的句型去造自己的句子。因為以前老師說過說的比聽的記得牢，讀的比說的記的牢，寫的又比讀的記的牢。教的又勝過全部。但他們還是學生，所以要是能夠先聽，再用寫的練習。寫完再念。念完再說。這樣全方位的練習，要跟我抱怨練習不夠那我還真的不知道該怎麼辦。
他們的想像能力都不錯。是我教過的學生群裡面算是不錯的了。雖然每次上課都會寫lesson plan，但人算不如天算。寫到後來大家都知道有時候寫的完全沒上到。但不寫又會完全沒概念。就等冷場。今天分享的是我再第二節上課時臨時突發奇想的點子。我開始寫了一個句子，讓孩子們接力，繼續用同一個句型寫下去，變成一個故事。
結果這是我們第一個寫出來的小故事：
If I jumped off a building, I would break a leg.  If I broke a leg, I would have to go to the hospital.  If I went to the hospital, I would see a doctor.  If I saw a doctor, I would eat him.  If I ate him, I would eat a nurse, too.  If I ate the nurse, I would have diarrhea.  If I had diarrhea, I would go to the bathroom.  If I went to the bathroom, I would jump out the window and break my other leg.

啦啦啦～～～
我是一隻小乖貓！
平時沒事愛睡覺....
只有阿姨不在時....
我才會無法無天的玩！！！！