YOU’VE GOT QUESTIONS?SHE’S GOT ANSWERS

(BUT YOU PROBABLY WON’T LIKE THEM)

There were two men fighting outside my apartment at 5 a.m.over a parking spot.They woke me up even though I Iive on the sixth floor.So ridicuIous! How do I prevent this from happening again?

Mr.SIeepy-at-work

Ah,wish I’d been there to 管管閑事 (guǎnguǎn xiánshì,get nosy)! Fights are the best opportunity to get the neighborhood 八卦 (bāguà,gossip).You 錯(cuò)過太多 (cuòguò tài duō,missed out on too much)! Also,看看你 (kànkan nǐ,look at you),living on the sixth floor,getting sleepy at work,you think you are 了不起 (liǎobuqǐ,something)? So many 畢業(yè)生 (bìyèshēng,new graduates) out there cannot find a job and 租不起 (zūbuqǐ,cannot afford) apartments,while you are still 賴床 (làichuáng,sleeping in) at 5 a.m.I think your problem is that you 不懂珍惜 (bù dǒng zhēnxī,do not cherish what you have).At 5 a.m.I am already at the park 打太極 (dǎ tàijí,doing tai chi).Here’s a 主意 (zhǔyi,idea):Whydon’t you tell the 吵架的 (chǎojià de,people who fight) to come do tai chi with me? It will help them be more 心平氣和 (xīnpíng qìhé,calm),and 尊重他人 (zūnzhòng tārén,respectful of others) in 公共空間 (gōnggòng kōngjiān,public spaces).

I am 23 and I have never had a boyfriend.To be honest,I don’t think being singIe is a probIem,but why am I not one of those peopIe in a romantic reIationship?

Iris

Just think about all the 麻煩 (máfan,trouble) you’ve saved yourself by not having a boyfriend.More time for you to 旅游 (lǚyóu,travel) and develop some 愛好 (àihào,hobbies),unless you are a loser who doesn’t have any! Aren’t there a lot of 年輕姑娘 (niánqīng gūniang,young women)nowadays who preach about 獨(dú)立 (dúlì,independence)and 搞錢 (gǎoqián,making money)? I know,I know,愛情 (àiqíng,love) is beautiful and all,but just wait until your boyfriend turns into husband and then a 酒鬼 (jiǔguǐ,alcoholic) and 賭徒 (dǔtú,gambler).Decades down the road you’ll still be sending them money! Don’t 著急 (zháojí,rush),they all say 強(qiáng)扭的瓜不甜 (qiáng niǔ de guā bù tián,“the forcibly picked melon is not sweet,” or forced results are hardly satisfying).I say,take a chill pill,投資自己 (tóuzī zìjǐ,invest in one’s self),and 順其自然(shùn qí zìrán,let things happen naturally)—speaking of which,my square dancing friends might have some good 門道 (méndao,leads) for financial investment if you are interested...