Friday, March 20, 2026

March Madness, Taxes, and Weather...What More Is There to Talk About?

Click here to go directly to our webpages and read the Update and other pages.

Click here to listen to and follow our podcast "Sorry! What Did You Say?"  on Spotify in your browser 

Hello Friends.

March keeps bringing the weather surprises. We had 70 degree days here in the Midwest followed by three days of snow and temperatures below freezing. And now the forecast is back up in the 70s! What a wild ride!

If you are looking for a conversation starter, just talk about the weather! There is plenty to say.

March Madness

March Madness brings collegiate basketball to the main stage. The NCAA tournament has started with 68 teams vying for the championship. Take a peek at the articles below to stay in the know at watch parties

The Sports Curmudgeon posted his musings on March Madness and picks with a March Madness Wordplay that sorts players in a name association "game."

Here are more links to understand March Madness:

Tax Tasks

Getting ready to file state and federal income tax is a task that is on the minds of most people this time of year. Some people stay on top of this task by collecting receipts in files folders or in an envelope or in a grocery bag hanging on the door (seriously, an accountant said one of her clients would bring this bag to her every March!). Others scramble to dig up evidence for deductions. As the deadline nears, look for statements from employers as well as other important documentation. 

In the past, the post offices would be slammed on April 15 because people who procrastinated filing want their documents post marked on time. Now, many people file their taxes electronically. 
Will you be paying taxes or will a portion of your withholding be coming back to you as a return?  

Libraries, community colleges, and even the local Wal Mart have sessions and help with getting your taxes in order and filing them. Often these free services are manned by retired accountants or students. 

International Friends Meeting Notes

Practicing your American English is important. Join us! Click here to register and get the Zoom link.

International Bible Study: Monday, 8-9:00 PM, Zoom

Leviticus 5-9 detailed the execution of the directions in the previous chapters. The result of the detailed planning and work is in chapter nine:

23 Moses and Aaron then went into the tent of meeting. When they came out, they blessed the people; and the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people. 24 Fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat portions on the altar. And when all the people saw it, they shouted for joy and fell facedown.

March 9: We are continuing with Leviticus 10

American English Language and Culture: Thursday, 9:00AM- 11:00 AM, Zoom

“When I dream about the moonlight on the Wabash (River), Then I long for my Indiana home.” These lyrics from the song “Back Home Again in Indiana,” sung every year at the Indy 500 Race in May, came to mind as we welcomed back one of our friends who had been “back home” in her country for the winter. Was she home there, or is she home here? Where is home? We had a good discussion about how it feels to “have a foot in two worlds.” Many of us are familiar with culture shock and reverse culture shock. Where are your roots, your branches, your people, the place you feel most at home? Have you been a cultural nomad, moving here and there, or a cultural chameleon, always adapting to settle down and fit in? Do you feel perpetually homesick? There are so many pieces to the puzzle of belonging, including learning the language where you live with all of its regional accents, vocabulary, slang, adages, and cadence. As you gain confidence and wisdom from your experience, try to be an ambassador for others who may need support and encouragement.

March 12: Our class is continuing to March Modal Madness. 

Make a list this week of things you should/shouldn't do. (I should start my spring cleaning. I shouldn't eat a second piece of pie.) Add things that people must/mustn't do. (You must get a passport to travel internationally. You mustn't speed when you are driving.) You may approach this as a guide for newcomers if you like.

American English for Kids: Friday, 6:00-6:30 PM, private Zoom

We had a great conversation about what we like to shop for. We started a conversation about physics (FIZ icks). 

This YouTube channel called Up and Atom (a great pun on the idiom "up and at 'em" (them)) that has  many science and math videos. This video explains Entropy: the most misunderstood concept in physics.

March 27: What Is Quantum Physics? from CalTech and here is a great documentary from PBS Nova series: Decoding the Universe: Quantum. This is a great program. This field of study is so interesting and mysterious. You will love it!

Words and Phrases and Resources

curmudgeon: an old, bad tempered person
volyn
watch parties: get togethers where people watch a game or a movie or some special event on television

No comments:

Post a Comment