Hi ,

March is HERE!

For me, that means the “end” of winter! I hope~ 

I am actually really looking forward to spring. I feel a bit trapped inside my house—and I know my puppy Moose does, too! What about you, ?

I’m really excited because we’re trying out a BRAND-NEW NEWSLETTER! 

An English newsletter with a variety of stories. Glossaries, a puzzle. Lots of pictures. This is our FIRST issue so PLEASE let me know if you like it, okay?

Finally, before we begin, I have a couple announcements.

Our VIP lessons start FRESH on March 1st. We’ve got a great set of lessons planned. And because March has 31 days instead of February’s 28 days, it’ll be much more relaxed!

If you’re NOT a member yet, join now. On March 6th, membership prices go up, but if you join now, you will be locked in at the current price. If you want a quarterly or yearly membership, email me. 

Our 8-Week Speaking Course is accepting new members. We have an excellent package for you which includes a free month of DDM VIP and PIRF VIP. This offer also ends on March 6th.

IF you are already a PIRF VIP member or LME 365 member, you can join, too. BUT if you do, let us know first, okay?

As I re-open the 8-Week course, I wanted to make it really special. I added three bonuses to the regular membership--EXCELLENT bonuses. 

IF you are interested click the link below, if NOT, no problem!

And that’s it! Enough chitchat—let’s start the Newsletter!

What’s in this newsletter?

  Lesson highlights

  Americana: Daylight Saving Time

  Food Lovers: Coach Shane’s Pound Cake recipe

  In Sports: Soccer Season

  Travel Corner: Awesome Utah

  In the News: LA Snow!

  Puzzle Time: Word Search AND a Crossword Puzzle!

Lesson Highlights for March!

In DDM in March—back to more Jerry, George, Elaine and Kramer. We’re starting fresh on March 1st. If you follow Hollywood news, you might know that the very famous actress Raquel Welch passed away in February. Well, this episode that we are studying features Raquel Welch—it’s a wonderful tribute to a very famous person. Not only that story, but we’ll also have two other stories—five all together!

In PIRF, we’re starting off “telling a story”. The story itself is great (it’s very funny), but SPEAKING is the key. We’ll be learning “dry/dark humor”. That’s the first PIRF assignment, we’ll have two more after that.

In LME365, another ten DDM and PIRF lessons!

LOTS to learn and it all starts March 1st.

Americana

My least favorite time of the year is coming up…Daylight Saving~ It starts March 12th.

Ah, Daylight Saving Time. The one day of the year when we all feel like we’re living in some kind of sci-fi movie where time travel is possible. It’s like we’re all collectively gasping and saying, "Wait, what day is it? What time is it? Did I oversleep?"

And don’t even get me started on the morning commute the Monday after the clocks change. Suddenly, everyone is a bit more bleary-eyed and disheveled, as if we’ve all just stumbled out of a time machine. It’s like we’ve all been transported to some alternate universe where everyone is just a bit more groggy and caffeine-dependent.

But hey, at least we get a little extra daylight in the evenings, right? And who knows, maybe all that lost sleep will inspire some new creative ideas or inventions. After all, some of the greatest ideas in history have come from sleep-deprived people. So, let’s embrace the quirkiness of Daylight Saving Time and see what kind of magic we can create!

Daylight Saving Time: A practice in which the clock is adjusted forward by one hour in the spring and back by one hour in the fall, intended to make better use of daylight during the summer months.

Sci-fi: A genre of literature and media that deals with futuristic or imaginary concepts, often involving advanced technology or alternative universes.

Collectively: Referring to a group of people acting or thinking together as a whole.

Gasping: Taking in a sudden, deep breath due to surprise or shock.

Oversleep: To sleep longer than intended or desired.

Don’t even get me started on: A phrase used to indicate that the speaker has a lot to say about a particular topic and that they are likely to become passionate or emotional when discussing it.

Morning commute: The daily trip or journey taken by a person to get to work or school in the morning.

Bleary-eyed: To have tired or strained eyes, often due to a lack of sleep or rest.

Disheveled: To have a messy or unkempt appearance, often due to a lack of grooming or attention.

Stumbled out of: To walk in a clumsy or unsteady way, often due to being tired or disoriented.

Time machine: A fictional device that allows people to travel through time, often used as a plot device in science fiction and fantasy stories.

Transported to: To be taken or moved to a different place or situation.

Alternate universe: A hypothetical or fictional version of reality that differs from our own, often involving different laws of physics or other changes.

Groggy: To feel tired, weak, or unsteady, often due to lack of sleep or rest.

Caffeine-dependent: To be reliant on caffeine to function or stay awake, often due to a lack of sleep or high stress levels.

Inspire: To encourage or stimulate creative or inventive activity, often through new ideas or experiences.

Inventions: New products, technologies, or ideas that have been created to solve problems or improve people’s lives.

Sleep-deprived: To have a lack of sleep or rest, often due to various reasons such as stress, medical conditions, or lifestyle habits.

Embrace: To accept and appreciate something fully, often with enthusiasm or positivity.

Quirkiness: A characteristic or feature that is unusual or unexpected, often in a charming or appealing way.

Magic: A term used to describe something that is awe-inspiring, enchanting, or extraordinary.

Food Lovers

Last month we learned a little about POUND CAKE. Originally, pound cake was made with one pound of flour, one pound of sugar and one pound of butter! But I have a better recipe for you! Do you want to try?

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

4 large eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan with butter.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula.

Bake the pound cake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing it from the pan and transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy your homemade pound cake! You can slice and serve it as is or add a dollop of whipped cream and some fresh berries for a delicious dessert. With strawberries and cream is MY favorite!

In Sports

Are you a SOCCER fan? Is it “soccer” or “football”? I started enjoying soccer back in 2002 during the World Cup!

The word "soccer" actually originated in England and was used as a nickname for association football in the late 1800s. However, in the early 1900s, the word "football" became more commonly used in England to refer to the sport, while "soccer" continued to be used primarily in the United States, Canada, and Australia.

The use of the word "soccer" in England gradually declined over time, and by the mid-20th century, it had largely fallen out of use. Today, "football" is the standard term used to refer to the sport in the United Kingdom.

It’s worth noting that the use of different terms for the sport can vary depending on the region and the culture. For example, in the United States, "soccer" is the most commonly used term, while in Australia, the sport is referred to as "football" or "soccer" interchangeably. Similarly, in some parts of the world, the sport is referred to as "calcio" or "futbol" instead of "football" or "soccer."

Anyway! In the US, the 2023 SOCCER season has begun.

Major League Soccer (MLS) is a very popular professional soccer league in the United States. It started in 1996 with just 10 teams, but now has 29 teams all over the country. MLS is different from other leagues because the league owns all the teams and is in charge of many important things like player contracts and other important stuff. 

MLS has grown in popularity in recent years, and more and more people are watching the games. Many famous players from other countries have joined the league too. MLS has also made partnerships with big soccer leagues in Europe to become more well-known around the world. 

MLS is still working to become even more popular and successful, but it has already added two new teams in Austin and Charlotte, with more planned for the future. Even though soccer is not as popular in America as other sports, MLS is doing really well and has a bright future ahead.

A nickname: A name given to someone or something as a short form of their real name or title.

Association football: The formal name for the sport known as soccer in some countries, played with two teams of eleven players each, a round ball, and the objective of scoring goals in the opposing team's net.

Primarily: Mainly or mostly, as the most important or significant thing.

Gradually: Happening slowly over a period of time, or by degrees.

Declined: Became less common or popular, or decreased in quantity or quality.

Over time: During a period of time, especially one that is long or gradual.

Largely: Mainly or mostly, to a great extent.

Fallen out of use: No longer in use, or rarely used or remembered.

Standard term: The most commonly used or recognized term or phrase for something.

It's worth noting: An expression used to indicate that something is important or interesting and should be paid attention to.

Vary: To differ or change, especially in different situations or circumstances.

Interchangeably: In a way that allows one thing to be used or substituted for another.

Calcio: The Italian word for football, which is the standard term used in Italy to refer to the sport.

Futbol: The Spanish word for football, which is the standard term used in Spanish-speaking countries to refer to the sport.

League-owned teams: A type of ownership structure where the league owns all the teams and is responsible for player contracts, negotiations, and other administrative functions. 

In charge of: Responsible for something, or having control or authority over it.

Player contracts: Agreements that specify the terms and conditions of a player's employment with a team or league, including salary, benefits, and other obligations.

Soccer leagues in Europe: Professional soccer leagues based in Europe, such as the English Premier League, Spanish La Liga, and Italian Serie A. 

A bright future ahead: A positive outlook for future success or growth.

Travel Corner

If you have the opportunity to visit Utah, a great day trip to consider is visiting Bryce Canyon National Park. The park is located in southwestern Utah and is known for its beautiful rock formations. The formations are called hoodoos, and they look like tall and thin spires of rock.

When you visit Bryce Canyon, you can take a drive through the park to see the amazing views. The park also has many hiking trails, which range from easy to difficult. The trails allow you to see the unique rock formations up close and enjoy the natural beauty of the park.

Some popular hiking trails in Bryce Canyon include the Navajo Loop Trail and the Queen’s Garden Trail. The Navajo Loop Trail takes hikers through a forest of pine trees and offers great views of the hoodoos. The Queen’s Garden Trail is a leisurely hike that takes you through the heart of the park.

In addition to hiking and scenic drives, Bryce Canyon also offers stargazing programs, ranger-led activities, and camping opportunities. It’s a great destination for anyone who loves the outdoors and wants to experience the natural beauty of Utah.

The opportunity: A favorable or advantageous circumstance that presents itself to someone.

Day trip: A journey or excursion, usually taken for pleasure, that takes place in one day.

To consider: To think about carefully, especially in order to make a decision.

Rock formations: Natural geological structures or features composed of rock.

Hoodoos: Tall and thin spires of rock that have been eroded over time, often found in desert landscapes.

Spires: Tall, narrow, and pointed structures, often found in architecture or natural formations.

A leisurely hike: A relaxed or unhurried walk or trek, usually taken for enjoyment or relaxation.

The heart of the park: The central or most important area of a park or other natural environment.

Scenic drives: A route or road taken for the purpose of enjoying or experiencing the beauty of the surrounding landscape.

Stargazing: The activity of observing and studying the stars and other celestial objects in the night sky.

Ranger-led activities: Guided programs or tours led by park rangers or other knowledgeable staff, often aimed at educating visitors about the park’s history, nature, or wildlife.

In the News

Last week, southern California had a big winter storm that made it snow a lot and set new records for rain. This made a beautiful winter wonderland for the people who live there. The storm came from far away in the Gulf of Alaska and brought a lot of precipitation with it. 

Places in the mountains got lots of snow, like the Mountain High Ski Resort which got 93 inches of snow! The storm caused some problems, like the power went out and some roads closed. But it’s good because the snow will help with the drought that’s been going on for a long time. 

It’s not quite spring yet, so there might be more rain or snow in March, but this storm was a big surprise because people didn’t think it would be so wet this winter.

Set new records: To establish a new achievement or accomplishment that surpasses previous ones.

A beautiful winter wonderland: A picturesque scene created by a winter storm, characterized by snow and other winter weather elements.

Precipitation: Any form of moisture that falls from the sky, including rain, snow, sleet, and hail.

93 inches: ~236 cm

Power went out: The loss of electrical power in an area, resulting in a lack of electricity for homes and businesses.

Some roads closed: A situation where certain roads are not accessible due to weather, accidents, or other factors.

Drought: A prolonged period of dry weather that leads to a shortage of water, which can impact agriculture, ecosystems, and human activities.

Going on: Continuing or persisting over a period of time without stopping or changing.

Not quite X yet: A phrase indicating that something is close to or approaching a certain condition or state, but has not fully reached it.

Puzzle Time

First up, our March WordFind!

Below, there is a list of words from the Daylight Saving story…can you find them in that big BOX of letters? See how fast you can do it! It’s not as easy as it might seem! Good luck 😊

Next up, our March Crossword Puzzle. 

Read the clues below the puzzle, see if you can fill in the blanks. I’m sure you can—HOW long will it take? Good luck!

Puzzle Answers--don't cheat!

Whew! That's it! I hope you enjoyed AT LEAST one section of our new newsletter, ! 

Have a SUPER March and...

Together...Let's Master English!

Coach Shane