Kik

 

Love at First Sight

 

The first time Armstrong met his future wife, Kik, he thought she was "smart and pretty" but not special; she thought he was "a cute bald guy with a great smile." (p. 157) It was not "love at first sight."

 

 

 

a. I believe in love at first sight. It could happen, and maybe because I am a dreamer I believe in that. On the other hand, I can’t give an opinion about real love because I have never had a relationship. I will be glad to read my classmate’s opinions; in this way I can continue learning about that topic. (Flavia, 02/24/07)

 

b. I think that it is possible to fall in love at first sight. In my opinion, it is because his or her physical appearance is very impressive. It is just attraction for someone. There is not any responsibility. However, real love can develop by understanding each other, although we need much time to know a lover. Our parents are a good example. (Dae Gun Kim 02/25/07)

 

 

c. I did believe in love at first sight when I was young; however, I think the real love needs to develop slowly day by day. Sometime we fall in love quickly, but the woman/man who we meet might be not our Mr. Right. I would like to have a real love which developed for more than 6 months. (Jennifer 022507)

 

d. I think it is possible  that man or woman may be struck at first glance. However, I think, in my opinion, it is not a true love but sex appeal.  I believe that real love needs great responsibility and effort. Also, I think that true love requires time to develop. (Jinwoo Kim 02/25/07)

 

e. I think love at first sight cannot happen, but maybe one can see something special in the other at first sight and like that thing. Love is a big thing that can't happen before knowing the other person very well. (Aziz)

 

 

f. I accept as true the first “click” which triggers emotions between two people. Beyond that, love is a matter of YEARS to create.  (Felix, 03/03/2007)

 

g. I belief in love at the first sight, but I think this won't last long; however love at the first sight sounds really romantic. I personally think the love that have been creating between each other through a period of time will be more firm and last long. (Hsingchuan) 

 

 

 

Athletes

 

Armstrong writes, "Too many athletes live as though the problems of the world don't concern them.... But...one of the real services we can perform is to redefine what's humanly possible. We cause people to reconsider their limits.... (p. 158)

 

 

 

a. The phrase “It is not humanly possible” is just a temporary phrase that will decrease with time. Our limits are temporary, everything is possible. The only limit is in our minds. For that reason when we see athletes make something that we defined impossible, in that moment the new challenge become possible. We start to think that if we want to do it, we can do it. It will take us an extra effort, but we can do it. We just need to see that somebody can achieve it and that wall will fall down. (Flavia, 02/24/07)

 

b.People respect super star players. Jordan is the best basketball player of the world. When I watch his play, I cannot speak any more. Many athletes challenge their limitation and show to us that we can do it also if we do our best. I remember NIKE log; “impossible is nothing.” (Dae Gun Kim 02/25/07)

 

c. What’s humanly possible is what we really to do our best somehow. Sometime we can see in each competition, the athletes always do their humanly possible as they could. I enjoy in watching some sport games, it is also a way to inspirit me to finish my own job and do my best. (Jennifer,022507)

 

d. I don't thing that too many athletes don't concern the world's problems. We always see many athletes do very wonderful thing to help the world's problems such as Aids and the unisef. (Aziz)

 

 

e. Armstrong defines well the feeling of very few athletes who really don’t care about the world’s problems. But what’s humanly possible is a matter of limits… and who sets that limits? Ourselves. As a result, we can beat them. (Felix, 03/03/2007)

 

 

 

Embracing Life

 

"I had never embraced my life. I had made something of it, and fought for it, but I had never particularly enjoyed it." (p. 169)

 

 

 

a. It is important to enjoy life. It gives you another perspective about it. If you not enjoy your life, why are you alive? You should feel every second of it. You should feel that existence run in you veins, and make you breathing. Maybe some moments are bad and others good, but that is life, a combination that we should enjoy. (Flavia, 02/24/07)

 

b. Before my answer, I want to ask a question. What is enjoying your life? I think that our real goal in our lives is happiness. I don’t agree with Armstrong. In my opinion, Armstrong hade his goal and did his best. The book’s title shows well that cycling is his everything. I think enjoying my life is trying to do my best for my goal. My brother usually works over night at week and he take care disable people at weekend. I asked my brother “Why don’t you enjoy your life?” He said “Some people think that they enjoy their live with parties, leisure, tour, and so on. However, I am very happy when I do my best for my business and help the poor and disable people.” I think my brother is a person who really enjoys his life. (Dae Gun Kim 02/25/07)

 

c. Yes. It’s very important that everyone have to enjoy their live. We live because we have thinking, feeling in everything. If someone always feel disappointment in his/her life, he/she could unhappy and sadly in a life. (Jennifer,022507)

 

d. I think it is important to enjoy life. If you might do your best in your life, you can be possessed of their life. I believe the most important factor is motivation because it can give us to the motive power. (Jinwoo Kim 02/25/07) 

 

e. Yes, it's very important to the person to enjoy his life and try to be happy in every moment in his life. I don't think it is possible to judge someone's life wither it is happy life or not because the only one who know about it is the person himself. ( Aziz )

 

 

f. To enjoy life is one of our purposes to be here (a big secret for some). Also, it isn’t just about being concerned about yourself; it is about supporting other human beings. (Felix, 03/03/2007)

 

g. Enjoying life is a really importatn thing to learn through your life span. Life is the issue, any other things just attach to that. I think people always learn something from loss something. We won't get it at the beging, but once you get it, it always too late. (Hsingchuan) 

 

Europe

 

Armstrong and Kik traveled together in Europe before they had even admitted that they loved each other.

 

 

 

a. It is not strange. They needed to share time together. That is a way to be sure about their feelings. (Flavia, 02/24/07)

 

b. It is so strange to me. In my country, few couples have a long trip before they marry. However, I think the tour is a good chance to know each other. (Dae Gun Kim 02/25/07)

 

c. I think it is fine for each relationship. Especially, they might like each other and it is a good chance for them to understand each other. (Jennifer,022507)

 

d. It is good opportunity to understand each other. However, it is a little bit strange because they had not admitted their love. They might convince their relationship. (Jinwoo Kim 02/25/07)

 

e. It is strange! However we kind get used to these things from watching movies. ( Aziz)

 

 

f. Not at all. That is the essence of love--be sexually, emotionally, and intellectually attracted. It is the opportunity to explore each other. (Felix, 03/03/2007)

 

g. I don't think it is weird. Although they might not admit that they loved each other, they actually have that feeling. It just not yet to admit. They need some more time to confirm themself and get to each other more. (Hsingchaun)

 

 

 

Taking a Risk

 

Kik said that she "would rather have one year of wonderful than seventy years of embraced." (pp. 180-181) She was willing to take the risk of marrying a cancer survivor.

 

 

 

a. She made the best decision because every day of our life is like her decision. We don’t know if we will be here tomorrow, and anything could happen to us at any moment. We just should take that risk and try to be happy because maybe we will not have a tomorrow. The worst that could happen to us is to lose our chance at happiness because we are scared. Taking that risk and being happy for a moment is better than later asking yourself why you didn’t try it. For that reason, smile and enjoy what life gives you, take that risk and smile. (Flavia, 02/24/07)

 

b. I think Kik really loves Armstrong. I think we must also embrace negative aspect of our lover, when we love someone. She knows Armstrong has cancer but she accepts his propose. It is wonderful story. (Dae Gun Kim 02/25/07)

 

c. I think that she is a person who really understands what she wants and what she need in her life. In our live, the most important is what we done something useful. In my opinion, Kik is very brave woman and love Amstrong very much. The point is she knows what is most meaning for her life. (Jennifer 02/25/07)

 

d. Her decision is beautiful and surprising. If I were she, I would hesitate to make such a decision. I cannot evaluate her decision is good or bad but it is worthy as a decision. (Jinwoo Kim 02/25/07)

 

e. If I were her, I would rather waiting until the final results appear. ( Aziz )

 

 

f. It depends entirely on your goals. Is your life driven by your heart or your mind? (Felix, 03/03/2007)

 

g. This is a really hard decision. Love is the thing you will never understand. You can do many changes just because love. But I think I don't like the feeling of lossing the person I love so much. (Hsingchuan)

 

 

 

 

 

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