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juggling act

简体
juggling act
身兼多职

Date: Feb 23 2012

Themes: Family

Quote

1. Quote - Listen to the quote and guess what the slang means.

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“Balancing singing, acting, and being a mom is a juggling act, but my kids come first.”

- Jennifer Lopez talking about her busy life. (Us Weekly)

“唱歌、表演、身为人母令我身兼多职,但我将我的孩子放在第一位。”
- 珍妮弗·洛佩兹 (Jennifer Lopez) 谈论她的繁忙生活。

Definition

1. Definition - Study the definition.

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handling many different responsibilities at once; doing many different things at the same time

2. Use - Learn how the slang is used.

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Jennifer Lopez is just like us. She has a lot of different roles and responsibilities, and sometimes has a hard time dealing with all of them at once. Her responsibilities may be a bit more glamorous than the average person’s, but she isn’t the only one whose life feels like a juggling act sometimes.

In the circus, a juggling act is when someone keeps a bunch of objects in the air at once, like balls, knives, or even flaming sticks. When we use the expression, “It’s a juggling act” about our own lives, we might not be talking about something as exciting as juggling fire, but we are talking about something challenging and stressful. When your life is a juggling act, you have to do many different things at once, such as work, go to school, be a good friend, and maybe even raise a family.

Another expression like juggling act is have a lot of balls in the air. This expression also comes from juggling, because jugglers have to keep many different balls in the air at once. If they drop one, the show’s over. If your life feels like a juggling act, you can say, “I have a lot of balls in the air right now.”

J Lo has to juggle multiple careers and being a mom. But she says that nothing is more important to her than her kids. If she had to let one ball drop, it wouldn’t be them!

Do you ever feel like your life is a juggling act? What are you trying to juggle in your life right now?

Examples

1. Examples - Hear some example sentences.

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“Going to school and working full time is a juggling act, but it’s important to me to get my degree.”

“Being a father, a husband, a son and a boss is quite a juggling act, but James handles it well.”

“I have so many different responsibilities and duties at my job, it feels like a juggling act! “

Winners

1. Winners - See who guessed the slang definition correctly.

Buttafly Doing more than two things at once
by Buttafly
anges491 an attempt to deal with several conflicting situations, requirements, or pressures at the same time
by anges491
To keep more than two or more activities in motion or progress at one time.
by candycandice
Ahshan Do many kinds of things,have a lot to bear.
by Ahshan
 julito She has to tackle different activities and yet at the same time give preference to her kids.
by julito

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Comments

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 julito

julito

Argentina

Beatrice, I have been talking with her mother and I told her the same: don´t put too much preasure on her now , eventually she  will come to her senses  ,its a pity ,she is beautiful, draws a lot a attention ,she could be modeling or whatever ,her parents divorced and had been on drugs, I dont´need to go deeper  to understand  the reason why she is so disfunctional.

02:42 PM Feb 23 2012 |

1 person likes this

snoopyboy

snoopyboy

Antarctica

Beatrice! 4 Jobs ?


O___O


The most I’ve had at the same time was 3!


I used to fall asleep untying my shoes : )


 


 

02:40 PM Feb 23 2012 |

tutorheatherSuper Member!

United States

Yes, life can certainly feel overwhelming! It is a wonder we all keep up with our responsibilities. Many people have become so exhausted and stressed that they are not able to enjoy their lives. Life can feel like an endless treadmill that never slows down. Keeping such a fast pace can be very detrimental to our mental, spiritual and physical health.


What strikes me as a contradiction is that electronic gadgets or devices (and technology in general) are supposed to make our days easier and more efficient, but oftentimes they add further complications.


Do you think that computers, the Internet, GPS devices, iPads, iPods, Smartphones, etc., make your life simpler and more efficient or more complicated and stressful?


Personally, I think that technology is a double edged sword. A doubled-edge sword, for those not familiar with the expression, is a metaphor that implies how an action or decision which appears to help may also harm. If the blade of a sword has one edge, the weapon will certainly harm the enemy. However, if a sword has two edges, the person holding the sword can easily cut him or herself while attacking another person. The sword literally cuts both ways.


While we enjoy using technology, we may also be harming ourselves by being so dependent on various devices.


While I use texts and email to keep in touch with friends and relatives, I am aware that in-person or voice communication is a higher quality type of interaction. Texts and emails can be easily misunderstood as there is no way to see a person’s facial expression or hear his or her tone of voice. However, applications like Skype give us priceless opportunities to communicate face to face with people who live thousands of miles away. I use Skype to keep in touch with relatives who live in different parts of America, and of course I use it to work with my students who live all over the world.


I worry primarily about children who are growing increasingly addicted to cell phones, computers and video game systems. I feel their quality of life, whether it be physical (higher body weights/poorer health due to a sedentary lifestyle), mental (less time spent reading or doing other activities) or spiritual (infrequent moments of silence and few opportunities for personal reflection), is significantly poorer than when I grew up. I spent time enjoying nature and playing games with other children. I read constantly and wrote stories, so I developed a strong imagination. I got plenty of sleep. I spent time with friends and family. All of those things help us become well-rounded adults.


Does technology complicate your already busy life or does it make it easier to manage?


I hope to hear some opinions! Smile


Sincerely,


Heather

02:39 PM Feb 23 2012 |

snoopyboy

snoopyboy

Antarctica

     I get stressed out if I stay idle for a certain period of time. I like to keep myself busy by doing physical tasks whilst most of the time the mind is on some other unrelated assignments. Surprisingly enough, I rarely get side tracked or unconsciously leave something unfulfilled.


     Multitasking is what keeps me going. The more “balls” I have to juggle on any given time, the greater the challenge and that’s just what I need. I get more productive when I’m bound to different tasks at once, take that from an indispensable employee who never blinks away from English, baby’s webpage. While handling many physical activities might seem to be the prime definition for a juggling act, they’re not my favorite; I get them done too quickly, they’re short-lived. I’m more of a mental ball juggler. My mind is constantly at a boiling point, bubbling with ideas and thoughts, it’s my multi-purpose tool, and do I use it well. “While a song is humming in my head, my eyes are fixed upon the exam sheet, I think I’ll make some pasta when I get home, those shoes are very comfy I really like them, as I’m scrubbing my fingers on my beard I’m thinking maybe I should trim them, how long as it been since my last late evening jog, and finally I find this exam to be strikingly easy “: ). My mental flexibility or  my constant  thrive for psychological occupation is what I regard as my beloved juggling act, no physical duties can ever surpass the challenges I’m undertaking in my head, and it has become my second-nature, I take pleasure engaging myself in numbers of mental tasks, it’s very stimulating and fun.


    But I confess that I’m baffled by Jennifer’s words, never would I thought she abided to her motherly duties. I always view most of those divas as the most narcissistic of all women, the types of women who wouldn’t dare to change their kids’ diapers, who would shower their kids with a water hose for fear of wetting their expensively manicured nails. I always thought their kids spent more time with their nannies than with them. But how many times have I been wrong this week already? So, I’m very surprised to hear from Jennifer out of everybody, that her duties as a mother came before any glamorous thing. I have more admiration for her now, I could get into more details of what I admire about her but I don’t want to juggle too many balls at once  : )


 : )  But I wouldn’t close out without mentioning my admiration for women in general. I heard somewhere; it might have been from one of those chick movies, that women are very good at multi-tasking and that they can do anything men can, with high-heels on. Of course I laughed at that idea at first, until that day I wore some heels, got in my car and attempted to put on makeup while driving, after a couple of frantic swerving on the road, I rear-ended another motorist. I realized I just couldn’t multi-task like women do.Tongue out

02:35 PM Feb 23 2012 |

nfrtary

nfrtary

Egypt

actually i have alot of balls in air take care of my family and their needs , my streesful work (alwayes is achallenge to me every single day i wanna be beeter than yesterday) and studing english , this all things i made certain time to achive it so i fell al the time that i am stressful yesterday i wanted to turn on tv  just chell out and relax but i couldn`t do that because i had to make alot of things yesterday but i still want to relax today so i`ll do all my tasks early then i`ll take my rest.

02:31 PM Feb 23 2012 |

 julito

julito

Argentina

20 years old, I don´t know , i think that by now  she must be good at it.  She is so beautiful  but what a pity , there is nothing I can do about it. she told me …uncle , this is the life I want for me.  I was speechless, 

01:10 PM Feb 23 2012 |

1 person likes this

kotlesya

kotlesya

Belarus

Julito, how old is she?

01:05 PM Feb 23 2012 |

kotlesya

kotlesya

Belarus

Julito :( is she master of the juggling? 

01:04 PM Feb 23 2012 |

 julito

julito

Argentina

My niece lives  one floor down below ,she is kind of a hippie girl and don´t want a steady job, the few money that she makes is by  juggling pins  on the street  when  the red-signal is on and cars must stop.The problem is that she practices at midnight at home and again and again the pins bangs onto the floor  with a  noise that wakes up the   neighbours  down below.They don´t know what is going on upstairs  and most probably will report to the police  this problem. Luckily, they ignore that i am related to this girl.Cry

01:01 PM Feb 23 2012 |

1 person likes this

kotlesya

kotlesya

Belarus

Luckylucy31, if I stop to think what I would prefer : to be a house wife or to be a working lady?  I would say that I prefer to be a working lady, because I like to be busy with my work at the office.


I had an experience to be a housewife ( I was out of work. I have been at home day and night) during  SIX YEARS  while I was in the maternity leave with my two kids. To be with my angels-kids is a great pleasure, but it was  not good for my brain, because  there were no  challenges.  The housework does not give any improvement in the intellectual sense :(

11:25 AM Feb 23 2012 |

Luckylucy31

Philippines

For me being a house wife its a juggling act. I have to do everthing in the house, taking care of my son, and taking care of my husband as well…


Every morning, I’m having a lot of balls in the air doing house hold.

11:18 AM Feb 23 2012 |

1 person likes this

Zaccarias

Zaccarias

Brazil

Yes, I know what juggling acts mean. I’m married and have three sons. My family comes first, but I’m also test engineer, pastor and kung-fu teacher. It’s not so easy to handle that but is so gratifying. Through Lord’s grace we can win.


1 Corinthians 10:13 – No temptation has overtaken you that is unusual for human beings. But God is faithful, and he will not allow you to be tempted beyond your strength. Instead, along with the temptation he will also provide a way out, so that you may be able to endure it.


May God bless you all.

09:53 AM Feb 23 2012 |

i love life

Palestinian Territory, Occupied

I feel sometimes my life contains  on a lot of thing didn’t have an specific concept .


I am trying to understand what this action meas.


I guess we need to know how such like this ritual effect on our lives .


there are a lot of juggling act happened everyday against us .


09:29 AM Feb 23 2012 |

Nakul

Nakul

India

Julito, you r right.. this is possible only for the mothers that’s y God also comes after the mother…


It’s also said that god can’t live everwhere with us that’s y he made mother.. I thank to god…

07:51 AM Feb 23 2012 |

Nakul

Nakul

India

Yeah I have lot of balls in the air and one of them is to take care of my parents, resolve their problems and give them all the happiness anyhow …. Making a good career and studying while doing job are also juggling act in my life…it’s challenging and interesting as no life without goal.


Challenge, Responsbility, Struggle are the substance of the life… and without them life becomes uninteresting, unimaginative, vapid…


I would say that these are the synonyms of the life…


 

07:47 AM Feb 23 2012 |

FUN777

FUN777

Egypt

I’m full agree with J Lo, i think if i have kids and i have to work at the same time. My kids would also come first.

07:07 AM Feb 23 2012 |

kotlesya

kotlesya

Belarus

This lesson is exactly about my life. :)


Family, work, housework – they all need care and lots of attention.


I have got many responsibilities in my life and I sometimes think: “How it would be nice just to sit down, close my eyes and to have a short rest, to have a distraction, to be out of juggling act..” 


On the one hand I want to get a freedom for myself at least for 30 min, on the other hand I dread to think that one day my kids will grow up and they will leave me to live their own lives. My care will have finished. :( My kids will not need me as much as they do now…. I’m jealous about them yes, but I perfectly understand and want them to be happy.


I will be in the delight to take care about my grandchildren then. ;)



06:13 AM Feb 23 2012 |

grace show show

China

who have a lot of balls in the airat once

03:09 AM Feb 23 2012 |

 julito

julito

Argentina

I  have many times seen moms  early in the morning on the way to the day-care facility  performing a juggling act , and not with balls ,their  act is  carrying a toddler in one of her hands, a stroller in the other one , a bag with  the necessary  items  to take care of the baby,diapers,clothes , got onto the  bus , purchase a ticket. It´s a wonder how they can manage to do this at the same time .For a mother  only this is possible.

11:02 PM Feb 22 2012 |

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