The Real Deal
May 18th, 2006怀着忐忑不安的心情告诉大家：我出书了。书名叫《时尚英语 美国流行文化A to Z》，由外语教学与研究出版社出版，ISBN 7-5600-5421-8，定价13.90元。
当地新华书店、外文书店买不到的朋友可以网购：
更新：
美国的朋友可以通过Actrace网购（定价8.40美元）
Bonus video: Craig David - Unbelievable
Baby One More Time
September 16th, 2008我的第二本书终于出版发行了！
书名叫《时尚英语2 美国流行文化A to Z》，依旧由外语教学与研究出版社出版，ISBN 978-7-5600-7693-5，519页，定价35元。配MP3光盘一张，我亲自出声。
与此同时，前一本书也推出了新版，增加了40页左右内容。新封面改为白色调，跟《时尚英语2 美国流行文化A to Z》构成一个系列。
Song binge
September 9th, 2008刚发现的一个好词： song binge。
To become obsessed with a certain song for a period of time, listening to it on repeat for hours until you finally become annoyed with it.
To binge on a song or artist. The act of repeatedly and obsessively listening to a particular song or artist over a relatively short period of time. Periods of song binging are followed by extended periods of skipping the certain track or artist, leaving them unplayed.
我就经常会出现这种情形。碰到一首喜欢的歌，反反复复翻来覆去地听，如果是有MV的，我还会连带着看N遍MV。
一直觉得应该有个专门的词形容这种行为。能发现song binge这个词真让我心满意足，实在太贴切了。 
Bonus video: Maria Arredondo - Burning （目前这首歌让我song binge到天昏地暗！）
Chinese paper cutting
August 27th, 2008文化不一样，对语言的理解就是不一样。
今天的一篇稿件里反复出现了paper cut这个词，原文作者是要表达“剪纸”的意思。
中国同事的反应：paper cut就是剪纸啊，难道有问题？
老外同事的反应：paper cut怎么可能是剪纸？明明就是割伤嘛！
解释了一番剪纸是什么东西之后，老外说，这是特别中国化的艺术，没有完全对应的英语单词。但无论如何，说paper cut是不对的。（这一点我同意，我听到paper cut，想到的也肯定是手割伤。）最后决定用Chinese paper cutting。
一查资料，Wikipedia也管剪纸叫Chinese paper cutting。建议大家以后就这么翻译吧。别再说paper cut了。
Bonus video: Micky Modelle vs Samantha Mumba - Gotta Tell You
Wha?
July 12th, 2008今天无意间看到这个：
In for a penny, in for a pound. It’s dogged as does it. 是什么意思？
已解决
最佳答案
为了几文钱，做得像条狗一样（形容赚钱辛苦得很）。
I was like, “Wha?”
接着往下看，幸好有这样的回复：
It’s dogged as does it. 意思是：Anything can be done with determination and perseverance.。（as相当于that）执著才会成功；成事在于坚强；有志者事竟成。语源可以参考 Facts On File Dictionary of Proverbs by Martin Manser（英语谚语典故词典，曼瑟主编）
In for a penny, in for a pound. It’s dogged as does it. 这是两句谚语（格言），不是一个句子。 In for a penny, in for a pound. 意思是： Once you have committed yourself to something, you might as well do it wholeheartedly and see it through to the end. 汉语相应成语就是一不做，二不休。
我晕啊，这最佳答案是怎么评出来的？根据自己的直觉吗？我觉得这方面还是有个尺度为好。
最后一段完全说出了我的心里话。“我晕啊”也很像我的风格，呵呵。
百度知道现在非常流行，但就英语方面的问题来说，它远不如Wikipedia和Urban Dictionary可靠。大家看着办吧。
Bonus video: New Kids On The Block - Summertime
Nosebleed section
July 2nd, 2008奥运越来越近，每天都有机会接触和运动相关的英语。今天又学到一个：nosebleed section。
From Wikipedia:
The phrase nosebleed section is applied tongue-in-cheek to those seats of a public arena, usually an athletic stadium or gymnasium, that are highest and, usually, farthest from the desired activity. A common reference to having seats at the upper tiers of a stadium is “sitting in the nosebleed section” or “nosebleed seats.”
The reference alludes to the propensity for nasal hemorrhage at high altitudes, usually owing to lower barometric pressure.
From Urban Dictionary:
The uppermost part of a sports arena. Used to exaggerate the altitude of the highest seats, i.e. high altitudes give you nosebleeds.
e.g. We ordered our tickets later than everyone else and were forced to sit in the nosebleed section high above the field.
P.S. 词典里似乎还没收录nosebleed section，不过它已经不算什么新兴短语了。
Bonus video: Katy Perry - I Kissed A Girl (Nosebleed, anyone?)