11/24 (Sat.) English Funhouse! (Host: Kat)

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Kat C
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註冊時間: 週三 9月 08, 2010 10:31 am

11/24 (Sat.) English Funhouse! (Host: Kat)

文章 Kat C »

Dear friends,

It's Election Day come Nov. 24 - hope you all go out and vote before checking out our meeting! :wink:

For this meeting I'll again try something different from our usual discussion format. With writing exercise, games and conversations, let’s make it a funhouse experience! :lol:


1. Story and identity:

As we seem to see the world over more and more walls coming up and circles drawn, all for trying to keep certain “us” in and “them” out, it may be more timely than ever to question the notion of one's “identity.” Is it the best way to define and place ourselves in the world? Let’s explore.



Questions:

1. When meeting people for the first time, we have two or three things we usually ask them about and tell them about ourselves. Now imagine yourself on a blind date: if you could only ask one question, and your date had to answer it truthfully, what would the question be?

2. From the list below, what are the top 3 identity categories you often use to describe yourself?

age, appearance/body types, class/socioeconomic status, community/social group, education, ethnicity, gender, health, ideology (political leaning), interests/activities, language, nationality, occupation, personality/traits, sexual orientation, marital status, religion, role in the family, seniority, lifestyle

Examples:
I'm a writer and teacher (occupation), a vegan (community), and a liberal (ideology).
I'm a nomad (lifestyle), an atheist (religion), and a K-pop fan (interest).
I'm Taiwanese American (ethnicity+nationality), a mother (role in the family), and a people-person (personality).


3. If you walk into a party of total strangers, and have to join a “group” that shares the same identity as yours and start a conversation, which category from the list above would you pick? (same age, same gender, same political party, same line of work, etc.) What if you had to live on a deserted island with an identity group? What would you pick then?

4. What identities or their categories do you wish we could rid this world of? What identities do you wish others would stop classifying you as?

5. If you could write a story and it’d become your life, name a famous fictional character or real-life person that you’d model yourself on.


2. Flash fiction

One of the most famous short stories - and gotten even more famous after somehow being attributed to Ernest Hemingway - is in only six words:

“For sale: baby shoes, never worn.”

Countless interpretations have turned up over the decades just from those six words. It demonstrates powerfully just how rich words can be, and that you can tell a good story - creating tension and impact - with very few words.

Flash fiction is short fiction of anywhere from 6 to 1,000 words, and is an intriguing literary form. Twitter may have popularized or trivialized it, depending on your views, but writing short can be a great way to hone one's craft. We'll try a piece of our own!


★ To prepare (if you have time and are so inclined, of course): :wink:

Write and bring your own six-word fiction. Any theme! Feel free to do more than one story if you feel inspired, each with six words.

Since it's not "poetry" or "haiku" we're aiming at here, be sure that you're telling a "story."


★ A few more examples found online to get your creative juices going:


“They lived happily ever after, separately.”

“For Rent: Fully furnished, includes husband.”

"Scientist seeks apprentice. Ideally without family."

"One marriage, two dads, three kids."

“Google knows me, therefore I am.”

"Wanted: Mr. Right. Finding: Mr. Left."

"Broken heart seeks builder for reconstruction."

"You found me before I could."

“Passengers, this isn’t your captain speaking.”

“Siri, delete Mom from my contacts.”

“Strangers. Friends. Best friends. Lovers. Strangers.”

“I’m beside myself; cloning machine works.”

“Alzheimer's advantage: new friends every day!”

"Did Noah include termites on ark?"



In the New York-based Writopia Lab, young writers age 9 to 19 try their hand at coming up with their own six-word stories. Here're some examples:

Ena Selmanovic, 13
"I’m outside of those inside jokes."
"I’m too scared to be myself."


Angelica Modabber, 14
"Not blind. I choose not seeing."
"Life’s just a game I play."


Pearl Mutnick, 14
"I write songs I’ll never sing."

They are heart-aching to read, but they tell deeply-felt, personal stories. What's your story? Funny, mysterious, simple, sad... all stories are worth telling.


★ If you're interested in more examples of flash fiction:

Six Word Stories
http://www.sixwordstories.net


3. Q&A with Ramesh

Our dear friend Ramesh will soon be taking on a new life adventure! We’ll have a farewell Q&A with him and hear about his plans. Join us!



********************************************************************************************************************************************
Agenda:
3:50 ~ 4:00pm Greetings & free talk / ordering drinks / getting newcomer’s information
4:00 ~ 4:20pm Opening remarks / newcomer’s self-introduction / grouping
(Session I)
4:20 ~ 5:20pm Activity (60 mins)
5:20 ~ 5:30pm Regrouping / instruction / break
(Session II)
5:30~ 6:15pm Activity (45 mins)
6:15~ 6:25pm Concluding remarks / announcements (10 mins)
6:25~ 6:40pm Q&A with Ramesh
********************************************************************************************************************************************
聚會日期:列於該貼文主題內
聚會時間:請準時 3:50 pm 到 ~ 約 6:40 pm 左右結束
星期六聚會地點:丹堤濟南店
地址、電話:台北市濟南路三段25號 地圖 (02) 2740-2350
捷運站:板南線 忠孝新生站 3 號出口
走法:出忠孝新生站 3 號出口後,沿著巷子(忠孝東路三段10巷)走約 2 分鐘,到了濟南路口,左轉走約 2 分鐘即可看到。
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1. 文章是否需要列印請自行斟酌,但與會者請務必自行列印 Questions for discussion。
2. 與會者請先閱讀過文章,並仔細想過所有的問題,謝謝合作!

給新朋友的話:
1. 請事先準備2~3分鐘的英語自我介紹。
2. 請事先閱讀文章以及主持人所提的討論問題,並事先寫下自己所欲發表意見的英文。
3. 全程以英語進行,參加者應具備中等英語會話能力,對任一討論問題,能夠以5到10句英文表達個人見解。
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最後由 Kat C 於 週六 11月 24, 2018 12:05 pm 編輯,總共編輯了 2 次。
Kooper
YOYO member
文章: 2725
註冊時間: 週三 4月 11, 2007 11:40 pm

Re: 11/24 (Sat.) English Funhouse! (Host: Kat)

文章 Kooper »

Thanks Kat. The two themes are quite different from what we usually discuss in YOYO meetings. They're refreshing and stimulating. :D
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Kat C
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文章: 377
註冊時間: 週三 9月 08, 2010 10:31 am

Re: 11/24 (Sat.) English Funhouse! (Host: Kat)

文章 Kat C »

Thanks, Kooper! It's a special day and I'll try my best to make it a special meeting too! :lol:
Kooper
YOYO member
文章: 2725
註冊時間: 週三 4月 11, 2007 11:40 pm

Re: 11/24 (Sat.) English Funhouse! (Host: Kat)

文章 Kooper »

Q1. When meeting people for the first time, we have two or three things we usually ask them about and tell them about ourselves. Now imagine yourself on a blind date: if you could only ask one question, and your date had to answer it truthfully, what would the question be?

If it’s a blind date with only one question allowed to ask, I would assume I am in a speed dating. In such case all the warm-up social interactions become a luxury or even redundancy. I will come straight to a question that could most likely reveal one’s value system. A question like "what is your greatest regret in life?"

Q2. From the list below, what are the top 3 identity categories you often use to describe yourself?

How I introduce myself differs from case to case; if I am travelling abroad I would definitely mention where I come from; if I am interviewed for a job opportunity, it is very likely to skip my marital status and family role, unless it helps explain why I quit previous jobs or why I look for this one. Living a relatively dull leisure life, more often than not I would talk about my occupation.
Kooper
YOYO member
文章: 2725
註冊時間: 週三 4月 11, 2007 11:40 pm

Re: 11/24 (Sat.) English Funhouse! (Host: Kat)

文章 Kooper »

Some of the Japanese films have titles very much like the flash fiction. One recent example is My Tomorrow, Your Yesterday. BTW, the movie is awesome but heart-wrenching. You should watch it.

Here is my flash fiction: You said you were once me?
Kooper
YOYO member
文章: 2725
註冊時間: 週三 4月 11, 2007 11:40 pm

Re: 11/24 (Sat.) English Funhouse! (Host: Kat)

文章 Kooper »

Attendees(15): Antonio, David Jr., Ellen, Felicidad, Gloria, Iris, Julian, Kat (host), Kooper, Leon, Sabrina, Ramesh, Rosie, Steve, Way
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