Today’s expression and dialog: a bad omen (good omens, too!) It’s 11 at night and still 40 out. This is a bad omen. I know. We’re gonna die in this heat. Thank god we have A/C. Do you ever get the FEELING something bad OR good is going to happen? Do you ever get a signal? A sign? I think in every country/culture, there are different "signals" or "signs" that tell us something GOOD is going to happen or something BAD is going to happen! Do you believe in that stuff? I know many of you do NOT!! Bu...
Aug 28, 2015•6 min
Today’s expression and dialog: What keeps you up at night? You always look so happy! Yeah, thanks. But you… What keeps you up at night? Oh, everything! My job, my bills…money! I wish I could help~~ When you go to bed, are you able to fall asleep right away? I do IF I get enough exercise. But when I don't get enough exercise...my mind wanders~ My mind can move from topic to topic so fast I laugh!! But there are times when, even if I get a LOT of exercise, I can't fall asleep. Those times are when...
Aug 27, 2015•5 min
Today’s expression and dialog: opposites attract Do you think opposites attract? Maybe at first. Yeah! I agree. If two people are too different, I don’t think a relationship will work. Is it true? Nice girls like naughty boys... Tall men like short women... Losers fall in love with winners~ Quiet people dream about loud people... I can think of a few examples where that is true. How can we describe these types of relationships? I'll tell you today! Have a WONDERFUL day!! Coach Shane Please subsc...
Aug 26, 2015•7 min
Today’s expression and dialog: in a rut You don’t look so happy. I’m in a rut. Take a break from work. Yeah, maybe a week off would help. My daily life--my daily routine--is the same nearly every day. And I like it!! BUT, sometimes I do get SICK OF IT! Especially just a few years ago I was ALWAYS looking for something to do~ somewhere to go~ someone to hang out with... I was afraid of HAVING A BORING LIFE!! When someone has a "boring job" or a "boring schedule" or a "boring weekend" or a "boring...
Aug 25, 2015•10 min
Today’s expression and dialog: two-faced Bill Cosby on. I love him! Turn it off. Why? He’s the greatest! The Cosby Show~ He’s two-faced. On TV he seems nice, but I’ve heard in person…whoo! I hope the people you meet this week are all nice people. Be careful of those people that are "nice to you when they talk to you" but when they talk with someone else they say bad things about you! And then there are those people that SEEM like great people. They say nice things, they do good things, they are ...
Aug 24, 2015•8 min
Today’s expression and dialog: ticked off What’s wrong with John? Eric ticked him off. Again? Eric keeps bothering him about smoking. ONE thing nice about living in the HOT and DRY desert...the "stable" weather. Next year I might move up north and the weather is very different. There are many STORMS. And with storms there is lightning. And lightning is NOT good for electricity. When there is lightning, sometimes the electricity goes OUT. And when there is no electricity, I have no internet. When...
Aug 23, 2015•6 min
Today’s expression and dialog: to sneeze at something Shane is an English teacher! Ha! Why? He’s American. They speak American, not English. Don’t sneeze at American English!! A few days ago my mom gave me some chicken that her neighbor had made. She told me she couldn't eat it because it was too spicy--too hot! I laughed and told my mom, "Aww, is it too hot for my mommy? Don't worry, her baby son will eat the spicy food! Ha-ha-ha~~~" My mom did not think it was funny. She prepared a plate for m...
Aug 22, 2015•8 min
Today’s expression and dialog: to be slapped with a fine You’re late. I’m sorry. I made an illegal U-turn. Did they let you go? No! I got slapped with a fine. When I was a kid, I frequently got into trouble. Nothing serious, but I always liked to "push the boundaries". Especially when driving. I LOVED driving fast. I was always watching the road carefully, but I loved to drive fast. And I hated stop signs...especially in the country. There are NO PEOPLE...so why do they need stop signs. Well, th...
Aug 21, 2015•5 min
Today’s expression and dialog: to dabble in Would you help me write this sales letter? Me? Why me? I know you’ve dabbled in writing in the past. Yeah, but that was poetry! Not business stuff! In my life, I have had lots of hobbies. But there have been a few in which I spent more time doing... I became very knowledgeable or skilled at them. One of those hobbies was triathlons. I had always loved running and swimming and cycling, but there was a time when I became VERY serious and invested a lot o...
Aug 20, 2015•7 min
Today’s expression and dialog: pizzazz How’s the stew. It’s okay. A little bland. Argh~~ I should’ve added cumin. Yeah. That would’ve given it some pizzazz! If you follow me on FaceBook, many of you know that I do like to cook. I like cooking different things and, after looking at some of my pictures, my cooking looks REALLY good!! However, pictures do not always tell the truth! Actually, I really try to "eat healthy", so I do NOT use much spice. A tiny bit of salt, a tiny bit of black pepper......
Aug 19, 2015•8 min
Today’s expression and dialog: a dish What’s that? This is a great veggie dish to make your body stronger. Is that kimchi? You made it? Well, I opened the package^^ Today's word is PERFECT if you like special foods! I do love special foods. I like to make them, to look at them, to smell them. Oh, and to EAT THEM!! In the US, you might think of hamburgers as the MAIN food. But we have SO many different foods. And in different parts of America, there are special foods. And I know that SAME is true...
Aug 18, 2015•9 min
Today’s expression and dialog: in the shop Did you walk here? Yeah. My car’s in the shop. What happened? I don’t know. Something’s wrong with the engine. A long time ago...a LONG time ago, if something broke, what did people do? They fixed it!! Dads and moms fixed everything! If they didn't know how to fix it, they would call the neighbor--the neighbor could fix it! I know that America was like that--and I'm sure your country was like that, too. But, in America, things started to change around t...
Aug 17, 2015•11 min
Today’s expression and dialog: to breathe over someone’s shoulder Tim is constantly breathing over your shoulder! I know. He’s really nervous about the report. How’s it going? It’s almost finished. The NICEST thing about working for you all is...I have NOBODY watching me as I work!! I am my own boss! I don't have anyone checking my work...it's really nice!! When I worked at a language institute, my bosses ALWAYS checked my numbers--how many students did I have today, how many yesterday, why the ...
Aug 16, 2015•6 min
Today’s expression and dialog: crucial Cake! I’m gonna share it with Rex! It’s crucial that you don’t let Rex eat this cake. Why not? He loves all desserts. But this is chocolate. Chocolate can kill dogs. What is a word that means "REALLY SUPER ULTRA IMPORTANT"? Well, today I will teach you that word! It's a very good word to use. And if you love dogs, it is REALLY SUPER ULTRA IMPORTANT that you listen to today's podcast! Let me give you an assignment...can you think of something that is REALLY ...
Aug 15, 2015•6 min
Today’s expression and dialog: coming along How’s the homework coming along? It’s almost done. It has to be done before you meet your friends. Don’t worry. It’ll be done. Another GREAT phrasal verb to learn today. One of the most important things you can do, in order to master "daily English", is to master phrasal verbs. HOW can you master phrasal verbs? Use them. You need to practice. The best way to practice is "LIVE" with a coach. Did you know that my PIRF and DDM students now have FOUR LIVE ...
Aug 14, 2015•9 min
Today’s expression and dialog: I need to get out more What’s the last movie you saw? In a theater? Um…oh! The Titanic. Great movie. What? That was over 15-20 years ago. Yeah… I need to get out more~ I go outside every day. BUT...I rarely do anything "fun". I don't go to movies, I don't go to shows, I don't go bowling, I don't go to watch baseball, I don't go to shopping malls...what else is "fun"? WHY don't I have "fun"? Well...I'll tell you in this podcast!! Have a super day! Coach Shane Please...
Aug 13, 2015•11 min
Today’s expression and dialog: like-minded You guys make great business partners. You wanna know the secret? Yeah! We’re like-minded. That’s so important. In a relationship, business relations and/or personal relationships, do you want your partner to be LIKE you or DIFFERENT from you? They say "opposites attract"...but do opposites make good partners? Think about your relationships right now...think about your past relationships. In today's podcast I teach you a great word but I also give you m...
Aug 12, 2015•4 min
Today’s expression and dialog: Some t-shirt, huh? Oh, I’m full! Me, too! Some dinner, huh? When it comes to cooking, mom’s the best. Yes! Thanks, mom^^ Basic English: (you hear a song you like) Oh, that's a nice song. I like that song. That's a good song. (you read a book and like it) This is a great what. I love this book. I'm guessing that for all of you, those sentences are pretty easy, right? I hope so. It's basic English--and it's great English. There is NOTHING wrong with those sentences. ...
Aug 11, 2015•7 min
Today’s expression and dialog: to be on thin ice Where are you? I’m still at work. It’s 9pm! I came in late two days in a row. I’m on thin ice here~ Today's expression is great for both men and women...but my story is for the guys. Men, do you have a girlfriend or a wife? When's her birthday? When is "your anniversary"? What is her favorite color? What restaurant does she like? What is her favorite birthday meal? Does she like flowers? What kind? Oh, there are many more questions I could ask...b...
Aug 10, 2015•7 min
Today’s expression and dialog: Duh~ So, you have an online business? Yes. I teach online. Oh. So, you use a computer? Duh~~!! I remember a long time ago when I met a guy from Denmark, I asked him, "What language do you speak in Denmark?" Oh...I was SUCH AN IDIOT!! He looked at me like I was an idiot! And he said, "Danish!" "Oh, of course." I replied...I was very embarrassed for asking such a silly question! Sometimes people ask REALLY obvious questions and sometimes people say REALLY silly/stupi...
Aug 09, 2015•6 min
Today’s expression and dialog: to catch up What else we need? Ketchup. You go down that aisle. I’ll catch up with you in a minute. But I don’t know what kind of ketchup to buy. Organic!! Duh~~ Well, as you know, I was sick for about two weeks. During that time, I missed many classes and was late with some videos. BUT...finally, I have done everything! My schedule is back to normal. I have "CAUGHT UP". Today we are going to learn the phrasal verb "to catch up". Of course, the past tense would be ...
Aug 08, 2015•7 min
Today’s expression and dialog: to catch a movie/game Yo, Pete, what’s up this weekend? Not much! You wanna go catch a game? Sounds great! How about tomorrow? It's the weekend!! Do you have any special plans? You know what I wish? I wish I lived near a town that had a professional baseball team. If I did, I would DEFINITELY go watch a live baseball game! Maybe next year I will have that chance!! I promise, if I go to a game, I will take you with me? How? On Twitter--they have LIVE VIDEO so we can...
Aug 07, 2015•4 min
Today’s expression and dialog: to be tied up with something You wanna go watch a movie? I’d like to, but can’t. Maybe tomorrow? I don’t think I’ll be able to. I’m really tied up with work these days. Well, my HEALTH is now at 98%!! I'm almost fully recovered. I guess it is taking so long because I am old!!! ANYWAY~~ being sick for two weeks AND having your own business is NOT a good thing. I was not able to do ANYTHING for almost two weeks, so now I am SUPER busy trying to do all of my classes. ...
Aug 06, 2015•5 min
Today’s expression and dialog: gibberish So, how is Shane’s DDM class? Well, the news stories are pretty easy, but that situation comedy~ Ugh! A bunch of gibberish! Well, situation comedies give you real, daily English. Study hard. I know~ I won’t give up! I remember when I first heard Korean. I was on a bus and the driver was talking to another driver. OH MY GOD. It was SUCH a foreign language! I couldn't understand ANYTHING!! I mean, if someone spoke German or French, I could occasionally unde...
Aug 05, 2015•7 min
Today’s expression and dialog: to leg it How are you getting to the game? I’ll leg it. It’s 3 miles! So? The weather’s perfect for a nice walk. I missed you all!!! I was very sick--I had a "kidney stone" and it was causing me GREAT pain...but I'm almost back to 100%! It was a terrible thing and I hope NONE of you EVER have to experience a kidney stone. Today's expression is a fun one...it's an expression that shows you are TOUGH!! Are you tough? Prove it^^ Have a super week and I'll do my best t...
Aug 04, 2015•5 min
Today’s expression and dialog: a hodgepodge Mm! Something smells good. It’s just a hodgepodge of leftovers. Is it ready? I’m starving. In about 30 minutes. If you were to see my music collection...you would probably say "What in the world is this?!!" You would find American rock and roll, country, punk, jazz, soul, rap. You'd find classical music. There would be lots of foreign music, too--Korean, Japanese, German, French, Spanish, Mexican (yes, it's different from Spanish music!), Ghanaian, Ara...
Jul 22, 2015•8 min
Today’s expression and dialog: midnight snack What are you doing? Hiding the leftover steak. Why? I want it for my midnight snack tonight. Don’t tell dad. When you go to sleep do you wake up? Or are you a heavy sleeper. Me--I'm a heavy sleeper. NOTHING wakes me up. Storms, sirens, fights, screaming cats...nothing. But my dad--he's different. A secret: my dad wakes up in the middle of the night because...he gets HUNGRY!!! He wakes up to eat!! Actually, a lot of people do this. Now my dad does not...
Jul 16, 2015•9 min
Today’s expression and dialog: leftovers You want me to throw this out? No. Put it in the fridge. Who’s gonna eat leftovers? I will! Do you like pizza? I do! But, when I make a pizza OR when I buy a pizza, I always make an extra one. Why? Because I'm a pig? Because I eat pizza like monkeys eat bananas? No!! Because I like to eat fresh pizza...but I REALLY like to eat day-old pizza. Even two-day-old pizza! And, not only pizza, other foods, too! I LOVE food that has been cooked, served and then pu...
Jul 15, 2015•6 min
Today’s expression and dialog: great shot Check out this picture. Wow! Who took it? I did. Really? Great shot! A very common expression in sports--sports that involve GOALS or BASKETS or hitting a TARGET--is "Great shot!" It means that the player/athlete "kicked the ball" perfectly into the target. But...even NON-ATHLETES can use this expression...IF they have a camera! Nowadays it seems that everyone has a camera on their cellphone, and they use it! And sometimes the pictures people take are UN...
Jul 14, 2015•7 min
Today’s expression and dialog: to scoff at What do you think of my new suit? Tsk! Don’t scoff at this! It cost $500! What? It looks like it’s from the dollar store! Today we have a great expression that you can use if someone THINKS what you said was silly or stupid or ridiculous! Believe it or not, sometimes I say stupid things! I know, you probably think I'm nearly perfect. That I have an IQ of around 150. That leaders around the world seek my advice on Policies for Peace. That I am the Englis...
Jul 13, 2015•6 min
