Hi Gary

Hmmm. I can see how the phrase about the drummer could be used to describe the life of someone with Bipolar Disorder. I meant it in a different way. When we see a marching band, each member times his steps to match the beat set by the drummer. This makes them march in a very uniform way. In many ways we all do this in our lives to some extent. We tend to do things in the ways that are acceptable to the rest of society.

However, some people often choose different paths, at least in some parts of their lives. We can describe this as marching to the beat of a different drummer.

Years ago I worked for a newspaper called the Different Drummer. It was one that promoted individuality and independence.

Yeah, the picnic was great! Thanks for telling me about Zhong Qiu Jie. I usually buy some mooncakes for my students on that day. I hope that it will help them to be a little less homesick.

Have a great day!

Hi Mike,

Thanks for your early reply to my question. Really appreciate. Now I come to fully understand the meaning of this phrase. I also went over the discusstions between us for this phrase. Yes, originally I didnot follow my heart but follow others because I wanted to show I have same interests as others. This doing was to show I am not so strange from others. Acturally when I do, I donot feel very happy. Perhaps I donot have many interests or really donot have interests for some things. Now I found that I became to be interested in some things which others also like, say, trying some food, going to parties, more willing to chat. But I also try to follow my hearts. Therefore sometimes I donot march to the beat of different drummer but sometimes I march to the beat of different drummer. I like this expression, too.

Oh, I hope that your Chinese students buy mooncakes to share with you instead of your buying. Perhaps they donot know the place where mooncakes are bought. Perhaps they would feel shy to bring mooncakes because the teacher would refuse to take about it. I think that you can say something in advance about mooncake and you mentioned that you would buy some to share with others. I am sure that some students would buy mooncakes to share wz you. Try this and let me know the result. He He. Nevertheless, it is Chinese festival and they should do so. Nowdays, some customers would send mooncake coupons to us in order to enchance the relationship. Always like this at this time of the year. We are very happy to recieve these coupons because we donot buy it by ourselves. He He

Have a great day! My friend

Hi, Mike, I hope things are going well of you. Tell me more about it.
I was so busy these days, first I went to the countryside on Saturday with my workmate and her husband, we had fun and took a  lot of pictures, we met her high school classmates and sang KTV together untill deep night, so I was exhausted. And on Monday all members of our purchase department went to the feed addictives exhibition, which is called VIV exhibition. Actually, I would not have any providers to meet because I am not a real buyer, I was visiting with two other logistic person and wondering why I came to this embarrassed situation. We had discussed about it before, I have been in a difficult situation for a long time since my leader took my job off giving it to another workmate. He put some new job on me, but it proved to be nothing to do, I played a really unnecessary position in this job, but I am still trying to learn more, sometimes I felt hopeless. What makes me insist maybe is I still believe my leader takes the world of me, and he wants to cultivate me.
I know you are also in a difficult situation, but I believe in you that you will make everything well. Doing what you think is right and never give up.
I didnt have any date recently cause I  really think I should be quite for a while, and I felt I was going off the trail too much, I owned sb too much, how can I pay for that? Does God really can forgive me?  someone is going to pay for what he has done, is that true? If that is true, I scared. How to make redemption? I went to Church every Sunday , hope to find the reason. I feel that God has showed some mircle on me, something I prayed for a long time now come true, and I finally figure out something I was alwaysing thinking. I feel I am growing up.
Mike, thank you for always being on my side, you always give me fully support and you are thoughtful, considering and sweet, I want to talk to you more on MSN, but I was busy, sorry for that.
Have a great day, God bless you,my friend.

HI, MIke, here are the pictures I took in the countryside.

Hi Gary

I hope that your day went well.

It is hot here again, but it should cool off by tomorrow. It has been very dry here which is unusual. There is a warning about fires due to the dryness. Hopefully we will get some rain soon.

Yeah, I think that each of us has had a variety of ways to relate to the world. Sometimes want to fit in with the crowd. Other times, we choose to do things our own way. Some of us lean more one way and some the other. I guess as with many other things, we need to have a balance. Independence is important. Many of the best things in the world happened after others tried to discourage the developer. At the same time, we need to sometimes “go with the flow” and try not to “rock the boat” too much. Hehe! I am throwing lots of sayings at you today!

I remember that my students were quite surprised with I brought them mooncakes. Many of them are quite new in the US. I agree that for some of them it is difficult to find the mooncakes. Anyway, I always like to share my love of Chinese culture with my friends and students.

So when you get a mooncake coupon, can you go to a store and get a mooncake? I would like to hear more about this.

Today I have a meeting with one of the VP’s. She and I have not been seeing eye to eye recently. We will see how this ends up.

Have a super day.

HI, Kyle, I was so busy recently so I didnt come here, how are you these days?
I went to countryside with my workmate and her husband last Saturday, we had fun, I put two pictures above.
It is strange that why people only go to one church they familiar with? Is that a tradition of Christian? But in China, both Christian and Catholic can go to different Church for mass. I nearly went to Church every Sunday recently, I feel I really need that, do you think the same way? I really want to share about the thoughts with you about what we learned  from the Bible, actually I didnt finish reading the Bible, how about you?
I guess you have already found a part-time job, didnt you? What is that?
Looking forward to hear from you soon, have a great day!

Quote:

引用第912楼Flyerman于2010-09-01 02:40发表的  :
Hey Mike, isn't "quite hot" a bit of an understatement?  Hahaha.  It has been draining all my energy these last few days.  

By the way, you were spot on about Big Bang Theory.  I just finished Season 1 and loved every minute of it!  Hopefully, I'll be able to finish 2 and 3 before hitting the books next week, hehe.  I found something while going through files recently; do you remember this?  [attachment=124137]

Have a great class tonight!

I had finished The Big Bang Theory season 3, and I hope to watch season 4, when can it be published?
By the way, is the boy in this picture you?

Hi Fanda

Thanks for the pictures! It looks like a lovely place. Were you on a boat or on the shore when you took the pictures? I remember our little boat ride together. It is a lovely memory!

I understand that your work is still somewhat frustrating. I am sorry for that. I think that it is hard for you to be patient waiting for the opportunities and challenges to come your way. At the same time, it is really nice that your boss has faith in you. I think that he is a guy with good judgment!

Well, God is certainly willing to forgive you. He wants you to come to him with your troubles and to tell him when you think you have done wrong. I know that you have had many regrets about some of the things you have done and said. I believe that God has heard these thoughts and has forgiven you. He knows that you will try to do better. But he also knows that as humans, we will continue to make mistakes. Please try to accept the love that God is giving you. We can trust him fully.  

We cannot know what the future will bring. But I believe that you have many good things ahead of you. You have many abilities. Your time will come for success in all areas of your life.

Yes, I will always be on your side. You are very dear to me. I really appreciate all you have shared with me. You are a blessing to me.  

My meeting with the bosses was not too pleasant, but it could have been worse. I know that the VP and I will probably never see eye to eye. But hopefully things will get a little better. Please pray for me.

Usually on Wednesday nights I get home too late to talk online. I hope that we can meet online again soon.

Hope your day goes well.

Hi Mike,

Wow! Thanks for these sayings. I like them and I can understand them very well. Go wz the flow, rock the boat too much. Pls write to me wz more native sayings. Thanks as always!

For mooncake coupons, If I donot get mooncake, I will go to the store and get mooncake wz one of them. If I have one, I will sell these coupons and usually the price is discounted one. Some people do this kind of business and on the way home these days, I encountered some to inquiry to me whether I have mooncake coupons. I also give some to other people If I need to do so. Like today, I gave one to A yi in my office as she asked me to give her. Anyway, I donot have many coupons. He He

VP? What does it mean? Is this person very hard to deal with? I hope that he or she will be kind. God bless you!

Hope that your day goes well! My friend

Hi Gary!

Thanks for explaining about the mooncake coupons. I hope that I can have a chance to eat mooncake this year. I really like the story and the tradition.

VP is vice-president. We have 5 vice-presidents at our company. Yes, I think that she has a difficult and strong personality. Mostly, we discussed things in a reasonable manner. But there were a few things on which we still disagree. My boss told me this morning that he thought I was not as diplomatic as I should have been with the VP. I believe that I just spoke my mind and was not rude. But I did tell her the things on which we did not agree. Oh well. This was my choice. I think she needed to hear these things even if it is not good for my relationship with her.

Hopefully things will get a little better.

It is nice and cool here today. Hope things are good in Shanghai.