Don't Be A Goody-Goody, Or...

Have you ever heard about a Goody-Goody? You haven't? OK, I'll tell you some characteristics of a goody-goody.

When someone is a goody-goody, he or she overdoes something helpful until you get sick of it.

A goody-goody often helps you without any request before. This is nice but to certain extent you will feel uncomfortable.

Furthermore, when you get any help from someone while you are not in the need of one, he or she is a goody-goody indeed.

They all end up with you getting sick. So don't be a goody-goody or you're going to have your luck run out. :)



Idiom to notice :
1. Have one's luck run out

I'm Very Very Fine...

Hi guys! How are you? Still hang in there? In Indonesian we often hear "Saya sehat wal'afiat". How do you say it in English?

...

... ...

I hear an answer from the corner...

say it again...

Yes! You're exactly right! The answer is : "I am hale and hearty, how about you?"

When You Have To Get Back To Square One...

Yesterday my girlfriend told me that she was in deep water. She had been in a project for a noticeable time and she (or her fellows) found out that apparently there were fatal mistakes in the project that forced her to get back to square one. Regarding the time she had been spending and the progress, going back to square one is lamentable. But now she has to start all over again. Through this blog I want to cheer her up and summon all the strength in the world to go right into her spirit.

When you have to get back to square one, don't be sad (you may but not too long). All you can do is start it all over again. I believe she can pass this critical time if she just hang loose. Everything is going to be alright. :)


Idiom to notice :
1. In deep water = in trouble
2. To get back to square one = to start all over again
3. Hang loose = take it slow

Bad Day

Aaah...

Yesterday was a bad day for me. I went for an interview. It was a thousand miles away from my residence. I was confident enough with my electronic map that had been coming in handy for a long time. But yesterday I could not gain on the address at all. Gradually I got myself into a pickle. Actually I could only call the clerk of the office but this stupid me did not give it a shot. Been confused for a moment, at the end of my struggle I raised up the white flag and called the office. Know what? I missed in jotting down the address. Argh, how could I be such a hellbent for leather. She said that there were still time for me if I wanted to continue. Then the interview went on. For showing such bad impression, now I can only hope against all hope.




Idiom to notice :
1. Come in handy
2. Gain on
3. Into a pickle
4. Give it a shot
5. Hellbent for leather
6. Hope against all hope

UPDATE : 04 November 2008
"Gain on" in the way you used it doesn´t mean much to me. "To gain on" is to close in on someone in front of you, physically as in a race or metaphorically. I think you mean "I couldn´t find the address..."

"clerk of the office" should be "clerk at the office".

"helllbent for leather" In the UK we say "hell for leather" meaning with maximum effort. "Hellbent" on the other hand means making potentially disastrous choices.

"being confused" not "been confused"
"there was still time " not "there were still time"
"After making/giving such a bad impression" is the correct phrase.

"Hope against all hope" Normally we would say "hope against hope" without the "all".

"to keep hoping something even in slight probablility." Should be "To keep hoping for something, even against the odds/probabilities"

Thank you Chris :)

Laskar Pelangi, a Phenomenon.

I believe that most of Indonesians have watched Laskar Pelangi movie. This phenomenal true-story-based movie now is in its one-month showing. The producer Mira Lesmana said that the audiences watching were 100.000 people per day at average. Obviously it is no wonder considering its innovative story's point of view, the beauty of Belitong scenes, scores and soundtracks, and the totality of the actor and actress.

The story tells us how a band of children survived and enjoyed their elementary education under severe circumstance, how their teachers-two persons-made do with the condition to conduct the best teaching they could give. For your information, it is quite common in Indonesia to hear that school building and its facilities is under standard. But the band kept on being positive and giving their best to grasp lessons as much as possible. These genius by nature children are certainly a band whom nothing to sneeze at. It inspires us to hang tough in everything that we do and not to go through the motion. That we should see positivity in every single of negativity.

Another flank that you can notice is the actor and actress. Belitong and all things coming with it is relatively new in film industry. It is not as popular as Batak tribe, for instance. But Slamet Rahardjo, Ikranegara, Cut Mini, Alex Komang, Mathias Muchus, Rieke Dyah Pitaloka, Tora Sudiro, and more, managed perfectly as I felt like home when I was watching the movie (I'm from South Sumatera). They are a bunch of Indonesia's best artist and we can say it indeed. What interesting is the fact that they hasted The Band of Laskar Pelangi from native. Being newbies but playing such smooth is something that we can appreciate.

They walked on egg when they blended the music. I enjoyed the proportional sound while contemplating the story. And finally, the scenes of Belitong is very awesome. It enriched the entire roll of film and makes me want to visit there someday.

Another interesting point of view can be traced here



Idiom to notice :
1. Made do, from make do
2. Nothing to sneeze at
3. Hang tough
4. Go through the motion
5. We can say it
6. To walk on egg

The Chord of Lentera Jiwa-Nugie.

Hi guys! Have you heard Nugie's newest song ? Been idle for a long time from music producing, Nugie has just released his newest single song titled "Lentera Jiwa/The Lantern of My Soul". The song and its video clip is very interesting.

The song's theme is really hand in glove with us as human beings. It tells us that there are many people who actually are not comfortable with their current works. It can be caused by many factors. One of them is parent's will. They chose their careers because they followed what their parents wanted them to be. It also can be coming from the situation that forced in the past. When life is settled one just realizes that it's not what he or she wants to be. Or it can be caused by anything else.

For those who has gotten rid of the storm to choose their own path, this song encourages them to hang tough, because just by doing something with passion your soul is kept to be enlightened, as lantern does. For those who hasn't, it enlightens them to love what they do, and they'll do what they love. This simple rule of pursuing happiness has just come up to the surface, Nugie certainly thought out of the box when he was writing the song.

Lentera Jiwa

Nugie

A F#m E D B7 E

Lama sudah kumencari apa yang hendak kulakukan

I've been searching so long what exactly I want to do

sgala titik kujelajahi, tak satupun kumengerti

I've journeyed all directions, none of them I understood

D E

tersesatkah aku, di samudera hidup

Am I lost in the wave of life?

Kata-kata yang kubaca terkadang tak mudah kucerna

The words that I read, sometimes it is not easy to get a grasp of them

bunga-bunga rerumputan bilakah kau tau jawabnya

Flowers and grass, when will you know the answer?

inikah hidupku, inikah takdirku

Is this my life, is this my destiny?

A Bm D E

Kubiarkan kumengikuti suara dalam hati

I let myself follow the voice inside my heart

F#m C#m D

yang slalu membunyikan cinta

which always sings of love

Kupercaya dan kuyakini murninya nurani

I believe in my faith that the unvarnished self of mine

menjadi penunjuk jalanku

has become the direction of my way

lentera jiwaku.

The lantern of my soul.

Ok guys. Don't let the grass grow under your feet, decide and pursue your lantern of soul! :)




Idiom to notice :
1. Hand in glove
2. Get rid of the storm
3. Hang tough
4. Think out of the box
5. Let the grass grow under your feet

If you had money to burn, what would you do ?

Guys! What would you do ? Share me!

Jazz Up Your Life!

When you feel like your life is boring, it's obvious there's something wrong. Maybe you're trapped in some routinities that you want to escape from for several of times. You've been tied with many tasks that you had to finish in a new york minutes. You can spend your weekend by doing something that you want so much. Clearly, It mustn't be related to your routinities.

You can mention some of them :
1. Cook your favourite menu
2. Read a book that you long to read but you have no time before
3. Play a challenging game in Playstation
4. Do a paint-ball match with your fellows
5. Etc.

So guys, what do you do in weekend or in your spare time? Whatever you do, make sure that It will Jazz up your life!
I jazz my room up because it looks so drab! Haha!

Ah, I just remember...

Hi guys!
In Indonesian, when they just remember about something that they forget before, they often say "Ah, saya baru ingat, blabla...". So, how do you express it in English?

Hello guys?

Still there?

Yes, you're exactly right, you express it by saying : "Come to think of it, blabla..."

Here comes some examples, enjoy it while still hot :)

Come to think of it, I know someone who can help.
I have a screwdriver in the trunk of my car, come to think of it.

Backseat Driver

Hi guys!
Have you ever experienced that someone in your community tried to direct the actions of many people around him or her? In English this kind of person is callled a backseat driver. A backseat driver doesn't always sit in the backseat of a car. They could be in a car (wherever they sit) or in a general community. The most important thing to notice is that whenever they mingle in, they try to give many tidbits of advice to many different people. They don't limit their comments and directions to driver.

So what do you think guys? A Backseat Driver, is this personality positive or negative? For me, in particular case, they are helpful, but they are annoying indeed in many ways. What about you?

Hi Everyone!

Hi Everyone! I create this blog because I want to improve my English and share it with you. Enjoy!