One of my roommates told her husband not to speak any Korean while he is taking an ESL (English as a second language) class during the summer. This advice is supposed to help him master English faster.
Unfortunately, this reminded me of my pitiful childhood effort for trying to learn Mandarin. I was in third grade and my parents had enrolled me in Chinese school. After one year, they never forced me to go again.
The thing is, I hated it. Not only did I have to memorize so many ideograms (most of which I have since forgotten), but I had to learn how to speak a supposed beautiful language which sounded to me like really, really screwed up Cantonese. It didn't help that I was placed in a class of younger students--all the stereotypical overachiever Asians. I felt dumb. And I felt the pressure to conform.
Perhaps I should be ashamed of myself for turning my back to the opportunity of learning a language from my culture. But for reasons I can't quite articulate (Outside influence? Stubborn personality?) I'm not. I totally respect others who can speak many languages, but I'm just not one of those people. I don't like being made to feel guilty when I have to respond negatively to the question, "Do you speak Chinese?"
I don't see myself any differently than any other descendant of immigrants from European countries who can't speak German or Polish or Italian.
Writerly Links: How to Write a Short Story. This guy gives the opposite advice. He says to not write what you know. I think he's just afraid of people of either going into mind-numbing detail or no detail at all. There's also the problem of going off into a tangent about your expertise, but I would assume that anyone aspiring to be a writer knows to stick to the point.
Your bottomless notebook of story ideas. At least two notebooks, huh? I have several. Some have brief ideas, plot outlines, and character sketches. Others have actual parts of short stories and novels. And since nowadays I'm practically attached to my notebook computer, I also have various writing stuff stored electronically too. None of it is organized in any coherent manner, but at least I date everything.
Onesome: Chicken- Chicken, beef or pork? What's in the barbeque or on the grill this summer? ...or is it just too hot and a salad is all you're up to putting together?
I generally can eat anything. But as some people have observed, if left to my own devices, I eat very little meat.
Twosome: Pot- Okay, really, did you inhale? I mean, what happened to all the side dishes that were served with the meat? ...and what side dish is essential to make your meal complete?
I have never abused drugs.
There should always be vegetable side dishes with meat. In fact, I would argue that the meat isn't really that necessary. Just eat the vegetables.
Threesome: Pie- Hey, are you a pie or cake kind of person? ...or is it ice cream that 'floats' your dessert boat?
Pies and cakes are equally good, although pies are more fun to make, especially if you're doing it from scratch. I eat ice cream very rarely. Like once every three months.
