English from Brasil # 21 | You can’t have your cake
and eat it too.
Na edição anterior: English from Brasil #20
Hello, hello!
Um causo
Esse causo aconteceu essa semana e me incomodou profundamente. Experienciei algo que sempre digo para minhas alunas evitarem.
Há duas semanas, fui besta generosa e disse ao meu coordenador que ele não precisava comprar um bolo para meu aniversário este ano. Eu mesma levaria muffins para a escola onde trabalho nos fins de semana.
Fiz 12 de “o dobro de gotas de chocolate” e 12 de prestígio, meu sabor favorito de bolo. Nunca tinha feito muffin recheado antes - ficaram deliciosos, um sucesso! Meu marido elogiou: “Como conseguiu colocar o recheio sem que vazasse?” “Ué, sem segredos: metade da massa, recheio, e o restante da massa.”
Gostei tanto que quis fazer mais, inclusive para devolver o pote da vizinha que me deu um quitute outro dia—minha mãe sempre diz para não devolver pote vazio!
O problema é que não era para ter problema algum afinal, mesma receita, mesmo método, mesma vontade. Porém, dessa vez, os 12 bolinhos ficaram arruinados. Todos vazaram… uma bagunça lascada!
Na minha frustração, culpei meu marido, que apesar de ter me ajudado cortando papel manteiga de acordo com minhas instruções, não fez, falou nem direcionou o olhar para a cozinha ao longo do processo todo. Eu disse que ele me fez acreditar ter feito uma proeza da primeira vez, e que eu jamais poderia repetir tal feito (não que ele tenha dito isso; ele só elogiou mesmo!).
Ainda tenho muffins vazados em cima do micro-ondas, ao lado do pote da vizinha. Ainda me pergunto qual é a fórmula mágica para pararmos de achar que não somos capazes de fazer as coisas com simplicidade e confiança. Toda vez que escolhermos.
A quote
“Too often we underestimate ¹ the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, ² or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” — Leo Buscaglia
A lesson
Last week’s lesson brought you some reflection questions to complement my suggestion of journalling. It reminds me that whenever I start to work with a new private student I design a lesson where they can ask me questions. I often realise that after our initial interview and first few weeks I know about about them. I do not hesitate to ask personal questions and learn about preferences, opinions and life experiences.
In fact, students are used to answering questions all the time, right? What about asking questions? This is an important skill too!
Here is a video-lesson that has a fun activity: the teacher gives you the answer, and you have to come up with ³ a question for it.
After you practice with the video, how about writing some questions you would ask a new acquaintance ⁴?
Feel free to ask me some questions (in English) in the comments. I will be happy to answer them!
A question
What’s a fun or unusual question you like to ask someone to get to know them better?
(Aproveita a pergunta para praticar o seu inglês nos comentários!)
FIVE Random Things
🧠 The Restaurant of Mistaken Orders [link]
👀 When you see something beautiful… [link]
🙉 We don't have to listen. [link]
🟩 These squares are all we have [link]
🎧 I've been struggling to take breaks. I do chores when I should be having a moment for myself. My brain is on full force from the moment it wakes up, and by the time I go to bed, I am beyond exhausted.
I'm teaching myself to take a break to the sounds of this song at least twice a day. (Hey, that's about 5 minutes of slowing down!) [link]
Glossary
¹ underestimate: estimate (something) to be smaller or less important than it really is.
² compliment: a polite expression of praise or admiration.
³ come up with: produce something, especially when pressured or challenged.
⁴ acquaintance: a person one knows slightly, but who is not a close friend.
Bonus: "Have your cake and eat it too": To have or do two desirable but incompatible things at the same time.
Example: "You can’t have your cake and eat it too—you need to choose between the two offers."
Se você gostou dessa edição, encaminha para os amigos?
See you next week! 👋🏽
Karen Rito
English from Brasil 🌎✨
Answer key
If you missed last week’s lesson, check it out here [link]
TRUE OR FALSE
False
Correct Answer: The transcript states that our minds process around 70,000 thoughts per day.
False
Correct Answer: The second question in the transcript asks, "What am I sad about?"
False
Correct Answer: Socrates is quoted in the transcript as saying that our highest purpose as human beings is to "know ourselves."
True
True
WHAT ARE THE 5 QUESTIONS:
What am I really worried about?
What am I sad about?
Who has annoyed me and how?
What does my body want?
What is still lovely?
What is your favorite book? :)
Ps: como sempre as melhores random things da internet haha!