Wine

I like wine. I prefer red wine to white wine. A few of my friends are true experts on wine, but not me. I am just happy to find a good cheap bottle of red wine. (BUT some expensive wine is VERY good and can NOT be compared to cheap wine!!) Do you like wine? If yes, what wine do you recommend?

JAZZ FESTIVAL

There is a famous Jazz Festival in New Orleans every year. This is a pic from this years event. I think it took place last month. I like Jazz, the Blues, a lot. It`s my favorite type of music. I have always wanted to go to this festival and also Mardis Gras, another famous event in New Orleans. Hopefully, one day, I will be able to go. New Orleans had a rough year last year with all the flooding and stuff. It`s good to see that some positive energy is back in the town...What kind of music do you like?

TIDDY! A Live Show in Horie!

This is my old student. She studied with me for about 2 years. She is in a band called Tiddy! Her name is Yuki (daughter of a famous Enka singer in Osaka!!), and above is a pic of her in her student days.

She will have a small show in Horie this Saturday at a bar called Covent Garden in Horie: http://www.coventgarden-jp.com/

The show starts at 8pm and finishes at about 9. I heard she will play about 5 songs. The style of music is like jazz/rock/ballad...a mixture. I listened to one of her CD`s before and I liked it! If you are interested please check it out!! Yuki, Good luck!!

This is the movie that everyone is talking about! It was a best-seller book made into a BIG Hollywood movie! It is also stirring up a bit of controversy because of some religious stuff about the movie. I am interested in the movie so I am reading the book now. I am lucky because my student lent me the book. It is the first novel I have read in a very long time...The book is entertaining so far. I was really looking forward to seeing the movie too, but another student saw the movie and said it was terrible..."Like a cheap mystery movie". Now I don`t have any desire to see the movie, but I want to finish the book.

Calligraphy

My student Ms. N does calligraphy. This is some of her work. She has been studying calligraphy for a long time. I am not an expert, but I think her work is good! Many Japanese people ask "What is your hobby?" In America, usually we don`t ask such a question. But in Japan many people have "hobbies" or study something. For example tea ceremony, flower arrangement, photography, watching movies, etc. and even ENGLISH! What is your hobby?

STUPID ENGLISH!

Sometimes I see some stupid English around Osaka and the rest of Japan. For example look at the above sign...THis sign is posted outside of the entrance of my gym (I go there every day...sometimes i actually run, but usually I just use the sauna ;) "No smoke with a walk"?????????? This is strange. "No smoking while walking" is OK, but then what about if I am standing...is smoking while standing OK..I don`t know. As usual, simple is best. Therefore the basic : "No smoking!"

Golden Week Vacations...

What did you do? Do you know what the pic is above? If you want to know, read the COMMENT from my student Ms. S. She wrote a cool email and took a cool pic!

NHK`s Lead Story!?

Matsui got injured the other day. He broke his wrist while trying to make a diving catch. He had surgery and will probably be out for about 3 months. Also, his consecutive game streak also ended. I like Matsui. I think he is a true professional and excellent ball-player. It`s s shame that this happened, but I think he`ll come back and be even better than before(=He will hit more Home-Runs)! However, I understand that this is big news in Japan, but the TOP NEWS, LEAD STORY, OF NHK???!!!! I think that much attention is a little much! I can`t believe that this was the MOST IMPORTANT NEWS STORY. Yes, it should be the top SPORTS news story, but "THE" top story of all the news...Unbelievable!

JAPAN VS. BULGARIA...RESULT:NOT GOOD!

One of my students, Ms. C, loves Japans soccer team! She even took a day off from work and went to Nagai Stadium to watch a game!! I feel terrible for her...Japan lost ;( Even if just for her, I wish Japan had won!! Many of the starters didn`t play in this game for Japan. But with the Worl Cup right around the corner, it`s important to set a tone, a winning tone, in the team. Unfortunately, Japane couldn`t do that..It`s a little early, but I`ll make my prediction. Even though I REALLY HOPE Japan wins, I do not think they will advance to the second round.

Proofreading and editing...

If anyone needs a job, I heard that the Ministry of Education is looking for new proofreaders and editors! Did you hear? "Half of all junior high school textbooks contain mistakes"!! And some of the mistakes are ridiculous! Read this!

http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/national/news/20060510p2a00m0na017000c.html

Crazy~~~

First, this guy has a lot of free time. Second, what`s the point? But I will not judge him!! (But he`s crazy! ;)) This guy is a stuntman from New York (a lot of New Yorker`s are crazy!) and stayed in the aquarium for a week! FOR A WEEK!!! UNDERWATER!!! Then he tried to break the world record for holding one`s breath underwater. I think it`s about 9 minutes. But he failed. The whole event was broadcasted on ABC Televison in America. Check out an artilce about it if you want: http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/international/news/20060509p2g00m0in019000c.html

Mother`s Day: "Say it with flowers"

This Sunday, May 14th, is Mother`s Day. Did you get your mother a gift? I just sent my mother a card yesterday. I hope she gets it in time. Nowadays, many people use the internet to buy and send a gift. You can buy anything over the internet, it`s amazing! (saying this, let me tell you, I have NEVER bought anything over the internet because 1. i dont know how. and 2. it`s a little scary.) I think I have to get with the times!!

Spring equals flowers..

What`s your favorite summer fruit? ..Strawberries?

My friend Ms. N went strawberry picking in Nara with her family. She sent me some pics! Many people I know have gardens or keep flowers or flower pots on the balcomies. It seems like a fun and interesting hobby, gardening. I have never done it, but recently I want to try. Do you have any "beginner" gardening tips?

One of my students, Ms. Ma. loves sumo! I also like sumo a lot too (even though recently I think that the level of sumo is decreasing among Japanese wrestlers...) But I thought she would like this pic! What do you think?

May 1st

Welcome to May! Today is a beautidul day so I hope that this is a sign for what is to come in May. Finally, spring (my second favorite season) is here! I really enjoy nice weather and just being outside, walking, going to parks, hiking...Spring is usually a time where I feel very motivated and "ready"!

Some people are now in the middle of a 9-day-in-a-row Golden Week vacation. Others begin on the 3rd. I will take off from tomorrow, but plan to just take it easy and stay around here. Hopefully I can spend a lot of time outside. I hope everyone has a good vacation!