Hi, ladies!!
Last Saturday night, my daughters and I went to see movies at a community center near my house. This is the first time we have ever joined such events, and I was looking forward to seeing them. That is because the program was Tsumiki no ie and Okuribito, both of which received an academy award this February.
I was worried that there might be too many people at the room, but there were about 40 participants, most of whom were in middle age, sitting at ease in each chair. The staff members were very kind, offering us a bottle of tea and some sweets.
The movies were fantastic. In especially Okuribito was perfect. I never expected it was such a sensitive movie. No one can watch this story without shedding tears. Though I hadn’t had any interest in the actor Masahiro Motoki until then, I was deeply impressed by his charm, talent and great sense for the dignity of life. I strongly recommend this touching movie.
So, see you next. Bye!
Monday, March 30, 2009
Friday, March 27, 2009
After graduation
Hi, ladies!!
Plum, thank you for your warm concern about my daughter. After she graduated from the elementary school a week ago, she has spent most of the week meeting and playing with her friends, some of whom will entrance into the same junior-high, some will not. I only have to drive her to and fro between home and her destination.
My younger daughter is busy, too. When the two were away from home, without realizing it, a melancholy feeling sometimes came over me. Was it the so-called empty-nest syndrome??
But, I have something great to do. Yes, learning English. Without this big task, I must have felt more emptiness. Moreover, without the theme given from Plum, I must have been unaware what to do with it. So, I'm very lucky woman, I suppose.
So, have a nice weekend, good bye!
Plum, thank you for your warm concern about my daughter. After she graduated from the elementary school a week ago, she has spent most of the week meeting and playing with her friends, some of whom will entrance into the same junior-high, some will not. I only have to drive her to and fro between home and her destination.
My younger daughter is busy, too. When the two were away from home, without realizing it, a melancholy feeling sometimes came over me. Was it the so-called empty-nest syndrome??
But, I have something great to do. Yes, learning English. Without this big task, I must have felt more emptiness. Moreover, without the theme given from Plum, I must have been unaware what to do with it. So, I'm very lucky woman, I suppose.
So, have a nice weekend, good bye!
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
The WBC
Hi, ladies!!
I was a bit surprised by the comment Plum made yesterday about the world baseball classic, because I felt as if you had no great interest in those issues. I was also impressed by the game yesterday. In fact, my husband and I are lovers of the professional baseball, and so had had a lot of discussion about the WBC for the duration of this event. All players were trying to win the game and get championship, but we wonder why the team of Japan must fight against one of Korea five times. The quality of Japan’s baseball was so high that I wanted to watch Japan beat other countries as well. Anyway, I like the name samurai Japan. As Peach mentioned, Ichiro is the embodiment of samurai spirit, isn’t he?
Well, see you again. Bye!
I was a bit surprised by the comment Plum made yesterday about the world baseball classic, because I felt as if you had no great interest in those issues. I was also impressed by the game yesterday. In fact, my husband and I are lovers of the professional baseball, and so had had a lot of discussion about the WBC for the duration of this event. All players were trying to win the game and get championship, but we wonder why the team of Japan must fight against one of Korea five times. The quality of Japan’s baseball was so high that I wanted to watch Japan beat other countries as well. Anyway, I like the name samurai Japan. As Peach mentioned, Ichiro is the embodiment of samurai spirit, isn’t he?
Well, see you again. Bye!
Monday, March 23, 2009
The fixed-benefit
Hi, ladies!
Today I’d like to write about the fixed-benefit (Teigaku kyufukin). Recently I’ve often seen on TV that some local governments started giving it to their residents by hand. They say that Nagoya city will begin the procedure by the end of June. When the policy was publicly announced to boost our economy by the government last year, most people (me too) criticized it because of its futility.
But while time has wasted a lot on this subject, public atmosphere has gradually changed into a kind of acceptance. Then we are drawn to several advertisements saying “just 12000yen for a nice trip!” It’s alluring…
Come to think of it, its resources are from our taxes. I wonder whether it will have an effect on economy if we use it for some shopping or trip. I’d better think about the use of the fixed-benefit more seriously, for example, make a donation…even half of the money…How about you?
Well, it’s time to start cooking supper. See you next!
Today I’d like to write about the fixed-benefit (Teigaku kyufukin). Recently I’ve often seen on TV that some local governments started giving it to their residents by hand. They say that Nagoya city will begin the procedure by the end of June. When the policy was publicly announced to boost our economy by the government last year, most people (me too) criticized it because of its futility.
But while time has wasted a lot on this subject, public atmosphere has gradually changed into a kind of acceptance. Then we are drawn to several advertisements saying “just 12000yen for a nice trip!” It’s alluring…
Come to think of it, its resources are from our taxes. I wonder whether it will have an effect on economy if we use it for some shopping or trip. I’d better think about the use of the fixed-benefit more seriously, for example, make a donation…even half of the money…How about you?
Well, it’s time to start cooking supper. See you next!
Saturday, March 21, 2009
The graduation ceremony
HI, ladies!!
How have you been enjoying these consecutive holidays?
Two days ago my husband and I attended the graduation ceremony at the elementary school, because our elder daughter was a graduate. That day was so nice and warm and we had a wonderful time.
First of all, the graduates were given the certificate from the principal one by one at the gymnasium. There were a lot of students and the atmosphere of the ceremony was so solemn that I almost fell asleep. Then, children sang several songs for graduation and made a speech, sometimes all together, sometimes one after another. I didn’t expect them to become so grown-up and tears gushed from my eyes at their fresh, beautiful and respectable appearance.
After that I was impressed by the address of the principal, teaching a story of kiseki no ringo. The story was about a man who had long struggled with apple farming without pesticides, which went beyond common sense in the farm world. But finally he made a big success in his business with unusually natural apple fields, in which a lot of insects and weeds grew.
The principal told us that as well as those apple trees, we couldn’t live healthier without great nature, and that we adults should watch over children, just like apples, fondly.
After the graduation party, my daughter fully enjoyed playing with her friends at the neighbor playground, and got back home at 6 o’clock. She was very satisfied but seemed sad. It was a new start in her life.
So, have nice holidays. Bye for now…
How have you been enjoying these consecutive holidays?
Two days ago my husband and I attended the graduation ceremony at the elementary school, because our elder daughter was a graduate. That day was so nice and warm and we had a wonderful time.
First of all, the graduates were given the certificate from the principal one by one at the gymnasium. There were a lot of students and the atmosphere of the ceremony was so solemn that I almost fell asleep. Then, children sang several songs for graduation and made a speech, sometimes all together, sometimes one after another. I didn’t expect them to become so grown-up and tears gushed from my eyes at their fresh, beautiful and respectable appearance.
After that I was impressed by the address of the principal, teaching a story of kiseki no ringo. The story was about a man who had long struggled with apple farming without pesticides, which went beyond common sense in the farm world. But finally he made a big success in his business with unusually natural apple fields, in which a lot of insects and weeds grew.
The principal told us that as well as those apple trees, we couldn’t live healthier without great nature, and that we adults should watch over children, just like apples, fondly.
After the graduation party, my daughter fully enjoyed playing with her friends at the neighbor playground, and got back home at 6 o’clock. She was very satisfied but seemed sad. It was a new start in her life.
So, have nice holidays. Bye for now…
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Warm spring days
Hi, ladies!!
Alice, I got interested in your remark about some failed missionaries. In fact, there must have been many English and American women who could not make a success of their ambitions…How did they spend rest of their life after getting back to their country?
Rose, I also feel happy to hear that you enjoyed such a fantastic weekend in Tokyo with your son. Your detailed description on Tsukiji can make me feel hungry.
Cosmos, congratulations on your 40th marriage anniversary! How do you feel about it now? Feeling long or short??
Recent warm spring days have made me very pleasant and comfortable, even though I still have a popular fear that I would suffer from hay fever suddenly. Strangely, sometimes I get it, sometimes I do not. Anyway, we’d better put on a big mask outside.
So, see you next, good bye…
Alice, I got interested in your remark about some failed missionaries. In fact, there must have been many English and American women who could not make a success of their ambitions…How did they spend rest of their life after getting back to their country?
Rose, I also feel happy to hear that you enjoyed such a fantastic weekend in Tokyo with your son. Your detailed description on Tsukiji can make me feel hungry.
Cosmos, congratulations on your 40th marriage anniversary! How do you feel about it now? Feeling long or short??
Recent warm spring days have made me very pleasant and comfortable, even though I still have a popular fear that I would suffer from hay fever suddenly. Strangely, sometimes I get it, sometimes I do not. Anyway, we’d better put on a big mask outside.
So, see you next, good bye…
Monday, March 16, 2009
A buffet-style restaurant
HI, ladies!!
Sunflower, you must spend most of your time for your daughter’s family. What a young grandma they have. Please take care of yourself…
Let me tell you what continued from the last issue.
My second reason why I want to go to Norway is, in a funnier sense, a-ha. I am a big fan of the most successful Norwegian band, and so I’d like to visit there to interview them someday. It’s a big dream for me…
Yesterday afternoon, my family and I went to a buffet-style restaurant at Midori-ku, which is one of our favorite places to eat because of its variety of natural foods. But when we arrived there at 12:30, there were a lot of people, about 30 or so, waiting for their turns at the entrance. The restaurant was so popular that there were always many customers to wait, but it was unusual. We were surprised at the situation, but we had no choice and decided to wait our turn while playing at a neighboring small park. We were ready to wait for a long time, and walking around the park in the warm sun. After a while, many junior high schools’ students came out from the restaurant, speaking aloud to each other. They looked very satisfied. Then, the line became short, and we could have lunch sooner than we expected.
So, see you next. Good bye!
Sunflower, you must spend most of your time for your daughter’s family. What a young grandma they have. Please take care of yourself…
Let me tell you what continued from the last issue.
My second reason why I want to go to Norway is, in a funnier sense, a-ha. I am a big fan of the most successful Norwegian band, and so I’d like to visit there to interview them someday. It’s a big dream for me…
Yesterday afternoon, my family and I went to a buffet-style restaurant at Midori-ku, which is one of our favorite places to eat because of its variety of natural foods. But when we arrived there at 12:30, there were a lot of people, about 30 or so, waiting for their turns at the entrance. The restaurant was so popular that there were always many customers to wait, but it was unusual. We were surprised at the situation, but we had no choice and decided to wait our turn while playing at a neighboring small park. We were ready to wait for a long time, and walking around the park in the warm sun. After a while, many junior high schools’ students came out from the restaurant, speaking aloud to each other. They looked very satisfied. Then, the line became short, and we could have lunch sooner than we expected.
So, see you next. Good bye!
Friday, March 13, 2009
My dream
HI, ladies!
Homework at TCLC: My dream
It is my secret dream to go Norway someday, and there are two reasons.
First is somewhat serious. I’ve once learned the political situation of the Nordic country in order to make speech on the Summer Seminar two years ago. Norway is one of the most advanced nations in gender equality. About 40 percent of the diet members are women, and furthermore, the half of the cabinet members is women. On the other hand, the rate of Japan is nine and eleven, respectively. So, I want to know how Norwegians can achieve such great success….
I will show you the second reason next. See you! Have a nice weekend!
Homework at TCLC: My dream
It is my secret dream to go Norway someday, and there are two reasons.
First is somewhat serious. I’ve once learned the political situation of the Nordic country in order to make speech on the Summer Seminar two years ago. Norway is one of the most advanced nations in gender equality. About 40 percent of the diet members are women, and furthermore, the half of the cabinet members is women. On the other hand, the rate of Japan is nine and eleven, respectively. So, I want to know how Norwegians can achieve such great success….
I will show you the second reason next. See you! Have a nice weekend!
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Creative writing
HI, ladies!!
Cosmos, the health care system in the USA and the UK is a very interesting issue.
Alice, your mother is a so vigorous woman, isn’t she?!
Rose, I also like the poem “Youth” by Samuel Ullman!
After the lecture///
Although Plum gets us to answer the questions for the articles on the Blog everyday, I can’t understand how to deal with them correctly… (I wonder “get to + answer” is correct?)
When I was a student in the class of the creative English writing at TCLC yesterday afternoon, I couldn’t compose any meaningful sentences in simple English, because, as the teacher told us regretfully, I lacked even the knowledge of junior high level’s English grammar… Oh, what a mess!
While my husband was working hard yesterday because of this term for the settlement, I was playing tennis with a friend of mine, who used to work together at Nagoya university, at the new sports center near my house, and then having a tasty lunch at the famous café in Hoshigaoka, which was introduced on a guide book, so I felt a bit sorry for him…???
...Where is my English brain?
So, see you next. Bye for now!
Cosmos, the health care system in the USA and the UK is a very interesting issue.
Alice, your mother is a so vigorous woman, isn’t she?!
Rose, I also like the poem “Youth” by Samuel Ullman!
After the lecture///
Although Plum gets us to answer the questions for the articles on the Blog everyday, I can’t understand how to deal with them correctly… (I wonder “get to + answer” is correct?)
When I was a student in the class of the creative English writing at TCLC yesterday afternoon, I couldn’t compose any meaningful sentences in simple English, because, as the teacher told us regretfully, I lacked even the knowledge of junior high level’s English grammar… Oh, what a mess!
While my husband was working hard yesterday because of this term for the settlement, I was playing tennis with a friend of mine, who used to work together at Nagoya university, at the new sports center near my house, and then having a tasty lunch at the famous café in Hoshigaoka, which was introduced on a guide book, so I felt a bit sorry for him…???
...Where is my English brain?
So, see you next. Bye for now!
Monday, March 9, 2009
Exciting experience
Hi, ladies!!
I appreciate your great efforts to hold the talk show yesterday, Plum.
I also thank you, Sunflower, Fumiko-san (sorry, I forgot your Blog name), Cosmos, Alice, and all members.
I had a very exciting experience on the show as a Japanese guest, and figured out what Plum told me before, there was a lot to learn. Before the show start, I got nervous with a large audience. But during the warming up time, I was feeling relaxed and inspired by a lot of vigorous talking with Sunflower and two other participants, who showed me a positive attitude toward English.
The lecture presented by Mr. Blower was actually interesting and productive even for a beginner like me. I’d like to listen to him about other issues.
Last night, I was so relieved but mentally exhausted that went to bed at ten o’clock…! Now, I’m full of life. So, let’s start another challenge! See you next.
I appreciate your great efforts to hold the talk show yesterday, Plum.
I also thank you, Sunflower, Fumiko-san (sorry, I forgot your Blog name), Cosmos, Alice, and all members.
I had a very exciting experience on the show as a Japanese guest, and figured out what Plum told me before, there was a lot to learn. Before the show start, I got nervous with a large audience. But during the warming up time, I was feeling relaxed and inspired by a lot of vigorous talking with Sunflower and two other participants, who showed me a positive attitude toward English.
The lecture presented by Mr. Blower was actually interesting and productive even for a beginner like me. I’d like to listen to him about other issues.
Last night, I was so relieved but mentally exhausted that went to bed at ten o’clock…! Now, I’m full of life. So, let’s start another challenge! See you next.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
ENGLISH brain
Hi, ladies!!
I felt a lack of my knowledge of articles after trying the questions Plum gave us before. I made 3, 5, and 3 mistakes respectively. I want to make a note for the articles.
Yesterday’s seminar for writing English by Plum was very fruitful for us. According to her lecture, first of all, we must cultivate our ENGLISH brain by using every means, especially an electronic dictionary.
For example, we learned how to use a thesaurus dictionary: when we look up a word in it, we can see the same thing in different words.
How to use a collocations dictionary: when we keep words in mind, we’d better to see those in collocations and practical examples.
How to use an English-English dictionary: when we see a word in it, we have to read aloud and find it out more clearly.
I will try them.
After her lecture, she gave us some simple examples for writing English in an informal style, and made us write a long sentence as smoothly as possible. It was an unexpectedly difficult task for me, probably because I thought them through my JAPANESE brain. I don’t always use 5W and 1H in Japanese.
Thanks to Plum, my poor brain was strongly inspired by the entire lecture.
Well, see you next. Bye!
I felt a lack of my knowledge of articles after trying the questions Plum gave us before. I made 3, 5, and 3 mistakes respectively. I want to make a note for the articles.
Yesterday’s seminar for writing English by Plum was very fruitful for us. According to her lecture, first of all, we must cultivate our ENGLISH brain by using every means, especially an electronic dictionary.
For example, we learned how to use a thesaurus dictionary: when we look up a word in it, we can see the same thing in different words.
How to use a collocations dictionary: when we keep words in mind, we’d better to see those in collocations and practical examples.
How to use an English-English dictionary: when we see a word in it, we have to read aloud and find it out more clearly.
I will try them.
After her lecture, she gave us some simple examples for writing English in an informal style, and made us write a long sentence as smoothly as possible. It was an unexpectedly difficult task for me, probably because I thought them through my JAPANESE brain. I don’t always use 5W and 1H in Japanese.
Thanks to Plum, my poor brain was strongly inspired by the entire lecture.
Well, see you next. Bye!
Monday, March 2, 2009
So complicated...
HI, ladies!!
These days the season has been shifted back and forth so often that I can’t follow the change of temperature. Are you all right?
Plum, what a surprise, you have four grandchildren during the last two years!? You will become busier and busier as a good nanny.
Yesterday my husband and I went to a celｌphone shop to change the model, because we had received a news that it would not be usable unless we change it within 3 months. We were very poor users of our cellphones, so we wanted to change them into the easiest and cheapest ones as soon as possible. But eventually it took almost 2 hours! Why is that gadget so rich in its variety and so complicated in its setup? It was terrible.
So, see you next. Good bye!
These days the season has been shifted back and forth so often that I can’t follow the change of temperature. Are you all right?
Plum, what a surprise, you have four grandchildren during the last two years!? You will become busier and busier as a good nanny.
Yesterday my husband and I went to a celｌphone shop to change the model, because we had received a news that it would not be usable unless we change it within 3 months. We were very poor users of our cellphones, so we wanted to change them into the easiest and cheapest ones as soon as possible. But eventually it took almost 2 hours! Why is that gadget so rich in its variety and so complicated in its setup? It was terrible.
So, see you next. Good bye!
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