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Chat with students Ying Lan from Taiwan Bridgett from Jamaica, and Simo from Morocco, and teachers Maggi, Michael C, and Vance

April 2, 2000

Maggi and Vance have been hanging out in the Palace for over an hour.  Michael C has been popping on and off ICQ.  He can’t reach the Palace, so he’s rebooted once already.  Ying Lan has been online and in touch with Maggi, who reports that she has been having connection problems.  Maggi and Vance are just shooting the breeze.  Eventually Ying Lan appears on ICQ.  Vance sends a message saying we’re at the Palace.  She sends a message  back on ICQ which I paste in the Palace just as Ying Lan appears there to join Maggi and I …

 

  Ying-Lan:         @64,64 !It's Ying-Lan

  Maggi:            Hi Ying

  Ying-Lan:         Hi guys.

  Vance:            Hi, YL says"I can not be online. 

  The line is busy and slow.

   I think it has been caused by long weekend. "

  Maggi:            long weekend?

  Vance:            I sometimes feel the same way after a long weekend.

  Ying-Lan:         Yes, that's what I said.

  Ying-Lan:         We got three days ...

  Maggi:            same o same o here

  Vance:            Really?  Why?

  Maggi:            but Easter is coming

  Maggi:            then i HAVE TWO WEEKS

  Ying-Lan:         But We have to work on next Saturday.

  Vance:            what was the occasion?

  Ying-Lan:         Because Thuesday is an cultural hoiday

  Vance:            what kind of holiday?

  Maggi:            but a national holiday...

  Maggi:            Thursday

  Maggi:            Tuesday is another dqy

  Ying-Lan:         How do you say the place where the dead live or bury?

  Maggi:            cemetery

  Maggi:            but they are not alive

  Maggi:            they are parked there

  Vance:            tomb?

  Ying-Lan:         Chinese have to cemetery on Chin-ming holiday Every year.

  Vance:            You mean you have to go to the cemetery?

  Maggi:            you mean they go to the cemetery

  Maggi:            echo

  Ying-Lan:         Chin-ming holiday is usually 4/5 but it is 4/4 this year.

  Maggi:            what is 4/5

  Vance:            April 5th?

  Ying-Lan:         April 5th.

  Maggi:            ok

  Vance:            duh

  Ying-Lan:         Every family will go cemetery..

  Maggi:            watch it big guy

  Vance:            oops, meant to whisper

  Maggi:            there are loads of ways to write dates

  Maggi:            is it a day to remember the dead?

  Vance:            sorry, we're interrupting Ying Lan ... so do you get together as a family afterward?

  Ying-Lan:         To clean the cemetery and to burn paper money .. give the food to our acetor.

  Vance:            ancestors

  Ying-Lan:         I can not go to cemetery because I am weak.

  Ying-Lan:         My family did it last week.

  Vance:            Weak?  Unhealthy?

  Vance:            Liver problem still?

  Ying-Lan:         But they will go to another cemetery next Tuesday.

  Ying-Lan:         Yes... liver problem and soul problem.

  Ying-Lan:         I mean spirit....

  Vance:            soul problem sounds serious ... are you down in the dumps?

  Maggi:            that could be the cause of the liver problem

  Ying-Lan:         I am easy be infulence by something like ..

  Maggi:            like what?

  Ying-Lan:         It is not serious.

  Vance:            easily influenced by ... /??

  Ying-Lan:         another spirit.

  Maggi:            oh...you know who it is?

  Ying-Lan:         Do you beleive haeven and hell.

  Maggi:            depends

  Vance:            I don't

  Ying-Lan:         I watched the movie "What Dreams may come"

  Ying-Lan:         this afternoon.

  Maggi:            dreams are different

  Maggi:            we can maqke our own heaven or hell

  Ying-Lan:         Have you watched the movie "What Dreams may come"?

  Maggi:            no

  Vance:            I haven't seen it either.

  Maggi:            whhat does a movie have to do with a spirit?

  Ying-Lan:         I know that we can build world where I live. ]

  Maggi:            where is that?

  Ying-Lan:         But there are something beyond that.

  Maggi:            sure there is...the rest of the universe

  Maggi:            don't fall off the chair Vance...

  Ying-Lan:         We don't really understand the world even the scienist...

  Vance:            How'd I get over here?

  Ying-Lan:         I think Vance hate what I said.

  Maggi:            wandering again?! :-)

  Ying-Lan:         So He keep him far away me.

  Maggi:            no he doesn't

  Ying-Lan:         kidding.

  Vance:            No, I don't disagree with anyone unless that person hates others without reason.

  Maggi:            nothing to do with it

  Ying-Lan:         I copy the article for you... "What happens to us after we die?

  Vance:            I think everyone has to explain his/her situation as best s/he can.  What works for you is good enough for me.

  Maggi:            Vance is not a person to haqte

  Maggi:            hate

  Ying-Lan:         Chris Nerlsen had no idea, until an unexpected accident cut his life short,

  Maggi:            I am not afraid to die

  Vance:            That statement is ambiguous, like visiting relatives can be fun.

  Vance:            Chris Nelson?  Who is he?

  Maggi:            lol

  Ying-Lan:         separating hime abruptly from his beloved wife, Annie

  Maggi:            No one really knows since once you are dead you usually don't come back to talk about it

  Ying-Lan:         Now Chris must discover the true nature of life after death.

  Maggi:            so he came back?

  Maggi:            oh...she died

  Ying-Lan:         Relax... I just copy those senteces from the novel named "What Dreams my come"

  Vance:            Oh, yeah, I've heard about this movie.  I think I got my family to tell me about it so I wouldn't have to go myself.

  Maggi:            LOL

  Vance:            I'm such a bore (can't take me anywhere).

  Maggi:            ROTFL

  Vance:            Isn't it a movie plot, where some guy is dead but doesn't know it?

  * Maggi *         except under certain circumstances

  Vance:            certain circumsubstances?

  Ying-Lan:         Sorry

  Vance:            sorry, Maggi is whispering

  Ying-Lan:         Vance, do you know that I am always worry about the future?

  Maggi:            relasx Ying

  Vance:            I guess we all worry about the future. It is human nature to worry, and no one worries about anything BUT the future.

  Vance:            Worry is by definition anxiety over the future.

  Ying-Lan:         Vera told me that I am a perfectrionist... To be a perfectionist will kill me. 

  Ying-Lan:         I am serious.

  Maggi:            I don't worry

  Ying-Lan:         That's my real problem in my mind.

  Vance:            If you can be happy with the present then there will be no worry about the future.

  Ying-Lan:         I always assume I was in bad place of my life.

  Maggi:            let it go then

  Ying-Lan:         I always assume I am in bad place of my life.

  Maggi:            why?

  Vance:            So how can you assume you are in a good place?

  Maggi:            NEVER ASSUME ANYTHING UNTIL YOU KNOW FOR SURE

  Ying-Lan:         I know the rule - "to be relax"/... but it is hard for me.

  Maggi:            oops

  Maggi:            finger slipped

  Maggi:            practice it

  Ying-Lan:         Let it go.

  Maggi:            yes...when you don't worry amazing things haqppen

  Vance:            Is it possible for you to live on your own?

  Maggi:            there is one answer

  Ying-Lan:         To live on my own? I always live on my own.

  Vance:            You don't live with your parents then?

  Ying-Lan:         yes.

  Maggi:            then you don't live on your own

  Vance:            I mean is it possible for a young lady like yourself to live independently in Taiwan, away from her parents, and be respectable?

  Ying-Lan:         except that... I can not move out, if I do that my mother will kill me.

  Vance:            What do you mean she would kill you?

  Maggi:            another problem

  Ying-Lan:         I knew some young lady live alone.

  Vance:            and what happened to her?

  Ying-Lan:         My mother does not allowe I don't live with her.

  Vance:            why not?

  Ying-Lan:         "Kill" is a word to describe she will be mad.

  Ying-Lan:         why not?

  Maggi:            yes why not?

  Vance:            Yeah, why would she not allow you to live with your friend if you wanted to do that?

  Maggi:            it is your life not hers

  Vance:            Did you tell her you wanted to do that, or were you just thinking about it?

  Ying-Lan:         Becuase she is a Chinses..

  Maggi:            so?

  Ying-Lan:         I talked to her about that... but she was angry at ...

  Maggi:            WELL...Ying...there is your problem

  Ying-Lan:         But If I have to work at another city, then I will live on my own.

  Vance:            possibly

  Maggi:            then do it yING

  Vance:            How would you arrange to work in another city?

  Ying-Lan:         I don't it is a problem to live with my parent.

  Ying-Lan:         I can not arrange my work.

  Maggi:            I could never live with my mother

  Maggi:            i LEFT AT 17

  Ying-Lan:         I mean it depends on my company.

  Vance:            We in the west are fortunate that we are able to be free in so many ways like that.

  Ying-Lan:         I knew that from movie, book and magazine..

  Vance:            What if you took a job with another company?

  Ying-Lan:         No way..

  Ying-Lan:         I got more salary here.

  Vance:            So what are the chances that your company will move you?

  Maggi:            less money but happier...hard choice

  Ying-Lan:         The last chance is I marry with one guy,, he lives another city.

  Vance:            Not a GREAT reason to get married, but tolerable ??

  Ying-Lan:         Then I have to apply to work at another city.

  Vance:            Do you like the guy?

  Ying-Lan:         Vance, that's what I want to say.

  Ying-Lan:         I don't want to marry one guy except I love him.

  Ying-Lan:         That's why I am still single..

  Vance:            And you don't love this guy ... ?? (I guess, obviously)

  Ying-Lan:         The worse one is that I loved the one who married with another lady.

  Vance:            oh, no ... well, how can you meet another like him?

  Maggi:            hmmm...familiar story

  Maggi:            that's like asking how to make money grow from trees Vaqce :-)

  Ying-Lan:         I wait the same guy for 7 years ,, but he does not appear.

  Vance:            I think your worry is caused by wondering how you are going to escape from a trap.  Do you dream about being trapped?

  Ying-Lan:         Vance, are you satisfy with the answer?

  Vance:            I mean, do your dreams involve puzzles you can't solve?

  Vance:            Well, sort of satisfied ... I mean, to catch fish you have to go where the fish are ...

  Ying-Lan:         I don't know.. I can not remember those Dream what I had.

  Ying-Lan:         Where is the fish?

  Ying-Lan:         In the Pond? Sea? River?

  Ying-Lan:         Or in the Pacific Ocean.

  Maggi:            he means there are lots of men

  Maggi:            they smell like fish...

  Maggi:            ROTFL

  Vance:            Yeah, where do you think they are?  At work, at the library?  Online?  Working with a volunteer organization?

  Vance:            Where can you meet people with the same interests as you?

  Ying-Lan:         I don't know.. my officemate said I just shout down the door of my mind.

  Ying-Lan:         I think he is right.

  Vance:            Do you have to be home at a certain time each evening?  Do you have to stay home?

  Ying-Lan:         NO...

  Vance:            good!

  Ying-Lan:         I can  go anywhere if I want to go.

  Vance:            ok, do you go places on weekends?

  Ying-Lan:         I prefer to stay at home..

  Ying-Lan:         To watch HBO is safer than hong on in the street?

  Vance:            than hanging out ..

  Vance:            But you watch HBO alone ... what if you went to the cinema instead?

  Vance:            Is it dangerous in the streets where you are?

  Ying-Lan:         It is only a description.

  Ying-Lan:         It is not real dangerous like you think.

  Maggi:            how about going out with female friends?

  Vance:            Are we cheering you up at all?

  Ying-Lan:         Most of my female friend, they are married.

  Maggi:            so...many of mine are too but we all go out for dinner

  Ying-Lan:         I only went to their house to talk to their family...

  Vance:            What about younger friends?  Like what if you helped out at the local YWCA?

  Maggi:            ladies night on the town

  Vance:            I know they have those in Taiwan.  I stayed in one in Taipei.

  Ying-Lan:         It is hard for me...

  Vance:            What if you taught English??

  Ying-Lan:         They are too young to go out with me.

  Ying-Lan:         I can not teach English..

  Vance:            I'll bet you could.  Or you could volunteer to help a teacher.

  Maggi:            hey...I go out with my trainees and  am old enough to be their mother

  Ying-Lan:         There are so many American, Austrian and Canadian teach English here.

  Maggi:            older than some of them

  Vance:            Think about volunteering some time maybe to help out.  You'd meet people who would like you because you help them.

  Ying-Lan:         maggi.. I did not mean that... I have to confess that I close the door of my mind.

  Maggi:            sheesh...Ying...I am tempted to say you should stop making excuses why you can't and just do it ^.^

  Ying-Lan:         I will...

  Ying-Lan:         "Have no fear , Have no fear" right?

  Vance:            You can't lose.  HBO can't be that good.

  Maggi:            yes...just jump in

  Maggi:            you might like it

  Ying-Lan:         Just go outside ..

  Maggi:            no risk no gain

  Maggi:            only regrets

  Vance:            Find ways to make contact with people.  Don't go looking for a guy, just go where the fish are.

  Ying-Lan:         Thanks a lot.

  Ying-Lan:         I did that...

  Maggi:            take something for your nose though...:-)

  Vance:            Maybe a small one will swim into your net.

  Vance:            something for her nose?

  Maggi:            fish stink

  Vance:            oh, I get it, fish smell ...

  Vance:            Maggi, you are so BAD.

  Maggi:            tsk tsk

  Vance:            Isn't she, Ying Lan.

  Ying-Lan:         Fish is coming...  (Ying Lan has assumed a fish avatar)

  Vance:            That's the spirit!

  Maggi:            see!

  Maggi:            WE SHOUD LET vANCE GET TO BED...

  Vance:            I"m going to have to run soon. Iced tea is finished (getting time for a beer)

  Maggi:            ooops

  Ying-Lan:         Vance , are you tired?

  Vance:            Maggi .. it's evening ...

  Maggi:            so

  Ying-Lan:         Or is it time for dinner?

  Vance:            Maggi is confused by the daylight savings time, really throws her off.

  MichaelC:         @64,64 !It's MichaelC

  Maggi:            lol

  Maggi:            HEY MC

  Ying-Lan:         Michaelc ..

  Vance:            Hey, look who's here, speaking of bedtime.

  Maggi:            you made it

  MichaelC:         Well bugger me it finally worked.

  Maggi:            bugger you...hmmm

  Vance:            Congratulations!

  Ying-Lan:         New fish is coming.

  Maggi:            mc

  MichaelC:         Colloquially speaking of course.

  Maggi:            but he doesn't stink

  Maggi:            LOL

  MichaelC:         I don't understand anything!

  Maggi:            You don't need to

  Ying-Lan:         It really hard for me to open my mind to talk to people like what we talked.

  Maggi:            ...you are only a fish

  Ying-Lan:         I am easy to lose my temper...

  Vance:            Sometimes the other person has the same problem.  Someone has to go first.

  Maggi:            bite your tongue then Ying

  Ying-Lan:         I have not patient to listen what words I don't like.

  Maggi:            then ignore them

  MichaelC:         At least I'm here ....just in time for bed!

  Maggi:            yeh mc...this ill give you dreams

  Maggi:            will

  MichaelC:         Fish, ducks, chess pieces....

  Ying-Lan:         Michalec... It is late for you.

  Vance:            At least you got in MC.  You can read what we talked about in the logs.  Is it ok to put the logs on the Internet, Ying Lan?  Anything off record there?

  Maggi:            gets crazier eh?

  MichaelC:         (or was that pidgeons M and V?)

  Ying-Lan:         It is o.k.

  Maggi:            it was a duck

  Ying-Lan:         At least, I am a small one.. nobody will remember that.

  MichaelC:         Sounds like it might be an interesting log.

  Maggi:            fishy

  Vance:            I've got to go.  Sundown, thoughts turn towards ...

  Ying-Lan:         Vance and maggi are threapst tonight.

  Maggi:            beer

  MichaelC:         Ying - I had a lot of trouble getting into this room. That's why I'm so late.

  Maggi:            hope it helped yING

  Vance:            When I got the iced tea, I couldn't help notice the fridge was full of Guiness.

  Maggi:            mmmmm

  Ying-Lan:         Got it.

  Vance:            OK, bye all.

  Maggi:            sometimes it is just good to get it off your chesst

  Maggi:            bye b8g guy

  MichaelC:         Bye Vance!!!

  Ying-Lan:         Brave

  Vance:            Catch you on the email MC

  Ying-Lan:         I need more Breave to face my life.

  Maggi:            brave is easy

  MichaelC:         OK Vance - I guess we need to talk about TCC.

  Vance:            See you Ying Lan.  Be brave.

  Maggi:            how about TLC/

  MichaelC:         That too.

  Maggi:            LOL

  Vance:            Yeah, MC.  I need to send my picture to those guys and check all their emails.  Anything I should be aware of while I've got you here?

  Maggi:            not with each otheI hope

  Vance:            Your paper is great.  I've linked it from the Webheads page.

  Maggi:            I'm hungy...yING...WHAT TIME IS IT THERE NOW?

  Maggi:            AHHH

  MichaelC:         Well they've opened the webboard which already has  a few intro messages from people...

  Ying-Lan:         It is 10:05 p.m.

  Vance:            At the top there is a reports section, link is frm there.

  Maggi:            fingers keep hitting that key

  Vance:            I'll check it out. (Vance see Bridget on ICQ and sends a quick message telling her where we are)

  Maggi:            5pm here

  MichaelC:         ...and the chat software woks for me...don't think I or we need to practice chatting though!

  Maggi:            7 hrws

  Vance:            Naw, I did it last year.  I also entered a MOO area but no one was there. 

  Vance:            I'm at the preconference site now.

  MichaelC:         You'll find an intro message there from me.

  Vance:            Creating a profile now.

  Maggi:            oh...TCC..i presented there once

  MichaelC:         I might go there too...

  Maggi:            I had fun mooing

  Maggi:            ind the MUD

  MichaelC:         (smiles at Maggi)

  Maggi:            I wondered first time I heard abot schmoozing

  Vance:            Probably at our presentation we can invite the webheads as usual.  Anyone want to attend?  About this time Thu the 13th isn't it?

  Maggi:            I can make that

  Ying-Lan:         What's time?

  Maggi:            when

  Vance:            April 13, at what time MC, around noon GMT?

  Vance:            Sorry MC

  Maggi:            testing that day

  Vance:            What are you testing that day for?

  Maggi:            shame

  Vance:            (couldn't resist; love those ambiguities)

  Maggi:            trainees..English

  Maggi:            didn't bite that one

  Vance:            OK, MC, I see your message.  Will leave my own tomorrow.

  Vance:            What's the time of our presentation MC?

  Vance:            MC?? Are you awake there MC?

  Maggi:            hit the screen...ouch

  Vance:            He does seem to have one eye closed ...

  Ying-Lan:         He might be busy to check it out./

  Maggi:            true Ying

  Ying-Lan:         Or he got the connection problem.

  Maggi:            got bit

  Vance:            busy checking it out ... but you would say too busy TO check it out (opposite meaning)

  Bridgett:         @64,64 !It's Bridgett

  Vance:            And there's Bridget.  Hiya!

  Maggi:            hey Bridgett

  Ying-Lan:         I really tired.. May I leave for sleeping?

  Bridgett:         Hi how is every one

  Maggi:            sure.

  Bridgett:         are you playing chest

  Maggi:            you don't need to ask Ying

  Ying-Lan:         I got up early ..

  Maggi:            no...Vance didn't clean up last time

  Ying-Lan:         Sorry, Bridgett. I have to go now.

  Ying-Lan:         It is time for bed.

  Maggi:            Ming said to say hello but she went to bed too

  Maggi:            Maybe next weekend she will get up at 4 or 5am to join us.

  Ying-Lan:         o.k. see you next week.

  Vance:            Michael just woke up on the floor, reached up to tap the following message on the keyboard ...

  Maggi:            bye yING

  Vance:            MSG: Dropped out again. Shit. I'll say goodnight. Say bye to the others for me OK?

  Vance:            Did MC say shit?  I just noticed that ...

  Maggi:            FIGURES

  Vance:            Bridgett, leaving already?

  Ying-Lan:         bye

  Maggi:            ying is leaving

  Vance:            bye YL!  Nice talking to you.

  Maggi:            you were going to Vance...

  Bridgett:         no I am hear  but I cant stay long  I have to free up the phone line in the , next 25 min

  Vance:            Bobbi is fetching me a Guiness from the fridge.

  Maggi:            slave driver

  Vance:            OK, well tell us what life is like in Jamaica at the moment then?

  simo:             @64,64 !It's simo

  Maggi:            yes do...:-)

  Vance:            Where do you live, btw?  I've been to Jamaica (on my honeymoon)

  Maggi:            hello simo...

  Maggi:            goodbye

  Bridgett:         we have cricket know  one day with WI and zimbrewa

  simo:             @64,64 !It's simo

  simo:             @64,64 !It's simo

  simo:             @64,64 !It's simo

  simo:             helloo

  Maggi:            having problemssimp/

  Vance:            (My honemoon was 25 years ago, btw)

  simo:             ok

  Maggi:            GIVING AWAY SECRETS vNCE

  simo:             non i havn't a problem

  Maggi:            simo...where are from?

  simo:             so u

  simo:             morocco

  Maggi:            oh...well welcome

  simo:             so pls where is a techer

  Maggi:            two of them here

  Maggi:            mAGGI AND vANCE

  Maggi:            the duck nd the smiley on the back of the chqir

  Maggi:            chair

  simo:             so i gotta go now ok, bye

  Maggi:            well...ok

  Maggi:            nice to meet you

  simo:             asl pls

  Maggi:            aqsl?

  Maggi:            asl?

  simo:             so u r asl pls

  simo:             yeah

  Maggi:            what does asl mean?

  simo:             age

  simo:             sex

  simo:             location

  Bridgett:         Hi simo we naver meet I am Bridgett

  Maggi:            NOT IMPORTANT HERE TO LEARN eNGLISH

  Maggi:            oops

  Maggi:            sporry

  simo:             ok bye

  Vance:            HI Simo.  I'm on the balcony having a drink with my wife.  Boats are going by in the sunset.  There were dolphins out there this morning.

  Maggi:            sorry, didn't mean to yell

  Bridgett:         why did he leave

  Maggi:            he did say he had to go

  Bridgett:         okay

  Maggi:            I think he was looking for something else

  Bridgett:         day light seveing time start today , what time are you vance

  Maggi:            we started last weekend

  Maggi:            5.30pm here

  Bridgett:         H am doing a bit of surfing too,  try to use up my 25 min

  Maggi:            good idea Brigett...I think Vance fell into the sunset

  Vance:            hi.  Just talking to Bobbi.  Just lurking.

  Bridgett:         I have to go  maggi I will see you on line later , vance too

  Maggi:            the lurker is salking us ...LOL

  Maggi:            stalking

  Maggi:            ok...I am going to get something to eat

  Maggi:            bye guys

  Maggi:            watch out Vance

  Maggi:            you can get the log now

  Maggi:            enjoy your evening...:-)

 


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Last updated: April 2, 2000