DarrenpuncturedmyballoonwhenhesaidthatolderpeopleheldontowaterwhenIwastryingtoconvincemyselfthatmyweightgainwasallmuscle.Iendedupgettingmorestrictwithdiet.MyfriendAndreasgavemetwostrongrubberbands.Ihaven'tusedthemregularlyforstrengtheningmyhooksbuttheyhelpedmestreching.IcouldcomfortablyrestinAsiansquatnow.Startingmid-april,Ihurtmylowerbacktwice,firstwhentryingtoelevatemyopponenttodoahalf-guard...[
阅读全文]
APAD:Nomorecakesandale?
Meaning:
"Cakesandale"aresynonymouswiththegoodlife,like"beerandskittles."
Background:
Thewordcakeisoftenusedasasametaphorfor`agoodthing'-asin`take
thecake'forexample.Thefirstuseofcakesandalewiththatallusionis
Shakespeare'sTwelfthNight,1602:
SIRTOBYBELCH:
Outo'tune,sir:yelie.Artanymorethanasteward?Dostthouthink,...[
阅读全文]
2025QingMingfellonApr4andasmycousinwasvisiting,Iputtheannualfast
offtillthesecondweekendofthemonth.Ifirstfastedfor48hoursinApr2020,
soonaftermydadpassedaway.TheChinesegovernmentrevokedthe10yrvisafor
covidandIdidn'tgobacktoseehimoffandhavebeenfeelingguilty.
Ihavefastedeveryyearsinceandgotusedtothesecondpartofthedrill:
hungerpangsafter20hours,coldfeetandpoorsleepthesecondnight...[
阅读全文]
Unlikeotherendeavors,Jiu-jitsugivesmeavisceralfeartheconqueringof
whichinturnleavesmeinpeacewithselfandtheworld.Whenfacingabigger,
stronger,andyoungeropponent,Ineednotjuststrengthandexplosivepower,
butalsoendurance,cunning,andwillpower.Inotherwords,Ihavetofight
witheverythingIambestowed.Eachstep,Iamforcedtothinkofnothingbut
howtogettoabetterposition.Thisway,thearttransformsparal...[
阅读全文]
Meaning:
Unfairoverchargingwhichissoblatanttheperpetratorsmakenoattemptto
concealit.
Background:
Thisisn'tusedtodescribeactualrobberies-whatevertimeofdaythey
mighttakeplace.Itisafigurativephrasethatassociatesaninstanceof
unfairtradingwithactualrobbery.Notjustanyoldrobbery,butoneso
unashamedandobviousthatitiscommittedinbroaddaylight.
Daylightrobberyreallywasthero...[
阅读全文]
HaJin's``AMapofBetrayal''garnered3.8out5ongoodread,lessthan
stellar,butIdidnotreadtheirreviews.NeitherdidIcareaboutornate
styles.Simpleprosethatnarratesaplausibleplotwasjustfine.More
importanttome,afellowChineseexpatmorethanonegenerationyoungerthan
theauthor,wasthatIcouldrelatetohisstories.Ipickedupthebookfrom
thelibraryandfinisheditinoneweekend.
Thelifeofacommuni...[
阅读全文]
``Igot8.5outof9inmath,''TimtextedduringhisSaturdaynightoutwith
friends.``ThankGOD!Iamsoproudofyou!''dadreplied.``Thesecretwasto
visualizetheproblems,''Timletonlater.
CaculusAPhadbecomeanalbatrosssincelatelastfallafterafew
early-decisioncolleges,includinghisdreamschool,letTimin.Thegoodnews,
aftertheinitialexhiliration,worriedthefamilysick,however:theycould...[
阅读全文]
Igetsickonceortwiceayearandeachtimenormallyrecoverinlessthana
week.Ihaven'thadaflushotinthepast20yearsexceptfortwoCovidjabsin
2021justtoshutthekarensup.OurdoctorsaregreatbutIprefertorelyon
myselfinsteadoftheAmericanhealthcaresystem.Theinitialsymptomsweregone
inthreedaysafterIcaughtthebugattheendofJan.
Theattack,however,cameinstages.Next,Icoughednon-stopuntiltheeighth
dayj...[
阅读全文]
Dibdin'sAurelioZenserieswassuchatreatthatIlookedupothercrime
storiessetinItaly.AftertwoCamillerinovelsofInspectorMontalbano
inSicily(translatedintoEnglish),IpickedupLeon's`FriendsinHigh
Places,`aCommissarioBrunettistoryinVenice.
Theproseoftenfeltrepetitiveandverbose.Justtogiveanidea,onpage97,
Brunettiinterruptedthedoctorhere.`Isthereanywaytotellwhichwound
killedhim?`
...[
阅读全文]
Towardthemiddleofthemonth,newsbrokethatMs.IvankaTrump'sfamilyhadbeenonthejiu-jitsujourney.InanNDTVpodcastshetoldwhatwaswell-knowninthetribe:``It'salmostlikeamovingmeditationbecausethemovementsaresomicro,''thebluebeltsaid.``It'slikethree-dimensionalchess.''``It'sfun,''shecontinued,addingthatthepractice``combinesphysicalmovementsandphilosophyinanamazingway....[
阅读全文]