On a Saturday night at home while relaxing with friends, a dog showed up at the house. In an attempt to find the legal owner and return the dog, we knocked on the door of the legal owner and an old man opened the door. This was the start of an interesting week.

    The old man sat down, made himself at home, and gifted us the dog. After a brief visit, he left, and we were now the proud owners of this dog. It takes experience and knowledge to know that our lifestyle can't satisfy the needs of this dog; the owner that gifted us the dog was mismatched for him as well.

    Three attempts to return the dog to his old owner failed. (I think he was avoiding us.) Because our lifestyle didn't allow us to give this poor dog the attention he needed, he disturbed the neighbors. They got involved. After we shared the story, they gained a new perspective and wisely stepped in to help us find a solution.

    One week later it was decided that dog would be picked up from us by the old neighbor. He would then return it to the previous owner who was more equipped to care for it.

    When faced with unexpected challenges in life, it helps to see everyone's perspective. We have to look at one another's perspective to solve a problem with honesty, experience and knowledge. That's the sign of a leader. Although the old neighbor typically has little to do with leadership, it did bring a neighborhood together to understand one another and work as a team to solve a problem.

    Next time you hear a funny joke you'd better not laugh too hard. According to a paper published by the British Medical Journal, laughter isn't always the best medicine. Sometimes it can even be harmful. Professor Robin Ferner from the University of Birmingham, one of the authors of the study, found that bad things could happen to people who laughed too much. He says, "We found people with heartbeat problems which had stopped their hearts, we found people who had fainted(昏倒), and we found people who'd dislocated their jaws or burst their lungs."

    It seems that laughing can be no laughing matter. But it's not all doom and gloom. Professor Ferner says there are benefits to laughing when you want to lose weight, for example. Yes, that's right: laugh and be slimmer! Professor Ferner explains that: "You use energy when you laugh, you move your diaphragm(横隔膜), you expand your lungs, and both those things can be helpful."

    According to the research, laughing for a quarter of an hour can burn 40 calories, and if you laughed all day you'd use about 2, 000 calories, which is what most people consume in a day. But don't do that or you might end up with a painful jaw. Ouch! Or you might find people looking at you in a funny way.

    But I don't want to finish this article leaving you feeling desperate. Laughter comes naturally for most of us. Babies begin to laugh at around 3-6 months. So give in to your sense of humour and keep smiling. Life is short anyway.

    Palaces are known for their beauty and splendor, but they offer little protection against attacks. It is easy to defend a large building, but usually these buildings are not designed with the comfort of a king in mind. When it comes to structures that are both beautiful and defensive, the European castle is a big success.

    Castles were originally built in England by the Normans in 1066. They built towers and walls to secure the land they had taken. These castles provided the Normans with a quiet and safe place. They also served as bases of operation for attacks. In this way castles served both defensive and offensive roles. Besides, castles served as offices for governors. Those that were socially beneath the governor would come to report affairs and express their respect. They would address problems, handle business, feast, and enjoy festivities in castles. So castles served as social centers as well.

    The first castles were made from earth and wood, and they were likely to suffer from attacks by fire. Then wooden castles were gradually replaced by stone, which greatly increased the strength of these towers and walls. However, attackers could throw flaming objects into castles through the windows or burn the wooden doors. This led to moving the windows and entrances off of the ground floor and up to the first floor to make them more difficult to access.

    During the Middle Ages, attacks increased in regularity, so castle defenses were updated. Arrow-slits were added. They were small holes in the castle, which allowed defenders to fire without being hurt. Towers were built from which defenders could provide fire on both sides. The towers were connected to the castle by wooden bridges, so that if one tower fell, the rest of the castle was still easy to defend. A lot of rings of castle walls were constructed, so that even if attackers went past one wall, they would be caught on a killing ground between inner and outer walls. All of these increased the defense of castles.

    The end of castles can be attributed to gunpowder. During the 15th century, artillery, a kind of large guns, became powerful enough to break through stone walls. This greatly made the role of castles less effective. Though castles no longer serve their original purposes, remaining castles receive millions of visitors each year who wish to experience the situations of ancient times.

    Kulangsu Gallery of Foreign Artefacts from the Palace Museum Collection

    Location: Kulangsu, Xiamen, Fujian Province

    Dates: May 13, 2018 through September 24, 2018

    The gallery is a major place for the Palace Museum to showcase its splendid collection of international art. Most of these works have been kept in the storehouse of the museum and have never been shown to the public. Originally from Europe, East Asia, and North America, these international works date from the sixteenth to the twentieth century.

    Exhibition Commemorating the 120^th Anniversary of Zhang Boju's Birth

    Location: Hall of Martial Valor (Wuying dian)

    Dates: April 3, 2018 through May 6, 2018

    The exhibition features traditional Chinese paintings and calligraphy from state-owned museums. Divided into three sections, the exhibition displays artwork organized in order of time, which offers a comprehensive overview of Zhang Boju's collection through this impressive gathering of the collector's works.

    Discovering the Hall of Mental Cultivation

    Location: The Gate of the Correct Department (Duan men)

    Dates: April 3, 2018 through April 24, 2018

    The exhibition allows visitors new ways to explore the history of the forbidden city with a simple click and celebrates the 92^nd anniversary of the establishment of the Palace Museum, established on October 10, 1925. Adding to the museum's new displays, this exhibition combines traditional Chinese culture and contemporary technologies.

    Treasures from the Al Thani Collection

    Location: The Meridian Gate (Wu men)

    Dates: April 17, 2018 through July 18, 2018

    The Al Thani Collection allows visitors to see cultural landscapes that have been lost in the depths of history. Artefacts from Egypt and Persia throw light on mysteries known to few. Different peoples have marked these relics with their own styles, which reflect the unique sources of each culture but strike the viewers with an equally powerful charm.

Washington, D.C. Bicycle Tours

    Cherry Blossom Bike Tour in Washington, D.C.

    Duration: 3 hours

    This small group bike tour is a fantastic way to see the world-famous cherry trees with beautiful flowers of Washington, D.C. Your guide will provide a history lesson about the trees and the famous monuments where they blossom. Reserve your spot before availability—and the cherry blossoms—disappear!

    Washington Capital Monuments Bicycle Tour

    Duration: 3 hours (4 miles)

    Join a guided bike tour and view some of the most popular monuments in Washington, D.C. Explore the monuments and memorials on the National Mall as your guide shares unique facts and history at each stop. Guided tour includes bike, helmet, cookies and bottled water.

    Capital City Bike Tour in Washington, D.C.

    Duration: 3 hours

    Morning or Afternoon, this bike tour is the perfect tour for D.C. newcomers and locals looking to experience Washington, D.C. in a healthy way with minimum effort. Knowledgeable guides will entertain you with the most interesting stories about Presidents, Congress, memorials, and parks. Comfortable bikes and a smooth tour route (路线) make cycling between the sites fun and relaxing.

    Washington Capital Sites at Night Bicycle Tour

    Duration: 3 hours (7 miles)

    Join a small group bike tour for an evening of exploration in the heart of Washington, D.C. Get up close to the monuments and memorials as you bike the sites of Capitol Hill and the National Mall. Frequent stops are made for photo taking as your guide offers unique facts and history. Tour includes bike, helmet, and bottled water. All riders are equipped with reflective vests and safety lights.

Tutors（家教） Wanted

Teach a kindergartener how to read online

Become a volunteer tutor with Learn To Be! LTB tutors are dedicated volunteers who believe deeply in educational equity. Our tutors volunteer their time to make the lives of under-served K-12 kids and their families easier, their opportunities greater, and their dreams bigger. Teach at least 2 times per week for 3 months or longer. Support your students with homework help or use the resources provided by LTB to create your own lesson plans for your students.

Visit our website to apply: https://www.learntobe.org

Tutor adults in English

The South Bay Literacy Council is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization dedicated to teaching adults to read, write and speak English in the South Bay, Los Angeles area. You'd teach your students weekly online or in-person. The tutoring will last 9 months due to the time it takes to train and match tutors with students.

Visit our website to apply: http://www.southbayliteracy.org

Tutor for Remove the Borders

Being a tutor for Remove the Borders is a great opportunity to gain volunteer hours while learning about how socioeconomic status and learning disabilities can hold students back. Dates on when you tutor will be worked out between you and the person you are tutoring. The minimum amount of time you have to tutor is three hours for a month.

Visit our website to apply: https://forms.gle/eJ2j8BAWAAeApEQq9

Teach online STEM classes

Across the country, millions of students lack the resources to learn about STEM and computer science. Our non-profit organization tries to provide this vital area of education to underprivileged students through engaging in online classes. As a volunteer teacher, you will earn service hours while developing critical communication, teaching, and leadership skills. These classes will run for eight weeks, and three hours per week.

Visit our website to apply: https://www.roboticsforall.net/overview-of-positions.html