Original article .

Original article on Quora.com I was standing outside an art supply store on central park, south side. Looking in the window at all the canvases and paint brushes. Wondering whether I should start painting. Gradually, I became aware that someone was standing next to me. A bit too close. I looked at her, a classy looking older lady. Maybe in her sixties or early seventies. She smiled broadly at me and said, you look nice. For a long time. I didn't know what to say. And then I stammered. Thanks. She said, would you like to come to my apartment for dinner? For the next five or six years, I regretted my response. You see, no one had ever tried to pick me up before and certainly never a woman 20 or 30 years older than me. I am also extremely introverted and not used to talking to strangers at all. I said no, in a harsh voice. It just came out of me. I saw her smile collapse, and I fled. As soon as I recovered my wits, I was disgusted with myself that poor old lady, she took a huge risk approaching me like that. And I humiliated her. It would have cost me nothing to have been kind to say. Sorry. I can't. I'm married. But I'm very flattered. . I would hate it. If someone treated me the way I treated her. Guilt about this incident ate at me for years. Whenever I thought about it. Then one day I saw a photo of her online, turns out she was a famous prostitute and that was her spot. She'd been accosting man in front of that art supply store for decades. I spent about two minutes feeling relieved. She wasn't attracted to me. She was just trying to make money. Then I thought. The one time anyone tries to pick me up, it's a hooker. Damn.…

This episode is related to the following Reddit post: Reddit - Dive into anything https://www.reddit.com/r/languagelearning/comments/15by64n/are_there_any_words_or_phrases_that_you_like/

Kevin Abroad asked this: Share bad language learning advice but make it convincing. https://twitter.com/KevinAbroad1/status/1667958816929898496?s=20

Jimmy Carter to begin receiving home hospice care. But who is Jimmy Carter? Listen to a brief summary in this podcast.

Summary: In this interview episode, the host of the language learning podcast My Fluent Podcast , Daniel Goodson, is interviewed by an AI called Peter about his English learning journey. Daniel shares that he has been learning English passively for many years through activities such as reading books and listening to podcasts in English. He also started his own podcast, My Fluent Podcast, to practice speaking with native speakers and improve his skills. Daniel shares that immersing himself in the language and speaking with others, whether native or non-native speakers, has helped him a lot in his learning journey. He also encourages other language learners to start their own podcasts as a way to practice and improve their skills. Show Notes: Introduction to the AI interviewer, Peter, and the topic of the episode Daniel's background as an English learner and language enthusiast What inspired Daniel to start learning English and helpful resources he has found in his journey Daniel's experiences practicing English with native speakers and the impact on his learning How Daniel started his own podcast, My Fluent Podcast, as a way to practice speaking and improve his skills Tips and advice for other language learners interested in starting their own podcasts or finding other ways to engage with native speakers Final thoughts from Daniel on the importance of starting and being creative in language learning. The complete chatGPT prompt I used: "I want you to act as an interviewer in a language learning podcast. I will be the interviewee and you will ask me the interview questions relating to my English learning journey. I want you to only reply as the interviewer. Do not write all the conservation at once. I want you to only do the interview with me. Ask me the questions and wait for my answers. Do not write explanations. Ask me the questions one by one like an interviewer does and wait for my answers. My first sentence is “Hi”" What do you think of AI in language learning? Share it with us: myfluentpodcast@gmail.com Open AI in on the rise. In general, ChatGPT or AI is taken the world by storm. Should we be afraid of it? I would rather say, we should use it to our benefit. We have no other choice. It's just a matter of time until it will dominate. Be prepared!!…

Why do people read novels? Transcript: We read novels because we want to live, even vicariously, in a world with meaning. Too many senseless events happen in the real world: children die of starvation at the very gates of the wealthy, innocent and admirable people perish in natural disasters, wars that destroy young lives and entire countries are waged for the pettiest of reasons. A novelist, whether realistic or fantastic, extrapolates meaning onto his or her envisioned world. Sometimes the good guy wins. The sick child recovers. The impoverished orphan has a secret fortune. Even when the ultimate theme is meaninglessness and futility, the novelist reveals the inherent strength in a character, the machinations of history in everyday affairs, the possibility that society is capable of change. Thomas Hardy's overriding theme is that the universe is malevolent or at best indifferent to the affairs of man. Yet his characters navigate a world of symbols: the unchanging, unyielding heath; the rick fires that challenge Gabriel Oak to exhaustion; the closed doors of the Yeobrights and Christminster. A character's life *means* something. Ultimately that's what a reader wants to extrapolate back onto him/herself. https://www.quora.com/Why-do-people-read-novels/answer/Ann-Litz…

Never mind if she can’t cook. If she loves you and you love her, that is enough to lead a happy married life. Cooking is not rocket science. Both of you can learn it together. By the way my wife married me in spite of my inability to cook. I married her in spite of her inability to drive. We are a happily married couple. She cooks for me and I drive her around. Don’t let these minor difficulties come in your way. Here is a picture of us that I haven’t shared before. https://qph.cf2.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-7825d7eac1da0d29a417c5c33a76a70a-pjlq Vocab: rocket science (something very difficult to understand) Original article on Quoa.com: https://qr.ae/pvo7LK…

Quora.com (Whis is not an official Quora Podcast) https://qr.ae/pvHyKT Difficult words: ambiguity (he presence of two or more possible meanings in a single passage.) cliches (Formally, a cliché is “a trite, stereotyped expression; a sentence or phrase, usually expressing a popular or common thought or idea, that has lost originality, ingenuity, and impact by long overuse, as sadder but wiser, or strong as an ox.” It can also be defined as “anything that has become trite commonplace through overuse.) monosyllabic (having only one syllable) perception (opinion, perception, understanding) ADDENDUM (an item of additional material added at the end of a book or document, typically in order to correct, clarify, or supplement something.) One characteristic that will make everyone think you’re unintelligent, even if you aren’t, is speaking poorly. I don’t necessarily mean using slang or having a thick accent (although those might count against you in some circles). I mean not communicating well with words. People who speak well are usually rather precise. They say what they mean as unambiguously as possible (unless they intend ambiguity) in a way that is concise but clear. Speaking in vague generalities and relying on cliches can make you sound less intelligent, as can an over-reliance on a small set of (often monosyllabic) words. Again, you might be smart, but you won’t come across as such. ADDENDUM: For some reason this answer has been getting a lot of replies lately saying that speaking well is not the same as being smart. I want to emphasize the last sentence above. This is not about whether how you speak is actually indicative of your intelligence. It is about perception. If you speak well, you can be perceived as being smarter than you are. If you speak poorly, you can be perceived as being less intelligent.…

Is it rude to flake on someone? Why do people do it? Transcript: https://share.descript.com/view/9yJOXFDlqpt Original post on Quora.com https://qr.ae/pvFeSG https://qr.ae/pvFeSL Other examples with the expression "to flake on someone": https://www.instagram.com/p/CbA60d2DfUG/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet The one time I actually depend on you, and you flake on picking me up from the airport. Marge, don't flake out on me . Don't you flake on me!…

Audiogram version: https://share.descript.com/view/8wPOQ3qrGey Transcript: Today's question on Quora Knows Best is how to be more focused. And the answer comes from Rafael Eliassen and it goes like this: 1. Keeping a straight poster, your body language controls, how you feel and vice versa. 2. Create a reward system. Willpower is hard to muster. When you live a mundane life, 4. Remove distractions, you can't function with multiple things, trying to take your attention. 5. The more relaxed you feel, the easier it will be to focus. Do things that make you feel less stressed. 6. Create a schedule. It will keep you on track and avoid confusion about what. 7. Practice meditation: The more aware you are about your thoughts and feelings, the better. 8. Take care of your health, eat, sleep, and exercise right to maximize productivity. 9. Be patient don't get discouraged. If you don't have laser focus after reading these. It will take time. Thank you for listening. This was Quora Knows Best. I am Daniel Goodson, the host of another show as well. It is called My Fluent Podcast in which I talk about methods and approaches on how to become fluent in a foreign language bye. Article on Quora: https://qr.ae/pGLYRX (65) How to be more focused? - Small Business Ideas Online (quora.com): https://smallbusinessideasonline.quora.com/How-to-be-more-focused…

Video with subtitles: https://share.descript.com/view/VCM4bNkBrob?t=0 Full article: https://qr.ae/pGQnSI www.quora.com Vocabulary: To tag along: go along with, often uninvited; "my younger brother often tagged along when I went out with my friends" accompany - go or travel along... (see The Free Dictionary .) To settle down: to begin to live a quiet and steady life by getting a regular job, getting married, etc. ( see merriam-webster ) Upbringing: early trainingespecially : a particular way of bringing up a child Burgeois: a middle-class person, weed: (1) tobacco products (2): MARIJUANA Full Transcript: Those that still live are now people in their seventies or eighties, and probably someone’s grandparents. Some will have adapted to a more conservative lifestyle. Others not so much. My parents are that kind. They met in 67 and spent a few years traveling and living experiences… with little me tagging along, until I had to be schooled and they settled down. They were not as ideologically motivated as other hippies were, but they wanted to feel free from their conservative upbringing. That’s us in Ibiza, around ‘71 I think. After that we lived in Paris for a few years before moving to Spain. Times changed and new things were happening, being a hippie wasn’t as cool anymore, maybe their life became a bit more bourgeois, but they’ve always been (and still are) unconventional people in many ways. Now they’re old and they have three grandchildren (my sister’s kids). They live quite simply on the pension they have left, maybe my father sells a painting, or my mother gets a modelling gig being the granny in a commercial, but they don’t need much as long as they’re happy and healthy. Well, ma likes her little bag of weed, but it’s medicinal ok?…

🎞️Video version with subtitles: https://share.descript.com/view/VCM4bNkBrob?t=0 Vocabulary: To tag along: go along with, often uninvited; "my younger brother often tagged along when I went out with my friends" accompany - go or travel along... (see The Free Dictionary .) To settle down: to begin to live a quiet and steady life by getting a regular job, getting married, etc. ( see merriam-webster ) Upbringing: early trainingespecially : a particular way of bringing up a child Burgeois: a middle-class person, weed: (1) tobacco products (2): MARIJUANA Full Transcript: Those that still live are now people in their seventies or eighties, and probably someone’s grandparents. Some will have adapted to a more conservative lifestyle. Others not so much. My parents are that kind. They met in 67 and spent a few years traveling and living experiences… with little me tagging along, until I had to be schooled and they settled down. They were not as ideologically motivated as other hippies were, but they wanted to feel free from their conservative upbringing. That’s us in Ibiza, around ‘71 I think. After that we lived in Paris for a few years before moving to Spain. Times changed and new things were happening, being a hippie wasn’t as cool anymore, maybe their life became a bit more bourgeois, but they’ve always been (and still are) unconventional people in many ways. Now they’re old and they have three grandchildren (my sister’s kids). They live quite simply on the pension they have left, maybe my father sells a painting, or my mother gets a modelling gig being the granny in a commercial, but they don’t need much as long as they’re happy and healthy. Well, ma likes her little bag of weed, but it’s medicinal ok? Full article: https://qr.ae/pGQnSI www.quora.com…

What is your opinion? Share it with us and we will publish it on this podcast. (use the videoask link below) You can choose between video/audio-only/text. https://www.videoask.com/f5w03f1g8 Link to the article on Quora: https://qr.ae/pGjgCO Full transcipt further below! Vocabulary: wunderkind: a person who is very clever or good at something and achieves success at a young age JPL: Jet Propulsion Laboratory NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) - Robotic Space Exploration. average guy: ordinary guy, normal guy, average joe fly - flew - flown I had no decline in my learning ability in 30 years: drop, decrease, fall. Some people are still extremely lucid: clearn, plain, understandable Don’t be prejudiced against older people and sell them short: an unfair feeling of dislike for a person or group because of race, sex, religion, etc. // or something like making your own mind about sth. before you know the facts. Don’t be prejudiced against older people and sell them short: sell (someone, something, or oneself) short To undervalue someone, something, or oneself; to underestimate or underappreciate the good qualities of someone, something, or oneself. Often used in negative constructions. in the blink of an eye: at a glance. in a flash. in a heartbeat. in a jiffy. In other words, it happens very fast. Transcript I’m just about to turn 65. I’ve been employed as an airline pilot for 36 years. I’m reasonably intelligent, but admittedly far from a wunderkind, and with no offers to work for the JPL or NASA. Pretty much an average guy who’s outstanding at being humble. At at age 64, I had to learn how to fly the most complex and advanced airliner currently in service, the Airbus A350. I had flown the relatively simplistic Boeing 767 for the past 25 years, and had never flown an Airbus, which is completely different in almost every way from a Boeing. I was the oldest person to attempt going through the Delta’s A350 Initial Qualification training program. I was warned that even much younger pilots were finding the training to be extremely challenging, and that because of my age, success might not be an option. It was an extremely complex airplane. The training manual is literally 7000 pages long. Countless Training videos, 6 weeks of simulators, extremely difficult electronic and oral exams. “It can’t be done, old guy”, many said. BULLSHIT! I went through the training and actually had an easy time of it. It was no more challenging than when I went through MD-11 training in 1991, at age 34, even though the A350 was a much more difficult training program. I had no decline in my learning ability in 30 years, and aced the very challenging program without any trouble. If I can maintain my ability to easily learn complex tasks into my mid-60’s, hell, anyone can. To answer the question: For some it might be age 30, or 40, or 50, etc, etc. However, everyone is different. Some people are still extremely lucid and able to learn well into their 90’s. Don’t assume. Don’t count yourself out at any age. Don’t be prejudiced against older people and sell them short, because many of them are still as sharp or even sharper than you. Treat all people well, especially older people, because in the blink of an eye you’re going to be one of them, and you’re going to love it when someone treats YOU with dignity and a little bit of respect. quora.com…

This is the video version of episode 31 🎞️ What is your opinion to today's question? Share it with us and we will publish it on this podcast. (use the videoask link below) You can choose between video/audio-only/text. https://www.videoask.com/f5w03f1g8 Link to the article on Quora: https://qr.ae/pGjgCO Full transcipt further below! Vocabulary: wunderkind: a person who is very clever or good at something and achieves success at a young age JPL: Jet Propulsion Laboratory NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) - Robotic Space Exploration. average guy: ordinary guy, normal guy, average joe fly - flew - flown I had no decline in my learning ability in 30 years: drop, decrease, fall. Some people are still extremely lucid: clearn, plain, understandable Don’t be prejudiced against older people and sell them short: an unfair feeling of dislike for a person or group because of race, sex, religion, etc. // or something like making your own mind about sth. before you know the facts. Don’t be prejudiced against older people and sell them short: sell (someone, something, or oneself) short To undervalue someone, something, or oneself; to underestimate or underappreciate the good qualities of someone, something, or oneself. Often used in negative constructions. in the blink of an eye: at a glance. in a flash. in a heartbeat. in a jiffy. In other words, it happens very fast. Transcript I’m just about to turn 65. I’ve been employed as an airline pilot for 36 years. I’m reasonably intelligent, but admittedly far from a wunderkind, and with no offers to work for the JPL or NASA. Pretty much an average guy who’s outstanding at being humble. At at age 64, I had to learn how to fly the most complex and advanced airliner currently in service, the Airbus A350. I had flown the relatively simplistic Boeing 767 for the past 25 years, and had never flown an Airbus, which is completely different in almost every way from a Boeing. I was the oldest person to attempt going through the Delta’s A350 Initial Qualification training program. I was warned that even much younger pilots were finding the training to be extremely challenging, and that because of my age, success might not be an option. It was an extremely complex airplane. The training manual is literally 7000 pages long. Countless Training videos, 6 weeks of simulators, extremely difficult electronic and oral exams. “It can’t be done, old guy”, many said. BULLSHIT! I went through the training and actually had an easy time of it. It was no more challenging than when I went through MD-11 training in 1991, at age 34, even though the A350 was a much more difficult training program. I had no decline in my learning ability in 30 years, and aced the very challenging program without any trouble. If I can maintain my ability to easily learn complex tasks into my mid-60’s, hell, anyone can. To answer the question: For some it might be age 30, or 40, or 50, etc, etc. However, everyone is different. Some people are still extremely lucid and able to learn well into their 90’s. Don’t assume. Don’t count yourself out at any age. Don’t be prejudiced against older people and sell them short, because many of them are still as sharp or even sharper than you. Treat all people well, especially older people, because in the blink of an eye you’re going to be one of them, and you’re going to love it when someone treats YOU with dignity and a little bit of respect. quora.com…