Unit-13-Our-Schedules--Our-Selves课文翻译综合教程三

Unit13OurSchedules,OurSelvesJayWalljasper1DAMN!You’re20minutes—no,morelikehalfanhour—lateforyourbreakfastmeeting,whichyouwerehopingtoscootoutofearlytomakean8:30seminaracrosstown.And,somewhereinthere,there’sthatconferencecall.Now,atthelastminute,youhavetobeata9:40meeting.Nowayyoucanmissit.Let’ssee,theafternoonistotallybooked,butyoucanprobablypushbackyour10:15appointmentandworkthroughlunch.Thatwoulddoit.Whew!Thedayhasbarelybegunandalreadyyouarecountingthehoursuntilevening,whenyoucanfinallygohomeandhappily,gloriously,triumphantly,donothing.You’llskipyogaclass,blowofftheneighborhoodmeeting,ignorethepilesoflaundryandjustrelax.Yes!…No!Tonight’sthenightoftheconcert.YoupromisedNathanandMaraweeksagothatyouwouldgo.DAMN!2Welcometodailygrindcirca2003—agrueling24-7competitionagainsttheclockthatleaveseventhewinnerswonderingwhathappenedtotheirlives.Determinedandsternlyfocused,wemarchthrougheachdayobeyingtheordersofourcalendars.Theidlemoment,thereflectivepause,serendipityofanysorthavenoplaceinourplans.Stoppingtotalktosomeoneorslowingdowntoappreciateasunnyafternoonwillonlymakeyoulateforyournextroundofactivities.Fromtheminuteweriseinthemorning,mostofushaveourdaychartedout.Theonlysurpriseisifweactuallygeteverythingdonethatwehadplannedbeforecollapsingintobedatnight.3Onthejob,inschool,athome,increasingnumbersofNorthAmericansarevirtualslavestotheirschedules.Someofwhatfillsourdaysareonerousobligations,somearewonderfulopportunities,andmostfallinbetween,buttakentogethertheyadduptotoomuch.Toomuchtodo,toomanyplacestobe,toomanythingshappeningtoofast,allmappedoutforusinprecisequarter-hourallotmentsonourpalmpilotsordayplanners.Wearenotleadingourlives,butmerelyfollowingadizzyingtimetableofduties,commitments,demands,andoptions.Howdidthishappen?Where’stheluxuriousleisurethatdecadesoftechnologicalprogresswassupposedtobestowuponus?4Theaccelerationoftheglobalizedeconomy,andtheaccompanyingdeclineofpeoplehavinganykindofasayoverwagesandworkingconditions,isachiefculprit.Folksatthebottomofthesocio-economicladderfeelthepainmostsharply.Holdingdowntwoorthreejobs,strugglingtopaythebills,workingweekends,novacationtime,littlesocialsafetynet,theyoftenfeeloutofcontrolabouteverythinghappeningtothem.Butevensuccessfulprofessionals,peoplewhoseemfullyinchargeoftheirdestinies,feelthepinch.Doctors,forexample,workingimpossiblycrowdedschedulesunderthecommandofHMOs,feeloverwhelmed.Manyofthemarenowseekingunionrepresentation,traditionallytherecourseoflow-payworkers.5Theonslaughtofnewtechnology,whichpromisedtosetusfree,hasinsteadratcheteduptherhythmsofeverydaylife.Cellphones,e-mail,andlaptopcomputersinstillexpectationsofinstantaneousaction.Whilesuchdirectcommunicationcanloosenourschedulesincertaininstances(it’seasiertoshiftaroundanengagementonshortnotice),overalltheyfuelthetrendthateveryminutemustbeaccountedfor.It’salmostimpossibletoputdutiesbehindyounow,whenthebossorcommitteechaircancallyouatarapshoworsushirestaurant,anddocumentscanbee-mailedtoyouonvacationinBanfforThailand.Ifyouareneveroutoftheloop,thenareyouevernotworking?6Ourownhumandesireformorechoicesandnewexperiencesalsoplaysarole.Justlikehungrydinersgatheringaroundabountifulsmorgasbord,it’shardnottopiletoomanyactivitiesonourplates.Anexpandingchoiceofculturalofferingsoverrecentdecadesandtheliberatingsensethateachofuscanfullyplayanumberofdifferentsocialroles(worker,citizen,lover,parent,artist,etc.)hasopenedupenrichingandexcitingopportunities.Spanishlessons?Yes.Joinavolleyballteam?Whynot.Celloandgymnasticsclassesforthekids?Absolutely.Ticketstoabluesfestival,foodandwineexpo,andpoliticalfundraiser?Sure.Andwecan’tforgettomaketimeforschoolevents,therapysessions,protestrallies,religiousservices,anddinnerwithfriends.7Yes,thesecanalladdtoourlives.Butwithonly24hoursallottedtouseachday,somethingislosttoo.Youdon’tjustrunintoafriendanymoreanddecidetogetcoffee.Youcan’thappilysavoranexperiencebecauseyourmindracestowardthenextoneonthecalendar.Inabusylife,nothinghappensifyoudon’tplanit,oftenweeksinadvance.Our“free”hoursbecomejustasprogrammedastheworkday.Whatbeginsasanideaforfunfrequentlyturnsintoanobligationobstaclecourse.Visitthatnewbarbecuerestaurant.Done!Gototangolessons.Done!FlytoMontrealforalongweekend.Done!8We’vebookedourselvessofullofprescheduledactivitiesthere’snotimeleftforthosemagic,spontaneousmomentsthatmakeusfeelmostalive.Weseldomstoptothinkofalltheexperiencesweareeliminatingfromourliveswhenweloadupourappointmentbook.Reservingticketsforabasketballgamemonthsawaycouldmeanyoumissoutonthefirstbalmyeveningofspring.Fivep.m.skatinglessonsforyourchildrenfitsoconvenientlyintoyourschedulethatyouneverrealizeit’sthetimealltheotherkidsintheneighborhoodgatheronthesidewalktoplay.9Afewyearsback,radicalBrazilianeducatorPauloFreirewasattendingaconferenceofMidwesternpoliticalactivistsandheardoverandoverabouthowoverwhelmedpeoplefeltaboutthedutiestheyfaceeachday.Finally,hestoodupand,inslow,heavilyaccentedEnglish,declared,“Wearebiggerthanourschedules.”Theaudienceroaredwithapplause.10Yes,wearebiggerthanourschedules.Sohowdowemakesureourliv