Real English Twenty-five: make (someone's) day

On Monday I went for a walk in the park.  I often do that when I want to take a breather, and there isn't a better place to do so in Osaka than Utsubo Park!!  As some of you know, I wear a cute tee-shirt advertising Ez English which stands out quite a bit when I walk around Honmachi and on my commute.  Many people often ask me, "Why do you wear it?"  And I have two token answers. One is, "Why not?"  The other is, "Because I want as many people as possible to see the name of the school, and I can't think of a more effective and cost-efficient way."  So anyway, while I was taking my stroll, a lady pushing a stroller walked up to me and said...

Lady:  Excuse for bothering you, but are you Glenn?

Me:  No worries about bothering me.  Yes, I am.  Have I met you before?  

Lady:  No.  But I saw you walking here before, and I couldn't miss your shirt so I checked out your home page and have been following your blog ever since.  It is really interesting and I can learn a lot of new words and expressions which I didn't know before.

Me:  Really?

Lady: Yes, it is the truth.

Me:  Well, thank you very much for telling me that today.  You know what?  You made my day!  Thanks a lot!

Lady:  My pleasure! And I am looking forward to your next blog so hurry up and finish your walking and get on it!! 

Me:  Roger!

I was lucky that day.  Has anyone or anything made your day recently?

     

Real English Twenty-four: When it rains it pours

It has been raining all day.  In fact, on and off it has been pouring all day.  Pouring, then drizzling, then pouring again, then back to drizzling.  According to the weather forecast,  there might be thunder storms tonight and Typhoon #4 may be coming soon...(Does anyone know Typhoon #4's name?  I don't.)  In addition, there is a 40% or more chance of rain in Osaka for the next 6 days.  (I don't know about after that because that is as far as the forecast on yahoo goes.)  In America, there is an expression, "When it rains it pours."  Simply put, it means that,  "when good things happen, they tend to happen all at once and a lot...in the same manners, when bad things happen, they tend to happen all at once and a lot...sort of like a domino effect."

Take a whack at it and try to use this expression when the opportunity arises.

Real English Twenty-three: Take your pick

Last week on Monday, I called an old friend, Mr. O, to tell him the news.  He told me he was coming to Osaka (he lives in Kanazawa) and the following is our conversation from there:

Glenn:  If you have time, would you like to go out to lunch together?

Mr. O:  Love to.  Where do you wanna go?

Glenn:  It's not so romantic, but I always eat a sandwich from Subway Station or udon (white and thick wheat oodles).  So, take your pick! 

Mr. O: Sandwiches don't do it for me. So, udon

Glenn:  Great, then it's a date.

Regarding lunch in general, I usually go to Subway and get a sandwich about 4 times a week.  The other day, I get udon with sweet-fried tofu or soba (buckwheat noodles) with the same.  The first  is nicknamed "The Fox" and the latter is called "The Raccoon", but I don't know why...

The below is the basic correspondence at a Subway Station shop for a first time customer.

Clerk:  How may I help you?

Glenn:  I'd like the "Special Sub" please.

Clerk:  OK. The "Special Sub" of the day is Turkey Breast.  What kind of bread would you like?

Glenn:  Wheat, please.

Clerk:  Would you like it toasted?

Glenn:  No, thanks.

Clerk:  Would you like a topping? I recommend bacon.

Glenn:  Pass.

Clerk:  OK, please wait a moment.

...

Clerk #2:  Are there any vegetables which you don't like?

Glenn:  No olives please.

Clerk #2:  OK, then one Turkey Sandwich without the olives.  I recommend mayonnaise as a dressing.

Glenn:  I'd like salt and pepper and hot peppers only, please.

Clerk #2:  OK. Anything else?  A drink or some fries or a set?

Glenn:  No thanks, that's all.

Clerk #2:  For here or to go?

Glenn: To go please. And please wrap it in paper.

Clerk #3:  OK, that's 320yen.

Glenn:  Here you go.

Clerk #3:  Thank you. Here's your change, 680yen.

Glenn:  Thanks a lot.

Now, after you go there one million times like I have, the conversation with the staff is much shorter, something like this:

Clerk:  Good afternoon! One "Special Sub," is that correct sir?

Glenn: Yes.

Clerk: Wheat bread, as is, not toasted.  Right?

Glenn: Yep.

Clerk #2:  Without olives, all of the other vegetables "super-sized," right?

Glenn: That's correct.

Clerk #2:  Salt, pepper, hot peppers and to go, in paper, right sir?

Glenn:  You got it.

Clerk #3:  May I have your card sir?

Glenn: Here you go.

Clerk: Thank you very much and have a good day!

Glenn:  Thanks, and you too.

Real English Twenty-Two: catch up 

The below is a phone conversation I had the other day.

Mom:  Hey Glenn. How are you doing?
Glenn: Alright, thanks. What's up?
Mom:  I was just a little concerned because recently you haven't updated the blog recently...
Glenn:  I am sorry but give me a break!  As you know, the past month and a half or so have been crazy, so I am behind on the blog...
Mom:  Only the blog?  Are you behind on anything else?
Glenn:  Yeah, a few things.  For example, I really need to catch up on sleep, news, gossip, study...
Mom:  I wouldn't worry too much about it.  You can make up for it later.
Glenn:  Yeah, I know. But I plan to catch up on some of it, especially the blog and sleep, this weekend. 
Mom:  Sounds like a good plan!
Glenn: Oh yeah! I forgot to tell ya.  I got i-phone 5 on Wednesday of this week!  It is my first smart phone.  Everyone always said to me, "You still have a regular cell phone!!  You are so behind the times!!  Get with it!"  So I got up the courage to overcome my fear of gadgets and technology and finally made the big step into the modern world!  So, please, give me some credit! I finally caught up with the times!!
Mom:  That's great news! See you in Facetime!