Never a dull moment

They say that life is what you make it, so I guess I had better try and make it a good one. Well this year has certainly been one of change and dare I say...progress? Sadly with one new project, another must be pushed aside. I have been trying to stay on top of my video making, with new editions of 'Ask Misterduncan' and my new series 'The Word Stop', as well as my normal full-length lessons too. So the blog was pushed aside (again) and it began to get all neglected, dusty and forgotten.

So as we are now heading towards the end of 2012, I have decided to make a new entry, completely off my own bat. Well that is not exactly true, as I have received many e-mails asking why I have been neglecting my writing for such a long-long time. You all know who you are! Well I suppose we could make some sort of deal. If I promise to carry on writing, you must promise to read the results of my keyboard bashing.

So 2012 has indeed been a busy year, but the most exciting part has come at the very end, as I'm off to new climes. Well in truth, it is just up the road, in Shropshire. What I'm trying to say is that I'm moving house. Are you still reading this? I will be asking questions later!

So where am I going to?

I will be moving to a place, which was the subject of one of my full-length lessons in 2012. The small town of Much Wenlock. In fact the move would never have happened, had I not gone there to film a lesson. It was during that time, when I fell in love with the surroundings there. I have always loved Shropshire and used to visit there as a child, during school trips. My school would take me to Ironbridge and we would go on walks to the Wrekin, which is a large hill and a famous landmark in Shropshire. So the image of that area is imprinted in my memory quite vividly.

So after filming the lesson I kept on going back to Much Wenlock on a regular basis. Well of course after a while, I started looking at the property there. To cut a long story short, I will be moving there in January 2013. There is still a slim chance that I will be moving in December, but realistically speaking, this seems highly unlikely now.

So what will this move men for my work? Well it means that I will have more freedom to film outdoors and I will have a purpose-made studio in the house too, which I will have to build. So there is no chance of stopping my video making. In fact that is one of the main reasons for moving. So I can carry on doing it.

Another bit of exciting news is that my YouTube Channel will soon have over 100,000 (one hundred thousand) subscribers. I know that these days that is not many, but I do value all of those people who have stuck with me during the past 6 years, and I feel honoured every time a new student joins me.

Over on Facebook, I have been posting some old photographs of myself at various stages of my life. This is also being done after receiving many requests from viewers who want to see more of my 'real' life. I'm not sure how much of a good idea it is to expose yourself too much on the internet, but anyway, I will be posting some old pictures of little me onto my Facebook page during the next few weeks. So look out for those.

Finally I was overwhelmed by the response to my latest full-length lesson about image. Lesson 75 was fun to make and is based on some writing I did recently, but it was not published anywhere. So Lesson 75 is a sort of blog post, in the form of a lesson.

There will be many more lessons to come...many more 'word stop' episodes, and maybe even a new 'Ask Misterduncan' too, if there is time before I move.

I must go now...time to feed the birds.

Ta-ta for now...  Misterduncan

'' Will the real Misterduncan please stand up ''

They say that imitation is the highest form of praise. Well maybe in the past this was so, but nowadays this 'flattery' has taken on a more sinister form. As many of you may know - I have a Facebook page, on which I post the latest news about my upcoming video lessons and my life in general. However it has come to my attention that there are people out there in the internet-verse, who are pretending to be me. One particular imposter has actually set up a page and is encouraging people to not only follow them, but also go to a website that has nothing to do with me. Yet they post messages, as if it is me who is running it.

This is what we call 'identity theft'. Someone is literally pretending to be me. So I have decided that enough is enough. So let it be said right now that I am the REAL Misterduncan in England. It is also time to expose this page and the fake site that has been created in my name.

FAKE FACEBOOK PAGE

This Facebook page is not run by me. I have no connection to it. The person who created this page is a fraud and a cheat. Please tell as many people as possible.

This person also runs a website, pretending to be me. The site is not mine. The chat box is not mine. I do not run the site. 

FAKE WEBSITE  

This is a very damaging act because the person is making comments on their page, as me. In fact this is a criminal offence. Once again I say...These two pages do NOT belong to me.

Here are my real OFFICIAL sites...

My main YouTube Channel

My second YouTube Channel

My Facebook Page

My Twitter 

These sites are mine and are run by me.

Of course you know my blog site address because you are on it now  8-))

I suppose I should be flattered that someone wants to be me...but I'm not.

See you all on my Facebook page soon...and of course there will be many new lessons coming soon. I have been very busy filming scenes for them.

As you may now know, I have moved my production studio back to my home. So some of my future videos will look slightly different to the ones from the last two years. But not much different...

I hope.

Take care and...  Ta-ta for now!

(Misterduncan)

'Better Late Than Never'

So this is my first blog posting of 2012. I'm all too aware that I was going to start posting regularly on here from January, but sadly other things got in the way. So as we say in English - 'it is better late than never'. So 2012 is well and truly with us and so far it has been a wild ride. With one thing and another occurring, I have found myself looking for new studio premises, which seems to be taking up more and more of my time. I also had a slight health scare in January, which caused a few worrying moments. However all is fine there now.


You do not need me to tell you that times are tough right now. here in the UK we are experiencing the early effects of the so-called austerity measures that our government is implementing. Needless to say, with rising costs and tighter budgets, I have been affected by this. This is also part of the reason for my move to new premises. There are so many things I wish to do with my English teaching videos, but sadly reality has stepped in and I have had to re-think everything.


During 2010 I set up a PayPal account, which I had intended to use for donations from any individuals or large companies that wished to help out. However I decided against it, as I did not wish to appear to be begging for money. Something I would never wish to do. That is of course, in normal circumstances. However I'm not in a normal situation right now. So I have taken the step of making the PayPal button clickable - here on my blog. (At the top right of the screen)


If you wish to help in some way, then that would be most appreciated. It is a pity that I have got this far and now it all seems to be suddenly coming to an end. That is all I will say on this subject as my pride has popped up and told me to stop writing at this point. All I really care about is continuing my online video teaching, helping those who cannot get access to formal training or expensive materials. The internet is a powerful educational tool, and through it I hope that I can continue to make a difference.


(Misterduncan)

GOODBYE 2011

So we have come to the end of what must be, one of the most traumatic and eventful years for a long - long time. Twenty eleven will be remembered for so many reasons. Most of them tragic and some of them needless. Natural disasters and political unrest, with a smattering of scandal here and there, along with the passing away of some notable people made 2011 the year it was. Of course all of these things occur, but the regularity and impact that these events had on the world, still reverberate now...and will for the foreseeable future. So we wave a slightly relieved goodbye to 2011, what will 2012 have in store for us? Well if I knew the answer to that, I would be on TV with my own show, 'Misterduncan - sooth-seer extraordinaire'. Sadly I do not posses any psychic powers and come to think of it, nor does anyone else for that matter. (Obviously)


January 1st will see in the new year again and I'm sure by now, you must have some resolutions made, such as lose some weight, work harder, make more friends, stop smoking, stop drinking, phone mum, start talking to the neighbours more, be more happy....and so on.


From my own point of view there are many new challenges ahead. Not least of all the one facing many people across the world. The financial crises affecting many so-called 'power' economies will no doubt put an even greater strain on the people living in those countries affected by the 'meltdown'. Needless to say, the UK is one such place. So as to keep on making my lessons and supporting myself, I will need to make some changes and cutbacks. My ideas are big, but the effort (and money) needed to see them through present many obstacles.


But those are for me to worry about and I will not be looking on the bleak side too much, as almost nothing is certain, even if, at times, it may seem so. However one thing is for sure - the following 12 months will present us with some surprises and maybe the odd shock or two, but I like to think that it surely cannot all be doom and gloom. I still believe in maintaining a positive attitude and being optimistic. As the old saying goes...''Hope springs eternal.''


My English lessons will continue and a new series of lessons will begin in February. I hope to do more travelling this year as well. All though that all depends on how other things progress. As we say in English I will 'play it by ear', in other words, I'll see what happens and deal with the problems as they occur. 


For 2012 I have decided to return to writing pieces for my blog. You could say that it is one of my new year's resolutions. So expect regular updates and the occasional comment on what is going on around us and my humble opinion. Whether you agree or disagree...is up to you. That is one of the great things about sharing over the internet. A force that should never be underestimated. As 2011 has well and truly shown.


I would like to wish you all a happy and healthy 2012.


(Misterduncan)

<< IN WITH THE NEW >>

Misterduncan & Mr Steve at the new 'Hat For Rent' studios.

So as we say a cheery hello to mid-February and with the prospect of springtime just around the corner, now is a good time to begin something new. In my case there are two new ventures. First I have obtained my own production studio, which I moved in to a few days ago. This was not an easy process as I was right in the middle of filming lesson 55, so I decided to kill two birds with one stone and did some of the filming during the setting up period. So my months of searching for premises and the many hours trying to explain what I do in a formal way has finally come to fruition. Hat For Rent Productions now has a studio base. From now on all of my filming will take place there. Also I have some nice new outdoor locations to film around and at...some of which you can see in my new lesson, all about love (Lesson 55).

The other big change for me this month will be the launch of my new YouTube Channel. The first new videos will be available on Saturday 20th February. The Channels name is 'askmisterduncan' and will offer my viewers the chance to send in questions about learning English. The e-mail address will be posted on this date, as well as the first (Pilot) edition of 'Ask Misterduncan'. This second Channel will offer a new video every week!

So it is all go for me and no time to sit back and rest. I hope you will enjoy my new work and find it helpful. So the first video will be posted there on 20/02/10. Next week I will be building a new set in the studio, but before then you will be able to see what this new base looks like when you watch 'Ask Misterduncan' on Saturday.

This is an exciting time and I hope together we can all have a fun and exciting time in the world of English!

Channel URL -- http://youtube.com/askmisterduncan

(Misterduncan) ................................................................

(( End of an Era ))

The cut throat world of business is not one for the faint-hearted. Maybe now more than ever, running a business requires a certain type of thinking. The biggest threat of course are your rivals. The ones doing the same thing as you. The choices are simple. Beat them or Buy them! This has been the case with the recent events concerning one of the oldest companies in the world. The chocolate makers Cadbury.

This company was founded 186 years ago by John Cadbury in the Midlands City of Birmingham. From a small shop, he grew the business into the huge global company it is today. Of course being a large global company means that the one or two other large global companies may feel that they are losing out in some way. So in steps huge USA company Kraft, who in 2008 really wanted that firm for themselves. Rather like a child pressing their nose up against the window of...well...a sweet shop!

So the offers and negotiations began. The offering of money to shareholders was the most viable way of 'sweetening' the deal. After the first couple of offers from Kraft the management at Cadbury stood firm and gave a resounding 'NO' to the crafty people at Kraft. They stood firm and refused to budge. The great British firm was safe from the meddling 'Yanks'!

Then something happened. The crafty Kraft people offered even more money. They thought that this would help melt the stubbornness of the management and shareholders. Hey Guess what? It did! Cadbury accepted the deal, realising that those with lots of share will stand to make loads of cash. Suddenly all that gritty patronism and steadfast solidarity did indeed melt like a bar of Dairy Milk on the dashboard of a car on a summer's day. The boys and girls at Cadbury flaked!! Such is the power of money eh? So a great British institution, which has flown the flag of the UK for 186 years has been snapped up in the blink of an eye. Well almost. As they still do not fully own the company, then they can not say that Cadbury is part of the Kraft Group. They merely are the chief owners. A subtle difference maybe, but it should prevent Kraft from messing with the branding and design of the products...for the time being.

Of course the big worry now is how this takeover will affect jobs. It is only a matter of time before cost-cutting measures are taken and it is inevitable the the birthplace of Cadbury (Bournville in Birmingham) will suffer job losses. They say it will not happen, but we all know it will.

My feeling is of sadness, as here in the UK we have so little of our own industry or commercial enterprise still intact. Most is owned by the USA, China...and Russia! I suppose this is the way business is done these days. It is the price we must pay for globalisation, but for me I feel that it is a slightly too high price to pay, when a chunk of Britain's past is broken off and gobbled up.

.....................(Misterduncan)..................................

<<< 2010 is here !! >>>

So this is my first post of 2010. I would like to wish all of you a happy new year and let us hope that it will be better than the last one. Although it could have been worse I guess. Here in the UK we saw the old year out with some drama, provided by mother nature herself. Yes you have guessed it...the weather! We have been experiencing a very cold spell, which began in mid-December and has continued to bite into the nation right up until now. Needless to say the news media really got themselves into a tizz over this sudden outbreak of...'winterness'. The various news outlets seemed unable to decide just how bad this weather actually was. Some said it was the worst winter since 1991...some said it was worse than the winter of 1984 and some just threw out all those statistics and went the whole way, by saying it is the worst winter weather for over 100 years! Oh yes that terrible winter of 19-0-something or other. Yes that was quite a bummer! We all remember it so well. Of course I should not be surprised by all this (over) reacting. If there is one thing the British people love talking about - it is the weather. In fact I have written a similar post here before, way back in 2007.

Of course this current situation could not continue without some sort of drama...and we got one, when the media found out that there may not be enough salt and grit to treat the roads with. As the snow had fallen over a period of two days and some local councils had not been able to clear all of the roads, then this was taken as some sort of crisis. News reporters were going to remote locations and standing in snow-covered fields or even better, at salt storage depots. 'The salt and grit is running out!'. We were told again and again. 'It is like gold-dust!', they exclaimed. 'We are all doomed!'. Well they did not actually say the last one, but it was inferred a number of times during the very frequent and tedious segments, which news channels had decided to churn out every few minutes. 'And now the latest on the weather'. Having only just shown us a frozen news reporter shivering next to a frozen lake, we really did not need an update. It was unlikely that a mass-thaw had occurred anywhere within the last few minutes, but still they all blathered on, giving us their forecasts of more terrible weather to come and using words such as 'Grip' and 'Hit' and 'Battered' and 'Clutch'. You would think were were listening to a report on a wrestling match rather than the consequences of a season which has been an annual fixture in this part of the world for millions of years. Every year we act surprised by these sudden seasonal changes. It is as if we had never seen winter, or come to think of it, summer, ever before. When it suddenly becomes hot, we panic...and when it suddenly becomes chilly, we panic.

During my time in China, I was able to bear witness to some pretty extreme weather. As the City I was staying in was stuck right in the middle of nowhere and its nearest neighbour was the Gobi Desert, I was guaranteed some wild and wacky conditions. The summers were hot and dry and the winter months were grey and bitter with what can only be described as an ever-present Arctic wind blowing through every nook and cranny of your soul. I was lucky enough to get the chance to experience sub-sub zero temperatures of -30. Yes 30 degrees below zero! This is one of the most barren places on earth. Having experienced this particular climate over a four year period I can safely say that winter 2009 in the UK felt like a beach-towel in July, when compared with the Inner Mongolia ones.

So what is the situation today? Well everyone has calmed down a little and we seem to have survived this wintry calamity relatively unscathed. Of course during this harsh weather, there will always be those individuals who think it would be a good idea to walk over to the middle of a frozen lake or river and see what happens when their body weight is exerted onto the thin icy surface. Of course they fall through the ice and die. I wonder how long it will be before death certificates can have the cause of a persons demise to be... 'Death caused by STUPIDITY'. It would certainly speed up the coroners job.

I think each British household should have a booklet pushed through their door, giving all the 'hidden' dangers that lay in wait for us all. Maybe I can publish my own!

1- Do not eat razor blades

2- Do not push broken glass into your eye

3- Do not stick your wet finger into the power outlet.

4- Do not jump off a tall building

.....(Unless death is the result you wish)

5- Do not put your new-born baby inside a microwave oven.

6- Do not store poison in a cough medicine bottle.

7- Do not buy the box set of 'How I met your mother'.

8- Do not drive a car after consuming lots of alcohol

9- Do not drink scolding hot coffee or tea,

......or pour it into your lap.

10- Do not walk on frozen lakes or rivers.

(Misterduncan) .......................................

<< Un-Welcome To London >>

Every year people from all over the world flock in their thousands to see the sights and experience the atmosphere of the glitzy, fashion-conscious, cool, sophisticated, chic, centre of all which is hip and happening. Yes, the City of London! But for all those of you who are thinking of booking that dream tour of the gold-paved cosmopolitan capital of Europe, think again. For the tourist has been deemed a terrorist threat and the London Police are going out of their way to make sure you do not have a nice time. There is no finer example of this paranoia, than the ever increasing number of people being verbally intimidated by security guards and police officers on duty in the capital. What is the reason for this harassment? For doing nothing more than taking a nice snap-shot of their visit to bendy-bus land. Yes if you are one of those shady characters who enjoys nothing more than taking a trip and recording the happy times by taking photographs, which you will stick into a big album or make a video postcard with, then think again.

People are now being told NOT to take photographs in London, for fear that they may be gathering information for a terrorist attack. In some cases the victim of this harassment is told to hand the camera over to the official, or they are forced to delete the 'offending' pictures. There have been more and more documented cases of people being made to feel like criminals, when all they are doing is taking a picture to send to Auntie Freda! I would have guessed, like many others, that if someone wanted to get a lay of the land in Laaaandan, then all they need do is click on 'Google Street View'. Lots of nice shots from both the sky and the ground. Maybe instead of picking on the public we should arrest the owners of Google?

This situation has affected me personally and my work has suffered. I was planning to do some video filming in London for a future lesson, but after various enquiries I found that I would not be allowed to film in most parts of the capital. This seems almost unbelievable as I'm a British citizen and will be using the camera for legitimate purposes. Of course there is another side to this story. Yes you have guessed it...Money! You can get permission to film in some places but you may find yourself having to hand over cash for that privilege. Still want to visit London? The UK is a big place and I can assure you that there are far better places to see here than the smelly, fume-filled 'Smoke' (A slang word for London).

The problem with cities like London is that they are born from an image, which is often given through the media and movies as a friendly, chic, sophisticated metropolis. Of course after you have paid for the flight and the over-priced hotel accommodation and been cheated by the cab drivers, and had to fight off aggressive 'big issue' sellers and the abusive drunk...well it is all a little too late to complain. So the new threat of being accused of working for Bin Laden can be added to the list of merry moments which can only come from spending time in one of the most unfriendly, pretentious, impersonal, over-rated cities on this planet.

Welcome to London - Enjoy your stay !!

(Misterduncan) .......................................................................

Misterduncan's Triple X X Xmas !! (2009)

This is my festive holiday video. It took two weeks to film and edit. All music was paid for by myself...from my own pocket! Feel free to sing along...The words are next to the video. Seasons greetings and have a happy 2010 !!
(Misterduncan)

<<< 2009 - An Up-Down Year !! >>>

So as we approach the final month of 2009, it is time to look back over the past year and take stock of what has occurred. From a personal perspective, my life has been fair to middling. I have been quite busy with my work. I feel a little disappointed that I did not achieve all of my goal this year. I had intended to make more video lessons, sadly due to the fact that I make these lessons all by myself, this task is not an easy one. In the early days I could film and edit a lesson in a week, but these days, because of the very nature of the videos and the techniques I use to make them, they now take much longer to produce. There are various reasons for this. As I said just, the filming is much more complicated and due to the fact that they are made in my house means that there is a great deal of setting up involved before any filming can start. Filming can take up to five days to complete and sometimes there is a break between shoots, of up to a week. I also find these days that I'm more willing to re-shoot parts of a lesson I'm unhappy with. This happened during the making of lessons 51 and 52. In fact I was so unhappy with how lesson 52 was going that I actually thought seriously of scrapping the whole project. Something I have never done before.

My plan this year was to find a place to film my lessons in. My first thought was to use a small office space. I thought that there would be somewhere I could rent and set up my studio permanently. However the costs involved here would have been sky-high. My new option is to move into a proper studio, which will give me more space to move in and will also allow me to have a permanent base from which to work. So I have replaced the office idea with the purpose built property proposal. This will mean that I will have to structure my work more carefully and try to make a real living out of my work. It is strange how my teaching work and my interest in video making has combined is this way. What I need to do now it make it pay.

As you all know my video lessons are posted for free and this will continue in the future. My aim is to keep this going, as I want as many people as possible, in as many countries as possible to have the chance to practice their English....for free!

So how to make something for free and make a living? This is a tough question and not one I have a definite answer to. So I'm hoping that by expanding what I do, I can earn enough to run a studio, with all the facilities needed to carry on making the lessons, and make them more interesting and vivid. I have already taken on private video making work and this was a good experience for me as it gave me the chance to expand my skills and earn a little cash. I was lucky enough to be asked to film a couple of amateur stage performances, which were both warmly commented on by those who watched them on DVD.

Many people have asked if there are any DVD's available of my lessons. At this time the answer is no. But in the future, if there is a demand for it, I may issue a Misterduncan DVD. We will see what happens. So as you can see, my aims are high, but the same problems exist as before. How to pay for it? I'm not the sort of person who desires wealth or riches. My one and only concern is to be able to do what I do well enough to help others, while being able to keep my belly full for a day!

So my resolution and plan for 2010? Of course I will be making more video lessons, plus I will be launching a new channel in January. This will still be aimed at those who are learning English, but there will be something extra special added to it. I will reveal more as the time draws nearer. I should be doing some more private video work next year too. One project is already in its early stages. Also hopefully next year I can find a suitable home for Hat For Rent Productions, which will allow me to produce more videos at a steady rate. We will see what happens.

My next project will be to replace lesson 6, which will be done in December. Right now I'm planning my Christmas message video. This should take a couple of weeks to make.

Before I finish today...I would like to say a special hello to all my new followers here at Blogger. I'm amazed that so many people are interested in my ramblings, but I do appreciate your joining me here....very much!

Till next time... Ta-ta for now!

(Misterduncan)

..........................................................................................................................

<<< The Zzzzzzzzzz Factor >>>

During the 1970's, here in England there was a TV talent show called 'New Faces' and on this show people were given a chance to show off their skill or talent, be it dancing, singing, or telling jokes. Each performer would do their little act in front of a panel of judges and after, these 'experts' would offer their opinions on the act and give it points. Each week a person would be chosen as a winner to go through to the semi final, and so on. It was always a rule on this show that one of the judges had to be really mean and nasty and deride each contestant one by one. This formula proved very successful and many people tuned in, not only to see the acts, but to hear the 'nasty' remarks which the 'evil' judge would make. This show had a good run in the 70's but was eventually axed, due to new shows coming along. However this show was revived in the 1980's and enjoyed a short run, but people were not interested in 'end of the pier' acts anymore. It all seemd so lame, pointless and exploitive.

Now here we are in 2009 and once again the 'talent' show has become king. Once again we have the helpless and hopeless lining up in the desperate hope of being famous and loved. There can be no doubt that shows such as 'X-Factor', 'Britain's Got talent', 'Pop Idol', and...well the list goes on (depending which country you live in) are nothing new at all. The format is just a copy. Right down to the nasty judge who everyone loves to hate. The most annoying thing about this is the way in which it is being hawked as something new and exciting. In fact the TV talent show can be traced back to the 1950's, with a programme called 'The Gong Show'. Where a person would perform their act for a judge, who, as the shows title hints at, was holding a gong. If the act was terrible or boring, the judge would strike the gong and the contestant would leave the stage. Some of the acts on this show were awful, which added to the 'fun' of the show. Seeing someone humiliated on television is always going to draw a crowd. So you see all of this is nothing new. These tacky talent shows have been around for years and programmes such as X-Factor are nothing more than a combination of all of them.

Of course let us not forget the commercial value of these shows. There is a lot of money to be made from them. First from the commercial spots during each broadcast, then the phone voting system, which the viewers are charged a fee for using, and then the winning act itself, which will be nurtured and exploited by the same people who produce the show. If you still think this is worthwhile entertainment, then think again. It is mass exploitation and for the people behind these types of shows, it is very easy money...A win win situation.

If you are under the age of 25, these shows will seem fresh and new and you will be amazed at how a person could come up with such a wonderful shows. But in truth these are all reheated meals...and not particularly tasty ones at that. Sadly these days, television makers have run out of ideas and the best thing to do is remake the stuff that our dead grandparents would sit down to watch after putting our parents to bed. And while we are on the subject of entertainment, it is worth noting that whatever type of music you listen to...be it Jazz, Pop, Rock, or R'n'B. The money you spend on this music goes into the pockets of only two or three huge companies, who now own the rights to most of the music published on this planet. There are no independent music companies around anymore. Just like the television and movie industry....they are all in the hands of a few people. I tried to watch these talent shows, but from them I sense the feeling of 'this has all been done before'. The X-Factor? .....More like the 'Zzzzzz-Factor'. I feel sleepy just thinking about it.

(Misterduncan) ...........................................................................

<<< 3 !!! >>>

October 31st 2009 was a special day for me. This point in time marked yet another milestone in my Online teaching career. I celebrated three years of producing and sharing my video lessons on YouTube. I suppose for many this does not seem like such a big deal, but the fact remains that doing anything over a long period of time takes a great deal of determination and motivation. Fortunately for me these two things have been around me in abundance, although I have had my moments of doubt and disillusionment.

Of course the biggest set-back for me comes from those who choose to criticise and knock what I'm trying to do. There are those in life who wish to improve their own outlook as well as those of others and there are those who only want to take, while offering nothing in return. Then there are those who achieve nothing, blame others for it, then spend the rest of their time pulling down those who are trying to do something with their lives. Fortunately this last group are not the majority, but their existence is still a disruptive one.

From my own point of view I suppose I should be one of those bitter ones. Not everything in my life was easy. I did not get everything I wanted. My early life was not an easy one and I certainly did not come from any sort of privileged background. In my younger years I was not a very confident person. I was shy, gauche, introverted--call it what you like. Everything was a challenge to me. Even walking to school was a daunting task for me, as my tallness and geeky appearance made me a target for bullies and the constant threat of name-calling and intimidation would lay heavily on my conscience, which meant every morning walk to school was accompanied by a feeling of dread and nausea. . The weird thing was that inside I was happy. A strange sort of optimism burned in my heart. I would look up at the sky and watch the clouds drifting by. In my mind, I was one of those clouds, drifting aimlessly, with no purpose or direction, yet their presence still made a difference and I would find myself wondering if mine ever would.

All these moments have long since passed, but that little flame of optimism still burns. The motivation I have now comes from this desire to add a little something to the world, to make a small difference. I will never find a cure for Cancer, or win the Nobel Prize, but at least I'm trying to add something to this increasingly over-cynical world of ours. My real life-changing time came during my stay in China. Many memories of that time still play in my head, again and again. During that time I was finally able to see the human spirit for real. Not in a religious sense, but from a sense of inner optimism. In my line of work I would travel to many small rural villages, visiting community schools, many of which were old and run-down, with battered desks, tattered text books and at the front of each classroom, fixed into the wall, was a large chunk of painted stone which acted as a blackboard. As patronising as this may sound, it is all true and for the young people living there, it was their reality.

When devoid of people, these rooms presented a feeling of gloom and despair, but that soon vanished, once the students walked in. All at once I would be standing in front of a sea of smiling happy faces, the excitement probably intensified by my own presence, as for most of them I would have been the first 'foreigner' they had ever met. (Which was true on most occasions) Now it would be too easy to assume that there would be no way in which anyone sitting in these classrooms would be able to speak English very well at all and I would not blame anyone for thinking this. But let me tell you...this could not have been further from the truth. The thing which struck me on each of these visits was how well and confidently the students spoke English. Bearing in mind that many of these classes consisted of very young children, aged around eight to twelve, living as I said, in very 'poor' and remote areas. When I look around me now, here in the UK, we are constantly being told about the neglected underclass and those who live in 'poverty'...here! We make excuses for all the bad behaviour, we look for reasons for our failure. We blame everyone but ourselves. Great achievements come from determination, motivation and courage. Anyone can criticise and maybe that route is the easiest... I always tell myself, 'Don't be bitter, be better!', It is so easy to attack others, and at the end of the day, all you are really doing is attacking yourself. In the end you lose.

I believe that the Chinese children in those rural schools appreciated everything around them. Their optimism was nurtured by the teachers and in the hearts of each one of them burned that small flame of hope. In China, nature is revered and the passing of each season is celebrated. It is a kind of appreciation of how all things have a purpose. The sun, the moon, The breeze....and lets not forget those clouds, apparently moving aimlessly, but in reality, doing many things to help us survive.

The phrase I use at the start of each lesson...''Are you happy?'' comes from my time in China. It was a question I was frequently asked, normally by a passing student as I walked to my next class, or as I went to collect my bicycle at lunchtime or in the classroom itself. In this increasingly materialistic world, we seem to be looking for happiness in all the wrong places. If you do not find happiness within, you will always be without.

(Misterduncan) ........................................................................................

<<< LESSON 51 >>>

September arrives, almost too soon. This year has really flown by! It really is ironic that the more you do, then the faster time goes by. This has been very true during the past two months. July and August seem like a blur to me. A non-stop routine of writing, filming, editing, and then more writing. The task of remaking my early lessons became an obsession for me. I was pleased the I managed to remake lessons 2, 3, 4, and 5. having done that I decided to return to the continuation from Lesson 50. Once again I made the decision that the later lessons should be more involved and contain much more information and new words. The filming for Lesson 51 took over 6 days to complete, with some shots being created as tests. In fact I probably spend a quarter of the production time making test shots, which will never be seen by my students. These serve a very important role by making sure that when it comes to filming the real scenes, everything will look right and there will be no serious issues with things such as lighting or added effects. There were quite a few special effect scenes in lesson 51. The opening shot of me sitting on the globe and the lesson title sequence, with the hand holding the microphone and my character of Dick Sharpe popping up took a total of five days to make. and they only appear on screen for no more and 35 seconds in total.

This lesson was different in many ways. It is the first one where I have added extra light and colour elements to some of the shots. Each new lesson is a challenge for me, and there is nothing I enjoy more than a nice juicy challenge.

This latest lesson is all about giving your opinion. This may seem like a simple subject, but on closer inspection I realised that I would need to cover more than the aspect of what one person thinks. It would need to also encompass the way we think as groups or nations. I have always been wary of discussing politics in my lessons, but this time I would have to grab the subject and approach it head-on.

I was conscious of not appearing to favour any particular political view, so I decided to use the USA political system as an example of how party politics is set up. The other area I felt conscious of was making a point about far-right ideology. I knew at the time that this may get me into trouble, but I went ahead and mentioned it. However I resisted the temptation to drag myself into discussing particular far-right or far-left politics as individual ways of thinking. In fact I did not mention far-left politics at all. Does that make me a communist? Well of course not. Had I not mentioned far-right thinking, would that have made me a Nazi? Maybe some people will try to find an agenda in this lesson. But I can assure you that there is no bias on my part in this lesson whatsoever. But if anyone wants, I can make a whole lesson on the negative aspects of Socialism and Communism and Leninism and Stalinism.

There is a phrase in English...'Never discuss religion or politics.' This is mainly due to the fact that they represent definitive divisions between us. But to me they are just another area of opinion and thinking. This was the point I was making at the end of the lesson . We may agree to disagree, but at least we are talking.

(Misterduncan)..........................................................................

<<< My Korean Visitors >>>

Saturday 25th July 2009 was a very special day for me, as it was the day I met my online students from South Korea in Stratford Upon Avon. Of course they had not only come to the UK to see me, they also visited many other places too and no doubt had many other interesting experiences as well. It is worth noting that Stratford Upon Avon happens to be the birthplace of the playwright William Shakespeare, so it seemed like an apt place to get together.

It just so happened that the day we met was also the day when a big music festival was being held in the town so the railway station was a little crowded and chaotic due to all of the concertgoers arriving by train, but I managed to spot my little group as they walked from the platform and was successful in capturing their surprise at seeing me, complete with camera and of course Mr Steve, who was there to help with the arrangements. (and supplying the ice cream)

There were seven students in all, a chaperon and Miss Demi, their teacher. I had spoken to Demi a while ago and she mentioned the fact that she was planning to visit the UK and asked if would it be OK for us to meet up. Of course during my time in China I had met hundreds of students and teachers, while visiting city and rural schools around the Inner Mongolia region, but this was the first time that I had met any online students here in the UK. Needless to say, the prospect was quite an exciting one for all concerned.

Our time together was short and at first the children seemed a little disoriented, but over time we chatted and by the end of the afternoon we were all having a good time. Ice cream was eaten, which pleased me more than the kids it seemed! We only filmed a small part of our time as I wanted to find out more about my visitors. However I did film a short introduction from each student and Miss Demi also made a heart-felt and passionate speech to camera, clearly expressing her delight and excitement.

There was one strange moment when one of the students told me that she thought she had caught Swine Flu and was told that most people in the UK now had it, but I assured here that the virus had not become that serious yet, which seemed to calm her down. I was told Miss Demi that one of the boys is a famous child actor in South Korea and that he has appeared in many TV plays there.

In total we spend just over 4 hours together and the time went by very quickly. We managed to take a look at Shakespeare's birthplace before it was time for Demi and her class to depart for their journey back to London.

It was a sad moment when it came to saying goodbye and I felt as if the afternoon had been a pleasant one for all concerned. It was clear to me that Demi enjoyed her role as teacher and it was very nice to meet a person who showed such great dedication to both her many students and her profession.

How was the day for you Misterduncan? For me it was a great experience to meet some of the people who watch my video lessons from so very far away.

Would you do it again? .... Sure why not?

(Misterduncan)............................................................................

(( The Next Stage For Mr Steve ))

This has been quite a memorable week in many ways, not least of all because of Mr Steve finally getting his chance to shine on the big stage. All this week he has been appearing in Bilston Operatic Society's production of 'The King And I'. He played the part of the Kralahome, the prime minister and personal assistant to to King. The part was not big but it gave Steve quite a good opportunity to shine with some very dramatic moments, such as his anger at Anna for breaking the king's spirit and the King's death scene, which gave Steve a chance to express his devastation upon the King's demise.

This is a very exciting time for Steve because after 3 years of amateur performing he has made his next step up the ladder by treading the boards at a legitimate theatre (The Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton). Despite Bilston Operatic Society being an amateur company, they are highly respected for their professional approach and polished productions. Last year I was lucky enough to see their production of 'Me and my girl', which completely blew me away, with its overall production quality and the professional performances from the actors. Steve joined the company earlier this year and was lucky enough to be offered a role in their latest production.

There were seven performances over this week, including two matinees (Afternoon Shows). I attended three of the shows and was at the final performance last night. The local newspapers had given the show some good publicity, with Steve's half-naked body being shown in the local newspaper. The reviews were very favourable and one critic wrote that the show 'blurred the line between amateur and professional theatre, which is quite a compliment indeed.

I was able to go along to the after performance party and gush my praise to the various cast members, which I'm sure was quite embarrassing for them, but gush I did! I believe that credit and praise should be given where it is due and in the case of this production, the compliments were certainly valid and well deserved.

I admire anyone who can do this type of art form. The mere thought of going onto a stage and having to remember lots of lines and dialogue fills me with horror. Needless to say I have never acted on stage in my life. I can perform well, if I have the control, but it would be impossible for me to stick to a tight format or lines written by another person. This is probably why I insist on having full control of my English lesson videos. The thing I imagine is the same thing that is created. This control is important to me.

It has been a week of sadness and joy and for Mr Steve it marked another step up the ladder of dreams. Where this will take him next...only fate can tell.

(Misterduncan) ...........................................................

The future >>>>>>>>

Time flies when you are having fun, so the proverb goes and this month has flown by so fast. It is hard to believe that we have just had the longest day of the year. There is something comforting about seeing a light sky at 11pm. But already we are heading down hill towards Winter, albeit slowly.

Now lets talk about the future of my lesson videos.

Lesson 50 has been on my Channel for about 10 days and the reaction to it has been quite enthusiastic, which was quite a relief to me, as I really thought nobody would watch it. I think the format of this lesson is quite different from my previous ones, with the documentary style and straight faced presentation. I was aware of not making the lesson too funny because the story of Samuel Johnson was one that I wanted to convey in a serious way. Even though I did do a couple of silly bits...talking to the statue, writing a letter to Mr Lomax and my exhaustion after climbing the many stairs in the museum.

So what now? Well as I mentioned in previous blog posts, I want to go back to my very early lessons and remake them, so that they look more in line with my later ones. This will take a few weeks to do of course, so there will not be a lesson 51 for a while.

My next production will be Lesson 2, which I will begin filming at the end of this week. At the moment I'm waiting for some new sound equipment to be delivered to me. As you may know, one of the most difficult parts of filming is getting the sound right. So I have gone ahead and ordered some professional equipment which will allow me to do more filming outdoors and generally improve the sound quality of my lessons overall.

So there will be little time for me to rest, although I'm planning to take a short break next week and will be travelling down to the south-west of the UK for some sightseeing and to catch up with some friends I have not seen for a long time. So that should be nice. I will of course be taking my camera. It seems I have become some sort of mythical beast...half man-half video camera.

Last week I took a ride in a Morgan sports car with Mr Steve. It was actually a birthday treat given to him by a friend. (Just a day in the car) I had never ridden in a low seated open topped car before and I must say it was quite an exhilarating experience. Oh yes I did some filming on that day and the result will appear at the start of a forthcoming lesson.

Back to the present and I have just prepared the new Lesson 2 script which I will begin shooting towards the end of this week. (I already metioned that, right?) Just one more piece of news...As of now I'm working on the early stages of a brand new English Channel, which will be appearing on YouTube later this year. Keep watching for more details !!

Ok...must go!

Ta-ta for now 8-))

(Misterduncan) .................................................................

(( LESSON 50 !! ))

It was a lonely evening for me...Way back in November 2006...when I was sitting in my big apartment in Baotou-China, trying to think of something to do.. Then it came to me....an idea! Why not make a short video English lesson? I had created a Youtube channel a few days before and had only posted a couple of videos on to it. For this video, I could imagine that I was the front of a classroom full of students, talking to them about learning English. It seemed like a good idea...and the perfect way to pass away a quiet evening.

So I went ahead and filmed it. My first attempt was not very good. I felt nervous doing it and certainly looked it. I had done no preparation for it and in the video I talked about some simple ways of improving speaking skills and English in general. I did a quick edit and posted it onto my Youtube Channel.

The following day I checked my YouTube channel. I was surprised to find that my little lesson had received quite a few views. So I went ahead and made another one. This time I talked about ways of saying hello. This video also attracted many viewers and I got the feeling that there was a large potential audience out there searching for material they could use for practicing their spoken English with. I made seven videos in total, before returning to the UK in February 2007.

In April 2007, I made Lesson one of what would slowly become my vast catalogue of English teaching videos. Move on 26 months and here I am, having just completed Lesson 50 !

During this time I have gradually refined and taught myself the methods of video production and editing techniques, as well as my presenting skills. My aim is to constantly improve my abilities and strive for perfection. Of course due to the fact that I do everything by myself, mistakes sometimes happen. But I always try to learn from these errors.

In lesson 50, I visit the City of Lichfield to take a look around its beautiful Cathedral and to visit the birthplace of a man who became famous for creating the first definitive version of a Dictionary of English. He was also a man whose wit and words of wisdom, made him a national celebrity. Which was quite amazing, when you consider that it was around 300 years ago. The man in question is Samuel Johnson. This lesson is a little different from my other ones and the documentary style may not be to everyones liking.

After this lesson has been posted, I will begin to remake some of my earlier lessons, which now look a little amateur in production quality, not to mention my terrible presentation. These new lessons will be in HD and will have subtitles. The lessons I will be remaking are...

Lesson-2.

Lesson-3.

Lesson-4.

Lesson-5.

Lesson-6.

Lesson-7

and Lesson-8.

I will be taking a short holiday soon, here in the UK, at the end of this month, so that should give me some good filming opportunities. Hopefully the weather will be OK.

You may have noticed that I have stopped using the Twitter service. Sadly I do not have enough time to keep updating it, so it has had to go. I must get into the habit of updating this blog more often instead, although I'm still uncertain as to exactly how many people actually read my ramblings.

OK lesson 50 is now officially available 8-))

Ta-ta for now.

(Misterduncan) .........................................................................................

(( 4th June - 20 Years On ))

So here we are. Twenty years after the Tiananmen Square riots and the subsequent massacre of hundreds of people by the Chinese government. It would appear, if you believe what has been said during the past seven years by Politicians around the world that China has changed its spots. But as we all know a Leopard rarely does, especially a golden one.

For two months the video sharing site YouTube has been blocked by the Chinese government. This Internet censoring has been stepped up with the blocking of most western social network and blog sites, such as Facebook, Myspace and Hotmail.

Very little has actually changed. In fact most of China's changes have only really been benefitial to Western countries, such as the USA and UK, who now import a large percentage of their goods from this Communist state. The very fact that we are living off the spoils of what can only be described as a dictatorship, beggars belief.

From the farce of the handing over of the 2008 Olympic games, right up to the actual games itself, we have been lied to and blatantly cheated by the leaders of not only China, but of our own nations too. All which has passed during the last seven years was a carefully planned and negotiated game of 'Scratch my back and I'll scratch yours'. Guaranteeing mutual gains on both sides. Sadly whereas we in the west can buy a TV or DVD player for amazingly low prices, the people who are making these trinkets of Capitalist development are living in poor circumstances and being paid a pittance. The only Chinese people who are really benefiting from the past growth are those in Government positions or those who are a member of that big exclusive club otherwise known as the Communist Party. 

Since 2008, China has been somewhat forgotten. Only being brought into the public domain when the USA needs China to support the rally against the global recession or to protest against the recent sabre rattling of North Korea.

Lets not mince our words. China is the lap-dog of the Western world. It jumps through hoops for the Western super-powers. Having said that, the USA and the UK also do their share of jumping and begging too. Allowing government agents from China to assault members of the public here in the UK during the Olympic Torch relay must have been one of the most horrific sights ever seen on our streets, but it was allowed to happen, with no repercussions. I very much doubt that British police would be able to carry out such assaults on the streets of Beijing. Of course such assaults do happen there, but by their own officials be-it 1989 or 2009.

Between 2003 and 2007 I lived in China and during that time I spoke to many people there who feel that they have little or no voice. They carry within them, great fear and frustration and there is no place for them to vent these feelings. Newspapers are owned and censored by the government. Television is state owned and its news consists of nothing more than government propaganda. The views of the Chinese people are never really heard. Those who are allowed to speak are usually wealthy or have connections with the Communist party.

I even found myself the victim of the Chinese government. My phone and Internet was monitored. I was told on a number of occasions that it was not safe to live in China for too long. I broke the golden rule and stayed in Baotou for four years, which only raised suspicion among the local hierarchy. I was assaulted and robbed with a knife and was told not to tell anyone about it, my passport was taken from me during my four years working there. The facade of Chinese life is that of a puritanical people, who refrain from all temptation. Even now Western people are painted as diseased and unclean. A very dangerous way of thinking when we consider the amount of Chinese hotels offering room sex and KTV bars and lounges with prostitutes on hand to offer their services. Sexually transmitted diseases such as Syphilis and AIDS are rife, due to the ignorant belief that only Western people catch them, so finding a partner there holds many risks. Let this be a warning to any person thinking of going to China for work. If you are unfortunate enough to catch a sexually transmitted disease, you will be arrested and thrown out of the country! It would be safe to say that what appears on the surface is definitely not what lies beneath.

During the opening of a disco bar in Baotou I spoke to some people who worked for the local government and one of them quite openly offered to find me a girl to 'use' for the night. They seemed very annoyed when I refused the offer and even asked what was wrong with me. Marriage arrangements in China are often not happy ones. The man is still boss there and the woman is seen as a pea-pod for giving the man the prized son he needs so as to carry on the family and keep face. The single child policy can be broken, if you are from a minority group or if you have enough money to bribe some officials, or even better be a Communist party member.

All rules in China can be broken-at the right price.

So as we commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre on June 4th, what has changed in China? The answer is 'very little'. Unless you are a member of the Communist elite or the owner of a large company, which in many cases is one and the same thing. I'm not expecting much media coverage here about the anniversary. After all, Western media is a fickle beast and only talks openly about issues when it suits them or when they are sufficiently diverting. Ask someone at the BBC about the blocking of YouTube in China and they would probably reply 'So what !'. This whole situation makes me sad and sick, not just because of the neglect and blatant disregard, but because I know that it is going on right now, as I sit here typing this. 

(Misterduncan) ......................................................................