Raw and Royal

First, let's talk about raw beef. As many of you know, many people got food poisoning and as of today, four people even died from eating "Yukke," which is raw beef topped with raw egg. That's right, a "double raw" dish!! It is my impression that many Japanese like and order this dish, a delicacy in Japan, when they go to a Yakiniku restaurant.
I have eaten it a handful of times. I only thought it was really delicious at one restaurant, which I have been to two or three times and is located in the southern part of Osaka. Except for the "Yukke" at this restaurant, I thought all of the other "Yukke" I have eaten is "just alright," which means it is nothing special.
In general, Americans don't eat any meat; beef, chicken, pork, or even fish, which is not cooked. I know you are thinking, "What about sushi?! There are many sushi restaurants in America with strange sushi rolls like California Roll, New York Roll, Philadelphia Roll, Spicy Tune Tempura Roll, etc!!" Well, please remember that sushi became popular, main stream, in America only within the past ten years or so. For example, if you ask my father now in 2011, "Hey Big Guy, would you like to go out for some sushi?" He would say "Sure! I'd love to. Count me in!" But if you asked him the same question 20 years ago, he would say something like this: "Sushi!? What are you crazy!? You should get your head examined."
Personally, I love sushi now, but I had never eaten even one piece of sushi before I was 21 years old. And that was the only raw food I ever ate while I lived in America. Since, I have come to Japan, over the years, I have tried raw egg, raw horse meat, raw chicken, raw pork...I think that's about it. I could eat everything and for the most part liked everything, but to be honest, I would choose scrambled eggs over rice over raw egg over rice any day of the week. The same goes for beef, chicken, and pork.
How about you? What do you think about raw meat? Do you like it?

Now, on to the next topic. The Royal Wedding! Did you watch it? I watched it live because I am really interested in these types of events!! They are so exciting and glitzy and glamorous! Actually, that is not true. I watched it because I had no choice in the matter. My wife reserved the rights to our TV two weeks in advance because she wanted to see Kate's dress and see William and Kate smooch! Anyway, did you watch it? What did you think?

Below is a photo of Moco, Mrs. K's new family member. Moco is a mix of a poodle and chihuahua I think...but I am not 100% sure so don't quote me on that.

Y's (a repeat)

After work on Saturday, I went to Happy Hour at "The White Bear"by myself in Shinchi. I got my favorite seat outside and while sipping on a few brewskies, I relaxed and watched the pedestrians strolling by. Then my wife came and we headed to one of her favorite places, Y's. It was our second time there, and she was really looking forward to it. Compared to last time, this time was better for a few reasons I think. First, I asked Mr. Yoshida (the owner/chef) to recommend a good wine, and he recommended a nice one. Second, the bread was more delicious this time. But I ate one piece too many, and this came back to haunt me later! Third, my entree, the duck, was good! And My wife's entree, the special Okinawa Pork, was perfectly cooked and the portion was GIGANTIC!!! It was definitely worth the extra 1000 yen. But again, like last time, I couldn't finish my meal so I had to bring some of the pork home in a doggy bag. Lastly, we were fortunate to meet a very nice couple who I will refer to as Mr. and Mrs. Fukushima. Mr. and Mrs. F sat next to us by chance. My wife was sitting next to Mrs. F. My wife and since we usually don't talk so much, my wife had ample time to eavesdrop on Mr. and Mrs. F's conversation. It is not so polite, but it is interesting! She likes eavesdropping and is very good at it!! It was Mrs. Fukushima's birthday, so when the chef prepared a special cake with candles for her, we both said "Happy Birthday" to her and then the four of us began talking. Mr. F is originally from Nagano and came to Osaka about 10 years ago for work. He is in the fashion industry. He originally worked for a top trading company and then was head-hunted to work in a client's apparel company. He speaks Chinese fluently, is in charge of vacuuming in the house, dresses very slickly fashionable but not too flashy, and is a very good listener I think. This quality is very important for him in his job because he is a salesman, and also in his home, because his wife Mrs. F talks a lot! A good talker always needs a good listener!! Mrs. F is from South Osaka and speaks very politely, but in Osaka dialect. She is very fashionable but doesn't wear too much make-up. She works in her cousin's company, is a good cook, and loves her dog very much! She and my wife got along very well! Mr. and Mrs. F dated for a while before they got married about two years ago. We probably talked for about an hour and a half. We talked so much that Mrs. F couldn't even relax and eat her special birthday dessert!! According to Mr. F, it was love at first sight. My wife and I had a really good time and it was nice to have a good dinner and also meet good people at the same time. In a sense, we "killed two birds with one stone." Thanks Mr. and Mrs. Fukushima!!

Hope everyone enjoys the rest of Golden Week vacation!!

Golden Week Vacation...

GW Vacation is just around the corner. Do you have any plans?As of now, I plan to go hiking one day. Except for that, I will chill out the rest of the time. I might also meet some friends for dinner or something a night or two, but I haven't decided yet. I am looking forward to spending a lot of time outside jogging, walking, cycling, sleeping, and more.

To change the subject, yesterday morning there was sudden storm in the morning. When I walked to the classroom in the morning, the sky was blue. And then, while teaching, I heard loud thunder and then saw some lightening. When I looked outside, it was dark and seconds later it began pouring. I looked out of the window and saw many frantically people holding newspapers over their heads while running towards their offices. Maybe the didn't expect it to rain.

Anyway, this week is a short week. Hope everyone enjoys it!

p.s. Last week an old friend of mine Mr. B.D. sent me an email with some photos from an excursion he went on the other day day. I hadn't spoke to him in a while so it was nice to get a note from him. He said the cherry blossoms and river and mountains and spa, and everything were great! Can you tell from the photos below where he went? If not, guess!! And ask me for the correct answer when you see me.

Trail Running

This morning I went for a jog and stretched a little. Only about 5km, but it was nice. And I was lucky, cause right after I finished running, it began to rain.

Then, on my way to the classroom, I stopped at The Big Issue office in Dojima, and donated two bags of clothes. For those of you who don't know, The Big Issue is an Organization which publishes and sells a magazine called "The Big Issue" to support homeless people. Here is the conversation at the office.
Staff Member: Hello. Can I help you?
Glenn: Yes, last year I came here and donated some clothes. I'd like to do the same today.
Staff member: Oh really?! Thank you very much. Do you read The Big Issue Magazine?
Glenn: Yes, I buy every issue. It's interesting. Anyway, there are pants and sweaters, all clean, and there is no underwear or socks in the bags. Is that alright?
Staff member: Yes, that's fine. I will distribute them to the guys.
Glenn: Thank you.

And, then this afternoon, I got a great email from Mr. K. Read it for yourself.

"Hi Glenn. I ran Hiraodai trail running race 40km on April 17th.I completed the full distance. But my upper legs was cramped at the 30km point... Hiraodai is a beautiful mountain in Kitakyushu. The mountain scenery on Hiraodai is amazing. I felt great while running in Hiraodai. For details, please visit the following my blog's article. You can see the beautiful photos in Hiraodai. Enjoy my photos and race report. Best Regards, K"

I love nature, and walking, hiking, running. And I also like Kyushu. I am very jealous of Mr. K. But more importantly, Congratulations to Mr. K for finishing this great race!! It is a triumph!

Tokyo Report

Two weeks ago, Luis went to Tokyo for a job interview. When he came back, he gave me the low-down. Here it is. Tokyo was dark. Many of the train stations and convenience stores and shops keep many of the lights off, or only use half of the lights. There wasn't any water on the shelves in the convenient stores. Business was as usual, and there were many people walking around. But the people seems a little tense, and tired. Maybe this is because of dealing with and thinking about the blackouts, the many smaller earthquakes, and the radioactivity.

Have you been to Tokyo, on business or for pleasure, recently? If yes, what did you think? If not, do you have any plans to go to Tokyo in the near future?

Who is that shadow lady?!

The answer: Ms. F in San Francisco. She loves it there and lived there for about ten years. Some day, one day in the future, it is her dream to go back and live there. I hope her dream comes true...

Housework (blog by Luis)

Do you like it? I don't recall anyone saying they enjoy doing it. I am no exception either. However, lately I find myself doing many chores around the house. With the exception of cooking, which I do occasionally, I do the following tasks regularly; laundry, dishwashing, cleaning, vacuuming, and throwing away the trash. This may sound a bit odd to most Japanese, but not so much for Americans and Europeans. Nowadays, couples in America and Europe tend to split the housework. About 50-50. They both share the responsibility of housework. One of the reasons for this tendency is that many women work full time now. When I was a child, my parents taught me to clean up my room and help out cleaning the house every weekend. Then in University I lived with so friends in a flat so we couldn't rely on our parents to do the housework! We had to do everything by ourselves!! When I was 18, I moved out of my parents house. Since then, I have always lived on my own, with friends, by myself, or now with my wife. This experience made me more independent and resourceful, not only with cleaning, but also with fixing stuff at home. And now, because I am a student again, I have more time than my wife who has a full-time job. Thus, I don't mind taking care of our flat. But, to be honest, I really hate doing the dishes! How about your place? Who does most of the housework?

Below are some cherry blossom photos courtesy of Ms. e. Thank you.

"Diet Challenge," and Cherry Blossoms

In January I decided to participate in my gym's "Diet Challenge." The rules were the following: 1. You have to be weighed at the gym by a staff member in January. 2. Three months after this "weigh-in day," you have to be weighed at the gym again. 3. For every 1 kg that you lose, the gym will give you a 500yen gift certificate which must be used at the gym. That's it. It was a no brainer!! And an easy win and easy money! On Jan. 7th, I was 82.15kg. On April 8th, I was 77.45. That is a difference of 4.7 kilograms, and when rounded up, 5kg! That's right, in 3 months I lose 5 kg!! How did I do it? Well, that is a secret!!! But if you ask me directly, I will be happy to tell you. And 5kg X 500yen=2500yen! I already used one of the 500yen gift certificates. I bought some exercise drinks. The expiration date of the certificates is in October, so there is plenty of time to use them. I am looking forward to it.

Speaking of gift certificates, I used 5000yen of my eco-point gift certificates and bought stuff for a cherry blossom picnic with the Mrs. last Sunday in Shukugawa. It was my first time to Shukugawa, and I was really impressed. It was crowded, but it wasn't too crowded, and we got a great spot under one of the pink trees, and ate and drank and "people-watched" a lot, and talked a little. The blossoms and the area were really beautiful!! It was a great day!!

TV and AC

I like TV. Usually when I get home, I watch the news while eating dinner. In the morning, I don't watch tv. Instead, I listen to the radio, usually ABC Radio. On Sunday, I usually wake up early and watch a talk-show or a news program while drinking coffee and reading the newspaper. After that, I usually go for a run or walk. In the afternoon or at night, I like to watch various sports, some variety-type comedy shows. If there is nothing good on tv, I pop in a DVD. Do you like TV? If yes, what kind of shows do you like? not like?

Speaking of TV, I know all of you have seen those commercials. You know the ones I am talking about, the ONLY ones on TV now after the terrible earthquake-tsunami-nuclear accident disaster. The "AC" commercials. (Not Air Conditioner!!) I didn't know what AC stands for, or why ONLY AC commercials were on TV, so I googled it. Here is what I found.

The following is from From The Japan Times Online

"CM of the week: Advertising Council Japan- When commercial stations returned to partial normalcy Monday they started airing adverts again, but except for an occasional spot from the part-book publisher DeAgostini, the majority of traffic has been taken up by Advertising Council Japan (AC), a nonprofit organization that coordinates the production of public service announcements with major advertising companies on a volunteer basis. Several of the spots focus on specific campaigns, such as the one featuring former Japan national soccer team coach Ivica Osim about the importance of receiving medical attention quickly following signs of a stroke; or the message from actress Akiko Nishina and her daughter advocating checkups for cancer of the breast and cervix. However, most of the AC spots promote positive social values, such as respect for the elderly, the pursuit of knowledge and common courtesy. The subtlest message, and the most beautiful, is a series of "echoed" statements taken from a poem by Misuzu Kaneko that represent the special relationship between a brother and sister. The purpose is to encourage people to speak to one another in a kinder fashion."

"Let's Play Ball!!

Good morning. It is still chilly, but according to the weather forecast, it seems that it will warm up a little in the end of this week and the weekend. Then, maybe the cherry blossoms can bloom, signaling the beginning of spring.

The first topic of the day is "a touching speech."Ms. N told me that she was touched when she watched one of the high school baseball players give a speech in the opening ceremony of the national baseball tourney. This tournament is being held at Koshien Stadium and there are 32 teams participating in it. One of the teams in the tourney is Tohoku, which is located in Miyagi. Fyi, Tohoku lost yesterday in the first round, 7-0.

Here is a loose translation the high school baseball player's speech that moved Ms. N.

"All of us were born in the same year as the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, 16 years ago.

Now, our hearts are saddened by the loss of many precious lives in the Great Higashi-Nihon Earthquake.

In the areas affected by the disaster, all of the people, friends and strangers alike, have come together and are doing their best...

With each other's support, I believe that people, we, can overcome anything...

What can we do now?

We, the players, must pull ourselves together and play with all our might in these Games.

Japan!!! Come one, don't give up! Hang in there!!

In gratitude for Life, We pledge to stay true to the spirit of fair play and play with every ounce of our heart and soul."

What can I do to help?

"I can't do anything..." or "There is nothing I can do..." are the incorrect answers.

The correct answers are:
"I can do something!" or "There is definitely something I can do!"

Mr. M is a doctor. I met him on Monday morning. He works for a National University's hospital and told me:
"My friend, another doctor, is a member of the DMAT team. (The DMAT team is a special unit of doctors who respond to disasters.) He already went to Tohoku, and he told me he is trying his best, but the situation is bleak...I want to help if I can. But my turn is not now. Now is it DMAT''s turn. In the future, I will be able to go to the area on a different team of doctors and help people. Then it is my turn. So, I just have to wait for my turn."

Mr. M is correct. Everyone's turn to help will come. We just have to wait and be patient. And we have to take action and make our turn.
And in the meantime, we have to do whatever we can, from Osaka, to help. There are many ways to help! Many many ways. You just have to think. "How can I help?" "What can I do?" If you think long enough, you will find the answer. Even if you can not help the people in Tohoku directly, now, then finding a way to help indirectly is OK.

An old wise man used to take me out for dinner and drinks often. I once said to him. "I feel very bad because I can never repay you for all of this." He said, "Don't worry about repaying me. In the future, when you can, please take another person out. Please help another person. If you do that, then you will also be repaying me."

This is a very simple example of helping indirectly.

Here is another example.

Since the earthquake my wife has prepared a super earthquake evacuation bag. It is filled with food, water, batteries, flashlights, clothes, underwear..and more. Preparing this bag is great for us, but that doesn't help other people. However, she tells her mother, and her co-workers about this bag and how important it is. Then, maybe her mother will tell her grandchild, and maybe her co-workers will tell their children, and then maybe those children can learn from that. This is helping. It may be a small, but it is what is necessary to be done now. It is what she can do now.

Then, yesterday, we donated 30,000yen to the Japanese Red Cross.
If you want to do so, here is the link:

https://gienkin.jrc.or.jp/application/corporate

If that money is big or small or medium, I don't know nor care. But it was what we could do now. In addition, I also want to donate clothes to the survivors in that area as soon as possible.
And donating blood is also a good idea.

Next, I will think of another way to help. The ways to help are endless...

Also, I really think that it is important for everyone to keep this motivation to help for at least one year. At least! Keeping this motivation, continuing to try to help, and not forget, is so so important!! I urge you. Please think of how you can help, and also please keep this motivation for at least one year!!

Flickers of Hope...

We must believe...There is hope.

Here are a few stories I heard this morning on the radio.

In Miyagi, an old man in a shelter was in disbelief and said "What are we going to do?"
A young boy who was sitting next to him said "Don't worry. When my friends and I become older, we are going to rebuild this town."

A man in Sendai twitted "I have never seen such beautiful stars. Everyone, look up at the sky!"

Two Osaka business men were stuck in Tokyo without a place to stay. They had no hotel reservations, the Bullet train was stopped, and they had no where to go. At that time. a homeless man handed them a folded-up cardboard box and said "It's cold and wet outside. Sleep on this. "

An old woman in Fukushima said, "In the morning I saw two blond hair, flashy-dressed teenage girls, talking loudly and pushing their cell phones hanging out on the corner in town. Later at night, after the quake and tsunami, I saw the same two girls handing out candy and sweets to little kids who were crying."

Earthquake (Continued...)

I am really at a loss for words. Stunned. Speechless...
When the earthquake happened last Friday, I don't think anyone could have imagined the aftermath...

We should all do what we can, if anything, to help.
And pray.

All I can say now to all of those people suffering from this tragedy is, Hang in there...

Earthquake...

Here is the play by play at around 2:45pm today while I was teaching Mr. T.
Mr. T is a President of a big company around here, and we were on the subject of cherry blossoms. This is the dialogue:

Glenn: You should have a cherry blossom party with your employees at Utsubo Park in the end of March. It just around the corner from your office.
Mr T: Really? Utsubo Park has cherry blossoms? I didn't know that.
The voice in Glenn's head: Is the room shaking?! Or swaying? Is this an earthquake?! But Mr. T is fine, he looks fine, he isn't saying anything...Am I sick?! It has been a really long week, maybe something is wrong with me, because the room really feels like it is going around in a circle...
Of course while the voice in Glenn's head was talking, Glenn's real voice was also saying: Yes, Utsubo has beautiful cherry blossoms! I can't believe you don't know that. How long have your worked in Honmachi?! 6 years, right?! Ustubo is truly beautiful when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom! You should definitely check it out!!

Then, all at the same time;
1. I noticed that the calendar on the wall was swaying back and forth a lot!
2. The Junior High school girls in the school across the street were screaming in high screeching voices
3. The nice lady who works above me came running down the stairs with her husband and said from outside the door, "Glenn, are you OK?! It an earthquake...We are gonna evacuate and get out of the building...are you coming?... In Tokyo, it's supposedly really big!!"

To be continued...

Chapped Lips and Chain Mail

Yesterday, when I woke up I thought "My lips are chapped." And I remembered that I bought some chap stick last year, so I searched my house, opened all the drawers, and then I found it. I immediately applied the chap stick to my lips, and like magic, my lips were soothed and felt better.

When you get chapped lips, what do you do?

And, I got a chain mail from my mother this morning. It is a little interesting, so please read it:

[2011-This year, July has 5 Fridays, 5 Saturdays and 5 Sundays. This happens once every 823 years. This is called money bags. So, forward this to your friends and money will arrive within 4 days. Based on Chinese Feng Shui the one who does not forward.....will be without money.]

My mother said, "Not taking any chance! I hope it works." So I am forwarding it to all of you via this blog!

Hay Fever, and curry

This morning I got an email from my father about hay fever. Here it is:
"i have hay fever. when i was younger i got two shots (needles) per week during the HF season. have taken various meds through the years. at one point, many years ago, i had specialty pills that were given to me by an allergist. that went on for years! they say it gets better when u r older, and i find that to be true. past 2 years have been mild for me. love, dad"

To change the subject, recently one of my favorite dinners is curry. And curry comes in different colors, green, red, yellow, orange...I don't have a favorite color, they are all good, but the spicier the better! Usually if I am lucky, I eat curry on Friday night. If not Friday, sometimes on Thursday night. And curry is also convenient because I can eat leftover curry the next day. I eat leftovers about three times a week! I know that sounds poor, but this type of recycling is also ecological and good for the environment!

March

Welcome to March! Yesterday was rainy, but it was also quite warm...about 18 degrees Celsius. It was nice, and it means that true spring is really just around the corner.

I love spring, but for people like my wife who have hay fever, spring is not such a pleasant season. Off the top of my head, I can name at least 10 people I know who have hay fever. Mr. F, Ms. T, Mr. S...and the list goes on and on. The symptoms of hay fever are miserable. Itchy eyes, itchy nose, red and puffy faces... I feel really sorry for all of you who suffer from this terrible allergy. And, I read in the newspaper today that over 20,000,000 Japanese people have hay fever. Do you know the population of Japan? Well, compared to that number, 20 million folks is a lot!!! And according to the news, this year the pollen count will be 5 times larger than that of last year. So get ready Hay Fever people, unfortunately it is gonna be a long spring!!

To change the subject, last week two people said some pretty harsh things to me.
The first person was a guy, Mr. C. When I went out with the guys for a few drinks last Saturday night, out of no where he said, "So when did you start to lose your hair?"

And then, on Monday at the Spa, a friend of mine said, "Wow, you really gained a lot of weight!"

Last week was a tough week for me. I hope this week is gentler! :)

Below are some wonderful photos from. Ms.e. She took them when she went to Osaka Park to see the Plum Blossoms. Thank you!

Earthquake

There was a terrible earthquake in New Zealand yesterday. Many people were injured, and some people even died. Building were destroyed. There are also still many people, including some Japanese University students, missing...
It is terrible. I pray for their, and everyone's, safety...

Actually, there was a small earthquake on Monday in the Kansai area also.
While I was teaching Ms. Y, suddenly the building shook. It was very short, very sudden. Only about 2 or 3 seconds at most. We weren't sure if it was an earthquake or not. And then we both looked at each other and said, "Was that just an earthquake?"
Later that day, I heard on the radio that at the same time there was an earthquake around intensity level 4 on the Japanese scale in Wakayama.
Natural disasters are very scary...

For the latest article, click here:
"Japanese feared trapped in rubble" (from The Japan Times Online)
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20110222x2.html

"Walking on ice" (This blog is courtesy of Luis)

For someone like me who likes cold and snow, Hokkaido was like being a small kid again playing with the snow. Everywhere was covered with snow, which makes things look more pretty and dangerous! After a few days this snow becomes ice, and all the sidewalks and streets become an ice skating adventure.We went to Sapporo to see the snow and ice sculptures festival, to Otaru where we got hit with a snow storm and saw the handmade snow light-up, and I will never forget Hakodate's fabulous view from the mountain.
Here is our Diary...

Day 1: The early birds are leaving home and suddenly Osaka was all "dressed" in white. The highway was closed because of so much snow. We arrived to Sapporo in time for typical Sapporo soup (soba). We spent the afternoon and evening walking around the Snow Festival. It was impressive. Due to the snow fall over the week, many sculptures didn't look so good any more. So, if you go there next time make sure you go in the first days. For dinner we tried many different types of raw fish (sashimi), but I don't even know many of the names of the fish.

Day 2: We went skiing on the second day. I've been really looking forward to doing this for a long time. I'm still a beginner but I love skiing. While I was making some progress with my ski technique, my wife was enjoying the gorgeous view and hot drinks at the cafeteria. At the end of the 7-hour skiing day I was exhausted, and after a long day on the slopes, there is nothing better than all-you-can-eat-crab, sushi and tempura!!! That meal refilled my energy level.

Day 3: A day trip to Otaru. And what a day it was... I enjoyed a magnificent train ride. There was a mountain on one side, and the sea on the other. It was exquisite!! Several times during the day we were hit with some snow storms but this did not prevent us from having a great time. TV news were saying it snowed around 80cm of fresh snow just that day. It is a very small town with many small shops and cute streets, and you could see different snowmen and snow light-ups everywhere.

Day 4: We went to Hakodate in the early morning, had raw squid in the fish market and strolled downtown. We finished the day on top of a mountain looking at the splendid view of downtown Hakodate.

Day 5: One our last day, we went up the tower next to the Goryo-kaku for our last pics and one more seafood lunch. Then it was time to return to Osaka.

We didn't have time this trip, but next time we will certainly try some hot springs.Seafood was really good everywhere.Of the three places we visited, I liked Otaru the best. Because it was the best train ride I have ever experienced, and I will never forget the small cute streets filled with snowmen and snow light-ups. I had no expectations about this place and maybe that's why I liked it so much.Hokkaido, we'll be back!

Snow

On Monday, it snowed practically all day. I was really surprised. I think it was the longest I have ever seen it snow in Japan. In Osaka, the snow didn't stick on the ground, but near my house in Nishinomiya City, the snow stuck. And when I walked home, the street was full of slush and a little icy. The road was slippery and dangerous, so I was very careful and walked with caution.

Then, on Tuesday I got an email from Mr. M. He went on a ski trip to Nozawa Hot Spring over the 3 day weekend. Do you know where Nozawa is? It is in Nagano Prefecture. Have you ever been there? If yes, what was it like?

So, since I am on the topic of snow, I will write some "snow vocabulary." Look at the below 5 sentences:

1. My brother lives in Michigan, and it snows A LOT there. Just last week the temperature was only 1 degree Fahrenheit!!! That is FREEZING!!! Can you convert that into Celsius? Anyway, since it snows so much there he bought a snow blower last year. A snow blower is a necessity in Michigan.

2. It also snows quite a bit in Philadelphia, my home town. Actually, this year they(=Philly people) were hit with a bunch of blizzards. Every time there was a blizzard when I was a child, I had to shovel the driveway. Because the driveway is big, I had to use a big snow shovel. It took hours. And after I finished, my body was sore all over. Maybe that is one reason that I have a bad back now...

3. In University, when final exam time came around, I was always snowed under with tests.

4. There are two types of snow; man-made snow and powder snow. When you go skiing and fall on man-made snow, it hurts a lot. But if you fall on powder snow, it doesn't hurt so much, because the snow is soft and fluffy.

5. When I was younger I used to go skiing often. And after a long, hard, fun day of skiing, there was nothing better than going to the ski lodge to check out the snow bunnies!! :)

I am sick about talking about Sumo, but for your English study, you should check out this article.
Osaka: What are your thoughts on the decision to cancel the Osaka sumo tournament due to the match-fixing scandal?

(from Views from the Street, The Japan Times Online) http://search.japantimes.co.jp/mail/fl20110215vf.html

Thanks for the beautiful photos Mr. M! And very nice snow man!!

This week's news

All of the below two headlines are from the Japan Times E-mail News Service

"Sumo world reacts to canceled tourney- Sumo wrestlers and fans express shock and disappointment at the first scandal-canceled 'basho' in sumo history."

What do you think about Sumo and the fixed matches. As I said before, Sumo is a disgrace. I gave up on Sumo a long time ago...

"Boy, 14, breaks age record by passing bilingual tour guide test"

A boy from Kumamoto passed the test. The previous record-holder was 15 years old. This kid lived in America for three and a half years because he parents worked there. So he is fluent in English I think. But he said he had to study Japanese geography really hard for the test. Are you good at geography?

And, I also saw on the net that Christina Aguilera (the women whose name I forgot who co-stars in the movie "Burlesque" which I recommended a few weeks ago) messed up singing the national anthem at the Super Bowl, the biggest sports event of the year for Americans, on Sunday. She botched the lyrics of the anthem and some patriotic Americans were pissed off about it. I don't think it is such a big deal though. Mistakes happen. As the saying goes, "Forgive and forget."
Btw, can you sing the Japanese national anthem? Do you know all the words by heart?

Fyi, I get goose bumps every time I hear the American national anthem. Do you get goose bumps when you hear the Japanese one?

Tomorrow is a national holiday, so have a good 3-day weekend!

Below are some pretty cool photos from Arashiyama

What's your sign?

"See what the Year of the Rabbit has in store for your sign" (from Yahoo.com)
http://shine.yahoo.com/page/2011-chinese-horoscope

What is your sign? In other words, what is your Chinese horoscope? Mine is the Tiger! I was born in 1974. The above links gives the outlook of the year for each of the 12 signs; Rat, Horse, Ox, Goat, Tiger, Monkey, Rabbit, Rooster, Dragon, Dog, Snake, and Pig. If you click on your Chinese astrological sign, you can see the outlook for the year concerning career, relationships, health, and wealth. Even if you don't believe in horoscopes and signs and stuff like that, I recommend you read it just for fun. It is interesting.
Speaking of Chinese, Mr. W, who is a Chinese man who has lived in Japan for about 15 years and presently runs an Import-Export Company, gave me some advice the other day. The advice was on exercise and staying healthy.

First, he recommended that people stretch their joints as much as possible. For example, your wrist, ankle, elbow, fingers, places like that. He said it improves the blood circulation.

Second, he recommended that people rotate their shoulders forwards and backwards at least 50 times a day each way.

And last, he recommended that bald people like me, walk around on all fours, like a dog, because he said this improves hair growth! Really?!

I can't believe it, but since he told me the advice one week ago, I tried all three pieces of advice every day. I stretch my joints and rotate my shoulders from the morning til the evening whenever I have free time. And in the evening, immediately after I get home, I crawl around on the floor like a dog for about 10 or 15 minutes every night. If you saw me, you might think I am crazy, but actually I am perfectly sane. (Actually, that may be debatable.) Anyway, since I began following Mr. W's advice, my mind and body feel great!! But, I haven't noticed any change concerning my hair...I still don't have much ;(

And, do you know the proverb "A clever falcon hides his claws?" Ms. T, who works for a different Chinese Import Company, said this to me the other day after I told her "You are smarter than you look."

That's all for today folks...

The below photo of the construction was taken near "Kita-Yard" in Umeda.

Movies, Volcanoes, and much more...

Today I want to talk about a variety of topics. I found the following headlines and when I was reading The Japan Times net newspaper. I make it a point to read a paper newspaper as well as a net paper every day so I can keep up with the current news. Usually I read the paper newspaper in the morning while I commute to work. I read the net paper during my break time. Do you read a paper newspaper, or net newspaper everyday?

"Toho Cinemas to lower ticket prices"

I am excited about this news!! The current price of a movie in Japan, 1800yen, is too expensive! That is one of the reasons why I rarely go to the movies. 1500yen is not cheap, but it is better than 1800! And there is a Toho Cinema near my house, about a 15-minute walk, so if 1500yen I think I will go to the movies more. Speaking of movies, I saw "Burlesque" the other day. I really enjoyed the movie. It is an up-beat and fun and entertaining movie. And, the soundtrack and dancing is fantastic! And one of my favorites singers, Cher, co-stars in the movie with another very famous young singer, but I forget her name.

"Volcano evacuation zone widens"

My mother emailed me last Monday or Tuesday and said "I just saw there was a big earthquake in Kyushu. Is everything OK? Are your wife's mother and family OK?"
I checked Yahoo News, but I couldn't find any news about an earthquake. When I got home, I asked my wife, "Everything alright...my mother said a volcano erupted?" She said "Yeah everyone is fine. That volcano is in Miyazaki. My family lives in Kumamoto."

But the situation in Miyazaki seems to be very serious. Let's pray that the people, and their homes, there are safe.

"Stranded Fukui travelers sleep in cars, trains"

In Philadelphia, there have been many snow storms this year. Just last weekend, another 19cm fell. Snow and ice make the roads treacherous. And, icy roads are very dangerous and force the closing of schools and prevent people from going to work, thus causing some companies to close!
Also all over Japan this year, there has been a lot of snow. Can you imagine being stuck in a train for two nights because of snow. Miserable, especially if you are impatient and like fresh air like I do.

"Asia Cup match viewed by a third"

Did you watch the match of the century?! Well, that is a little bit of an exaggeration. It wasn't exactly the "match of the century," but it was a big match. The Championship game of the Asia Cup with Japan playing Australia. Many Japanese people always complain, "Why is Australia in the Asian Group. They are not Asian!! It is unfair!!" These complaints make me laugh. I watched the first 10 minutes of the game. Then I fell asleep under my kotatsu. When I woke up, it was the beginning of extra time. I thought, "Extra time...Again!?" I tried to stay awake, but I couldn't help myself from falling asleep again. I woke up again around 4 AM, but the game was over so I got up to go sleep in my futon. In the morning, I turned on the tv and saw the following news:
"Japan is Asia Cup Champions!"
"Japan beats Australia 1-0 in extra time!!"
"Lee scores the winning goal on spectacular volley!!"

Anyway, that is the new update for now. This is Glenn Gross signing off...Have a good day everyone.

Below are photos from Ms. S who is in a Chorus Group and recently had a big performance in this amazing hall. She told me; "When I performed in this Hall, I thought 'I am really happy that I joined the Chorus Club.' '"

Lost

"Lost" is the name of the TV series which many people feel is the best American TV Drama ever. In particular, many people say the Final Season was the best! This TV show was very popular in America the past few years. I have never even watched one episode, so I must be behind the times. But the next time I have a long vacation, I am definitely going to rent it.
Have you ever watched "Lost"? If yes, what did you think of it?

And now, on to the main topic of the day. Yesterday I got a sudden call from Luis. He sounded very distraught, so I was worried. We had the following conversation:

Glenn: Hey Luis, what's up?
Luis: Not much. But I can't find my wallet. I may have lost it.
Glenn: Really?!
Luis: Yeah, I am serious. Have you seen it in the classroom by any chance?
Glenn: Hold on a sec and let me look. Nah, it's not here. Sorry...
Luis: Ah...I didn't think it was there, but I wanted to ask you just in case.
Glenn: What are you going to do?
Luis: Well, I just called the restaurant I went to last night. The staff said he would check to see if it was there and call me back if he found it. I am keeping my fingers crossed...
Glenn: I hope he calls you back with some good news.
Luis: Me too. But in the meantime, I can't count on that, so I am going to go to the Police Station now to report it. Because everything-my credit cards, driver's license, alien registration card...I don't even want to think about it-was in there!!
Glenn: Well, I will let you go. This is an emergency so you should report it to the Police as soon as you can. And you better cancel your credit cards ASAP!
Luis: Yeah, you are right. Ok, I am outta here.
Glenn: Alright, take care. And let me know if you find it. See ya.

1 hour later, I got a message from Luis on my cell phone. Here it is verbatim:
Luis: Hi again Glenn. I have some good news!! Just as I arrived at the Police Station, they guy from restaurant called me. He told me he found it! And everything-all the money, cards, my license, was in it!! I can't believe it. Only in Japan!! I am so lucky!! Anyway, sorry for worrying you!! Bye.

I was very relieved when I listened to that message. Because I lost my cell phone a few years ago. It was only my cell phone, but I was absolutely miserable!! So, I felt bad for Luis when I heard he lost his wallet.

Anyway, I feel tired from just telling this story...I need a cocktail!!

Bonsai

"This is one of my father's bonsai plants.
My father has some bonsais and looks at them every day and smiles.
My father said that 'I think that it is good that bonsai plants have an unsymmetrical shape because dissymmetry is more natural than symmetry.
However, to be honest, I can't understand what is good about Bonsai at all.
Because I am more interested in food than in plants!"

The above is past of an email I got from Ms. Y. What do you think about Bonsai? Do you like them? Do you have any?
I think Bonsai are really cool. I do not have any Bonsai plants, but I would like to get one some day. Actually, since about two years ago, I am really into plants! I have about 10~15 plants in my house or on the balcony. But in the winter, it is really hard to take care of them. This winter, because it is so cold, I, and the plants, are struggling. Do you have any advice on how to take care of house plants during the winter? If you do, please let me know. I am all ears!!

Resolutions and Midosuji lights

So, it is almost the end of January. How about your New Year's resolutions?
Did you make any New Year's resolutions this year?
If yes, have you kept the resolutions so far. Or did you already break them?

I made one resolution this year. My resolution is to run 3 half marathons in 2011. On January 9th, I ran the first one. So I am a third of the way there to achieving my goal. Only 2 more left. I plan to run one in the spring and one in the fall. There is no reason to rush. Plus, I want to space them out, and enjoy running in each season. However, I am not crazy so I don't wanna run in the summer, because it is too hot and humid.

Last week, on the 16th, the Midosuji Lights Illumination Event wrapped up. I really enjoyed this year's lights. I walked to the station on Midosuji on my way home almost every day in December and January while this event was being held. It was fun, and every day I could feel refreshed and enter a bright and fantasy-like "Midosuji World." It was nice, so thanks a lot Governor Hashimoto and Mayor Hiramatsu; I hope you organize this even again next year too!!!

"What are your resolutions for the new year?"
(from VIEWS FROM THE STREET, The Japan Times)http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fl20110104vf.html

Cold

It is freezing this winter.
I wear many layers of clothes-a tee-shirt, a long-sleeve shirt, a sweater, two pairs of socks, long underwear, a hat, a big down winter jacket, a huge wool scarf (this was a Christmas gift from the Mrs. She made it by hand! It took a lot of time and effort I think...so I will cherish this scarf forever!!)...but even wearing all of these clothes, it is all still not enough. I am still always cold.

The two warmest places in my house are: under the kotatsu, and the toilet seat!!!

Yesterday I thought, "I really can't wait for spring to come!!"

I saw the first snow of this winter last December in Honmachi. It was only a really small flurry.
Have you seen any snow this year yet?

Many people often ask me,
"What's the weather like in Philadelphia? Is there snow?"
If you want to know if there is snow or not, it is obvious when you look at the picture below.
My father took this photo of the front yard of his house after a blizzard.
Can you see the mail box all covered in the snow? How about the light pole?

Regarding the weather and temperature in Philadelphia, there is more snow and the temperature is colder in Philadelphia in the winter (but I think it actually feels colder in Osaka!!), basically Philadelphia and Osaka are similar. Please read below for some other differences and similarities between the two cities.

The similarities:
They both have four seasons; spring, summer, winter, and fall.
The four seasons are the same time during the year in both cities.
The summer is hot and humid in both cities, but I think it is more humid in Osaka than in Philly.
There is beautiful foliage(fall leaves) in both cities.

The differences:
Osaka has a rainy season, but there is no rainy season in Philly.
Osaka has typhoons sometimes, but there are no typhoons in Philly.
There are blizzards in Philly, but no blizzards in Osaka.

New Year's Eve

On December 31st, I woke up and went for a bicycle ride along Mukogawa River.
It was a cold and brisk morning. Then, I stopped at the Spa (Kumano-Yu) I always go to, soaked in the outside tub, and went in the dry sauna and the salt sauna, sweat a lot and then jumped in the really cold water to refresh, and totally relaxed. Then I headed back to my place and had a nice lunch with my folks.

We took it easy all afternoon and then around 6pm began cocktail hour, and got ready to go out. It was freezing outside, so we all bundled up, and around 8pm we walked to the station-about a 20 minute walk-and took the train into the city.
The train was empty...Once we arrived at Kita-Shinchi station, we went above ground. The streets were also dead...

Next, we walked about 5 minutes to my favorite sushi shop, Ichiba-Zushi, and met my friend Mr. A. There were quite a few people in the sushi joint, and the four of us talked and ate and drank for about 2 hours, and then walked across the street to an Irish Bar where we rang in the New Year. There was a live band and the bar was packed.

By chance, we ran into my buddy Mike. (Look below at his photo.)
Mike is a professor in the day time and a rock star at night.
He is also from Philly, so we have a lot in common.

About 20 minutes after the clock hit midnight and signaled the beginning of 2011, my parents and I hailed a taxi and were home before we knew it. I slept the whole taxi ride home. It was a fun night!!

On January 1st, I woke up at 7am and headed right back to the spa for my first bath of 2011. It was a beautiful morning...

My father, Ed, and Mike

My mother and yours truly

"The Lucky Guy Race" and fortunes

Do you know about the "Lucky Guy Race" which is held at Nishinomiya Shrine every year on January 10th. It is held during the Ebessan festival (I don't think "festival" is the appropriate word to translate this event, but I can not think of any more suitable one...).
About the race, it is one of my dreams to enter and win this race. I think if I could get a front position, which is very difficult to get, I could win. I used to be fast when I was younger. My nickname was "Speedy"! :)

This year a young business man won the race.
This is the article.
"Salaryman wins 'Lucky Men' Race"
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/mail/nn20110111a3.html

About Ebissan, I think Ebisu is the God(=deity) of Merchants, but I could be wrong. Anyway, basically, many people go to Shrines where the Ebisu god is(there are a few of them) and pray for a good year of business. I go every year to Imamiya Shrine, but this year was my first time to go to Nishinomiya Shrine. I was excited to see the inside of the shrine, but unfortunately I couldn't. Because it was toooooooooooo crowded. Unbelievably crowded!!! So after waiting about 15 minutes in line, I gave up and went home. It was a shame.

But, Ms. N was luckier and more patient than I. She waited in the long line for an hour, and after that she picked a fortune. And fortunately, her effort paid off...she got "Big Good Luck!!"

Do you pick a fortune when you go to a shrine or temple around the New Year?
I don't. Because I am afraid of picking "Bad Luck." I don't want to think about bad luck for 365 days.
How about a good luck charm? Do you buy a good luck charm?
I do. Because I want to have something lucky for 365 days.

The first blog of 2011

How was your New Year Vacation? What did you do over the vacation?
My vacation was spectacular. On the 26th of December, my parents came to Japan. It was their first time to come to Japan in the winter. Thus it was their first time to spend the New Year in Japan. It was special.

In all, they were here 8 nights. On the first night, my wife made a wonderful dinner at home. The next three nights we went out to dinner in Osaka. Then, on the 30th, I cooked my famous Miso Soup and we bought sashimi (raw fish) at the local fish market. On New Year's Eve, we went out for sushi and after that headed to The Blarney Stone, an Irish Bar right around the corner from the sushi place, to ring in the New Year. On New Year's Day, my mother cooked Shrimp Scampi which was delicious. On the 2nd, a repeat of my great Miso Soup and sashimi again.

I just remembered. On the 1st, I went to a Sale at Nishinomiya Gardens. I don't like shopping, but my mother asked me to go...so, I had no choice. It is a son's duty. And my mother, who is like a professional shopper and also very good at it, said "This is the most crowded mall I have ever seen in my life." And she thought the "Good luck Bags," the ones for 5000yen or 8000yen or 10,000yen which have a lot of random goods in them, were really cool. She said, "We don't have those in America. But they are a great idea." Did you buy any of those bags this year? I did. I bought one for the first time in my life.

In the next few weeks, I will write a little more about the New Year vacation with my parents and also put up some photos from their trip. My father took many photos with his new camera. He is totally into this camera and was clicking away all the time. I am waiting for him to send me the photos in order to put them on the blog. Unfortunately, I didn't take any photos with my camera...I regret it.

I wonder if 2011 will be a roller coaster, or a smooth ride...I hope it is a...

Happy New Year

I would like to wish everyone a very happy and healthy New Year!!!

And since this year is "The year of the Rabbit"...we must all

hop....... skip~~~~~~~~~~~~~ and JUMP!!!