Shadowing Practice: Q&A | Answering Questions You’re Afraid to Ask - Learn English Speaking with Video
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221 sentences
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What are your thoughts on dating apps?
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Have you ever been part of the hookup culture?
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How to get over guys who give you mixed signals?
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How is it really co -parenting with your ex?
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Today, I'm going to be volunteering to be your onni.
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I've definitely put on some mileage in my life, so I feel like I've got some input.
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Oh, Lord.
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There's so much about dating.
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Okay.
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We're just going to come in hot.
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What are your thoughts on dating apps?
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To this day, I have not used a dating app.
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It's not like, like I don't have an aversion towards it.
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Like I think for some people it works.
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Like my cousin found her husband on Hinge.
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How sick is that?
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And we love him.
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What's up, Steve?
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You know, I do think that your soulmate could potentially be on there.
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But I prefer meeting people the good old fashioned way in real life.
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Either like their mutual friends or maybe we're at a party or like out and about somewhere.
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but preferably through mutual friends because that way there's already a referral.
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Like it's not just a random.
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Does anyone else not wash their face with soap in the morning?
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It's already clean.
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I'm just removing the creams off my face.
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I also don't really enjoy the process of just like thumbing through men's dating profiles and examining like photographs of men.
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It's very strange.
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I think this might be a hot take, but I think most men do not photograph well.
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And if you do, that means you're part of this category where you're just so unbelievably attractive that every photo looks great
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Or it means you've spent some time and practice taking good photos
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And for some reason I just find that Just emasculating?
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I know, it's unfair I realize that I'm the problem because this is just what online dating is like
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It's part of the system
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So I would rather just remove myself from that process and meet people out in the field
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Because I think like once I meet someone in real life,
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then they're like digital persona I I don't really care because I know the person in real life like biologically
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Have you ever been part of the hookup culture?
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Every once in a blue moon, there's like a part of me that thinks you know what that could be a little interesting
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But if I am so for real with myself, I know that that would be a nightmare.
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Like a one night stand, God, the anxiety I would feel after, it's just not worth it.
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At this point in my life, it's just not for me.
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It just can't.
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There's just too much on the line.
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But I really have nothing against people who are able to get their physical needs met without the emotional side.
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But yeah, just something that I never was able to do
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Like I'm very quick to have a conversation with you
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And we could talk about everything
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But when you're crossing that physical line
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Man, there's, it's like a maze
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It's like a corn maze with levels
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When do you know your relationship is not fixable
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And you have to end it?
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This question is heavy
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Because everyone's end point is different
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But there's like a few telltale signs
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The main one is if you find yourself mutating into a version of yourself that you don't like.
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Every person that you interact with, they activate a different part of you.
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And if your partner is making you more irritable and cranky, if life feels heavier and more impossible when they're with you,
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like the writing's kind of on the walls.
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I feel like this could be a result of just layers of resentment piled on top of each other
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and I think it's fixable as long as both parties are willing to roll up the sleeves
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and do the work but even
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if one person doesn't want to participate
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then the relationship is
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toast all right
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makeup is done this question's hilarious someone asked help.
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My boyfriend's mom literally has everything.
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I know Christmas is months away, but as a fellow Virgo, I must impress.
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First of all, I feel this so hard, but when in doubt, I always unwrap the holidays with the Google Holiday 100.
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Huge thank you to Google for sponsoring this portion of the video and shout out to Warby Parker too.
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The Google Holiday 100 is a curated list of the year's most searched gift ideas.
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So that way, you know, you're buying something that people actually want.
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And if you're buying any last minute gifts, use the nearby feature.
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So that way you can find hard to find gifts in places that are local to you.
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Like these Elio sunglasses from Warby Parker.
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They're the perfect gift.
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Check out the scalloped edge, the little rivet detail.
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They're just so timeless, so chic.
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Plus, they're scratch resistant.
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So you can just throw them in your purse and take them anywhere.
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These are $95.
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They're great quality.
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And they work on anyone, whether it's your boyfriend's mom, your best friend, even you.
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And the best part, is I didn't need to overthink it
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because the Google Holiday 100 list has the top searches of all the best gifts, so they're always gonna hit.
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So whether you're the friend who shops early or you're the one panic buying during Christmas Eve, just ask Google.
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Check out the Google Holiday 100.
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I'll leave a link in my description box.
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That way you can just kickstart your seasonal shopping or just get some ideas.
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Shout out to Google Shopping for helping me discover the top gifts of the year
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and to Warby Parker for the perfect sunglasses.
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Now let's get back to more of your questions.
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All right, let's make a quick little matcha.
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There is something kind of funky I do with my matcha.
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I add this grain wash supplement.
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It's basically got, it's like a nootropic.
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There's a bunch of mushrooms that are supposed to enhance like cognitive performance.
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Does it work?
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I'd like to think so.
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It basically makes my matcha more chocolatey.
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If I just add a pack of this, Ooh, some iced milk.
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So this is a drink that I have every day.
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I stopped drinking coffee at home, maybe I wanna say like for like two months.
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It's only because I started to get a bunch of acid reflux.
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This is why I decided to choose matcha.
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It tastes like chocolate milk.
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That's a little bit more earthy.
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How to get over guys who give you mixed signals.
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I cannot stand mixed signals.
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As someone who has a lot of anxiety, I like certainty.
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All I'll say is if someone genuinely likes you, it will be clear.
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It will be abundantly clear that they like you.
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When you text them, they respond back at a reasonable hour.
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If you wanna make plans with them, they give you dates.
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In fact, they wanna make plans with you.
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There's not all this mumbo jumbo gray zone area when someone likes you.
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So if you're interacting with someone who's giving you mixed signals,
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chances are they are not like willing to double down on you or maybe they're weighing out other options.
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Either way, they're not sure about how they feel about you.
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So if I had to give you like a time limit, I'd say four weeks.
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That's just shy of a month of your life.
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It's long enough to give them a chance to get their together to see if they are vibing with you or not.
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But you're not wasting too much time where you're wasting your life.
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Also, the people that give you mixed signals tend to stick out in your mind more
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because they're doing this thing called Intermittent positive reinforcement.
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Basically your brain gets addicted to how unpredictable it all is It's like when you're playing the slot machines
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You just keep hitting the slots and maybe you'll get some change back
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The same concept goes to someone that gives you mixed signals like you spend
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most of your time I'm overthinking every little thing and wondering like, does this person even like me?
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And then when you finally get that text back or they finally give you like a little tiny spurt of attention,
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it's like a little bit of a dopamine rise that just keeps you coming for more.
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But for me, I am quit to cut my losses when someone's giving me mixed signals.
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Like if you wanna be with me, you gotta be 10 toes down.
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Like I don't wanna pinky toe up, they all have to be down.
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And that's what I want for you.
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I am currently going through a divorce.
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Any tips on how to cope and emerge stronger?
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I think it's fair to say that divorce sucks for everyone.
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It's like a universal experience that is terrible for everyone involved.
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Like even if you don't hate your ex, it still sucks.
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Keeps me going is knowing that there's the finish line
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and the like the feelings of like grief and the feelings of being overwhelmed,
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they come in waves and so you just have to let it pass.
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How did you know you wanted to be a mom?
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I feel like there was no point in my life where I was like, all right, I'm ready to be a mom now.
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Like, let's try for a baby.
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The choice was sprung up on me.
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It was 2020, my period was late, peed on a stick, and then I found out I was pregnant.
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I was freaked out, shocked.
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In the end, I decided to become a mom
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because I felt like I would have more regrets if I didn't go along with the pregnancy.
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And thank God I did.
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I'll be the first to say that children are not for everyone.
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Like it is, it is challenging.
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But having my son has been truly the most transformative thing that has ever happened to me.
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If life were Sims, when my son arrived, it's like the expansion pack came.
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I was already like a pretty emotional person, but being a parent made everything like 10 times more intense and richer.
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It's like everything became very visceral, like the sorrow and the anxiety and the sadness you feel being a parent.
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It feels like a tidal wave is just flattening you.
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But when you are happy, it feels like...
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you're just soaring off a mountain.
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And it's just, it's transcendent.
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It's so hard to put in words.
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So it's just like for every part that is hard, there is something that is equally as rewarding.
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So it's just a matter of like, do you want your life to be more intense?
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Like, do you want to feel alive?
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Have a kid.
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Each year of motherhood feels like I'm like part of this insane workout regime.
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Like every day I am like challenged, I'm sore, but like I see my muscles growing
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and that's just what parenthood does for you in like the self -development sense.
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It's just a rollercoaster.
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So if you're looking to go on a ride
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and you could find a partner that is willing to do it with you, I'd say strap in.
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How is it really co -parenting with your ex?
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Co -parenting has definitely been a learning curve because this is our first time doing this.
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It's also our first time being parents.
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So it's all our firsts colliding, but truthfully, I'm really proud of the way me
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and ben have handled all of this like even though we're
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not romantically together like we will always be a family period like i actually have trouble calling him my ex
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i never refer to him as my ex i always call him like lenin's dad
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or the father of my child i know that title sounds really serious
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and formal but it's because it is like the like the weight is warranted in
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that title like this man is the father of my child
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because when you have a baby with someone that person becomes your relative
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so I think there's always going to be like a foundation
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of mutual respect his well -being is important my well -being is important
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because if we're not good then our son's not good
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so I think like co -parenting is really it's all about communication and adjusting when needed.
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And so the biggest game changer that has happened is us doing this monthly co -parenting meeting.
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This is where we talk all things about our son.
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There are updates, there's school stuff, there's scheduling, there's his interest, there's behavior that we notice that's great and not so great.
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And so this is where we can kind of tweak and adjust things.
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These meetings have been so helpful because it creates cohesion between both households.
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We fill out this template on Notion and it's just incredible.
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Like honestly, gotta give me and Ben a pat on our backs.
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Like even if you're not co -parenting, this template could help.
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How do you maintain a sense of youthfulness even when life forces you to adult really hard?
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Hmm.
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The key to always feeling young is to be able to be excited about the little things.
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Like when I notice my son and like other kids, they're just so stoked on anything and everything.
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Like it could be like the fact like we're getting gelato
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or like we're at a park and he notices his school friend.
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He's like, like he loses his mind.
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And I think it's that pure enthusiasm that keeps them so young.
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And I feel like that's something that a lot of adults tend to lose.
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I feel like some grownups don't give themselves permission to be happy unless it's like a big moment.
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You can't be happy unless you're on vacation or if you got a promotion or you got engaged.
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And these milestones are moments to be celebrated, but they're not sustainable.
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You're like, you're not gonna be doing this type of stuff every day.
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So I think it's about letting yourself get excited for the little things, like your wacky matcha chocolate drink.
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Like I am genuinely thrilled to drink this every day.
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Fresh laundry, an organized drawer, phone call with a friend.
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I don't know.
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It's just like these small little things are the ones that are gonna keep you afloat in this sea of dread
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It's tiny things like the daily delights that are gonna like keep you hovering from depression
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All right, well, I think i'm gonna end it here.
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Thank you for spending the morning with me I'm gonna go pick up my son
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and i'll see you guys in the next one.
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Bye
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I'm going to go ahead and put it in the middle of the bag.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This video has 221 sentences and 2496 words to shadow. The speech runs for 14:22. The speaker talks at a natural 174 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. 84% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| anxiety noun | /æŋˈzaɪ.əti/ | An unpleasant state of mental uneasiness, nervousness, apprehension and obsession or concern about some uncertain event. |
| mutual adjective | /ˈmjuːt͡ʃuəl/ | Having the same relationship, each to each other. |
| suck verb | /sʌk/ | To use the mouth and lips to pull in (a liquid, especially milk from the breast). |
| intense adjective | /ɪnˈtɛns/ | Of a characteristic: extreme or very high or strong in degree; severe; also, excessive, towering. |
| divorce noun | /dɪˈvɔːs/ | The legal dissolution of a marriage. |
| photograph noun | /ˈfoʊ.təˌɡɹæf/ | A picture created by projecting an image onto a photosensitive surface such as a chemically treated plate or film, CCD receptor, etc. |
| genuinely adverb | /ˈd͡ʒɛn.ju.ɪn.li/ | In a genuine manner; truthfully, truly. |
| slot noun | /slɑt/ | A narrow depression, perforation, or aperture; especially, one for the reception of a piece fitting or sliding into it. |
| adjust verb | /əˈd͡ʒʌst/ | To modify. |
| shout verb | /ʃaʊt/ | To utter a sudden and loud cry, as in joy, triumph, exultation or anger, or to attract attention, to animate others, etc. |
| interact verb | /ɪn.təˈɹækt/ | To engage in communication and other shared activities (with someone). |
| sunglasses noun | Tinted glasses worn to protect the eyes from the sun or other bright light, and may also be worn as a fashion accessory. | |
| template noun | /ˈtɛm.plɪt/ | A physical object whose shape is used as a guide to make other objects. |
| maze noun | /ˈmeɪz/ | A labyrinth; a puzzle consisting of a complicated network of paths or passages, the aim of which is to find one's way through. |
| universal adjective | /ˌjunəˈvɜɹs(ə)l/ | Of or pertaining to the universe. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| check out verb | To record the departure or withdrawal of someone or something (such as guests, employees, books, etc.). | |
| get over verb | To overcome. | |
| fill out verb | /fɪl ˈaʊt/ | To complete a form or questionnaire with requested information. |
| find out verb | To discover, as by asking or investigating. | |
| get back to verb | Return to (an activity) | |
| go ahead verb | /ˌɡoʊ əˈhɛd/ | To proceed with; to begin. |
| go along with verb | To acquiesce to or comply with a proposal, despite lacking a desire or value for it. | |
| go through verb | To travel from one end of something to the other. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- What are your thoughts on dating apps?
- Have you ever been part of the hookup culture?
- How to get over guys who give you mixed signals?
- How is it really co -parenting with your ex?
- We're just going to come in hot.
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | Have you ever been · I've definitely put · you've spent |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | being overwhelmed · was sprung · was freaked |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | guys who give · people who are · friend who shops |
| Superlatives the -est / the most … — the top or bottom of a group | your best · the best · the most transformative |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 84 contractions and reduced forms, such as you're, I'm, they're. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “th” sounds: enthusiasm /ɪnˈθuziæzəm/, thumb /ˈθʌm/, thrill /θɹɪl/, earthy /ˈɝθi/, motherhood /ˈmʌðɚˌhʊd/
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: shout /ʃaʊt/, shock /ʃɔk/, promotion /pɹəˈmoʊʃn̩/, vacation /veɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/, potentially /pəˈtɛnʃ(ə)li/
- Long words — get the stress right: anxiety /æŋˈzaɪ.əti/, genuinely /ˈd͡ʒɛn.ju.ɪn.li/, universal /ˌjunəˈvɜɹs(ə)l/, participate /pɑːˈtɪs.ɪ.peɪt/, potentially /pəˈtɛnʃ(ə)li/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Start at 0.75× speed, shadow it sentence by sentence, then go back to normal speed once it feels easy.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like anxiety, mutual, suck.
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.