Personal (English)
My favourite izakayas
08/09/10 15:27
Sake Yoi
082-423-8077
Saijo Okamachi 4-21
4 minutes from Saijo Station
This is a small Izakaya with only a bar counter.
The owner makes tasty Japanese dishes.
It feels like being home with your mom.
The price is reasonable.
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Shingetsu
082-422-1077
Saojo Okamachi 5-6
4 minutes from Saijo Station
The friendly owner will welcome you.
The owner makes tasty Japanese dishes.
The price is reasonable.
082-423-8077
Saijo Okamachi 4-21
4 minutes from Saijo Station
This is a small Izakaya with only a bar counter.
The owner makes tasty Japanese dishes.
It feels like being home with your mom.
The price is reasonable.
---
Shingetsu
082-422-1077
Saojo Okamachi 5-6
4 minutes from Saijo Station
The friendly owner will welcome you.
The owner makes tasty Japanese dishes.
The price is reasonable.
At the restaurant
30/08/10 15:56
We ordered lots of food
and drink.
The waitress repeated them all.
After that, there were 5 seconds’ silence.
We looked at each other, and she said, ‘BJ Club???’
I said, ‘Yes’. She told us her family name.
I said, ‘Yuka?’
She used to come to BJ club when she was an elementary school student.
Now, she is old enough to have a part time job at a restaurant.
I couldn’t believe how fast time had gone.
The waitress repeated them all.
After that, there were 5 seconds’ silence.
We looked at each other, and she said, ‘BJ Club???’
I said, ‘Yes’. She told us her family name.
I said, ‘Yuka?’
She used to come to BJ club when she was an elementary school student.
Now, she is old enough to have a part time job at a restaurant.
I couldn’t believe how fast time had gone.
Divorce settlement
24/08/10 14:28
Tiger Woods is getting a
divorce.
It is said that the divorce settlement could be as much as 700 million dollars (60 billion yen).
WOW!
It is said that the divorce settlement could be as much as 700 million dollars (60 billion yen).
WOW!
Time flies
03/08/10 14:18
Recently, I often say,
‘Time goes so fast’.
The summer holiday is starting soon.
I feel like it was Golden week only a few weeks ago.
Anyway, have a happy holiday!
The summer holiday is starting soon.
I feel like it was Golden week only a few weeks ago.
Anyway, have a happy holiday!
It’s too hot
27/07/10 18:31
Recently, I often see
changes in people’s behavior.
People look tired and a bit irritated, busy with wiping away their sweat.
It is also happening to me.
It is so hot every day. It is just too hot to do anything.
Hana and Suzu make it worse by lying so close to me. It’s like I’m wearing two blankets.
However, they are too cute to push away.
This weather is an excuse for not doing anything.
The best thing that I can think of right now is to watch TV in an air conditioned room.
Please cool down a little before I become the laziest person in the world.
People look tired and a bit irritated, busy with wiping away their sweat.
It is also happening to me.
It is so hot every day. It is just too hot to do anything.
Hana and Suzu make it worse by lying so close to me. It’s like I’m wearing two blankets.
However, they are too cute to push away.
This weather is an excuse for not doing anything.
The best thing that I can think of right now is to watch TV in an air conditioned room.
Please cool down a little before I become the laziest person in the world.
No water (Part 3)
23/07/10 14:16
Kazumi came to pick me
up. She was an angel.
I was able to wash my face, brush my teeth, and had coffee at her place.
She even put lots of water in containers for me to take home.
We drove back to my place with lots of water.
We had to walk to the 6th floor.
I filled Hana and Suzu’s water dish.
Then I poured lots of water into the toilet.
That afternoon, I heard the water was back, but the car garage wouldn’t work for a few days.
Advanced technology can be so inconvenient.
I realized we take it for granted that we always have water, electricity, and so on.
It’s time to appreciate what we have.
Special thanks to Kazumi!
I was able to wash my face, brush my teeth, and had coffee at her place.
She even put lots of water in containers for me to take home.
We drove back to my place with lots of water.
We had to walk to the 6th floor.
I filled Hana and Suzu’s water dish.
Then I poured lots of water into the toilet.
That afternoon, I heard the water was back, but the car garage wouldn’t work for a few days.
Advanced technology can be so inconvenient.
I realized we take it for granted that we always have water, electricity, and so on.
It’s time to appreciate what we have.
Special thanks to Kazumi!
No water (Part 2)
21/07/10 15:34
When I finished my
morning routine- vacuum cleaning, reading the
newspaper, and doing exercise- it was still 9 o’clock.
I called Kazumi and said, ‘I want to come over to wash my face, get some water, and drink coffee.’ She kindly said, ‘Of course’.
I walked to the elevator and found out the elevator was not working.
I went down the stairs from the sixth floor to the first floor.
I walked to my parking, which is a multilevel parking garage.
I saw the notice there said that ‘Because of the thunder, the garage is not working,’
I thought of walking to Kazumi’s but it was pouring with rain and I didn’t have an umbrella. So I called Kazumi and said ‘HELP’.
I called Kazumi and said, ‘I want to come over to wash my face, get some water, and drink coffee.’ She kindly said, ‘Of course’.
I walked to the elevator and found out the elevator was not working.
I went down the stairs from the sixth floor to the first floor.
I walked to my parking, which is a multilevel parking garage.
I saw the notice there said that ‘Because of the thunder, the garage is not working,’
I thought of walking to Kazumi’s but it was pouring with rain and I didn’t have an umbrella. So I called Kazumi and said ‘HELP’.
No water (Part 1)
19/07/10 14:04
Right after I took a
bath, there was a big clap of thunder. Then the water
stopped coming out of the tap.
I hurried to the bathroom to see if there was any water left in the bath tub.
Unfortunately, I saw the last trickle of water going down the drain.
It was already close to midnight, so I just went to bed without thinking too much.
The next day, there was still no water when I got up.
At that time, I wasn’t worried much. I called Kazumi to see if she had water at her place. She said, ‘Yes’.
My phone call at 7:20 in the morning woke her up.
Nathan said he had water too.
At 8 a.m. there was still no water.
I called the condominium maintenance company.
The man who answered the phone said that it would take a while to fix the problem.
There was no water in the fridge. The only drinks I had were cans of beer. Hana and Suzu’s water dish was almost empty.
The toilet was getting stinky.
I couldn’t wash my face or brush my teeth.
Even though there was no water coming out of the tap, I kept raising the handle of the tap by mistake.
My hardship started then.
I hurried to the bathroom to see if there was any water left in the bath tub.
Unfortunately, I saw the last trickle of water going down the drain.
It was already close to midnight, so I just went to bed without thinking too much.
The next day, there was still no water when I got up.
At that time, I wasn’t worried much. I called Kazumi to see if she had water at her place. She said, ‘Yes’.
My phone call at 7:20 in the morning woke her up.
Nathan said he had water too.
At 8 a.m. there was still no water.
I called the condominium maintenance company.
The man who answered the phone said that it would take a while to fix the problem.
There was no water in the fridge. The only drinks I had were cans of beer. Hana and Suzu’s water dish was almost empty.
The toilet was getting stinky.
I couldn’t wash my face or brush my teeth.
Even though there was no water coming out of the tap, I kept raising the handle of the tap by mistake.
My hardship started then.
Teachers' credibility
12/07/10 15:51
A kindergarten child said
to Kate, ‘Your pronunciation of white is wrong.’
I had to say to her that Kate was right.
Kate was born in America and raised in America.
She has been speaking English for 22 years.
Nathan told me one of the elementary school children said, ‘Your English is wrong.’
Nathan was born in England and raised in England.
He is a graduate of Oxford University.
Everyone, please trust your teachers!!!!
I had to say to her that Kate was right.
Kate was born in America and raised in America.
She has been speaking English for 22 years.
Nathan told me one of the elementary school children said, ‘Your English is wrong.’
Nathan was born in England and raised in England.
He is a graduate of Oxford University.
Everyone, please trust your teachers!!!!
Souvenirs from Germany
28/06/10 16:17
Miwa brought me 4 bottles of beer, 1
bottle of wine, and 5 mini bottles of
hard liquor.
She said that she had no time for shopping.
They were more than enough for me, they must have been so heavy.
I can't wait to have cold German beer tonight!
hard liquor.
She said that she had no time for shopping.
They were more than enough for me, they must have been so heavy.
I can't wait to have cold German beer tonight!
Trip to Germany
21/06/10 16:14
My flat mate Miwa is
going to Germany on business this week.
I am not worried about Miwa but I am a bit worried about Hana and Suzu.
They will have to be home alone longer than usual while Miwa is away.
They will be so excited when I come home from work.
That will make me feel very tired.
I guess I am worried about myself.
I hope Miwa has a successful meeting in Germany.
I also hope Hana and Suzu behave.
I should check if Miwa put her pajamas in her suitcase as she often forgets them.
It won’t be easy to find pajamas in Germany.
I am not worried about Miwa but I am a bit worried about Hana and Suzu.
They will have to be home alone longer than usual while Miwa is away.
They will be so excited when I come home from work.
That will make me feel very tired.
I guess I am worried about myself.
I hope Miwa has a successful meeting in Germany.
I also hope Hana and Suzu behave.
I should check if Miwa put her pajamas in her suitcase as she often forgets them.
It won’t be easy to find pajamas in Germany.
My driver’s license picture
14/06/10 19:03
Time flies.
Five years have passed since I renewed my driver’s license.
This time, I had my picture taken at a photo shop.
I chose not to get an instant photo taken.
Last time when I took young cute Niki to an instant photo booth, her pictures turned out to be horrible.
If her pictures were horrible, how would my pictures look?
I paid three times more to the photo shop compared to using an instant photo booth, and waited for 2 days to receive my pictures.
It was worth it.
The photographer did a nice finishing job.
A number of wrinkles were smoothed out and my skin looks brighter.
I thank advanced technology!
Five years have passed since I renewed my driver’s license.
This time, I had my picture taken at a photo shop.
I chose not to get an instant photo taken.
Last time when I took young cute Niki to an instant photo booth, her pictures turned out to be horrible.
If her pictures were horrible, how would my pictures look?
I paid three times more to the photo shop compared to using an instant photo booth, and waited for 2 days to receive my pictures.
It was worth it.
The photographer did a nice finishing job.
A number of wrinkles were smoothed out and my skin looks brighter.
I thank advanced technology!
Meditation training
07/06/10 18:58
I read
the
book ‘Kangaenai Renshu’
(Meditation Training) written by a young monk.
In this book, he points out that we are too absorbed in our own thoughts to concentrate on the things we are actually doing right at that moment.
I realized I’m often thinking about work, food, the weekend while I’m doing something else.
I’m trying to concentrate on what I am doing.
It seems to be helping me to organize my thoughts.
In this book, he points out that we are too absorbed in our own thoughts to concentrate on the things we are actually doing right at that moment.
I realized I’m often thinking about work, food, the weekend while I’m doing something else.
I’m trying to concentrate on what I am doing.
It seems to be helping me to organize my thoughts.
The story of my obstinate warts Part 3
31/05/10 13:06
I can't believe I'm
writing 'The story of my obstinate warts Part 3'.
Last time, I kept going to the doctor until all the warts were gone completely.
I went to the doctor at least 6 times for the treatment.
It's been over a year since my first wart appeared.
Unfortunately, they are back again.
I hope I will not be writing 'Part 4' again.
Last time, I kept going to the doctor until all the warts were gone completely.
I went to the doctor at least 6 times for the treatment.
It's been over a year since my first wart appeared.
Unfortunately, they are back again.
I hope I will not be writing 'Part 4' again.
Writing a diary in English
24/05/10 15:56
最近、生徒さんに「勉強しなさい！」と言うばかりで自分がなにもしていなかった。反省し、ブログを日本語と英語、両方で今週から書くようにした。（続ける自信はあまりない。。。）
生徒さんには、「日記を書いてください！」とよく言っている。
私のブログが少しでも参考になれば嬉しい。先ずは英語でブログを書き、そのブログをちらちら見ながら、日本語で書いてみた。
訳さないのは、日本語ではこういう言い方がピンとくるけど、英語ではちょっと違うこういう表現が良い、というのが必ずある。だから訳そうとするより、英語で考えて英語で書く。日本語で考えて日本語で書く方が、簡単だし、自然な文章ができあがる。
英語の方はネイサンにチェックしてもらい、間違いを正してもらい掲載していく。
これからは、聞いたことはあるけど自分で使ったことのない表現を増やしていきたいと思う。
ネイティブだって、結構簡単な英語でメールや、手紙を書くものだ。
日本人には、なんだか難しく書こうとする人が多いが、そうでなく、シンプルにわかりやすく書く方が格好いいのだ。
ネイティブのような文章力を目指して私も頑張る！！！！
The effects of "Ukon no Chikara"
Last Friday, I went out for a drink with my coworkers to celebrate Kazumi's birthday.
Nathan kindly offered to get 'Ukon no Chikara' on the way to the restaurant. I asked him to get 'Ukon Super".
On arriving at the restaurant, I drunk 'Ukon Super' which is supposed to prevent against getting too drunk and having a hangover the next day.
Unfortunately, it worked too well for me.
After 2 jugs of beer and 2 glasses of Korean Sake (Makkori), I didn't feel like I had drunk any alcohol.
It's more fun to feel relaxed after a few drinks.
We need to get our money's worth when we drink.
I guess 'Ukon Super' was too strong for me.
生徒さんには、「日記を書いてください！」とよく言っている。
私のブログが少しでも参考になれば嬉しい。先ずは英語でブログを書き、そのブログをちらちら見ながら、日本語で書いてみた。
訳さないのは、日本語ではこういう言い方がピンとくるけど、英語ではちょっと違うこういう表現が良い、というのが必ずある。だから訳そうとするより、英語で考えて英語で書く。日本語で考えて日本語で書く方が、簡単だし、自然な文章ができあがる。
英語の方はネイサンにチェックしてもらい、間違いを正してもらい掲載していく。
これからは、聞いたことはあるけど自分で使ったことのない表現を増やしていきたいと思う。
ネイティブだって、結構簡単な英語でメールや、手紙を書くものだ。
日本人には、なんだか難しく書こうとする人が多いが、そうでなく、シンプルにわかりやすく書く方が格好いいのだ。
ネイティブのような文章力を目指して私も頑張る！！！！
The effects of "Ukon no Chikara"
Last Friday, I went out for a drink with my coworkers to celebrate Kazumi's birthday.
Nathan kindly offered to get 'Ukon no Chikara' on the way to the restaurant. I asked him to get 'Ukon Super".
On arriving at the restaurant, I drunk 'Ukon Super' which is supposed to prevent against getting too drunk and having a hangover the next day.
Unfortunately, it worked too well for me.
After 2 jugs of beer and 2 glasses of Korean Sake (Makkori), I didn't feel like I had drunk any alcohol.
It's more fun to feel relaxed after a few drinks.
We need to get our money's worth when we drink.
I guess 'Ukon Super' was too strong for me.
The Mega Mac
17/01/07 22:59
Last Saturday, my dearest
friend Miwa and I went to Macdonald's as Miwa wanted to
try a Mega Mac.
There was a long line of cars in front of Macdonald's. We waited in the drive through line and got what we wanted. We then drove to Kagamiyama Park. Carrying our lunch, we walked in the park for a while with my dearest dog, Hana. Kagamiyama Park is Hana's favorite park. When I am not so busy, I take her for a walk there.
After a while, we sat down on a bench, and opened the bag. Miwa had her first bite of her-long waited Mega Mac.
The next moment. she said something that was a little difficult for me to hear. She had said, 'My jaw is dislocated!'
Miwa's mouth seems to be too small for a Mega Mac.
There was a long line of cars in front of Macdonald's. We waited in the drive through line and got what we wanted. We then drove to Kagamiyama Park. Carrying our lunch, we walked in the park for a while with my dearest dog, Hana. Kagamiyama Park is Hana's favorite park. When I am not so busy, I take her for a walk there.
After a while, we sat down on a bench, and opened the bag. Miwa had her first bite of her-long waited Mega Mac.
The next moment. she said something that was a little difficult for me to hear. She had said, 'My jaw is dislocated!'
Miwa's mouth seems to be too small for a Mega Mac.
The band aid incident
31/12/06 11:58
One night, as my hands
were dry, I put some cream on my hands and wrapped a
band aid around my index finger before I went to bed.
As soon as I went to bed, I noticed the band aid was
getting loose. I tightened it so that it would stay on
my finger all night. I fell asleep right after that.
In the middle of the night, I woke up feeling something was very wrong. My index finger was completely numb from the pressure of the band aid. Half asleep, I thought ‘Oh! My goodness, what if I lose my index finger!’
I massaged my index finger for quite a long time, fearing what would happen to my finger after that. Next morning, though, my index finger was fine.
Since that incident, I have been very careful handling band aids.
In the middle of the night, I woke up feeling something was very wrong. My index finger was completely numb from the pressure of the band aid. Half asleep, I thought ‘Oh! My goodness, what if I lose my index finger!’
I massaged my index finger for quite a long time, fearing what would happen to my finger after that. Next morning, though, my index finger was fine.
Since that incident, I have been very careful handling band aids.