Hi

Hi :)

again

Bit quieter :)

Yes

Before we interrupt the discussions about the existence of adverbs :P

It is busy there today :)

So, essay?

Now I want to tell you about make it a room but before I tell you.... :)

I'm too fast? :)

Yes:)

:)

Just tell me to be slower :)

And be strict :P

Before we start I have questions about some parts of the essay

Can I ask them first?

ok, tell me :)

of course :)

Sorry I have a problem with the connection

I didn't understand very well

Can you tell me about Brooklyn, Allie and Yonkers again?

Sure :)

Let's see

The writer is telling us about her (or a made-up) childhood

To make us imagine the childhood siuation

She mentions a number of things that happened during that childhood (not all at the same time)

They are memoories from all thos years back

When she was in second grade, with Miss Meltzer as a teacher

When she was living in a three-room appartment in New York, in the area of Brooklyn

When her dad was unemployed for a long time, 7 months

When her brother (his name is Allie) got into a fight with someone, and it was so bad that someone had to call the police

When her sister (who was older I guess) married a dentist from Yonkers (another city in the state of New York)

And when the morning after she had been with a boy for the first time, she told her firend

And that friend, who she shared all those memories with

And who she shared her deepest secrets with (she had slept with a boy!)

That friend is her historical friend

I guess that sums up that paragraph :)

Thank you very much

I got them very well

:)

I am glad :)

It can be confusing, because she is not simply telling facts. She is more or less painting an image made of memories

In such a way that the reader can think of their own childhood

The years have gone by and we’ve gone separate ways and we’ve little in common n ow, but we’re still an intimate part of each other’s past. And so whenever we go to Detroit we always go to visit this friend of our girlhood. Who knows how we looked when our teeth were straightened.

(Yes. I agree with you)

So now, we have gotten older

That historical friend and I, we have lived different lives

We have not much in common anymore,

But we are still a part of each other's childhood memories

we’re still an intimate part of each other’s past. What does it mean?

And because of that, whenever I am near where she lives nowadays, I visit her

An intimate part is a very special, personal part. The past is that childhood

But we are still a part of each other's childhood memories

Please slower

Sorry

no problem :)

You tell it very fast

You should hear me speak. I speak much too fast :)

:))

Is the intimate part clear?

So so

Let me think if I can rephrase it more clearly

I have my childhood memories, and in every memory, my friend is there

The same way

I am also in all her childhood memories

Our memories would not be complete without each other playing a role in them

OK

It's clear

Good :)

So - whenever I am near to where she lives, I will visit her

Who knows how we looked when our teeth were straightened?

She knows what I looked like before I got my teeth straightened

Or rather, how we looked when we wore braces

teeth straightened. What does it mean?

You know what braces are?

No

Some kids'teeth are not nice and straight in their mouth

A dentist can then give them a metal thing that will "push" th eteeth back into their right places

OK

Who knows how we talked before our voice got un-Brooklyned. Who knows what we are before we learned about artichokes. And who, by her presence, puts us in touch with an earlier part of ourself, a part of ourself it’s important never to lose.

Those are braces :)

before our voice got un-Brooklyned?

I can't see the picture

:(

I see it now

Ah :)

artichokes?

Artichokes are a vegetable

She means to say "before we got used to eating fancy, expensive food"

puts us in touch with an earlier part of ourself?

So that friend, who remembers the simple food we ate

a part of ourself it’s important never to lose?

The "earlier part of ourself" is our childhood

And that part we should not lose, that is, we should never forget our childhood

And our friend helps us to remember that

puts us in touch with an earlier part of ourself? What does the whole sentence mean?

She makes us remember a part that was earlier in our life (our childhood).

Puts in touch = makes us feel it, makes us remember it

:)

“What this friend means to me and what I mean to her,” says Grace, “is having a sister without sibling rivalry. We know the texture of each other’s lives. She remembers my grandmother’s cabbage soup, I remember the way her uncle played the piano. There’s simply no other friend who remembers those things.”

What this friend means to me and what I mean to her?

sibling rivalry?

So Grace says, that this "historical friend" is like having a sister (sibling), but without the fights :)

Sibling is a brother or a sister, rivalry is fights

So sibling rivalry is fights you have with a brother or sister

And they can be very hard :)

But a historical friend is like having a sister, but without the fights :)

What do you mean about without the fights?

Do you have a brothers or sisters?

I don't understand

yes

Do you fight with them sometimes?

OK OK OK

I get it

:)

I would not have believed you if you said you never fight with your brother or sister :)

I have a brother, and yes, we used to fight :)

:)

I have a friend like that, who's like my sister :)

Do you fight with me?

:)

I didn't plan to fight with you :)

So. You have a girlfriend

OK

That girl is not my "girlfriend":) She really is like a sister.

But we grew up as little kids together :)

Are you married? may I ask?

You may ask

Yes I am

We know the texture of each other’s lives?

Do you have a children?

We now how each others lives were created, "what they are made of"

I have no children, no

cabbage soup?

Soup made of cabbage - cabbage is a simple vegetable, a bit like salad

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OK

There’s simply no other friend who remembers those things. those things refers to what? Which things?

those things are those childhood details. The cabage soup, the piano playing

A friend you meet later on does not share your childhood memories, because they were not there with you when you were a child :)

I have a bad headache. I'm not good really

tonight

oooh

don't force it then

Sorry my friend

drink something (warm, like tea) and get some rest

It's all right, I understand

I am flattered to be considered your friend :)

Really thanks

You are welcome. I enjoy this :)

Now, get some tea, get some rest :)

I'll be back 5 mintues later

take care of your head, your head is important :)

Sorry

no need to say sorry :)

:)

4. Crossroads friends. Like historical friends, our crossroads friends are important for what was—for the friendship we shared at a crucial, now past, time of life. A time, perhaps, when we roamed in college together; or worked as eager young singles in the Big City together; or went together, as my friend Elizabeth and I did, through pregnancy, birth, and that scary first year of new motherhood.

what was?

what was means the past

What has been

for the friendship we shared at a crucial, now past, time of life?

The friendship that we shared at an important (crucial) time in our lives

worked as eager young singles in the Big City together?

When we worked as young, unmarried (single) women in the big city (possibly New York)

Big City means "the big, unknown, maybe scary place" in this case :)

Your head a bit better?

Yeah. Thank you for ask it

I'm glad :)

I did through pregnancy?

No, "we went together (my friend and I) through pregnancy, birth and the scary first year of motherhood

So she and Elizabeth got pregnant at the same time :)

A-ha

OK

It's confusing when you read a sentence like that in the wrong way :)

I've seen quite some questions because of that :)

Yes, you're right

:(

No need to feel bad about that, it happens to everyone :)

Crossroads friends forge powerful links, links strong enough to endure with not much more contact than once-a-year letters at Christmas. And out of respect for those crossroads years, for those dramas and dreams we once shared, we will always be friends.

and sometimes it can be funny :)

Crossroads friends forge powerful links, links strong enough to endure with not much more contact than once-a-year letters at Christmas.

Please explain this sentence

Crossroads friends create a very string relationship.

(forging links comes from working metal. Creating links that form a chain)

What does forge mean?

It's when you give hot metal the shape you want it (usually by hitting it with a hammer)

It is a metaphor for the bond of friendship

I don't understand. Can you tell it more clear?

Sure.

You know what a chain looks like? It has all these "rings"that are connected

yes

Those "rings" are called links

To forge something means to create it with force. It is what blacksmiths use to do

OK

So forging powerful links

means creating a very strong connection

with not much more contact than once-a-year letters at Christmas?

The connection is strong enough that it will survive even if you do not talk much anymore - if you just send one letter every year, with Christmas

(Most friendships might disappear if you do not talk often - but these friendships will stay)

Okay

Do you have a full text?

yes

you can just mention the phrases that are unclear :)

Good

(I love the internet, all the things I can download :) )

:)

:)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

And the people I can meet :)

You are always happy

Nice

Actually, no, I am not

But lately, I am pretty happy, that is true :)

I think you are a energetic person

That may just be the coffee :)

And the fact I like helping people :)

So if I can do that, I am happy :)

And energetic :)

So thank you for that :)

I like helping people too:)

:)

Can I ask you something?

Excellent

:)

In your profile you write "I AM SOMEBODY"

It made me wonder :)

Why would someone need to say that when it seems obvious

YES

You can ask

:)

So why did you write that like that?

I just write it without any special reason

I like to write this word

:)

I think it is a very important thing to know about yourself

I have met people who did not believe they were SOMEBODY, or who sometimes forgot about it

I like to believe that everybody is SOMEBODY, and that everybody should believe in themselves :)

So I liked seeing that in your profile :)

I completely agree with you

:)

Well. Earlier you asked If I would fight with you. If you keep agreeing, we will surely not fight :)

And out of respect for those crossroads years? What does crossroads year mean?

And out of respect for those crossroads years, for those dramas and dreams we once shared, we will always be friends.

Those years that the friends were together

We will always be friends for those years we spend together, for all the problems we faced together

Crossroads is where two roads meet. Here, it is a symbol of where the two lives came together for some time.

, for those dramas and dreams we once shared?

The dramas = the problems or the difficult times (like that pregnancy or childbirth)

Are you tired?

Shared: we had them together

Getting tired just a bit :)

you? it's late, no?

time here 23:40

almost Thursday :)

I'm really tired

Shall we continue tomorrow then?

I can't continue this hard essay

If you are too tired, you won;t remember much :)

tonight

It's enough for tonight

Reread the parts we did today tomorrow, and use the chat log :)

Agree?

When you are more awake :)

yes :)

Yes

I should reread your best answers

:)

Good luck with that :)

For now I wish you a good night then :)

Have a nice time. Thanks. See you soon. Bye :)

See you soon :)

Bye :)