For my best friends, Nomoto and Ayami

I just want to wish you all the best for a very happy and enjoyable wedding day on November 14th.

Tenchijin ・ 天地人

This is the NHK Taiga drama 2009, Tenchijin (天地人), about the life of samurai Naoe Kanetsugu(直江 兼続) and his lord of the Uesugi Kagekatsu(上杉 影勝) clan who he supports. Naoe is known for his extreme loyalty to the Uesugi family. The story is set in 16th century of the Warring States Period (戦国時代). I'm a huge fan of the Taiga drama and 戦国時代, but now I can't watch it here =[ I hope to see it in Japan!

Spider Man Needs Health Care

Last weekend I couldn't sleep well, because somehow I felt uncomfortable and a pain on my left shoulder. I have no idea why my shoulder hurt. Thinking back what I did recently, I remembered playing tennis with my friends, however; I did warm-up before playing and not much exercise, so it seems no trouble. As it became painless, I realized that the apparent wound on left arm produces redness and a slight swelling. This wound has two small point that looks like pig's nose. Strange to say, but I'm familiar with this shape...., yes, I know. This wound is definitely the bite mark on a spider!!

The reason why I can tell you is that the shape of bite is exact same as the bite Peter Parker got. For your information, Peter Parker is the main charactor of "Spider Man", who got super abilities from being bitten by a genetically altered spider. I'm a huge fan of Spider Man series and watched it over and over again to improve English listening skill before I came here. Unfortunately, it seems that I couldn't be super hero. Also I have to pay expensive doctor's fee even though I have a overseas insurance in Japan. 


I think United States is a great country to live except the problem of a health care. I thought producing a national health care insurance is common sense for every developed countries. But I noticed U.S. doesn't prepare a national health care after I got here. I can't understand the situation that 40 milion of people is not covered by health insurance and many people oppose Obama's health care reform. I think this is bizarre situation, so I hope this reform will be reality as soon as possible. Don't give up, Obama!

I gotta feeling

Now I'm listening to Black Eyed Peas' song "I gotta feeling" over and over again from YouTube. It is recently No.1 song on the Billboard chart USA and often played on a radio, but I don't quite get it's lyrics. To make sure it, I'm watching the video with lyrics from YouTube and also humming quietly(because of midnight). I'm wondering, if native English speakers listen to this song just one time, do they can understand exact meaning and what the lyrics is?. For my case, I can almost understand whole contents of Japanese music (However, recent Japanese music's lyrics tend to be complicated and hard to be understood)

Once I read it's words, it is actually easier than I thought. OK, I'm gonna try to remember the all lyrics, and someday I wanna sing this at a Karaoke bar. Now I gotta feeling that singing a English song is gonna be fun!

Pronunciation Problem

As I wrote a below Journal, I could have an opportunity to speak English with customer at the sandwich store. Today one lady makes me realize it again. I'm so bad at the pronunciation!!

I told her, "What size do you want, Large or Regular? ", but she was like "???. Excuse me, what?". I repeated the same phrase three times, thanks god, finally she could understand what I wanted to say. Later I found out that she might get confused about [L] and [R] I pronounced. I knew it already, though, I was disappointed. Hmm, I thought my pronunciation would be better than when I got here U.S.... Yes, in fact, I could improve it somewhat through past one year, but still I bog down with how to pronounce correctly. Just keep up practice! (usually I imitate what speakers of the radio say , sometime shout, and sing in the car. Funny, huh? This is the my best way to practice speaking well now, just I beilieve.)

Writing below now is just muttering from my mind. I think not only I get trouble of speaking and listening English, but also most of Japanese who study English have same problem. From my experience, I've had a very hard time dealing with listening. Even now. Looking back when I came here U.S, I couldn't understand 70% of what people here were talking about. Then, I also couldn't speak normally. It's a fact that I was afraid to communicate with anyone. Why?, because I didn't get the content of conversations even if someone like my friends willingly try to talk with me. To make matter worse, I usually pretended to understand it and behaved in a seemingly natural way. I always wondered why people from foreign country except Japanese could communicate with American normally. Also they seemed like not to have serious problems about ability of listening English. Now it makes sense to me. All problems that Japanese has at listening is from correct pronounciation. If you cannot pronounce a word correctly, you may not understand this word from listening. There are many differences of pronunciation between English and Japanese.

To be continued later...

Sandwich man

Today, I helped out Tiwanese aunty who owns a sandwich store. She asks me to come over there and make a sub for a customer whenever she needs help. Actually she is not my real aunt, but very kind of me and treats me as her family. So I try to be nice with her everytime as much as I can. She wants to give me paycheck as part time job, though, I decline this favor. Because it is a kind of returning courtesy I've received from her. Also, I'm a foreign student now, so I cannot get paid for work. Anyway, I can improve speaking and listening through contact with customers, besides, eat free a sandwich! Yay! Thanks Tracy.

Finepix real 3D

OMG, this camera is extremely cool! It has the 3D digital imaging system that lets us enjoy 3D images without the need to wear special 3D glasses. I think 3D digital camera will be absolutely next standard. So I just wait for the prices come to down!

http://www.newlaunches.com/archives/inside_finepix_real_3d_w1worlds_first_digital_camera_to_capture_realistic_3d_sti.php

Shinsengumi, 新撰組！！

Today I found the interesting movie from Youtube, so check it out!

I like world history, and Japanese history as well. I'm a huge fun of Shinsengumi (新撰組), which are special police force organized by special Samurai who wore the unique uniform and were trained to be a master of the sword.

All members have to follow the extremely strict rules made by Toshizo Hijikata, who I like the most among Shinsengumi, and if someone in the group broke any rules, he had to commit seppuku (suicide)....I can't imagine in today.

Toshizo, he was known as "the demon of the Shinsengumi", became the prominent military leader and resisted coming new era(明治維新) to protect samurai's society till the last. he was absolutely the "Last Samurai". Btw, his first name sounds similar to mine, so I like my name!

As you can see it, their actual style seems very different than films or another movies that Hollywood depicted. Film companies tend to exaggerate or mislead true history, for making viewer enjoyable. In fact, it is difficult that present actor perfectly portrays a real Samurai. Cuz I think all Samurai possessed murderous stare(eyes?) that we modern Japanese lost.They faced risks od death any time to keep own honor and protect community they belonged to. We can't make such a serious facial expression : ( , but their eyes make me think they are cool! Don't you think?

Hi there!

I'm gonna make my Journal that is mainly talking about my impression living in U.S and interests. Also I wanna introduce some Japanese culture and stuff. Excuse me for my poor English cuz I'm Japanese. I wanna improve my English to make English Brog!