The Oscars

Did you check out the Oscar Award Ceremony on TV the other day?

In order to stay on top of the latest Entertainment and Movie news around the world, I make it a rule to watch this show every year! I heard that this year`s ceremony was almost canceled because of the script-writer`s strike in Hollywood, but thank mighty they worked everything out just in time for the show to go on!! All of the actors and actresses looked marvelous, gorgeous, simply amazing baby!!!

And that red carpet...it really is very red.

The movie which I was rooting for, hoping to win The Best Movie of the year award, American Gangster, got the BIG zilcho----ZERO! It was a shame, but hey, what can ya do...

I haven`t seen most of the nominated movies yet so I am looking forward to going to the theater or getting the DVD soon. See ya in the Theater or at Tsutaya! Ciao

"Kompa"

"Konpa" is a japanese expression for a party to meet people of the opposite sex. For example guys and girls who are looking for a girlfriend or boyfriend often go to a "Konpa" party in Japan. Usually 6 people, 3 guys and 3 girls, or 8 people, 4 and 4, meet at a restaurant or something and eat and drink and talk for a few hours. I have never been to a "Konpa" party (because no one has ever invited me ;( ) so I don`t for sure, but these types of parties are common and popular among young people in Japan. I read recently that over 25% of young married couples met at a "Konpa" party.
The reason I am writing about this today is, last night in class, one student mistakenly said "Konpa" comes from the English word "Compare"... He said "A woman goes to a Konpa party to compare men..." For example, "Compared with GUY A, GUY B is more hansome." or "Compared to WOMAN A, WOMAN B is more laid back." Really?! I think he was pulling my leg! But maybe he is right...however, I think that "Konpa" comes from the English word, "Companion." As in, "I want to go to a Konpa party to meet a companion(=partner)."
Sometimes Japanese katakana words are interesting and funny....
What do you think?

p.s. Thank you e for the nice photos! They are refreshingly warm in these cold february days!!

Dog English Expressions



1. Who`s the big dog?



2. If you want a quick answer, you should go to the top dog!



3. I hate the dog days of summer...



4. Stop being such a hot dog(a flashy/showy player/performer, someone who shows off)



5. Leave that issue alone! It`s a sleeping dog!



6. The young team member dogged it in practice (didn`t try his hardest), so when game time came, he wasn`t prepared and stunk up the joint!



I could go on and on about dogs and dog expressions, but I am running out of time! Don`t be a dog this weekend, and have a good one!

Nice couple!!! :)

Below is a picture of a student, Mr. M, and his girlfriend. They are in a long-distance relationship, he lives in Nara, and she goes to school in Tokyo. Mr. M told me, but I forgot, what she majors in.

I used to live in Nara, and actually I used to live about 5 minutes from where Mr. M lives now in Nishinokyo. I liked it there a lot! The environement is quiet and there are famous shrines/temples like Yakushiji Shrine and Toshodaiji Shirne, or is it Temple, I forget...

As everyone knows, it snowed last weekend. Mr. M and his girlfriend made a snowman! It`s not the greatest snowman I have ever seen :) but they did a good job I think!

The photo os Yakushiji Shrine covered with snow, is just exquisite! Great Photo!

Sports news...

Last weekend was the Tokyo Marathon. I read that 300,000 people ran in it! One man, 81 years old, finished the marathon in 4 hours and 45 minutes!!! That`s the same as my time in last years`s Fukuchiyama Marathon! ;) Now that is a real achievement (for him)!!! (For me, well...i tried my best, but I am a little embarassed that an 81 year old man can run fater than me...)

Also, yesterday an 18 year old Japanese kid won a National tennis tournament! He was ranked 244th in the world. He beat the 12th ranked player in the Finals to win the tournament! His first name is Kei!! remember that name, because one day he will win a grand slam tournament!!

And I am now an official golf fan! Momoko, the new Japanese ladies golf phenomenon, they call her "The Japanese Lady Tiger" is great and will win a BIG tournament sometime soon in America! I am rooting for her! And you should all check out her blog, it is really good!!!

The pink demon!!!

Now, don`t go crazy! Keep yourself together relax! This pink demon is actually a very nice gentleman underneath that crazy outfit!

He dressed up as a pink demon for his nephews and neices on February 3rd, a festival day in Japan. It is difficult to explain the meaning of this festival, but basically the tradition is:

1. You should eat dried soy beans. The number of soy beans which you eat should equal your age plus one.

2. You must throw the remaining beans outside of your house while yelling "Go out BAD LUCK." (At this time, if you hit the pink demon in the head with beans, it is OK!)

3. After that, you must throw some beans inside the house while yelling "Come in GOOD LUCK!"

4. After that someone has to clean up and pick all of the beans off the floor.

5. You should eat a long hand-rolled sushi.

6. While eating the sushi you are forbidden to speak. You much not speak!! You must be silent.

7. Also while eating the sushi, you must face the "Lucky Direction" of the year. This year was "South-South-East"

If you don`t understand any of the explanation above, please ask me in person and I will explain it.

Usually I do these activities and celebrate this festival. But this year I forgot...terrible!!! My memory is getting worse and worse every day...Do you know any good ways to keep your mind/memory sharp?

Spain and Valentine`s Day

Today is Valentine`s Day...In America and in Japan, the way to celebrate or spend Valentine`s Day is very different. If you want to read more about the differences, please check my blog "2007 February" and "2005 February." I wrote a lot about this day and the things people do in America and in Japan in thos blogs. Valentine`s Day has a romantic image...Many people say the city of ramance is Paris, France...near France is Spain, so that reminds me of my friend`s recent family trip. He went to Spain for a 10-day vacation with his family the other day. I don`t know much about spain but I have heard about it from a few of my other friends. I heard that in Spain everything is slow, a slower pace than in Osaka or New York. I also heard everyone eats dinner and goes out very late at night. And, many people take a nap, a siesta, in the afternoon. (Sounds nice!!) And that many people take a 2-month vacation in the summer, and close individual shops and boutiques and restaurants. These kinds of customs are foreign to the way in Osaka, Japan. Do you know anything about Spain...If you do, I`d really like to hear about it, so let me know any time you can. Thanks, and to all you popular guys out there in Japan, don`t eat too much chocolate tonight. And to all you NOT popular guys in Japan, please ask the popular guys to give you some of their chocolate. Have a good night!

Osaka was under snow!

How was your 3 day weekend?

Mine was fabulous!!!

It snowed on Saturday and for the first time in 11 years, snow stuck in Osaka. It looked really beauiful and refreshing.

But the roads were slippery and dangerous, so driving was treacherous! And walking was also dangerous if you did not have the appropriate foot-wear.

I am a very careful person, and I can`t afford to fall and hurt myself, so I wore my good ski boots to work on Saturday.



The skiing picture to the left looks really fun! That is so lucky to go skiing and to get a major snow storm. The snow must have felt like powder.

Enjoy the week!

Live from Paris...It`s Glenn
Just joking! I didn`t go to Paris. But it is on my top tem list! Ms. M sent me an email after her business trip to Paris. It is an annual trip for her. She goes every year, and has some meetings, and then goes out and gets wined and dined by smooth-talking, nasal-voiced, frendch guys. She loves it, and I don`t blame her!

The architecture in these pics is really maginificent!

In the news today...Big Tuesday is over, and the results are in. In the Democratic Race, Obama and Hillary are nose to nose, and it`s gonna be a tight race til the finish. In the Republican Race, well, no ones is really interested. And I am truly amazed each time I see many guys and gals packed in a sports bar watching the "highlights" of the Election Race, hooting and hollering for thei candidate of choice. Having that much free time must be real treat!

In Japan, the toxic?, poisoned?, chinese dumpling story is still in the news...Still. nobody knows exaclty what happened to the dumplings and how everyone got so sick, such bad food poisoning. Concerning Sumo, a famous former stable master was arrested this afternoon for his involvement in the beating to death of one of his pupils...A little too serious for this column, so pass.

Anyway, it`s raining and cold and dreary on this Osaka Thursday nite. Everyone, Take care!

New Words

While I was on the train this morning (it was still dark outside), I was reading the newspaper like I do every day. I saw an article about "new alphabet Japanese words". For example, before we talked about KY(=a person who can not read the situation.) Do you remember that blog about KY? I doubt it ;( ...but I hope :)

So here we go, I will give you a few more new Japanese alphabet words. Do you know their meaning in Japanese? How about the English translations? Do you understand?

CB=It is VERY borderline!
FK=She`s got some HEAVY make-up foundation on those cheeks!
GMM=I just ran into my ex-boyfriend downtown...
HD=I was free(bored?) so I called ya.
IT= I wanna eat some ice cream!!
3M=Really, I`ve had enough.
MM=Now I`m pissed.

snow

Neon Lights

Thank you YU for the really unique photos!

Now that`s the cutest darn bird I`ve ever seen!

Short and sweet today! Next week I am going to write about handball, the new smoking "card" needed to get cigarettes from a vending machine, dangerous dumplings and pre-made frozen food, and much much more!!! :)

Have a good weekend folks!