WEBVTT 00:00:00.300 --> 00:00:04.320 Welcome to English as a Second Language podcast 00:00:04.320 --> 00:00:16.879 number 27. Hello and welcome to English as a 00:00:16.879 --> 00:00:23.300 Second Language podcast number 27. I'm your host, 00:00:23.719 --> 00:00:27.679 Dr. Jeff McQuillen, coming to you from the Center 00:00:27.679 --> 00:00:31.399 for Educational Development. here in Los Angeles, 00:00:31.719 --> 00:00:35.159 California. If this is the first time listening 00:00:35.159 --> 00:00:39.479 to our podcast, we ask that you go to our website 00:00:39.479 --> 00:00:48.659 at www .eslpod .com for more information on this 00:00:48.659 --> 00:00:53.579 podcast and for the scripts or text of the first 00:00:53.579 --> 00:00:57.520 part of today's podcast. Today we're going to 00:00:57.520 --> 00:01:02.350 talk about how we deal with, how we handle the 00:01:02.350 --> 00:01:07.689 stresses and the strains or the difficulties 00:01:07.689 --> 00:01:12.549 of everyday life. Lucy is going to tell us a 00:01:12.549 --> 00:01:17.349 little bit about the way she approaches everyday 00:01:17.349 --> 00:01:28.659 problems. Let's get started. I came across some 00:01:28.659 --> 00:01:33.560 good advice while reading this week. If you're 00:01:33.560 --> 00:01:38.599 like me, you spend most of your time thinking 00:01:38.599 --> 00:01:42.519 about all of the things that are on your to -do 00:01:42.519 --> 00:01:46.799 list, and you try to figure out how you're going 00:01:46.799 --> 00:01:53.359 to do them all. Or, sometimes I think about things 00:01:53.359 --> 00:01:59.469 that have already happened. Maybe I messed up 00:01:59.469 --> 00:02:04.969 my presentation at work or had a fight with my 00:02:04.969 --> 00:02:09.569 boyfriend. People dwell on these kinds of things 00:02:09.569 --> 00:02:14.990 all of the time. The book I was reading made 00:02:14.990 --> 00:02:20.449 a very good point. If you're constantly thinking 00:02:20.449 --> 00:02:25.530 about the past or the future, How can you enjoy 00:02:25.530 --> 00:02:31.090 the present? In other words You're making yourself 00:02:31.090 --> 00:02:35.789 unhappy by stressing out about things that you 00:02:35.789 --> 00:02:41.650 can't control At the same time you're missing 00:02:41.650 --> 00:02:47.949 what's happening right now I Know I do this all 00:02:47.949 --> 00:02:54.900 the time for instance I was at the movies this 00:02:54.900 --> 00:03:00.960 past weekend. I was with my good friend and we 00:03:00.960 --> 00:03:04.939 were seeing a movie we've had our eye on for 00:03:04.939 --> 00:03:10.900 weeks. I was looking forward to it and my friend 00:03:10.900 --> 00:03:17.479 and I were both in a great mood. Then I saw someone 00:03:17.479 --> 00:03:21.479 across the theater who looked like my co -worker. 00:03:22.439 --> 00:03:28.800 It wasn't her, but it got me thinking. I thought 00:03:28.800 --> 00:03:33.400 about the report I had to do on Monday and how 00:03:33.400 --> 00:03:39.020 much I hated working on it. Then I thought about 00:03:39.020 --> 00:03:42.639 my co -worker who wasn't pulling her weight. 00:03:44.259 --> 00:03:47.800 The more I thought about it, the more angry I 00:03:47.800 --> 00:03:52.810 got. By the time the movie started, My mood had 00:03:52.810 --> 00:03:59.330 changed completely. I was stressed out. Where 00:03:59.330 --> 00:04:02.949 did all of that thinking and worrying get me? 00:04:03.789 --> 00:04:09.770 Nowhere. My new resolution is to try to stop 00:04:09.770 --> 00:04:14.430 obsessing about the past and the future so much, 00:04:15.250 --> 00:04:24.670 and to just enjoy the here and now. Lucy told 00:04:24.670 --> 00:04:29.089 us about how she dealt with or how she handled 00:04:29.089 --> 00:04:32.990 the difficulties of life. Let's talk a little 00:04:32.990 --> 00:04:37.389 bit about what she said. She started by saying 00:04:37.389 --> 00:04:41.589 that she came across some good advice when she 00:04:41.589 --> 00:04:44.990 was reading this week. To come across something 00:04:44.990 --> 00:04:50.329 is to find something even though you aren't necessarily 00:04:50.329 --> 00:04:57.990 looking for it. For example, I was going through 00:04:57.990 --> 00:05:01.949 my filing cabinet where I keep my files, my papers, 00:05:02.569 --> 00:05:07.069 and I came across an old photo of my friend. 00:05:07.790 --> 00:05:13.550 I wasn't looking for it, but I found it. Lucy 00:05:13.550 --> 00:05:17.490 also mentioned that she spends a lot of time 00:05:17.490 --> 00:05:20.230 thinking about her to -do list or the things 00:05:20.230 --> 00:05:25.860 she has. has to do but sometimes she thinks about 00:05:25.860 --> 00:05:29.660 things that happened in the past for example 00:05:29.660 --> 00:05:33.040 she said that she was thinking about how she 00:05:33.040 --> 00:05:37.759 messed up her presentation at work to mess up 00:05:37.759 --> 00:05:43.420 something is to do a poor or do a bad job to 00:05:43.420 --> 00:05:47.339 mess up means to make a mistake The other expression, 00:05:47.500 --> 00:05:51.139 and this is an informal expression, is screwed 00:05:51.139 --> 00:05:57.980 up. I screwed up. Screwed up is a little more 00:05:57.980 --> 00:06:03.920 informal. Messed up is a little more acceptable 00:06:03.920 --> 00:06:07.839 for day -to -day conversation. Lucy mentioned 00:06:07.839 --> 00:06:13.199 that people often dwell on these kinds of things 00:06:13.199 --> 00:06:16.259 or their mistakes, for example. or their problems. 00:06:16.800 --> 00:06:20.519 To dwell on something means to think about it, 00:06:20.600 --> 00:06:24.819 but think about it too much. Don't dwell on the 00:06:24.819 --> 00:06:28.920 past is a common expression. It means don't think 00:06:28.920 --> 00:06:33.139 about the past too much because you can't do 00:06:33.139 --> 00:06:38.600 anything about it. The book that Lucy was reading, 00:06:38.899 --> 00:06:43.379 according to her, made a good point. A point 00:06:43.379 --> 00:06:48.579 here means an idea or a good idea or an argument 00:06:48.579 --> 00:06:53.040 often in favor of one thing or another. So you 00:06:53.040 --> 00:06:57.420 can say, you have a good point there. Meaning, 00:06:58.040 --> 00:07:01.740 the idea that you expressed is worth listening 00:07:01.740 --> 00:07:06.199 to. It's worth considering. There are some other 00:07:06.199 --> 00:07:08.860 expressions where we use this word in the same 00:07:08.860 --> 00:07:14.449 context. I see your point. means I understand 00:07:14.449 --> 00:07:18.129 your point. We use the verb to see. I see your 00:07:18.129 --> 00:07:24.629 point. The question, what's your point, is the 00:07:24.629 --> 00:07:27.209 same idea. In other words, what is your idea? 00:07:27.430 --> 00:07:31.790 What is your argument? But it has a somewhat 00:07:31.790 --> 00:07:38.110 negative, aggressive context to it or idea behind 00:07:38.110 --> 00:07:42.180 it. You're arguing arguing with someone and you 00:07:42.180 --> 00:07:45.779 say well, what's your point? It's not a nice 00:07:45.779 --> 00:07:49.779 thing to say we sometimes say it when we're getting 00:07:49.779 --> 00:07:56.800 angry or getting frustrated a Another expression 00:07:56.800 --> 00:08:01.379 that Lucy used was in other words in other words 00:08:01.379 --> 00:08:06.259 means simply to say something or Express something 00:08:06.259 --> 00:08:10.689 in a different way We use that phrase in other 00:08:10.689 --> 00:08:16.189 words before saying something that we're going 00:08:16.189 --> 00:08:21.110 to explain in a different manner in other words 00:08:21.110 --> 00:08:26.750 To stress out Lucy said that she was making herself 00:08:26.750 --> 00:08:30.750 unhappy by stressing out to stress out means 00:08:30.750 --> 00:08:36.299 to worry about to be concerned about something 00:08:36.299 --> 00:08:42.200 so much that it bothers you, it causes you problems. 00:08:44.279 --> 00:08:47.039 Lucy gave the example of when she went to the 00:08:47.039 --> 00:08:52.399 movies this past weekend. This past weekend means 00:08:52.399 --> 00:08:57.500 this previous weekend or the weekend before today. 00:08:58.399 --> 00:09:02.919 If today is Wednesday, this past weekend is the 00:09:02.940 --> 00:09:07.960 Saturday and Sunday before today it also we use 00:09:07.960 --> 00:09:11.720 the term last weekend what did you do last weekend 00:09:11.720 --> 00:09:16.500 meaning the weekend prior or previous to today 00:09:16.500 --> 00:09:20.200 Lucy said she and her friend went to see a movie 00:09:20.200 --> 00:09:26.179 they had their eye on for weeks to have your 00:09:26.179 --> 00:09:29.980 eye on something usually means that you want 00:09:29.980 --> 00:09:34.460 something We typically use this expression when 00:09:34.460 --> 00:09:38.279 we want to buy something, but we're not quite 00:09:38.279 --> 00:09:42.019 ready We're still thinking about it, but you're 00:09:42.019 --> 00:09:45.500 very interested in it you desire it you want 00:09:45.500 --> 00:09:51.820 it I Have my eye on an iPod, but I haven't bought 00:09:51.820 --> 00:09:57.759 it yet Lucy said that she and her friend were 00:09:57.759 --> 00:10:02.129 in a great mood A mood just means how you are 00:10:02.129 --> 00:10:06.049 feeling, how your attitude is. You can be in 00:10:06.049 --> 00:10:09.789 a good mood, you can be in a great mood, you 00:10:09.789 --> 00:10:12.950 can also be in a bad mood when you're not feeling 00:10:12.950 --> 00:10:16.870 very well. When I say feeling well, I don't mean 00:10:16.870 --> 00:10:19.389 physically how you're feeling, like you're sick. 00:10:19.850 --> 00:10:23.909 I mean how you feel mentally, what your attitude 00:10:23.909 --> 00:10:30.730 is. There's another expression that Lucy used, 00:10:31.289 --> 00:10:34.690 pulling her weight. She was talking about her 00:10:34.690 --> 00:10:38.289 co -worker, the person she works with, that wasn't 00:10:38.289 --> 00:10:41.909 pulling her weight. This expression, to pull 00:10:41.909 --> 00:10:45.549 your weight or to pull your own weight, means 00:10:45.549 --> 00:10:50.230 to do your part, to do what you have a responsibility 00:10:50.230 --> 00:10:54.750 to do. To say someone isn't pulling her own weight 00:10:54.750 --> 00:10:58.389 or his own weight, means they're not doing their 00:10:58.389 --> 00:11:04.309 part of the job or their part of the work. Lucy 00:11:04.309 --> 00:11:08.809 mentioned that this worrying about things and 00:11:08.809 --> 00:11:12.509 thinking about things was not something that 00:11:12.509 --> 00:11:15.870 she wanted to continue doing and so she made 00:11:15.870 --> 00:11:22.330 a new resolution. A resolution means a promise 00:11:22.330 --> 00:11:27.549 that you make to yourself. In this case, we often 00:11:27.549 --> 00:11:31.350 talk about our New Year's resolutions. Meaning, 00:11:32.029 --> 00:11:35.149 in the first of January, it's a new year. I'm 00:11:35.149 --> 00:11:38.750 going to try to do certain things. I'm going 00:11:38.750 --> 00:11:44.590 to lose 10 pounds. I'm going to eat better food, 00:11:44.970 --> 00:11:48.649 more vegetables and so forth. That's a resolution. 00:11:49.190 --> 00:11:52.570 It's a promise to yourself that you try to keep. 00:11:53.820 --> 00:11:57.440 Lucy said she's going to try to stop obsessing 00:11:57.440 --> 00:12:01.019 about the past and the future so much. To obsess 00:12:01.019 --> 00:12:04.139 about something is to think about it all the 00:12:04.139 --> 00:12:08.259 time, to always be thinking about it in the back 00:12:08.259 --> 00:12:13.279 of your mind. It has a negative meaning here. 00:12:14.279 --> 00:12:17.200 It's usually considered a bad thing to obsess 00:12:17.200 --> 00:12:20.259 about something, to think about it too much. 00:12:21.519 --> 00:12:24.659 Lucy instead said she's going to try to enjoy 00:12:24.659 --> 00:12:29.399 the here and now. The here and now means the 00:12:29.399 --> 00:12:32.639 present, what's happening at this minute, at 00:12:32.639 --> 00:12:36.480 this moment. To enjoy the here and now means 00:12:36.480 --> 00:12:40.179 to enjoy what's going on in your life right now. 00:12:41.320 --> 00:12:46.059 Not bad advice, I would say. That's going to 00:12:46.059 --> 00:12:48.320 do it for today's English as a Second Language 00:12:48.320 --> 00:12:52.360 podcast. As always, we ask that you email us 00:12:52.360 --> 00:12:56.159 and tell us where you are and who you are. Our 00:12:56.159 --> 00:13:09.179 email address is eslpod .com, eslpod .com. Before 00:13:09.179 --> 00:13:13.820 we end today, I wanted to mention that we are 00:13:13.820 --> 00:13:17.940 changing our server our computer server where 00:13:17.940 --> 00:13:23.139 we have our audio files and so our site our website 00:13:23.139 --> 00:13:28.139 and our Podcast may not be available all the 00:13:28.139 --> 00:13:31.419 time We apologize, but we are trying to improve 00:13:31.419 --> 00:13:34.679 our website because so many people have been 00:13:34.679 --> 00:13:38.440 downloading our files mostly through iTunes and 00:13:38.440 --> 00:13:41.580 we think that's wonderful we want to make sure 00:13:41.580 --> 00:13:45.000 we can continue doing that and so we apologize 00:13:45.000 --> 00:13:48.820 for the inconvenience we're trying to work on 00:13:48.820 --> 00:13:53.019 it as fast as we can I want to thank you again 00:13:53.019 --> 00:13:56.779 for listening my name is Jeff McQuillen from 00:13:56.779 --> 00:14:00.379 Los Angeles California we'll see you next time 00:14:00.379 --> 00:14:10.149 on ESL podcast ESL Podcast is produced by the 00:14:10.149 --> 00:14:12.649 Center for Educational Development in Los Angeles, 00:14:12.909 --> 00:14:16.830 California. This podcast is copyright 2005.