FRIENDSHIP --- this is friendship week !!

FRIENDSHIP WEEK … 
this year will be celebrated from May 16 through Saturday, May 22.

This annual event, started by Dr. Jan Yager in 1997, 

begins each year on the Sunday after Mother's Day for one week.

A week to celebrate (and reconnect) with old friends and new friends and to remember how vital friends -- casual, close, and best -- are for our emotional and physical well-being and even our school, professional, or career success. "Friendshifts" (to shift) is the word coined by author and sociologist Jan Yager, Ph.D. to denote the way our ideas about friendship, and sometimes even who are friends are, may change as we go through the different stages in life. Have you questioned why some friends have stayed andd some have gone ... Well, we do change! But at every stage, friendship is crucial, for boys, for girls, for men, for women, children, young adults, new mothers, the middle-aged, and especially for those who are older and retired or widowed.

Have you thought about doing something special with your friends?

A reunion, if possible, especially if you do not see eachother often, 

might be a joyful way to reconnect.

But if you or your friend are unable to spend time together, face to face, there are other ways you could let your friend or friends know that each friendship is valuable to you. Here are just a few suggestions: Sending a card, talking by phone, writing a letter, exchanging gifts, communicating via e-mail, sharing memories as you build new ones, reading the same book, or going to see the same movie, and discussing your reactions to it. What are some ways of celebrating, in person or from a distance, that you are planning for your newer and older friendships?

Of course it's important to remember and celebrate our close or best friends (and even our casual friends) all year round, but this annual event just helps remind us all how we should never take our old friends for granted or stop developing or cultivating new friends.

At all ages and stages of our lives, friends are the glue that holds us together. Give thanks for your old friends, celebrate your new friends and make time for all them this week.

You can CLICK on the title of this blog and 
it will LINK you to a classic 'frienship song', 

JUST SING ALONG!!

And have a GREAT FRIENDSHIP WEEK !!!

Here are the lyrics of the song 

That's What Friends Are For

by Dionne Warwick and Friends!

Can you identify them (the friends) ?

"And I never thought I'd feel this way
And as far as I'm concerned
I'm glad I got the chance to say
That I do believe I love you

And if I should ever go away
Well, then close your eyes and try to feel
The way we do today
And then if you can remember

Keep smilin', keep shinin'
Knowin' you can always count on me, for sure
That's what friends are for
For good times and bad times
I'll be on your side forever more
That's what friends are for

Well, you came and opened me
And now there's so much more I see
And so by the way I thank you

Whoa, and then for the times when we're apart
Well, then close your eyes and know
These words are comin' from my heart
And then if you can remember, oh!

Keep smiling, keep shining
Knowing you can always count on me, for sure
That's what friends are for
In good times, in bad times
I'll be on your side forever more
Oh, that's what friends are for

Whoa... oh... oh... keep smilin', keep shinin'
Knowin' you can always count on me, for sure
That's what friends are for
For good times and bad times
I'll be on your side forever more
That's what friends are for

Keep smilin', keep shinin'
Knowin' you can always count on me, oh, for sure
'Cause I tell you that's what friends are for
For good times and for bad times
I'll be on your side forever more
That's what friends are for (That's what friends are for)

On me, for sure
That's what friends are for
Keep smilin', keep shinin' "

A dry spell and it's not about the weather!

Here is this week's idiom: 

A DRY SPELL.

I decided to write about this expression for several reasons. One is from hearing some of your feelings concerning your personal progress in learning English. Another is when I think of the period of time between the sessions or classes, five months!! Then, there's also the lack of opportunities to communicate in English because of your surroundings. There might be more but I cannot think of any right now! I also base some of my reflexions on my personal experience on reaching my goals, one of them being 'weight loss' or getting healthier. 

We all have our DRY SPELLS.

A dry spell is a period of time when progress comes to a grinding halt.  If you're trying to lose weight, for example, it may be that, despite your best efforts, the scale just won't budge.  Or, if you're trying to get a job done and you are having to depend on others and they are just not there for you! Ring a bell?  During this period, you're likely to feel frustrated and discouraged.  And, as a result, it's common to do one of two things - try harder (to no avail) or give up.  This is also the time when self-doubt rears its annoying head.

During a dry spell, you'll probably begin to question yourself and your goals. And you might even start criticizing and judging the methods. You might be thinking,  " Why should I work so hard, it's not working!" Or " I have put a lot of effort and I cannot really see any results", then you start questioning your learning strategies.  Or, if you're trying to lose weight like me, you may lose your motivation and go back to the erroneous belief that your stalled progress is related to a lack of discipline. 

Your greatest challenge during a dry spell is to be patient - to sit back, take a deep breath, reevaluate the situation, and know that despite what appears to be "the end of the road," over the horizon is a path that will lead where you most need to go. Sometimes a dry spell is simply a challenge to maintain your motivation.  We need to trust that all is happening as it should even when we can't yet see results.  Other times it may be that we need to loosen our grip and let go of the past - an old habit, an outdated belief, or a strategy that doesn't serve us anymore.  Sometimes this letting go is more tangible like ending an unsupportive relationship or friendship that no longer represents your current position in life. And other times it might be that you need to let go of an unrealistic expectation.  I realized this when I reached a weight loss plateau and I had to give up the fantasy that my body would never look like something that I once knew! Really!!  

The moral of this story is:  Don't lose hope!  A dry spell may be exactly what you need to re-evaluate your progress so you can redirect the course of your learning or the way you go about it! Use a dry spell as a catalyst for success! Then ask yourself:

What do I need to let go of in order to get back on track or keep on going?

Pay attention to what immediately comes to mind. Once you do, sit with this information for a while before taking action.  Then, proceed with a patient approach.  When you understand that dry spells are merely speed bumps on the road to success, you'll begin to see them as a positive sign - a reminder to make an assessment, to reevaluate your plans, and slowly shed your expectations to make way for the new!
You can also come and spend some time with me up North this summer!

ENGLISH MANIA ... click on link for an interesting FACT

YES! The English language is becoming this planet's second language. Two billion people speak it. And the country that is fast becoming the first in English speakers is  ... China!

The buzz word now connected to the learning of this language is OPPORTUNITY.

So for today's listening, I'm suggesting this link. The speaker is Jay Walker and you will enjoy listening to him. He speaks clearly and at a normal speed. He is easy to understand.

So if you want to keep your English teacher let me know!

For I may jump on the bandwagon of opportunity myself 

and apply for a teaching job in China! ;)