ESL Podcast - Previous Episodes

ESL Podcast 23 Spring cleaning is suppose to take place before summer, not after it. But, as usual, I procrastinated and now I have to finally get rid of all the junk I've accumulated over the year. But now there are no if's, and's, or but's about it—the cleaning must be done! I start in my bedroom. I have a king bed, with a sheet on the mattress and a top sheet, with pillow cases on the pillows. Atop all that I have a down comforter. Well, they all need to be washed, so into the machine they go. Next I start in on the closet. What a mess! I've got boxes and bins full of stuff that need sorting. Finally, I have to vacuum the carpet and dust. Whew! Quite a job! Good thing I don't have any drapes, just shades on the windows. But I'm not done yet. It's time to move on to the kitchen. I have a combination stove and oven, both of which I need to clean. I start with the fridge, though, which needs the most work. I take out the shelves and rinse them all off. Then I dump anything that has passed its expiration date. Then its back to the stove, which I need to scrub clean of the grease and stains, and the same for the oven. Finally, I wash all the dirty dishes and put them in a dish rack next to the sink. Spring cleaning is always a mixed bag for me. It's a lot of work, but I also find things I've been missing for the past year! Maybe next time I'll manage to do my spring cleaning in the spring.

ESL Podcast 22 This is turning out to be a month for seeing old friends. I got an email a couple of weeks ago from a old friend from graduate school. She and her family are visiting L.A. for a week. They plan to see family and to visit old friends. Since she moved out of the country, I hadn't seen her in ages. I'm looking forward to meeting her new kids and seeing her again. Another old friend called this week. She and I were buddies in our undergraduate days. She plans to swing by L.A. on her way to San Francisco. We've made plans to have lunch. She works in Washington D.C. as a political advisor and is usually very busy. I'm glad she could make time for us to get together. When we say good-bye to our friends, we always hope to keep in touch. But, what with this and that, it's sometimes hard to do. With friends that I've fallen out of touch with, it's sometimes hard to meet up again and pick up where we left off. We've both moved on to a different phase in our lives. Some of my old friends have become very successful, living lives in the fast lane. Other friends are struggling along and are just making ends meet. But, no matter how they're doing, it's always nice to touch base again. I'm really looking forward to seeing these old pals of mine and catching up after all this time.

ESL Podcast 21 Well, I was born and raised in Minnesota, in St. Paul, Minnesota, to be exact. I won't say how long ago that was, but let's just say I'm no spring chicken. I grew up there with my rather large family of 8 brothers and 2 sisters. (I was the baby of the family, but I swear I wasn't spoiled!) We were 13 in all—probably the biggest family in the neighborhood, maybe in the state. I had a mostly happy childhood. My father and mother didn't have a lot of money, but we were never worried about keeping up with the Joneses. I wasn't much into sports like my brothers were, but I enjoyed reading and listening to music growing up. I went to grade school near my house, and then to a high school about 2 miles from where I lived. After graduating from high school, I went on to the University of Minnesota to get my bachelor's degree. It took me a while to learn the ropes at the university, but I finally graduated nearly 6 years later. Better late than never, as my father used to say. I then went to Mexico for a couple of years to teach English and to study Spanish. When I returned, I decided to become a teacher, so I went back to school to get my Master's degree. After teaching for a few years, I was offered a job in California, so I moved to Los Angeles in 1991. After working here a few years, I went back to school—again!—to get my Ph.D. I was starting to become a professional student. Well, I finished up my degree in four years, and then taught at the university for several years. Now, I work at a small research organization here in L.A. I am happily married, and I still enjoy reading and listening to music, and, of course, hosting ESL Podcast.

ESL Podcast 20 My computer has been acting up on me. It's a pretty old model, and I need to replace it. So I decided to call up my friend Kevin to ask for his two cents. Kevin is a computer whiz. He knows PC really well since he worked on them for years, but in his heart of hearts, he is a big Mac fan. So, I thought he would be good person to ask. I have always used a PC. I do mostly word processing so I don't need anything fancy. But, I see people I know doing cool things with photos and video, so I'd like to take a crack at some new programs in the future. Well, I called up Kevin to tell him what I needed. He immediately started throwing out specs: "You need at least a 2 Gigahertz processor and 1 Gig of memory, and make sure it has a writable DVD drive." "Whoa," I said. "All of that is way over my head. Let's back up for a a minute." Then he laughed and said he had gotten carried away. "Okay," he said. "Let's start at the beginning. Now, the processor determines how easily and how fast you can use the programs on your computer. Got that?" I said that I did. Then he continued, "How much RAM memory you have is very important, too. Your computer will go faster the more you have. So, I recommend getting at least 1 Gigabyte of RAM memory." "I think I'm following you so far, " I said. "Great," he said. Another thing you want is a drive that handles both CDs and DVDs. Some drives can just read DVDs and some can record onto blank ones. If you want to burn your own videos, you'll want a writable DVD drive. Remember though, that's just the computer itself. Don't forget that you'll need a monitor, a keyboard, a mouse, and speakers." "OK," I said. "I think I've got all that. Now, here's the burning question: Mac or PC? He said: "Now that's a whole different thing. Do you have a couple of hours?"

ESL Podcast 19 Believe it or not, I don't own an iPod. I know, I know. I'm really behind the times, but I have an excuse. I've been so busy at my work lately, I haven't had time to take a break. So finally yesterday I went shopping for an iPod down at the mall in Santa Monica. I walked into the Mac store there and was immediately greeted by a salesperson. He asked, "Can I help you find something?" "No," I said, "just looking." I don't like the feeling of high-pressure salespeople. Anyway, I looked around the store some more, and finally made my way to the iPod section. Then I decided to ask the salesman a question. "Excuse me, can I ask you something?" "Sure," he said. "Go right ahead." "I'm thinking of picking up an iPod, but I'm not sure which one is right for me. What do you recommend?" He replied, "Are you going to be using it for running, jogging, working out, in your car?" "Yes," I said, "all of those, except the running, jogging, and working out." He laughed at my somewhat lame joke. "Okay, well, I recommend you get the iPod Mini to start." "How much is that?" I asked. "Well, it just went on sale, so I think we can offer you a good price on it." "I'll take one," I said, and we made our way to the cash register. "Will that be credit or debit?" he asked me. "Credit card," I said, as I swiped the card through the reader. I waited, and nothing happened. "Could you swipe that card again? It didn't go through." "Sure," I said, and swiped it again. Finally, the card processed and he handed me the charge slip to sign. "I'm sure you'll be very happy with your purchase." "Oh," I said. "It's not really for me. It's for my wife!"

ESL Podcast 18 Getting around in the United States is sometimes not very easy. Most people own their own cars, but not everyone can foot the bill for the car, plus the insurance, gas, and maintenance. Most big cities have buses, but they are much slower than a car. Several cities in the U.S. have subway systems, but many do not. There are even fewer trains that transport daily commuters. In cities such as Los Angeles, public transportation is much more limited than in other countries. If you take some form of public transportation, you need to pay a certain fare. In most big cities the fare is anywhere from 1 to 2 dollars. But don't expect the bus driver to change a bill for you. You usually need exact change if you're going to ride a bus, train, or subway. Whatever you take, you always have to pay for it! My friends here in Los Angeles all have different ways of getting to work. One friend, who lives out in the boonies, rides the train everyday. He takes the train because it's easier for him than driving or taking a bus. Another friend I know who works close to where he lives rides a bike everyday. Still another friend drives his car. I don't know anyone who rides the bus, but I've taken it once or twice when my car was in the shop. Worse comes to worst, you can always hop in a taxi. Taking a taxi is expensive here, though, so be prepared for a big fare—not including the tip!

ESL Podcast 17 I love watching movies. I like a lot of different genres. No matter what my mood is, I can always find something that fits the bill. When I'm feeling down, I sometimes like a good comedy. My favorite are romantic comedies. The plot is pretty simple. A boy meets a girl and there are road blocks to them getting together. The lead actors are usually likable people, the supporting cast give comic relief and villains are people we love to hate. In the end, though, there is usually a happy ending. Romantic comedies, or comedies in general, can be predictable but they're also pretty entertaining. I don't go out of my way to see slapstick or physical comedies that much. But, once in a while, I catch a good one on TV. I like dramas, mysteries, and action and adventure stories, not to mention documentaries. My favorite are movies that have surprise endings that throw you for a loop. Just when you thought you had the whole thing figured out, there's a plot twist. Good screenwriters or directors can pull it off. One type of movie I don't like that much are horror movies. Scary movies just don't do it for me. But, there is one exception. I like movies by the director Alfred Hitchcock. Hitchcock was born in England but made most of his films in the U.S. Before he died in 1980, he made a lot of movies that are now considered classics. Most of them are nail-biters; some are mysteries and some are horror stories. The scariest movie I think he made and that I've ever seen was a movie called Psycho. The movie is set in a seedy motel called Bates Motel. The main character owns the motel and lives there with his mother. Strange things happened at this motel. People check in, but sometimes, they don't check out. One day, a very pretty woman checks in to the motel. We know something bad is going happen to her. Sure enough, we see her get murdered. At the very end, we find out who the murderer is. It's one of those surprise endings. Just when you thought you have it figured out, it turns out to be a shocker. I won't spoil the ending for you if you haven't seen it. I recommend it though and give it a big thumbs up. But, be warned. It's not for the faint-hearted.

ESL Podcast 16 I think the best summer vacation I've ever taken was when I went out East a few years ago. Two of my friends and I went on a two-week road trip. At the time, I was living in St. Paul, Minnesota, in the Midwest of the United States. Anyway, we started off by camping every night, but that got real old, real fast. So we started checking in to hotels after about the third day. We were headed for Washington, DC first. Checking in at the hotel was always a bit of a hassle. I wanted to sleep in a double bed, my friends wanted to get a king to share. Lodging is more expensive at a hotel than in a campground, but its much, much more comfortable! We went to the major tourist attractions in Washington, D.C.—the capitol, Lincoln's Memorial, the White House. We then headed north, passing through Boston headed towards Canada, to Quebec City. When we arrived at the Canadian border, we had to pass through customs and immigration. Customs was easy—we had nothing to declare. Immigration more of a pain. We were ask the standard questions. How long will you be staying in Canada? What is the nature of your visit? Finally, we were permitted to enter, and we drove on to our destination. Quebec City was beautiful! Unlike many cities, there were no tourist traps to sidetrack you. We spent two days there, then drove on to Montreal. Of course, we had to pass customs and immigration again when we re-entered the United States. Our bags were searched in customs, but other than that we got through fairly easily. A few days later, we were back in Minnesota--home sweet home.

ESL Podcast #15 My friend Ben and I have been waiting a month to see our favorite band in concert. This was the night. We were so excited. In a small venue like the Whiskey, there wouldn't be a bad seat in the house. So, we get to the Whiskey really early to find street parking and snagged a spot about four blocks away. Then, we got in line which was already about 20 deep. There were two bouncers outside of the bar and they weren't letting anybody in yet. We waited and waited in line. Finally, the line started to move. When we got to the head of it, one of the bouncers checked our tickets and one of the other employees of the club put a wrist band on each of us. I guess this was to let the employees in the bar know that we belonged there and we weren't crashing the party. Anyway, we got inside and tried to get as close to the stage as possible. There were already a bunch of people standing in front of the stage in a special roped-off section. These were probably VIP's or maybe they were groupies. Who knows? Anyway, I just know that security wasn't letting anyone get that close. Before too long, people started to cheer and I knew that the opening act was about to come on. This was a band I'd never heard of before so I wasn't that excited to hear them. They did come out and they started played a set. I couldn't believe it. They were really horrible. The people standing next to Ben and me started boo-ing the band. Other people started throwing things on the stage, like their drinks and their food. After a little while, the boo-ing got so loud, you could hardly hear the band. Finally, they finished their song and left the stage. The concert-goers were pretty rowdy by this time. Some were yelling, others were getting up on top of the bar and dancing. Just when I thought there was going to be riot, someone got on the microphone and started to introduced the headlining band. All of a sudden, everybody calmed down and started cheering. The band came on stage and started their first number. Then, the room was full of happy campers. Ben and I were both a little nervous for a second there. We didn't know if things were going to get out of hand. But when the band started playing, we knew that everything would be ok. This was turning out to be a great night, just like we'd imagined.

ESL Podcast 14 I heard on the radio this morning that my favorite band was going to be in concert here next month. I was so excited. The first thing I did was to call my friend Ben who is also a big fan of the band. Not only was the band playing in town, they were going to play at a bar called the Whiskey. The Whiskey is known as a small, intimate venue so we'd be able to get close to the band. It's not a big amphitheater where you can't even see the band from the nose-bleed section. This would be the ultimate concert experience…if only we can get tickets. I was sure that the tickets would sell out fast when they went on sale on Saturday morning. So, Ben and I decided to camp out in front of the box office on Friday night. That way, when the box office opened on Saturday morning, we would definitely get tickets. We grabbed a bite to eat on Friday night, then we got dressed in our warmest clothes and took our sleeping bags to the ticket office. This was around 8pm. When we got there, I couldn't believe it! There were already about 15 people in line! And, I was sure we'd be the first ones. Oh well. Ben and I got into the back of the line and we barely got any sleep all night. We talked to the other people there and we just hung out all night. Nothing got out of hand, though, so we didn't get hassled by the cops. By morning, there were more than 50 die-hard fans in line. Well, it paid off. When the box office opened at 9 am, we filed up to the window one by one and got our tickets. It was all worth it. I heard afterwards that the concert sold out in less than a half hour! I'm so glad we braved the elements and camped out. I really can't wait until next month!

ESL Podcast 13 I love coming to this Italian restaurant. The appetizers and desserts are to die for. When the waiter came to our table to take our order, my friend ordered a lobster ravioli dish, and I asked for my favorite, lasagna. The waiter then asked us, "Would you like a soup or salad with that?" My friend said yes; I passed on both. The vibe in the restaurant is pretty laid back, not at all uptight like you find in some of the ritzier restaurants in Beverly Hills. The wait staff is courteous, although sometimes the hostesses can be a bit snooty. Anyway, when our meals arrived, everything was cooked to perfection. Since I didn't order any appetizers, soup, or salad, I was starved. Even though I was really hungry, I tried not to gobble down my food too quickly. I didn't want my friend to think I was a pig! But even though I tried not to, I still overate. When the waiter asked if we wanted any dessert or after dinner drinks, I just couldn't resist getting the apple-filled crepes. They are the best. When we got our check, my friend and I split the bill, as we're accustomed to do. I frankly prefer to go Dutch when I eat out with friends. So that was the end of a really great meal. Now I have to hit the gym if I'm going to lose any of this extra weight I gained from eating that lasagna!

ESL Podcast 12 Well, I love going out to restaurants to eat. One of the best experiences I've had recently was at a place here in Los Angeles called Il Fornaio. It's an Italian restaurant in a very nice part of Beverly Hills. I don't go there very often—I can't really afford it, but every once and a while I'll treat myself. The last time I went, I walked in with a friend and I was greeted by the hostess. She asked how many people were in my party, and I said, "Just two." "Right this way! I'll show you to your table" she said. She was very polite. When we reached our table by the window, she asked us, "Is this all right?" We said, "Of course!," and then she handed us the menus, along with the wine list. The place setting with the silverware was very complete. There were two forks (one for the salad course, one for the main course), a spoon, a knife, a dinner plate, a dessert spoon on top, a wine glass and a water glass, a cup and saucer for coffee, and a bread basket. I was already getting hungry! "Your waiter will be with you shortly," the hostess said. So we looked over the menus—so many choices, especially for a lover of Italian food like me. The waiter came up to the table a few minutes later and said, "Good evening. My name is Giorgio, and I'll be your waiter this evening. Is there anything I can get you started with—a cocktail, a glass of wine?" Well, my friend and I are not exactly big drinkers, so we just ordered a couple of iced teas. "Would you like a few minutes to look at the menu?" he said. We nodded our heads, and he went off to get our drinks. As I was looking at the appetizers, I spotted one of my favorite dishes—crab cakes! I told my friend that the crab cakes were a must. Just then the waiter returned to our table, with our drinks on a large tray. I was ready to order.