 Oh, you know It's Friday and I feel like okay, so last week I felt like the week just dragged on and on and on and we got to the end of the week And I felt like this week has been a month long. That's what I felt like and This week I feel like I just started this week. This week has been a second long So, oh It is Yes Yeah, introduce ourselves Adam I'll start I'm Liz Wade and I'm a voice on Spotlight. I also write programs and sometimes produce them and Yeah, just kind of do what needs to be done I choose the programs for YouTube and and all of that stuff. So go ahead Adam, right? Yeah, and Adam, do you mind if I take this opportunity to apologize for some technical difficulties that we are having this morning? So sorry if Things just seem a little off this morning. We're we're working on it Hey, we've already got some hellos from Miriam and Saida and Fidan hey, oh when you say hello, we would love to hear where you're from K-tion says hi guys. Hello from Azerbaijan. Oh And now Miriam says there's a voice problem with Adam. Is it with Adam? So Yeah So anyway, hello to all of you and thank you for joining us Okay Well, we have got a very exciting program for you today exciting live show Adam has some like cool questions for us to For us to talk about so you can a little bit more about us and we would love to learn a little bit more about you Can you let me know in the comments if you can hear me now? Okay, so Kailin said I can't hear Adam that was a minute ago So let us know if you can hear Adam. Yes, so this is me talking and if you can hear me Please let me know because I think I fixed What the problem was but it's Friday. Oh good Kailin says yes, we can okay. Well I know Oh Okay, so these are the technical difficulties that we were having yes So there are as as anyone might know there's a number of software is connected to make this happen. So yes And I was also going to say we have a brand new spotlight Program in our spotlight Family so we are excited to tell you about that brand new program That Adam and I have been working on and we hope it's really helpful to you So yeah, did I do a good job on talking while you fix that Adam? You did you did great So we're gonna yeah, we'll talk about all those things and answer your questions as well as we can So maybe this is the first time you you're joining us here on a spotlight life Maybe you've listened to a program. Maybe you have You're just follow us on Facebook and you like to do that the Purpose of this program right here is for us to engage with you and for you to hear how Two native English speakers speak and when they're talking to each other You know, we have our spotlight program. We have our advanced program We have our this is kind of a conversation program Liz. Do you want to talk about how this new program will fit into that? Yes, okay, so Sometimes on these live programs Adam and I just start talking about the programs that are coming up and We as the writers and people who work on these programs there are so many things that we are just not able to put in a program or Maybe I have a funny story. Well, that's probably not true but maybe somebody has a funny story that is about this program or Yes, stuff like that or maybe even you just want to practice your English talking about the program But you don't know maybe somebody who listens to spotlight or you don't Know somebody who's learning English. So this is a way For you to kind of work around those problems. So this program is going to be a discussion program about the spotlight program that came out Before so for example this week's program is about nursery rhymes around the world. So Poems and songs that Mothers and fathers sing to their children or tell to their children with special lessons or or stuff like that and We don't have a this new program won't start this week, but if it did Adam and I just talk about the program and maybe maybe Adam would talk about nursery rhyme from his childhood and we would talk about the important things that the program talks about so It's a way for you to really hear someone talk about the content in a normal English speaking speed and Yeah, be engaged in The content that way so Adam did I did I do a good job describing that you did you did a great job? The only thing I would add would be If you're interested in that kind of content, it will help to listen to the program and then listen to this program Right, so that you will because we'll be referencing the program. It's kind of like having a an English teacher to help you understand the program to Right make sure you're doing it won't be a live thing, but you will be able to make comments and we'll try to answer any questions You might have About that that if we would miss them on the program comments Yeah, yeah, so we are really excited for that program. I think it's gonna come out next Wednesday will be our first episode of that We don't have a good name for it. It's a podcast Discussion video podcast going going learning more Digging deeper digging deeper. Yeah Another layer peeling peeling the banana peel We don't yeah, I'm horrible at titles Here's a fun fact most of the time when I write a spotlight program I just throw in a placeholder for a title and then Liz comes up with a better title That's true. I do do that. We have not said hello to a lot of people who are saying hello I would love to do that Salon dode from Somalia Daniel says hello from Ecuador Rahul says cheers Liz cheers Hello from Buenos Aires from Pablo Glossu says hello from Brazil and Akram from Iraq And Kailin very kind says I've been learning to your programs for more than four years and Kone is I'm a fan of your program So thank you. Thank you everyone who's writing on Hope Liz you froze up a little Every single time, but I just love how people from like all over the globe are on this conversation right now Yeah, I just love it. It's it's amazing. Yeah, and so that actually It I want to I had this idea and it might not work, but I think it's great You know people might not know a lot about us and so I thought we could as a as a group Answer some very simple questions. So I'm gonna ask you Because I want everyone to know first of all That you have a very special day coming up, right? I Do yes Pretty soon it is your birthday And I will not I will not Say how old you are Yeah, and I'll say Adam that To me, it's really interesting when I went to Vietnam It's very common for people just to ask how old are you? And to ask other people how old are you and they just say and that's fine But in the United States many of our listeners might not know this it is not common to ask how old someone is And in fact especially women Yeah, especially women and in fact it can be considered very rude So I'm not saying you can't ask how old I am. I'm just saying Culturally people don't really ask how old people are Which I think is a really interesting cultural thing in general because Why wouldn't we yeah, it's a fact. We are it's a fact. It's not a it It has nothing to do well We value youth and we value young being young and nobody yeah, I don't know But it's time you can't control it, right? Yeah, you are one year older than you were a year ago Yeah, that's true so anyway, yes, I have a birthday coming up and and It's on Monday, so You know That's gonna be it's gonna be what I do. It's gonna be what you do Well, I thought it would be good to get people the opportunity to get to know Liz So I have some questions. I only have a few of them, but I'll think of a few more and I want everybody in the comments to answer these questions as well. Oh, yes, so Here's the first one where were you born and have you lived anywhere else? Oh Okay, so I was born I was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan so Yeah, that's where I was born in Michigan in the United States and for those of you who don't know It's the state that is shaped like a hand. So am I holding it up in the right direction? No Or do I need this hand you need that hand? Yeah, okay, so this hand and in Michigan at least in the lower peninsula We like to point on our hand where we were born So I would like where our city is so this Grand Rapids is about right here. Yeah, so there you go I was born in Grand Rapids and I have I have lived in Michigan most of my life. I did in college. I lived in the United Kingdom for a few months Okay So as we go through these feel free to write your answer in the comments where you were born So do you have brothers and sisters? I? Do I have well? I only have one of those things. I do not have any brothers, but I have three sisters and They are all younger than me So I am the oldest of four girls in my family and before any of you say. Oh, you're poor dad. I Like to say oh my lucky dad He got four awesome ladies as daughters. Nice. Yeah So do I get to ask you these questions as well? Sure. I'll answer them as well First one where were you born and have you lived anywhere else? So I was born in around the Chicago, Illinois area. Oh, I didn't know that you didn't know that I Didn't know so I was born in Illinois and I lived there for about 10 years and Then when I was in grade three we moved to Michigan And so that's where I've lived in Michigan and a couple different cities in Michigan since then We did do a summer out in Colorado When we were in college And I have an older brother and a younger sister, so I am right in the middle Yeah, wow even like right smack dab in the middle. Isn't that a nice? Yeah, or is it something right smack dab in the middle. I don't even know how I would explain that We've got a few I know right maybe just like you know, you're throwing something like like darts or whatever I always imagine like a dog yogurt like Like right on the pancake or something smack dab in the middle We have a few answers from People on YouTube Akram says I was born in Iraq and I still live in my country Iraq I Kalen says I have been living in Romania born in May Akram says I have three brothers and two sisters and Sami says I was born in Lionel Sahara southern area of Morocco. Oh So that's cool. Very cool Yeah So what here's a simple one. Okay, what is your favorite color? Yeah, I think that pink is one of my favorite colors But I really do like different colors for Different reasons. So when you say pink, are you thinking like the color of your walls the color of your clothes the color you like to You just enjoy. I just think pink is a really nice color Okay, I would paint it on walls It depends on the pink sure, but I was gonna say I really like when I When I take notes or use pens I have about 10 or 12 different color pens. Oh, and I tried all different color ones I would not have guessed that about you Yeah, I love color Yeah, it's very fun I think my favorite color is orange like I find it both passionate But calming as well. Yeah, you have that orange shirt you wear a lot. I do I Do I like I you know, it's I think it's it's not red. It's not yellow It's right between and I don't like writing. I use I'm very particular about I use a lot of black sharpies I don't write in color. Yeah, that's true. I do know that about you Yeah, okay, so we were just called out on YouTube. They say do you read comments from Facebook live? And I have not been doing that today. So we have Orlando says hello from Dominican Republic They don't says hi Liz. Hi Adam. Nice to see you again. You too I remember your name from previous comments and and live shows and things Vera Diana says I was born in Morelia Me you walk me Michoacan, Mexico I'm not sure if I'm pronouncing that correctly We almost certainly do or not. Yeah Dimitri says hello from Ukraine And then as I'm scrolling by it seems like we They're talking about how you're missing your voice, but you're on now and tongue tongue says I am from Vietnam So hello to all of you on Facebook live And YouTube and I am really sorry for not reading Facebook live comments until now that is my fault shame shame shame I know All right next one Okay, do you have any pets? Yes, and in fact My cat has made an appearance on this live program for We have a cat at my house and her name is kitty kitty And of course that is ridiculous ridiculous. It is a silly silly name And now you have to explain why it's a silly yes Yes, so kitty is like a like a nickname for cat So a kitten is a baby cat and then kitty would be like here kitty kitty if we might you might call a cat that way and so I Don't even remember how she got that name But we call her kiki which is short for kitty kitty because it's ki ki So we call her kiki, but I really like nicknames. So I call her keeks keeks arama keek aroo Kiki Yeah, well salon you doubt asks what level is your conversation? You know, I am not sure To memorize it in Because I know there are levels like a1 or b3 or or whatever I think And I'm not sure what level it is there, but I would say Adam and I are talking in a native speed And we are speaking in a generally Accepted native English vocabulary, so you should feel really good if you can understand we're not slowing down No, this is how this is how Adam and I would have a conversation with each other, right? So I have to but Diego de Souza is hide watching us at work You what he's he's hide watching us at work right now Well, I hope you're not like a heart surgeon or some kind of medical doctor I love it. So I had I also like cats. They're so lovely. Yes I think there are two kinds of people in this world, right? there's cat people and dog people and That doesn't mean that Those people are Actual cats or dogs, right? Yeah, but there are people who like cats and people who like dogs I am a person who likes neither Really, okay, there's three people then but we have a dog. We have a dog and my my family like Adam Yeah, yeah But I am a cat person. I really like cats So you were gonna say you have a dog. Oh, yes, we have a dog which we got for my children Because I know that caring for an animal is a very good thing for kids It teaches them skills like not just thinking of themselves caring for another being And so they learn to you know, and they also the animal quote-unquote loves the kids I Don't know. Yeah, I think the dog You don't love the kids or you don't love the dog I don't love the dog and I'm Suspect the dog doesn't love the kids. I suspect the dog gets food in and pets from the kids No, Franklin has a Question a a real thorny issue here, huh? I am cat people, but my girlfriend is a dog person So we can't decide what we will have in the future. Oh plants get some get some Get some plants to take care of a gerbil Nikwana Maybe a dog and a cat That's just that's crazy talk That's crazy talk that that's a movie Dogs versus cats, I don't know sounds like Okay, I want to say this one too one more time. I'm a dog lover person. I have two dogs dinky He is nine years old and Pandora is eight years old. I do love those names Oh, yeah, that is that is very charming. I imagine that dinky is a huge dog Yeah, okay, so Adam, I think the next question you need to ask is if I'm married Yes, because that so let me ask you this question Liz. Are are we married? No, we are not married Liz and Adam are not married to each other. No, we are married not to each other. Yes, but We are we are happily not married Yeah Yes, I am married. I have a husband who is not Adam. Yes, and I yes, I am married Sorry, everybody Yeah Sorry everybody see it suckers Oh On Facebook says I have two dogs Lambda and Hachi and one cat alpha. I love those names so much That's so awesome Um All right last last question. Okay You get to eat One more meal You're it's your final meal. You're ever gonna eat on earth What do you eat? Oh That's really hard because I will tell you Adam you probably already know this about me, right? You love sushi I love food. I do love sushi. It might be sushi. Yeah, or like um, but as your last meal Yeah, I don't I don't know any meal could be my last meal And I would have to have something with butter on it and sushi and butter Like something really rich Maybe like a steak. I do like steak too. I know probably many of our listeners Maybe even don't eat beef or our vegetarians, but yeah, I Do I do like a good steak? Yeah, yeah, I don't know. I think I would do something like that something Like french fries and maybe even a hamper like a really good hamburger Yeah, oh, I do like hamburgers. Do you realize how? How Cliche that sounds to be two people who live in the US who love hamburgers. Yeah, you say fried chicken You know my favorite thing is last year I traveled to Because we all have opinions or ideas about food in other countries, right all of us You know, I might have an idea of what Vietnamese food is and Vietnamese people might have an idea of what Food is like in Russia and it could be wrong. We're right. Anyway, we I was in Vienna last February and we came to an ad that had like it was I don't remember the name of it, but it was the American like hamburger chicken thing and it was huge it had like lettuce and tomato and like three burger patties and a chicken Chicken patty and I think it was called like the the American master blaster or something like that and I was like I Would never see something like that in America. I would never see that I mean maybe at some very Like a cliche or like and it would cost like a lot of money on the menu And it would be like a challenge to eat it But I was just I what struck me about it what made me think is just like what do people think Americans eat? Well, we have a rock sauna Ask what is the most popular food in America? You know, I would guess you come up with a guess and I'll come up with a guess Well, I I think it's obviously pizza. Yeah, I would have guessed pizza as well Yeah, I think that is the pizza is great because it can feed a lot of people you get one pizza I can feed a lot of people. Yeah, you can get different things on the pizza. So everyone kind of gets what they want But I will say American food culture depending on like if you if you would come and visit a Major city like New York Chicago, Miami, Los Angeles You're gonna find almost any kind of food Because when people move to a new city They still take with them their food, right? And then when they move around the world. So There's a lot of you can find almost any kind of food you you want to eat And so I don't know. I mean if you came here like I want to go to an American restaurant Yeah, what would that mean? I think I think you know, you're you're struggling or we're struggling to articulate like What does it mean to be American? Yeah, and I think that many people would think Visiting St. McDonald's would be American food. Yeah, I think that's that's probably true Yeah, Kentucky Fried Chicken is all around the world. Oh, actually more popular around the world than it is in the United States Yeah, yeah, that makes sense Or I'm sorry, it's KFC now. It's not Kentucky. Oh, yeah, that's true. They don't want chicken in their name Franklin asks Vietnamese have fuck. Do you have you tried it? Yes, I have tried that actually I I love fuck. There's I think there's a video even of me trying it quite a long time ago on our YouTube channel so you can check out that video there Well, we are approaching half an hour, which is oh my goodness. We're cruising here because it's Friday. It's Friday. Why not? Why not add an extra 10 20 minutes? Like I said, I am very excited. It's Friday. Are there is there anything we didn't talk about that we promised We would talk about I don't think so We've got our new program that you can check out next Wednesday on YouTube and if you are not subscribed yet go ahead and And click subscribe under this video and then hit the little bell so you get notifications when that program goes through so Every week we should have two or three programs for you on any level that you are at learning English On Mondays, we have our classic program, which is a slower speaking speed and a simpler vocabulary and then on Wednesday, we will have a high-level discussion about that program that you can pop in see how much you understand or See how much you understood about the program and then on Thursday. We'll have our advanced Advanced program, which is the same as the Classic program, but it uses a more natural speaking speed so I think that Like the classic program is maybe for a high beginner low intermediate And then our advanced program is maybe for a higher intermediate lower advanced learner And then this program and our new program are really for advanced learners But don't let that stop you from going in and checking it out because you might understand more than you think exactly and I think we've reached the point in this program where we tell you how much we think you guys are the best because Whether you're on Facebook or you're watching this on YouTube We really just appreciate we weren't able to say hello to everyone We weren't able to answer every question, but we read them all we'll try to respond to most of them and and just yeah, we we do this because We love to do it and we love to engage and make programs But we also do it because we love to engage with you guys and to hear where you're from and connect with you Yeah, thank you so much I mean be sure to check out our website for new programs and to follow along with the script there And also our our English learning blog There's a lot of blog posts there about how to use spotlight if you're wondering how can I practice English? When it's, you know, social distancing or COVID time And then we're on Twitter so you can check us out there. We're on anywhere you can download podcasts, so We're Apple podcasts Yeah, anywhere you can download audio and then also obviously on YouTube and Facebook and Yeah, we would love to see you leave a comment subscribe that really helps us out Yeah, and just thank you. Thank you for listening. Thank you for For letting us know what you like to talk about we love to make programs that are for you And we've gotten a couple suggestions even here that we'll have to we'll have to consider Yeah, amazing. And so Yeah, did I forget anything I don't think so I think I think you wrapped it up nicely nice All right, bye Liz. All right, bye, and bye everyone. Thank you again for listening. We've really enjoyed this time with you