周二(7/23)1.你是半杯? 還是一杯? 2.中獎是個詛咒

各位好朋友們:

說吧!英文讀書會， 因某些緣故，聚會地點，暫時移到

地點: 快提café  新北市板橋區文化路一段387巷10號， 對於說吧!英文讀書會， 是一個考驗， 一個英文讀書會的消長， 就靠您的出席率， 在這個時期 ，更需要您出席相助， 其實要在各山頭派別， 殺出一條活路 ，實屬不易， 需要您出席相挺 。

Billy 一直傳達一個簡單概念， 與其在家空轉電視遙控器，  看著無聊的第四台，與人閒聊空談 發呆 ， 或獨自苦讀英文，  不如用英文交談，生活或工作的經歷， 與大家同樂， 在二小時左右聚會時間， 輕鬆笑談，多少有所收穫 ， 用free conversation style 不讓您的英文生鏽 ，這個英文讀書會的平台， 除了英文的練習， 也有助人際交流 ，疏緩一下生活壓力

我輩同是俠義中人， 情義相挺 ， 熱心向學的好友們: 也請推薦您的朋友加入。

對於您的出席支持， Billy 對您的感激有如滔滔江水 綿綿-------------------------

 周二(7/23)1.你是半杯? 還是一杯? 2.中獎是個詛咒
原聚會點 怡客咖啡 暫時改至地點: 快提café  新北市板橋區文化路一段387巷10號
(沿著新埔捷運站1號出口左方向前走約100公尺 經過新埔郵局看到康是美 從信義房屋旁的巷子進入)

連絡電話: 0976217450   Billy

  

你是半杯? 還是一杯?
Is Your Glass Half Full or Is It Half Empty?
 (by John)

Glass Half FullPositive or Negative? Optimist or Pessimist? Does it matter, glass half full perspective or not? Do my thoughts and reactions even influence my day? Does my perception influence my reality? Is an attitude contagious?
Inception, one of my favorite movies had this one basic concept – “Everything in life starts off as an idea”. (Don’t worry…no spoilers ) Later in the movie they need to influence someone’s thoughts and have a choice between picking a positive or negative idea. They pick the positive idea.
Why a positive idea though? Positive thoughts are loving, warm, inspiring and good motivators. Negative thoughts like fear, anxiety, and ungratefulness are negative motivators. Positive motivators inspire you each day to get out of bed, accomplish goals, solve problems and help others. They even help you jump in bed ready to sleep. Negative motivators drag you down and linger in your thoughts. They keep you up at night. They might get you to do something but it will normally be for a selfish reason. They might get you what you want out of others but it’ll normally be out of fear. Positive and negative feelings and attitudes are contagious.
We can’t get ahead of ourselves though and forget that the foundation is laid within ourselves. Our ideas are the cornerstone and the contagious source of influence. If we accept responsibility for our thoughts and ideas, and how we influence others then we’ll really see which direction our lives are going. As men we are often told that we’re responsible for our actions. I say we’re also responsible for our thoughts and ideas that lead to these actions. And the consequences are results of the direction we’re headed down, and when we take a good look at them they will reveal whether we are influencing others’ lives positively or negatively.
“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” ~Winston Churchill
The title of this article, this idiom, is a common phrase often used to describe personalities and different perspectives of an event, situation or circumstance. “Are you a glass half full or half empty type of person?” can often be heard or asked. To the point where your answer almost always dictates how you are then perceived by others.

Questions:

1. Are you a glass half full or glass half empty kind of person?
(Are you prone to optimism or pessimism?)

2. How being an optimist or a pessimist affects your life?

3. The benefits of being optimistic?

How to be optimistic and positive?

4. How to motivate and inspire yourself in difficult times?

5. How to avoid negative thinking?

6. How often do you complain?
中獎是個詛咒

 

My £2m lotto win at 16 was a curse  (By Eleanor Harding)

 

At 16 she became Britain’s youngest lottery jackpot winner, but her £1.9million prize proved more of a curse than a blessing.

 

Callie Rogers gave up her job and frittered most of her money on parties, drugs, cosmetic surgery, holidays and gifts.

Ten years on, Miss Rogers has only £2,000 left in the bank – but says she has never felt happier.

For instead of bringing happiness, her riches left her feeling so lonely and vulnerable that she attempted suicide.

Now the 26-year-old is training to be a nurse and shops for bargains in Tesco. The closest she comes to splashing out is ordering a Friday night takeaway.

She lives in a modest £80,000 three-bedroom house in Workington, Cumbria with her partner, fireman Paul Penny, 34, and son Blake, one.

Her new life has not been free from tragedy, however – Blake was one of twins but his brother Mason was stillborn. Miss Rogers, who has two children aged eight and six from a previous relationship, said: ‘I can’t believe ten years have passed since I stood holding that huge cheque.

‘It feels like a lifetime ago. I was too young to win the lottery – I don’t think 16-year-olds should be eligible.

‘It was too much money for someone so young. Even if you say your life won’t change, it does – and often not for the better. It nearly broke me, but thankfully, I’m now stronger.

‘I try to forget the ups and downs I’ve been through and just feel like a normal person.

‘The pressure to splash out and live a glam party life has gone – and I prefer it.’

Beginner's luck: Ms Rogers from Cumbria found that money doesn't buy happiness. She spent £250,000 on cocaine and blew her riches on lavish gifts and designer clothes

She told Closer magazine: ‘I got up late and lived on takeaways. And so-called mates would come over until the early hours to party.

‘Suddenly, I was a local celeb and people would come up to me in pubs as if they were my best friend and I felt pressure to buy them all drinks. I didn’t know who to trust.’

She added: ‘For so long, I drifted with no aims. Now I have a job and my family to care for.’

Question:

1. What do you think about Calli’s story?

Is winning the lottery a happy ending?

2. What to do if you win the lottery?

Unexpected windfall: invest or spend?

3. How to handle people wanting to share in your wealth?

4. The pros and cons of being rich and famous

5. What are the pro's and con's of being poor?

What to do if you're broke?

6 .How to be happy when you have nothing?

Tips on how to be happy when you are poor?  

 

 

 
16歲中8400萬樂透 3度自殺

隆乳吸毒 渾噩10年 剩9萬卻快樂

凱莉16歲中樂透頭彩時，曾表示不會亂花錢，但事與願違。《每日郵報》
【李寧怡╱綜合報導】10年前，16歲美少女凱莉羅傑斯成為英國最年輕樂透頭彩得主，贏得逾187萬英鎊（約8400萬元台幣）彩金。當時她說很知足，不會亂花錢，但後來砸錢整形、吸毒，因空虛3度自殺。現在26歲的她，戶頭只剩2000英鎊（約9萬元台幣），反而比以前快樂。

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最新一期的英國雜誌《Closer》刊出凱莉羅傑斯（Callie Rogers）專訪。2003年中獎後，已輟學的她辭掉收銀員的工作，打算和男友蓋瑞環遊世界、照顧父母的生活、回學校讀書、成為社工人員幫助孩童。
不久後她發現蓋瑞花她的錢如流水，還在外偷吃，甩掉他後結識新男友羅森。她和羅森同居，砸錢隆胸、買高檔衣飾、度假、送奢華禮物給父母，並染上毒癮，買古柯鹼的支出高達25萬英鎊（約1125萬元台幣）。
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現年26歲的凱莉只剩9萬台幣，比當富婆更快樂。翻攝英國《每日郵報》
「不知該信任誰」
「那時我每天睡到很晚，吃外賣食物，然後所謂的朋友會上門來狂歡。」她成為名流，去夜店會有不認識的人來搭訕，酒錢最後都由她埋單，「我不知道該信任誰。」因為寂寞空虛，她3度自殺未遂，糜爛生活導致羅森與她分手。
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現超市買特價品
3年前她結識消防隊員男友派尼，現在她和派尼與1歲兒子過著簡單生活，一周當兩天看護，準備成為護士。她在平價超市買特價品，想起中獎往事恍如隔世。她說：「16歲不該有中獎資格。對於這年紀，這筆錢太多了。即使宣稱生活不會改變，它就是會變，通常只會更糟。」
台灣彩券及運動彩券的購買年齡限制分別是年滿18歲及20歲。英國滿16歲即可買樂透。

樂透得主 悲慘下場
★美國男子惠特克2002年贏得約94億元台幣頭彩，但最後酗酒、離婚，他每月給25萬元台幣零用錢的孫女，則吸毒致死。
★美國男子小哈瑞爾1997年贏得約9.3億元台幣樂透，用部分彩金買房買車等，其他全被親友借走，2年後破產，自殺身亡。
★美國婦女亞當斯1985及86年兩度中樂透，總共入袋約1億6200萬元台幣。她把錢全都輸在賭場，20年後住在貨櫃屋。
資料來源：《蘋果》資料室

7/19 聚會照片