Hello there! Today, we’re going to talk about haircuts!
Last Thursday, I went to get my hair cut. I used to go to QB House, a chain of barbershops that offer 10 minute cuts at a very affordable (cheap) price. I would put my money in a vending machine, get a ticket and then sit on a bench with other people queueing (lining up). My nearest QB House was in a shopping center, so they always had customers. On a typical (usual) day, there were three people in front of me in the queue (line) and one barber. On a busy day, there would be six people in front of me and two barbers, but either way (regardless), I had to wait 30 minutes before my 10 minute haircut.
After doing this for a few years, and never happy with my obviously (of course) cheap-looking haircut, I decided to find a local barber instead of driving all the way to the shopping center. Fortunately, I found one! My new barber, Mr. Shimizu, is an experienced pro. He takes pride in his work (likes to do a good job) and charges more (asks for more money), but I never have to wait and am happy with the results. Another benefit (good point) is that I don’t have to explain what style I want. Mr. Shimizu remembers! 🙂
Flashback to 2016
Not really related to haircuts, but I still love this before and after shot (picture) of myself in 2016. I shaved, got new glasses, and bleached my hair on the same day! 😀
British Culture
My memories of getting a haircut in the UK are slowly fading (disappearing), but I do recall (remember) going to “Tina’s”. That was the name of both the shop and the hairdresser which my family went to. Tina was friendly and very chatty, and that’s something which is very common in England. Barbers and hairdressers love to talk! They call it banter (playful, joking conversation). I remember getting my hair cut just before I moved to Japan, and the barber refused to (would not) believe I was telling the truth! 😀
British English
Here are some common English phrases used to talk about haircuts:
- I’m due for a haircut (= I need a haircut)
- I’m looking a bit shaggy (= My hair is getting long and messy)
- Just a trim (Only cut a little)
- Short back and sides (= shorten the back and sides, but not the top)
- Have a bit off the top (= Just cut a little off the top)
- A buzz cut (= shaved very, very short, like in the military)
Get / Have something done
Use these expressions when you want a professional to do something for you. Both get and have are the okay:
- Cut my hair -> Get my hair cut.
- Change my tyres -> Have my tyres changed. (US: “tires”)
- Do my nails -> Get my nails done.
- Paint my house -> Have my house painted.
- Clean my windows -> Get my windows cleaned.
- Fix my computer -> Have my computer fixed.
- Service my car -> Get my car serviced.
- Do my taxes -> Have my taxes done.
- Renew my passport -> Get my passport renewed.
- Test my eyes -> Get my eyes tested.
So what do you need to get done? Comment below!
Motivation
Last week was the Superbowl, an American football season final. During the halftime break, there was a show with Usher, a popular singer. I don’t follow American sports, or singers, but I heard about a dancer who fell off the stage.
She went on TikTok to talk about the accident, and it was a good story! The problem is, she speaks so fast! But it made me think; listening to short “talking head” videos on social media is an excellent way to practise English listening, especially because most of them are short (~60 seconds) and have captions (subtitles).
So, find and follow some interesting people and start training your ears with natural English! 😀
New Worksheets and Videos
Before I finish my cup of tea, I want to show you what I’ve made since the last newsletter:
Worksheets:
- True Story – How two ice dancers amazed the world
- News – Is British food misunderstood in Japan?
- Easy English – Mike and his twin brother
Videos:
- English Speaking Drills – Just as … as
I also uploaded 5 short videos and 1 post. You can find them on my Instagram.
Wrap-up
And that’s it! Thank you for joining me for tea! If you’re enjoying my blog and would like to get new posts in your email, please subscribe. If you have friends who might like these posts, please share this link with them. I really appreciate it!
All the best,
Nick
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