The O. Henry Museum

    The aim of the O. Henry Museum is to collect, preserve, and interpret artifacts，works and archival (档案的) materials relative to the author, for literary» educational, and historical purposes that are accessible to the public. The museum was set up in 1934, under the authority of the City of Austin, and is both a National Register Property and a National Literary Landmark.

    The O. Henry Museum is open from Wednesday to Sunday, noon to 5:00 pm. Admission is free. Tours are also available for free. Please contact the museum at least one week in advance to schedule a tour for a group of 10 or more. Metered parking is available on the street in front of the museum. The museum's gift shop has for sale T-shirts, coffee mugs, DVDs, and an array of books by and about O. Henry.

    Group tours:

    We ask for one-week advance notice of groups more than 10 people, including schools, church groups, and organizations.

    Donations:

    Donations greatly benefit the museum and its programs. Inquire about contributing.

    Volunteer:

    Contact us about volunteering at the museum. We are currently in need of a gardener and a volunteer docent (讲解员).

    Staff:

    Valerie Bennett, Curator valerie. bennett@ci. austin. tx. us

    Michael Hoinski, Culture & Arts Education Specialist michael. hoinski@ci. austin. tx. us

    Elizabeth Taylor, Docent

    Location: 409 East Fifth Street, Austin, Texas 78701

    I've seen a couple of the other Fast Furious films but this one is definitely best. Dominic Toretto (played by Vin Diesel), Brian O' Conner (Paul Walker) and Mia Toretto (Jordana Brewster) are planning to steal $100 million from businessman Hernan Reyes (Joaquim de Almeida). At the same time, agent (联邦特工) Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) is chasing after them. The story's pretty fast-moving and the car chase at the end is amazing.

—Derek

    Well, if I'd known it was an action film, I wouldn't have gone to see it. I mean, I can't stand action films. And I'll tell you another thing – I can't stand Vin Diesel. I mean he can't act to save his life. The film would have been much better with someone like Mau Damon or George Clooney. The only good thing about it was the soundtrack (电影配乐) which was pretty good. And I won't be going to see any other Fast & Furious movies either!

—Zoe

    Well it started off all right, but the romance between Mia and Brian was a bit inadequate (不足的) and the whole thing lost its way. It was as if the director couldn't decide whether he was making a thriller, an action movie or a romantic comedy (喜剧), so he ended up making none of them.

—Mario

    It was amazing! I can't believe it was really over two hours long. It just flashed by. The direction was superb； Justin did a really good job. And the acting was great. I know Vin Diesel isn't going to win an Oscar or anything like that but he's good at what he does. And the plot! I laughed out loud quite a few times. The funny thing is, I wouldn^'t have bothered seeing it if my friend hadn't suggested going.

—Megan

    My grandfather grew up in war-torn Europe. When German soldiers occupied his hometown, the thriving city of Tarow, Poland, he refused to obey them and eventually joined the Soviet army to fight for his country's freedom. “Stand straight, stand tall,” he told himself.

    After the war, in 1947, he boarded a boat for Manhattan. He was hungry and suffering from seasickness. All alone in a new country, he was frightened about his future. Still, he marched head-on into the hustle of the streets of New York. Soon he met other European immigrants, each of them trying to find his or her own way. If they could do it, why couldn't he? “Stand straight, stand tall,” he would remind himself.

    Thanks to the help of a loyal and trusting friend, my grandfather gained a jewelry booth on Canal Street, New York City. He once told me how nervous he was on that first day of work. He was not only trying to learn this tough new business, but also a new language.

    To his surprise, the men in neighboring booths－who could have taken advantage of him－offered their help and advice. Within months, my grandfather was commanding his spot behind the counter, selling diamonds and cultured pearls as if he'd been doing it his whole life.

    Stand straight and stand tall.

    In later years, my grandfather would take both my mother and her sister down the aisle at their weddings. As he stood with each of them, he thought about their new beginnings, and of the adventures and journeys they would experience together. He also thought about the children who would one day carry on his family name.

    I am so proud to be one of those children. Listening to my grandfather's remarkable experiences has changed the way I view my own life.

    People traveling long distances frequently have to decide whether they would prefer to go by land, sea, or air. Hardly can anyone positively enjoy sitting in a train for more than a few hours. Train carriages soon get crowded. Reading is only a partial solution, for the monotonous(单调的) rhythm of the wheels clicking on the rails soon makes you sleep. During the day, sleep comes in snatches. While at night you rarely manage to sleep. Inevitably you arrive at your destination almost exhausted.

    Long car journey are even less pleasant, for it is quite impossible even to read. On motorways you can, at least, travel fairly safely at high speed, but more often than not, the greater span of the journey is spent on narrow, uneven roads which are crowded with traffic.

    By comparison, trips by sea offer a great variety of civilized comforts. You can stretch your legs on the broad decks, play games, swim, meet interesting people and enjoy good food-always assuming, of course, that the sea is calm. If it is not and you are likely to get seasick, no form of transport could be worse. Even if you travel in ideal weather, sea journeys take a long time. Relatively few people are prepared to sacrifice up to a third of their holidays for the pleasure of traveling on a ship.

    Airplanes have the reputation of being dangerous and a little expensive. But nothing can match them for speed and comfort. Traveling at a height of 30,000 feet and at over 500 miles an hour is a pleasant experience. For a few hours, you settle back in a deep armchair to enjoy the flight. The real relaxation can be a free film show and some other services. An airplane also offers you an unusual and breathtaking view of the world. You really see the shape of the land. If the landscape is hidden from the view, you can enjoy the extraordinary sight of unbroken cloud plains that stretch on for miles before you, while the sun shines brilliantly in a clear sky. The journey is so smooth that there is nothing to prevent you from reading or sleeping. However you decide to spend your time, one thing is certain: you will arrive at your destination fresh and untired.

    For many creatures, the ocean is a terrifying place. Several marine animals have declined as a result of overfishing and pollution. But cephalopods(头足动物) — a type of invertebrate(无脊椎动物) that includes octopuses, cuttlefish, and squid, have seen a dramatic increase in their numbers over the past 60 years.

    Zoe Doubleday, a scientist at the University of Adelaide, in Australia, conducted a study of cephalopods recently. She points out that their population rise is due to the animals' unique traits.

    The creatures can change their color and body shape. They are fast-growing and live for only one or two years. "This allows them to adapt to changing environmental conditions more quickly than other marine species," Doubleday says.

    "Rising sea temperatures may be speeding up the animals' life cycle. They may be growing faster and producing more young."

    Cephalopods live in all of the world's oceans. They can be found in waters from the freezing polar regions to the warm tropic regions. Because they adapt so easily to their environment, the animals are called "the weed of the sea".

    Will octopuses, cuttlefish, and squid take over the world one day? Some people may wonder. According to Doubleday, that is unlikely. The rise in cephalopod populations could slow down if the animals run out of prey(被捕食的动物) and start feeding on one another. Overfishing could also have an impact on their numbers.

    For now, the cephalopod population boom is good news for them and some other sea creatures. "Increases in cephalopod populations could benefit predators(捕食性动物) such as marine mammals and seabirds, which rely on cephalopods for food," Doubleday says.

I didn't go to Santiago, Chile to look for friendship. In fact, Chile was not even on my wish list.

A mid-life crisis woman, I got a chance to study abroad. I only wanted to learn about global business, taste South American cuisine, and check "study abroad" off my wish list.

On the fifth day, I joined a group for a neighborhood work project aided by the anti-poverty (扶贫) organization. Our tasks were to build a water tower and paint the community center. Upon arrival, I couldn't believe my eyes. It was like a scene out of a horrible film. That moment redefined poverty for me because I had never seen such terrible living conditions. As advised, I showed no signs of the motional battle going on inside me.

Just as I was about to start work on painting, a request came through for a few volunteers to help Nadia, a local resident who volunteered to cook for us. I raised my hand to help because I wanted spend time with the people of the neighborhood despite my shortage of Spanish speaking skills.

Nadia had a sincere smile but not overly friendly. Even without speaking each other's language we started to learn about one another. We chatted about our children, our upbringing, shared picture of our family, struggled to instruct each other to communicate in the other's language, and laugh many times.

After we fed everybody and the dishes were washed, my day was over. But I found myself hesitant to leave. It was as if I had known her my entire life. I had not predicted the unselfishness heart I would encounter, and it was moving.

As we were waiting for the car to pick us up, Nadia showed me her plants that are well-maintains. I could see that despite the hard conditions she was passionate about life. She made me long to be stronger person. She showed me that poverty was external, but happiness was internal. I was seeking to give 100 percent for a well-intentioned cause, but I left receiving 200 percent from her.