This episode’s vocabulary
To chill out
ph. verb — relax completely.
To switch off
ph. verb — to stop giving your attention to someone or something.
To take it easy
idiom — rest, relax, or be calm.
Interchangeable
adj. — able to be exchanged with each other without making any difference or without being noticed.
To break out (something)
ph. verb — to begin, or to begin using or doing something.
Ease
noun — the state of being comfortable or relaxed.
Broad
adj. — very wide.
Bog-standard
adj. — completely ordinary, without anything special added
Soundproof
noun — special material put in a room or building in order to prevent sound from passing out of or into it, or the act of putting in this material.
Skylight
noun — a window built into a roof to allow light in.
To crane
verb — to stretch in order to look at something.
To mutate
verb — to change from one thing or type of thing into another.
To glance
verb — to give a quick short look.
Posture
noun — the way in which someone usually holds their shoulders, neck, and back, or a particular position in which someone stands, sits, etc.
To slouch
verb — to stand, sit, or walk with the shoulders and head bent forward.
Insulate
verb — to cover and surround something with a material or substance in order to stop heat, sound, or electricity from escaping or entering.
Familiarity
noun — a good knowledge of something, or the fact that you know it so well.
Bored to death
idiom — completely bored.
Questions and answers
Tell us your story.
I'll have to be honest and say, while I love my house and where it's located. I never really managed to completely chill out and switch off in any one place these days. Because I was working so much, I never really found the time to make any space for relaxation or taking it easy. I imagine it'll be different in the future, but for now, my rooms are rather interchangeable, to be honest with you. If I had to pick one though, I would choose my office, which is quite ironic, since I do almost all of my work from it. And not many people associate work with relaxation. However, it's also where I keep all my books and video games so I can break them out in there and tidy up with relative ease. Compared to anywhere else, I suppose. It's a pretty simple affair, with a broad desk and a chair. Not even a nice office chair either. To be honest, just a bog standard sitting chair and a whole load of soundproofing panels on the corner walls. There is a skylight in the ceiling directly above where I sit. So you can see the stars at night and the sky in the daytime if you sort of crane your neck back. It's not very comfortable, but it is at least a nice view. This is all in addition to a mirrored wardrobe, which is pretty much identical to the one in my bedroom. Though that might be because it started out as the bedroom and then mutated into the office over time. It's good to have, though, because when I'm sitting and working, I can glance in the mirror and check my posture and make sure that I'm not slouching too much. And there's nothing I can do in my office that I can't do anywhere else in the house, to be honest. Since there are places to sit all over the place. But I think I do all my reading, writing and working, well, I do it there because it's convenient and easy to warm up, since it's relatively well-insulated. And that's an important consideration when energy prices are so high. Overall, it seems more about the familiarity of the tasks I can do, rather than anything special about the place that relaxes me. However, maybe I'll change my mind when I finally get around to decorating, if I ever do.
And have you told your friends about this place?
No, I've not. It would probably have bored them to death. -