Bliss English Club

Dear Blissers,

 “Question about keeping balances between human Interaction and hi-tech life?”

This is what this coming Saturday, our insightful macho Blisser, Wisely is going to tell us here:

Technology is the key that modern people can’t live without it. But do we rethink the consequence it may hurt or change the lifestyle we want?

By the progress of technology, the ways how people interact with each has changed a lot. For example, we transmit our mind from phone, email and line now.

A British science-fiction anthology television series, Black Mirror, has expressed the disadvantages by several episodes.

The moment I saw one episode of the television series, I was shocked by the director’s ideas inside and felt so heavy about the story.

On 24 March, I pick one of the episodes of the Black Mirror to share and discuss with every participant. Hope we can find something we may miss in our life already due to the technology.

1. Meeting agenda

i. 14:30-14:45 Every Member's Brief Hello

ii. 14:45-15:35 “Black Mirror” Season 1 Episode 2

iii. 15:35-15:45 Break Time

iv. 15:45-16:40 Discuss (Group & Individual)

v. 16:40-17:30 Summary 

2. Guided questions

i. What’s your most reliable 3c product? Is it possible to live without it?

ii. Does social apps can replace the face- to- face interaction between people?

3. Key words, vocabularies about the meeting

3.1 LoL(it's on the screen of bother guts game) = Laugh out loud.

3.2 "He'll be lemon in all before long."

Lemon: Something that was useless or crappy.

3.3 Before long: Soon.

3.4 Ruthless :not thinking or worrying about any pain caused to others.

Example: We'll have to be ruthless if we want to eliminate unnecessary waste.

Synonyms: unkind, cruel

3.5 Vicious circle/cycle惡性循環 <------->Virtuous circle/cycle良性循環

3.6 Downplay :To make something seem less important or less bad than it really is.

Example :Athletes often downplay their injuries.

Synonyms: minimize , minimize, understate

3.7 Cheesy: Slang. Sentimental and/or dramatic, yet superficial and unconvincing.

Example: Movies in the romantic genre are often cheesy and fake.

Synonyms: cheap, inferior, sentimental

3.8 "Putting their back into…

• Put your back into sth: To use a lot of physical effort to try to do something.

Example :You could dig this plot in an afternoon if you really put your back into it.

Synonyms: Trying and making an effort

3.9 Compliance :the act of obeying an order, rule, or request.

Example: It's his compliance that amazes me.

Synonyms: Obedient, compliant

4. Reference Link :

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Mirror

So, without further undo, warmly welcome more people to join the discussion with Wisely on March 24, 2018!

See you there!

Reflections of” Raw American entertainment: Talk show and Stand-Up Comedy” by Carmelo on March 17, 2018

Date: March 17, 2018

Host: Carmelo　

Meeting photo: https://photos.app.goo.gl/vpjGh0AA9jkTBdaq2

Attendees : Carmelo / Laura / Mike/ Hazel / Ellen/Emma/Angel/Johnson/Winnie/Tina Liang/ Kevin Ting

New members : Eric Chen / Chris / Ann Huang and Cathy Lin

Window of Authentic American Pastimes---Carmelo, today’s host

Since Carmelo conducted “American Football” last time in Bliss, he has been recognized as Window of Authentic American Pastime for Blissers.  This time he introduced us “Stand-up Comedies”, the American humor of which got successfully through to us via his clear guidance and landmarks! Listen to the feedbacks from the participants there:

Feedback 1:

As naturally and sincerely as it was, Carmelo had offered his sharing from his heart from my perspective.  Given his insight knowing sights n sounds of Stand-Up comedy, I think all has been benefited to some extent. Well done Carmelo.

Feedback 2:

Carmelo is like hidden dragon in our club. I can’t imagine that he can be such professional in comedian channels. I learned all varieties of talk show and stand up show and got clarification between stage show and stand up show. I really enjoyed all shows he collected for us. Not only for entertainment but also wisdom hidden behind the show. The way they make fun of different races is still very logical. The way host deal with hecklers is wild and creative.

Feedback 3:

The introduction of different types of comedies was quite interesting and made us learn a lot about American culture of entertainment. Also appreciate that you spent much time writing subtitles for us... to get us more into the punch line. In fact, I laughed much more than I had expected as originally I had kind of concerns that I couldn't get punch line before Carmelo's introduction today

Feedback 4:

It’s a day of Bliss’s privilege to enjoy all those raw American culture and entertainment without any barrier due to Carmelo’s great effort puts to produce the Chinese subtitles of all the talk show and stand-up comedy clips he share with us 3/17 afternoon…I never see so many Blissers laughed so hard and so relaxing and never being so closed to the “American Humors” ever

The most impressive part for me in person is how Carmelo vivid and precisely interpret those American humors into Chinese Characters, but also he will put his personal notes on the subtitle to have short introduction of the back ground on the “punch lines “…as sometimes if you do not know the background story or culture there, you won’t get the punch line then.

The Inspiration I got from the meeting is about the “hecklers”, who speakers or hosts may confront in some occasions!  it’s very inspiring for me to see how Obama and another Stand-up comedian react to the “Hecklers” during their speech , in which I definitely shall learn from them J

Dear Carmelo...you really make us a wonderful day with lots of fun and laughter this afternoon, I discover a whole new interesting world ever in my life after attending your such well prepared and informative meeting, definitely will subscribe more stand-up comedy in YouTube after your introduction and sharing today whenever I need a good laugh; I can’t thank you more for your thoughtful meeting design for all of us to get easier steps into the American comedy world

Some other Information about “Stand-up Comedy”  

According to wiki, it is also called “observational comedy”, a form of humor based on the commonplace aspects of everyday life, one of the main types of “Stand-up Comedies”. The comedians observe everyday phenomenon that is rarely noticed or discussed. The humor is based on the premise of “Have you ever noticed?” It usually took the form of long monologues of personal narrative and the punch-line was either hard to predict or never came.

It is an art to make “a consistent unit”, or” a perceptional threshold” from American daily unnoticed fragmental parts. Thus, it is a comedy rooted in American current cultures, due to which it becomes hard to appreciate for foreigners!

Conclusions:

Thanks to Carmelo, we came; we comprehended and acquired such unexplainable excitement! Deeply look forward to his next meeting! Remember to keep tracking with Bliss Notice!

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