Diary 2017.17.05 My favorite city in Taiwan

I live here in the unique and wonderful nation (or country) called Taiwan.  It got an official name as most Taiwan people known as R.O.C since the country was born in 1911 mainland China. After dozens of years, I was born as an R.O.C national on this beautiful island named Taiwan.

I believe that I could give a few reasons why my favorite city is Taichung. First off, I was born here, and I think most people don't hate the place where they were born, right? It's not a very good reason I guess. But my principles tell me that people might love the place where they were born, even if it isn't a very nice place.  I seem to have just made my point much more vague and worse than I expected. Anyway, let's talk about my second reason since my first one sounds poor. The second one is all about the city itself, the environment it had, such as the weather here is not so stifling and humid as the other cities are in the south and the precipitation isn't as much as in the northern cities.

The last one is about the location.   For me it's more convenient to go north or south in Taiwan because the city is located in the middle of the west side of Taiwan. After all, people like a place where they can easily settle in, and I had already been acquainted with this place for years.  People also like things with which they are familiar because it feels like something is much closer to them.

What kind of city is it? It has a harbor, but it is not a typical harbour city like Kaushiung. It has history but the time of the past couldn't trace back as far as Tainan. It's a modern and convenient city but the extent can not be compared with Taipei. So what kind of city is Taichung?  I think it's a very comfortable place where people stay for a very long time.

What do you expect it to be?
I expect it could be a very harmonious place and convenient, but also an eco-friendly city.

Diary: May 16th, Tuesday

Every Tuesday, I go to the English class. There was the class today too. I participated. We <strike>studied</strike> learned about auxiliary verb<font style="background-color: yellow;">s</font> such as "Don't," "Please," "Let me," "Let's," "Did you," "will," "be going to(gonna)" and those negative form.
My teacher gave us Japanese sentences and We translated them into English.
*Don't run in the store!
*Let me go to Las Vegas.
*Let's not throw the trash away on the street.
*I was <font style="background-color: rgb(255, 0, 255);"><strike>gonna</strike></font> <font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 0);">going to</font> go to Tokyo today but I stayed at home.  
I can not make them yet in a moment.
The teacher gave us homework. I tried <font style="background-color: yellow;">to complete it</font>.  Please check the following.

(will)
*I will eat fish today.
*I will not go to Spain tomorrow.
*Will you not play baseball the day after tomorrow?
*When will you go to America?

(be going to)

<font style="background-color: inherit;">(note: "gonna" is kind of a slang expression and is used in spoken language but not written.  in this case I would say "I was going to go to Tokyo today, but I stayed at home instead.")</font>

*I'm gonna eat meal today.   I'm going to eat a meal today.
*I'm not gonna go to Itaria tomorrow.  I'm not going to go to Itaria tomorrow.
*Are you not gonna play soccer the day after tomorrow?  Aren't you going to play soccer the day after tomorrow?
*When are you gonna go to Canada?  When are you going to go to Canada?
*I was gonna play with my friends.  I was going to play with my friends.

The Historic Baduk Match

I'm not sure if it's well-known to the rest of the world, but there <strike>has been</strike> <font style="background-color: yellow;">was</font> a huge Baduk match in Korea a few days ago. I'm also not sure how many people in the world know of the game "Baduk," because it's something that's popular in East Asia, for the most part. I don't even know what they call the game in <font style="background-color: yellow;">the</font> Western world, so I'll just call it Baduk in my writing. Anyway, Google offered Lee Sedol, who has been the best Baduk player for about a decade, to have a match with AlphaGo, the AI program Google developed. Whoever won <strike>the</strike> three games first would get a <font style="background-color: yellow;">prize of</font> a billion dollars <strike>for a prize</strike>. Long story short, He<strike> has</strike> lost to AlphaGo, <font style="background-color: yellow;">after</font> being defeated three games in a row. The AI was a lot <strike>greater</strike> <font style="background-color: yellow;">more powerful</font> than expected. Once his defeat became official, the match turned into something where he battle<font style="background-color: yellow;">d</font> with himself, not with Alphago. Against all odds, he managed to win the fourth game. I don't know <font style="background-color: yellow;">the</font> first thing about Baduk, but I can tell that his <strike>look</strike> <font style="background-color: yellow;">face</font> look<font style="background-color: yellow;">ed </font>mighty professional when he was figuring out where to put the next piece while playing.

help me, please. I am preparating for the entrance exam.

The value of music in the happiness of man

Music is an important factor in making our <strike>life</strike> <font style="background-color: yellow;">lives </font>more happy. The first reason <font style="background-color: yellow;">up</font>on which <font style="background-color: yellow;">I</font> would <font style="background-color: yellow;">like</font> to focus is that music removes <strike>men's</strike> <font style="background-color: yellow;">our</font> depression and fills us with gladness. When we feel sad, lonely or cheerful, happy... we often turn on music. Music also encourages us when we <strike>meet</strike> <font style="background-color: yellow;">have</font> troubles. It reduces stress, pressure and raises us up so it makes us hard-working. Music is a convenient <font style="background-color: yellow;">and entertaining</font> <strike>entertainment mean</strike> <font style="background-color: yellow;">way </font>to relax <font style="background-color: rgb(214, 239, 214);">(you could also say "entertaining means of relaxation", but this is very formal)</font>. We can listen <font style="background-color: yellow;">to</font> music anywhere and anytime<font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 0);">;</font> for example, on the bus, on <strike>wadering</strike> <font style="background-color: yellow;">a hike</font>, at school... <strike>in</strike> during <strike>all </strike>leisure time. Furthermore, music teaches us many lessons about <strike>the</strike> life. Through <font style="background-color: yellow;">the songs'</font>  lyrics <strike>of the songs</strike>, they teach us <strike>right</strike> <font style="background-color: yellow;">good</font> behaviours and attitudes, <font style="background-color: yellow;">and</font> make us more <strike>sympathized</strike> <font style="background-color: yellow;">sympathetic</font>. For instance, I love <strike>Michle</strike> <font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 0);">Michael</font> Jackson's songs<font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 0);">:</font> <strike>and </strike>they help <font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 0);">to teach</font> me <strike>know</strike> <font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 0);">about</font> protecting <font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 0);">the</font> enviro<font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 0);">n</font>ment and using love to "heal the word". It is undeniable that music has <font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 0);">the</font> <strike>capacity</strike> <font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 0);">ability</font> to make <strike>men</strike> <font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 0);">us</font> happy so it contributes greatly to <strike>men's</strike> <font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 0);">our</font> su<font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 0);">c</font>cess in life.

Thanks for your reading. [emoji]

<font style="background-color: rgb(214, 239, 214);"></font>

<font style="background-color: rgb(214, 239, 214);">Good article!  Be careful when using the pronoun "man" or "men" unless you are talking specifically about a person/people who is/are male (like your brother or your father).  Although it is technically correct (ex. "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind"), this would not be used commonly in writing.</font>

<font style="background-color: rgb(214, 239, 214);">Other options:</font>

<font style="background-color: rgb(214, 239, 214);"> - using the pronoun "one" as in: "One can find great happiness in listening to music".  This is also quite formal language and would not be used very often, especially in the United States</font>

<font style="background-color: rgb(214, 239, 214);">- using the pronoun "we" or "us" referring to all humans including yourself ("We can find great happiness in listening to music.")</font>

Speaking Exams: Learning to Speak Longer

Many people <strike>are worried</strike> <font style="background-color: yellow;">worry</font> about exams, especially speaking exams. Many say: "I get nervous. I don't know what to say. I can only think of short answers." So how can you talk longer? Here are three suggestions

#1 TELL A STORY ABOUT YOURSELF OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW ABOUT
SO-SO: "You should always listen to your parents, because this is good. It will make everyone happy."
BETTER: "You should always listen to your parents. When I was young, I was not a good child. I would complain about cleaning or doing homework. I would go very slow and never do a good job because I wanted to play outside. My parents would be angry, yell at me, and make me try again and again until I did it right. Then one day I had an idea- if I stopped complaining, worked hard and worked quickly, the job would not take long. Then I would have more time to play outside. That was the day I learned that listening to my parents makes them happy but also makes me happy."

#2 TALK ABOUT THE OPPOSITE
SO-SO: Being healthy and fit will make you happy. Eating good food and exercising will help you stay strong and live longer. You also will be sick less because of this and have more energy to enjoy life.
BETTER: Being healthy and fit will make you happy. Eating good food and exercising will help you stay strong and live longer. You also will be sick less because of this and have more energy to enjoy life. It is very easy to not be healthy, though. Some people don't think about what they eat or about playing sports or going to the gym. They only stay inside, sit on the couch and become worse and worse. They don't go outside often and they don't see many other people, so it is easy to become unhappy. This is sad and a waste. Why live a sad life with lots of illness when you can live a long, healthy life instead?

#3 TALK ABOUT THE QUESTION IF YOU DON'T KNOW THE SOLUTION
SO-SO: "How do we stop students from cheating in school? I don't know. This is a big problem."
BETTER: "How do we stop students from cheating in school? This is hard to answer. Students cheat because they think it will help them. They like to look smart<font style="background-color: yellow;">--</font>even if they are not<font style="background-color: yellow;">--</font>so <font style="background-color: yellow;">that</font> they can get <font style="background-color: yellow;">into</font> a good college. But this will be bad - what if they can't graduate from the college and <strike>must</strike> <font style="background-color: yellow;">have to</font> quit? They think cheating will help them but it only hurts them in the end. Teachers know cheating is bad, but they can't always see cheating students. Until students see cheating is not useful, this very big problem will continue.

Good luck on your exams!

my OCD

I <strike>had</strike> suffered from Obsessive compulsive disorder aka OCD for <font style="background-color: yellow;">a</font> long time in my life.
Fortunately now I'm perfectly cured <font style="background-color: yellow;">from</font> this nasty disease, but my life <strike>got </strike><font style="background-color: yellow;">was</font> eaten by it.
I guess it started <strike>from the 4th grade of</strike> in my elementary school days, <font style="background-color: yellow;">when I was in 4th grade</font>.
I visited the hospital with my mom because of my <font style="background-color: yellow;">deformed</font> <strike>distorted </strike>arm. --I broke my left arm <strike>to </strike>falling down from <font style="background-color: yellow;">the </font>see-saw before, but the surgery <strike>was</strike> failed and my left arm <strike>got</strike> <font style="background-color: yellow;">became deformed.</font>  <strike>distorted</strike>-
<strike>It</strike> <font style="background-color: yellow;">The operation took place</font> at <strike>was </strike>a famous surgical hospital in my city, and many before-and-after surgery pictures which include brutally cut human limbs were attached to the wall of the waiting room for medical consultation.

<strike>and</strike> Suddenly one weird and unwanted thought echoed in my head :

'I want to get those kind of broken limbs.'
of course it was not my intention. <strike>it is</strike> Those were <strike>called </strike>automatic, intrusive thoughts <font style="background-color: yellow;">caused</font> by OCD.
I had no idea what OCD <strike>is</strike> <font style="background-color: yellow;">was </font>at that time, so I <strike>got</strike> <font style="background-color: yellow;">was</font> really afraid of the<font style="background-color: yellow;">se</font> thoughts. I felt like 'what the heck is it? am I going insane? I NEVER want to have those brutal limbs.'
but every time I <strike>had</strike> visited the hospital, I couldn't help but let intrusive thoughts flow. it was <font style="background-color: yellow;">a</font> kind of <strike>a</strike> massive attack in my brain. I wanted to cry, and I felt so miserable and tired <strike>of</strike> <font style="background-color: yellow;">from</font> the intrusive thoughts.  As soon as I had a corrective operation and got out of the hospital it was gone.

I was a sort of sensitive and nervous child. I developed some OCD behavior<font style="background-color: yellow;">s</font> without recognizing it, but it was OK. because I could control and mange my behavior at least.
but another disaster came in the <font style="background-color: yellow;">following </font>year <strike>follow</strike>. I became a 5th grader of the elementary school, and <strike>one</strike> another intrusive thought<strike>s</strike> echoed in my head repeatedly. it was 'mom, die.'
can you <strike>ever</strike> imagine the amount of pain and guilt<strike>iness</strike> I had? I was so confused due to <font style="background-color: yellow;">my</font> lack of knowledge about OCD.
I thought evil or satan or <strike>whatever that</strike> <font style="background-color: yellow;">some</font> kind of thing came into my head. so <strike>all I could react</strike> <font style="background-color: yellow;">The only thing I could do</font> after the blasphemous thought was say 'mom, please don't die.' now I know it was <strike>one of</strike> <font style="background-color: yellow;">an</font> OCD reaction. but I <strike>couldn't</strike> <font style="background-color: yellow;">didn't</font> have any help or knowledge <font style="background-color: yellow;">about</font> <strike>of</strike> this disease, so I had to think the sentence 'mom, please don't die' to clean my blasphemous thoughts.

The story of my full recovery is <strike>it's such a</strike> long and painful <strike>story to be fully recovered</strike>. so I <font style="background-color: yellow;">will</font> just keep <font style="background-color: yellow;">the</font> rest of story for next time.
I'm so happy and thankful to be recovered. and now I <strike>counsel with</strike> <font style="background-color: yellow;">advise </font>OCD patients with my success strategy.
I just uploaded my episode 40 days ago, and over 40 patients gave me personal messages.
I hope that many more Korean people understand <font style="background-color: yellow;">that</font> mental diseases are common, and can happen to all of us.

PROS AND CONS OF LIVING IN A BIG CITY

I work in a big city, but I live in a small town 25 km <strike>far</strike> <font style="background-color: yellow;">away</font> from the big city. In the town where I live<font style="background-color: yellow;">,</font> there are a number of small shops, that usually close <font style="background-color: yellow;">early</font>.  <strike>earlier,</strike> There are narrow<strike>s</strike> streets, no <strike>and there isn't </strike>mall<font style="background-color: yellow;">,</font> and only two gas station<font style="background-color: yellow;">s</font>. In the big city there are several malls<font style="background-color: yellow;">,</font> and<strike>,</strike> I can go shopping, go the park, go to <font style="background-color: yellow;">the</font> cinema, and so on. Caracas, the big city<font style="background-color: yellow;">,</font> is beautiful but is very dangerous at any time.<strike> , and</strike> The town where I live is dangerous but not <strike>so </strike>as much.  In the big city I have many places where I can hang out, although traffic is sometimes stressful and the smog in the air is terrible. <strike>I prefer to be in.</strike> <strike>Spite of the </strike>Despite the stresses of the big city, <strike>is stressful</strike> I will never change it for the small city.