2014-12-20

【Aiden in English】

        Electronics are the modern world's poison to kids. It makes us cranky and less interactive. Worst of all, we always are addicted to whatever type of technology around us. So when Mom took me to a holiday party at her friend’s house the Saturday before Christmas, I brought my trusty iPad with me.

        I guess everyone else had the same idea because all the kids at the party held some sort of electronics. Since nobody really knew anyone quite well, we just played on our gadgets the entire time. Mom either didn’t care or didn’t notice because she let me do what I wanted to do freely. I played all through the party. It sounded pretty interesting too. Since my friend Ethan introduced a fun trivia game, I found a new awesome free game on the App Store. It was called Sim City, and basically, you ran the city by building resident areas and providing supplies. I also had to purchase recreational stuff to keep my city “happy” and “occupied”. I was pretty sure this game was going to get boring soon. But for now, I liked it. 

        At that exact moment, the Philadelphia Eagles were playing a crucial football game to get into the playoffs. They were pitted against the Washington Redskins, and things weren’t going too smoothly. As soon as I flipped a TV channel to CBS, I knew this was not going to turn out well. It was 24-24, with four minutes left in the game, and the Eagles’ ball at their own twenty. They ran for a few yards, and then Mark Sanchez, a QB, threw a nice pass to the forty. That’s when everything fell apart. Mark threw a pick or an interception. Robert Griffin III or RG III, a QB, got the Redskins in the red zone. The kicker drilled a field goal. The Eagles lost and were kicked out of the 2014-15 playoffs. After the feebly attempted Hail Mary passes from Mark, I shut down the TV. It was not worth watching now. 

        After the NFL game, the kids were all hanging out in the basement where there were sofas, TV, and best of all, music. A few adults were singing karaoke. As long as my epic gaming experience wasn’t disturbed, I was fine. 

        Although the video games were amazing, the food became even better. There was a buffet of homemade Chinese potlucks that all guests prepared, but someone brought some hot and spicy chicken wings which tasted delicious to me. They were really palatable, spicing up my mouth. I feasted on them. Nevertheless, there’s nothing like hot chicken wings on a chilly night. 

        I bolted right back downstairs after eating, where I stayed for the rest of the party. Videogames sounded just too irresistible, especially when all the parents were talking, singing, playing Ping-pong, poke cards, or drinking. I think parties should be fun events like everyone playing a sport or something interactive next time.

【红霞译文】

        电子产品是当今世界青少年的一剂毒药，它让我们变得孤僻不爱社交。最糟糕的还有，年轻一代总是沉湎于五花八门的玩艺上而不能自拔，因此，当今天即圣诞节前一个星期六妈妈带我去朋友家的节日聚会时，我随身携带贴身宝贝“苹果”牌平板电脑。

        我觉得大家都有同感，因为所有与会的孩儿们人手一件。既然彼此之前并非熟悉，几乎形同陌人，我们只好自始自终各玩各的。妈妈要么不在乎，要么没留心，总而言之，她撇下我爱干什么就干什么，而我偏偏当仁不让，誓要打不尽豺狼决不下战场，听起来多来劲呀。小伙伴昊宇应时介绍一种有趣的问答游戏，我赶紧上网免费下载 “模拟城市”软件，这个游戏确实挺好玩的，我既要管理城市，建设居民区，提供相应的物资，同时还得负责购买娱乐器材，让人们“安居”“乐业”。相信过不了一会儿，这个游戏就被玩腻，但初来乍到，我觉得新鲜蛮有意思。

        与此同时，费城老鹰队正与华盛顿红皮队进行美式橄榄球激烈交锋，这场比赛关系到老鹰队能否赢得进入季后赛的资格，费城老鹰队拼命争抢，打得并不顺利。等打开电视并调到“哥倫比亞廣播公司网”频道，我一眼就看得出费城老鹰队境况不妙，场上比分24比24，还有四分钟整个比赛就要结束，而球正落在老鹰队20吗线上。这时，老鹰队球员首先跑动了几码，然后四分卫马克·桑切斯传球漂亮，将球扔到40码线，但自此以后形势急转直下，马克投球惨遭拦截，红皮队四分卫罗伯特·格里芬三世在禁区内得球，踢球手射门得分，老鹰队终于输掉这场球，同时还失去了进军2014─2015年季后赛资格。看完马克有气无力地扔了一个万福玛利亚妙传球之后，我干脆关上电视，再继续看下去已没多大意义。

        全美橄榄球联盟比赛告一段落，年轻朋友们全部集结地下室围坐在沙发上电视旁享受悦耳的音乐。一些叔叔阿姨正唱卡拉OK，只要咱手上富有史诗般魅力的游戏尚在，周围其它事情都与我无关。

        尽管电子游戏乐趣无穷，但美味佳肴更令人垂涎。今晚的自助餐都是来客亲手烧制的中式便饭，但也有人买来味道喷香的现成品麻辣鸡翅，家常肴馔荤素兼备，我百吃不厌。不管说什么，寒冷的夜晚来口火烧火燎的鸡翅，敢情过上回神仙般的日子。

        填饱了肚子之后，我转身又跑回地下室直到临行前。视频游戏说来实在可恶，叫人在上瘾与收手之间来回纠结，尤其当父母大人忙于聊天、唱歌、打乒乓、甩牌、品酒的时候。但愿下次聚会时能安排一些俊男靓女共同感兴趣的活动，比如体育之类的运动。孩子们可以像父母长辈一样，借此机会保持互动并增进了解。

Today in History(历史上的今天):

2013: Chaaya Island, Maldives(马尔代夫梦幻岛)

2012: Santiago—City of the Island, Chile(智利圣地亚哥—岛山之城)

2010: 节日期待(Holiday Anxiety)

2009: 新西兰陶波湖区(Lake Taupo, NZ)

Holiday Party (节日聚会 12-20-2014)

Potluck (百味餐)

Lavish Tradition (奢华传统 12-20-2014)

Joyful Kids （快乐的孩子们 12-20-2014)

La Belle Epoque (美好时光 12-20-2014)

Crosslink(相关博文):

6th Grade(初中一年级)