blog from anne(With a heavy heart)

With a heavy heart!

It' s late in China, but I' m not sleepy at all. I was busy in rescuing a terrible patient last night, it drove me feel so tired that I slept a whole day. In fact, I do love my current job, but I really can' t stand it anymore. So many people suffer from affliction leaded by serious diseases, especially the elders, they are easy to get sick, also easy to die. What can I do for them, I have no ideal. Although we all  know it' s a huge problem and will get more serious.

Of course, this is a social issue. But I really want to do something for them, no matter how much I can do, I still want to have a try! My husband always says: don' t trap yourself to the trouble, take everything easy. It' s easy to say, but hard to act. I don' t want to change something, I just want to give some help. help the senior people lead a happy life, in particular for the one who are lonely in welfare institutes.

Maybe I' m too idealistic!

Comments made by Seagehead:

Sedgehead 对上面这篇短文给出的评论：

I wanted to respond to your message in two ways: 1) comments on the English and 2) comments on the content of the message.  I think I will mix the two.

我将从两方面来评讲这篇短文：1）关于英语的评论；2）关于短文内容的评论。我会把这两方面融合一起来讲述。

>>It' s late in China, but I' m not sleepy at all.

I know the feeling!  This often happens to me late at night.

原文：It' s late in China, but I' m not sleepy at all.

评论：我知道这种感觉！夜深的时候我也有同样的感触。

>I was busy in rescuing a terrible patient last night, it drove me feel so tired that I slept a whole day.

I suspect the patient was not terrible, but the medical problems of the patient were terrible!  I suggest: "in rescuing a patient with terrible health problems."  In addition, this should be two separate sentences, not one long one.  For the second sentence, I suggest: "it made me feel so tired that I slept a whole day." or "it drove me to feel."  Since I have worked in an ICU (intensive care unit), I know the feeling.  Sometimes you are assigned a patient who is in critical condition and you spend your entire evening simply trying to keep someone alive.  It will really drain you.

原文：I was busy in rescuing a terrible patient last night, it drove me feel so tired that I slept a whole day.

评论：我觉得不是病人很严重，而是病人的病情很严重！我建议这样修改："in rescuing a patient with terrible health problems."  另外，这应该是两个独立的     句子，而不是一个长句。对于第二句，我建议："it made me feel so tired that I slept a whole day." or "it drove me to feel."  因为我在ICU（重症监护病房）工作过，所以我明白这种感受。有时候，你分管一个病情非常危重的病人，忙碌整晚仅仅是想让他能活下去。这样的工作真会让人觉得精疲力尽。

>>In fact, I do love my current job, but I really can' t stand it anymore.

Great English!  I know this feeling too.  I liked working for the US Forest Service, but when I came to the point I hated my boss and my assigned duties, I had to make a change.

原文：In fact, I do love my current job, but I really can' t stand it anymore.

评论：很好的英文句子！我也有这种体会。我喜欢在美国林务局工作，但是我不喜欢我的领导以及分派给我的任务。所以我只有改换工作。

>>So many people suffer from affliction leaded by serious diseases, especially the elders, they are easy to get sick, also easy to die.

This is a good example of a sentence that has a clear understanding but needs some work to be fluent English.  It could be written in many way.  I will suggest only one!  "So many people suffer from problems caused by serious diseases, especially the elderly.  They get sick easily, and because of their health problems can die quickly."  Comments on English: I don't use "affliction" because it is too formal.  We seldom say "elders" but do use "elderly", although we understand your meaning, of course.  As you notice I use "easily" and "quickly" as adverbs to make it more fluent.   Other comments: yes, it is frustrating caring for the sick and elderly.  Some people have no will to live.  Others have diseases or problems that are not their own fault.  Some simply suffer from a life lived poorly from the standpoint of good health.  But you know this as well as I do, if not better (than me)!

原文：So many people suffer from affliction leaded by serious diseases, especially the elders, they are easy to get sick, also easy to die.

评论：这是一句典型的意思明确但需要润饰的英文句子。它可以用多种方式表述。我将列举一种！"So many people suffer from problems caused by serious diseases, especially the elderly.  They get sick easily, and because of their health problems can die quickly."  英文方面的评论：我不使用"affliction"，因为这个词太正式了。我们很少用"elders" 而用"elderly", 尽管这并不影响句子意思的表达。正如你所看到的，我使用"easily" and "quickly" 这些副词让句子读起来更流畅。其他评论：的确，照顾病人和老人令人沮丧。一些人不愿意继续活下去；一些人患病或出现其他问题，这些问题不是由于自身过错导致；一些人过着极不健康的生活。这些你应该都很清楚。

>>What can I do for them, I have no ideal.

Better: "I have no idea what I can do for them."  Use "idea" and not "ideal."  The ideal is the perfect situation.  An idea is a concept.  They are two different words!  Another English suggestion: avoid starting a sentence with a dependent clause.  It is better to start with an independent clause.  I first heard this when I was age 39!  And it took me another 10 years to believe it! 

原文：What can I do for them, I have no ideal.

评论：更好的表达："I have no idea what I can do for them." 用 "idea" 而不是 "ideal."   "ideal" 是一种完美的状态。"idea"是一个主意或想法。它们是两个不同的词语！另外一个建议：不要以从句来作为句子的开头，最好用独立分句。我第一次听到这个观点是在我39岁时，接下来的10年让我完全认同这个观点。

I should explain!

我想解释一下！

Indendent clause: part of a sentence with a subject and verb which can stand "independently" as a sentence without the rest of the sentence.

独立分句：拥有独立的主语和谓语，句中没有其他成分仍然是一个完整的句子。

Dependent clause: part of a sentence that lack either a subject or verb and cannot stand alone as a sentence.

从句：没有主语或谓语，不是一个完整的句子。

Example:

例如：

What can I do for them, I have no idea.

Dependent: What can I do for them,  (this is not a sentence, but is a dependent clause).

从句： What can I do for them,  （这不是一个句子，仅仅是一个从句。）

Independent: I have no idea.  (This is an independent clause because it is a sentence by itself.

分句： I have no idea.  （这是一个分句，因为它可以独立成句。）

>>Although we all  know it' s a huge problem and will get more serious.

This is also a dependent clause.  It is not a good sentence.  It DOES have a subject (we) and a verb (know).  But it starts with "Although" which makes it a dependent clause.  To become a complete sentence it needs an ending.  Example, "Although we all  know it's a huge problem and will get more serious, we are not doing enough about it."  NOW it is a complete sentence (with a dependent and then an independent clause).

原文：Although we all  know it' s a huge problem and will get more serious.

评论：这也是一个从句。这不是一个好句子。它的确有主语（we）和谓语（know），但是它以”Although”来引导所以让它变成了一个从句。要使它成为一个完整的句子，他必须要有一个结尾。比如, "Although we all  know it's a huge problem and will get more serious, we are not doing enough about it." 现在它就是一个完整的句子了（有独立句和从句）。

>>help the senior people lead a happy life, in particular for the one who are lonely in welfare institutes.

This is not a good sentence for two reason: 1) no capital letter to start it and 2) it is not a complete sentence.   Suggested change?  "I want to help the elderly lead a happy life, and in particular I want to help those who are lonely in welfare institutes."

原文：help the senior people lead a happy life, in particular for the one who are lonely in welfare institutes.

评论：这不是一个好句子，原因有二：1）开头字母未大写；2）不是一个完整的句子。建议改成："I want to help the elderly lead a happy life, and in particular I want to help those who are lonely in welfare institutes."

>>Maybe I' m too idealistic!

Maybe, maybe not!  Someone has to do all jobs.  We need people to work in ICU, in hospitals, as social workers, and bus drivers, construction workers, etc.  Your choice is how you use your skills.  I love to teach, but I hate discipline.  So internet teaching works well for me.  I have no unruly students!  HA!  I'm too tired tonight to write more.  So, all I can say is "hang in there" and seek a line of work that works for me.

原文：Maybe I' m too idealistic!

评论：也许是，也许不是！工作总得有人去做。我们需要有人在ICU，在医院工作，同时也需要社会工作者，公交司机，建筑工人等。选择在于你如何运用的的技能。我喜欢教书，但我不喜欢处罚学生。所以网络授课就非常适合我，因为没有顽皮的学生！哈哈！今晚我写了很多，有点累。总之，不要泄气，找到适合自己的工作。

As for work in ICU, I have a theory.  I feel my two years work in ICU was enough.  That is part of why I quit nursing school.  I felt a need to help people, but the stressful life is too hard on me at this age.  I have "done my time" working in ICU, working in construction work and some other lines of work.  I'm trying to adapt my skills to meet needs that work well with both my interests and the needs of society.  There's nothing wrong to adapting your job to changing personal preferences, as well as the changing needs of society and personal changes with age.

关于在ICU工作，我有一些看法。我觉得两年的ICU工作经历对我来讲已足够。这已是我退出护士学校的原因之一。我想去照护一些人，但这种工作对我这个年龄阶段的人来讲压力太大。在ICU，建筑业以及其他行业工作，已经耗尽了我人生大部分的时间。现在，我正在尝试将我的技能用在我既感兴趣又迎合社会需要的工作。

I once enjoyed a job where I carried pieces of lumber 18 feet long by 3 inches thick by 10 inches wide (6 meters by 10 cm thick by 25 cm wide!).  I'm too old to do that now.  Perhaps you have done what you can in ICU and need to leave that stressful work to others more suited for it.  There's nothing wrong with changing your job to better meet both your own needs and the needs of society.  After all, no one needs an ICU nurse who is too stressed out to perform well anymore!  Life is short! You can only live once!

我曾今很喜欢一个工作，任务是搬运18英尺长，3英寸厚，10英寸宽的木块（长6米，宽25厘米，厚10厘米）。但我现在年龄太大，做不了这种工作啦。也许你已经在ICU倾尽所能，需要离开那种高压力的工作去选择更适合自己的。选择自己喜欢，而且社会需要的工作，而改变现在的工作并没有什么不对。毕竟，没有人需要一名压力太大而不再专注工作的ICU护士。人生苦短！生命只有一次！

As we say in English "you need to find your niche."

就像英语中所说的："you need to find your niche."

我对于评论的体会：首先真的非常感谢Sedgehead，你不仅帮助我提高英文的应用能力，还在工作、人生观、价值观等方面提出了很多自己的见解，让我分享你多彩的人生经历。所有的这些都给了我很多帮助。虽然我们从未谋面，但我能清晰地感受到你是一个非常热心，非常积极，社会责任感极强的一位好先生。你的英语评论是专业的，不仅因为你的母语是英语，还因为你是一位老师，一位作家，更重要的是你很用心的在做每一件事。同时，我也能感觉到，不管你从事ICU工作，还是建筑工作，林务局工作，教育工作，你都在用真心去对待。是的，这也是我追求的一种境界：永远有一颗快乐的心，永远保持自己爱的能力在热爱中工作，在感动中生活！人生只有一次，我希望这一次的旅程丰富多彩！不管前方的路途如何，不管有多少酸甜苦辣，那仅仅是一个经历。有经历的人生，才是完整的人生！