ENGLISH TALKS for beginners

Luke Likes 'Happy Old Year'Happy, happy old year, and the new year too, obviously. Happy new year 2026. But was 2025 a happy year? Was it? I'm pretty sure it was, I hope it was, because I must say that I have asked this question, 'How was 2025 for you? How was it?' I have asked many people this question, and they all said it was pretty good. It was pretty good, or even awesome. It was awesome. Nobody even said, nobody, not even one person said that it was bad. So, my conclusion is, the next year is always, always better than the previous year. Is it logical? Not really, not really, it's not how it works. But let's say for a moment, let's say it is like that. And I hope it is, because it means that the next year, and the next one, and the next one, and every year to come is going to be even a little better than the previous, previous one. That would be great, that would be awesome. So I have asked this question, it's time for me to answer, I suppose. So 'hey, Luke, hey Luke, how was 2025 for you? How was it? Awesome?' If I am being honest, if I'm being honest with you, I'm not fond of, so I don't like, I am not fond of talking about the past. Looking back on what happened is just not my thing, I don't really know why, I usually don't do that. But alright, today I will give it a try, I will give it a go. So let's recap, recap. And now, let me think also. So when it comes to health, because this is what people wish other people, I mean staying in shape, to be in the best of health, to be in the best of health, well, that was overall, overall, so in general, overall very very good. Except for one occasion, but with the help of family and friends, I got over that, I got over, so I got better pretty quickly.And when it comes to work, yeah, that was a busy year, and I'm not sure if this is good or bad, because I do feel that I work a little too much. But I do enjoy that. So yeah, a very good year, a lot of work. Wow, I'm so happy, I didn't realise that the year 2025 was that successful, successful.Ok, and at home I did some small renovations and bought a few things, but I haven't finished yet, so I would say work in progress, could be a little better.And now, people and relationships. Well, like in life, I got along with some people, so I had a good relationship with some of them and my family members, but I could do a little better. Yeah, I have to admit, I have to be honest, I have to admit. Work in progress here too.Ok, and finally, goals, my goals. Well, I didn't make any resolutions back in 2025, but I was quite consistent, consistent, so I stuck to, I was consistent with what is important for me, so staying fit and keeping on studying languages, obviously. And I am very very satisfied with my results, well, I don't want to brag, I'm sorry, but I could see progress, And oh, I did start learning a new language, which is Portuguese.I love it, I'm excited, and I'm looking forward to 2026, the new language year. FFor me, and for you as well. Keep up the good work.Well, it's your turn now. Embrace the day, people!-------------------------------------------Intro/Outro Music By:Joakim Karud -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Longing⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠License:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Creative Commons License⁠⁠

Luke Likes 'Repair'Do you want to know the truth? The truth about the world and life? I will tell you. The truth is that things get broken. Get broken so they no longer work. Get broken.Hey, who did that? Who broke that? Not me, not me. So who did that? Just got broken. I had nothing to do with that. I had nothing to do. It got broken by itself. Yeah, let's go with that. Let's go with that.So things happen, things get broken. We can't do anything about it, can we? Definitely I can't. I can't do anything about it. I know nothing about repairing things or fixing things. So I just try and stay away from it. And, well, leave it to the pros. Leave it to the people that, well, they know what they are doing. The specialists, engineers, and craftsman, craftsman.And I am telling you all about that because the other day, so not a long time ago, the other day, I was preparing my meal, my evening meal on my stove, on my stove, so the place, the top that you prepare your meals on, and you can heat them.So while I was heating, I was heating my meal, it all went out, went out, so suddenly it stopped working. It is an electrical device, an appliance used in the kitchen so it needs electricity and suddenly it stoped working just like that. It got broken. Hey, I had nothing to do with that. I had nothing to do with it. Not my fault.So it all went out. And I couldn't turn it back on again. Turn it back on. Well, I tried a few things like restarting the device. This is basically all I could do. This is where my knowledge and skills end when things get broken.And well, the obvious step is for me to take it in for repair. And that would involve, that would mean, that would involve, well, a lot of time, and of course I would have to pay the costs of any repairs, because the stove is no longer under any guarantee. Unfortunately, obviously.So what can I do? What can I do? What can I do? Me? Nothing. My brother. Ha! He is the repairman in the family. He has always been. And it's so impressive to watch. It's like watching a magician. So he comes over to my place. Disconnects, disconnects the device and removes it, removes it from the top, because it is sort of built in the worktop. And then starts to dismantle, dismantle the device.So takes away all the bits and pieces step by step so that it is all like Lego bricks. Screw after screw, piece after piece. And it's so tiny. Oh my! Tiny and fragile. So you have to be careful not to break it.So he does all of that. And after around 2-3 hours we are in, we are in, and we can see it all, including the tiny little piece. The little bastard! That is all to blame. Yeah. So this little small piece is the culprit. The culprit, so somebody or something that is responsible, for all this mess.And that's a very impressive job that my brother did. And me?Well still nothing to do with that. I just hope to come back to cooking. And if next time something gets broken, my brother will definitely handle that, and find the culprit again.Because I had nothing to do with that. It's not me, obviously.Well, it's your turn now. Embrace the day, people!-------------------------------------------Intro/Outro Music By:Joakim Karud -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Longing⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠License:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Creative Commons License⁠⁠

Luke Likes 'Meet Adriana'Oh, Adriana. Adriana. Meet Adriana. Do you know her? Do you know her, Adriana? You know, the flight attendant. Flight attendant. So, a person who helps you out on a plane, on a plane. A flight attendant.No, you don't? You don't know Adriana? You don't? Okay, I'm gonna be honest, I am gonna be honest with you, I don't know her either. I don't. But, but, she is gonna help us here. Not on a plane. But, to make a point. To make a point here. And, tell us, tell us a little story, a little story. Hope you enjoy it. So, let's start over. Let's start over. Meet Adriana. She is a flight attendant and she flies a plane, she flies a plane. She helps people feel comfortable on the flight and she often spends time in a cockpit. Maybe. Maybe that's true. Maybe not. Anyway, she flies a lot. And, she visits lots of places. Lots of interesting cities. So far, so far, she has visited LA. She has been to Mexico City and she has been to Rio. And, I'm sure she has seen many, many other cool cities around the world. So, she has visited lots of interesting cool places. In fact, she is on the plane right now. She is flying, she is flying. But, I don't know where. I don't know where. But, again, she is helping people around. And, making them comfortable during the flight. During the flight.For example. Oh, look at this man. He is sleeping right now. He is sleeping. He needs a blanket. How about I go and bring him a warm blanket. He is sleeping. Are you with me? Are you with me so far? I hope you are.So, as I said. As I said. Adriana has been to lots of places. But, she has never been, she has never been to New York. She hasn't been. So, one day, one day I'm sure, I'm sure she will fly to New York. That's her big dream. Maybe next year. Maybe this will be next year. Who knows? Who knows? Maybe she is going to, she is gonna, she is going to fly this big, big, huge jumbo jet. Have you ever flown this big thing? Have you? I haven't. Anyway. She is flying right now. Again,don't know where. She is flying and, in a moment, in a moment they will be flying over the mountains, they will be flying over the mountains. What a view! What a wonderful view of the mountains! Hope you can get a window seat. A window seat.So, Adriana is a young flight attendant. Because she finished, she finished an air training school three years ago, three years ago. So, she is gaining, gaining, so getting, gaining experience right now.She used to fly, she used to fly a different plane. And, well, people used to fly different planes, and, on one occasion, on one occasion while she was flying to Mexico, she was flying to Mexico, a funny thing happened. Because a man proposed to her! A man proposed to her on a plane. So, he wanted to marry her, while she was flying. Oh my goodness! She said no, she said no. So, that's an incredible situation. She has those from time to time. Like the other day, the other day, so not a long time ago, a passenger wanted to get on the plane, get on the plane. But, he didn't have a boarding car. He didn't. So, she said 'I would let you, I would let you in, I would let you in if you had a boarding car. Obviously, he didn't. So, he couldn't get on the plane.So, that's it. That's Adriana and her fascinating life story. And different, different situations she was in. Well, like you. Me and everyone. And, this is how you want to talk about it. So, go ahead and try.Well, it's your turn now. Embrace the day, people!-------------------------------------------Intro/Outro Music By:Joakim Karud -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Longing⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠License:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Creative Commons License⁠⁠

Luke Likes 'Cozy'Yeah, I am feeling comfortable. I'm so comfortable over here, staying in and not going out, anyway. Pretty cozy. Pretty cozy. Do use this word in English, cozy? Yeah, a pretty nice word, which you can use when you feel comfortable and, well, sort of safe. But the most important part is you're feeling warm and relaxed. Cozy. Cozy little place by the fire, by the fire, for example.So nothing better than feeling cozy on a December afternoon and evening. When it's pretty dark outside and not too cozy, not too cozy when you go out. So staying in and enjoying the cozy atmosphere, which starts, in my opinion, which starts with a hot, hot drink.And no surprises here. Here it is, here it is, my hot tea. But this time, this time round, garnished, garnished, okay, so decorated, with, well, plenty, plenty of stuff. Cozy stuff. Very fancy, very fancy.Such as, hmm, what do we have in here? A slice of orange, obviously. A few cranberries, cranberries. Do you know what they are? Cranberries. Yes, please, look it up, cranberries.Then cinnamon, cinnamon stick, actually, cinnamon stick and ginger. Obviously, ginger. So common spices. Oh, and not so common, at least to me, because there is a little small star in it.Anise, star anise. Look it up again. Cardamom and, oh yeah, those little things, cloves. They are called cloves. All of them, spices. Very nice looking, floating here in my hot tea, floating. So staying up and not going down, not going, so floating, floating in my tea. And finally, to top it all, top it all, some sweet, sweet raspberry juice.Oh, let me take a sip now, let me take a sip. A taste of cozy, a taste of cozy. But it's not all. Well, because I do not have a fireplace, fireplace, I want it to be warm, so I turn up the heating, turn up the heating. And, that's awesome, awesome, light some candles, light some candles around. Here are two over here. It's nice if they are scented candles, so they have this special nice smell. Scented candles, let me have a look. One is 'white tea and ginger', obviously ginger, and the other one, 'balance and harmony'. That's the names, that's the names of the scent, the smell. Also cozy. What else do we need? Yeah, some soft, soft light. Not a lot, just here and there, a little bit. Soft, delicate, warm light, that's important. Yeah, all is here, all is here.Oh, I almost forgot, I almost forgot. Oh yeah, some warm socks, blankets and layers, layers of clothes. Yeah, I love layers. I think it just runs in my family, we love layers of clothes to keep us warm and cozy.Yeah, and that would be it, that would be it. But maybe just one more thing missing here. Something in the background. Hmm, what could it be? Maybe some music. Soft, nice music. Oh, maybe just another episode of your favourite podcast. Enjoy your cozy listening time. That's good.Well, it's your turn now. Embrace the day, people!-------------------------------------------Intro/Outro Music By:Joakim Karud -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Longing⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠License:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Creative Commons License⁠⁠

Luke Likes 'Focus'Yeah, so everything is ready, I'm sitting and all the setup, setup, so the way my microphone and all the devices are organized, and my setup is ready and I am ready to record, record. Here we go, but wait, wait, I don't have my tea, come on, I can't do that without my tea. So wait a sec, wait a second, I'll be right back... Alright, I'm back, I am back with my hot hot tea. Ah, yeah, very hot, I like it this way. Delicious. Just perfect for a winter day like today. No, wait, it's not winter yet, just perfect for an autumn day, autumn day like today.Alright, so back to recording, back to recording and today's topic is focus, is focus, which by the way, by the way reminds me, reminds me that I need to take my laundry out, take my laundry out of the washing machine. So please give me a second again, I'm sorry, I'll be right back again... Okay, the laundry is out, the laundry is out of the washing machine and it is out to dry, to dry. And finally I can get down, get down to recording, which means start recording, start recording, as I said. I'm a little out of breath right now, because I was in a hurry, I was in a hurry. But I am so glad I remembered about the laundry, yeah, I was super focused, super focused, laser focused, even I can say laser focused, so very very much focused. Yeah, I'm glad that I didn't forget, yeah. And now back to recording, back to recording about, yeah, the focus because it is very very important to be focused on what you are doing... Excuse me again, I got a message over here.Oh, oh, you know what? Just found out, just found out that my parcel, my parcel is on its way, on its way, so it is coming, it is coming, and finally I will be able to, I will be able to pick up my parcel tomorrow, tomorrow. Oh can't wait, because it is this picture I ordered, I bought, and can't wait to have it on my wall,Yeah, you know, I keep changing stuff, I keep changing stuff around my place, and this is just another thing. Yeah, like, you know, you might remember, you might remember, I'm still waiting for the sofa, and a coffee table.Yeah, anyway, anyway, back to the topic of today's podcast, which is the focus, the focus, which, by the way, I'm very good at, I am very good, I am, well, maybe not the best, but I think I am doing pretty well. And whenever I want, I can focus on anything I need to. In fact, in fact, I am good at many things, not just that. I'm good at... oh, I know, I know. I keep saying that to people, and they agree, I'm super fast, I am super fast, and whenever something is falling, I will catch it. That's my thing, that's my thing...Oh, and focus, and focus. Oh my, look at the time, look at the time. I'm almost out of time, I'm almost out. I don't know how it happened, really. I guess I will tell you all about it in the next episode, in the next episode. And I have great ideas, I have great ideas, but before that, before that, just to let you know, I think I need to have something to eat, have something to eat. And then focus, yeah.Well, it's your turn now. Embrace the day, people!-------------------------------------------Intro/Outro Music By:Joakim Karud -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Longing⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠License:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Creative Commons License⁠⁠