Original article.

Original article on Quora.com 

I was standing outside an art supply store on central park, south side. 

Looking in the window at all the canvases and paint brushes. Wondering whether I should start painting. Gradually, I became aware that someone was standing next to me. A bit too close. I looked at her, a classy looking older lady. Maybe in her sixties or early seventies. She smiled broadly at me and said, you look nice. For a long time. 

I didn't know what to say. And then I stammered. Thanks. She said, would you like to come to my apartment for dinner?  For the next five or six years, I regretted my response. You see, no one had ever tried to pick me up before and certainly never a woman 20 or 30 years older than me. I am also extremely introverted and not used to talking to strangers at all. I said no, in a harsh voice. It just came out of me. 

I saw her smile collapse, and I fled.  As soon as I recovered my wits, I was disgusted with myself that poor old lady, she took a huge risk approaching me like that. And I  humiliated her. It would have cost me nothing to have been kind to say. Sorry. I can't. I'm married. But I'm very flattered. 

. I would hate it. If someone treated me the way I treated her. Guilt about this incident ate at me for years. Whenever I thought about it. Then one day I saw a photo of her online, turns out she was a famous prostitute and that was her spot. She'd been accosting man in front of that art supply store for decades.  I spent about two minutes feeling relieved. She wasn't attracted to me. 

She was just trying to make money. Then I thought.  The one time anyone tries to pick me up, it's a hooker. Damn.

This episode is related to the following Reddit post:

Reddit - Dive into anything

https://www.reddit.com/r/languagelearning/comments/15by64n/are_there_any_words_or_phrases_that_you_like/

Kevin Abroad asked this:

Share bad language learning advice but make it convincing.

https://twitter.com/KevinAbroad1/status/1667958816929898496?s=20

Jimmy Carter to begin receiving home hospice care.

But who is Jimmy Carter? Listen to a brief summary in this podcast.

Summary:

In this interview episode, the host of the language learning podcast My Fluent Podcast, Daniel Goodson, is interviewed by an AI called Peter about his English learning journey.

Daniel shares that he has been learning English passively for many years through activities such as reading books and listening to podcasts in English. He also started his own podcast, My Fluent Podcast, to practice speaking with native speakers and improve his skills. Daniel shares that immersing himself in the language and speaking with others, whether native or non-native speakers, has helped him a lot in his learning journey. He also encourages other language learners to start their own podcasts as a way to practice and improve their skills.

Show Notes:

• Introduction to the AI interviewer, Peter, and the topic of the episode
• Daniel's background as an English learner and language enthusiast
• What inspired Daniel to start learning English and helpful resources he has found in his journey
• Daniel's experiences practicing English with native speakers and the impact on his learning
• How Daniel started his own podcast, My Fluent Podcast, as a way to practice speaking and improve his skills
• Tips and advice for other language learners interested in starting their own podcasts or finding other ways to engage with native speakers
• Final thoughts from Daniel on the importance of starting and being creative in language learning.

The complete chatGPT prompt I used: 

"I want you to act as an interviewer in a language learning podcast. I will be the interviewee and you will ask me the interview questions relating to my English learning journey. I want you to only reply as the interviewer. Do not write all the conservation at once. I want you to only do the interview with me. Ask me the questions and wait for my answers. Do not write explanations. Ask me the questions one by one like an interviewer does and wait for my answers. My first sentence is “Hi”"

What do you think of AI in language learning? Share it with us:

myfluentpodcast@gmail.com 

Open AI in on the rise. In general, ChatGPT or AI is taken the world by storm. Should we be afraid of it? I would rather say, we should use it to our benefit. We have no other choice. It's just a matter of time until it will dominate. Be prepared!!

Why do people read novels?

Transcript:

We read novels because we want to live, even vicariously, in a world with meaning.

Too many senseless events happen in the real world: children die of starvation at the very gates of the wealthy, innocent and admirable people perish in natural disasters, wars that destroy young lives and entire countries are waged for the pettiest of reasons.

A novelist, whether realistic or fantastic, extrapolates meaning onto his or her envisioned world. Sometimes the good guy wins. The sick child recovers. The impoverished orphan has a secret fortune.

Even when the ultimate theme is meaninglessness and futility, the novelist reveals the inherent strength in a character, the machinations of history in everyday affairs, the possibility that society is capable of change.

Thomas Hardy's overriding theme is that the universe is malevolent or at best indifferent to the affairs of man. Yet his characters navigate a world of symbols: the unchanging, unyielding heath; the rick fires that challenge Gabriel Oak to exhaustion; the closed doors of the Yeobrights and Christminster.

A character's life *means* something. Ultimately that's what a reader wants to extrapolate back onto him/herself.

https://www.quora.com/Why-do-people-read-novels/answer/Ann-Litz 

Never mind if she can’t cook. If she loves you and you love her, that is enough to lead a happy married life.

Cooking is not rocket science. Both of you can learn it together.

By the way my wife married me in spite of my inability to cook.

I married her in spite of her inability to drive.

We are a happily married couple. She cooks for me and I drive her around.

Don’t let these minor difficulties come in your way.

Here is a picture of us that I haven’t shared before.

https://qph.cf2.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-7825d7eac1da0d29a417c5c33a76a70a-pjlq 

Vocab:

rocket science (something very difficult to understand)

Original article on Quoa.com:

https://qr.ae/pvo7LK